In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the National Athletes to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
Bagi seseorang untuk mengekalkan aktif dan menjaga kesihatan dan juga stamina sepanjang perintah kawalan pergerakan, sangat mencabar kepada setiap individu kerana bersenam hanya di dalam kawasan yang agak terbatas dengan jarak, jadi seseorang perlu membuat insetif dengan bijak, menggunakan pelbagai teknik senam dan drill atlite dalam kawasan setempat, contoh seperti menggunakan skipping, pergerakan jack knsee, high knsee, burpees , jumping jack , plank , mountain climber dan pelbagai lagi yang kita juga boleh tengok tip ini di you tube, untuk lebih memudahkan kita.
[Translated by JRL] For someone to stay active and care for one’s health and stamina throughout this MCO is extremely challenging for every individual. It’s because we could only exercise within a limited space. So one will have to craft smart incentives, carry out several exercise techniques and athlete drills within the limited space. For example, skipping, jack knee movements, high knee, burpees, jumping jacks, plank, mountain climber and many other variations you could view from youtube, so as to make things easier for us.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
Bagi saya keadaan kita sekarang perlukan disiplin yang tinggi dalam diri untuk kekal tenang dan bersabar dengan apa yang berlaku pada negara kita juga seluruh dunia, kita harus kuat untuk melawan covid19 supaya ia cepat lenyap dari negara kita, jika ia cepat lenyap itu menunjukan yang rakyat malaysia mempunyai disiplin yang tinggi mengikut arahan yang terbaik dikeluarkan oleh pihak kerajaan, dan akan memberi kesan dan membuktikan pada seluruh dunia bahawa rakyat malaysia mempunyai disiplin yang tinggi.
[Translated by JRL] For me, in this situation that we are in, we need high self-discipline to stay calm and have patience with what is happening within the country and around the world. We have to be strong in fighting COVID-19 so that it will disappear fast from our country. If it goes away fast, it will show that Malaysians have strong discipline in adhering to the best instructions issued by the government and it will produce results and prove to the whole world that Malaysians are highly disciplined people.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
Petua saya harap dapat kita bersabar dalam cara pemakanan dengan betul tidak terlalu lebih makan cuba dan hadkan makanan tidak seperti kehidupan yang kita sebelum ini, kerana mungkin semasa tu kita sentiasa aktif dan bergerak jauh, kurangkan makanan yang berminyak dan minuman yang berais batu.
[Translated by JRL] My tip, I hope we’ll be able to be patient in our dietary lifestyle – to not eat too much, and limit food intake unlike how things were previously. This is because we probably were more active and always on the move. So we should eat less oily food and drink less iced water.
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
Ya bagi masa ini kita perlu banyak rujuk kepada saluran video youtube, halaman media sosial dan sebagai nya yang boleh jadikan rujukan untuk kita dapat belajar bagaimana untuk bersenam dalam setempat dengan betul.
[Translated by JRL] Yes, for now, we have to refer alot more to youtube video channels, social media etc so that we could learn how to exercise proper in a limited space.
ABOUT MUHAIZAR MOHAMAD
Photo source: Muhaizar’s Facebook
Muhaizar Mohamad is a Team Malaysia Marathoner who represented the country at the Southeast Asian Games 2019.
Muhaizar clinched the Marathon Bronze medal at the 2017 and 2019 SEA Games with a time of 2h31min and 2h33min respectively.
His other achievements included a personal best of 2h26min at the Berlin Marathon in 2018 and winner of the KL Standard Chartered Marathon for 5 consecutive years from 2015-2019.
Muhaizar is a father of 3 and a Commando at the Elite Special Forces regiment of the Malaysian Army.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
We can do home workouts by ourselves or even better, video call friends and do it together!
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
I think gardening is a good way to calm the mind and uplift the mood. Also will be good to keep ourselves busy with things to do or pick up a new skill!
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
I think the most important thing about nutrition is understanding what kind of food to stay away from and what kind of food is good to eat. Understand your body calorie and macronutrient needs to look good physically. Then watch your micronutrients for better health! I go with IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros)!
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
Erm.. haha I don’t usually watch any of those. But I do post some workout tips here and there. You can check out my Instagram at @kelynlau
ABOUT KELYN LAU
Kelyn Lau is a full-time freelance personal trainer at Naked Strength.
Kelyn had begun her fitness adventure in 2012. Being underweight for many years, a healthy diet and exercise have helped her gain the necessary weight. Her ambition now is to aid people who are facing problem in achieving their fitness goals and also inspired people to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Hence, she founded Naked Strength in 2015.
At Naked Strength, they believe that fitness can bring so much positivity to one and most core values learnt from training can be applied to life.
Their goal is to help people become fitter and healthier through proper exercise, good eating habits and finding out the body weaknesses.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the National Athletes to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
Untuk pegiat lari seperti saya juga yang sedang belajar. Selama masa pandemi virus covid-19, Kita mesti harus menjaga pola hidup sehat yang talah dianjurkan oleh WHO. Selain itu, kita harus lebih kreatif untuk membuat gerakan-gerakan seperti workout training dengan menggunakan barang atau alat yang ada di rumah.
[Translated by JRL] For running enthusiasts like myself who are still learning too, during this COVID-19 virus pandemic, we must have a healthy lifestyle as recommended by WHO. Also, we have to be more creative in our exercise regime. For example, using things or items already found at home during our exercise training workout.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
Selama pandemi covid 19, kita tidak tahu sampai bila virus ini akan berakhir. Namun saya selalu berdoa kepada Allah SWT. Sentiasa berwaspada dan tetap tenang. Bermain permainan, baca buku solat serta melakukan latihan2 ringan di rumah.
[Translated by JRL] With this COVID-19 pandemic, we are not certain how long it will end. Nonetheless, I always pray to Allah SWT. To be careful and stay calm. I’ll play games, read religious books and engage in light activities at home.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
Untuk makanan, saya hanya makan yang sudah disediakan di rumah. Makan dan minum cukup serat asupan nutrisi buah serta suplemen.
