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.
