One of the favorite things I have heard from a patient is: you’re a doctor, you don’t have to worry about blood pressure. Implying, of course, that doctor’s don’t struggle with their health.
I most certainly do struggle with fitness and health, like many other Americans with sedentary jobs and a proclivity to eat treats. One of my goals is to make sure that I get my 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise (or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise, which probably won’t happen). I will see for how long I am willing to document my progress Saturday to Friday.
This week I was working in the hospital, spending a lot of time going back and forth between the office and the hospital floors. I always think I am walking tons, and yet my Fitbit tells me otherwise.
- Saturday: Up early. Light yoga for 21 minutes before working at the hospital all day.
- Sunday: Quick day at the hospital. Walked part way home, then went for a walk with a friend. Walked 78 minutes in total. Cleared out the home office with plans to start exercising with weights Mon/Wed/Fri.
- Monday: Light yoga in the morning for 15 minutes. Had a long day and absolutely no interest in working out with weights after dinner.
- Tuesday: No yoga in the morning (there was leftover work from Monday). Walked most of the way home from work in the evening, 39 minutes. Considered walking in the next morning, but my husband–who insists on walking with me and who carries my heavy lunch bag (thank you, honey!)–has a lot to do Wednesday.
- Wednesday: Light yoga this morning for 16 minutes. This is starting to feel like a habit. We’ll see how long I can keep this streak going.
- Thursday: Lots of meetings and time in the hospital. Somehow exercise didn’t happen.
- Friday: No formal exercise today, but attended an event downtown, which means plenty of walking. Walked 27 minutes.
Total: 144 minutes walking + 52 minutes yoga= 196 minutes exercising. Strictly speaking I might not have gotten 150 minutes of moderate exercise, but I think the yoga is good for me. And considering how I huff and puff with some of the poses, I think I snuck in 6 minutes of moderate exercise with those poses. I’m calling this week a win.