[Translated by JRL] For my meals, I would only eat food prepared at home. Nutritious food and drinks with high fibre fruits and supplements.
ABOUT ASMA BARA
Photo source: Asma’s IG
Asma Bara is a Team Indonesia Marathoner who represented the country at the Southeast Asian Games 2017.
Asma’s other achievements included a win in the Indonesian Men’s Category of the Borobudur Marathon 2019 with a time of 2h39min and 3rd placing in the Indonesian Men’s Category of the Jakarta Marathon 2019 with a time of 2h38min.
Asma is currently on an internship with the Ministry of Youth and Sports at Garut Regency, West Java, Indonesia.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
This varies for each individual, as COVID-19 has changed all of our daily routines. Some people may now find themselves with additional cooking/cleaning/childminding responsibilities! Furthermore, people’s living arrangements differ considerably, so giving guidelines that remain relevant for those in apartment blocks, compared with those who have garden space, is difficult.
Nevertheless, try to identify your windows for physical training and protect these as much as possible, so that the regularity of your training remains. Research indicates that training intensity should be prioritized over volume or frequency to maintain physiological adaptations, but we must adapt to new training methods progressively, otherwise, we will just find ourselves with aches and pains. For example, if we are used to running 3-4 min, 1 km intervals at ~95% of our maximum heart rate, trying to replicate this heart rate response the next day through running on the spot and burpees is probably not going to end well. So let your body adjust to the new forms of training (whatever you can do in your individual circumstances e.g. indoor cycling, circuits) for 1 or 2 weeks, but have in the back of your mind that intensity should be prioritized over training for hours trying to achieve lots of volume.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
Be realistic in the goals of your training. This is not a period where we can target huge improvements. First and foremost it’s important to training regularly to remain healthy and happy. Secondly, we are trying to maintain our previous training level, rather than chase improvements.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
One ‘benefit’ of the Movement Control Order is having more time at home. This allows better meal planning and gives us the time to learn more about the content of certain foods, which we may often overlook in our busy ‘normal’ lives. So I would encourage people to see this as an opportunity to learn more about nutrition because an engine is only as good as the fuel that goes into it. It is also worth keeping an eye on the Institut Sukan Negara (ISN) social media channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) for healthy eating infographics from the team of experts who fuel the national athletes.
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
If you find the solitude or confinement of the MCO affects your desire to self-motivate for training, then follow some circuits on YouTube. Your first priority should be to stay active so you can feel good during this period. There are a plethora of free, join-along classes on a range of online streaming sites, so have a search online and find something that helps motivate you to stay active.
ABOUT DR CARL JAMES
Dr Carl James is an applied physiologist at the National Sports Institute of Malaysia. He has provided scientific support to Malaysian Squash and Hockey teams for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, where these teams delivered historic medals.
Dr Carl’s PhD investigated acute and chronic interventions to aid endurance performance in hot and humid conditions. He is also a BASES accredited physiologist and Chartered Scientist, having completed a variety of scientific support work.
Dr Carl received his PhD in 2016 from the University of Brighton. He also holds an MSc from Sheffield Hallam University and a BSc from Bangor University.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the National Athletes to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
Aussie’s been on lockdown for about a month before Singapore started so it’s definitely been quite a while! I haven’t had a track sesh in ages but have been doing home workouts with friends via zoom and it’s been loads of fun and laughter! ?
I’m currently taking the chance to take a mental break from racing having had a very long season last year from the start of Summer track in 2018 to Dec’19 for the SEA Games.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
I feel like I’ve never been a worrier and I like trying to make the best out of any given situation. ?
️It’s good to appreciate that we cannot change the cards we are dealt with, just how to play the hand, a snippet from “The Last Lecture”, a book I’ve read. It’s a perfect time to dive into a good read or invest our time wisely to better ourselves in our profession.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
Follow me on my IG for more bakes and cakes! I love baking so I’ve been whipping up quite a bit! ? I enjoy being creative and just having fun baking the situation better. ?
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
I’ve been listening to quite a lot of podcast, mostly vet related ??? but definitely recommend searching for things that we’ve never had the chance or time to do, or even learning a new skill. I’ve started sketching animals and Disney characters!
Regarding my fitness workouts, they are a predominant mix of a HIIT track, followed by a core and glute-focused workout track, done together with my friends via zoom.
I am happy to conduct sessions for everyone to do them together if there is a demand for that too! ?
ABOUT CHERYL CHAN
Photo source: Cheryl’s Facebook
Cheryl Chan is a Team Singapore Steeplechaser who represented the country at the Southeast Asian Games 2019.
At merely 25 years of age, Cheryl has bettered the national record 10-times since her maiden foray in the 3000-metre steeplechase event back in 2015.
Her recent achievement included a Singapore National Record 11:14.70 minutes at the New South Wales Championship 2020 in Australia.
Cheryl is currently a Final Year Student in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (Post-Graduate) at University of Sydney.
Have you been trying to lose weight, but it requires a lot of your time and effort? Fret not, here are 10 simple tips for you to lose those weights without putting in too much time and effort!
Eat vegetables for breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it provides 25% of your daily energy needs. Also, having breakfast will increase your intellectual and physical performance.
Eat more greens for breakfast as it will aid you to feel full, thus reducing your calorie intakes in your other daily meals.
Sit up straight
Sitting up straight when you’re working or watching a movie is an excellent way to lose weight quickly as it requires you to engage more muscles. This simple habit reduces the cortisol (fat-storing hormones) level in your body and requires more energy than you think.
You can also lose weight while you sit by adopting healthy habits that stimulate your metabolism, boost calorie burn and stave off overeating. Light stretches throughout the day can relax muscles while burning a few extra calories.
Take the stairs
Climbing the stairs does not require any extra time, and it can easily be integrated into your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at your workplace. Stair climbing is considered a “vigorous” form of exercise that improves your cardiovascular fitness. This is how you can achieve great results with minimum effort.
