Reflecting on how much has changed over the past few weeks has become a common topic of discussion. Last week as I was doing my laundry, it struck me how many of my lifestyle changes were evident in my laundry room.
buffs used to cover my nose and mouth if I encounter anyone on a run
While I’m being lighthearted in airing my clean laundry, I’m not making light of the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic or its devastating effects. I get panic attacks thinking about the serious impacts, so I’m keeping things here on the frivolous side.
Airing My Clean Laundry
So, what am I airing in my clean laundry? Three items in particular are a sign of the times:
- buffs
- reusable produce bags
- leggings
When I take Scooby out for our dark o’clock walks and runs, I rarely encounter anyone, but since I’ve been struggling with the the snooze button I’ve seen a few other people out in my neighborhood. That prompted me to start wearing a buff when I run, which I quickly pull up over my nose and mouth as soon as I spot someone. Of course, I’ll cross the street if that’s possible, but sometimes the risks of getting hit by a car are too imminent.
I’ve been using reusable grocery bags for years, but this winter I started using reusable produce bags as well. At first I thought I wouldn’t use them while grocery shopping requires extra precautions, but then I decided they were at least as sanitary as the disposable plastic bags from the produce section. When I get home, I remove the produce from the bag I used at the store, toss that one in the laundry, and place washed and dried produce in a clean bag for storage in the refrigerator.
As with everything else about the coronavirus, there is conflicting advice on whether you need to handle grocery store purchases with extra care. This article says no, but it only takes a few minutes and puts my husband at ease.
running leggings on the left, lounging leggings on the right?
The item dominating my laundry is leggings. I’m pretty much wearing leggings every day, often two pairs a day. To borrow from an Athleta marketing email, my “work from home wardrobe” is based on leggings. With our weather still on the chilly side, I’m also wearing legging if I go for a run. I have different pairs for lounging working and running, and a week’s worth can take up a whole drying rack. I’m trying to figure out a good organizing system so I don’t spend so much time looking for just the right pair of black leggings.
Weekly Run Down
The weather was all over the place this week, with March-like winds and April showers. On nicer days I took Scooby for a run. Other days I took advantage of Orangetheory At Home workouts via Zoom and Peleton workouts on my iPad. Here’s my weekly run down:
Monday: Peleton Strength Workouts + Orangetheory At Home via Zoom
I liked both of these classes, but they were a tough combination with overlapping exercises. So why did I also do an Orangetheory At Home workout? My other favorite coach was leading a class via Zoom at 5:00 pm, and I wanted to check it out. I skipped the cardio block, so it was about 30 minutes of strength moves, including a lot of core.
Tuesday: 5 Scooby miles
Monday’s wind and rain blew most of the petals off the flowering trees, but that left pretty pink carpeting on the grass.
Wednesday: Strength Workout
I did my own strength workout, with some moves inspired by Monday’s workouts, including banded glute bridge walkouts.
never mind my thighs
Thursday: 3 Scooby Miles
After hitting the snooze button for an hour, I planned to just take Scooby for a walk and fit in a workout later. Although I bundled up, the wind still left me feeling cold, so I decided to start running to get warm. That felt great, so I did our short neighborhood loop.
Friday: Peleton workouts: 30 min treadmill + 10 min strength
Temps were in the 30s again, and I had no desire to bundle up for a run. I opted for two Peleton workouts–a 30 min HIIT treadmill program and a 10 min strength for runners program I’ve done before.
Saturday: 8.25 treadmill miles
I expected rain when I took Scooby out for a walk, but the showers hadn’t moved in yet. I thought I might be able to squeeze in a run, but by the time I gathered by running gear it was pouring, so I headed to my treadmill. I only was planning to do the 45 min interval program, but when that got me to almost 5 miles, I decided to try a 30 min “fun run” program to reach my usual 8 mile weekend long run distance.
I also did a 5 minute warm-up program and a 5 min post-run stretch, just to see what they were like. Both were good enough to choose again.
