Every morning Harper Denniston ‘21 gets out of bed and gets ready for her run. Even in quarantine she is trying to stay in shape for the upcoming cross country season. She runs anywhere from two to eight miles a day, six days a week. She plans her routes based on her mileage, sometimes going to Terry Trueblood to run with her dad or doing a loop by Regina. 

“I like to do the long run out and around [Terry Tureblood] which is nice cause it’s really flat but it changes depending on if I’m with my dad, he has certain loops that he likes as well.” 

Students can practice wellness in different ways. Some do cardio or focus more on core exercises. Some core workouts target abs, legs, or weight loss. Youtuber Chloe Ting has core workouts that target all of these as well as a schedule for day to day videos depending on what you want. There’s the “two week shred challenge” which targets abs and weight loss or the “25 day hourglass challenge” which targets waist, abs, and butt. Her challenges also include videos about healthy eating and fitting in the right portions called “What I eat to get fit.” These workouts also have minimal equipment use. All you need is a yoga mat and some resistance bands. 

For those who want to get fit in less time try the “10 Minute Ab workout” by Alexis Ren which has racked up 27 million views. Commenters are saying they’ve seen results in as soon as two weeks. This also does not require equipment. 

“I think [the workouts] are important cause every kind of workout depends on your core, so it’s important you train it properly.” Said Denniston ‘21.

Wellness of the mind is also important during this time. Not being able to leave the house or have anything to do can be stressful. Meditation can be a good way to step away from what’s going on and not have to focus on a million different things. It can also be a good way to step away from your phone or television for some quiet time. This does not require equipment.

Videos like “10 minute medition for anxiety” by Goodful can be helpful for those who are looking for quiet relaxing time or “7 minute meditation to start your day” by Yoga with Adriene. This is for those who prefer an instructor and some sort of movement. Her voice provides a peaceful way to start your day.

“I don’t have the patience [for meditation]. I think that that’s pretty similar to young people’s perception of it though I think it’s something you grow to practice and appreciate as you get older. But I can see how it could help someone with anxiety, I’ve read some articles that are really in favor of it and show some of the benefits,” Denniston said.

During this time it can be hard to eat healthy or find snacks that are both really good and healthy for you. Here are some easy at home recipes to help make a snack a little healthier:

Healthy Sorbet:

-3 frozen bananas

-1 cup of frozen fruit

-2 tablespoons of honey

-Dash of almond milk (if needed to help blend easier)

Blend ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth

Keep in shallow dish in the freezer

Need some chips?

  -Use either kale, apples, or sweet potatoes

Slice ingredients thinly and toss in a bowl with a little olive oil. Put in the oven at 375 degrees and bake until crisp.

Season with for choice of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, cinnamon for apples. 

For apples, skip the oil and just bake until the right texture.