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We have arrived at the toughest letter of this challenge- X. My 4-year-old is being taught alphabets phonetically at school, i.e. not the traditional “A-B-C” method, but through sounds that are grouped together. “X” is taught as “ksssss” and the examples provided are words beginning with the phonetic sound ‘ex’, so I’m employing creative license and using that strategy for my alliterative title today.
I must admit that I was much more physically active when lockdown began in March. My workouts were religiously scheduled and followed, every morning 6 days a week, with a break on Sundays. Then the A to Z Challenge began, and my strict regime was sadly hit. I still manage to work out 3-4 times a week, but not nearly the amount and duration as earlier. Anyhow, now with only four days to go before the challenge ends, I’m looking forward to getting back on track.
Exercise is important for one’s overall well-being in general times, but it has become even more important after coronavirus. Here’s why:
- Exercise helps build immunity
- The stronger you are, the more likely you are to recover from the coronavirus, if you contract it
- Exercise helps keep your weight and unhealthy food consumption in check, since you’re less likely to willingly waste the effort you put in to exercising
- Exercise releases happy hormones into your body, which keep a check on your mental health
- Exercise gives you a boost of productivity and energy to help you tackle other daily tasks
Now that you’re convinced of the merits of exercising during lockdown, here are some simple ways you can do it from home:
- CONTACT YOUR GYM INSTRUCTORS
If you have a gym membership that is currently being wasted due to the lockdown, contact your gym instructor/ personal trainer to guide you through easy home workouts. This situation is ideal since your existing instructor knows your physique best, including your strengths and weaknesses. Talk to them about curating a diet along with a workout schedule, and agree on a minimal fee if required.
- FREE ONLINE WORKOUTS
If you don’t have a gym membership, or don’t want to pay for workouts, there are thousands of free workouts available online. Here are some avenues to try:
- Youtube– my favourites are Blogilates and Melissa Bender, but there are hundreds of others to choose from
- Adidas Runtastic App
- Cult.Fit
- Zoe Modgill on Instagram
- Kriyabydiya live yoga sessions on Instagram
- Craftfitness2019 on Instagram
- Wellness.Switch on Instagram
- Crushfitnessindia on Facebook
- Random searches on Instagram and/or Facebook to find a workout you enjoy
- HOUSEHOLD CHORES
Let’s be real, many of us simply don’t have the time to follow an exercise regime on top of our numerous daily tasks. Your household chores that involve cleaning are fantastic forms of exercise. Just supplement your jhadu/pochha duty with 10-15 minutes of any cardio of your choice.
- EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
I’ve previously written an entire post dedicated to email newsletters. You can access a plethora of resources on exercise plans and ideas to work out at home, if you subscribe to some of these.
- DANCE
You don’t need a guided class for this. Just put on your favourite beats and dance to your heart’s desire. Make sure to do this for at least half an hour every day, if this is the only exercise you’re getting.
- PARTNER WORKOUTS
Get someone to join you in your workout. Not only will the process be more fun, you will also motivate each other to continue exercising every day. This could be your spouse, a parent, siblings or even your children!
- USE WHAT YOU HAVE AT HOME
Stair running is the quickest way to work up a phenomenal sweat and burn calories fast. Start with 5-10 rounds of running up and down the stairs of your home or apartment complex, and increase the number of rounds every couple of days. This can be a wonderful addition to your regular household chores.
If you’d like to experiment with strength training but don’t have access to weights at home, be innovative! Use water bottles, heavy books, bags filled with atta or lentils in place of traditional weights.
- YOGA AND MEDITATION
For people who are not used to exercise, or have other health conditions, yoga is the best form of exercise. Look online for easy yoga workouts or check out Kriyabydiya’s daily live sessions.
Apart from physical health, you must also take care of your mental health. Try and meditate for as little as 10-15 minutes in a day. There are plenty of free apps that you can use, including “Mindspace”, “Calm” or you can access Dilip Shankar’s meditation podcast here.
- TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH THROUGH ONLINE DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENTS
Since there is no supervision by a trained professional, you are more prone to injury while working out at home. Know your options of healthcare professionals that can guide you online, so you can avoid going to clinics or hospitals. Many physiotherapists offer online consultations which you can do on your own, but I trust my acupuncturist Dr. Adil Khan most. He offers online consultations as well.
Have I missed out on any form of exercise that you’ve been doing at home? If so, please share that in the comments below for my benefit and that of others.
This is also my tip to beat the lockdown blues today:
Break out a sweat. Whether it’s simply from dancing or walking around the house. Release those exercise endorphins into your system and you will instantly feel happier.
The TV show recommendation is an obvious one:
“The X-Files” was a science fiction TV show that I thoroughly enjoyed during my teenage years. It dealt with cases involving paranormal activities or those related to aliens. Sadly, the show isn’t available for streaming in India, but select episodes are available on Youtube.
