50 Things to do when Lockdown goes Long-term (Part 2)

I’m trying something new: this is a LIVE blog post – that means I’ll publish five parts per day for 10 days.  If you haven’t already, start by checking out my original COVID-19 post then follow along with me on Instagram for daily updates!  Comments are SO welcome, what are you all doing these days?  Let’s brain pool. 

41. Closet clean out

First, watch this video & this video — I love how the first acknowledges the emotional reality of clearing clutter and how the second gives a realistic yet inspiring guide to developing personal style. 

Then, get every piece of clothing you own on a big pile on your bed – Marie Kondo style

Make three piles:

Love – things which you wear often, which make you feel great and fit your personal style

Like – things which are good quality, practical, you think you should hold on to

Let go – things which are the wrong size or the wrong fit or just uncomfortable/unnatural/bring negative self-talk or memories. 

Start by putting everything you love back in your closet. Now try to imagine just living with that, is this enough?

Add what you feel you need to compliment the loves with things from the “like” category then add the remaining “likes” to the “let gos.”

note: I make a mental note about any “likes” that could be replaced in the future by “loves” — perhaps a better quality sweater in a similar cut — even better, make a projects stash and get anything that just doesn’t fit quite right altered at your nearest tailor post-quarantine. 

Lastly, divide the “let go” pile – something I love to do with my highest quality pieces is a clothing exchange with friends. Maybe set aside some things for this excuse to host a social event as soon as it’s safe in the future. Next, what can be donated? Bag that up so it’s ready to go also. Finally, anything with holes or stains remains. What can be recycled? Throw away only what you can’t see any other avenue for then basque in the relief which is post-purge clarity.

42. Remote tea time – phone a friend and enjoy a cup together, talk it out.

43. Remote dinner date

Being in a relationship and unable to see one another is something I know all too well. My boyfriend and I have been long-distance (Spain/London) for a year and a half. We have a few tricks to bring a feeling of togetherness and they come in really handy during quarantine. The first is watching a series together — counting down 3, 2, 1, and pushing play together makes it feel like we are side-by-side. It’s our regular habit a couple nights per week and adds a sense of normalcy to our relationship structure.

Another fun option is cooking and eating a meal together. This requires a little planning/preparation.

Set a date, share a recipe and shop for the ingredients beforehand. On the evening of, get dressed up like you might for a real date and video call as you prepare the same meal together in each’s respective home. Light a candle, sync up your music and enjoy the meal together. Sure it’s a little silly, a little over the top, but the action and effort of coordinating everything perfectly, making this all work together is what it’s all about.

Atreya likes The Food Lab for recipes while I go to Pick up Limes for mine – but this is our top recommendation for a remote dinner date (maybe with a little movie night “together” too?)

44. Cook healthy meals

During my first weeks in quarantine I went a bit overboard on meals — cooking elaborate feasts three times a day wasn’t sustainable and by now I’ve learned that it’s a lot easier to meal prep than to spend hours cooking (and dish washing) day after day. You do you, but a simple and fruit/vegetable-rich diet works best for me.

 

Some favorites lately:

Red Thai Curry with Rice

You need: red curry paste, 1-2 cans coconut milk, assorted vegetables, optional protein: meat/fish of choice, boiled eggs, chickpeas or tofu, oil (I use coconut) and rice.

How to: Start by boiling some rice (in an excess of water, just until it’s soft, then drain any remaining water like you would when you cook a pasta). Chop all veg then add to a hot oiled pan and cook halfway. Fry/boil/bake the protein separately and cook meat all the way if you choose to use meat. Meanwhile, warm the coconut milk and add the curry paste little-by-little until you reach the desired taste/spice level for your sauce. Finally, mix the protein + veg + sauce all together, serve over rice. Easy, tasty and great left-over the next day.

