Why Health Is The New (Way To) Wealth

Will being super fit give your career a boost? Is making time for workouts simply a modern-day must if you’re a high-flier?

- Hannah Ebelthite

Tomorrow, Ally has an important 9am meeting at work. She sets her alarm for 5:30am. Why so early? So she can cycle her 45-minute commute and make it to the gym for a 7am class, then be showered, dressed, fed and ready for business – all while the rest of us are enjoying two extra hours in bed.

A management consultant, Ally’s been promoted twice since she started with the company less than two years ago. And, as well as working 40-plus hours a week, she fits in some form of exercise every day, whether it’s a class before work, a HIIT session at lunchtime or a run in the evening. ‘Feeling fit helps keep me focused,’ she says. ‘Even on a Friday night I’d rather meet friends at Barry’s Bootcamp than in the pub.’

This sort of schedule might sound extreme, but Ally’s no rare breed. These days, smart women are working as hard in the gym as they do in the boardroom, hiring trainers and splashing their cash on boutique studio classes. But what’s their motivation? Does being fit and strong keep you on top of your game at work? Is it necessary insurance against stress? A marker of dedication that impresses bosses? Or are such people simply driven to succeed in all areas of their lives?

PEAK PERFORMANCE