Unfortunately, I haven’t read a single book that begins or contains a word beginning with the letter X in the title, so I’m recommending another book with the letter W instead:
“What the Body Remembers” by Shauna Singh Baldwin is a love triangle set in the partition of India. The author beautifully recreates the culture and life of that period, making this a definitive work on this subject.
That’s all for today folks!
Please check out my daily update videos on Instagram Stories for #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer and follow me there to stay better connected. Also tell me your favourite TV Shows/ movies/ books/ bloggers with the letter X?
(e)Xiting today, I’ll see you tomorrow!
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This post has been written for the #AtoZChallenge 2020. My theme this year is #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer, where I’m journaling my thoughts during the coronavirus lockdown, and sharing numerous recommendations that will help keep your spirits up. Read my other posts here:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W
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*This is not a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.
I always find the letter x difficult one and this year i too have just used words like e(x) plore and e(x)perience for my atoz blog posts. I agree, home chores are also a way to do exercise and a kind of activity we are all involved in these days… It’s actually more hectic. lol
Haha that’s true! Thank you for stopping by!
First of all, thanks a lot for the mention. 🙂
These are amazing tips to get back to the exercise routine. I usually depended on my early morning workouts at office but without that I’m practically a couch potato. I think only dance and yoga can keep me up for workouts.
My pleasure 😇
I’m glad you liked the post!
As always some great recommendations. During the lockdown, my husband and I have been doing HIIT using Youtube videos and I enjoy Yoga with my daughter with Cosmic Kids again on Youtube. We have really enjoyed our workout sessions.
Noor, luckily my exercise routine did not suffer due to A2Z. Infant, because of school closure and A2Z, I was able to maintain a regular routine as I knew that I will not be getting a lot of time to work. Exercising always helps me in feeling good, fresh and yes a feeling accomplishment also comes into picture.
Yes I completely agree with you! I’m so looking forward to getting back to full time exercise!
yes exercise is important with stay at home order. Been devising exercises also for my husband with sciatica so it motivates us to exercise everyday to keep his pain down. Hope you have enjoyed the A to Z this year.
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The AtoZ was really hectic but I’ve enjoyed it. Hope you did too? Thank you for stopping by!
Wow yet another post full of information, Lock-down has made people find ways to keep life regular with a twist and these apps, sites and online portals are boon.
Wow just read backpack site for place called xeldem near goa, great blog.
Have seen Xfiles via a friend who shared me its season. and even the movie from 1993/
Glad you liked the post!
This is the thing that is bothering me a lot nowadays Noor. I am also waiting for last two more days to go and will start my yoga practice again. you had listed some valuable sources for online workout. I also use various channels..among them yoga with Adrienne is my favorite. she has some amazing yoga videos and I always had great time while doing practice with her virtual guidence.
Thanks for the recommendation Surbhi! Is she on Youtube?
This is great. I especially like the free online workouts which is where my motivation is at. Thanks for posting!
Thank you for stopping by 😊
Xercise is definitely a must to keep ones body and mind sane. I used to love watching the xbox files.
Thank you for stopping by 😊
Great to see you enthused about fitness Noor…its the greatest gift..good health….I am missing my Yoga class now 🙁 I dont get the time to practice at home and it is an addiction.
After A to Z you will have more time on your hands 😊
Ultimate ways shown by you Noor to keep ourselves healthy and happy, after a balanced meal the only way to build our immunity is exercise, my favorites are Yoga, Dancing, Meditation, for meditation I will check your recommendation for Dilip Shankar’s meditation podcast, I have not checked Sinjana’s Travel blog will definitely check this out too.
I’m glad you like my recommendations 😊
Happy to see you mention household chores here. This is something most people seem to overlook. I have seen people who won’t lift a leaf from their yard but go on long walks or do fantastic exercises to stay fit. A bit of gardening, a bit of work at home and a bit of avoiding the vehicle… it isn’t so difficult to keep ourselves healthy.
Yes definitely! That’s how women have stayed fit for centuries- by simply doing housework
Interesting suggestions Noor. Thanks for the post. I needed a little boost for my workout.
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I’m glad you liked it!
Home workouts definitely help, I see my husband is particularly good at home exercising. But somehow, I don’t get the feel and enthusiasm while working out at home. Will check out the videos to get some inspiration. Thanks for sharing, Noor.
Maybe you can start with yoga stretches or dancing with your kid 😊
I desperately need to start an exercise regime. These are perfect tips to finally push me towards getting fit. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you found it useful 😊
I’ve been using cult.fit for long, but have injured myself a couple of times going overboard. That was the case with cardio. Now I’ve switched to yoga from the same app. Being pretty short videos, they’re easy to keep up. 🙂
Yes better to be safe than too ambitious!
