FITNESS / NUTRITION / POSTURE MANAGEMENT
Let’s start with a very simple admittance - that the current work from home lifestyle with a 12-14 hour word-day is not in the very least ‘ideal’ or even acceptable when it comes to your health. However, with no respite in the near future - pandemic-wise or system-wise, we must try to make the best of the situation. So let’s try to make lemonade out of these sour lemons!
I will be touching upon the 3 main health aspects in this scenario -
FITNESS
NUTRITION
POSTURE MANAGEMENT
I have put down short and simple tips to get these 3 parameters right.
FITNESS FIXES
Fitness has many many misconceptions. While the actual fitness activity may be easy for a person, the hard part is mental make-up and motivation to make it a priority in your daily schedule - especially when it is already extremely demanding. Here is a simple reminder to fix that dilemma-
Consider the many many things are involuntarily going right in your body at this very moment to keep you alive. Your heart is sending out electric current to send blood to your organs, your brain is firing neurones to understand what i am saying, your small intestines are going through your food to choose what to keep and what to throw away. if you are sitting, your lower back and hamstrings are contracting to make you comfortable. So, what I am saying is that even at this moment, whatever your health status may be - you have a LOT to be thankful for towards your body! In return, if it is asking for respect and nurturing, it is only fair that your give it that!
And how will you give it that? By keeping it fit and stress-free!
FITNESS FIXES:
Don’t keep fitness goals! Make fitness a lifestyle activity like eating to reach your goals in life!
Fitness should always be functional - For sedentary lifestyle, your fitness should result in easy 12-14 hours of pain-free sitting in front of the computer. So your fitness should consist of shoulder retraction exercises, external rotation of the shoulder, core stability, hip flexor mobility.
Declutter your mind of preconceived notions about exercise - You can exercise in a single mat space with few therabands and just using your own bodyweight. You can also exercise ANYTIME of the day. The golden rule is train ANYTIME before a meal.
Don’t overcompensate - training 15 minutes a day is not equal to training 1:30 hours on Sunday even it makes mathematical sense. In fact, you can injure a muscle which is not ready for that activity. Instead, train for 15 minutes on weekdays and take complete rest on Sundays!
Strength versus Cardio: The most convenient fitness one can take up is walking or jogging. That may be better than doing nothing, but it won’t help you with postural issues which are high-risk for your lifestyle. Supplementing or swapping cardio with strength training is critical for muscle conditioning. Or else, just doing cardio will result in unnecessary wear and tear of the joints. So, if it comes to choices, I would say that instead of running for half an hour, do 12-15 suryanamaskar for 100% more benefits for your situation!
This is the golden solution for your situation - OUTSOURCE and get a professional trainer to take care of your fitness. Let’s say that you have half an hour everyday for fitness, then what you need is a structured no-nonsense approach to make the best of that half an hour for your individual needs and issues - which a GOOD trainer can provide! A good trainer is ALWAYS an investment because you keep reaping progressive benefits.
Here is the video in ENGLISH reiterating the same:
NUTRITION FIXES
Whatever you may be doing for a living, the most basic thing for everybody is FOOD. I have always said that ‘you are what you eat’. So, a lot of easy fixes lie in this one activity that you will be doing even if you are working 12-14 hours a day.
NUTRITION FIXES:
Get a weekly planner for your refrigerator and plan your week’s meals on Sunday itself. Also have a master-file of local vegetables, fruits and recipes to refer to in order to fill in the meals of the week. This will ensure that you get a whole profile of nutrients throughout the week and also that you don’t obsess over what to eat at the last moment of hunger when you are most likely to reach for unhealthy choices. Denote Sunday and Thursday as ‘shopping days’ for fresh vegetables so that you get relatively fresh produce for your recipes.
In a sedentary lifestyle, the body tends to lose muscle because they remain inactive for long hours. So, include enough protein in your diet to feed your muscles. For eg. you can slow-sip on a protein shake as a meal replacement. Also, always start your day with protein!
Use technology to remind you to drink water - Set reminders on your phone for drinking water. Ideal is approximately 250 ml every hour. (more if you are in an air-conditioned environment). Remember that your body can mistake thirst for hunger, so be on time with your water intake to avoid hunger-pangs.
Mid meal snacking - Fill dabbas with nuts or cheese slices or keep apples or oranges for energy-giving mid-meal snacking instead of reaching out to tea and coffee for stimulus. Remember to prefer slow energy releasing foods rather than fast but temporary options.
Calculate your BMR. Just because you aren’t getting any exercise, please don’t starve yourself in a bid to cut down calorie intake! Be scientific in your approach - calculate your BMR and have appropriate calorie intake through good food.
Feed your brain. Remember, the brain is a very very important and a very very energy-intensive organ and you need to give it good nutrition and do you know what is good nutrition for the brain? GOOD FATS! (That is why I recommended nuts and cheese slice for mid-meal snacking :)
Again I will reiterate that nutrition is THE MOST IMPORTANT factor for your health. So, even if these changes may seem challenging to incorporate, please take extra efforts in getting them right.
Here is a video in ENGLISH reiterating the same:
POSTURE MANAGEMENT
Getting your posture right for your 12-14 hours of sedentary work is the most essential and also easiest fix to avoid body ache and health issues. Postural management is key to avoid chronic injuries and muscle imbalances in your body. It is also the easiest fix to achieve and maintain
GOLDEN STANDARD FOR SITTING POSTURE
Get the golden standard for posture right - the Monitor should be at eye level. Elbows should be resting on the table and the Back should not slouch. Do whatever you can to maintain this posture whenever you are at the desk. There are a few accessories to help you with that -
Get an adjustable laptop stand to elevate the screen to your eye level
Get a bluetooth keyboard to maintain the position of your hands.
Get the best possible ergonomic chair so that your back remains upright.
GET A STANDING DESK
We are still arguing over the benefits of standing desks. But let’s focus on what’s been proven - that sitting for 12-13 hours is definitely not good for your body. So, if you have to be working for long hours at a stretch, then you can invest in a standing desk and divide your time between working while sitting and working while standing. However, the rules of ergonomics apply for your standing desk as well w.r.t. the screen and the keyboard.
TAKE ACTIVE BREAKS
It is recommended that you break your sitting posture at least once every hour. Use technology to schedule active breaks. So, for your hourly water break, you can go to the kitchen instead of keeping a water bottle at your desk.
The point is to stimulate blood circulation in your body.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP / REST
After doing intense cerebral work which requires concentration, mental skills and focus, your brain and body need compulsory downtime. And the best rest for both is a good night's sleep!
Do whatever it takes, but follow a strict sleep and wake-up schedule.
Here is a video in ENGLISH reiterating the same:
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