They have higher IQs, more energy, better problem-solving skills, stronger impulse control, greater confidence, and greater influence and charisma. That’s what researchers keep finding, including some of the largest studies ever conducted on leadership.

I have often used fitness metaphors but rarely discuss physical fitness itself. But your fitness matters as leaders. Your ability to stay sharp, confident, and composed under pressure starts in your body.

Why This Matters:
Your health isn’t separate from your leadership. It impacts it. If our bodies aren’t operating optimally, it’s hard for our leadership to be optimal. Thinking this way frames your habits as fitness for leaders rather than optional self-care.

I understand that my readers are often busy and pressed for time. So, I’ve kept this simple and accessible. Here are my (research-based) tips for improving your leadership by improving your health.  Even small, realistic changes here add up to durable fitness for leaders.

Sleep: The Magic Potion of Leadership

Sleep is the elixir of success. Getting enough is the key to physical, mental, and social recovery. It helps us shift from reactive to intentional modes.

Sleep isn’t just ‘off’ time. It’s where you consolidate information, process, and prepare. Most people need 7–8 hours of sleep a night. While you might train yourself to survive on less, you can’t train yourself to thrive with less. Research shows that the highest-performing CEOs tend to get the full amount of sleep they need. This nightly reset is one of the most underrated forms of fitness for leaders.

Getting a good night’s rest starts with the choices you make early in the day. My friend, Craig Ballantyne (former Men’s Health writer, WSJ best-selling author of The Perfect Day Formula), suggests the 10-3-2-1-0 Formula:

• 10 hours before bed – no caffeine
• 3 hours before bed – no food or alcohol
• 2 hours before bed – no more work
• 1 hour before bed – no more screen/blue light time
• 0 – the number of times you should hit the snooze button in the morning

This is based on the science around how the body metabolizes caffeine, food, drink, and stress hormones. The point is: a good night’s rest starts hours earlier.

If you are a leader, this is a priority. It should be treated as such. If you are constantly burning the candle at both ends, living off stress and coffee, you are playing the game wrong and at a low level. Treating bedtime as a boundary is a practical expression of fitness for leaders.

Prepare for quality sleep and go to bed.

Hydration: The Overlooked Performance Booster

We are mostly made of water. We don’t think, sleep, recover, move, or function well when we’re low on fluids. Many people are habitually dehydrated. That feels normal until they realize how much better being hydrated feels.

According to the Journal of Nutrition, even mild dehydration (1–2% body weight) can impair cognitive performance and mood, especially short-term memory, attention, and alertness.

Personally, my ‘ideal’ is 13 cups of water. If I practice BJJ or use the sauna, I usually need to add another 2–3 cups. In researching this article, I was surprised to find that my 13 cups a day is exactly what the Institute of Medicine recommends for men (3 liters). For women, the recommendation is 9 cups.

Drink up. Even a simple water habit can meaningfully upgrade fitness for leaders.

Movement: Build IQ and Leadership Capacity – fitness for leaders

A massive study of 1.2 million men published in the National Academy of Sciences found that cardiovascular fitness wasn’t just good for the heart. It was directly linked to higher IQs and future leadership success. Fit leaders literally processed new problems faster. That’s just one of many studies.

I work out in the morning. My workouts are short. Usually no longer than 20 minutes, sometimes as short as 10. That’s all that’s needed for general fitness if designed well, and you use the right intensity.

The only thing to avoid is intense workouts within an hour before going to bed. It stimulates you too much, making it harder to sleep.

At a minimum, walk. I walk daily (having a dog helps). If you want to spice it up, you can run or ruck (carry a weighted backpack or vest). Strength training is valuable as well. Research shows it provided crossover benefits for problem-solving, mental flexibility, and confidence.
Just do it.

Stillness and Breathe: Reset Your Nervous System

Most people struggle to sit silently and still for five minutes, just breathing. But doing so pays off. One of the fastest ways to downshift your nervous system and recover from leadership stress is structured stillness.

Five minutes is all it takes to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is your body’s built-in brake pedal. This lowers cortisol, reduces reactivity, and improves emotional control and clarity.

How to do it:
Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Sit still. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Just breathe.

Two simple breathing patterns I recommend:

Resonant Breathing:

• • Inhale for 5.5 seconds, exhale for 5.5 seconds. (I round to six.)
    This is the most scientifically validated pace for calming your system and resetting your brain.

Box Breathing:

• • Inhale for 4 seconds
  • Hold for 4 seconds
  • Exhale for 4 seconds
  • Hold empty for 4 seconds
  • (Work your way up to 6 if you want a challenge.)

Use this to start your day, shift gears, or shut the day down. Keep it simple. The goal is reset, not to become a monk.

Nutrition: Eat for Energy and Mental Sharpness

You are what you eat, and your brain knows it.
What you eat shapes your energy, focus, and leadership presence. The way you eat either undermines or amplifies fitness for leaders every single day.

What does the research show?

Blood sugar stability = sharper thinking

• When your glucose spikes and crashes—especially after high-carb or sugary meals—your brain suffers.
• It shows up as lower memory, slower reaction times, and mental fatigue.
• One study in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that stable blood sugar significantly improves working memory and executive function. Protecting stable blood sugar is a simple biochemical foundation for fitness for leaders.

Protein and healthy fats fuel alertness
High-protein meals boost dopamine and norepinephrine—neurotransmitters tied to focus and drive. Fats (especially omega-3s) are critical for:
• Brain health
• Decision-making
• Mood regulation

Processed food kills energy
Relying on fast food, vending machines, or ultra-processed snacks? It leads to “brain fog” and those energy crashes. That’s a fuel problem.

My personal guidelines are simple:

• Moderation is the key.
• High protein, plenty of plants, minimal processed food.
• Four servings of fruits or vegetables at lunch.

I eat to fuel and because I like to eat. I’m not religious about food.

But eat like a leader, not like a college student. Thinking this way turns everyday meals into a form of fitness for leaders, not just personal preference.

That’s it.
Sleep. Hydrate. Move. Breathe. Eat like a leader.

You’ll feel better and lead better. (Maybe even look better!)

Take good care,
Christian