Get Fit-Employed

While sudden unemployment turns your financial security upside down, it can flip your fitness right side up. Losing your job is a major loss of life control. But it also means more time to focus on your health. Whether the pink slip came months ago or you just heard the news, fold fit habits into your job-seeking resolution for the new year.

This lengthy recession can be your return ticket to health. Just take a look at jobless runners. There's some evidence laid-off marathoners are dedicating their newfound free time to improved training, leading to stiffer competition across age groups, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this summer.

Race results tracker Athlinks.com claims 2009 marathon times have improved in nearly every age category. Amazingly, Boston Marathon-eligible runners have increased their times 39 percent since 2008. Participation is up 5.1 percent, which typically means more beginners and slower times. Forget that -- times are speeding up. One recently laid off triathlete with enough money saved to train and race full-time calls himself "funemployed."
Interestingly, the recession reportedly has more amateur track-and-field athletes sticking with their sport instead of entering a terrible job market. More U.S. Olympic medals on the horizon? Rob Vermillion, an Olympic-trainer in Oregon, has seen this increase in competition lead to superior performances.

So what about you? Granted, most of us don't have extensive savings to delve full-time into fitness indefinitely, but at least consider turning your days of unemployment into fit-employment. As Weight Watchers points out, fitness and eating habits are still under your control. And the wealth of time to develop healthier habits may very well stick once you return to work. Take fortysomething Hilary Stout. After losing her job she grabbed her gym bag to pursue fitness fantasies. She got in great shape, eventually found a job and has retained her discipline for fitness.

If you're facing 2010 unemployed, apply immediately for fitness. Then watch your energetic, slimmer self land that job. For all you Christmas Eve shoppers out there, check out this fit holiday gift guide before heading out.