Lockdown Survival Checklist
Heading in and out of lockdowns seems to be the new normal.. Well at least in Melbourne at the moment.
Through conversations we have had with our members over the past couple of months we have noticed people mentioning that it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain consistency and direction with not only training but general wellbeing.
So we have put together this little daily check list to keep you on track. It can be broken down into 3 segments. As a minimum you should aim to complete at least 2 from each category.
NOURISH:
Sleep – Aim to get at least 8 hours sleep every night. So much of your physical and mental performance can be tracked back to the quality of sleep you get. It is the number 1 performance enhancing supplement in the world. And its free. As tempting as an all night Netflix binge can be think of it like this. If you wouldn’t get out of bed early for it, don’t go to bed late for it!
Eat Your Veggies – Just like your mum always told you. At some point there is likely to be Uber eats, chocolate & Ice Cream. And that’s OK. But if you ensure you get at least 5 serves (1 serve = 1 cup leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup beans, broccoli, carrot etc) then at east you will be making sure you have adequate fibre and nutrient intake to support general health. And chances are it will help keep cravings at bay or minimise the amount of processed food you consume.
Water – Similar to above drinking 2L+ of water is a great start to supporting general health and bodily functional. Water plays a role in so many physical and cognitive processes in the body so having it in ready supply is important to keep you moving.
MOVE:
10,000 Steps – This number is a great guide to aim for to support good movement habits, increase calorie expenditure, and force you to get outdoors. It would be impossible to hit this target by staying inside and sitting on the couch all day. Aiming for 10,000 steps will mean you will need to go out for a 30-60 minute walk, take regular breaks from the computer/TV to move and can boost your total daily calorie expenditure so you can enjoy a few lockdown treats without it having a major affect on weight gain.
30 Minute Work Out – This can be anything you choose, we have both our equipment & no gear training programs available through train heroic during all the lockdowns if you need a guide. But anything will do. Just aim to get your heart rate elevated and be slightly breathless for at least 30 minutes every day!
10 Minute Stretch – Being somewhat limited with your movement through out the day, spending more time sitting, having to increase volume in your training sessions to accomodate for a lack of load/intensity can all be contributing factors to feeling about as out of whack as a dogs chew toy. But spending at least 10 minutes per day performing some body maintenance such as stretching, foam rolling or trigger point work. Can help ease some of the tension on those tight spots. We also have our lockdown mobility program on Train Heroic if you need a guide here, just touch base to get the details.
RELAX:
30 minutes of Reading / Study – Reading is a great way to clear out the millions of thoughts your may have running through your head and focus on a singular task for a short period of time. Alternatively finding a course to study can help you make proactive use of your time, developing new skills, improving self satisfaction when you complete a task or just arm with you more information to help you win pub trivia contests once lockdown ends.
Call / Text at least 1 friend/relative – It can be easy to feel a little isolated from our network at the moment so it is important to continually reach out and engage with other people. Check in on friends and family give them support and maybe receive some in return too.
Chill Out: In saying all of this it is also important to remember to take some time to still just do nothing, watch some netflix, nap, lay in the back yard and start at the sky. Spend some time just doing nothing at all. Have a break and find a little peace.
If there is anything Ive missed or you need some extra help. Defintely reach out.
Stay Safe
Nath.