‘Stay at home’ and ‘COVID-19’ are some of the most trending words for the last few months. The ongoing crisis has made extreme changes to our lifestyle, thereby indirectly affecting our psychological and physical well-being.
We moved from working from the office cubicles to our home workstations, from dining at food joints to simply eating at home, from hitting the gymnasium daily to performing daily household chores – our movements are restricted, and our lives are rewired.
While many found a way to stick to a healthy eating pattern and exercise daily, but for most of us, it was just sitting, eating all the decadent and delicious homemade treats, which we were missing because of the rush of the daily grind.
Today, as we are gradually getting out of our homes, starting to go to the office, we find that the strength to do so is not there. We easily get tired and feel the need to push ourselves physically and mentally to do what we used to do without putting additional efforts.
But don’t panic! It’s time to rejuvenate ourselves – we need to take little steps to reach back where we want to be and do so in a step by step manner.
Stamina is the strength and power that allows you to sustain the mental or physical effort for long periods. Increasing your stamina helps you endure stress or discomfort when you are doing an activity.
It also reduces exhaustion and fatigue. Having abundant stamina allows you to perform your routine activities at a higher level while using little energy.
One of the finest things that happened during lockdown was that we were eating home-cooked fresh food with mostly fresh ingredients. We learned to make burgers and pizzas at home but all with healthy and fresh ingredients. Any food that is least processed, closest to its natural form, and seasonal is the best for your health.
Cheat meals are just one to two meals per week. Nutrient-dense food adds health while refined and processed foods add empty calories, leaving you feeling low and without energy [1]. Fermented foods add good bacteria that keep the absorption of nutrients efficient and your gut healthy.
Seeds and nuts are a must in summers too. You may soak them if you believe they are “hot” in summers. You may even incorporate nuts into your summer drinks. Almond thandai is a delicious drink, and you may even have it in summers.
We just need a single ounce of seeds and nuts per day – meaning 15-20 almonds, one walnut, and a teaspoon of seeds. Nuts add fiber, healthy fats, and protein, most particularly, antioxidants, which are known to clean up the free radicals from our system. They are excellent for boosting immunity too [2].
[Read: Super Seeds to Boost Your Immunity]
Those who have taken this long to do nothing in the exercise space need to reboot. Never mind where you were when the lockdown happened; you need to begin all over again. Don’t get back to the high level of exercise immediately – get there slowly. And the ones, who have maintained a mid-level of exercise, can go on to the next level, but slowly [3].
If you are running already, try to opt for some other exercises to build stamina. You can try yoga along with these exercises. Opting for yoga can also be helpful. It is known to improve your endurance and stamina, apart from lifting your mood.
Your body will need rest as well, even after following a well-balanced diet and exercising. So, try to rest and get a good night’s sleep. This will keep you energetic and active all day long.
To improve your stamina, metabolism, and digestion, you will have to drink adequate water. Thus, also increase your fluid intake and see to it that you don’t get dehydrated.
Meditation and yoga can greatly increase your ability to handle stress and stamina.
As part of a 2016 study, 27 medical students attended meditation and yoga classes for 6 weeks. They saw significant improvements in the sense of well-being and stress levels. They also reported less fatigue and more endurance [4].
Listening to music can improve cardiac efficiency. The 30 participants in this research had a lowered heart rate when exercising while listening to their preferred music. They were able to put forth reduced efforts working out when listening to music than when exercising without music.
These are tough times, and though a lot is unlocking, limited social contact is still to be maintained along with frequent sanitizing and handwashing.
We will reclaim our lives, but the good habits that we were forced to relearn, like rediscovering traditional foods, having home-cooked food, body and hand hygiene, sitting still for a while, and spending quality time with family, shouldn’t be forgotten. The sun shines after every dark night, and there is a silver lining to each cloud.
As you focus on increasing your stamina levels, remember that it’s natural to experience energy flows and ebbs. Don’t expect to be operating at your full potential at all times. Keep in mind to listen to your body and rest as required. Avoid pushing yourself to the point of burning out.
If you feel that you’re making changes to improve your stamina without getting any results, you may wish to see a physician. Your medical practitioner can determine if you have any underlying health problems that are affecting your performance. Stay focused on your ideal plan for overall well-being.