Health and Fitness, April 2020

[Harriet]

Happy April! The April that finds us, worldwide, sticking close to our homes and planning well, contemplating the wellbeing of our fellowman. There may be some healthy, calming aspects to this homebody life for mental health, as well as some stressful aspects we'll be working to mitigate.

We may be able to use this time to reinforce fitness . Do you have tips for that?

As we stock up during this unusual time, we do need to make a point to emphasize nutrition and the simple, healthy-body-systems foods. Sometimes, even though these can give long-life to our pantries, they aren't our favorites!

Here's what Dr. Neal Barnard was doing in Washington D.C. this morning, which came out about a half-hour ago as I type.

Stocking up on simple basics (12 minutes)

He explains how to make some of our long-pantry-life foods taste their best through cooking tips, freezing ideas, etc. The tip for better-textured brown rice was especially helpful for me, since it's the only kind I can find right now, and not my family's favorite.
I especially liked Dr. Barnard (normally very sensible) doing an impression of a blender.

[Ramblinrose]

My eating is a little off but all things considered I’m not gonna worry about it.

Did 4.2 Miles on my gazelle today.

[Harriet]

Dd and I went for a nice long walk today. I wish this pleasant spring could last. Summer walks will be less possible.

My smoothie last evening had super nutrition with small portions each of 5 fruits and 4 veggies, so I was very pleased. Skillet scramble breakfast was not quite as nice, having to use a new brand of tofu, however. Very dry - not my fav. Maybe I'll just cube it next time and try to keep the moisture.

HRH is loving canned tomato items lately - seems to be craving them. Soups and sauces. I'm giving pep-talks to the 1-inch-high tomato seedings!

I listened to a very good "podcast" yesterday (video, too) and was interested that the person interviewed, Dr. Michael Klapper, tentatively agreed with my thoughts that vitamin D from sunshine over our continent would start helping with less susceptibility overall, and for the southern hemisphere, now potentially having a good vitamin D level in the population would help them.

BUT (and it's a big one) he pointed out something I hadn't thought of. I was thinking of a time-framed virus (maybe we all were at the time), as if what would help right now was most of the story. This is a "Novel" virus (he warns that we need to continue using that word because it's important). So, it will simply thrive in whichever hemisphere and climate it thrives at the time, then opportunistically travel elsewhere when the seasons change, hither and yon, back and forth. So my idea made sense IF this was a before-seen virus, but it's a never-before-seen Novel one. Thus, his emphasis on the importance of rapid, doubled-down research into vaccines. Oh, well. Sun will help some.

[Twins' Mom]

I'm falling down on my walking goals, just not getting out enough. I don't even have bad weather to blame this week. Dh is doing great walking since he's been working from home. He's going out at lunch for a lap or two, and I've seen him do some phone calls while walking.

[Harriet]

Cubing the oddly dense tofu works out well and makes surprisingly attractive veggie scrambles with 1/4- to 3/8-inch tumeric-yellow cubes that hold their shape/angles. May even be quicker to make than the usual shredding I do with a fork, so even though it's not the favorite, it's fine.

Probably good for me in that I can put that in the column of "I don't have to have the perfect item". A lot of that sensible attitude is being learned during this time.

Did an instructional video yesterday, which kept you in the same tensed position for long periods while learning specifics. Thought I'd hurt my arms because they ached last night as I got into bed, but that was over by morning. I'm trying to change up my exercise and have variety. I do think I got more genuinely tired yesterday with gardening added. That's probably a good thing.

Yesterday was my first perfect daily dozen day in a long time I think???? I haven't been keeping up with it on the computer, so for all I know, there have been others. But I'm back to regular logging now.

Yesterday was
tofu veggie scramble (multi peppers, mushrooms, onion)
potato/corn/black beans meal with homemade guacamole
huge tossed salad of greens plus orange, green peas, walnuts
snack of Kashi cereal with strawberries

[Twins' Mom]

I'm hitting my walking goal again this week, I think that's two weeks in a row? I'm walking 8K steps daily for a total of 56K. Still eating pretty well although not losing weight. Had two nights this week with white flour carbs - the Home Chef meal Tuesday night was flat breads and on Wednesday dh ordered empanadas from an Argentinian small business. We have half a dozen veggie empanadas in the freezer left. And drinking wine doesn't help, but the cocktail hour I need a diversion.

[RunKitty]

Good job keeping up with your walking goals, Twins'!!

Harriet, your meals sound absolutely delicious! You should start a youtube channel and produce "what I eat in a day" videls. I would watch for sure. I'll bet your meals would look good too. Some of the vegan youtubers make meals that sound good and nutritious, but they look like dog's dinner.
If you are looking for some different workouts, you might like MadFit on youtube. I love her regular channel (Maddie Lymburner) where she does what she eats in a day and shows all the different places they have traveled as well. Right now she is just concentrating on the MadFit channel since so many people are staying home and need house friendly workouts.

[Harriet]

Oh, thank you, RunKitty. Bright color, that's one answer. If ever there is someone who won't eat salads, little bits of orange strewn over it, or bites of strawberry, mango, any brightness, and it automatically seems more eat-able! Orange will also get positive attention onto a grain or bean dish that otherwise might look dark and boring. I will check out that series.

Had at least one more perfect day this month. I think another one but had not been able to do the recording. So not stellar, but pretty respectable.

Recognizing that my water drinking habits have slipped. Making that a priority. dd is pleased with her complexion after concentrating on water more.