Working Out in the Time of COVID-19: Basic and Bollywood

So, if you're like me, you'd prefer to have a nice long walk or hike than do your cardio inside; but alas, these are the times we live in, so we make the best of it :)

The park where we normally walk around the lake is closed, the community exercise room with treadmills/ellipticals is closed, and many in our neighborhood are not following COVID restrictions, so better not to risk it with a neighborhood walk.

Before Snuggy passed, I had found a couple of videos to do every day - low impact cardio blasts (15 minutes each).  If you have bad knees or a bad back, low-impact is the thing.  

(I have scoliosis, which has progressed from my lumbar to thoracic spine.  Some days, I can do regular cardio, some days low-impact is better. I actually feel it more when I've gone a few days without working out, which makes sense - the more muscle tone you have, the less reliance/pull on your skeletal system and joints.)

Since then, my previous routine flew out the window -  because with both my gigs, I just take the work whenever work is available,  just grateful to have work at all, right now. However, it could come in at any hour, so it became difficult where to plug in shopping, meal/prep, cleaning, etc. in between jobs. 

Thus, I had stopped exercising and found myself eating comfort food because it's quicker and cheaper, and eating less fruits and vegetables.  (Watching people cough all over them at the grocery wasn't appetizing). 

I could feel the pounds starting to pack on, starting to feel the back and hip discomfort again -  so this morning, it was time to get back at it!

To watch them, you may not think they'll get you there, but try them?

The first one, if you do them non-modified (the trainer and the person on the left) - lifting the legs, as bigger muscle groups - it will gets your heart rate up in the first 5 minutes, guaranteed.  My husband was sort of teasing me by watching them that it doesn't look like they do much, but then I asked him to try it with me - and he broke the sweat barrier in the first 5 minutes lol.

(Yep - we're both deconditioned already.)

Also, watch the stress go away and your mood improve afterwards:)  

Confession - after initially being inspired by the way people were coming together on this, despite politics, I have since started to become disheartened - and overly frustrated - by the propaganda push for people to make this political and just ignore good common sense and the safety and well-being of others.

Thus, Mark and I have made a mutual decision to put cap on the time that we view those stories, as well as limit contact with people encouraging these things  - and to exercise more!

I just have on last residual frustration to vent say about THAT lol.

They have the right to believe what they want to, politically or religiously, of course; but in this instance, those kinds of "beliefs" are putting not just their own lives at risk, but the lives of many others.

So, I'm sorry - but I can't pretend along with you that ignoring social restrictions is okay just to "keep peace" with you - especially when you casually (but passive-aggressively) dropped that bomb into a conversation where everyone else was trying to support and encourage you (and each other) -  but you chose to intentionally try to to "one up" others in unnecessary competition and provoke reactions - then played the victim when you got the reaction you were hoping for.  

If you want to project onto me that I'm the one acting like an "uninformed snowflake," rather than yourself?

Not my mental health problem.  

Speaking of mental health, perhaps consider asking yourself what on earth possesses you to still play "one up" passive-aggressive chess games with your own family - who were being very supportive and encouraging of you (and each other) - in the middle of a public-health pandemic crisis?

Oh, and be sure not to disappoint me by not using the entire Trumper playbook script and call me a hypocritical "intolerant libtard" - that's fine, I've been called much worse lol. 

Too many people are dying from this, so I'd rather be safe than sorry, thanks.

To me, ignoring the health and well-being of not just yourself, but others - due to political and/or religious belief - is proof of your politico-religious-brainwashing, Kool-Aid-drinking cult mentality, not mine. 

Thus, after previously giving much effort and benefit of the doubt, getting little in return, though others can keep playing (enabling), Mark and I have mutually decided we don't want to play dysfunctional-family games anymore, we have bigger fish to fry right now - and for the record, darling - I've dealt with people much better at these games ;)

But we still wish you well and are still praying for you - and any time you're willing stop playing games and start getting real/honest, we're right here :)

And with that residual vent, I digress - exercise helps - and clearly, I need more of it lol :)

PopSugar is a good one in general for the quick cardio blasts ... and I find this instructor is upbeat without being annoying, she's kinda goofy/quirky, like me (if I had as much serotonin as she apparently does lol).

This one is, like I said, big on core and leg work, and will get your heart rate up super fast - watch the person on the left doing modified versions, if you can't do even light jumping due to knee/back issues - it'll take longer to get your heart rate up, but better that than injury. 






This next one, I either end the other routine with or replace it completely, because I prefer this fun Bollywood one - it's so fun!  

It's a hindu/hip hop mix! :)







Okay, I have another confession - I love Bollywood movies!  lol

Okay, yes - they're total cheese stories and the musical numbers are random, but I love the many aspects of the culture, the clothes and the dancing) lol. 

It takes your heart rate longer, as this one focuses more on the arms and upper back, and there's really no jumping at all - and again, watch the person on the left if you still need to modify.