This is an awesome post Noor! Very helpful and quite relevant these days and always. I have been doing some yoga and meditation for some time. With the household chores recently added in the exercise regime, I have actually reduced 2 kgs in past month and half! 😝
I love to exercise and I’m an early riser. So it’s one hour for me everyday except Sunday. I try adding a variety doing at least three different things in a week. It just fills me with a kind of energy and a lot of feel good factor.
That’s wonderful Sonia 😊
Another winner, Noor. More most of us, exercise takes a backseat over everything else until we get a wake-up call. I am quite regular with my yoga during the lockdown. Something I have my mother to thank for. 🙂
That’s wonderful 😊
Home chores and suryanamaskar are my workout methods in these times of lockdown. As always a very exhaustive and informative post.
Thank you Anupriya 😊
We never did home workouts but last month my husband and i have enjoyed doing HIIT seeing youtube vidoes. Also i do yoga with my daughter seeing Cosmic Kids videos. It is great fun. If you have not try with your son. As always, a great post with some great recommendations
Thank you Arushi! Great recommendations
My physician told me that when we exercise the body releases a hormone called endorphin and this keeps us happy and cheerful. You have provided an excellent set of tips on exercising. But unfortunately I am 54 and have allowed myself to grow grossly out of shape. A tub of lard would be the right way to describe me at the moment. I have to bring my body shape and size down to decent levels somehow. But it is an uphill task. Because at a height of 5 ft 6 inches I weigh nearly a 100 kgs. I got a full body checkup done a few months back and except for diabetes and cholesterol I am okay. But that is bad enough. Fortunately I was suspecting some heart trouble but the tests showed that my heart is fine. Thanks for the tips on exercising. I will try and start my exercise regimen soon.
I hope you do start it soon. My father is in a similar position as you have described and he finds yoga the best and easiest exercise for himself. Perhaps you can try that too.
I have a fitness group with my gym friends and our trainer shares exercises everyday. I try to exercise at 6 days a week because sitting vat home definitely makes you wat a lot more than you usually do!😁
That’s great!
True Noor, I used to do some 14000 steps per day but now it is 5000 barely. I like your suggestions for online sessions but to adjust timings amidst so much of work is another difficult decision
Yes I understand- so maybe dancing then? 😊
That`s an exhaustive list ! I am doing Yoga and I walk all around the furniture, one room to another trying to hit 2000 steps 😉
Keep at it 😊
Great post dear, my exercise schedule also failed in lockdown. My partner is not ready to sleep on time and I wake up late . I miss my workout but from tomorrow will work with my sister ,connecting online.
That’s great!
This is a beautiful and informative post, and my favorite topic Exercise, I chose one favorite workout from that links shared and just shared with my wife, thanks for sharing all the links✨💐 Beautiful post ✨Looking forward for last 2 posts 😉
Thank you Simon 😊
You managed the most challenging alphabet well. Regular Exercise and I dont see eye to eye, but I am managing to walk around our apartment complex and walk up and down the stairs daily. Household chores help to stay fit too.
I loved X-Files too…. that was years ago!! How time flies!
Yes it really does!
These are great ideas to get our daily dose of exercise. Thank you for sharing all the links!
My pleasure 😇
Ahhh!! This post really boosted my spirits. Though I do few yoga asana but not on a daily basis. I like travel blogs will surely check out Sinjana’s blog.
Thank you for stopping by
The ppl offering online yoga and exercise classes is appreciable. I m struggling to take some fr exercise.
Maybe once this monthly challenge is over, you will have more time 😊
I never thought these words would be uttered by me: “I want to go exercise!” I had JUST started adding to my walking & such at a Gym. Then, this hit. Grrr, Once it is REALLY safe to go outside, and in enclosed spaces, I am ready.
Suggestions:
TV shows: Xena, Warrior Princess, is the show that comes to mind after X-files. Xena had two female leads, lots of action, a lot of humor, and plenty of side characters that came in and out for the fun, or danger!
Books: Xenocide (Ender’s Saga #3) by Orson Scott Card. I loved Ender’s Game and followed along with the main series, the Shadow of continuation, and now the Formac Wars. SciFi, humanistic goals, hatred, love: it is all there. Highly recommend you do start with Ender’s Game.
Movies: Xanadu. Olivia Newton John, 1980. Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it dated? Oh yes. Is it fun? I think so. I got to see the modernized version as a Broadway musical. The show took Xanadu to another level. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but Gene Kelly with Olivia Newton John!
Thanks for the recommendations! I enjoyed watching Xena too!
Hopefully you’ll get to exercise soon 😊
I think our daily workout as a family has kept us sane and going in this phase. We follow the family sessions shared by my boy’s school (which is a lot fun) and then we have selected few from the online videos.
That’s great 😀