I lost my stamina to Covid-19 but here’s how I’m gradually getting it back

50, 40, 20, 10, 5, not even one……. Crap!

You must be thinking what’s up with these numbers? Isn’t it? But nothing is wrong with them, because this is how the count of my push-ups dropped when Covid-19 struck me last year. Yes, that was the number I had reached. Everyone had some or the other post-Covid-19 symptom; I had lost my stamina.

And I was not alone. From my friends to celebs, everyone has been talking about this. Recently, ace fashion designer Masaba Gupta and actor Malaika Arora also opened up about how their fitness routine has been affected after being infected with Covid-19.

Well, what can I say, I totally feel you sistah! Because I’ve also been dealing with the same.

My tale of losing stamina to Covid-19

Well, I don’t know why and how , but one thing is for sure – post-Covid-19 has been really very hard. Even simple things like climbing the stairs became a major task for me. Oh, and brisk walking left me short of breath; this is when I have always been big time into fitness.

And the face mask added to my misery.

TBH, I was petrified about what was happening to me, but after a consultation with my doctor, my concerns were finally put to rest. But there was one thing that the doctor made clear; it was that I needed to rework my lifestyle to get back on track.

And I would really like to spill some beans for those who are reading this today.

Here’s how I’m getting my stride back

It looks like starting all over, but that’s perfectly fine. Staying fit is not an option for me, I really love the “me time” that I spend in the early hours of the day. This is something I do just for myself.

So first things first, I started real slow post-Covid-19 and have gone back to the basics.

Initially, yoga was my thing. During and after Covid-19, there was a long haul when I wasn’t training at all. And what can be better than surya namaskar and pranayama? Why them? Well, that’s because pranayama will help me control my breath, and strengthen my lungs.

And if I think in case someone really wants to test their stamina, check how many surya namaskars you can do in a go. Initially, I huffed and puffed at the 4th or 5th sequence, but it has almost been a year now, and I’ve reached 30 surya namaskars. I think it’s not that bad.

Once I got my breath sorted, I graduated to basic cardio exercises and weight training. The mantra was less weight and more reps, so as to ensure there was no wear and tear, and at the same time, I wanted to gain endurance.

Pre and post-workout stretching has always been a must for me, but this time I added a few more minutes to get better results. This also helped me in increasing my flexibility, and muscle soreness has also disappeared.

When it came to cardio, I used to hop around – skipping, jumping jacks, lateral walk, and some high knees.

Next, I shifted to bodyweight training – squats, push-ups, walking planks, etc were the thing.

And when all of the above got sorted, I intensified things by adding weights to my routine.

Also, read: Does drinking water before getting a Covid-19 shot help? Experts reveal the details

And that’s how I got my stride back. Although I’m not fully there, it’s not a long way to go.

Food inclusions that are working for me

1. Apple, that too on an empty stomach

   Well, it was something I have read, been advised, and prescribed by everyone. Basically, as per my doctor, eating an apple empty stomach helps in boosting iron levels in the body. And as I told you about the fatigue that kicked in during that time, well, that’s been solved by eating apples.

   

2. Almonds and raisins

   Earlier, a shot of coffee was my pre-workout food, but post-Covid-19 I have switched to 10 almonds and 10 raisins. Of course, post my apple sesh. These two are not just yum to eat, but they are a good source of energy as well. They keep me going, without making me go breathless when I want an intense workout.

3. Eggs

   Four eggs is what I started eating; two in the morning and two in the evening. At times, boiled and mostly scrambled because, to be honest, eating boiled eggs is a tab hard for me. This kept my protein intake intact. And yes, no yolk skipping please because that’s going to help when you feel lazy as a sloth.

4. Fish

   Grilled fish was another addition that I made to my diet. Earlier it used to be an occasional delicacy, but I realized its importance, once I added it to my regime. I opted for basa (a kind of fish), and ate it twice or sometimes thrice a week as well.

   

5. Clear soup

I’m all about instant weight gain. Well if you really want to ace that weight loss game, that diet-wise clear soup is your thing. It comes in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties. Clear soup is nothing but broth which has all the extracts from the vegetables and poultry. The best thing was it tasted yum, kept my gut sorted, and prevented any binge sesh.

Nothing happened instantly, to be honest, that’s the beauty of going holistic. Everything will have an impact slowly and that’s why it is long-lasting as well.

So Malaika or Masaba, if any of you are reading this article, you can totally try these tips. Maybe they can help you guys too!