Making the Most of Quarantine

Here we are in the midst of a global quarantine.  For some people working from home or schooling from home is a relief, social distancing is already a preferred way of life.  For sure, this generation is adept at virtual social gatherings. As an introvert, I can get behind a great degree of social distancing. Some people are truly extroverts, though, and they really are having a hard time feeling confined and alone. 

What I noticed the few days that I kept my private coaching and training studio open is that it was such a refuge for people to have someplace to go to express themselves. Physical movement is what I know. Moving my body has always been cathartic for me.

Have you ever noticed that before a workout you might feel down or sluggish but after the workout you feel invigorated, somehow more alive? 

Me tooooooooo. Doing any kind of exercise, no matter how intense, is enough to boost your mood and decrease your feelings of cabin fever.  

It is all about your internal biochemistry, but who wants to hear my rants on hormonal changes during quarantine—but if you do email me. 🙂 

So many of my clients have reached out to say that their motivation to train is lacking during this forced time at home.  I encourage you to set a training schedule. Imagine the studio is open, and do your training at the same time. Make a virtual date with me. I will FaceTime with you or text you or Zoom with you.  I am always glad to provide some inspiration. Also, any chance you can, go outdoors. Go for a walk or a bike ride—alone :). But NOT training at all is just feeding the depression cycle. Many sources say social distancing is going to go longer than imagined, so let’s use the time to create good habits.

We are all in exactly the same boat; creating new routines in a new place.  Notice how difficult this is—this new routine thing. It is difficult for several reasons, not just because you don’t want it. 

Creating a new routine is always hard. Suddenly, now you are stuck in your house with your family and you have to work or school at home, workout at home, eat at home, sleep at home, wake up at home and do it all again. At home. 

It’s like when the summer is over, and you have to go back to school, or when your kids have to go back to school. It is not hard just because summer is over…..it’s hard because you had a circadian rhythm, a sleep/wake cycle, and an eating and moving rhythm, and suddenly it must change.

Pause.  I say this ALL the time: rhythm and routine matter.  More than anything. And changing it against your will is really hard.  Changing it AT ALL is really hard on your body (like flying to Europe or Asia or Africa or even to a different time zone within the US, like shifting your sleep-wake times dramatically on the weekend and hating Monday—what a waste of energy). 

But what if you embraced the opportunity to create your own rhythm?  Can you think of a time when you were so absorbed in what you were doing that you lost track of time?  That is the magic of creative energy. What if you saw this as an opportunity to create something new for yourself, with the time and space that you have been given, in a way that would allow you to create a blueprint for future rhythm shifts?  

Instead of allowing external forces to shape your reality what if you decide what your reality is? You actually do anyway—because stress is merely a perception of reality.  You can choose to see this as terrible and awful or you can choose to see this as what is happening. It is not happening TO you. It just is. Maybe it is the gift of time and freedom you have been wishing for—-oh but not THIS way……you wanted time and freedom at the same pay rate you used to have when you got to go to work everyday!  That doesn’t even make sense. I am pretty certain that if you could have created that enviable routine, you would have by now. We all would have. 

Here is an idea.  Create a weekly plan: first write down everything that you have to do (work, school, chores) then write down 3-5 things you WANT to do—to accomplish. For example, cook and eat yummy healthy food, workout at least 30 minutes every day, text Coach G pictures or videos of my training (yes! Please do!), learn one new skill, finish the continuing education credits you have been putting off, go for a walk, meditate and more. That’s a list to get you started. Use your imagination.

Letting the list get too long can result in decision fatigue—so choose the 3-5 and then execute.  Schedule the time. You schedule dates and hanging out with friends. 

You schedule great social ideas and look forward to actually doing them, so try that with your list.  Be in choice about your actions then be actionable.

Do 50 jumping jacks and a 3 x 30-second wall sit before you create your ideal schedule.  Movement changes your internal chemistry by up-regulating metabolism including serotonin levels.  Movement clears waste products through the lymphatic and vascular systems. Aerobic work (jumping jacks) increases your systolic blood pressure—the blood going away form your heart but it doesn’t increase your diastolic pressure—the blood coming back to the heart through the venous system.  Weight lifting, bodyweight resistance work or Isometric contractions like wall sits and planks increase the diastolic pressure forcing blood through the vascular system back to the lungs and heart. Why is this important? At rest, 60% of your blood is just sitting in your veins —visualize the U pipe under the sink—unless you increase the pressure through the pipe most of the gunk just builds up there and never moves—it is just rotting there.   Going for a run or a walk is great—for your systolic pressure—but to really get blood re-oxygenated and rejuvenated—do some wall sits or lift weights. 

Contact me and let me help you with whatever you are finding difficulty within your daily life: nutrition, training, sleep, routine, work? I will respond with some helpful tips—possible we can do a live Instagram of Facebook together and help others with the same issues.  We are all in this together and we can help each other by sharing our own experiences. Please stay healthy!