Do stretches
Flexibility allows you to do any physical activity. The more flexible you are, the fewer injuries you get while exercising. Yoga is an excellent option, and you can practice it even when you’re at home and before any other physical exercise. It is beneficial for your health, and it also burns lots of calories
Walk more
Walking is the perfect exercise for weight loss. You can burn up to 255 per hour if you go for a slow walk. 391 calories per hour if you brisk walk. Light physical exercise after a meal helps your muscles to absorbs the glucose you have consumed and prevents insulin spikes.
Eat spicy food
Spicy food contains capsaicin (found in chilli peppers and cayenne), a component which speeds up the fat burning process in your body. Also, it lowers body fat since it naturally stimulates the destruction of fat cells. Moreover, the consumption of spicy food increases your metabolism by 20% for at least 30 mins, and during this period, your body will burn fat. It is also found to curb hunger and reduce cravings for sweet, high-fat foods.
Take up strength training
Experts say strength workouts are more effective than any other fat burning workouts. Start with light weights and gradually increase the intensity. However, don’t put too much strain on your muscles and joints to avoid injuries. You will burn a lot more calories during strength workout.
Drink water before each meal
Drinking 2 large glasses of water before each meal helps you avoid overeating. This habit makes you feel fuller, and it will send signals to your brain to stop eating. It also helps prevent binge eating and speeds up your metabolism. As a result, your body burns more calories. A person might think they are hungry when they are thirsty. Thus, drinking a glass of water before eating can help curb unnecessary snacking.
Use a small plate when you eat
A small plate full of food is an infallible trick to fool your brain. Using smaller plates can trick your brain into thinking you’re eating more than you actually are. Play this trick until your mind gets used to it.
Chew Slowly
When you chew slowly, it will give your body time to recognize that you’re full and it will also avoid you from overeating, thus reducing your calorie intake. It also includes better digestion, better hydration and greater satisfaction with your meals. Learning to eat slowly is one of the simplest yet most powerful things you can do to improve your overall health.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the National Athletes to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
Loneliness and social isolation can have negative effects on your immune system, so it is important to do everything you can to keep your mood up during lockdown.
1) Get quality sleep: It’s important to stay rested and refreshed to help keep your immune system working effectively to fight off bad bacteria, try to get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night if possible, even if it means going to bed a little earlier!
2) Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is crucial in regulating our body temperature and maintaining many bodily functions.
How do I stay active? You might feel guilty at first to not accomplish the usual training/exercising routine that you’re used to, but I find it more important to reserve for my mental health during this period and it’s also an opportunity to look into myself a little more.
I improvised my activities (make it more fun but effective) which I thought would be applicable for anyone, meanwhile attaching some of the usual routines in between. You can put your tins of baked beans, bags of rice, bottled water or flour to good use. They make great dumbbell substitutes or, if you tie them up in a carrier bag, you have an improvised kettlebell. Households are definitely relatable to any house chores and that’s when you include some movements while doing it. Squats or sit-to-stands from a sturdy chair, push-ups against a wall or the kitchen counter, and lunges or single-leg step-ups on stairs are all great for those new to these kinds of exercises.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
I have been avoiding to create any spaces for negativity attacks. Meaning I will plan out my every day with the list of “things to do” just to fill up my day and small goals with strong purposes to accomplish (daily routine & work) or even trying out/learn new things which I couldn’t all this while. I do hold back a little on some days to work on my mindfulness exercises just to refresh my mind and souls to stay motivated consistently.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
I’m definitely a very specific person when it comes to that considering what I put into my body matters for the sake of my performance & wellbeing. There are too many testimonies or even the most recommended recipes on the internet nowadays and my only advice is to balance up all the nutrition (protein, minerals, fibres, vitamins, carbs, fats etc) as the meal plan is forever just a guideline and it’s very individual as we all have different body types.
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
I do have my own cooking page on Instagram & Facebook @aimi.fitkitchen in case you wanna try out some of my recipes specially designed for athletes.
ABOUT AIMI IWASAKI
Photo source: Aimi’s Facebook
Aimi Iwasaki, 24 years old Japanese and Malaysian mix, is a Team Malaysia Triathlete who represented the country at the Southeast Asian Games 2019.
Aimi started swimming at the age of 10, ventured into cycling under the Malacca state team and progressed to the national cycling team and the Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) concurrently before she became a National Triathlete today.
She came in 5th Women’s Individual at the 2019 SEA Games and her other achievement included 2nd place in her category at the Singapore International Triathlon Championships 2019.
Aimi is also a Triathlon Coach, part-time Chef and Translator and is currently based in Kuala Lumpur.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
There are many home-based exercises to do within the confines of the home especially if you don’t have an outdoor space. More and more people have come up with workouts to perform at home. While many of these workouts are great for toning your body, as a podiatrist, I just want to remind you to be careful for your knees and feet as most of the surfaces in our homes are hard, so it’s really easy to injure or put extra stress on them.
By all means, exercise, just be careful, use a yoga mat or a more cushioned surface for floor work. Consider wearing your sports shoes indoors for completing exercise activities. Yoga and pilates are great forms of exercise with many online videos for guidance, just make sure you do not strain yourself and work within your own bodies limits.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
There are two big aspects to maintaining our health in this time
period. We have to be very mindful of our physical and mental health. Earlier I
shared about the importance of physical activity, so I want to talk about mental
health now.
Relaxing hobbies such as drawing, doing arts and crafts with family members or reading can be extremely helpful to keep the mind occupied while providing opportunities to learn new skills.
Photo source: Georgina
Photo source: Georgina
Photo source: Georgina
Keeping your windows and curtains open lets in air and brightens the house while bringing in the fresh air, making it more conducive for relaxation.
Take the opportunity to do some spring cleaning, clearing out
unnecessary things can make your room and home feel more spacious, something
which can be immensely useful when we spend so much time at home now. During
the clearing out you may find the old board games along the way that are
sitting at the back of the cupboard, spend some time as a family bonding over
games.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
As many of us are likely to put in lower levels of physical activity, lowering our caloric intake may be prudent to avoid putting on excessive weight during this time. While snacking can be convenient and enjoyable, be aware and monitor your own consumption to avoid unhealthy binging.
