Category: WOW

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, October 8!  This month we are highlighting Women’s Health, Point West.  These stretches will help you feel energized and limber throughout the workday.

Harmit K Rai, LVN, will demonstrate these exercises.  Harmit and her team try to practice self-care in the workplace by participating in stretching.  They encourage each other to take care of their mind and body through a supportive and positive environment.  The team is eager to help and pick each other up during busy workdays.

In addition, Harmit’s fitness journey shows her dedication and commitment to self-care.  Her passion for fitness is not just about strength, but rather a tool to help support her mental health.  She lifts weights 3-4 times a week, performs cardiovascular exercise daily, and is mindful about what she eats.  These combined effects build strength and increase mental resilience—she feels grounded and centered during stressful times. 

Great job, Women’s Health!  Keep supporting one another and encouraging fitness and wellness in the workplace.

Exercise: Squat Plus Knees to Elbows

How to perform: Push your hips back and place your body in a deep squat position.  Place your elbows against your knees to open your inner thighs.  Keep your spine straight and chest lifted.  A modification is to perform a quarter squat and place your elbows against your knees.

Duration: Hold for 20 seconds and repeat multiple times throughout the day.   

Squat Plus Knees to Elbows Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, October 15!  This month we are highlighting Women’s Health, Point West.  These stretches will help you feel energized and limber throughout the workday.

Harmit K Rai, LVN, will demonstrate these exercises.  Harmit and her team try to practice self-care in the workplace by participating in stretching.  They encourage each other to take care of their mind and body through a supportive and positive environment.  The team is eager to help and pick each other up during busy workdays.

In addition, Harmit’s fitness journey shows her dedication and commitment to self-care.  Her passion for fitness is not just about strength, but rather a tool to help support her mental health.  She lifts weights 3-4 times a week, performs cardiovascular exercise daily, and is mindful about what she eats.  These combined effects build strength and increase mental resilience—she feels grounded and centered during stressful times. 

Great job, Women’s Health!  Keep supporting one another and encouraging fitness and wellness in the workplace.

Exercise: Standing Hamstring Stretch  

How to perform: Place your right foot in front of you with the heel firmly on the ground with your right knee locked.  Bend your back knee, lean your body forward, and keep your spine straight to stretch your right hamstring.   

Duration: Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on both sides.

Standing Hamstring Reach Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, October 22!  This month we are highlighting Women’s Health, Point West.  These stretches will help you feel energized and limber throughout the workday.

Harmit K Rai, LVN, will demonstrate these exercises.  Harmit and her team try to practice self-care in the workplace by participating in stretching.  They encourage each other to take care of their mind and body through a supportive and positive environment.  The team is eager to help and pick each other up during busy workdays.

In addition, Harmit’s fitness journey shows her dedication and commitment to self-care.  Her passion for fitness is not just about strength, but rather a tool to help support her mental health.  She lifts weights 3-4 times a week, performs cardiovascular exercise daily, and is mindful about what she eats.  These combined effects build strength and increase mental resilience—she feels grounded and centered during stressful times. 

Great job, Women’s Health!  Keep supporting one another and encouraging fitness and wellness in the workplace.

Exercise: Standing Overhead Reach  

How to perform: Interlace your fingers and reach your arms above your head.  Keep your elbows straight and squeeze your palms together.  You should feel a deep stretch from your fingertips all the way down to your feet.  This stretch opens up your shoulder, chest, and elongates the spine.

Duration: Hold for 20 seconds and repeat multiple times throughout the day.   

Standing Overhead Reach Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, October 29!  This month we are highlighting Women’s Health, Point West.  These stretches will help you feel energized and limber throughout the workday.

 Harmit K Rai, LVN, will demonstrate these exercises.  Harmit and her team try to practice self-care in the workplace by participating in stretching.  They encourage each other to take care of their mind and body through a supportive and positive environment.  The team is eager to help and pick each other up during busy workdays.

In addition, Harmit’s fitness journey shows her dedication and commitment to self-care.  Her passion for fitness is not just about strength, but rather a tool to help support her mental health.  She lifts weights 3-4 times a week, performs cardiovascular exercise daily, and is mindful about what she eats.  These combined effects build strength and increase mental resilience—she feels grounded and centered during stressful times. 

 Great job, Women’s Health!  Keep supporting one another and encouraging fitness and wellness in the workplace.

Exercise: Standing Quad and Shoulder Stretch

How to perform: Grab your right foot with your right hand.  Push your right knee down and back to stretch out your right quad.  If you want to stretch your shoulder, reach your left arm up and look at your fingertips.  You should feel a deep stretch in your right thigh and the front side of your body.

