It’s been an exciting period and one that’s come with many great learnings.

And I thought it would be helpful to share what I’ve gleaned from the top 10 per cent of the clients at my gym, Lockeroom – those who’ve had the biggest transformations and been the most successful in their fitness journeys.

While each goes about things in their own way – there are also many qualities that overlap, and it’s these I want to pass along.

The top five habits successful C-suiters do every day

1 Make training a non-negotiable

C-Suiters treat training appointments as they do a board (or very important client) meeting. Once it’s in the diary, only a last-minute, unmitigated disaster will see it moved. Very rarely do they miss a planned session.

2 Get their steps in

When it comes to lifestyle changes, this is perhaps one of the most important in maintaining a healthy weight. And let’s be honest here, when we talk ‘steps’, we’re just using another word for movement. These clients know it’s not simply enough to lift weights for 45 minutes and then sit back at a desk for the next 10 hours. Walking is a critical piece of the puzzle.

3 Invest in health and fitness

Whether it’s $40 or $400, my top clients see money and time spent on health and fitness activities as an investment in their mood, productivity and longevity. To them, this is never a cost they ever look to cut.

4 Eat protein

There seems to always be a media battle between diet tribes (low carb vs fat) but very little is said about the importance of protein. What’s disturbing is this is the most important dietary change anyone can make. And my top clients adhere to the 1.6 – 2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.

5 Track health data

They use wearable technology that we recommend and support to measure their progress. From sleep, to resting heart rate, to testosterone levels – if there’s a way to put a number on it, they will. The saying, ‘what gets measured, gets managed’ is true.

The take-out

What I like about these shared habits is that anyone can do them. They’re don’t involve a special, expensive device or a magic supplement. They are simple, basic but very effective habits that will make a difference – and anyone can do them.

The ‘magic’ comes with how often and how consistently you get them get done.

Related:

Meet the man behind Australia’s most exclusive gym

Zuck, Branson and Bezos train harder than you

The post The top 5 daily health habits of high performing execs appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Setting the standard in this new era of the MBE (modern business executive) are three billionaires, each traversing different decades of their lives. META’s Mark Zuckerberg, Virgin’s Richard Branson and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos have all been very public about their respective fitness transformations and healthy lifestyles and habits. Each also remain heavily involved in the day-to-day madness of running and growing their global business empires. And to handle this workload they turn to a non-negotiable fitness regime that keeps them young, productive and fizzing with ideas.

Here, I’m going to break down the routines of each—focusing on what’s to like, what needs work and what I’d have them doing differently were they my client.

INSTAGRAM I @zuck

Mark Zuckerberg, 39

• 4 x per week combat sports training – boxing, MMA, Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ)
• Competes in BJJ competitions
• On ‘other’ days – cardio, strength work and mobility
• On days he feels too tired he goes for a long walk
• Fitness achievements: silver medal in BJJ competition, 5k run under 20 min, Murph (2 mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats in 9kg weight vest) under 40 min.

What’s to like: Combat sports training is extremely difficult, requires an exceptionally high level of skill development and is great for balance, coordination and confidence. Also the man can run—a sub 20-min 5km time would be solid for a pure runner (Zuck clearly has a strong set of lungs). He also does some mobility work, which many people omit from their routines but is essential for recovery and longevity.

What’s not to like: It’s a tonne of training. There are no specifics on the total volume but youth is on his side, so let’s see how long he can sustain it.

What I’d do differently: I like having a dedicated rest day. This ensures in a seven-day week you have one 24-hour cycle in which your body can focus on healing and repair. Because more is not always better.

BACKGRID

Jeff Bezos, 60

• 30 mins of cardio and 45 mins of weights every morning
• Kayaking, paddle boarding and running hills some days as well
• Big focus on getting eight hours sleep
• Only trains mornings for productivity reasons
• Has a PT

What’s to like: Consistent weights routine. Mixing cardio with weights is a great way to be time efficient and ensure nothing gets missed. Both cardio and weights are essential for long-term health. Uses a PT for daily accountability.

What’s not to like: Again, every day is a lot for a 60-year-old. I trust his trainer is appropriately balancing his volume and exercise selection.

What I’d do differently: His fitness transformation is a recent one and at that stage of life it’s very hard to achieve tangible results. I’d be keen to know exactly how he did it. Regardless, in your late fifties/early sixties, recovery from training becomes an important priority. I’d like to have a rest day in there one or two times per week.

INSTAGRAM I @richardbranson

Richard Branson, 73

• Daily personal training sessions
• Kite surfing, tennis, mountain biking most days
• Trains at 7am
• Can do multiple pull-ups
• Lots of variety in movements like battle ropes, kettlebells and plyometric work

What’s to like: Branson is all about training in the gym to be better at both work and play. His passion isn’t shifting iron but the sports he loves; he acknowledges it’s the gym work that enables him to continue to do those sports.

What’s not to like: Branson’s weights routine doesn’t appear very structured. It looks more like random functional fitness, which means he’s missing an opportunity to build the muscle and strength that’s essential for his later years.

What I’d do differently: I’d put in more structured weight training—more time under tension and more muscle building exercises. This will keep his injury risk low, his strength high and his bones nice and strong.

Ultimately, these three leaders are a picture of health and a shining example that in order to manage a heavy and stressful workload you simply must be healthy and fit.

Related:

Meet the man behind Australia’s most exclusive gym

Watch Mark Zuckerberg show off his sparring skills against a pro MMA fighter

The post Zuck, Branson and Bezos train harder than you appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.