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.
