How Do You Fit In 30mins Of Exercise In Your Work Day?

[RegenerativeNurse]

So I was recently reading an article that suggestes many ways to fit in 5 or 10 mins exercise sessions into an 8hr works day to meet the current recommendations of 30minutes of mild-moderate exercise for adults.

Now I feel like as nurses we are already on our feet walking (sometimes running) all day for 12hrs.

However it did get me to thinking if it was possible to get in a few squats, lunges, modified bicep curls etc without looking as though you're slacking (or crazy) while you're on the floor.

I'm all for fitness and health. Esp when after hectic shifts when the last thing on my mind is a quick set of jumping jacks stretching.

Has anyone achieved this? What's your tips and tricks? Do you even think it necessary in/during our line of work?

[Hani, BSN, RN, EMT-I]

When I worked in the hospital it seemed like I got a good amount of steps in most days. One thing I did was always take the stairs (unless transporting a pt or something, obvs). Several of the nurses went for walks outside or around the hospital depending on weather on their breaks.

[Orion81RN]

16 hours ago, MunoRN said:

While we put in a lot of "steps' at work that doesn't really count as exercise, that's more of a baseline activity level. Better than sitting all day, but still not the recommended amount of exercise.

To incorporate exercise into work time, I ride my bike to work, it takes a little longer, about 20 minutes instead of 15 minutes driving each way, so I get 40 minutes of exercise by only adding about 10 minutes to my commute. Then during the day I run up and down 5 flights of stairs whenever I get a spare few minutes.

I disagree in that everyone is different. When I did floor nursing and got in 15000 steps, my heart rate was on average 130 bpm throughout my shift. I was always gradually losing weight while doing floor nursing. There was absolutely no need for extra exercise during my work days. Everyone is different.

[ThatChickOmi, ADN, RN]

I don't do it at work. I make time to workout on my off time. I'm a runner, so even if it means cramming a quick 3 miles after getting home from night shift, that's what it'll be.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Being overweight is primarily a diet problem. Doing a few curls at the nursing station or a couple of lunges in the hallway isn't going to solve that.

Get the diet in line and save the exercise for off days to help you stay healthy and keep it off. Or get up 30 minutes early and do some quality exercise before going to work. I used to do that when I worked at the hospital.

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

I have no excuse. My job mostly entails me educating people on Type 2 DM. By which I mean “exercise more and stop eating junk food.” And yet here I am, writing this from my bed while I eat potato chips.

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

Like the above poster, I work with people who likely wouldn't be sick if they made better lifestyle choices.... but I try not to eat junk food in bed. I don't like being a do as I say not as I do kind of person, so I try to model healthy behaviors to my pt's.

I put together a pretty extensive gym in my garage (squat rack, barbells, dumbells, GHD, rowing machine), but I DON'T get 30 minutes of exercise during my work day. I'm usually comatose after work my days on, but my days off I try to work out every other day.

A coworker got me out to a rock climbing gym last night, was a pretty great full body workout and I'd be lying if I said my forearms and hands weren't killing me from gripping on to little plastic stones and something different then squats and deadlifts -- a lot of fun.

[TAKOO01, BSN]

Surprisingly, I am able to do this every day at my current job. We get our lunch break daily, and I either walk or go to the gym every day. I hope to keep it up for the duration of my employment. I've actually lost 20 lbs at a desk job?. (Of course there is a diet involved, but the exercise helped).

[Mkakids]

I do 25 counter push ups everytime I go in the med room, and 30 body weight squats every time I have to get something from our supply room.

I work 12's overnight, and generally only get about 6k steps (with 6 neuro/stroke/tele pts), so it's definitely not enough activity. When I was working days, I averaged 10k steps over 12 hour shifts

Interestingly, when I was CNA on the same floor, I averaged 15k steps on a 8 hour shift - I was NOT prepared for how much more computer/charting work there would be!

[James36, LPN, RN]

Working night shift, I find I don’t have the energy to exercise before or after my shifts. I just try to workout on my days off.

[Herecomesthesun]

I work 3 busy 12hr shifts at the hospital, but do some yoga on my lunch break, and carry some workout clothes, and go running for about 30 minutes immediately after my night shift. I borrow a clean blanket, set it up on the floor of an empty room, take off my shoes, and only do standing/balancing moves to avoid touching the gross floor. I eat my food during quick breaks before my lunch.

Exercising really helps me deal with all the pent up stress from my job. The yoga helps keep my back and other areas from hurting, and the running helps me deal with fatigue after my shift.

[LovingLife123]

I get up an hour early before work. I walk and don’t take the shuttle. I take the stairs and not the elevator. I found that for me, I need to burn 700-1000 calories a day while cutting most sugar to lose weight. It’s definitely not easy, and I fall off sometimes. But I put forth a good effort, especially this past year.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

When ever I went to the bathroom,I did calf stretches,leaning into wall,when standing over counter I lifted leg back several times,I had to due to joint problems.With other staff if it was quiet we did dancing to radio,back rubs for each other to release knotted backs and necks.Somedays all we could exercise was the tongue.