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Fit & Healthy During the Pandemic

It’s easy to feel adrift right now with the loss of the familiar structures of work, errands, social engagements, and perhaps, school-related events. It’s unsettling to find ourselves without the predictable ways we used to measure our days. Without the usual deadlines to force us to focus, it may feel harder to get things done, as we scatter our attention throughout the day, moving from one thing to another and seeking comfort. Add the anxiety of the times and our motivation, focus and energy can feel drained.

But opportunities are hidden in everything, and by looking for them we can rekindle our focus and excitement. By taking action and feeling progress, our energy starts to return. Are there personal growth areas you’ve been wanting to tackle, but never seem to have the time? What is one small achievement you could knock out now to generate momentum? What do you have control of and what is out of your control? Ultimately, we can’t control much (influence yes, control, no). However, we do control our mindset, our actions, and our daily systems.

But opportunities are hidden in everything, and by looking for them we can rekindle our focus and excitement. By taking action and feeling progress, our energy starts to return. Are there personal growth areas you’ve been wanting to tackle, but never seem to have the time? What is one small achievement you could knock out now to generate momentum? 

The habits we form now will shape our future selves. When all of this is over and our lives are refilled with busyness, don’t look back with regret that you didn’t take advantage of the time you have right now.

What do you have control of and what is out of your control? Ultimately, we can’t control much (influence yes, control, no). However, we do control our mindset, our actions, and our daily systems.

The habits we form now will shape our future selves. When all of this is over and our lives are refilled with busyness, don’t look back with regret that you didn’t take advantage of the time you have right now.

The uncontrollable stuff is where acceptance comes in. Acceptance isn’t agreeing, encouraging, approving, supporting, or even liking something. It’s simply seeing things as they are. Without all your energy tied up in fighting against something that already is, you can move on to what can be done about it now. If you find yourself saying things like “It shouldn’t be like this!” then you are struggling with acceptance. Accept what is, and free up your energy for what you can control.

One thing you can control is your daily practices. Practices that optimize your health and immune system are, for many of us, a priority right now. This means focusing on the big 3: healthy eating, exercise, and sleep.

The basics of healthy eating aren’t a mystery. The more we eat lots of vegetables, some fruit, little sugar, and minimize heavily processed foods, the better our health and immune function are. These foods support the healthiest gut bacteria, which strengthens our immune system. Exercise can be simple too. Many forms can work; from walking, to sports, to strength training. There are two critical factors: consistency and progression. To be effective, exercise has to be done consistently over time. Secondly, it has to remain challenging enough to see regular improvements in performance.

Sleep may have the biggest impact of all. In one study¹, researchers found that people who slept less than 6 hours per night saw a significant increase in the risk of catching a cold when exposed than people who slept more.

The bottom line is that even in the midst of the tragedy and hardship of our current situation, there is also opportunity. The increased time at home and limited distractions of our usual activities, combined with the heightened priority of optimizing our health is the perfect storm of opportunity to start or level up our health habits. Spend some time imagining yourself at your radiantly healthy best. What does that look like? Feel like? What are you able to do, and be?

Imagine all your life could be if you had all the strength, energy, mental clarity and mood that you wanted. Get excited by that vision. You are a powerful being. What you truly commit to, and are willing to pay the price for, you have the ability to make happen. We all do. But we need to start small and build our dream one habit at a time. The habit of exercise might start just by laying out exercise clothes every night at bedtime. Actually putting them on the next morning would be a second habit. The point is consistency. The road to your preferred level of leanness might start with the commitment to a vegetable every morning with breakfast. 

The final key I have for you today is hope. Believing in a better future pulls us forward over obstacles that might otherwise make us give up. Grow your vision, grow your belief that you have the power to make it happen by proving it with small daily steps. And develop a plan B and C, so that you know that even a detour can’t stop you. Take joy and a sense of accomplishment in executing your daily growth system, and your vision will take care of itself.

Healthy wishes to you and your family!

¹ Prather, Aric, et al. “Behaviorally Assessed Sleep and Susceptibility to the Common Cold.National Center for Biotechnology Information (1 Sept 2015). Web. Accessed 2 April 2020.

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