Does your Dr spouse exercise?

Hello all!

I rarely post, but I thought I'd post this question with hopes of giving my DH some suggestions on how to fit exercise in his busy life.

Now that DH is finished training (he's in his first year post residency/fellow), he'd really like to have an exercise routine. He's in an all medpeds practice that has 6 other drs. He only works 4 days/wk and is on call every 7th day or so. He takes Fridays as his one day off so he always has 3-day weekends except for when he's on call on the weekend. Even though he only works 4 days, he's very busy on those days. As a matter of fact, he often doesn't finish his work by Friday and goes in on his day off to catch up (darn paperwork!) His first patient isn't scheduled until 8:30a so between the time he drops off our oldest DD to school at 7:45a, he rounds on his hospital patients (if he has any) before he heads to his office. We live 5 minutes from DD's school, 5 minutes from his office, and the YMCA is located a few minutes across the street from his office.

DH tries waking up at 5:30a to go to the Y, but it's so hard to do that time consistently. He doesn't get out of the office until past 6:30p most days that he just wants to go home and have dinner with the family. The idea of exercising after dinner does not appeal to him. (He gets so tired after dinner.) He barely has time for lunch so he can't exercise during the day. He'd really like to exercise consistently, but just can't find the right time. I suppose the weekends would be the most likely time. However, the kids want him to be them from waking 'til bedtime. (How could he refuse?)

Any suggestions? I told him to try to do maybe 3x/wk (hence, the weekend) instead of trying for 5-7 days/wk. His primary goal is to do 30 min/day of cardio in addition to some sort of strength training. His cholesterol is high so it really is critical for him to exercise.

I know that I couldn't wake up at 5:30a to exercise.

Thanks!

-Melanie

[DCJenn]

Yes, he exercises- it's a requirement that they pass the Army physical 2 times a year and my husband is so competitive that he wants to pass it at the standards they had when he was 19 and enlisted. (hasn't happened but he does max the standards for his own ancient age group)

How does he do it? He has his bike set up in the basement in the winter and will ride whenever he gets home early enough. In the spring, summer and fall he also rides his bike to work at least twice a week. He also takes Metro which requires at least a half mile walk each direction. We have weights in the basement and when he rides down there, he also lifts.

He runs with Nikolai in the running stroller as often as the weather and his schedule allows. (it's not cold but wet that is his deterent). When he's at work, the hospital has a gym. He either runs at lunch or runs immediately after work. He claims to be able to workout before work- hasn't happened in the six years I've known him.

I workout by taking Nikolai and the dog on a five mile loop as almost every day, and then I do the weights 3x a week during naptime.

(excluding this week, while Nikolai and I recover from some nasty cough/fevery thing)

Jenn

[Meenah]

DH's only exercise is walking the dogs.
Luanne

[HeartRN]

We had a gym membership for a year and DH went once. 'nuff said...sorry I'm no help!

[Vanquisher]

Yes, when he walks up and down the stairs in the hospital.

[Flynn]

Nope. He has no time to do anything on a regular basis. In our nine years of residency he has played tennis about 14 times (13 of them in the lab) and gone golfing about 10 times (9 of them in the lab) .

It's something we both want in our next house...an eliptical machine we can have turns on...

On the flip side, I COULD exercise if I did it from 4-5 a.m. or 10-11p.m. but I'm not nearly that dedicated -- Matt you are my hero.

So we'll add this to the list of "things I want to do on a regular basis when training is over."

[PrincessFiona]

Nope

[mommax3]

He did during his military years and does okay now, but he is unhappy with the amount of time he has to devote to it, and also the conflict with family time. He would *love* to do a triathalon someday, and I would really like to help him achieve that, but right now his schedule is too full for regular exercise, unless he left the house at 5:30 or something, and he can't make himself do that just yet.

