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FOR superbusy executives who occupy lofty positions in corporate America and at non-profit civil rights organizations, time is money. Consequently, they find it especially difficult to work a regular fitness routine into their hectic schedules filled with high-level meetings, constant travel and a steady stream of breakfast meetings, power lunches and banquet dinners.

Yet, the stress and ever-pressing demands from jobs and families make a regular fitness regimen even more important for people in powerful positions. Medical experts as well as executives themselves emphasize that regular workouts are essential to staying physically fit and mentally alert.

"The type of job I have is very stressful," says Chicagoan Elynor A. Williams, vice president of public responsibility for the Sara Lee Corp. "Exercise is great for attitude adjustments; it is better than cocktails. Working out is a win-win situation, and anyone who has ever been in an executive position knows the benefits of regular exercise. It is wonderful to start your day on a very high note."

John E. Jacob agrees. As president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, Jacob is personally acquainted with stress. And, consequently, he says he gets his most rigorous workouts by running to catch airplanes and from one meeting to another. However, Jacob does find time occasionally to play tennis and golf, though not nearly as much as he would like to.

Echoing Jacob's sentiment is Dr. Joseph E. Lowery of Atlanta, who is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Like his colleague Jacob, Dr. Lowery says, "Most of my exercise comes from running through airports." He adds, however, that he also burns calories by "keeping up with my 10 grandchildren and keeping up with my schedule." When he can, Dr. Lowery takes time to play golf.

Despite the hectic schedule that comes with supervising a staff of 70 people and overseeing operations at 340 television stations, Jennifer Lawson jogs every day in Rock Creek Park near Washington, D.C. "Jogging invigorates my mind as well as my body," says the executive vice president of national programming and promotion services for the Public Broadcasting Service.

"Public television is a demanding and challenging field," she adds. "Running through the park, looking at the trees and flowers lets my imagination run free and I sometimes find solutions to problems that eluded me all day in the office. So many new ideas come to mind. I even keep a note pad in my car so I can write them down."

Like these four individuals, there are thousands of other Black executives across the country who know that the stress of power jobs requires a power fitness workout. And regardless of job or profession, keeping physically fit requires discipline, commitment and sacrifices of time and energy.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:27 AM