Duration: Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on both sides.

Standing Quad and Shoulder Stretch Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, September 3!  This month we are highlighting General Surgery, Eureka Hospital. 

Elizabeth M Rea, Senior Medical Assistant, will demonstrate squat variations.  Elizabeth and her team implement Squat O’clock, which means they perform a set repetition of squats every hour.   They know that squats are great for building total body strength, improving mobility, and increasing physical activity in the workplace. 

In addition, Elizabeth has been with Kaiser Permanente for 4 years and is the Wellness Champion for her department.  In 2020, she began her weight loss journey through running daily and has lost a total of 123 pounds.  Before losing weight, she often felt tired, unmotivated, and struggled with depression.  Since making this lifestyle change, she’s felt energized, more confident, excited for life, and adventurous.  It’s been a truly transformative experience—physically, mentally and emotionally.   She also does weight training regularly to stay strong and balanced.

Finally, the General Surgery Department is a very active and health-conscious team.  Their values are aligned when it comes to prioritizing health and wellness.  They all value taking care of their bodies and minds through movement and activity, and everyone is open to stepping out of their comfort zones to try new workouts or wellness challenges.  The support and camaraderie make it easy to stay motivated and inspired.

Way to go, General Surgery!  Your department is an inspiration.  Thank you for positively role modeling health and wellness in the workplace. 

Exercise: Bodyweight Squat

How to perform: Place your feet shoulder width apart (wider stance if you’re taller), point your toes slightly out, and avoid rounding of the spine.  Push your hips back and sit down as if there is a chair behind you.  Ensure your knees do not go past your toes, keep your spine straight and chest lifted.  Then stand back up slowly.

Duration: Repeat for 5 repetitions and perform squat breaks if you’ve been sitting for longer than 30 minutes.  

Bodyweight Squat Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, September 10!  This month we are highlighting General Surgery, Eureka Hospital. 

 Elizabeth M Rea, Senior Medical Assistant, will demonstrate squat variations.  Elizabeth and her team implement Squat O’clock, which means they perform a set repetition of squats every hour.   They know that squats are great for building total body strength, improving mobility, and increasing physical activity in the workplace. 

In addition, Elizabeth has been with Kaiser Permanente for 4 years and is the Wellness Champion for her department.  In 2020, she began her weight loss journey through running daily and has lost a total of 123 pounds.  Before losing weight, she often felt tired, unmotivated, and struggled with depression.  Since making this lifestyle change, she’s felt energized, more confident, excited for life, and adventurous.  It’s been a truly transformative experience—physically, mentally and emotionally.   She also does weight training regularly to stay strong and balanced.

Finally, the General Surgery Department is a very active and health-conscious team.  Their values are aligned when it comes to prioritizing health and wellness.  They all value taking care of their bodies and minds through movement and activity, and everyone is open to stepping out of their comfort zones to try new workouts or wellness challenges.  The support and camaraderie make it easy to stay motivated and inspired.

 Way to go, General Surgery!  Your department is an inspiration.  Thank you for positively role modeling health and wellness in the workplace. 

Exercise: Squat and Reach

How to perform: Position your body in a squat position.  Reach your left arm up and reach your arm down.  Your right elbow should be pressed against the inside of your right knee.  Suck in your stomach, push your hips back, and keep your chest lifted.  You should feel a deep stretch in your shoulders, upper back, and hips.

Duration: Perform for 5 seconds on both right and left side. 

Squat and Reach Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, September 17!  This month we are highlighting General Surgery, Eureka Hospital. 

 Elizabeth M Rea, Senior Medical Assistant, will demonstrate squat variations.  Elizabeth and her team implement Squat O’clock, which means they perform a set repetition of squats every hour.   They know that squats are great for building total body strength, improving mobility, and increasing physical activity in the workplace. 

In addition, Elizabeth has been with Kaiser Permanente for 4 years and is the Wellness Champion for her department.  In 2020, she began her weight loss journey through running daily and has lost a total of 123 pounds.  Before losing weight, she often felt tired, unmotivated, and struggled with depression.  Since making this lifestyle change, she’s felt energized, more confident, excited for life, and adventurous.  It’s been a truly transformative experience—physically, mentally and emotionally.   She also does weight training regularly to stay strong and balanced.

