Years ago, I dreamed of working from home. I desired to be in charge of my own schedule and make a living doing only what I wanted to do. Since we’ve been “on lockdown” the past few weeks, my dream has come true; it just doesn’t look the way I thought it would. Beyond that, there’s one aspect of working from home that I’d never really considered until now: naps. I’ve realized that are significant pros and cons of naps that you might be interested in learning.
The Negatives of Naps (aka The Cons)
Let’s start with the bad news. There are definitely a few cons that should be mentioned before you settle in for your nap today.
Con #1: Inability to Sleep at Night
Last week, we discussed How to Avoid the Quarantine 15 last week. The first two things we talked about were getting enough sleep but not getting too much sleep. We normally take naps when we’re tired. But super long naps or naps that are too late in the day, aren’t good. They keep us up at night.
Con #2: Grogginess
Naps are thought to help you catch up on some rest or give you a boost of energy. That’s not always the case, though. Sometimes after a nap, you feel groggy or cranky.
The same Texas A&M article also stated that long naps have the potential to increase our risk of death.
The Positives of Naps (aka The Pros)
There is a wealth of research on the benefits of napping. In fact, it was a little difficult to restrict myself to just five. Even so, I think I found the five pros that will bless your soul.
Pro #1: Resembles a Mini-Vacation
According to the National Sleep Foundation, “A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation. It can provide an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation.” I couldn’t have said it better, so I let them take that one!
Pro #2: Boosts Energy (and Saves Money)
This one may seem like a stretch, but it’s not. A lot of people hit a slump sometimes after lunch. Our energy seems to have evaporated, but we need to stay awake. So we spring for a drink or snack that will give us the kick we need to make it through the day. A quick nap can actually boost your energy…allowing you to save a little cash each week.
Pro #3: Relieves Stress
The National Sleep Foundation said that we can lower tension by taking short naps. A variety of other sources indicate similar findings. In fact, one article said that even five minutes of rest has a positive impact on stress.
Pro #4: Improves Memory
Sleep experts say that sleeping at night helps make our memories stick, so we can bring them up in the future. Other research studies have shown that taking longer naps has the same effect on memory consolidation.
Pro #5: Improves Your Appearance
I’ll bet you’ve looked at a friend or co-worker and thought, “They need some sleep.”
We can tell when people aren’t well-rested. There are dark circles under their eyes. And they just look…tired. Napping can help out with that. Sleep restores and rejuvenates our bodies. So if you think you look tired, you might just need a nap.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Nap
As you can see, there are some legit negatives against and some compelling positives for napping. There are additional pros and cons of naps that aren’t listed here. One expert says that naps are detrimental to your health, and another states that naps can help you lose weight. You will need to decide for yourself. If you notice that you don’t sleep well when you take naps, then avoid them. However, if naps help you feel energized and alert, keep doing what you do. The choice is yours alone.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think that these shelter-in-place orders and work-from home options, may have a negative impact on my waistline. Everyone knows about the Freshman 15. Those extra pounds that a lot of people tend to gain during their first year at college. I recently saw someone joking about the “Quarantine 15” and had an idea! Why not write a quick guide about how to avoid the Quarantine 15.
I know that I’m not alone when I say that my schedule has drastically changed during the past month. Some of the changes have been good. Like not being constantly on the go, and saving money on gas and eating out as a result. Then there’s the added bonus of spending more quality time with family! I’m guessing you can probably relate to some of those. You may even have some positive changes that are a bit different than what I shared.
The Flipside
Of course, there’s always a flipside.It seems that for every positive there’s at least one – maybe even two negatives. Like I’m not able to burn extra calories by swimming twice a week or teaching multiple fitness classes. Or being in super close proximity to foods that were supposed to be my quarantine snacks for the next several weeks. How about spending the overwhelming majority of my work day sitting at a computer, when I used to be up and about all day? I’m sure that you have some that are even more frustrating than mine.
