Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.
AIA

Accountants’ guide to health & fitness

by
2nd Mar 2011
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

As the final burst of New Year enthusiasm wears off and going to the gym just isn’t that fun anymore, many accountants are looking for new and effective ways of getting and staying healthy.

With increasingly frantic work schedules and growing national levels of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, finding time to fit in regular exercise is more important than ever before.

It doesn’t help that many accountants are office-bound and tempted by a lethal combination of cake, coffee and alcohol that often plague working life.

Originally prompted by an Any Answer posting (“Fat Accountant”), here we compile a dozen AccountingWEB member responses to help busy accountants maintain an active and balanced lifestyle.

Top general tips:

  1. Little things can make the difference – One member’s husband managed to lose 1.5 stone simply by cutting out a daily Mars Bar. Many accountants like to be in control of a situation and weighing yourself regularly can help you keep on top of it. Another member added that if you can identify things that you should cut out, then you can cut them out totally. It doesn't need to be forever, but until you get down to your target weight.
  2. Take the slow approach - If you must lose weight, do it slowly. Forget crash diets as you will always bounce back and end up even heavier. One member asks “does it matter if it takes three years to lose the weight?”
  3. Keep hydrated - Drink six to eight large glasses of water every day. It seems like a lot, but as one AccountingWEB member notes, it is often hard to distinguish between hunger and thirst.

Top fitness activities:

  1. Walking – Many accountants will have a relatively stationary working life, so getting out and about to take in some fresh air will do wonders. One member advises not to buy doughnuts from Tesco on Sunday, but instead get out into the countryside and walk to appreciate the world outside the office. A step-counter helped one AccountingWEB user lead a more active lifestyle. Getting a dog could also be a solution to your inactivity.
  2. Take 3-4 classes a week – Make full use of exercise classes available, particularly if they form part of your gym membership. One AccountingWEB member notes that short intense exercise gives more benefits, particularly in a group motivational environment.
  3. Keep the body moving – By keeping your body working all day and staying active you will keep your metabolism topped-up. One reader suggested getting up from your desk at least every hour to go to put the kettle on, do some filing, or whatever you can think of.

Top diet tips:

  1. Have a decent breakfast – Sounds obvious, but this doesn’t mean a large fry-up or “chocco megga flakey things” according to one member. He recommends instead a combination of basic oats and milk (not made in to porridge), which is light when you eat it, but spends the rest of the morning swelling up to keep you from snacking. Another AccountingWEB recommendation actually sounds quite appetising: a mixed bowl of all bran, porridge oats, and muesli topped with berry fruits, sunflower seeds, nuts, a tablespoon of low fat probiotic yogurt and skimmed milk.
  2. It's all about the carbs – Try to restrict the amount of carbohydrates in your diet - particularly heavily processed carbs, such as white bread and pasta. Vegetable soup with Ryvita for lunch is dull - but life could be worse.
  3. Stop going to supermarkets – Controversial, but eating “real” food, free from preservatives, additives and other chemicals could be the answer to a more healthy diet. Try and only eat fresh and wholemeal foods rather than processed junk.

Top lifestyle tips:

  1. Cut down alcohol consumption – While an active social life is important for many people, it doesn’t always have to involve alcohol. It will also come as no surprise to most that alcohol is packed full of calories. One member commented on the directors' secretary at his old company who lost a lot of weight. When he asked her how she did it, she said: “I just stopped drinking wine every night”. Cutting down the booze can be one of the hardest things, but you can still drink - just less often and not so many. Gin & Slimline Tonic anyone?
  2. Cut down on your daily coffee/tea intake – One AccountingWEB user was drinking more than 12 cups of coffee a day and using full fat milk. By cutting back to a more reasonable three to four cups and using semi-skimmed milk they saved about 500 calories a day.
  3. Find what suits you and go with it – There is no magic one-size-fits-all solution. AccountingWEB members have suggested all manner of diet plans and books to get you back on track. There’s clearly some good advice within these pages, but everyone’s situation is different.

Top “off the wall” tips:

  1. Buy and digest a tapeworm - Job done!
  2. Duct tape, over the mouth - Apparently one member’s colleague has tried it and it works.
  3. Re-train your wife/husband - Not to buy processed foods - crisps, cakes, sweet bars and cola.

While it seems like an obvious statement, if you’re looking to lose weight, eating less and moving more will start you off in the right direction.

However, it should also be clearly stated that moderation is the best policy if you’re looking for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

What fitness and diet advice would you give to a fellow accountant who wants to stay healthy?
 

Tags:

Replies (6)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By philh88
03rd Mar 2011 11:25

Variety!

I combine my gym sessions (weights and spinning) with workouts on my Kinect (Biggest Loser - cardio, stretching) and cycling outside when the suns out. So not so much cycling at the moment then. Variety keeps the interest levels up and makes it easier to maintain a good level. Also having a gym partner helps as they can 'bully' you into going when that sofa just feels oh so comfortable!

And stop smoking if you do. Best thing I ever did.

 

Thanks (0)
avatar
By gailperry
03rd Mar 2011 23:30

Stay fit while working long hours

AccountingWEB U.S. is running a series of daily fitness tips geared toward accountants who put in long hours at a desk. All of the fitness exercises can be done in the office, without a change of clothes. Take a look at the library of tips, and come back frequently as new tips are added every day, now through the 18th of April.

Gail Perry, Editor-in-Chief, AccountingWEB U.S.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By chatman
03rd Mar 2011 23:34

This one is just for people with a female partner

Tell your partner that she will not gain any less weight if you eat the chocolates/biscuits/doughnuts too. 

Thanks (0)
avatar
By DAS
04th Mar 2011 10:50

Informed advice

Useful tips can be found at www.DYMONDstrength.com.

Anyone wishing to implement a health and wellbeing programme for themselves and / or staff should contact Andy above.

 

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Romanista
04th Mar 2011 11:46

Work shorter hours and make better use of the hours that you do.

For nearly twenty years I worked in a firm with an overtime culture.  I finally got fed up with life and resigned. I moved to a house where I can be in the countryside in ten minutes, in the mountains in half an hour maximum and I found a firm which I can commute to in twenty minutes.  I cut my working hours to seven hours a day and took control of my work load.  I try to delegate as much as I can without affecting quality of the work, to never pick up a piece of paper more than once,  to only open my e-mail at one set time each day for an hour, do not take or make calls except at allocated time slots; one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Never accept calls from HMRC- they don't accept them from me. Prioritise your work according to real urgency and importance and learn to say no.  Don't do work for any client who complains that your fees are too expensive - you are making a rod for your own back - they are usually the most demanding and the least grateful.

If you do that you may actually have time for a real life.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Steven Bullock
26th Feb 2018 13:03

An accountant plays a key role in keeping a business healthy and fit. But if he starts losing his strength in a continuous manner, then he can't give attention to his work. And if it goes on for a longer period of time, then it will not only make the accountant sick but also reduce the effectiveness of the sphere. Thus, apart from focusing on the organizational wellness, he must focus on his own physical and mental fitness to allow his body to function optimally. Since exercise is one of the key fitness characteristics, hence he should do physical-jerks on a regular basis to take his fitness standard to the next level. Sometimes, the schedule becomes so hectic that may not allow him to keep up with his workout routine. Hence, it is advisable to purchase a home workout machine like- power tower to overcome the barriers to fitness success. Thank you:)

Thanks (0)