COVID-19 diaries: food, fitness, fashion & more
it’s a wild, wild world out there.
while i’ve been fortunate as not to be too impacted by COVID-19, it’s still a time of uncertainty.
something that i’ve found pretty therapeutic is to read about what others are doing during this time (i’m a curious cat, what can i say??) — so i’ve put together a COVID-19 diary.
it’s officially week 3 of our lockdown, in which we’ve all stayed in our homes apart from essential activities (like grocery shopping).
as a natural introvert who lives alone (but with my doggo!) and someone who’s been working remotely for nearly two years, my days are not terribly different.
i am missing my workout classes at a gym and teaching fitness classes as well, but i’m using this time to do some more work that i generally don’t have as much time for (writing, reading, freelancing).
so let’s get into it — food, fashion, fitness, skincare & beauty, and activities during this time.
quick tip: create a separate space for everything — relaxing, working, eating, sleeping.
for example, i only eat at my kitchen island / table-thing. i only work at my desk in the living room. i only sleep or read before bed in my bed. i only relax (aka watch TV) on my couch (or sometimes over the comforter on the end of my bed — trying to break that habit).
this helps your brain separate the different activities.
food
i typically do a short intermittent fasting window, meaning that i finish eating dinner anywhere from 5-7pm and don’t eat again until breakfast at 8-10am, giving me at least 12 hours.
i’ve carried this over into my covid-19 life, and i find it helps me keep up my routine.
however, this time is one where many people’s cortisol may be higher due to stress — in which case you may want to rethink if IF is for you.
breakfast:
i had a stint of paleo chocolate chip walnut waffles made with birchbenders paleo mix, collagen, flaxseed meal, ancient nutrition keto cold brew, chocolate chips, and walnuts, then realized i was craving something simpler.
now it’s been scrambled eggs / avocado / some sort of veggies on repeat.
i sip on black coffee while i work — i make a full cup in my french press.
lunch:
if i do eat lunch and not just a keto bar, i reach for something quick.
usually it’s avocado toast with an egg or two and/or wild sardines in olive oil with roasted / fresh veggies, sir kensington’s mayo, and apple cider vinegar.
sometimes if i workout immediately before and am feeling something more refreshing, i’ll do a smoothie bowl with my smoothiebox smoothies.
dinner:
i still meal prep on weekends for batch-cooking veggies, but i’ve been able to spend more time cooking meals as well. some things i’ve been cooking:
bacon-wrapped pork loin
i used this recipe from food 52 and my butcherbox pork loin and bacon.
harissa-rubbed salmon and grain-free fettuccine
inspired by a recipe on my friend’s blog (on my spoon). i’ve been getting fresh salmon from the local farmer’s market and it’s SO GOOD.
snacks:
i usually go for a keto bar — currently obsessed with chocolate chip cookie dough because chocolate — because it’s packed with protein, feels like a treat, and doesn’t give me any blood sugar spikes. sometimes i eat one for lunch / breakfast and sometimes it’s just a mid-morning snack.
ants on a log: not sure why i suddenly rediscovered this childhood snack, but it’s a good way for me to get more veggies in. i either go with the traditional pb / raisin or craisin route or a less-inflammatory version with paleo nut butter / goji berries / cinnamon.
dessert:
stress-baking has turned into covid-19 baking!
especially when the weather is cold and gross.
i’ve been baking trail mix cookies, chocolate chip cookies, paleo bread, and banana bread (once my bananas are ripe).
