Why taking care of your health is your smartest business investment

This post is a bit off-topic for our normal WordPress blog topics, health is just something else that we are incredibly passionate about and this is more of a personal story.

I had stopped taking care of myself as I worked hard to establish my business. It wasn’t something that happened overnight, but the additional weight I had put crept up over time and before I know it my weight had ballooned to 13 stone. This may not sound much but on someone who is 5 foot 6 tall it is not healthy, doesn’t look good and is a recipe for long-term health issues.

I didn’t have time for exercise, I was too busy. I had better things to do.

Then I changed my priorities.

I changed so my health became my number one priority instead of being about fifth on the list. This wasn’t due to any particular health scare although turning 40 did seem to have an effect on me. I chose health as something I must work on every day in order to get it to the level I wanted. If I had good health then anything else was possible, with poor health, hardly anything is possible.

So what did I do about it…

I started working out every day, starting with press ups. Doing more and more each day. Then I moved to resistance band workouts and now I am doing kettlebells and HIIT burpees.

The results have been amazing. I am now at 10 and a half stone and have more muscle than ever before. It’s not just the physical transformation that has had a positive effect. I have also had the following:

• Better concentration levels
• I know need less sleep and sleep better
• Better self-confidence
• Improved mood
• Better ability to manage stress

So, what does this mean for you?

If you are serious about having an outstanding life then health must be top of your list. I know some people might put their partner or kids as first on the list but you won’t be able to look after them if your health isn’t good. Like anything you do today, you are sowing the seeds for your future right now.

Here are 5 quick wins you can do to improve your health:

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier and exercise. Everyone can do this, just set that alarm earlier and get going
2. Buy a kettlebell and exercise using it every day. Do 3, 1-minute sets of kettle bell swings with perfect form, with 2 minutes rest between sets. That’s all you need
3. Drink more water. Try to aim for as close to 4 litres of water a day. If you can get filtered, alkaline water all the better
4. Avoid processed foods. Cook your food from fresh and eat more green vegetables
5. Take walks. Fit in a 20-minute walk at lunchtime and do some breathing exercises at the same time.

Health is wealth, are you maximising it or letting it go?