Each week I have been logging my exercise. Mostly this is an exercise for myself; it has, on occasion, prompted me to get up and move (“for the blog”).
It is also meant for encouragement, in case a busy reader wants to know how other people get their recommended exercise; I don’t think it’s easy to get enough exercise these days, and I think it does people a disservice to imply that it is. Our lives are busy, and yet, you have to take care of your health.
It’s not any easier if you are the doctor.
My first goal 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 was doing well enough that in February I added a second goal of 60 minutes of strength training a week, which remains a challenge.
This week involved a medical emergency. I had to rush home while my Dad was in the ICU. He is doing much better now, but it would be an understatement to say that I was on my regular schedule.
- Saturday: I was at a meeting, not far from where my brother lives. We did a lot of walking for work, and to enjoy his neighborhood. 96 minutes walking. That night I got the call that brought me home.
- Sunday: Traveled a lot (in lousy weather), but did get some exercise wandering around a hospital I didn’t know. 15 minutes walking.
- Monday: Still getting lost at the hospital, 16 minutes walking.
- Tuesday: Not quite as lost, but still racking up the walking between parking, coffee, and hospital room. 17 minutes walking.
- Wednesday: Just lots of sitting today. No exercise logged.
- Thursday: Out of the ICU today. I took a little time to walk around my childhood neighborhood today, 12 minutes walking.
- Friday: Lots of sitting again, keeping Dad company. No exercise logged.
Total: 156 minutes walking, no time spent on strength training. My focus just wasn’t on exercise this week, and I think that’s OK. I am just happy that I was able to spend time with my parents when they needed me. They certainly did plenty of that when I was younger.