EVERYONE IS BAKING because if you’re home all day, might as well fill it with good smells.
delivery / takeout:
i’ve been eating out 1x a week to help support the small businesses that are still open. many restaurants are also doing pantry staples fyi and some even deliver alcohol (like… including cocktails).
some of my favs available in los angeles:
lunetta santa monica: gluten free salmon sammie is a dream come true.
flower child: healthy, nourishing real food.
belcampo: super high quality meat; great burgers. keto options too.
stella barra: santa monica-based pizza. gluten free options.
i’ve also been getting Daily Harvest, ButcherBox, and SmoothieBox delivered to help out with not going to grocery stores too often (and because making food is… well, hard sometimes).
one resource that was a MUST when I was teaching a ton of fitness classes (but also now that work’s picking up and that the motivation for cooking ebbs and flows) is meal delivery services — i.e. they deliver FULL meals to you. The Spurce Eats has a list of keto-friendly meal delivery services that I found really helpful!
fitness
i’ve been trying to do my best to support my friends and former co-fitness instructors during this time by taking their digital classes and donating.
after running the LA marathon in mid-march, i’ve been feeling a lot more tired than usual, so i’m taking this as an opportunity to slow down, walk more, and do more yoga instead of my usual high-intensity workouts. i’ve also used it as a return to strength training.
yoga:
i’d check with your fav fitness studios or instructors — they’re likely holding online classes via zoom, youtube live, IG live, IGTV, etc. for a small fee or a donation.
if you can’t find any, i recommend corepower’s yoga on demand — they have a large library of online classes that cover yoga sculpt, vinyasa yoga, hot power fusion with a variety of focuses and lengths.
boston-based yoga instructor sarah white (who led my yoga sculpt teacher training) also has an online yoga package for at-home workouts: the coastal method.
strength training:
i already had some booty bands and a longer resistance band at home, as well as a 40lb kettlebell and a yoga mat.
as the weeks stretched on, i also added a pair of 4lb handweights to use for shadowboxing and yoga sculpt (i couldn’t find any heavier ones), an ab wheel, and a home TRX set.
barry’s: the only place where i would willingly run sprints. while their IG live classes don’t have the running portion, they do have the strength training still! you can find the schedule on their instagram stories or by subscribing to their email list.
strongfirst: these people are kettlebell experts with a well-known certification. i’m planning on following their 8-week program — it combines and builds on a squat, press, and pull (the basic movements) but you can choose from a variety of exercises based on the equipment you have (bodyweight, kettlebell, barbell).
photo courtesy of strongfirst
if you’re looking for a quick kettlebell workout, checkout this one i did:
▶️ WARM UP (no KB; :30 sec each)
jumping jacks
squats
mountain climbers
pushups
low side lunges
air single leg deadlifts
high knees
▶️ ROUND 1 (3x thru, :30 rest b/w each round. start @ 10 reps + add 5 reps each round)
1️⃣ squats
2️⃣ reverse lunges
3️⃣ kettlebell swings (option for single arm)
2 min rest
▶️ ROUND 2 (4x thru; :30 rest b/w each round)
10 deadlifts (option for single leg)
10 rows (5/side - if the KB is too heavy, do upright rows w/ both arms)
10 side lunges
2 min rest
*️⃣ FINISHER! (6x thru; +1 burpee each time you go thru so you end @ 10 burpees. no stopping - try & go as fast as you can - try to fin under 6 min!)
10 KB swings
5 burpees (1st rd. last rd. should be 10)
3 min rest
▶️ CORE (no KB)
10 crunches
10 sit-ups reaching palms to ceiling
10 sit-ups reaching fingers forward
30 sec high plank
30 sec min commandos (high to low plank; for extra tricep work go both arms @ once)
30 sec forearm plank
30 sec hip dips
10 side plank knee to elbows each side
boxing:
an increasingly large number of people have been telling me that they have a punching bag at home (jealous!). if you do, then you can do the following online classes on an actual bag, but for the rest of us, shadowboxing with or without 3-5lb weights still builds a crazy sweat.
photo by @shootcasey for @prevailboxing
prevail boxing: the gym i coach at has youtube live workouts every monday / wednesday / friday on their channel that mix shadowboxing with conditioning.
box ‘n burn: this LA-based gym has a ton of classes with different focuses, from pure boxing to abs ‘n ass, on their youtube channel (youtube live).
cardio:
running:
the joke’s that coronavirus has made everyone a runner.
