2020 – My Photographic Journey through an Isolating Year

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My Photographic Journey through an Isolating Year Book cover

Over the course of 10 months, I traversed New York City and its environs by foot, bike, ferry, and occasionally by car, my camera in hand, seeking out the beauty in nature as a reaction to the devastating Covid-19 Pandemic. The resulting book, 2020–My Photographic Journey Through an Isolating Year documents my ability to see past the loneliness of social distancing and, find inspiration and some positive brightness in an otherwise bleak year.

My Photographic Journey through an Isolating Year, Randall's Island book spread
My Photographic Journey through an Isolating Year, Central Park, book spread

Desperate to get outside and combat the loneliness of being separated from friends and family, I grabbed my camera and embarked on walks around the city, discovering new things to see in familiar places. In addition to discovering new neighborhoods accessible by foot or ferry, I also learned the names of the various birds and wildlife that exist right here in NYC. Posting these images to Facebook and Instagram, I was surprised at how appreciative my friends were to join in virtually on my excursions. They were able to share my experiences through my photographs and, perhaps file this information for the time they too felt comfortable enough to visit them on their own.

My Photographic Journey through an Isolating Year, Central Park, book spread

I decided to put this book together to share my discoveries with other New Yorkers and show them just what beauty lies within their reach.

My photographic journey through an Isolating year, DUMBO Brooklyn book spread
My photographic journey through an Isolating year, Sam's Point hiking spread
My photographic journey through an Isolating year, Sam's point hik spread

I shot with an Olympus OMD EM5 Mark III mirrorless camera and the lenses that I used for these photos included: M. Zuiko 14-150mm, 60mm, 7-14 mm Pro, 8mm Pro Fisheye, and the 75-300mm.

The book is available in a large, coffee table size and also in a smaller 11 x 8 size in both hardcover and softcover.

How Self-Care Can Coexist With Fitness

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We all want a fitter lifestyle. But it may seem like a fitness routine comes at the expense of other forms of self-care. That doesn’t have to be the case. Self-care is more than a buzzword, and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming.

Strengthen Your Diet

Between life’s commitments and working out, it may not feel like there is enough time to practice healthier eating. But it is such an essential element of broad self-care, and, thankfully, there are options. A meal delivery or grocery service is one that could give you absolute control over your diet without any of the hassle that can sometimes come with wellness-focused nutrition.

You can increase convenience and save time when you use kitchen appliances like a pressure cooker or slow cooker. These handy kitchen tools can turn out a meal while you’re at work or in just 20 minutes. Take Sunday night to prep meals for the week and you’ll find that cooking healthy is a breeze. Recipes like chicken tacos, turmeric lentil soup, and even oatmeal can be prepped ahead of time so you can just throw stuff in the pot when you’re ready to eat.

Use a Schedule

There are only so many things that we can fit into a tight week. It can seem overwhelming as you try to stick to commitments or make new ones. Building a schedule is one solution that could restore balance. It could be a calendar or a list of tasks and activities to pursue daily or weekly. Whatever you add, strive to stick to it. Your schedule does not have to be limited to major goals. Whether your goals are big or small, they add up to make a tapestry of wellness.

Ask yourself what your priorities are when it comes to self-care. What is being overlooked? Are you doing yoga or meditation? If not, find a way to fit it in. Take a weekend break with loved ones or by yourself. Deal with the basics of self-care, as well as the chores that sometimes fall by the wayside as we deal with more pressing matters.

Harness Rest

Pursuing a fitter lifestyle is an enduring commitment, but without having rest days, it may not be tenable over the long term. It might not be an easy thing to do, but try to allow yourself to unwind. Don’t feel guilty that you are not doing something “productive”—focusing on your health and well-being is productive! Spend a day relaxing instead of worrying. Do you have a favorite show you haven’t been able to keep up with lately? How long has it been since you took a long bath? A crucial aspect of mastering self-care is learning how to embrace the stillness of the day. Let your body recharge and recover. You might practice meditation to aid in this. Find a peaceful part of your home and turn it into a space conducive to mindfulness and relaxation. Make use of candles, ambient lighting, and plenty of plants to purify the air. Meditation does not have to be time-consuming or intense. Even 10 minutes can be emotionally restorative and help you reduce stress.

Sleep

A good night’s rest can be easily overlooked aspect of self-care. Sleep helps both body and mind to recover and replenish. Not getting enough sleep can adversely affect physical and mental health. Of course, getting that sleep is easier said than done.

Think about your nightly routine. Do you spend time in bed watching a show or scrolling through social media? If so, that could be a factor in restless nights. Tech emits light that can influence the body’s internal clock and can be just as disruptive as stimulants like caffeine. Do you go to bed at irregular hours or sleep in? That, too, can be an obstacle to a restful night, so keep to a consistent schedule. Lastly, cultivate an environment that supports deep sleep. Blackout curtains can prevent unhelpful light from seeping into the room, while lowering your bedroom’s  temperature can help you sleep through the night.

Finding balance may take time. Self-care is hugely important and can be the perfect foundation to your fitness goals. Remember, your efforts can lead not only to a healthier state, but to a happier you.

Guest Contributor:Sheila Olson created fitsheila.com to share her fitness philosophy with others. She believes the best way to achieve physical fitness and good health is to set and tackle small goals

Image Courtesy of  Pexels.com

A Balanced Diet for General Health

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We all know how vital diet is for maintaining a healthy mind and body, but what exactly does a balanced diet really look like? Does eating in moderation mean having 500 calories of each macronutrient, a cup of every vegetable, or something else entirely? The answer is not so simple, and there is variance between people—especially in processing carbs and fats.

