Quarantine Kitchen: Managing Health During Covid-19

Hey, everyone! My name is Jocelyn and Nicole is one of my soul sisters and law school lifelines. I want to thank her for providing me this space to share a bit of my story and how I’ve been able to cope during these tough times. Before I get into the substance of my piece, I would first like to say that I am by no means promoting weight loss or strict diets during this pandemic. I believe this a time for people to give themselves a little bit of grace and allow themselves the space to just BE. That said, I have lost 120 pounds on my own and I am constantly working on my relationship with food and becoming a healthier me, so I am dedicating this time to certain health and body goals I have because I feel comfortable doing so. Let’s dig in! 

I’ll start with some brief back story to give y’all some clue as to why health is so important to me, especially right now. After my freshman year of college, I weighed 270 pounds. I had been overweight and obese most of my life, but seeing that number did something to me. The summer before my sophomore year I lost about 30 pounds and was feeling great! By graduation, I weighed around 225 pounds. Then, I made the decision to really kick my weight loss journey into full gear after I graduated and before I started law school. Truthfully, I believe I can’t be good to others unless I’m good to myself. I became diligent about my health, increased my activity and started making more conscious food choices. In November 2019, I reached my goal weight of 150 pounds and felt amazing! Now, I maintain between 155-160 because that is where my body feels happiest and healthiest.

Given this backstory, you can imagine why it is so important for me to try my best to stay healthy and reach my goals during self-isolation.Truthfully, I was devastated when the gyms closed and I thought that my progress would start to slide. However, with home workouts, healthy options at home, motivation, and support from my loved ones, I have been able to achieve goals, feel healthy, AND indulge from time to time.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only important as we enter the professional world but is important for us as young people of color. We need to do all we can to control our health outcomes so that we may contribute to this world in a meaningful way and on our own terms. The way we feed and nourish our bodies matters. The foods we eat, the media we consume, and the stress we take on will ultimately impact our quality of life and will have strong implications for our future. Now that we know better, we can do better. As young professionals, primarily young professionals of color, we have a duty to leave something positive behind so that generations after us can be stronger and better equipped to deal with the lives they live. That is why I fight if for my health, and that is why you should, too.

Below I’ve shared some meals, desserts and workouts I’ve really enjoyed during this time. *Disclaimer: I am a pescatarian and occasionally a bootleg vegan, so my recipes reflect this. Sorry meat eaters!* 

Breakfast 

• Breakfast Smoothie (makes one mason jar worth) 

• 1 cup of frozen fruit of choice (I enjoy strawberries and raspberries) 
• 1 banana (this could be frozen as well, but you’ll end up using more liquid for the smoothie so keep that in mind. 
• 4-6 ounces of Greek yogurt (I alternate between strawberry and vanilla flavored yogurt) 
• 1/2 cup almond milk or whatever plant-based milk you use (if you don’t drink plant-based milk, I recommend using orange or apple juice) 

• 1/2 cup water (you could totally just use 1 full cup of almond milk, but I prefer to cut those few calories out since the water doesn’t impact the taste at all) 
• 1 cup of spinach (you won’t taste it, promise J) 

Lunch 

• Arugula Salad w/ Bleu Cheese and Apples 

• 1.5 cups of arugula 

• 1 cup of mixed greens (tweak these measurements and add whichever greens you prefer) 
• 1 cup of bleu cheese crumbles or any cheese you prefer! (I alternate between bleu cheese and feta crumbles) 
• 1 apple chopped into cubes (I’ve been using gala, but again, whatever you like) 
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar dressing 
• *It’s a good idea to try to add some protein here if you can. Sometimes I throw a bit of tuna on top, or some falafel balls.* 

Dinner 

• Roasted Salmon w/ Broccoli and Air Fried Potatoes (serves 2) 

• 2 cuts of whatever type of salmon you prefer 
• 2 small-medium white potatoes, cut into fries or wedges 
• Fresh or frozen broccoli florets 