For a refreshing light drink in the heat of things, sparkling water with 1x fresh lemon juice/ 1x fresh lime juice and mint leaves over ice is an excellent home cooler to keep you cool calm and refreshed.
Eating vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers can help fill your stomach and prevent you from overeating unhealthy snacks that won’t fill you up for as long as the healthy green vegetables.
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
As a mummy myself, my indoor focus will be mostly on post-pregnancy conditioning. I personally find online support from Orchard Clinic to be excellent for core and pelvic floor training.
For keeping up to date on medical developments regarding COVID-19, the Singapore Medical Specialists Centre have been making great efforts to keep the public updated with their regular podcasts. You can find them at https://www.facebook.com/MWH.Medical.SGMSC/
ABOUT GEORGINA CALLAGHAN
Georgina is a Podiatrist from the U.K. who began her initial years of practicing in Singapore by first serving in SGH. This was followed by a stint at NHG polyclinics before going into private practice to co-found East Coast Podiatry.
As a young mother, Georgina’s interest in paediatric cases has only amplified, and her passion for paediatric cases and children with special needs has only grown.
Georgina contributes to the profession through workshops, community events and publishing articles for public education in magazines and news platforms. Having won multiple awards during her service period in the public sector, Georgina has continued her community work in private practice, leading her team to participate in pro-bono screenings for students in schools and the less fortunate.
She is also trained and certified in medical shockwave applications from the International Society of Medical Shockwave Treatments.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
Besides taking care of your physical health, I think it’s also important to take care of your mental health during this period because for some people, it may get particularly more stressful to be cooped up at home 24/7 with limited opportunities to get outdoors to exercise and destress.
For anyone who works out frequently before the circuit breaker was implemented, it’s only natural to feel disappointed that all the gyms and fitness centres were forced to shut down. However, there is an endless amount of resources available online for us to use such as YouTube and Instagram!
Something I’ve been trying to work on is to produce more consistent and higher quality workout videos and tutorials on both my Instagram and YouTube channel. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need any or much equipment to be able to get a decent workout in ? There’s a lot of workout videos online requiring little to no equipment and the best part is that it’s all free ?
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
It’s important to understand the various implementations given by the government and the reasons why they are shutting down almost everything in Singapore except for the essential services. Unfortunate news may be inevitable and the numbers may keep rising over this period, but if we all do our part and stay home and just focus on our own actions for the time being, we will eventually get through this tough period together as a nation. Then soon enough, we can all go back to our daily lives, sip some coffee at a café, hug our close friends and families, and hang out with friends again ? For now, let’s try our best to stay at home and take it as a short break for us to work on ourselves before hustling again when the time comes!
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
One of the pros of this Circuit Breaker period is that we have so much time on our hands to work on things we’ve always wanted to do, but always don’t seem to have the time for it. This is actually the perfect time if you have always thought of eating better- there’s a lot of simple, healthy recipes on the internet! As a start, I’ve also found myself watching a whole lot more YouTube healthy cooking videos (like BuzzFeed)- who knows, I might even start doing healthy meal prep videos soon too!
But a simple, fuss-free nutrition guideline you can follow is to have a balanced diet of lean proteins, healthy fats and fibrous carbs. An example of this could be the following:
Breakfast- Yoghurt with nuts and fruits
Lunch- Grilled Chicken Breast with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
Dinner- Grilled Salmon with Vegetables and Brown Rice
Snack ideas- Wholemeal bread with cheese, Cottage cheese mixed with fruits/nuts, Rice cakes with Peanut Butter
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
Additionally, I also love watching BuzzFeed’s Tasty series- I know a lot of the video ideas aren’t super “clean” options but it does give me some inspiration for a modified healthier version of “junk food” haha!
ABOUT SHARLYNN OOI
Photo source: Sharlynn’s IG
Sharlynn Ooi is a freelance Personal Trainer. She also creates fitness videos on YouTube during her free time.
Sharlynn is also the owner of LXIX Athletica, a sportswear brand that she founded in 2019 which aims to provide women with affordable, pretty yet comfortable activewear. Ladies can wear them for workouts, or even at lounges and anywhere else.
Sharlynn likes to encourage women to “redefine their strong”- Everyone has their own idea of what being strong means, and through the brand, she likes to use that term to motivate all the supergurls to continually challenge themselves past their comfort zones, and never be limited by what they think they can do.
HAVING worked from home since late last year, I decided to schedule my running sessions to the early morning instead of noon or evening some months back.
I wasn’t a fan of dragging the body along in a groggy state. But once I settled into the routine, it becomes a priority at the start of the day to quickly fulfil that one hour-plus of cardio exertion. With the heart energised post-run, I feel ready to engage the tasks at hand, being unbothered the rest of the day by the demands of committing to my daily 10K.
That was how things were before April this year. Even now, little has changed in terms of my routine. The goal of completing 60km-per-week is maintained and most sessions can be easily conducted with several loops around my neighbourhood.
Then, the COVID-19 outbreak struck the world hard at the start of the year and just about anything is now affected. Travelling out of the country is heavily restricted; people need to move one meter apart from each other to prevent close-contact infections; and several public venues, including gyms and stadiums, have closed temporarily.
For runners, forget about participating in races at least in the first half of 2020 as these events are either postponed or cancelled.
Currently, unless you are leaving home to do something essential — i.e. buying groceries and food takeaways; exercising at a public park or seeing a doctor for a suspected COVID-19 infection — you are strongly encouraged by the authorities to stay at home. Schools have moved to home-based learning for students and employees of many workplaces are operating remotely from home.
What do all these mean for us regular runners who prefer to sweat it out in the morning?
