Fitness in quarantine.

Fitness in quarantine

Well here we are locked in our homes as the country and the world battles the dreaded COVID 19 virus. The news is full of statistical data with new cases coming up daily, as I write India has a total of 1965 cases with 50 deaths. Some of us like me are fortunate that we do not have to worry about the daily needs, in fact, if something worries me is running out of my stash of liquor and cigarettes. I guess I have stock, for a few days so we will cross that bridge when the time comes. Recently there have been a lot of posts, where people had posted their home workouts, just as this was going overboard there was another section of the public who had strong words to say against posting home workouts in social media. Personally, I think we need a middle path. Of course, things are bad; people are suffering and if someone feels strongly, and has a sense of social responsibility then there are means to contribute towards the cause of the needy. The system is doing or at least trying to do their job, however, this does not mean that we should not do something to maintain our fitness levels even if confined to our homes.

I speak for myself and I am sure that there will be some people who like me, put a high premium on their fitness. My ideal day starts with a run in the morning, keeping a track of what I eat, with and a short session in the gym in the evening. This has been by default routine for the past few years, can’t say much about my body but, it has brought me immense mental peace. Confined inside my house I am frankly struggling to maintain the same level of fitness and in some corner of my mind, I too feel anxious that all the hard work of the last few years’ stands to go waste. With these conflicting thoughts, I asked myself, if I was ready to give up and give in to excuses or take up the challenge to try to inculcate some fitness for myself and my family. At least if I were to go, I might as well go down swinging.

I am no trained instructor or a dietitian but I pride myself on being subject zero and have experimented on me a lot of types of eating, diet, and workout routines. I feel that if we use all our knowledge and effort, at least we can mitigate to some extent the effects of quarantine, on our fitness levels.

We don't have a gymnasium with us, nor can we go outdoors, this is our reality and we cannot change it. That said we do have time, and we have ourselves. We are our best resource and the most crucial asset. Let us break down what fitness is. Now I am fully aware that the way fitness is defined is different for each individual so this is something we need to do on a personal level. For me it is eating well, exercising and meditating. (At least I am trying to).

First and foremost I feel that we need to be super careful about what we put in our body. So timely and healthy eating is a must. Having a calorie counter helps, many apps are available for the same. One of the first things we can do when we are up in the morning is having some hot water, followed by tea or coffee. In my own experience giving up sugar totally is an excellent idea towards overall fitness. Eating mindfully and keeping track of macronutrients is what we should be working towards. I am also a big fan of intermittent fasting where; you delay your first meal to have a minimum twelve-hour gap between your dinner and breakfast. This can be increased to fourteen to sixteen hours depending on the individual, however, I would seriously request you do yourself a favour and have not more than two cups of black coffee, unlike me when out of habit I have consumed more than four or five cups in a stretch with not so pleasant results.

Workout at home is boring period! So what can we do is carry out a mix, find out what works for you Yoga, Calisthenics, Pilates are all good. The point is that we do them. Half hour to forty-five minutes morning should be the least what we are working out and since we are at home so why not in the evening. I like to begin with a round of skipping rope followed by some push-ups and other Callisthenic movements. Find whatever you can, a brick, bucket anything, use your imagination, try to do some weight training, and whatever you do do not forget your legs. They have the largest muscles in your body and working them will give you more bang for your buck. Bodyweight squat and lunges are excellent for this. Recently I am becoming to see isometric exercises in a new light, Animal Flow is an excellent way to up your game both in terms of balance, strength and flexibility. Though I have started it recently a small guided session from You Tube left my quads and triceps deliciously sore. It does not need any equipment and it is a whole lot of fun especially if you have a partner. I would suggest that this can be an excellent addition to your home workout routine.

IMPROVISED HOME GYM

As the day fades away into the night and darkness falls, the rum starts to get real friendly. This is perhaps the most difficult part, that too when there is not much to do otherwise. It is easy to preach do not consume liquor, but we all have our moments of weakness, so let us try to moderate it as much as possible, mind you if you do not drink then you have already won this round on fitness.

The major area we can improve now is our sleep hygiene. This is more important than we can think.  We can try to get the seven to eight hours of (beauty) sleep. Sleep is one of the most underrated components of physical and mental health. Try getting good sleep for a week; I assure you that you will feel much more energised and healthier. Going to bed at the correct time and staying away from mobile at those times is critical. Everything I am saying is available freely and most of us are aware of these things, the trick is not knowing them, the trick is doing them.

It is said that your children are poor listeners but good imitators; the best part for me was when my daughter comes up to me and asks if we are doing exercises in the evening. I am sure by embracing a fitness culture we will go a long way in encouraging our children to do the same.

Let us all stay at home, stay safe and use this time that has been given to us to be fit, read some books, learn some new skills and connect with our loved ones.