1 . The Link between Fitness and Career Success

It’s no mystery to successful people that there is direct link between sound health & fitness and success in their cancer and personal lives. Successful persons likely show up at the health club consistently, work with a personal trainer, or get up a few minutes early for a heart elevating jog. Successful people like to jump start their day with plenty of energy and the feel-good endorphins(内啡肽)that exercise offers. Recent studies prove the direct link between fitness and success.

Better ability to focus, improved confidence and enhanced ability to follow through were directly attributed to improved fitness levels according to a 2007 University of Georgia study.

Further, a leading manager search company surveyed more than 1,300 managers. When asked to describe their viewpoints of weight and work, 75% said good physical fitness is “critical for career success at the manager level.” 17%, by contrast, said staying in shape is “a nice goal, but secondary to good fitness.”

The CEO of that manager search firm said, “Good physical fitness is critical to success as a manager in today’s work world.” When asked about obesity, 75% of managers said that being overweight is a “serious career impediment (妨碍)”. Do these responses reflect our obsession with weight loss and mirror the constant reports of skinny images in popular culture? Probably not. Rather, there is a very strong link between improved fitness and increased productivity, enhanced ability to solve problems, superior energy, not to mention reduced stress and tiredness, all leading to better job performance. It goes well beyond looking good. Fit people tend to have better eating habits and miss fewer days at work due to a higher resistance to illness. And with competition continually increasing in every industry, companies are now rewarding employees and managers who miss less work and produce more.

A study by Jim McKenna, a British researcher, showed that after exercising participants returned to work more tolerant of themselves and more forgiving of their colleagues. The study concluded that “work performance was consistently higher, time management skills improved, as did mental sharpness.”

All it takes is investing 3—4 sessions a week, 30—45 minutes each, to experience these benefits. Combine strength training and cardiovascular (心血管的) exercise, along with sound nutrition to speed up your mental sharpness, enhance your productivity, improve your mood and better manage stress. As your fitness level increases, likely your position on the ladder of success will too!

1. Successful people are likely to_________

A．have higher resistance to illness	B．get more energy and endorphins
C．lose weight more easily	D．care more about their fitness

2. What does the underlined word “obsession” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．craze.

B．training.

C．goal.

D．imagination.

3. According to the study by the manager search company,   _________.

A．there is a direct link between fitness and success

B．good physical fitness is critical for career success

C．mental sharpness, productivity and mood can be improved

D．people tend to be more tolerant and forgiving after exercising

2 . Some people prefer to have a bite to eat before hitting the gym, known as a fed workout. Others would like to wait until after exercising to refuel their bodies, called a fasted workout.    1     Many experts say there’s no easy answer because it depends on the person.

If you want energy and strength for an ideal workout, you need fuel. A fed workout will provide your body with power. Eating before exercise may help you sustain longer sessions and lift heavier weights.     2     Muscle preservation is also an essential component of strengthening your body. Nitrogen (氮) is critical for processing protein that builds healthy muscles. People tend to lose less nitrogen during a fed workout than a fasted one.

Many fitness enthusiasts are not on board with this idea. They report feeling sick and inactive while trying to exercise after eating. With a fasted workout, you may not get the usual indigestion. Experts for fasted workouts further claim that eating afterwards makes your body use its fat reserves for energy, meaning you will burn more fat.     3     It can cause a sudden drop in your blood glucose (葡萄糖) levels, and you may feel dizzy. You may even be more likely to overeat.

    4     Not all foods are created equal. For example, if you choose a fed workout, you’ll probably lose a lot of water during an intense training, so you should consider drinking some beforehand. With a fasted workout, it would help if you had some nutrition right after your session is complete. Drink some water. Then, have a light meal or nutritional snack.

Deciding when to eat for an ideal workout is a personal choice. Both fasted workouts and fed activities have their benefits and shortcomings.     5    

A．However, a fasted workout might not work for you.

B．How your body will respond is based on your workout intensity.

C．These benefits can result in burning more fat and shaping a slimmer body.

D．To eat or not to eat, that is the question on many fitness enthusiasts’ minds.

E．Think thoroughly and discuss with your fitness instructor before taking a choice.

F．Knowing what to eat for an ideal workout is just as important as knowing when to eat.

G．A person doing a 30-minute session a day may not have a problem with fasted workouts.