Well, due to a shift to a more flexible work arrangement, anyone who also thinks he/she could sneak in a sesh before 9 am is now running along the PCN – that fairly quiet stretch of tarmac beginning to receive a gradual rise of foot traffic.
Until the past weeks or so, keeping a one-meter separation from another person as I ran past at the PCN wasn’t a big problem. There weren’t many people in the mornings of the earlier weeks and most were folks I have seen almost daily, whether it is the lady walking her two Shih Tzus or the old man taking a stroll with his portable radio playing.
When the Circuit Breaker measures kicked in early April, the number of visitors to the PCNs and parks noticeably increased and so are the sight of unfamiliar faces. In addition to the multiple runners I have to avoid moving too close to, I also contend with people moving in pairs or a bigger group, which sometimes takes up about half of the path.
As Minister Wong warned about people making “a special trip” to “a special place… just to exercise,” expect to go the furthest to the park or park connector located a stone’s throw away.
Under still-normal circumstances during the initial phase of local COVID-19 transmissions, keeping a wider width between you and the other individual at the PCN is simple – all you need to do is to run more to the side of the pathway.
However, we are now coping with a new normal, and as such, many people are not used to being very cautious in these extraordinary times. Anecdotally speaking, I have lost count the moments I veered to the grass patch on the side because somebody was moving a little too close.
Regular runners like ourselves will have to put in the effort to ensure personal safety so that we can go home with peace of mind, confident that we are not potentially bringing in an invisible threat to our house.
The first thing is to accept the current reality as it is that has already changed the way we go about with our business.
So, to start with:
1. Run solo but stay connected
With the latest COVID-19 Bill in place, social gatherings of any size are not allowed at both private and public spaces.
It’s goodbye to those weekends of getting out with your running buddies for now. But running alone does not mean the experience cannot be shared, especially when it can be done digitally or online.
Start a runner’s leaderboard of sorts in a Facebook or Whatsapp group with like-minded friends. Set a goal and reward; say, whoever accumulates the most mileage for the month gets a food treat cash-pooled by the group and sent via delivery services like GrabFood or Deliveroo.
Join Strava if you have not already registered. Sign on and complete the various community sport and fitness challenges. Push yourself to be the fastest on a nearby route that has a leaderboard of resident runners.
Despite the restrictive circumstances of social distancing, keeping in touch with each other is the biggest advantage of an online community of any kind.
running alone does not mean the experience cannot be shared, especially when it can be done digitally or online.
2. Outrun anyone who is not a friend – or someone you do not intend to meet
At some point, you are going to cross paths several times with a new person along your usual route. Or bump into a friend who is now exploring that part of your neighbourhood.
Nobody is meeting anyone who’s not part of his/her household (it is prohibited right now if you are not aware).
But with enough familiarity of their latest routine — where and when they would run — and some innocent and brief exchange of pleasantries at a safe distance, why not try to keep in pace with each other with increasing speed?
You can also try overtaking them if you are just starting from the back. And remember your polite “hellos” after sprinting past.
Again, be aware of your one-meter separation and watch out for other park/PCN users.
3. Run to the side of the pathway
From whichever direction you are running from, either stay to the extreme left or extreme right to allow more social distancing from other runners.
Shift sideways from time to time if a slow pedestrian is directly in front of you or when you are trying to avoid an oncoming cyclist. Run onto the grass patch if you encounter a person who couldn’t manage a simple act of social distancing.
Be alert of your situation. There are going to be some folks who will walk in pairs or threes and take up about half of the pathway. Do your best to overtake at a safe distance or divert your route.
Do not run in the middle of the path due to the already restricted width. You are not going to get drafting advantages from that.
4. Unless very necessary, avoid public parks at all costs.
Let’s face it: with a nice mini-lake, pleasant greenery, amenities and the occasional appearance of otters, a public park is a magnet for folks from all walks of life, whether they are exercising or not.
Multiple paths will get clogged with enough foot traffic to render social distancing pointless in the peak hours. Unless you are prepared to brave the hot sun in the afternoon or risk encountering perverts in the late evening, you are better off staying away from parks until COVID-19 transmissions cease.
Punggol Park on the evening of April 11, Saturday. Image by Terry Tan.
5. Don’t go to trails – simulate it.
The truth is not many of us live near enough to Bukit Timah Hill to make a one-minute trip to. And the authorities are quite clear about long-distance commute: only go out for essential purposes and stay home as much as possible (refer to Minister Wong’s earlier statement).
You can run on the uneven grass patch at the pavement’s side to get your trail fix, but that would be like telling an aspiring pro-driver to operate a Daytona arcade machine because he cannot afford a Toyota Supra GT4.
Thankfully, the toughness of BTH hill climbing can be simulated, even if not to perfection.
Simply, pick the highest HDB block in your estate and hike it up with a slew of repeats. Modify the difficulty by going slow at the first half, then speed it up for the last several floors. Skip two steps going up to intensify the climb. Carry a load of sorts — e.g. a hydration vest packed all your essentials at race-day weight — to enhance the workout. If this is likely to bore you fast, have your earphones tuned to your favourite podcasts and get educated as you toil.
Beware: You may want to avoid HDB blocks which you do not stay at due to the authorities’ actions against loitering. Additionally, you will not be the only one using the staircase and may need to be light-footed on the steps lest becoming a nuisance to your neighbours.
6. Enjoy the process. Really.
The Circuit Breaker period is expected to end on May 4 but that’s depending on what the COVID-19 situation in Singapore will be by then.
For now, it will be a few weeks of staying strictly at home. Most of the time.
With running, you can only go so far to tackling your cabin fever. It’s time to consider the various indoor activities and pastimes you have neglected since you entered the workforce.
Read that book you bought 10 years ago. Watch Youtube to receive free lessons on Python coding. Marie Kondo the heck out of your living spaces. Take up cooking and anticipate the horrified looks of family members sampling your meal.
Or you can just plot your training schedule and goals, scheming a plan to dominate leaderboards across the Strava platform.
