Gyms may be shut; parks & grounds aren’t accessible and jogging on footpaths can be risky too. Does that mean that one can’t stay fit and healthy during the lockdown? Definitely, no! Rajasthan Royals conducted a webinar on fitness and nutrition during the lockdown, a few days ago. The webinar was hosted by our spin consultant, Ish Sodhi and the guest, who is one of the best experts around, was our Head Physiotherapist, John Gloster. He gave some deep insights on how staying indoors can be a boon and how we can inculcate some new, good habits that will help us come out of this phase stronger and lead a healthy lifestyle once the lockdown is lifted.
Here are the 5 key takeaways if you want to follow good nutrition habits and stay fit during the lockdown:
1. Boost immunity with anti-inflammatory food
This is the best time to analyse our diet and correct it in a few possible ways. The objective must to be to reduce inflammation in our bodies; it is the source of all disease. One way to eradicate inflammation is by giving up or reducing on your sugar intake. A lot of sugar in your diet can reduce your antibodies to function in the best possible manner. And, we cannot neglect the fact that sugar is also responsible for excessive weight-gain. Avoid processed food and look at consuming traditional foods that contain turmeric (haldi), lime, coconut water, etc.
2. Overcome stress
Breathing exercises are perhaps one of the best methods to destress your mind and body. Breathing techniques done through yoga can be a good start. Advanced methods like diving breath-holds can also be under-taken. Covid-19 attacks the lungs, which makes it all the more vital for us to have a robust respiratory system. If you practice the right breathing techniques, it will help you on two fronts. Our mental well-being is as important to our fitness as our physical well-being. It’s an area that we mustn’t ignore during the lockdown.
3. Hunger vs Craving
Do you feel hungry quite regularly? If yes, you must ask yourself this question – Am I hungry or am I craving for something? The human body doesn’t really get hungry in under 12-18 hours. So, there’s a high possibility that what you’re feeling is a craving. Many of us love to eat something sweet. You may be surprised to know that sugar triggers the same reward centres in your brain as do most recreational drugs. With the country in lockdown, our bodies don’t necessarily need a lot of fuel to function. So, it is a great time to correct some of our existing habits and cravings.
4. The 6 best doctors
Here are the 6 best doctors that won’t cost you a fortune:
Sleep (8 hours minimum a day)
Sunshine
Water
Exercise
Nutrition & diet
Fresh air
These are all the doctors you need to keep visiting if you wish to stay fit and healthy. Try establishing a good, regular routine with all 6 of them in good measure. It will help you come out on the other side of this lockdown, a healthier person.
5. Intermittent fasting
While we keep thinking about what to eat, what we often miss out on is ‘when to eat?’ This is a great opportunity to give intermittent fasting a go – by having larger windows between meals. John Gloster follows a simple schedule – his last meal in a day is at 8 PM and his next meal is at mid-day. This gives the body a 16-hour window that can be maintained easily with sleeping hours in between. You are bound to feel more charged up when you are hungry than when you are full. That explains why we all feel so lazy after a massive meal.
These aren’t the easiest times for all of us, but it is absolutely possible to take care of all the six points mentioned above. The lockdown has given us a lot of time to think about how to improve and work on our fitness and choose the right food to eat. Treat it as a silver lining that can help you come out stronger, both physically and mentally once the lockdown is over. Meanwhile, you can sign up for our next webinar on fast bowling.