i’ve held off on running for the most part because i rolled my ankle while running the marathon and it’s still little swollen. and also because i’m not feeling it after such a long training period.
if you want more structure, dash run studio (santa monica) has free online workouts on their IG.
swimming / other home equipment:
if you have a pool, I AM JEALOUS.
same re: peloton, tonal, and any other equipment-based workouts that give you classes/workouts already.
other:
bodyweight workouts: no equipment? no problem. there a ton of bodyweight exercises you can do that help you build and maintain strength.
men’s health: best bodyweight exercises for men (but i presume people of both genders too).
nerd fitness: beginner bodyweight workout.
greatist: 50 bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere.
pumps & iron: bodyweight workout library — she has visuals and a pinterest pin for easy saving too.
micro-workouts: if you don’t have time (or motivation) to block out a large distraction-free chunk of time to workout, micro-workouts can be a super effective way to get movement in during the day. essentially, they’re mini workouts you do throughout the day (like the pushup challenge #see10do10send10 that everyone was doing).
classpass: they’re re-launching their online classes so you can tune into all your favorite studios.
an important ending note:
do not feel ashamed of yourself for moving less than you did in your previous every day life. to feel the need to workout as hard as you can for as long as you can.
the goal of fitness here is to help keep your immune system strong — exercise has been known to boost immunity.
it’s to help keep your mental capabilities and physical body strong.
it’s to help you feel more productive and settled in your routine.
don’t feel guilty if it takes some time to settle into a routine or to even build one.
this time isn’t about building a “summer body.” it’s about keeping yourself healthy.
tip: schedule your workouts in your calendar like you’d normally do — it’ll make it feel more real.
fashion & beauty:
i do make sure to shower, do my full skin-care routine, and get dressed / out of my PJs in the morning right away so i feel like i am ready for the day. it’s something i’ve implemented throughout my past almost-two-years of working from home, even before the coronavirus.
my morning looks like this:
wake up. chug water.
dry brush. sprinkle peppermint essential oil into my shower. turn the water on.
hop in the shower and do my thang.
get out. skincare routine — toner, serum (with gua sha!), face oil, moisturizer with SPF, drunk elephant’s anti-pollution sunshine drops.
moisturize the rest of my body and get dressed.
my daily outfit rotation consists mostly of what i wear even on non-lockdown days tbh… which is to say, leggings and crop tops.
my leggings of choice: lululemon align leggings and beyond yoga spacedye leggings. sometimes shorts if i’m not working out that day or have already worked out. (i’ll usually do a mid-day outfit change after my noon workout.)
my tops of choice: cropped tanks, roomy and soft t-shirts, cropped sweatshirts or oversized sweatshirts.
i’ve also been shopping the nordstrom spring sale (40% off) because i can’t help myself. lol. and reading fashion blogs on other peoples’ “work from home” outfits.
what i’m doing:
reading
i’ve been making it a goal to read every night before bed (especially to hit my goal of 60 books this year!).
some things i’ve been reading:
my goodreads challenge books
the witcher saga: after watching the show, i knew i had to read the books. they’re translated into english, but the language is still beautiful and the world is just as enticing. i have 2 more books in the series before i’m done!
everything is f*cked: this is a very appropriate book for these times — when the world seems like it’s going to shit, this is literally a book about hope. manson has some interesting concepts. while the ending got kinda weird IMO, the first 95% of the book was great.
harry potter series: when times get rough, i like to re-read some old favorites (especially little women). i can’t wait to dive back into the wizarding world of harry potter again.
NOTE: i’m currently working on a blog post based on books i’m reading / plan to read, so stay tuned!
watching
HULU
i’ve been making my way through brooklyn nine-nine — it’s a great, relatable, binge-able TV series that provides great comic relief.
i’ve also been back-watching SNL episodes (starting at the most recent and going backwards — thanks Man Repeller!)!
i remember binging 5 seasons of how i met your mother the summer after freshman year of college because my friends were all watching it — and the whole show is now on hulu!
if you haven’t watched four weddings and a funeral yet, it’s one of my favorite hulu shows. there’s only one season so far, but it’s a great one. it features the girl who plays missandei from game of thrones and the guy who plays same from you’re the worst.
