We are here today with Julian Hayes II, the founder of The Art of Fitness & Life. Hayes is also the author of “Body Architect”, the popular fitness guide that has been the road map for many professionals on their way to a healthier lifestyle.
A: I’m an author, health and wellness consultant, speaker, and the founder of The Art of Fitness & Life. On a 1-on-1 level, I help entrepreneurs and busy high-performing professionals lose weight, have more energy, and feel more confident. On an organizational level, I consult and help small businesses to build a healthier company culture and improve employee health, thus helping to increase the business’s bottom line.
Coaching and frequently contributing to places such as Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, The Huffington Post and many other publications was the last thing I expected in college. I only started working out and reading about nutrition because superheroes had muscles (I’m an unapologetic nerd).
In actuality, my initial career dream was to become an Ophthalmologist. In fact, I completed a year of Medical School in New York and decided over the summer to not go back but to instead pursue my current mission of helping one million men and women integrate health and wellness into a life they love.
Q: What do you consider to be the key to your success overall?
A: Showing up each day dedicated to the process of becoming better and not being attached to a specific outcome or time frame for something to arrive.
Overnight successes aren’t overnight at all—we just haven’t heard of them yet. Progress and growth happen behind closed doors. Those success stories stuck with the process, showed up each day, and the outcome eventually manifested.
The public only sees the final copy of the film, not the editing, hours of filming, and retakes involved with making the movie.
Q: What is the biggest hurdle that professionals have to get over to gain control of their health, and how can they overcome it?
A: Time management…easily! We schedule doctor appointments and important business meetings, why not make an appointment for our fitness?
Using Google calendar, fill in your workday hours for the entire week, then schedule in miscellaneous events, and finally, fill in your exercise appointments in the available white space. I guarantee we all have at least 30 minutes each day to exercise.
Q: What are some things that are supposed to be a sure fire way for a business professional to get fit, but can actually hurt your chances of success?
A: Taking drastic actions with their fitness expecting a grand slam for their efforts. At the end of the day, one swing of the bat doesn’t knock your entire weight out of the ballpark.
Trying to follow ultra-restrictive diets or workout regimens that don’t fit in with their ideal lifestyle will be problematic because they won’t be able to stay consistent with their habits and can lead some to quit. It’s better to start small or in baseball terms aim for singles and doubles.
Q: How does physical heath affect performance on the job?
A: Think of it this way, pretend our health is the head of an octopus and the tentacles are the other facets of life. Without that head operating optimally, those tentacles (i.e. work) aren’t going to operate optimally as well. Focusing on health catapults you to better professional success because you have more energy which increases your productivity and you’re thinking more clearly which leads to better business decisions.
Q: What kind of time and commitment does it take to do right?
A: Less than most people think. I’m an advocate for daily movement of some sort. It doesn’t always have to be in a gym. Hiking, salsa dancing (a new favorite of mine), cycling, and swimming are a few ideas that you can do. Finding time to be active for as little as 30 minutes a day is a great starting point and will easily pay dividends with your health.
Q: What is the most common “do it yourself” solution your business professionals might try?
A: Unfortunately, it’s “the 180-degree instantaneous health makeover.” They will attempt to change their nutrition, workouts, and lifestyle all at once. It’s hard to go from zero to 100 in terms of making healthier decisions. New habits require time to integrate and mesh with your existing work and personal life. It’s better to focus on a few new habits at a time—you can’t change your life with one flick of the wrist.
Q: Why will working with a professional like yourself, greatly improve their chances for success?
A: I approach my coaching much like an architect views his craft. I plan, design, and oversee the construction of their fitness goals. Each person lives a different lifestyle and that’s what we focus on first and foremost.
We properly assess everything going on in their daily life (work, relationships, hobbies, etc) and then we strategically implement a nutritional and exercise regimen that seamlessly meshes with that specific lifestyle of theirs. We want their daily life and fitness to complement each other, not cause unnecessary friction.
Q: Your book “Body Architect – A Real World Guide to Ignite Your Fitness, Look Awesome Naked, Quite the Inner Voices of Self Doubt & Design a lifestyle on Your Own Terms” came out last June. Can you tell about the book and what inspired you to write it?
A: Absolutely, it’s a book that provides a roadmap to integrating yourself into the world of health and fitness without losing your identity or having to sacrifice your desired lifestyle. I wrote this book because we now live in a world where many suffer from information overload and don’t know where to start. I wanted to write a book that provided practical tips on how someone could get started living a healthier life without falling prey to needless tactics.
Q: What is the one thing a person can do today, not tomorrow, but today that can help them get on the right track?
