 If you're like me, you've been bombarded with content lately and it either: 1. Tells you what you should be doing 2. Gives you a COVID-19 update 3. Spells gloom and doom 4. Sells you an online product that will change your life or 5. A combo of all of the above. I'm not so into that, it's SO VERY tiring. Instead I'll just leave you with a few thoughts I've been having since we started sheltering in place. I went to Trader Joe's last week to get groceries. I felt a lot of anxiety before going since TJs is already typically crowded and the thought of the chaos that could be there was mind-numbing. But we also needed groceries. Long story short, Trader Joe's is doing the most amazing job making shopping feel safe and calm. Produce was fully stocked, proteins were fully stocked. There was even toilet paper! Do you know what was missing? Ice cream, almost all of the cookies, almost all of the chocolate (including chocolate chips), and potato chips. Clearly we're eating our feelings. And, hey, ZERO judgement since chocolate and ice cream were on our grocery list, too. Oh, well. Here's the thing: We are a world going through such a huge range of emotions. I'm not here to shame a single person for how they're reacting to this new world. I AM here to point something out, though.  If this is a New Normal For Now, regardless of how long, then the new behaviors we adopt in the New Normal For Now will become new habits. And those habits will decide how we feel inside and out. And I can tell you that if grocery stores continue to be out of ice cream and cookies and chocolate and chips, we'll be feeling SUPER shitty inside and out soon enough. What if we flipped the script about this whole situation? Yeah, let's give ourselves a small window of time to "get through this" and feel our feelings. Can we then remind ourselves that feelings are not permanent? And then, can we see if this situation could serve as an opportunity to create new habits to help us feel GOOD? We could figure out how to exercise at home; try out some new recipes; tidy up to create more mental space; go to sleep earlier; journal; meditate; take up running with your dog while also socially distancing (see photo above). We can learn to be there for each other, lean on each other, connect more (thanks, Zoom!). OK, I'm going to sign off before this becomes a "tell you what you should be doing" email. Know that you're not alone. We are all in this together. I am here for you to connect with. xoxo,  PS. For the love of all of the chocolate in the world, please please please stay home unless you have to run an essential errand or get fresh air away from other humans. And consider watching this if you are tempted to go out.
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 I just checked in with my friend from high school and Northwestern University who now resides in Italy to see how she and her family were holding up (at the time fo this post, Italy is on lockdown due to Covid-19). She jokingly said, "Send workout tips for people trapped at home," and I thought, "YES! I've got just the thing!" I made this video a few years ago (back when there was no pandemic and I had ugly curtains) and it still holds strong today as it did then! There's SO MUCH STUFF around the house that can easily be used to help you get your sweat on. Let's face it: Exercise is KEY to keeping us healthy and we shouldn't let the Coronavirus scare us away from that. Please watch the video below with a breakdown of what the workout will look like below that. Enjoy! WHAT YOU'LL NEED: A suitcase (to travel with! You know, up and down the hallway...) Hand towels A heavy book A gallon of water/milk/detergent/etc Two wine bottles A very sturdy chair Something to balance on your hand (like a slipper) A reusable grocery bag with something in it (that has some weight to it) Dog and/or cat* *Do not use for exercise unless they're super relaxed. See bottom of post for example. Do the following exercises in order with little to no rest between them. Take 2 minutes after the last exercise before doing the circuit again. 1. Suitcase carry: Do this for about 45 seconds in each hand. If you feel this in your low back despite bracing your core, make the suitcase lighter or use something else. 2. Towel mountain climbers: Perform 10-15 on each side. The leg that slides in should feel pretty weightless so you can stabilize using the extended leg. Your torso should be still enough to balance something on it. 3. Goblet Squat: Perform 10. Keep your knees behind your toes and aim to bring your thighs parallel to the floor. 4. Renegade Row: Perform 10 on each side. This is where the very sturdy chair comes in; keep your shoulder right on top of your wrist here and keep your hips quiet. 5. Step Up: Perform 10-15 on each side. Again: STURDY CHAIR. If that's not an option, perform this instead. 6. Pec Flies: Perform 15. Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout. 7. Turkish Getup: Perform 1 on each side. Now, if you don't know this move it can seem pretty daunting. Here is an awesome post breaking it down piece by piece. If you'd rather not learn this new exercise, though, do this instead (10 on each side). 8. "Kettlebell" Swing: Do 15 of these. Keep in mind that at the top of the swing, your body is in a vertical plank position which means your glutes, abs, thighs and armpit muscles need to be tight! If this seems too complicated, try 15 of these instead! So how was that? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment below! Oh, and that example of only using your pet for exercise if they're super relaxed? See below. |
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