Just remember that the period we are in now is temporary. Someday, things will return to normal; road races will happen once more and ultramarathoners will fly off to their next exotic destination in the mountains.
We will slap high-fives again, hugging at finish lines with sweaty arms wrapped around each other and celebrating achievements with such abandon of physical distancing – it’s as if the coronavirus no longer lurks in our midst.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
For me, setting a routine or schedule is really important to mentally tune in to the tasks at hand. As an example, starting the day with a little morning stretch for 20 minutes before work begins is a simple way to ensure that you keep yourself active! This is easily done at home on your mat, or even, your bed! For those who are looking to rev up their fitness in this period, adding in a bit of HIIT is good enough to maintain your physique.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
It is inevitable that most of us might feel unsettled from the uncertainty that is around us. Perhaps trying a guided meditation or various breathing techniques would help in relaxation. There are many videos and apps that are out there in the market that is free! One app that I really like to use is Insight Timer.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
I usually post what I eat on my Instagram stories for fun! There used to be more updates on recipes but I haven’t been able to keep up with it… until now! Maybe I will update more when I have time!
She is an avid adventure seeker and loves challenging herself for new experiences. Ever since the graduation of her Teacher Training Course as a Yoga Instructor in 2014, Shermaine has actively immersed herself in different environments and styles of teaching; she is now also a Reiki Level 1 practitioner.
Shermaine prides her yoga and fitness classes to be engaging and a constant test of comfortable limits. One will expect to flow through various sequences structured to work on his/her balance, strength and flexibility, a key combination that will be achieved at every class.
While travelling and taking yoga photos off the mat are some of the things she loves to do, she also relishes in weight training and Muay Thai as her current new endeavours.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
Have a time table of your workout. Likely more towards home base workout.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
To tell people to stay calm during “not calm” time, doesn’t help. Because it’s already happening. To stay calm in all things, we must first anticipate the coming event. The best way is to tell yourself it is going to be a long but temporary issue, and it is not the end of everything. Keep yourself occupied, be it is workout, cooking, reading etc. After all, we have the internet.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
Eating well is one of the key components of fitness.
Everyone is different when it comes to food and nutrition. Get some tips from the internet and look for your preference. Pasta can be a healthy dish and can be unhealthy too. Too much or too little of anything can affect your body.
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
Understand that we can’t go to the gym anymore. There is plenty of home-based workouts which you can find on the internet. Eg, bodyweight workout, stretching etc
As for nutrition, plenty!
ABOUT DAVID LIM
Photo source: David’s Facebook
David Lim, more commonly known as Yellowfish, is a 52 years old full-time swim coach at Yellowfish.
David has been coaching swimming since 1993. Coaching children has always been his favourite. As children learn faster through having fun, he uses toys and incorporates fun ways of teaching with the “show-and-tell” method.
During his free time, David swims, bikes and runs to stay healthy. He also loves spending time with his family and his dog. He still actively participates in Triathlon and Running events.
The ASICS Innovation Summit moves to Virtual Reality for the announcement of our three most advanced performance shoes yet
Continuing in the tradition of ASICS innovation, the three new shoes support athletes to achieve peak performance with ultimate protection:
The METARACER™ is ASICS’ most advanced distance racing shoe yet, with energy-saving GUIDESOLE™ technology combined with a stabilizing carbon plate
The METASPRINT™ is ASICS’ spikeless track shoe; lighter than most sprinting footwear, its honeycomb sole provides more traction and transfers power in between each stride for increased speed
The METARISE™ is a revolutionary volleyball shoe designed for the attack which gives players an extra 3 per cent lift for higher jumps
ASICS has announced 3 revolutionary new shoes to power and protect athletes – the METARACER™ advanced racing shoe for long distances, the METARISE™ volleyball shoe and the spikeless METASPRINT™ track shoe for elite sprinters. Like all ASICS innovation, they are designed to help athletes perform at their peak and protect them at the same time. Right now, the uplifting power of movement and sport is more important than ever; the World Health Organization says that physical activity is an important way for people to cope with global restrictions on movement and enforced social distance.
The three new shoes will be announced in the Sunrise Red color scheme, which is a symbol of athletes’ hope, passion and dedication and celebrates the city of Tokyo. “The three new shoes keep with the best ASICS tradition: they help athletes to perform better, but also keep them safe at the same time,” said Kenichi Harano, Executive Officer and Senior General Manager at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science. “Innovation has been at the core of the ASICS DNA since 1949, when our founder Kihachiro Onitsuka decided the power of sports could help transform the lives of children in war-torn Japan. Kihachiro Onitsuka decided that the power of sports could help children overcome the challenges and hardships after World War II.
“Ever since, whether it was an elite competition year or not, ASICS has continuously innovated to equip athletes of all abilities with the gear they need to reach their peak performance – but to do so safely. That’s the true spirit of ASICS.”
Originally planning to announce its new shoes at an ASICS Innovation Summit in Tokyo, the company has taken its shoe innovation into Virtual Reality, for ASICS’ first product preview in VR. Media, athletes and shoppers around the world can experience the three new shoes up close and personal – in the virtual innovation lab of the ASICS Institute of Sport Science. The Institute is the home of ASICS innovation in Kobe, Japan, with scientists, engineers and designers constantly working to develop technology that helps athletes to safely perform to the best of their abilities.
“We believe that now, more than ever, it’s really important to remember the positive impact of sport for individuals and society: exercise uplifts people, so they achieve a sound mind through a sound body. And what better way to showcase ASICS innovation than taking people to a virtual innovation lab that brings our technology to life,” said Yasuhito Hirota, the President & Chief Operating Officer of ASICS.
All three new shoes will be available in limited quantities from selected ASICS retail and online stores and specialist run outlets, starting with the eagerly awaited METARACER™ in Japan from April 17th and followed globally from June 26th. The METASPRINT™ will also launch globally starting from April 17th and the METARISE™ from June 12th.
NOTE ON COVID-19 RESPONSE
We consider the health and wellbeing of our athletes, customers and staff as our top priority, and we took the decision several weeks ago to close our retail stores and offices in affected markets around the world.
