The annihilation of the Zuidas is imminent

It was a difficult time. Simultaneously serving different clients with exciting strategic consulting projects at home and abroad. Customer discussions during long dinners, lunches, and sometimes breakfast. And in the evenings, continue the famous pizzeria sessions. Every day was exciting again. Run again every day. It’s a miracle I’ve lived this life for so long!

This is probably known to many consultants, lawyers, accountants and other professionals in our country. Especially if you are still climbing the career ladder. You don’t want to be inferior to your peers, and it’s of course “relaxing” to be able to delight management teams with your well-thought-out advice as an enthusiastic young professional.

Monday a management presentation in Rotterdam, Tuesday a moderation session in London, then back to The Hague and then rounding out the week in Amsterdam for an internal company event.

Of course, don’t go home at five, even if you’re in the office before eight. All of your teammates also remain, so you can’t leave unseen. If you like it, because life is so much fun and exciting like that. Deadlines are deadlines. Make the customer wait? unheard of!

You can go on with this for a while. If you just graduated and you’re still young, that’s not really a problem. The problem manifests itself later, when you’re in your mid-30s. Then you look in the mirror and don’t see the right, energetic person you were before. You have no energy left after work.

She falls on the couch and can’t get off. Well, maybe you’ll have another night of hobby sports. For example, a soccer club, a squash court, or a mountain bike. But that often ends up in the cafeteria with a few beers and bitterballen to make up for your “hard work.”

Hard work and … decay

It doesn’t matter if you are male or female. Anyone who aligns with this lifestyle will have to deal with “decay” over time. Your body produces less muscle tissue and stores more of your food as fat. Just tap on your side, stomach or buttocks, then you know what I’m talking about. I was once lively and fit. Now this is just a glimpse of what it used to be. And no, this is not the normal aging process. At least it doesn’t have to be!

“If a six-year-old has more energy and can last longer than you as a parent, something is wrong.”

I tested this too. From a man in his twenties who can handle anything, to a tired man in his forties who can’t get off the couch when the workday is over and celebrate the evening with a glass of wine until it’s time to go to bed. Don’t get me wrong, I love wine, good food, and all the pleasures of life. But it shouldn’t come at the expense of my time here on Earth.

The cap came to me when I noticed I could no longer run after my (at the time) young children for very long. If a six-year-old has more energy and can last longer than you as a parent, something is wrong.

I was already very fat, had a very high fat percentage and very little energy. Now “too fat” is of course subjective. What one person thinks is too fat, to another is thin. For me, it was about getting to a state of fitness and size that I was happy with. very healthy.

It’s shocking how many people are overweight. In the Netherlands, 53 percent of men and 47 percent of women are overweight. Men are 41 percent more likely to be moderately overweight than women (31 percent). On the other hand, severe weight gain is more common in women.

Excess weight leads to all kinds of diseases. In addition to a decrease in performance at work (more quickly tired, more quickly angry, sometimes more emotional), it also leads to serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes (nearly 1.1 million people suffer from this disease in the Netherlands, according to the Diabetes Fund). ). All the more reason, you say, to do something about this quickly!

But if you take a tour of the Zuidas in Amsterdam, for example, few people seem to realize this seriousness. There are more and more vitality programs out there from the companies themselves, but they are often very generic and limited. And the number of visitors is not very high.

The art of real change

So what does it take to change? For me, this was a genuine desire inherent in a specific event. This is different for everyone. For some, it’s the doctor who says if you keep going like this, you won’t live past 60. For others, just looking in the mirror is enough.

“I fell into a lot of pitfalls. I went with some foolishness.”

But then… what should you do? This is where things often go wrong. Because there is no single answer. There is also no public counter where you can go. No, the world of weight loss, lifestyle changes, and fitness is driven by marketing. It’s a big business. There are dozens of diet programs out there that all say something different, sometimes dripping with nonsense. There is a large number of lifestyle coaches out there and that number has grown exponentially in recent years.

And then fitness… I can’t even count how many fitness programs there are. Then, when you finally cross the threshold and want to lose weight, how are you supposed to know where to start?

Most people run to the gym or go to a dietitian through their GP. A good gym will offer you a personalized program and explain what and how to eat. But these gyms are few and far between and are expensive compared to the wholesale providers.

And you understand where most people end up…. Yes, at a discount. And then you finally go to the gym and immediately fly to the exercise bikes or cross trainers and work your butt off. You feel good afterwards. You’re sweating a lot. You can keep it going for a few more weeks and then you can’t do it anymore. Your attempt was unsuccessful and you give up.

The lesson you can learn from this is that you have to have something you can actually keep up with. At the same time, it must have an effect, otherwise it is pointless.

Good vitality trainer

A good vitality coach will point out that you should first start by setting your goal. how do you want to be? What do you want to be able to do? What do you want to look like? Then you look at your current situation. Analyze this. what are you eating now? How much of what? Why are you not energetic right now and struggling with this high fat content? How do you sleep and for how long?

“It has changed my lifestyle. However I regularly enjoy a glass of wine and still eat the less healthy stuff now and then.”

Once you know this, you and the coach determine what is required to achieve your goal (what to eat, how often to eat, rest and exercise). Based on the gap between what is needed and what is now, a program tailored to your situation is created. You will have to do it (literally). After half a year you will see real results and after only a year (or more) you will be a different person. You have a consistent eating and exercise schedule and have learned to maintain it. You can also keep up with it. After a while, it will take a lot less effort than you thought.

When I was in my early forties, after my moment of awareness, I started exercising. I fell into many pitfalls. I went with a few giveaways. I have dabbled in many sports supplements with fancy names that make you think that after a shake you will instantly become a muscular bodybuilder. This has cost me valuable time.

Fortunately, I contacted an American trainer who taught me what works. I did this. My fat percentage has decreased by more than half, my energy level has increased dramatically and I am no longer exhausted lying on the couch all evening.

I changed my lifestyle. However I do regularly enjoy a glass of wine and still grab the less healthy stuff now and then. But now I know what I eat and what I can eat. So if I eat a greasy bite, I know it’s also possible at that moment. I have never been hungry during my trip, and until now I have no real indulgences. I feel great and am fitter now at 48 than when I was 10 years younger.

I translated what I did into a book: Better fitness, lose weight and gain muscle but really. No myths, legends and nonsense. Just things that work. I’m still learning lessons from that. every day.

Your lifestyle determines your work performance. A destructive lifestyle ultimately makes you ineffective at work. You don’t meet deadlines. Disappoint your customers. But often your own life is the first casualty, because that is instantly wasted. Loss of employees is, in fact, a growing problem. Also within the realm of professional services. Do something about this. Take control of your life. It’s not difficult. You have to start alone.

About the author
Luc Molinar is a Management Consultant and Partner at Share4 Consulting. He is the author of Better Fitness, Lose Weight and Gain Muscle But Really, and is also active as a fitness coach and owner of Fitter is Better.