Easy Sweet Potato & Chickpea Tikka Masala with Rice/Naan

You need: peeled & cubed sweet potatoes, cooked chickpeas, tikka masala sauce, rice/naan, oil (I use coconut/olive), optional: chili flakes, garlic, onion, ginger (peeled with a spoon) — all finely chopped

How to: Get the sweet potatoes coated in oil (optional: add chili flakes) and bake at medium heat for 15-20 mins. Prep the rice/warm the naan. Fry your chickpeas in garlic/onion/ginger-infused oil (option to add other veg here, sometimes I like thinly sliced red bell pepper) then add the tikka sauce and cooked sweet potatoes (option to add fresh spinach and cook down until it wilts), serve with rice and/or warmed naan.

Black bean and Bell Pepper Tacos with Avocado

You need: tortillas, canned cooked black beans, coconut oil, cumin, onion, bell peppers, chili flakes, radishes, avocados, lime

+ chips and salsa

How to: Slice the onions and bell pepper into strips then add to hot oiled pan with cumin and chili flakes. Cube the radishes, add oil and broil in the oven for 5 mins. Warm the beans in coconut oil on low heat. Warm the tortillas in a frying pan on low heat. Slice the avocado and squeeze a lime on top. Throw it all inside the tortillas and top with salad and/or cilantro if you’d like. Serve with chips and salsa.

45. Yoga every damn day

I’m a yoga teacher (and a barre teacher), you can read about my YOGA TEACHER TRAINING IN RISHIKESH, INDIA HERE — but this “to do” is really a whole new blog post in itself. I’ll throw in a few go-to daily asanas and refer you to some fellow bloggers with a yoga-focus and content I use frequently.

Here are some postures I practice just about daily.

Morning practice: I use this breath-by-breath flow as a warm up often followed by a few postures in a “hold” (at least five breaths).

1. Inhale, Exhale — Tadasana Namaskar (Standing with Hands in Prayer)
2. Inhale — Tadasana Urdhva Hastasana (Standing with Arms Overhead)
3. Exhale — Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
4. Inhale — Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)
5. Exhale — Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
6. Inhale — Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (One-Legged Downward-Facing Dog Pose) — Left Leg Lifted
7. Exhale — Left Leg Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) (I often pause to Inhale, Exhale here)
8. Inhale — Plank
9. Exhale — Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose/Tricep Push-up) — sometimes from my knees and skipping step 10, taking Balasana (Child’s Pose) there instead (again, I might pause to take a few breaths here, maybe moving my hands to one side then the other for a side body stretch)
10. Inhale — Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)
11. Exhale — Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
12. Inhale — Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (One-Legged Downward-Facing Dog Pose) — Left Leg Lifted
13. Exhale — Right Leg Low Lunge (I often pause to Inhale, Exhale here)
14. Inhale — Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
15. Exhale — Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
16. Inhale (soften knees then roll-up), Exhale — Tadasana (Standing)

A few of my go-to holding postures are

• Plank hold – to wake up the core and keep those muscles engaged and protecting my pelvis & spine through the next moves
• Utkatasana (Chair Pose) — try lifting your heels first one at a time then balancing with both heels lifted high
• Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend) — I prefer this with a flat back or reaching arms forward (to challenge the abs)
• Utthita Parsvakonasana(Extended Side Angle) — with my elbow on my knee for support and reaching my top arm alongside my ear to further extent through the side body + engage the abs
• Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
• Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) — hurts so good!

I love some slow stretching before sleep. I hold each of these for 30 second – 3 minutes – not timing but feeling it out and changing to the next pose when my body tells me it’s necessary. 

1. Savasana (Corpse Pose)
2. Ardha Apanasana (Half Knees-to-Chest Pose) — right side then left side with light twist after each then hug both knees to chest
3. Supta Padangusthasana A-B-C (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose A-B-C) — right side A-B-C then left side A-B-C, with strap
4. Sucirandhrasana (Reclined Pigeon/
5. Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
6. gentle lying twist with bent knees and feet wide
7. Legs up the wall (stay here 5-10 minutes)

Don’t take my word for it. Here are some other awesome teachers to follow:

esthermarieyoga – on Instagram

Barre3 — offering 6 free workouts on youtube/subscription options — my favorite!

more links my COMING TO PEACE WITH COVID-19 POST

Would you be interested in more fitness content? Let me know in the comments below. 

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