In case you’re trying these at home and want to know more: The interval workout was a ladder of 1/2/3/4/5 min intervals with 1 min recovery in between, with the first set done at a steady pace and the second set done with negative splits (halfway through the interval you increased the pace). The fun run had a few incline intervals (3% which was just hard enough to feel good) and a few speed intervals (with ~ 20 sec bursts of a faster pace). lt really was a fun mix.
Sunday: Corepower Yoga + Cycling
I eased into Sunday morning with two Corepower yoga programs. I would have done a longer CPY2, but they didn’t have any full programs in their free offerings. These two went well together. Hip programs always feel good, and while splits are not in my practice my hamstrings need the effort.
Later, the sunshine tempted me out on my bike.
The park was too busy for my comfort level, so we only did one lap and then returned to emptier neighborhood roads.
Thanks to Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down link up. It’s always great for motivation and encouragement, but now it’s especially important for distance socializing. We may be physically apart, but we are in this together!
What does your laundry say about your lifestyle?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
Another great week of workouts!
Why do you distinguish between working and running leggings? Nobody can see your working leggings anyway… Just throw them on the same pile 😊
Those yoga poses look challenging!
I am more picky about which I wear running! Some of the other ones are too cottony. 😉
I’m not too worried about cleaning my groceries when they arrive at my house. I just wash my hands…a lot…like I normally do. It’s hard to know what’s the right action, isn’t it?
Nice week of workouts and yes, I spend all my days in leggings! But if I’m doing video visits, I put on a real shirt and makeup, lol!
I’ve only had one videoconference for work so far. I’m not worried about the groceries, but my husband is. He’d quarantine the mail if I didn’t get it first.
I have not tried the produce bags wondering if I should or it’s just more to fuss with when I go. Lots of leggings over here too! Glad you are loving the Peloton classes as well. They are challenging in a good way
The bags are something to get used to. I’ve brought them and forgot to use them. But, I don’t have to worry about my apples breaking the bag and falling out any more.
Thanks for the idea/link for the resuseable produce bags. I don’t have any of those so I’ll look into buying some. I’ve been using reusable shopping bags for years so I was happy to already have a bunch of those on hand.
I’ve noticed an increase in the amount of leggings and pajamas in my laundry as well lol.
I love that you are trying out a bunch of Peloton classes!
The bags are one more way I can cut down on waste, but there’s still so much!
The Peleton classes are amazing!
I’ve kept to a schedule of starting the work day in my jammies, changing into real clothes at lunch to walk the dog, and then getting back into jammies after our final dog walk of the day. The bane of my existence is when I have morning meetings and have to dry my hair and put on real clothes early…how on earth did I manage to do that every day before COVID-19?
Hah! I walk Scooby first thing, but I have a pile of dog walking clothes for that. 😉 It’s going to be hard when we have to go back to the office again.
We’ve been told reusable bags are a no-no now. It kills me to not bring them but I’m complying. When I buy produce, I try not to use a bag unless I have to (like for cilantro). I am on team sweatpants lately. I work between a pair of Adidas and some college ones. I’m bummed your beautiful blooms are already on the ground. Ours haven’t even bloomed yet. Not even close.
Some trees are still in bloom, but they are fading. It’s amazing how different our weather is now, when it is so similar in summer.
My Giant has self- scanners so I scan and bag as I shop, and then just have to pay at a kiosk when I’m done. No body else touches my stuff. 😉 If I used a cashier I wouldn’t be able to use my own bags.
What a great, active week! I’m impressed with all the blooms/blossoms you have (and are at the end of it, ir appears). Not sure if/when we’ll get any of that beauty this year…the heavy snow (twice!) wasn’t very kind to our trees. We’re not allowed to use recyclable bags for the time-being, which is frustrating…but I get it. Even at our self-checkout places ;-(
I’m sure you’ll get your spring! Ours started so early with our mild winter.
Love Scooby with the blossoms
Too funny re: laundry – part of what I did before our Zoom yesteray was move a stepladder so I could move the drying rack out of the background. OK, I didn’t really care for our call, but I may do more video for work calls, and the blender growing out of my head is enough there.