• Season the salmon however you’d like, but I use onion, garlic, pepper (no salt) and a bit of lemon (I do not have measurements for these, I just let the ancestors speak to me) 
• I season my potatoes the same way as my salmon 
• *Feel free to add olive oil to the potatoes or salmon before you make them, I try to avoid oil wherever I can.* 
• Bake salmon on 375 for 15-20 mins (a bit longer if you prefer a more well-done piece of fish) 
• Throw the seasoned potatoes in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 minutes 

• No air fryer, no problem! Just throw them in the oven with the fish for 20 or so minutes 

• Add broccoli to a pot with maybe ¼ cup of water and put the lid on it and let it vibe out on medium heat for 10 mins or so (pro tip: you can save that veggie water and drink it for extra nutrients!) 

• I keep my veggies simple, but I sometimes add garlic and onion powder if I’m in the mood. 

Dessert 

• Peanut Butter Cookies (the easiest recipe ever) 

• 1 cup peanut butter 
• 1 cup of sugar 
• 1 egg 
• Mix all together, form into balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet 
• Bake in the oven on 350 for 10 minutes or until cookies look like they’re starting to crisp up 

• *Pro tip: replace the sugar with brown sugar if you have it and/or add chocolate chips if you’re feeling spicy. 

• Snickerdoodles (a little more work but so so worth it) 

• Here’s the recipe I followed: https://www.modernhoney.com/the-best-snickerdoodle-cookie-recipe/ 
• *Pro tip: throw some vanilla ice cream between 2 of these and call it a night. We’re giving ourselves some grace, remember??* 

Workouts 

• Planet Fitness Facebook Live Workouts 

• Everyday at 7:00 pm (eastern time), Planet Fitness instructors go live on Facebook and host “Work-Ins.” You do not need to be a member to enjoy these. I do these mostly everyday and always get a full body workout (I’m also convinced these are helping my abs come in). Best part? The workouts are no more than 30 minutes. Tune in and workout with me! 

• Nike Run App 

• I’ve used this no-gym time to work on my running. I live near the Schuylkill River trail so sometimes I run there. I aim for 2-3.5 miles and I track these using the Nike Run app which provides uplifting messages as you complete the run. If you feel safe going outside, try to get in a run or jog to get your heart rate going! 

• At Home Improv Workouts 

• When the quarantine started, I bought a few weights to keep in the apartment so during the day I’ll use them at random times to do squats, bicep curls, tricep workouts, Russian twists and sit ups. I also have 2 small 2 pound weights to use when I go out on walks. 

• Hip-Hop Fit 

• On YouTube, PopSugar has “Hip-Hop” fit videos and they are awesome. I tend to do these 30 minute workouts on the weekend. Each one teaches you a fun dance routine and usually ends with a short HIIT circuit. This will definitely get that heart rate up. 

Of course there are so many apps/resources you can use during this time to keep you healthy and on track. These are simply some of the things I do to keep me moving towards my goals. Follow me on Instagram @jahsuhlin, I’m happy to share more of my story with you. 

Do your best to stay safe and healthy during this time! I understand I am very privileged to have a safe place to quarantine and healthy food to eat. Below is a link to some resources for those who may not be so privileged. These are specific to the Delaware-County and Philadelphia areas. Pass them along if you feel someone needs them.  

• https://helpmlp.org/covid-19-resources-and-information/ 

Thoughts from Nicole

I thought having Jocelyn tell her story is SO IMPORTANT. We need to realize that we shouldn’t take good health for granted. But, it also takes work to stay healthy.

Health is truly wealth. We can’t focus on our businesses but not our health. Running a business is extremely hard. It takes a toll on your mind, body, and soul. So during this pandemic it is so important to remain healthy to the best of your ability. Whether it is a healthy meal, a home workout, or a daily walk. We have to be a better us so we can build a better business. I hope that Jocelyn’s story inspired you to meet your health goals.

The healthier you are, the healthier your business can be. Love yourself first, the wealth will come.

–Nicole