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 finished working in the hospital, and felt invigorated by the freedom of having a little time off. I wasn’t so good about working in exercise on my long days in the office.
- Saturday: Last day at the hospital. Did a little walking between units. 8 minutes.
- Sunday: Slept in, goofed off, and went for a walk up to the business district. Felt tired and got a coffee to fuel me for the walk back. 71 minutes exercising. I note that’s more time walking than I got in for all of last week.
- Monday: Not much exercise, just 11 minutes walking to and from my favorite coffee stand, per my Fitbit. Partially I was in a hurry to get home, because we had company coming over. So exciting after the long drought of hospital duties in the evening!
- Tuesday: This was a long day at work. Had no desire to exercise once I got home.
- Wednesday: I had a lovely time with a long walk before meeting a friend for coffee. 98 minutes walked.
- Thursday: A full day at work, no exercise.
- Friday: I thought about doing some yoga in the morning, but just didn’t. I had to give bad news to a patient. No desire to go exercise in the afternoon either.
Total: 188 minutes walking, which was the entirety of my exercise this week. I feel I conquered the 150 minute challenge; I note that most of my exercise still centered around my coffee.