The facts are that this virus won’t just go away and might be here to stay and become a kind of version such as the flu. Are we waiting for a vaccine which may have side effects before we go about our lives sensibly? Are you prepared to wait at least another year for a trusted and properly tested vaccine? Is your total well-being going to be ok in this during the coming year?
Cases are on the increase (currently, 8th October, locally 60 per 100.000 population, that’s 0.0006%) and the direct ‘disruption’ it causes is likely to be for at least another 6-7 months, mid to long term damage and disruption depends on how we are dealing with it together. No time to be complacent, we follow the guidelines to suppress the virus but we should remain calm and collective about it and live life sensibly. According to the latest figures, of the current 150 people who are in hospital in intensive care for it in the South East of England stay there for an average 9 days, 15% of all those admissions need a ventilator (22,5 people), and an average 4% of these unfortunately die.
Awful indeed, but put it in perspective. As we know among the dead are mainly the frail 80+, people with underlying health issues including being severely overweight, people who have had severe exposure to the virus in mainly poorly vented rooms, care homes and hospitals. We need to protect these people as best we can, we need to do better with that and as a society we need to suppress the virus but at the same time we need to get on with our lives.
What can we do?
Knowing the facts, the risks, we need to remain sensible and adaptable to change and re-visit and adjust where needed. And what are the likely consequences for us all and for you and your loved ones? Anticipate these where you can and keep the disruption or damage as low as possible by being pro-active and sensible given your own circumstances. Nothing new, meanwhile try to not let your health and fitness slip! Do you continue to stay at home and have limited contact with others? Will your physical and mental well-being suffer if you (continue) to do this? Time to re- think? Perhaps don’t let what you cannot do get in the way of what you can do.
As stated in my previous blog, please assist others if you feel you are safe enough and in the position to do so. Positive mental attitude and energy is needed within all layers of society, please try to go about your life best and as normal you can given the circumstances, as it will help us collectively to get out of the dire situation much more quickly.
Finding a balance
You may have heard all this before I am sure, - I don’t really like to mention all this either but I do because I think it’s important - so ask yourself, where is the balance in this, where is your balance in this? What is team effort? Staying at home in your bubble or going about your life sensibly and help society? Staying in because you can (afford to), because of fear, because you are in your bubble and want to protect your loved ones? What about people who need to get out to earn a living? People in parts of the world are dying because to them it may have started by suddenly not having a job. Money needs to go round from person to person and if that chain breaks it leads to problems sooner or later.
As we know, some side effects are the rise in unemployment, poverty, economic crisis for about a decade, depression, racism, postponed care, debt, curbed freedom and freedom of speech, migration, rebellion and crime. Half the world population will be affected by the virus, think about the development needs of others, think about the future of our kids! I believe a lot of us including the media and government can do more to reduce the damage ‘it’ is causing,
Staying positive
We need your positive mental attitude more than ever! Please review your own scenario and mindset, perhaps adapt and adjust things where needed to assist, society needs you!
If you have missed reading/hearing my personal experiences, commitments and contributions over the last 7 months please ask, for the ones who would like to scroll and read, besides the Facebook Fit For Anything page there’s my own Facebook page to find more information to get an idea. Tough scenario’s continue to occur, including deaths and still, life continues but we should remain reasonably safe and sensible at all times with the choices you make and actions you take. If we are physically fit and healthy with no underlying life threatening illness there’s such a small chance you will get terribly ill or die from it, unless you are over 80. Passing it on to an elderly or fragile person remains a worry and in any case we need to continue to respect each other in this at all times as we are all different in our own scenario’s, choice making and actions.
Why train and stay fit during these uncertain times?
Lofty Wiseman said: “Train like it means everything when it means nothing - so you can fight like it means nothing when it means everything”.
But seriously, I think you know your own reasons and to improve your immune system in order to suppress any virus is just one very good reason for all of us. A boost in skeletal muscle will help support your immune system, try HIRT (High Intensity Interval Resistance Training) to help restore cardiovascular energy levels, build muscle and tackle fat loss in one. Here’s an old FFA blog talking about this topic. Of course also take the usual precautions to help your immune system. Be extra physically and mentally fit during uncertain times, we don’t know what’s coming next. Instinctively follow your own feeling what’s best to do to enhance your total well-being.
Do what you need to do, think outside the box where needed, keep the focus and structure then motivation, determination and (personal) satisfaction remains ok. Please don’t let your total well- being slip, get quality me time, where possible keep decent productivity up in what you do in order to boost personal satisfaction and perhaps also safeguard your job or well-being of others. It might be helpful to track your activity level and to control portion size so you can re-balance and adjust your energy output versus energy input which is likely that this has changed (reduced calorie burn) over the past 7 months.
If you need any hints and tips with this or you need any guidance with any other relevant issues please let me know.