So, as my name states, I'm a nurse. I'm on my feet CONSTANTLY.
i come home from work with an achy back and legs. frequently go so far as to break a sweat and if lifting people all day counts - i'm lifting weights!

do you count your days at work a work out, or am i just copping out??


if i am working a 12, usually closer to 13 hour shift and i'm on my feet, running around from here to there - i never go to the gym! i count it as my work out... is that right? does anyone else do that?

your body has a resting rate of how many calories it burns. If you were to lie in bed all day and do absolutely nothing, you would burn x amount of calories depending all on your height, weight, age, and gender. I'm a 19 year old, 5'7 female weighing in at 180lbs, and I have a resting burn rate of 1660 calories a day.

Everything else you do is technically exercise. And because you have such a highly demanding job, I'd say it REALLY counts!

I'm afraid it doesnt work like that. We all have a "Set Point" things we do or a lifestyle we lead. What we do daily or normally is Our Set Point.

Your nursing is case point, my waitressing. We both are on our feet running around for hours. Where as you lift people, I lift heavy laden trays, and boxes of varying sizes and weights putting things away or in storage. This kind of work our bodies are used to. It's our set point, its keeping us where we're at. We have to do more.

SusanB had brought this up back in March in the exercise forum. ( She too is a nurse ) But she also brought up Oprah and Bob Green's first assessment of her. Oprah was walking a mile in 18 minutes. Did 2 shows a day plus a bunch of other stuff at her formerly obese weight. She was active. Bob had seen that but he also saw that all that didnt matter. It was keeping her where she was at. He needed to find her more. So, he asked her to jog that 18 minute mile. And thats how that incredible journey began.

We are all have busy lives and schedules. The real question is...

What's your more?

I also work on my feet, 10 hour shifts, and there have been days that I didn't even sit down for lunch! I don't count it as exercise however I do count it as a blessing because it keeps me so active, which helps a little. I used to be exhausted at the end of the day, my whole body would hurt especially my feet knees and back. Since losing a big chunk of weight I no longer hurt at the end of a shift. Yes I'm often tired, my muscles are definitely tired but I'm not in pain anymore thank god!

The thing is, the parts where you break a sweat are for short durations. You still need cardio.

Exercise is not just sweating. I sweat when I open my door. Cardio is about getting your heart rate up and keeping it up for awhile. So unless your running the corridors, it isn't exercise.