I am with you on the leggings. I thought I’d have less laundry to send out tomorrow since I didn’t run much, but it still multipled.
I feel like the conflicting advice and debating it is pointless. In the end, we just need to do what feels right & safe for our households. Whether that is reusable produce, leaving cardboard outside, etc. There’s no universal right in this unknown. Except what we all learned from Christmas Story – don’t lick lampposts
I didn’t want people to get the idea that they ^should^ wipe down groceries. From what I’ve read, the risk is very low, but we don’t know for sure, so if that makes you feel better, there’s no harm in it as long as you’re not using toxic chemicals to wash your produce. 😉
This whole thing got me to find my peeler – normally I’d eat cucumbers with the skin but now I think of how many people touched it. Someone in a group I’m in used a cleaning spray on her veggies. EWW
We all need to do what makes us more comfortable – totally agree
I have been wearing leggings every single day. But I dont wash them as often as I should! We have been cleaning off our groceries but its alot of work.
It’s a pain for sure, but my fridge and pantry are cleaner than they’ve ever been!
Sounds like a good week of workouts! I’m pretty much just wearing legging too. It’s going to be tough going back to having to wear real clothes 🙂
My feet will have the biggest shock when I have to put on heels instead of athletic shoes. 😉
I’ve been living in leggings and fleece pants too!
That is interesting about the grocery bags. My sister said last time she went to the grocery store they did not allow you to use your own bags…..I wonder why?
I think they are worried about people bringing in “dirty” bags — or the cashiers having to touch them? Since I do self check-out it’s allowed.
I’m not using my reusable produce bags and it makes me angry, actually. I’ve been living in leggings a long time! I like it!
I love the photo of Scooby with the flowers. Lovely!
He wasn’t sure why I wanted him to sit under that tree, but it look like he found a squirrel to keep an eye on!
At least he didn’t drag you off after the squirrel. 🙂 Yeah, mine never quite understand why I make them sit for a photo on a walk, either.
Pretty much ever since I had my baby I’ve been living in leggings lol – my jeans are still just a hair too tight!
I’ve actually been thinking about getting reusable produce bags and have had them sitting in my cart in Amazon! I think I’ll actually take the plunge….I’ve been trying to use less plastic anyway but now there’s even more incentive to clean things up!
The bags are versatile for other things too. I do like being able to toss them in the laundry.
OMG we are doing SO MUCH laundry. And I air dry so many things. I remember having a clothing line when I lived at home in NJ. There was nothing like clean clothes off the line. Here, nothing would ever dry and everything would smell like wet humidity. Gross.
Hah, yeah, I can see that being an issue in your humidity! Sun-dried clothes do smell good though!
Great week of workouts!
In MA we’re not allowed to use the reusable bags in grocery stores right now – I’m so not a fan of the plastic produce bags, but I’m trying to tow the line.
And, oh yes I’m living in leggings and yoga pants 🙂
I don’t mind the plastic produce bags as much as the plastic grocery bags that only hold a few items and still break! But my husb is so worried, if I used plastic produce bags I’d still have to re-bag at home.
We are not allowed to use reusable g=bags right now but after this is over, I am going to look into those reusable produce bags. I love that idea! And since I’ve retired, jeans are dress-up pants for me. I live in leggings and yoga pants. Or fleece pants.
We can use our own bags at self check-out.— at least for now. The produce bags take getting used to — pulling off a plastic one is such a habit, I do it without thinking.
What a great week for you! I am going to check out those bags. I don’t wear leggings at home but I have been wearing sweatpants. Sometimes I wear a pair of jeans but then change out of them because don’t know why I wear them anyway. 🙂
Mostly cozy sweatpants over here 🙂 Business on top, pajamas on the bottom. I try to put on regular pants occasionally, but I have a whole wasted wardrobe that I never touch!
I haven’t been too diligent about groceries other than washing my hands a lot, but it’s so hard to know what’s the right thing to do. I figure I’m doing the best I can but I could easily be making a mistake.
Great week of workouts for you- love that long bike ride!