Medical professionals say that in the current situation movement is very important to ensure everybody’s mental and physical wellbeing. That’s why ASICS recently opened access to the ASICS Studio™ at-home workout app for everyone for the duration of this difficult situation. We believe in the power of sport to uplift us all, and in times like this it has never been as important to help everyone achieve a sound mind in a sound body. We will continue to do all we can to help the world achieve that goal.
METARACER™
The METARACER™ is ASICS’ most advanced long-distance racing shoe yet, designed to help performance athletes reach their peak. It combines our revolutionary GUIDESOLE™ technology with a carbon plate to give runners more stability.
The shoe has an improved toe-spring shape that reduces the load on the calf muscle by up to 20 per cent1 for better energy efficiency. The shoe also helps athletes to stay fresh, thanks to a lightweight but supportive ENGINEERED MESH upper that keeps feet cool in hot and humid weather. ASICS scientists have found that every degree less heat in a running shoe dramatically improves an athlete’s well-being.
The FLYTEFOAM™ technology in the midsole is lightweight and gives both a softer run and improved responsiveness. The superior materials used on the sole – with ASICS grip™ and WET GRIP RUBBER™ SPONGE – enhances grip even in wet conditions.
METARISE™
Higher jumps, fast movement on the break and stability without power loss – these are the unique qualities of the ASICS METARISE™ volleyball shoe. Combining FLYTEFOAM™ Propel technology in the midsole with the winged midfoot support called RISETRUSS™ technology, the METARISE™ gives attacking players that bit of extra height needed for devastating spikes. The curved heel design supports smooth transition and lift off for the attack. Research at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science has shown that the METARISE™ gives players an extra 3 per cent lift for higher jumps – which for athletes can mean a difference of up to 2cm in the air.
METASPRINT™
Traditionally, sprinters have relied on spikes to gain traction. Not anymore. With the METASPRINT™, ASICS revolutionizes what a track shoe should look like, replacing the spikes with a honeycomb carbon fiber outsole that optimizes and enhances traction and delivers explosive speed with each stride. The METASPRINT™ is the ideal choice for elite and competitive sprinters. With no spikes inhibiting your stride, athletes will transfer additional power with every step and increase speed – and over short distances, every millisecond saved counts.
The shoes provide an amazing fit thanks to the STRETCH HL-O™ mesh seamless upper, which is lightweight and feels like a second skin.
The ASICS DYNAWRAP™ technology – with supportive panels that wrap from the midsole across the arch – securely locks the foot in place for increased stability.
In view of the current COVID-19 situation and measures implemented by the governments, we have asked some of the experts to share some tips with our running and sports community on how to stay physically, mentally and/or nutritionally healthy during this period.
1. How do we stay active or physically healthy during this period, considering that we are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible?
I don’t know a single runner who hasn’t been disappointed by the new restrictions and the cancellation of races, but I continue to remind myself that this fight against COVID-19 is way more important than my love for running outdoors.
Our human body is incredible yet complicated, and we don’t become better runners merely by running more. Runners can take this period as an opportunity to identify and strengthen their weaker muscle groups – usually the hamstrings and glutes. Since most runners won’t be trying to build muscle, bodyweight training would be perfect! It may also be a good time to increase the range of joint movement through mobility exercises and yoga.
If your kids are home with you, being active with kids is a great way to be active together while burning off their excess energy. Hop over pillows, toss balls into buckets, do kids’ yoga or even create a dance video… the possibilities are endless.
2. How do we stay calm during this stressful period?
Many of us use running as a form to relieve stress, and this period may be extra difficult. Personally, I like to make a weekly plan of the tasks I intend to accomplish each day. I implement this for my work, my five-year-old son’s home-based learning, my workouts and even my household chores! I find that it helps me focus on the things I can control, and it keeps me positive and moving.
3. Are there any simple nutrition plans, tips or recipes that we can follow?
An important aspect of health is nutrition, and this may be the perfect time to test out healthy recipes that nourish your body. As running mileage may be reduced during this period, a diet filled with wholesome foods will help you keep the unwanted pounds off.
My days are quite long, so I like starting my day with breakfast that has protein and good fats – usually a protein shake and 2 eggs, which keeps me full for a few hours. I also keep homemade healthy snacks in the fridge so that I don’t automatically reach for chocolate when I am stressed with work. My favourite snack is a tuna salad with canned tuna in water, greek yoghurt, caramelised onions, celery, lemon juice, dill and black pepper.
For lunch and dinner, I mostly eat homecooked food with my family during this period and we try to spice up our meals with healthy versions of fun foods. So far, we have done healthier versions of laksa, hokkien mee and ramen – all of these loaded with vegetables and without processed ingredients, MSG or excessive salt.
4. Are there any recommendations on resources (youtube channel/video, social media pages, blogs, books, podcasts etc) to refer to?
I’ve started reading North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek. I’m hoping to run a trail 50k later this year, and the book is extremely inspirational to me! Meanwhile, I am also reading Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook to boost my nutrition knowledge, particularly on popular trends like keto and gluten-free diets. As for strength training, I do my own workouts which I also post on my Instagram page.
ABOUT PEARLLY LUO
Photo source: Pearlly
Pearlly Luo is currently undergoing a course to be a Certified Trainer.
She is a full-time working mother who recently rebuilt her fitness through running, cycling, resistance training and proper nutrition.
Through her own experience, she hopes to be able to inspire other women to regain their health and confidence.
Pearlly works as a Communications Manager and is also part of the On Run Crew. She shares about her fitness journey on her Instagram page @pearllyluo (link: https://www.instagram.com/pearllyluo/).
Eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a prince and eat dinner like a pauper We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet, most of us still skip breakfast occasionally because we are always rushing. But intentionally skipping breakfast isn’t a great idea.
Eating breakfast is beneficial for your body. If you had a good breakfast, you won’t get too hungry and overeat at lunch. Here are 7 reasons why you shouldn’t skip your breakfast!