NETFLIX
everyone's watching the obscene docu-series tiger king. planning on watching it this weekend because… well. why not?
similar to brooklyn nine-nine (there’s also a cross-over!), new girl is a show that comes in short, heart-warming, funny episodes and is available in its entirety on netflix.
if you haven’t watched the spanish drama elite, go watch now. season 3 just came out and it’s like gossip girl meets your favorite murder mystery.
miss game of thrones? go watch the witcher. it’s also high fantasy and sucks you into the world.
AMAZON
house, m.d. remains one of my favorite shows ever — and it’s all on amazon prime.
fleabag is an amazon original that’s very british and very humorous.
NBC
i’m sad the good place is over, but good thing NBC has it on their site for us all to watch.
listening
i actually haven’t been listening to as many podcasts as i usually do (i typically listen to them in my car as i commute), but then i started going on longer walks with my dog and challenging myself to finish a whole podcast while i’m out there.
kilin’ two birds with one stone! (if you want to call it that).
some podcasts i’m listening to:
the skinny confidential podcast: lauren and michael are hilarious, but they also deliver straight up real talk. plus they bring in amazing guests, like ryan holiday, dr. josh axe, and more. i recommend listening to their solo “quarantined update” episode if you’re struggling with how to create some routine during this time.
one step podcast: i’ve been watching beauty youtuber ingrid nilsen since i was in middle school — she’s like the big sister i never had. listening to this podcast is like sipping on hot cocoa on a cold day — it warms you from the inside out. but most of all, she’s real and doesn’t shy away from topics like money.
happier by gretchen rubin: gretchen’s book better than before is one of the books that changed my life. she’s remained one of my favorite podcasts / writers to this day. if you’re looking to be better, happier, and more productive, this podcast is for you. P.S. her sister and co-host Liz Craft also has a podcast called happier in hollywood that’s great as well!
the side hustle show: now is a great time to start (or work on) your side hustle. if you’re just starting out, i recommend this episode.
creative pep talk: similarly, if you’re feeling stuck creatively or want to up-level your creative work, this podcast is great.
beyond the to-do list: if you’re trying to stay productive during this time (or like… any time in your life), erik fisher’s podcast is amazing. he interviews top productivity experts and truly does give you advice that moves beyond a to-do list. if you’re feeling stressed, i recommend this episode on managing stress and anxiety.
the savvy psychologist: when you’re just facing yourself, it’s the perfect time to know yourself (and your fellow humans) a little better. dr. jade wu gives you quick ‘n dirty tips on well-known (and less well-known) psychology principles.
bigger pockets money podcast: my dad actually forced me to listen to this podcast on a family vacation… but i ended up enjoying it. financial knowledge and responsibility is important, but especially during this time.
learning
udemy: i just bought 4 courses on udemy last night at 9:30 because i was thinking about learning… they only came out to $56 altogether thanks to a new student special. will keep you updated on how it goes. skillshare is another platform that i hear ads about all the time. khan academy is also a popular choice!
NASM: if you always wanted to be personal trainer but have found it hard to carve out the time to self-study, now’s your chance. i got my certification on NASM; they’re running specials now if you’re interested.
codeacademy: want to learn how to code? i learned HTML/CSS over winter break via codeacademy in like… 2015? but i remember it being loads of fun.
creating
i’m really grateful to be able to take the extra time to work on my book (coming jan 2021!). i’m also trying to spend more time on just fun creativity, not just creative works that i have to do.
cleaning
ain’t no time like the present to spring clean — declutter, deep clean, organize… all the good things.
connecting
i’ve set up weekly-ish facetime dates with my sister and my best friend; many fitness studios are also doing facetime happy hours to keep the community strong.
