How I'm Staying Healthy In Quarantine
- Stephanie
- May 2, 2020
- 5 min read
I keep seeing this meme that says there are three ways to leave quarantine when this is all over: shredded from at-home workouts, fat from snacking all day, or dead (stay inside, y'all).
Along with the rest of the world, I'm struggling with feeling out of control. I feel challenged and defeated a lot lately. I want this post to be inspiring and positive but I'm also going to keep it real. Fair warning, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. It is genuine, though.
My At-Home Workout Journey
At-home workouts are all the rage right now.
Since most gyms in the US are closed, we've gotta get creative!
Now, I know that working out at home sometimes just isn't possible.
A little bit about where I've worked out:
Growing up, my mom had a treadmill, elliptical, recumbent bike, and multiple collections of at-home fitness movies.
In community college, I took weightlifting classes and had a gym membership.
When I went to Chico State, wherever I lived usually had a gym in the complex or I'd go to the campus gym which is absolutely gorgeous.
My first big-girl job out of college in the Bay Area gave me a gym membership discount.
In my first NY apartment, I was fortunate enough to have a tiny gym downstairs. Here's a pic from that era:
BUT once I moved to my current spot, I lost the complex-gym amenity and lost a significant amount of square-footage so I mostly gave up on at-home workouts.
I'd occasionally give it another try but I'd knock into furniture and get frustrated.
There is an outdoor gym in my community, though!
Pro: free, outdoors, decent equipment.
Con: the elements. Ain't nobody trying to do crunches on top of snow.
As mentioned, I'm currently quarantined in a house in Utah. House = room to workout! So I'm fully back on the at-home fitness train.
Physical Health
Nike Training App
Back in my high school dance team days, we used the Nike Training App to stay in shape and it's still my go-to!
There are premium options within the app but I stick to the free workouts.
My favorite Nike Training App workouts:
Quick-Hit Lower Body
Pitch Perfect Abs
Quick Core Crunch
Ab And Butt 2.0
Focused Restorative Yoga
Essential Restorative Yoga
Chloe Ting
If you're hip with the times, you might be hearing of Chloe Ting a lot lately.
She's uploaded plenty of workouts to her YouTube channel and it's common to see results from her programs on TikTok or Instagram.
So I decided to give her a try!
Pros: faster workouts than Nike, I feel the burn a lot faster, her timers and % milestones make the workouts go by quicker.
Cons: I feel like I'm just building show muscles in the way that Nike's workouts focus on endurance, mobility, and strength whereas Ting's workouts focus on fast results. I want to be able to do 100 pushups without stopping, not just build up a booty for Instagram pics (which, if you know me, is 100% not my thing).
With that in mind, her videos are great for a quick burn, especially on days where I have lower energy or want to spend less time working out.
My Favorite Chloe Ting Workouts:
Favorite At-Home Equipment
Treadmills are a gift from heaven. I love when I beat my mile times (especially since I cheated my way out of running full miles in high school, literally every single time). I love my running playlist. I love feeling like I can always be challenged harder. Absolutely nothing whips me back into shape faster than running on a treadmill.
Free weights. 'nuff said.
Resistance bands. I use my old stretching band from my ballet days.
Yoga mat. I am bony in a lot of weird places. This makes it uncomfortable and sometimes straight up painful to workout on the floor unless I have a mat or some kind of softer surface.
Mental Health
Isolation absolutely takes its toll.
I don't even remember the last time I hugged someone aside from my boyfriend. When will I shake a hand again? It's an intense change of pace in not seeing anyone when I look out from the windows here versus seeing the country's biggest city outside of my apartment back in Manhattan.
I noticed myself feeling stir-crazy here and there but when I started crying because my boyfriend accidentally turned off the TV while I was watching the Jonas Brothers documentary, I realized I needed to be more in tune with my head.
Ways I'm keeping my mental health in check:
Yoga. What I love most about yoga is knowing that I create a calm peace for myself. There are plenty of times where I'll begin a practice with the intention of just being present with my body but also come out taking deeper breaths, feeling energized, and being in control of my mindset.
Going outside. Whoa whoa whoa, safely! My boyfriend and I will take a spin on a moped, take walks around the neighborhood, or grill out back. Getting some (safe) fresh air is important! One of the biggest reasons I felt the need to leave NYC for quarantine is because of the lack of fresh air. Our windows let in a breeze but not being able to go outside, even just in our immediate community, due to safety was getting to be way too heavy.
Blogging. Having an internal monologue is cool and all but actually getting the words out is more helpful than I thought. In the short while I've had my blog, I've noticed my confidence rise while my creativity is constantly challenged.
TikTok. It's fun, entertaining, and usually makes me laugh quite a bit. Some might disagree with endorsing screen time as a mental health tip but honestly, having this little escape has been healthy for me.
Friends. I've moved about 12 times since late 2015. This means I've had a lot of practice in keeping contact with friends and family, despite distance. Whether I'm texting, Snapchatting, sending a funny video, or on the rare occasion, FaceTiming someone, I've never felt the need to lean on or be leaned on more than now.
Food
I love food! I love cooking! Cheph Steph!
Quarantine has changed the way I'm buying ingredients and cooking meals.
I'm able to get more for less money in Utah as compared to NYC, but there are sometimes less healthy options. It's a balancing act for sure.
Instead of chips all day, I try to switch for an apple with peanut butter or an orange.
Instead of handfuls of leftover Easter candy, I'll shoot for a DIY Dole Whip.
Instead of burgers (last night's dinner), I'll try to aim for vegan bell pepper bowls (recipe will be posted later this month)!
My advice is to be as conscious as possible with what you're eating, how it will benefit you, and how it aligns with your health goals.
Don't starve yourself and don't binge.
Aim for a healthy relationship with food, always.
The most important thing,
I think, is to be in tune with yourself right now. The truth is that no one knows what is going on and no one knows what the future looks like. This is completely uncharted territory for us all. It's okay to feel completely fine but it's also so okay to feel lost and hopeless. I'm an anxious wreck right now. I can't fall asleep without my mind absolutely racing. I'm worried and in being a planner, feel completely out of control (because we all quite literally are).
So no, you shouldn't beat yourself up about not being productive sometimes.
You shouldn't overwhelm yourself with uncertainty.
You don't have to listen to any "we're all in this together" narratives if that's not how you feel.
This experience is historically unique and I don't think there's any "right" way to spend quarantine (inside though, obviously).
Do what YOU need. Take time for what YOU want. Feel what YOU are going through.
Support yourself in the actual most bananas year any of us have probably ever seen.
I write this to you as more than just a sign-off for all the work-from-home friends:
Stay safe and stay healthy.
All love.
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