Finally, the General Surgery Department is a very active and health-conscious team.  Their values are aligned when it comes to prioritizing health and wellness.  They all value taking care of their bodies and minds through movement and activity, and everyone is open to stepping out of their comfort zones to try new workouts or wellness challenges.  The support and camaraderie make it easy to stay motivated and inspired.

 Way to go, General Surgery!  Your department is an inspiration.  Thank you for positively role modeling health and wellness in the workplace. 

Exercise: Chest Opener plus Squat   

How to perform: Place your hands on your ears and push your hips back into a squat.  Pull your elbows back, keep your chest lifted, and look straight ahead.  Avoid rounding the spine and caving the chest in.  

Duration: Perform for 5 repetitions if you have been sitting for more than 30 minutes.     

Chest Opener Plus Squat Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, September 24!  This month we are highlighting General Surgery, Eureka Hospital. 

 Elizabeth M Rea, Senior Medical Assistant, will demonstrate squat variations.  Elizabeth and her team implement Squat O’clock, which means they perform a set repetition of squats every hour.   They know that squats are great for building total body strength, improving mobility, and increasing physical activity in the workplace. 

In addition, Elizabeth has been with Kaiser Permanente for 4 years and is the Wellness Champion for her department.  In 2020, she began her weight loss journey through running daily and has lost a total of 123 pounds.  Before losing weight, she often felt tired, unmotivated, and struggled with depression.  Since making this lifestyle change, she’s felt energized, more confident, excited for life, and adventurous.  It’s been a truly transformative experience—physically, mentally and emotionally.   She also does weight training regularly to stay strong and balanced.

Finally, the General Surgery Department is a very active and health-conscious team.  Their values are aligned when it comes to prioritizing health and wellness.  They all value taking care of their bodies and minds through movement and activity, and everyone is open to stepping out of their comfort zones to try new workouts or wellness challenges.  The support and camaraderie make it easy to stay motivated and inspired.

 Way to go, General Surgery!  Your department is an inspiration.  Thank you for positively role modeling health and wellness in the workplace. 

Exercise: Squat plus knee raise.

How to perform: Push your hips back and sit your hips back in a squat position.  Stand up tall and raise your right knee then left knee.  This counts as 1 repetition.  Keep your core engaged, chest lifted and maintain balance throughout exercise.

Duration: Perform 3 reps of this exercise if you have been sitting for more than 30 minutes.

Flyer for Squat Plus Knee Raise

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, August 6th!  This month we are highlighting Health Education, Corporate Health Promotion and Lifestyle Medicine.

Tamara Wilgus, CHES and Registered Yoga Teacher 200, will demonstrate essential stretches for the workplace.  Tamara has a broad range of exercise background, which includes running, stretching, yoga, and mindfulness.  She is passionate about helping communities improve their health and wellbeing through balanced nutrition and movement.

The Corporate Health Promotion and Lifestyle medicine team improves their health through taking stretching and mindfulness breaks throughout the day.  Most of us can sit for long periods of time due to meetings and computer usage.  To combat this, this team encourages one another to go for walks, stretch, go outside for sunshine, and disconnect from electronics.  This team also supports one another by creating a cohesive and supportive environment where everyone is thriving in the workplace and outside of it.

Exercise: Wall Sit

How to perform: Find a flat surface and position your back against the wall.  Keep your knees at 90 degrees and engage the core.  You can place your hands on your thighs or on your hips.  This exercise strengthens the core and legs.

Duration: Perform throughout the day to improve core and lower leg strength.

Wall Sit Flyer

Welcome to your Workout of the Week, August 13th!  This month we are highlighting Health Education, Corporate Health Promotion and Lifestyle Medicine.

Tamara Wilgus, CHES and Registered Yoga Teacher 200, will demonstrate essential stretches for the workplace.  Tamara has a broad range of exercise background, which includes running, stretching, yoga, and mindfulness.  She is passionate about helping communities improve their health and wellbeing through balanced nutrition and movement.

The Corporate Health Promotion and Lifestyle medicine team improves their health through taking stretching and mindfulness breaks throughout the day.  Most of us can sit for long periods of time due to meetings and computer usage.  To combat this, this team encourages one another to go for walks, stretch, go outside for sunshine, and disconnect from electronics.  This team also supports one another by creating a cohesive and supportive environment where everyone is thriving in the workplace and outside of it.

Exercise: Wall Push-up

How to perform: Place your hands against a wall.  Inhale, slowly lower your body to the wall while keeping your spine straight.  Exhale, push your body away from the wall and straighten your elbows.  This exercise strengthens your upper body.

Duration: Perform 8 repetitions.

Wall Push Ups Flyer