The point I’m trying to make is this: our current life is way different than it was six weeks ago. Most of us have become quite sedentary, yet we’re eating the same amount of food or perhaps more than we used to. (Confession: I made a two-layer cake a couple of weeks ago and ate the whole thing in less than a week without sharing it with anyone.)
No one knows how long, we’ll be living life this way, so it’s probably best for us to create some new habits now. What follows are 10 tips on how to avoid the Quarantine 15. Every tip may not work for everybody, but I hope you’re able to find something that works for you.
#1: Get Plenty of Sleep…
Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between sleep deprivation and weight gain. During this season when most of us don’t have to be up at O’ Dark-thirty to get ready for work (or head to the gym before going to work), it’s really tempting to stay up much later than normal. However, since we’re creatures of habit, most of us still wake up at our formerly “normal time” even though we don’t have to.
Perhaps we should consider going to bed as close to our normal time as possible, just so we can still get enough sleep. According to the Sleep Needs article from HelpGuide.org, the average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. One way to help ensure that you get enough sleep is to turn off the alarm clock and let your body wake up when it’s rested.As long as you get in bed at a decent hour, you should be able to wake up refreshed with plenty of time to get ready for that 8:00 virtual team meeting!
#2: …But Don’t Get Too Much Sleep
Believe it or not, there are also studies that show direct links between too much sleep and weight gain. If you read that part from the previous section about adults needing up to 9 hours of sleep, you may be thinking, “That’s waaay too much sleep for me.” According to that same article, if you’re alert and energetic all day, then you’ve had plenty of sleep. However, Matt Valentine’s Goal Post article about “6 Signs You’re Getting Too Much Sleep”, let us know that fatigue is a major sign of sleeping too much. So if you wake up tired and are completely exhausted after nine hours of sleep, maybe you should try seven or eight hours next time.
#3: Create a New Routine
Do you know what I finally realized this week!?!? Since I don’t have to be up super early, I don’t need my alarm, my secondary alarm or my final warning alarm to make sure I’m up on time. So I turned them all off. In addition to that, it occurred to me that it’s both pointless and impossible to try and maintain my old daily routine. So I created a new one.
How does creating a new routine fight weight gain? There’s a huge chance that when you realized your old schedule just wasn’t possible anymore, you sat around and snacked all day like I did. However, when I created a routine things changed. I something to do at a specific time, and it helped give me a sense of accomplishment.
If you’re not into routines or schedules, try making a list of ten things you want to finish each day. You might be surprised how great you feel at the end of the day.
#4: Plan Your Meals – And Stick to the Plan
I realized quite a while ago that I have a very interesting relationship with food…I eat it all the time. In a way, it makes sense. I mean, I typically teach five super intense fitness classes each week. Plus after running up to four times a week and swimming twice, I burn a ton of calories, so I need to eat to replace what I’m using.However, I take my food to work with me, so when I’m done eating them, there’s nothing left.
The food game has changed since I now work where the food lives. I’ve really had to be intentional about what I’m eating and when I’m eating. Now more than ever, it’s really crucial to focus on meal planning and meal prep. But more than that, we need to self-control to ensure that we only eat what we’re supposed to eat at a given meal or snack time. This is one of the best ways to avoid the quarantine 15.
#5: Switch to Daily Weigh-Ins
I am a HUGE fan of weekly weigh-ins to make sure you’re on track with your fitness journey. A lot can happen in a week, so making sure you have a dedicated time to check the scale helps you see the changes you need to make the following week.
Now that so many of us are working from home, there’s a lot that has the potential to happen from a food consumption standpoint each day. For that reason, it may be worth it to step on the scale once a day for the next month or two.
The focus isn’t so much weight loss as it is maintenance. The goal is to keep it the same from day-to-day. I’ve found that knowing I’ll face the scale first thing in the morning causes me to have a really thoughtful conversation with myself when I head to the kitchen for something to eat. I ask myself things like, “Am I really hungry? Do I need this or do I just want it? Are there any healthier options for me right now? Is this going to make me tip the scale on the heavier side if I eat it?”
