MOVE MORE This Month!

This November, the Healthy Nurse, Healthy New Jersey team will focus on MOVING MORE. As nurses, we often think we move a lot when we are at work. That could be true depending on what kind of nursing you do, but for many of us, it isn’t true. In order for us to be the happiest and healthiest nurses we can be, we need to be moving our bodies inside and outside of the workplace. Our movements need to be purposeful; we need to take the time to MOVE MORE each day.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average adult should engage in a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity. Physical exercise may be the closest thing to a “magic bullet” against diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, plus many more! Look here for more information on the benefits of physical activity for your health as well as current recommendations to stay physically fit.

Walking is a perfect exercise for many people. Turning your normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and purposeful movements. Your head should be held up and looking forward, not at the ground. Your neck, shoulders and back should be relaxed, not stiff and upright. Swing your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows.

Here is a simple guide to walking:

Warm-up by walking at an easy pace for five to 10 minutes. Then, attempt to walk up and down a hill. Two minutes of brisk walking on a level surface should follow. You can then repeat and finish the walk with five minutes of easy walking. Aim for 30 minutes of walking five days a week.

A walking regimen is a perfect way to get moving for the following reasons:

• Brisk walking raises your heart rate, builds your aerobic fitness and helps with weight control.
• Easy walking, as in walking a dog or taking a stroll, works your muscles and joints.
• Walking can boost your mood!

Some other simple ways for you to get moving are listed here:

• Park your car far from the door of the store, your workplace, the salon, etc.
• Go outside with a watering can and water your plants instead of using a sprinkler system.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator; encourage your colleagues to do the same.
• Dance around your home while you do your housework.
• If your nursing work doesn’t have you on your feet, take the time to stretch and possibly walk in place throughout the day. Make up for lost “movement” time when you are not working.

Sometimes the hardest part of MOVING MORE is to take the first step, literally! You can do anything if you try. Weren’t you a baby once? You had to learn to turn over first, and then you had to learn to crawl, creep and then walk. It wasn’t long before you were running! The same movement development will happen in our adulthood. If you want to someday run again, walk first!

Go ahead, take that first step. Start with a 10-minute goal. Take a deep breath and go! Get moving!

The Healthy Nurse, Healthy New Jersey (HNHNJ) team is going to give a Healthy Nurse $50 toward a “walk” or “run” of her/his choice. You will have a chance of winning by writing to healthynurse@njsna.org, letting the HNHNJ team know how you incorporate our Healthy Nurse messages into moving more.

Be well,

Linda Corigliano, BSN, RN, and the Healthy Nurse, Healthy New Jersey Team

References:

Miller, B. (2019, June 10). 6 Ways to Tone Your Abs While You Walk. Retrieved Nov. 7, 2019 from https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20496857/tone-your-abs-while-walking/.

Physical Activity Basics. (2019, July 2). Retrieved Nov. 7, 2019 from https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/index.htm.