I like to have control.
You're probably thinking sure, you and everyone else. But as a (relatively) young professional with a stable job, I admit that not many things feel out of my control, at least most of the time. Not things that matter, anyway. I am blessed, and I try to think of that with gratitude.
But global issues as they are right now, it's hard not to feel like things are out of control.
Where I am, everything is closed except for grocery stores, pharmacies and hospitals. Borders have been shut down even between cities, and
It feels surreal, and scary, and historic all at the same time. It feels like the world has gotten both smaller and bigger and somehow more threatening. I can't stop thinking about my family, who are far away and currently, nearly impossible to get to.
It feels like the control has been wrested away.
But today, I want to focus on what can be controlled, to some extent: what to do with my time at home. Especially as it pertains to health.
Workout
With a sudden abundance of time on my hands, albeit mostly confined to the house, I'm reminding myself that this is what I've always dreamed about - essentially having the entire day to work out, with no other obligations.
If you're missing the gym, this is a great chance to mix up your workout routine. Every fitness guy or gal on Instagram right now is providing examples of home workouts, with minimal equipment needed. I suggest @jeremyscottfitness, @clairepthomas, @kaisafit and @bjgaddour if you need some inspiration for bodyweight workouts. You can also try something like this:
5 min foam roll
5 min warmup (jumping jacks, standing high knees, hip openers, windmills)
Two to three 15-min circuits of three exercises, pick a lower body, upper body and core exercise. For example, air squats, followed by push-ups, followed by V-ups or Russian twists. Get creative! You can use your couch or a chair for incline/decline pushups or hip thrusts and dips, and make it all more challenging by picking up your dog/small child/potted plant and getting after it. Whatever you choose, repeat with minimal rest in between for 15 minutes. Do another circuit after a few minutes' rest. End with a five minute cooldown or mobility session.
Mobility Work
I've talked about the importance of mobility before, but I admit that I'm not the best practitioner of my own preaching. With a time-crunched schedule, I usually forego mobility for heavy lifting sessions, and it probably shows. Now that I have no excuse, I plan to take this time to do more. Try the Ready State or check out @themobilitymethod for suggestions. A restorative yoga session is also a good supplement.
Cook
Our technology-driven world really makes it easy not to have to cook these days. Even in the midst of a pandemic, I can get hot food delivered right to my door, no human contact needed. However, what's the reason most of us say is why we don't cook more often? Time. I don't know about you, but currently I have nothing but time on my hands. Now unless you're deep-frying everything, cooking is inevitably going to be healthier than getting takeout. And you need to stay healthy, even if you've locked yourself indoors for now. There's an abundance of easy recipes out there right now; believe me, I seek them out with regularity myself. If you've got a slow cooker or Instant Pot, it gets even easier. Don't even stress about not having all the ingredients, either. You can basically Google anything these days with "replacement for X" and find something you have on hand. Or get creative and try different twists to your own tastes. I do that all the time.
We eat mostly plant-based at home, but you could easily adapt vegetarian/vegan recipes for meat-eaters, like adding chicken or steak or ground beef. To get you started, here are some of my favorites:
Creamy White Beans with Kale and Wild Rice
Indian-spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
Rest
See my last post about rest and recovery - it's good for you. Sometimes you just need to slow down and take a day. If it's possible where you are, take a walk or a light jog in place of your usual HIIT class. Stimulate your mind instead with a book or online class, or just catch up on Netflix. Use this time to get enough sleep for once.
It's tempting to use this time to wallow and fret and eat all the snacks. But however you're dealing with this, staying active will never be a bad idea. Prioritizing your health (whether that's spiritual, mental or physical) is always a good thing. If you want more suggestions for workouts, message me.
And wash your hands. Stay healthy, everyone.