Don’t have a scale? You can still monitor your weight by using a tape measure, taking pics of yourself and trying on “real” clothes to make sure they still fit.
#6: Drink Plenty of Water
I’ve said this before, but the body doesn’t have a die hard way to let us know that we’re thirsty. Sometimes our mouths are dry or our throats are parched, so we drink a little water.But did you know that a growling stomach doesn’t always mean that your body needs food?
The next time you think you need something to eat in order to satisfy your hunger, slowly drink 8 to 12 ounces of water and wait about half an hour. If the hunger pangs go away, you were simply thirsty. If they persist, you really could use a healthy snack.
Experts say that we should drink half of our weight in water, so if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 oz of water each day. Drinking enough water does some amazing things for you. First off, it helps clear up your skin. Secondly, it actually energizes you! Finally, it helps release toxins and wastes in your body which positively affects your overall health and can assist in maintaining your weight. All o that will help you avoid the quarantine 15.
#7: Schedule Three Rounds of Physical Activity Each Day
One thing many of us have right now is an abundance of time. Even though we’re working from home and helping children finish out their school year at home, we still have a ton of time because there aren’t sports practices and games to get to; we can’t go to church anymore and every form of entertainment is shut down. We’re really tempted to sit in the house and watch TV or cruise social media after the work day/school day is complete. But all that sitting is not going to help us avoid the quarantine 15.
We have to get moving, and the easiest thing to do is plan three rounds of physical activity each day – making sure that each round is a minimum of 10 minutes. If you have a dog, you can walk your dog three times a day. If you have young children, you can play tag with them for ten minutes, ride bikes or just take a walk. Turn on some music and have a dance off. Just commit to get moving for ten minutes three times a day every day.
#8: Break a Sweat for 30 Continuous Minutes
Strongly consider changing one of those ten minutes sections from the previous section to a thirty-minute exercise session that’s going to raise your heart rate and make you sweat. Run, dance or ride a bike. Head over to my YouTube channel and do five of the six-minute workouts. Join one of my online Zumba classes (just comment on this post to let me know you’re interested). Or google someone else’s workout videos.
Just break a sweat for thirty minutes a day to fight off that quarantine 15.
#9: Limit the Amount of TV Time
I’ve already hinted at this a couple of times in this post, but sitting there watching TV all day isn’t going to help anyone avoid gaining weight at this time. Why? Most folks don’t workout while watching TV. (I know I typically don’t.) Plus most of us like to snack while we’re watching TV.
If you’re having trouble finding time for that thirty minute sweatfest I mentioned earlier. Turn off the TV, take a break between episodes of whatever show you’re binge watching and get your workout on.
OR you could alternate between squats, lunges, jumping jacks, and burpees while watching one of the episodes. That could be really fun!
#10: Switch Refined Sugars for Natural Sugars at least Twice a Week
Let’s face it! It’s going to be hard not to snack, so let’s do so wisely.
I have the worst sweet tooth in the world. I rarely buy sweets or make them because they’re gone almost as quickly as I make them. Remember the cookies I mentioned?
However, I’ve learned that my taste buds enjoy natural sugars, like fruit and honey, as much as it enjoys refined stuff. So I would challenge you to take a couple of days each week to avoid refined, processed sugar and only eat natural sugars…just go easy on the honey.
How’s It Going?
Now that you have 10 tips to help you avoid the quarantine 15, I want to know how’s it going. Click the pink banner below to join the Facebook group, and let us know which tip is your go to!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Today’s post is a little different than usual. You haven’t seen me in a while because things have been tough lately, and I just haven’t had much motivation. Though things have gotten a bit better for me personally, the whole world is in a weird state of chaos mixed with uncertainty.
