We asked six top executives to tell us about their fitness routines

It turns out that top CEOs and Presidents favor a wide variety of workouts, from 2 minute meditations to riding the futuristic EllipticGO bicycle around New York.

"No one eats more burgers than I do," maintains John Eckbert, the London-based CEO of the Five Guys chain which has over 1,900 locations worldwide. He works out regularly to balance his diet.

He is, he says, "a bit of a gym rat. When I was in high school I ran cross-country and played basketball, and I've kept up a lot of that." Now his primary exercise is running, which he frequently does on the treadmill in the gym.

But his favorite route is outdoors. "I live in Hammersmith by the bridge. My workout of choice is to run the Thames Path. The question for me is not distance, it's how many bridges can you cross? I've topped out at five so far. I'm pushing for six."

Long before he led Google's business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Matt Brittin's focus was on a very different arena: He rowed for team Great Britain in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. "I've never been much good at ball sports or running but loved rowing the moment I tried it," he says.

Now he sees the benefits of the sport in his current role. "To move a boat fast, you have to be fit and strong, technically capable and, most of all, you have to move in symphony with the other rowers and the boat. I love to compete to this day, and the lessons from the sport on focus, collaboration and getting the best from each other have been really helpful in my working life, too."

Julie Macklowe has been one of the few women making whiskey in America since 2021, when she released her eponymous single malt spirit. Earlier in her career, she worked in finance as portfolio manager for Sigma Capital Partners.

She's always made exercise a priority. "I was one of the first people who owned an ElliptiGO, 12 to 15 years ago. It's the craziest thing you'll see on two wheels—it's like an elliptical machine that rides on the streets like a standup bicycle," she says. "You are up quite high, people find it wild. I still get high fives when I ride it down the street."

She also has a recommended recovery program. "I love the Hyperice machines for legs. I use them almost every day as I tend to work out and then walk about 30,000 steps a day— one of the great benefits to living in New York City."

Noah Glass runs the restaurant technology platform Olo; its 700 restaurant brand customer base includes dumpling experts Din Tai Fung, as well as Cold Stone Creamery and P.F. Chang's.

"The foundation of my work is built on health and the discipline of routine," he says. "I run and lift weights three times a week, and that's when I listen to quarterly earnings calls and audiobooks on 2x speed. I also meditate every morning and track my sleep, recovery and strain using the Whoop strap."

Atish Davda started his pre-IPO share trading company EquityZen when he wanted to buy a wedding ring but couldn't afford it because all his shares were tied up in a private company. The experience has made him flexible, on everything from trades to workouts.

"Every morning, I spend two to 20 minutes meditating to help get centered. Then I get a workout in. Doesn't matter if I have 10 minutes or over an hour, anything that breaks a sweat."

Christine Schindler's 7-year-old company, PathSpot, has become a leading service for commercial kitchens to integrate hygienic best practices. Which means her schedule is hectic.

"I spend a lot of time on the road meeting with our restaurant and manufacturing customers and jumping between our offices," she says. With such a packed schedule, I have to be creative and efficient with my workouts. I like to get outside and walk to meetings whenever possible." Schindler is also a fan of phone-based exercise classes: Pilates and yoga are her favorites.

— With assistance from Diasia Robinson