Getting back to healthy choices

By Sarah Wylde

Ever since COVID and the quarantine began, my ambition and energy level at keeping up with being healthier had gone null. My mental health was also not the best, affecting my eating habits because I turn to food for comfort. Instead of making healthy choices and continue implementing the changes I was making to my lifestyle, I went to a full stop and reverse. I know through all this; I am not the only one, and as I have come to realize it is alright to fall, just do your best to try and get back up. Which I now am doing.

For the past five months, I went from meal planning and taking the time to cook meals in general to grabbing something easy to ordering take out. I turned to food for comfort and not the right kind of food. I was stocking my shelves with chips, candy, soft drinks, and ice cream, and my body was feeling it. I gained some weight, lost energy, was sleepy, and more. I got to a point where I had enough and knew some changes had to happen. Where I live, places have been open with restrictions for a bit, including gyms. My anxiety and nerves would not be good at a gym, so what would I do? My mindset was getting to a good place, so now it was time to get active.

I am not looking to go hardcore and lose all my weight. I am at a place in my life where I am happy with my body. This is for being active and my mental health, it helps me. I went to the trusty Google and looked up some at home work out challenges. Some do not require equipment, which is the option I printed. Here are a few of the exercise:

  • A 30-day crunch challenge begins at 30, going up to 135 crunches by the end of the month.
  • Arm circles forward and reverse. Place your arms straight out on both sides like an airplane and make circular motions front and backward.
  • Half cobra push-ups are where you lie on your stomach, and instead of doing a full push up, stop when the top half of your body off the ground.
  • Standing sit-ups. When you are standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, put your hands behind your head. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your core tight and not bending the knees. Makes sure to keep your back straight as well.

I started to do the normal that is suggested for eating habits and added more fruits and vegetables again. I am not a person to cut food out of my life, so it was getting back to moderation. If I were going to order out, I would skip the drive-through options and get a meal from a sit-in restaurant that was now offering curbside pickup or delivery.

I end each day by doing some Vinyasa yoga and Ocean Breath breathing. This breathing lengthens your breath cycle. It can be done either with your mouth open or closed. On your exhale breath, slightly constrict the air passage as if you are fogging up a cold window. It will sound a little like you are saying, ahhhhh. The Vinyasa yoga movements I do include Child’s Pose, Supported Half Frog Pose, Reclining Bound Angle Pose, Supported Reclining Twist, and Corpse Pose. I had mentioned these poses previously in my Bedtime Yoga article, but if you are not familiar with those poses, here are what each of them is. 

Child’s Pose. Resting your chest and belly on a pillow, have your knees wide apart, but your toes are touching. Rest your head on the pillow as well and breathe.

Supported Half Frog Pose. Lay flat on your stomach. Lift one leg and bend it at a 90-degree angle, so the knee is level to your hip but still on the bed. 

Reclining Bound Angle Pose. Lying flat on your back, bring your feet together, so the bottoms are touching. With your legs bent, put your hand on your stomach, focusing on your breathing. 

Supported Reclining Twist. Remaining on your back, bend both legs at 90-degree angles and let them fall to the left. Place your pillow between your thighs, supporting your knees. After holding that pose, switch your legs to the right side. 

Corpse Pose. Still, on your back, let your body rest. Place the pillow under your knees for support. Start to breathe normally and focus on the breaths you are taking. 

I hope this helps; I would love to hear what you have been doing to stay healthy during COVID. Let us know in the comments below or on social media.

Until next time, take care of yourselves.

Sarah Wylde