All-star basketball player LeBron James reportedly spends $1.5 million annually on his body. You may wonder why you should care about LeBron James’ body maintenance program. Because you too need to maintain yours, especially those of you who practice a regular exercise program, like I do. 

My training program includes strength training 5 days per week and running 2 days per week (one is a sprint workout and one is a “distance” workout – anywhere between three to five miles). Each of these sessions begins with a program from my physical therapist. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes and is a game-changer. 

Now let’s talk about how I push my body outside of exercise. I wake up early and tend to book myself solid with coaching or corporate sessions between 8 and 3pm. I’m working over a 20 to 30-minute lunch break somewhere between 10:30 and 2pm. Then, I spend afternoons writing, reviewing the work our team produces and normally wrap up around 6pm. I am still working on building in what I coach as “cushions” or mini breaks in my day. My days are full, for sure. 

I suspect many of your days are similar. 

We push our bodies and our brains and expect so much from them. We need to maintain them. 

I do believe we all forget how much our bodies do for us every day. And, yes, I believe we all should consider investing in maintaining it for optimum physical, emotional, psychological, and relational performance. 

The two-time NBA MVP is known for following a strict body maintenance routine to ensure he is always at the top of his game. His body, you can imagine, is his life. 

What exactly does LeBron spend $1.5 million on? He spends a lot of this money on trainers, home gyms, chefs, skincare, you name it. In the overall perspective of things, LeBron James will make a much bigger return on his investment while continuing to spend more money on his body. 

Simply put, LeBron James invests in his body just as much as he uses it. He understands that it takes more than consistently “working out” to achieve true wellness. His dedication to keeping his body well is why he can maintain his athletic ability and his mental focus and strength as he ages. I imagine after he retires, he’ll be thankful he invested. He will be able to do whatever he wants…because his body is strong, and not broken like we see in so many retired athletes.  

Wouldn’t that be a nice way to feel in midlife, even for non-NBA All-Stars?

We “invest” time and money into our exercise. We rely on our bodies for all that our busy lives entail. Investing in “body work,” like physical therapy, chiropractic care, or massage is essential. We ask so much from our bodies each day. We must give them the care they need to do what we ask of them. I contend we are athletes who compete in this game called life.

I tend to my body because it gives back to me. 

In addition to exercise, my body maintenance program looks like this:

1. Regular monthly appointments with my physical therapist.

2. Regular monthly appointments with my massage therapist.

3. Occasional dry needling and chiropractic care.

4. Epsom Salt baths at least four times per week.

5. Sleep a minimum of seven hours each night.

6. “Fuel” myself with real food as close to its source.

7. Hydrate with half my body weight (in ounces) of water each day.

8. Connect with friends daily.

9. Daily breathing practices.

10. Daily prayer.

All these practices combined are outside of my exercise program yet are crucial to maintaining the pace of my days – and my 10 pull-ups a day – largely free of illness and injury.

I cannot overstate the importance of my regular monthly appointment with my Physical Therapist (PT) and with my massage therapist. They are skilled at noticing things going on in my body I cannot. For example, my PT, Sam, noticed something I was doing with my “hinge”. I “hinge” a lot! I deadlift, lunge, jump, do laundry, unload the dishwasher, pick up my backpack, etc. a ton…probably 200-300 times per week. If my hinge is off, at some point, my body will send a signal through discomfort or injury. My massage therapist, Ahmed, told me years ago my purse was the culprit for my neck pain. I “downsized” my purse and changed the way I carried it. 

My practice helps prevent injury, which for me recently has been on the verge of devastating for someone who trains almost every day. Exercise for me is self-care, “my time” and one of my paths to maintaining a high level of strength and energy at 56 years old. This “hinge” issue, combined with a poor left foot and hamstring strength sidelined me from heavy lifting for two months last year. 

Tending to our bodies can help prevent injury and burnout, lead to a sustainable self-care practice, and the best of all… give us the opportunity to learn a ton about our bodies in the process like how and where they need extra care. It is so obvious that our bodies are “all one part,” not disparate parts working in isolation. 

While not many of us can spend $1.5 million on improving and recovering our bodies every year, that immaculate amount is not necessary. When thinking of everything we spend money on annually, we probably invest a lot of our earnings into correcting a wellness problem instead of getting ahead of it. 

Adding these practices indeed takes time and yes, money. Yet, to be an all-star executive, partner, mom, or friend, this work is worthwhile and necessary.

We don’t have to punish our bodies to see the results we want! Caloric restriction, fad dieting, and strenuous workouts are not the solutions. 

If you’re ready to practice the ultimate self-care of honoring your body for all it does for you, you can begin by joining my newsletter to get holistic tips and strategies sent right to your inbox. Register right on my website. If you’re really ready and want to take self-care to the next level, reach out to me to schedule a 30-minute free consultation to see if my Small Group Concierge Program is right for you!