Some people swear by low carb diets while others sweat by low fat diets, so which is healthier? Certain people process fats more efficiently and others are more adjusted to a diet high in carbohydrates. These are mostly genetic differences, but they play a major role in what a balanced diet means for you.

High Fats

Let’s first dive into a high fat diet, it’s benefits, and drawbacks. For starters, high fat diets ironically seem to lean people out. This is because we now know that excess carbohydrates are stored as fat in the body, and a diet low in carbohydrates leaves little room for this to happen. Do not mistake a high fat diet for low carb diets like the keto or Atkins diet, which produce ketones and are not promotive of brain health.

Your macronutrient needs are going to mostly depend on these two factors: physical activity and biological sex. Let’s break this down so it’s easy to visualize what your needs would be on a high-fat diet. In the bullet points below, ‘GPP’ stands for ‘grams per pound’ which is the grams of each macronutrient you would consume per pound of body weight.

  • Active – Female: 1 GPP of fats, 0.75 GPP of protein, 1 GPP of carbohydrates
  • Active – Male: 1 GPP of fats, 1 GPP of protein, 1 GPP of carbohydrates
  • Sedentary – Female: 0.75 GPP of fats, 0.5 GPP of protein, 0.75 GPP of carbohydrates
  • Sedentary – Male: 0.75 GPP of fats, 0.75 GPP of protein, 1 GPP of carbohydrates

Since I fall into the category of ‘active-female’ and weigh 140lbs, here’s what my daily macronutrients would look like: 140 grams of fats, 105 grams of protein, and 140 grams of carbohydrates, which would total 2240 calories. This is right on track with my macronutrient and caloric needs as an athlete.

It’s easy to follow a plan like this, and I don’t necessarily suggest counting macronutrients every day, but being generally aware of the direction of your diet is a good thing. After discussing what a high carb diet looks like, I’ll provide a meal plan for both dietary types that can be easily adjusted to fit anyone’s macronutrient and caloric needs without counting calories every day.

High Carbs

These diets tend to work best for people of Latin American or European (like Italy and France) descent. Some people are just better equipped to process carbs than others, and neither dietary style is necessarily better nor worse than the other. As before, here’s a layout of macronutrient needs for a high carb diet.

  • Active – Female: 0.5 GPP of fats, 0.75 GPP of protein, 1.6 GPP of carbohydrates
  • Active – Male: 0.5 GPP of fats, 1 GPP of protein, 2 GPP of carbohydrates
  • Sedentary – Female: 0.4 GPP of fats, 0.5 GPP of protein, 1.25 GPP of carbohydrates
  • Sedentary – Male: 0.4 GPP of fats, 0.75 GPP of protein, 1.75 GPP of carbohydrates

Using an active, 170lb male as an example this time, 85 grams of fats, 170 grams of protein, and 340 grams of carbohydrates per day would be consumed, totaling 2805 calories.

Now, to put this all together, this is an example diet template that I believe is wholly balanced and satisfies all the vitamins and minerals anyone would need in a day. Adjust the quantities to fit your needs and remember that it’s healthy to diversify your fruits and vegetables, and never to be afraid of a reasonable cheat meal with friends or family. Also, rarely season with salt or any spices containing salt—most foods naturally contain sodium, and excessive sodium damages the heart.

Meal 1

  • eggs seasoned with turmeric, paprika, onion, and garlic (cooked in coconut or olive oil)
  • oatmeal with whole milk, ground cinnamon, slivered almonds or walnuts, and 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • citrus fruit (grapefruit, orange, lemon, etc.)
  • dark chocolate
  • unsweetened tea or warm coffee (do NOT drink hot drinks. Studies show that drinking hot beverages on a daily basis doubles your risk of esophageal cancer)
  • supplements: vitamin D, B-complex, berberine

Meal 2

  • vegetables (beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, turnips, spinach, etc.)
  • sweet potato
  • whole milk (Jersey Cow milk or goat milk is preferable; coconut or almond milk can be used to substitute)
  • nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, etc.)
  • berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.)
  • dark chocolate

Meal 3

  • oily fish (wild salmon, swordfish, trout, etc.)
  • red or brown potato
  • Fruit (choose any)
  • vegetables
  • milk

Meal 4

  • vegetables (beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, turnips, spinach, etc.)
  • sweet potato
  • whole milk (Jersey Cow milk or goat milk is preferable; coconut or almond milk can be used to substitute)
  • nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, etc.)
  • dark chocolate
  • supplements: ashwagandha, CBD, berberine

I’m aware of how absolutely massive this diet appears to be—but remember, you choose how much of each food you eat. It’s super important to have many of the foods I’ve mentioned as a regular part of your diet for optimal brain, heart, joint, and general health. But remember, the key is moderation and balance, and you should never feel guilty about not following your diet to a T. Any excessive focus on diet is bound to come at the expense of friends, free time, and fun, so don’t allow yourself to go overboard with your nutrition.

Guest Contributor: Victoria Ward is a freelance writer with a profound interest in psychology, holistic health, and fitness. Her hobbies include tennis, cooking, writing, and yoga. When she’s not working she can be found playing with her corgi, Milo.

Photo Credit: Carlos T. unsplash.com