The world has been turned upside down because of the Novel Corona Virus (Covid-19). With almost 3 million confirmed cases worldwide, the safest place to be is home. The virus is so contagious that some of the recommended ways to avoid infection (and not infect others) are to wear face mask, practice social distancing, and staying home.
Many countries are either in quarantine or in full lockdown, all in the hopes that the pandemic will soon be contained, and life can go back to normal.
When the outdoors is your playground and your comfort zone, it’s hard to shift to just staying inside the house. When busy is your norm, how do you cope with a life indoors? Life will surprise us! There are so many things to do and learn just by staying home.
Here’s what I’ve been up to lately:
1) Work From Home
If there’s one thing to be thankful for, it’s that I’m still able to work during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila. The day before the effectivity of the quarantine, I was setting up our line groups so I can monitor my department. It was not easy at first, but we’re now operating smoothly on a work from home arrangement.
2) Online Courses
The first week of the quarantine, I enrolled in two online courses at Shaw Academy and it’s free for the first month. I took up Social Media Marketing and Phone Photography and have finished both courses. It took two hours per week for each course for four weeks, and I spent a few hours on weekends to do the assignments and quizzes. I enjoyed it so much that I took up another module of Social Media Marketing, and a new Psychology of Sales course.
3) Do The Chores
When you’re living on a pad on your own, it is nice to relearn doing daily chores. It’s empowering to know that you can live on your own with minimal dependence from the outside world. I started cooking (make that using the microwave), doing my laundry, cleaning up my room and a lot more.
4) Keeping Myself Entertained
I also spend time reading books, watching Netflix and YouTube, and catching up online with friends. The world does not stop with the quarantine, you just have to learn new ways to adapt. It’s both a boon and a bane having the internet, but I’ll take the chance of being able to catch up with friends over news that makes people paranoid.
5) Working Out
Working out during the first few days of quarantine was not among my list of to-dos as I was trying to figure out how to go about it without the usual tools at my disposal. Then I realized that I stay on the fourth floor of a building with five floors. I started doing stair repeats whenever I get at least 30 minutes of free time. It’s a good cardiovascular workout, develops the quads and improves my climbing threshold.
Working Out During a Pandemic
- Stair repeats (Basic) – Climb up and go down for 30 minutes or more
- Improves Cardiovascular System
- Engages Quads
- Improves Climbing Threshold
- Stair Repeats with Core Workouts – Climb up and go down for 1 set and insert a 2-minute core workout (30 seconds knee rolls or crunches, 30 second leg lifts, 30 seconds plank and 30 seconds mountain climbers) and repeat the process. You can shift the core workouts for variety.
- Improves Cardiovascular System
- Engages Quads and Core Muscles
- Improves Climbing Threshold and Endurance
- Stair Repeats with Weights – Climb up and go down for 30 minutes or more this time with weights. I carry a 5-pound dumbbell on each hand.
- Improves Cardiovascular System
- Engages Quads
- Improves Climbing Threshold and Endurance
- Strength Training
- Core or dynamic strengthening workouts (e.g. burpees, jumping jacks, push-ups, etc.)- Easy to do with mats and a space.
- Strengthening workouts
Nutrition in a Time of Covid 19
I started the quarantine with little regard to what I eat, but I’ve been better at that lately. Mindful eating can help strengthen the body, especially during a pandemic. I’ve been recommending potatoes as an excellent part of an athlete’s diet, but they are also packed with healthy benefits that enhance our immune system.
Potatoes provide our body with key nutrients like carbohydrates, potassium, protein and vitamin C, among others, that fuel our body for our daily and athletic activities. Keep in mind that well-balanced diet and exercise help our body fight viruses and infections.
What’s more, potatoes can also be a part of a weight management regimen with just 110 calories (for every 5.3 oz skin-on). With 2 grams of fiber per serving, potatoes also help us feel fuller, longer.
Potatoes are light on the budget, too. They are affordable and easily available, with a relatively long shelf-life. You can find them in the grocery store, wet market, and at times, even at your neighborhood sari-sari store. You can get them fresh, frozen and dehydrated.
Finally, potatoes are easy to prepare and goes well with just about any meal. Think mashed potatoes, fried potato wedges (pictured above), boiled or roasted potatoes, potato salad, the list goes on and on.
With the ECQ extended for a few more weeks, we must remain vigilant. Let’s make the most out of this quarantine. Let’s stay healthy, keep fit, learn new things, and most of all, be responsible citizens. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, my friends.