Instead of talking about physical health, I wanted to talk about mental health. I’m not an expert in this field. I just want to share what’s been working for me lately.
#1: Keep Moving
Schools, fitness facilities, churches and some places of business are shutting down indefinitely. We’re being told to self-quarantine or practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. However, that doesn’t mean that we stay in our home and do nothing.
Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress. Instead of staying glued to the TV for the latest news update, get your sweat on! Pause your streaming service for an hour or to go for a long walk or hop on YouTube and follow a workout video.
#2: Maintain a Schedule
We’re creatures of habit. Most of us wake up at the same time every day. Then we go through an almost identical morning routine because we have to be at work at the same time every day. But what do you when your business shuts down indefinitely and you have nowhere to go each day? You create another schedule
Most folks have things they’ve been meaning to get around to. We even have projects that we’ve been putting off until we have more time. This is the perfect opportunity to work on those things by creating a schedule.
If you work an eight-hour shift, I’m not suggesting that you create a schedule for every minute of your workday. However, I would suggest that you keep your same morning routine so that when work resumes, you’re good to go. Beyond that, you should schedule some things you need to do, some things you’ve been putting off and some fun things, too.
#3: Keep in Touch
This is one is especially for introverted single folk, like me, who live alone. However, it applies to others, as well. This is prime real estate for us. We have a legitimate reason to pull inside of ourselves and cut off all contact with the rest of the world. Let’s not do that.
One of the best ways to stay grounded is to connect with other people. While we may not be able to meet up with people face-to-face, we can FaceTime, Skype, host Zoom meetings and do Google hangouts. Check on the folks you love and let them know you’re okay.
#4: Go Offline
Turn off the TV. Go on Facebook fast. Stay off YouTube. Things are already bad enough. Just take one day – a full 24 hours – with no media or technology. You might be surprised how grounded you feel…and how much time you have.
This Too Shall Pass
Things won’t always be this way! They’ll get better! I promise.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
There aren’t too many fitness professionals out there advocating low-impact exercises. In the age of cross-fit and HIIT, some think that the more intense the work out the better. I don’t believe that. In fact, I encourage people to engage in low-impact exercises.
What are low-impact exercises?
Low-impact exercises include any form of physical activity that has a “low-impact” on your joints. Exercises like walking, bike riding, swimming, and yoga. It’s even possible to convert a number of high-impact exercises, like jumping jacks, to low-impact exercises.
There are four distinct reasons people may want (or need) to consider low-impact exercises.
Reason #1: Change Things Up
The human body is completely adaptable. Your workout starts to seem ineffective if you always to do the same thing. However, incorporating some low-impact moves can help get things going again.
Reason #2: Increase Intensity and Preserve Your Joints
Some people are convinced that you can’t get a good workout with low-impact exercises. That’s not true. In reality, you can have super intense low-impact workouts that produce more sweat than some high-impact workouts. How? If your high impact workout, requires a great deal of jumping, you can only jump for so long. Your knees and ankles will eventually need a break from all the pressures. However, switching to a low impact form of the same exercises will enable to have longer more intense sessions because your joints won’t suffer.
Reason #3: Build Strength and Endurance
If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey, you might not be in the best shape right now. You may even have a significant amount of weight to lose right now. The idea of doing plank jacks, burpees and high knees probably sounds a bit intimidating or even painful. Starting out with low-impact exercises allows you to gain strength and see just how far you can grow in your fitness. When you’re ready, you can switch out some low-impact exercises with their high-impact counterpart and see how you feel.
Reason #4: Injury Recovery or Limited Mobility
Every exercise isn’t for every body. In other words, we all have physical limitations. There are things some people simply can’t do as a result of limited mobility and former injury. Someone who blew out their knee playing college football, might not be able to perform jump squats. The person who had shoulder surgery won’t be able to do push-ups or planks. Even so, there are low-impact versions of exercises individuals can do that will help them reach their fitness goals.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
