CBA Record February_March 2016

YLS Special Issue l THE COMPLETE LAWYER

or live longer. When considering physical exercise, first identify (1) the results you wish to achieve, and (2) the most effec- tive and efficient method to achieve those results. Most exercise, if performed correctly, will produce physiological and mental benefits. However, not all exercise will cause your body to look the way you want it to look. Too many rely on distance run- ning or jogging as their primary source of cardiovascular exercise (or exercise, period). This is a mistake. Frequent distance run- ning is detrimental to your ankle, knee, hip, and back joints, has a limited range of motion, is nonexplosive (movement through the entire range of motion quickly and powerfully), and will not produce the type of full-body, firm muscle tone most people desire. To achieve that type of physique, the exercise movements must have a deep, full range of motion, be performed quickly and explosively, and must challenge your heart and lungs to or near their maximum capac- ity. It is not coincidental that athletes who play explosive sports (football, basketball, hockey, martial arts) have lean, strong, well-rounded physiques. Distance running is unquestionably valuable for cardiovascu- lar training, endurance development, and relaxation, but it cannot be the primary activity if your goals are what are described here—it should be supplemental only. Further, running takes longer to produce lesser results than these other activities. Diet If the healthiest foods ( e.g. , broccoli, beets, kale) tasted like chocolate cake, no one would be overweight. Unfortunately for humans, our food choices, to a substantial degree, are driven by taste. All calories are not created equal. A 100-calorie cookie is not equivalent in nutritional value as 100 calories of raw carrots. The quality of the food entering your body is important. My recommendation is to fall out of love with food for a few days a week. At a cellular level, food is fuel that facilitates chemical reactions in your body. Once

you let go of the idea that every meal you eat should be a delicious experience, it will be much easier to take in the types of nutritious foods that are best for you. If you can master that approach, the types of foods that taste best (but which are not of the highest dietary value) will be even more enjoyable when you do treat yourself to them. As you become more accustomed to fueling your body, as opposed to satiat- ing your cravings for taste, you can begin to add complexity to your diet, such as making one or more days per week veg- etarian, adding dietary supplements, and practicing intermittent fasting. I expect no one to convert overnight to a food-is-fuel mindset, but there are a few easy ways to introduce yourself to this habit. First, understand that sugar is the most harmful, commonly ingested food. It is more addictive than cocaine and, when eaten in larger quantities, it causes havoc in your body. When your body receives more sugar at one time than it can readily process, it releases insulin, which quickly converts this sugar into fat cells. Only when the amount of sugar is below an established threshold can it be used purely for carbo- hydrate fuel; all sugar above the threshold gets converted to fat. Moreover, added or processed sugars are more harmful than those naturally occurring in food. The main culprit for excessive sugar consumption in the U.S. is soda. One can of soda has more sugar than the recommended daily value for men. If you do nothing to your diet other than eliminate soda, the results will amaze you. Another detrimental substance to your body (which should be no mystery to anyone) is alcohol. I do not advocate eliminating alcohol entirely—it has sig- nificant social and professional value if used responsibly. However, there are ways to drink smartly, which will reduce harm to your body. It may help to know that after one binge-drinking session (five or more drinks depending on your body weight), your body can take three full days to completely recover. While com- monly understood hangover symptoms

(headache, fatigue, mild depression) will dissipate after a day or so, the rest of your body remains unhealed. Mental Health The phrase “mental health” has a con- notation in our culture implying disease or disorder. Yet, when I refer to mental health, I mean a sense of clarity, focus, and relaxation that is commonly referred to as mindfulness (and commonly sought to be achieved through meditation). Full-blown meditation sessions are not necessary to achieve the psychological results produced by thinking mindfully. Perhaps a more accessible way of think- ing about mindfulness is to understand what it is not. As lawyers, we are familiar with work-related anxiety and distraction. Lawyers commonly claim to be excellent multitaskers, unaffected by these problems. In reality, multitasking is a fallacy. Humans are incapable of giving multiple activities each 100% attention. When we attempt two or more tasks simultaneously, each receives a fraction of our full attentive capacity. As a result, each task suffers. Aside from impacted performance, if this process of multitasking is practiced with frequency, it will cause your brain to physically change to adjust to the way your body is receiving, analyzing, and storing sensory information. Other parts of your brain not designed for memory and analytical thinking will begin to compensate for your divided attention. This will result in a diminished capacity to focus and perform deeply analytical tasks. Consider some ways to combat con- stant distraction in our high-speed, digital world. Turn off notifications for email (on your computer and mobile device). Instead of receiving an alert each time a single email message hits your inbox, turn off the ding or vibration and check email on regular intervals at your discretion. Few clients will fault you for failing to respond to an email in less than 15 minutes; for the ones who do, you may want to reconsider that client relationship. In a true emergency, the person will call you. Internally, try to train your coworkers to rely on the telephone or

CBA RECORD 41