Long days in the office, long nights of surveillance—it’s easy for exhausted, stressed-out investigators to neglect fitness and nutrition.
But those habits are reversible.
I’m not a doctor or a personal trainer. I’m not a medical or health professional.
I’m a private investigator; and like many of you, I’ve often sacrificed my health for my work.
Let’s face it, the investigator’s lifestyle is a recipe for lousy health: Long days and nights with little sleep and irregular eating habits. You eat what you can when you can. In your “free time,” you catch up on lost sleep. Add the sedentary lifestyle—hours and days spent in the car, on surveillance, or at you desk working. Pile on the stress, and mix well. Bake for 8 hours in a hot car on summer surveillance, and ping! You’re done…done in, that is, by hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a heart attack—take your pick.
In a feast-or famine field, it’s tempting for investigators to sacrifice health for work, telling ourselves, “I’ll deal with that later.”
But neglecting your health has more immediate consequences. Poor physical health leads to poor mental health, and vice versa. If you feel terrible, you probably won’t concentrate as well or think as clearly—which can have serious consequences in our profession.
I started to see these consequences in my own life; my daily choices were starting to affect my life, my health, and my work. I’d taken on an extremely heavy caseload, dealt constantly with demanding clients, and was weathering a recession with a wife and children to care for. It took a tremendous toll on me…until I decided to make a change.
Anyone can do the same.
We investigators are trained to be observant and objective. It’s not always easy to turn that objective eye to our own lives, but an honest look at ourselves will likely reveal that we let our health go for one of two reasons:
Excuses — I don’t have time for the gym. I’ll start working out next week. People find plenty of reasons not to find the time to work out or eat well. One excuse leads to another, until the bad habits become permanent.
Decisions — I deserve a Big Mac after that 10-hour surveillance gig. The drive-through is quicker, and I can get home sooner. High-fat diets of fast food and convenience-store junk are choices, and we can make different ones.
The Rx
Exercise
Studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle can be devastating to our health.
The good news: You can break the cycle by taking the first tiny steps—literally. Although your activity level may be minimal during surveillance days, you can always find time for a quick walk. Aim to get in at least a 30-45 minute walk per day. Enjoy the outdoors—even just working in the yard or going to the pool for a swim will get your blood flowing and help you clear your mind. And on long, full workdays, skip the elevator and take the stairs.
If you’re already an active person, aim for high intensity training such as CrossFit or Tabata. Lifting weights also increases metabolism, as muscle burns more calories than fat.
Nutrition
Americans notoriously make eating decisions based on convenience, and that habit is making us fat. When investigators choose “food” from the drive-thru or a convenience store, it’s probably not because they can’t afford a sit-down meal. It’s because their time is in demand, and a bag of chips is the easiest, fastest way to get fed. Remember: Food is fuel that either pumps you up for your work or leaves you feeling lethargic and unmotivated to do the job.
First steps: Avoid the fast food drive thru and the junk food you find at a gas station. You are what you eat. If you are consuming calories laced with fatty meats and grease, you are going to become just that. You will not only put yourself at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and possibly cancer; you’ll also notice changes in your mental attitude and awareness—two things critical to every investigator who takes his profession seriously.
Where and what do we eat?
Two simple solutions: take the time to pack your meals, and make smart choices when eating out. Choose meals high in protein and nutrients, and low in carbohydrates, fats, and oils. For lunch, have a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread…or half of the sandwich for a mid-morning snack and the other half at lunch.
Read the label when buying whole wheat bread. (note: Whole wheat is NOT the same as “enriched whole wheat.”) Whole wheat should be the first ingredient and should say just that. Avoid additives and preservatives. Plain and simple is going to be your best bet. (Little known fact: Subway’s “whole wheat” bread contains high fructose corn syrup.)
Avoid the fats and the high fructose corn syrup in mayonnaise and ketchup. Ask for a list of ingredients or a nutritional label when dining out. For a snack, try roasted almonds—not the salty smoked ones. Plain, roasted almonds. Another option is all-natural peanut butter on celery for a snack—a great way to feel full and enjoy a tasty treat.
Most importantly, drink plenty of water—about a half gallon to a gallon a day. Water is a cleanser. It will actually help you lose weight when you drink plenty of it. It flushes the sodium from your body and keeps you full and alert.
Avoid soda, even diet soda, as it contains caffeine, preservatives and artificial sweeteners which only increase levels of agitation, hunger and of toxins in the body (which your liver will need to remove). Water is your friend, especially on a very long hot day of surveillance.
In Summary
These basics should get you started on your path to a healthier life as you continue this journey into 2013 and beyond. Make every day count just as you do every surveillance, witness statement, or service of process. Do it for yourself and your future. As always, consult with your doctor before you begin any strenuous exercise or diet program.