Sally

His schedule hours sound sort of similar to my husbands. DH gets up around 5:00 or 5:30 every day but tries to run 3 of those mornings. It's working pretty well for him. Mornings are much easier for him. And for me -- I'm not used to him being around anyway. He has a running partner who does an informal but organized run every Sunday at 6:00am and probably joins that every other week. It's early so people can get to church or do things with their families. The only way I could get up that early to run in the dark and rain is if I knew someone was waiting for me and would be pissed if I didn't show!

DH does weights 3 days a week and cardio 3 days a week. He usually heads to the gym around 5:30-6:00a because, if he doesn't get to the gym first thing in the morning, chances are he won't go at all that day. He also likes going in the early morning since that is when most of the other doctors at the hospital go to the gym and he likes running in to people he knows. On the cardio days, he will usually go for a walk/jog with our son and me or he'll play basketball with his buddies. I don't remember how old your children are, but maybe your husband can play basketball with them or, like Alison suggested, go for a bike ride. He'll get a good workout and get to spend time with the kids.

DH just started taking Tae Kwon Do classes a couple nights a week which gives him a pretty good workout....and it's harder to put off exercising since he is signed up for the classes. Plus, he has the goal of eventually becoming a black belt....so that is even more motivation to attend the classes. My husband also golfs 1 or 2 times a week and will always walk instead of ride whenever the course allows it. Does your husband golf? Walking the course while carrying a bag of clubs is a great workout!

I try to go walking or jogging with my son 5-6 times a week and I just started taking a weights class at the gym 3 times a week.

Re: Does your Dr spouse exercise?

He bikes the 5 miles each way to and from work. He also uses a rowing machine at home in the morning, alternating between that and weight/resistance training (there's a weight bench in the basement). He used to be heavier, so keeping his weight down is the main motivator for excercising. It means he wakes up at 3:30 AM in order to fit in a workout, coffee and a shower before leaving by 5AM. He's not usually home before 7, so mornings are his only chance. He's a bit of a masochist when it comes to fitness.

I run a few miles to and from the gym in the mornings to do weight training 5 times a week. I also bike and swim occasionally. I'm training for a triathlon in June, so fitness is also a priority for me.

We have no children.

If he can establish any kind of routine and work it into his schedule, it will become habbit. I would suggest buying equipment for home use, if you have the space.

Re: Does your Dr spouse exercise?

Cool! What length tri? I don't swim and I don't enjoy running, so triathlons are out for me, but I do enjoy the competitive thrill of bicycle road racing. .

It's an Olympic Length Tri, my first. I love cycling and swimming, not so much the running, but 2 out of 3 ain't bad!

My beau wanted to do the race with me, but training proved too difficult to fit into his schedule. We still get out for bike rides and many walks together, since it's been so unseasonably warm. Once I get into high gear, training-wise, it should be interesting to see how (if) our schedules coincide, and whether or not he can be forgiving of mine!

Thanks for the welcome, I'm just happy to be here

[Vishenka69]

My hubby considers walking around the hospital all day his exercise.

Tara

Mine was pretty much like that too until a few weeks ago. We were visiting his grandmother before the holidays and she happened to mention that he used to be a beautiful child but now he got fat and ugly. He really took that to heart and joined the gym a few weeks ago. And he's actually been going too. I'm really proud of him and hope the result won't be too far behind.

Thanks all for replying!

We have 4 kids - 6y, 4y, 2y, 9m. Our oldest DD is in 1st grade. Needless to say, it helps me tremendously that DH takes her to school. I've taken her to school twice and it's a big production to bring the other 3 kids that early in the morning.

I guess, really, the only solution is early morning exercise. We do have a workout area in our house - free weights, Concept II rower, and my exercise videos. He'd like to add a weight bench. DH used to take Tae Kwon Do when we lived in Rochester, MN for his fellowship. He'd like to take it again at the Y, but I think the days it's offered conflicts with his work schedule at the moment.

I think taking a class is a great idea.

-Melanie

[SueC]

Off and on. He didn't for the first 6 years of training, but during the last year of fellowship he really got back into cycling. Then he got busy and quit, but now is jonesing to start back up again. He's lucky, because he is the kind of guy that will be in top form in a matter of weeks practically.