Peter Aceto, president of ING Direct Canada, plays a weekly co-ed hockey game with other ING Direct Staff in Scarborough, Ont.Tim Fraser
As president and chief executive officer of ING Direct Canada, Peter Aceto has changed his fitness routine to suit his new lifestyle. Although his relentless drive had helped him reach the top of his profession, complete the New York City Marathon and work long days on international hours, the 2010 Olympic Torch bearer may be in for a surprise when he learns less effort will yield better results and where he can free up new energy to sustain peak performance.
My goal: "To be fit and healthy for my family and have energy for work."
My workout: "I work out four times a week and play hockey twice a week - co-ed with my wife on Saturday nights. I also like to run in the mornings, but at this time of year it's too cold."
Based on his wife's recommendation, he took up group exercise six months ago. "I'm doing body pump classes twice a week midday on my lunch hour. It's a very intense cardio hour with low weights, high reps and lots of stretching."
My lifestyle: "I'm typically at my desk at 7:30 a.m. and home at 7 to have dinner with the family, and then do an hour's worth of work.
"I eat breakfast every day - that's a priority. Eighty per cent of the time it's a high-fibre, low-sugar cereal with almond milk and coffee.
"Lunches are a sandwich on whole grain bread from the work cafeteria. Business meals mean the menu is about tasty food and not healthy food."
But his wife keeps his diet on track. "She's a firm believer in our family dining together … she makes dinner five out of seven days."
My motivation: "I've always had a fascination with the underdog and having something to prove, so I'm highly motivated and I've always enjoyed team sports."
My workout anthem: "Music gives me energy. I listen to a whole mix of current stuff, Top 20, Eighties. When in training for the NYC marathon, one of my favourite songs was the theme to Rocky."
My challenges: "I want to be fit and it's a constant struggle with a busy lifestyle and three young kids [under the age of 7] The difference between my lifestyle as an executive and CEO is that my days are stretched. I used to work out first thing in the morning or evening, but my shareholder is in the Netherlands, so interacting happens at 5 a.m. Evenings are filled with business activities with my team. … "Also, time for myself is important. One of the things I do is see a movie. Every quarter I watch one by myself."
CRITIQUE
Chris Woollam, a physician at Athlete's Care Sports Medicine Centres says Mr. Aceto is a results-oriented leader. Because Mr. Aceto gives so much of himself to meet professional and family obligations, Dr. Woollam says, he risks the cumulative negative effects of unmet personal needs, including lack of energy and reduced health. But he offers three ways to schedule me-time to boost his well being.
Cut workouts: Dr. Woollam, who holds a diploma of sport medicine from the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, observes that Mr. Aceto is exercising more than is necessary.
"At 6 foot 5 and 225 pounds, for Mr. Aceto's height and weight, his BMI [26.7] is a bit over ideal, but he's not one of those guys who's lost 100 pounds and they find religion in weight loss because they're worried like hell they'll gain it back and hate themselves at 325 pounds."
Dr. Woollam advises: "His workouts and sports take up much of his spare time, but three to four times a week is adequate for health and to maintain his level of fitness."
However, when cutting back the frequency of exercise, Mr. Aceto should boost its intensity, which makes every session more challenging and improves his fitness as it cuts down on his total time in the gym, Dr. Woollam adds.
Get sport massages: With Mr. Aceto's schedule freed up, Dr. Woollam recommends that if he wants quality personal time, he should treat himself to monthly full-body massages, which are more holistically regenerative to his mental and physical recovery than time in front of a movie screen.
"He'll find massages truly shut off everything, and he'll come off the table refreshed," says Dr. Woollam, who is medical director for the Toronto and Mississauga marathons.
Still, he cautions Mr. Aceto to avoid anything physically strenuous after a massage so that his body can luxuriate in its relaxing effects.
Fuel up with family time: Citing insight from his personal and professional experience, Dr. Woollam also says that because Mr. Aceto is a CEO, he may feel like a leader struggling by himself, but he could draw from reserves of energy found in his family. Dr. Woollam says that by putting work away when Mr. Aceto is with his kids, he would heighten his sense of "me-time" and fuel up on his family's positive power, which feeds his spirit with plenty of energy to give his shareholders.