With most of us stuck inside during the national lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, youth choir teacher Christine Bam, 27, of Kuils River, shows us how she keeps fit in the comfort of her own home.
Her morning starts at 8.30am – later than usual – with a bowl of fibre or chocolate cereal for breakfast or, on the odd occasion, fried or scrambled eggs as a source of protein.
Ms Bam says she does not follow a strict diet and rewards herself with chocolate, every now and then.
She then starts with her first online choir lesson at 10am for 30 minutes.
At 11am, she starts exercising with a warm up in the yard or in the lounge, using equipment she found lying around the house.
The warm up:
Jogging/running on the spot for 1 minute.
Star jumps for 1 minute.
Swinging arms back for 30 seconds and then forward for 30 seconds.
Holding toe touches for 30 seconds.
Plank for 1 minute.
This she says, “helps her prepare for a full body workout.”
The daily workout for 1 hour:
Runs for 5km in the yard, with interval training of:
10 squats while holding a paint bucket filled with sand to add resistance;
10 sit ups and hitting up a volley ball;
10 push ups against a couch in the lounge;
10 shoulder presses, using 2-litre water bottles; and
10 steps on a step ladder.
She says sipping on water at regular intervals will control body temperature and keep the body hydrated.
Thereafter, Ms Bam does a cool down including stretches or repeating the warm up, before teaching her second online choir lesson.
“Keeping fit helps me keep my mind healthy, I am so used to a busy routine and always being away from home but lockdown forces me to stay behind closed doors and I need to keep myself occupied before I lose it completely,” she said.
Ms Bam says snacks on fruit and eliminates “unhealthy carbs” like bread and rice.
She says those who are have internet connections, should search for online videos to suit their training abilities.
Tell Northern News what fitness training you are doing at home and feel free to share healthy eating tips and recipes.