Breakfast helps you to lose weight
Here’s a misconception: you think by skipping breakfast or having a cup of coffee can help you to lose weight faster. On the contrary, studies show that people who skip their breakfast are more likely to become overweight and they are more likely to have an overall unhealthy lifestyle.
When you skip breakfast, you tend to eat more at lunch, thinking you lack of your daily calories. Filling up on the right breakfast can curb cravings and minimize snacking and ease weight loss. Include eggs, oats, bananas, yoghurt, fruits and green in your breakfast to ease your lose some weight.
Improves your intellectual performance
Having breakfast will increase your level of concentration and improves your memory and other mental abilities.
A study conducted to recognize the importance of breakfast to learning, memory, physical well being in both children and adults. “Our studies to date show that breakfast really does get us off to a better start,” Pollitt said. “The first meal of the day especially helps children in school and allows them to cope with the demands of their school work.”
Having breakfast reactivate your metabolism
At night, your body slows down its rhythm to run without nutrients for at least eight hours. Therefore, after you wake up in the morning, you should eat a good breakfast to boost your metabolism.
A study was done by a professor of metabolic medicine at oxford centre for diabetes, Fredrik Karpe, reiterating that having breakfast is the key to jumpstart our metabolism. In order for other tissues to respond well to our food intake, you need an initial trigger involving carbs responding to insulin and having breakfast is critical for this to happen.
Eating breakfast improves your athletic performance
Breakfast provides vitamins and nutrients. As a result, you’re full of energy and ready to exercise and burn off all those fat deposits.
In a research study, athletes who ate breakfast were able to exercise for 137 minutes as compared to only 109 minutes when they skipped this pre-exercise fuel.
Having breakfast reduces the risk of disease
A healthy diet, which includes having breakfast every day, helps reduce the risk of hypoglycemia, hypertension and diabetics. By eating breakfast, it improves the quality of our diet. This is because breakfast food is often higher in fibre and nutrients. As a result, the insulin sensitivity at subsequent meals will improve and thus, lowering the risk of diabetics.
Breakfast helps you reduce anxiety
If you skip breakfast, you set yourself up for low blood sugar, which can trigger anxiety. Include greens in your breakfast because they are rich in magnesium and chlorophyll that helps to relieve stress and anxiety.
Breakfast is good nutritious start to your day
It is scientifically proven that people who eat breakfast every day have a more nutritious diet. Nutrients help your body function properly, as long as your breakfast includes proteins, carbs, vitamins and minerals. Choose oatmeal, fruit, protein cocktails, scrambled eggs or salad for breakfast. If you are hungry and you ignore your hunger until lunch, you might end up feeling lethargic and also experience cravings.
Breakfast is indeed the meal of champions. It improves the quality of your diet and is beneficial for your health and well being. Make breakfast a habit, no excuses!
As of the time this is written, Singapore has already enforced its Circuit Breaker measures, and we should consider ourselves lucky.
We are down to essentials-only policy, just to have only what’s needed to keep the lights on and providing the economy with a minimal heartbeat. Before the COVID-19 crisis even made a turn for the worse, we discovered that one essential item for most people (worldwide even) is… toilet paper. Then most recently, just before the more restrictive measures kicked in, turns out IKEA was also essential. Panic buying on Swedish meatballs, lingonberries, and canteen fried chicken? And in Manila, you can add Orange Mocha Frapuccino in the must-haves.
Why lucky? At this point, no one’s on the verge of going crazy to run a marathon around his dining room table just like that guy in China, as we’re still allowed to go out and exercise, albeit alone or with people from the same household in open and green spaces. For now.
And who doesn’t want to bask under the morning sun? Even if it doesn’t give you powers like Superman, it does energize you like Wall-E solar-charging his batteries. Your eyes can relax its focus to infinity than have your vision always obstructed by the four walls of your house. That is if you stop shoving that smartphone in front of your face and just soak in the view in front of you.
In parts of the world that are locked down, treadmills are a “what to do?” substitute. Dulling the pain and boredom by playing back virtual run videos while running to pretend they’re anywhere else but wherever they are. Again, we don’t have to go this route yet here in Singapore as we can still venture out. For now.
A day or so earlier, stadiums were ordered closed because people still ended up clustering. Parks remain open though amenities are now gradually being cordoned off to avoid exactly that. And the latest, beaches are now also off-limits.
Heading out on your own is one thing. Many people, also alone, and having the same idea heading out to the same place, makes you and everyone else alone but in a crowd nonetheless.
The fact that the government said the parks remain open should make you think twice about going there in the first place because that’s where most people will actually go for their Vitamin D and fresh air fix. Either you go there in the lean hours, or just run on the sidewalks which should are down to 20% or lower of usual footfall anyway.
In the same way that we wanted to flatten the curve of confirmed cases vs hospital capacity, we should do the same with parks and open spaces by spreading the load over time.
Cycling is another way to get your workout. On the road that is, and why not? Surely there are fewer people there, lesser cars too so it’s relatively safer. The same rule apply though, you have to go solo. And tempting as it is especially in windy conditions, no slipstreaming behind other riders, and keep away from one another even while waiting at the stoplight. No group/social rides. Yet the cycling federation still had to send out an urgent reminder to its community to stick to social distancing rules while on the road.
Be it running or riding, its a good time to try new routes, avoiding the most common paths. But wherever it takes you, make encounters as fleeting as possible, your presence in one place as transient as can be, and not be caught within touching distance while standing/waiting.
Why call this thing “Circuit Breaker” anyway? I assume it means the measures implemented are to break or reduce at least the chain of transmission of the virus. Or, another way of looking at it, it may refer to tripping the patience of the authorities should the situation does not improve, then its lights out on this remaining privilege (parks and PCN totally closed, go sun and air yourselves by your window) and we all go to complete lockdown.
So, tread and pedal carefully, hopefully, we are not toeing the line too much. Consider ourselves lucky. For now.
