Well, I have a few tips and tricks for nurses who want to get fit! These work whether or not you have gym.
Let's create our own simple nursing plan:
1. Assess yourself and your needs. Do you have a gym? Are you on the road on a travel nurse assignment? Do you have a computer? Do you have an IPhone?
Are you looking to lose weight? Add muscle? Gain speed?
2. Do a nursing diagnosis of yourself without using NANDA.
Use the smart goal setting technique.
For example:
I want to gain 5-10 lbs of muscle by Feb 1, 2014.
The same can be said if you want to lose weight or body fat.
As you might begin to recognize I am not a big believer in weight loss as much as I am on adding muscle and losing body fat. Slightly different approaches for a fitness competitor to get in shape versus the UFC fighter to make weight.
3. Set your plan! Planning to me is so crucial! It can be simple. Something like P90x can be too intense or time consuming with those 12 hour shifts. Trust me, I get it. Sometimes you can't get to the gym or don't have the resources you are used to. My last 6 weeks in Maui I had to rely on my IPhone for my workouts. I decided to do more body weight workouts on my phone from GSP's workouts to corrective exercise workouts for my legs.
One of my favorite workouts when I want to hit 100 push-ups or 20 pull-ups are the apps on the IPhone that are currently on the market. Some of these apps will create a workout plan for you depending on how many reps you can do for push-ups or chin-ups.
If you have access to a good yoga studio or gym you can always ask for advice on a solid workout routine.
4. Implementation is the fun part for many of us who want to get fit. What's more exciting than going to the gym or doing our home gym workout and reaping the benefits of all our hard work?
Many times people will plan a daily workout but their expectations are above and beyond their capacity. Make sure the plan you created in step three is realistic for you. Remenber that training just three days a week can create great gains!
When you're not feeling motivated, get that friend or buddy who will keep you accountable. Even better, have them train with you in the gym. Training partners can push you to new levels if they are consistent and motivated.
Music and positive thinking tapes have helped inspire me several times. Don't forget the power of this invaluable tool.
5. Evaluate your program and progress! Evaluation is one of the most important steps because it allows you to see if you are making progress in the gym or not. If you aren't losing body fat or gaining muscle after 12 weeks then you need to change a variable, get a new trainer, or follow another workout plan.
Hope you had fun reading this and if you have any questions feel free to email me!
Chris Kostoff RN, BA, ISSA Fitness Trainer
