A Better Day: Tribefit & Less Mills home workout, free children’s audiobooks

Each weekday, our editors are sharing their quick tips, workouts, recipes and observations to help us make the most of our time at home. We hope it makes your day a little bit brighter. #stayhome

Let’s start with some good news…

If you think the skies are looking clearer and the air feels fresher, you may be onto something. Restricting movements to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has led to a marked drop in air pollution, according to NASA. Over the past few weeks, NASA satellite measurements have shown a 30% drop in air pollution over the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast United States – and it’s a similar story in other regions of the world.

Do this for a healthy body

If you’re missing the motivation of your fellow fitness fanatics, you can still feel like part of the fitness tribe thanks to TribeFit, which is offering more than 100 free Les Mills home workouts to tackle online. From high intensity interval training to dance fitness workouts and Born To Move sessions for kids aged four to 16, there’s something for all skill levels.

Do this for a healthy mind

If your rise lacked the shine this morning, wake up your whole body with this 23-minute total body yoga flow that works through every muscle group. Including standing and sitting postures, this fun movement is a great way to start your day with a smile. 

Delicious deliveries to your door

If we can’t go to Tom&Serg for a lazy lunch then we’ll do the next best thing and order in from Deliveroo. We’re craving the classic Smashed Avo Toast. Clichéd? Yes. Reassuringly habitual? Definitely.

What to watch

There’s never been a better time to clear out some clutter and Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix will inspire you to throw away anything in your home which doesn’t ‘spark joy’ in your life.

What to listen to

What do you get if you put food and comedy together? The hilarious Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster podcast, where celebrity guests talk about cooking their ultimate fantasy dishes.

Home help

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, at times, and if you need some help to ease your worries, the UAE Government’s National Program for Happiness & Wellbeing should be your first port of call. The online initiative @happyuae draws upon the expertise of over 50 experts and mental health professionals to deliver three key components: daily live sessions providing mental support (5:30pm English/8:30pm Arabic); short, focused, awareness-raising videos to help build coping skills and mental resilience (11am); and virtual support groups (4:30pm). #DontWorry

Isolators we love

Need a new backing track while you clean your home (…for the zillionth time)? Grammy legend Alicia Keyes puts her own spin on Flo Rida’s well-known “My House” track to offer light relief through rewritten lyrics that we can all relate to right now.

Join the party

While it’s not a virtual social gathering as such, you and the kids can tune in and listen to these free children’s audiobooks from Audible every day while the schools are closed. No sign up needed.

Cook like a pro

Granola, yes, but not just any granola. This indulgent yet nourishing recipe comes all the way from Kruger National Park in South Africa, where it’s served to guests of Singita Sweni Lodge. The lodge is tucked into the banks of the Sweni River in Singita’s private concession, and we’d give our right arm to be there soon. Probably our left arm, too.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 cup bran flakes
• 1 cup corn flakes
• 1 cup puffed rice
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup linseeds
• 1 cup poppy seeds
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup butter 

Method:

• Melt the butter and the honey together in a small saucepan over a low heat
• Pour the mixture over the other ingredients while still warm and mix well
• Bake at 120°C for about 2 hours, checking and stirring regularly. It can burn easily so keep an eye on it
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool
• Serve with fresh, seasonal fruit, your favourite yoghurt and a drizzle of honey

And lastly…things we’d never thought we’d miss #4

The jealous rage you feel on the school run when seeing fellow parents in their gym clothes, knowing they’re off for an hour of blissful yoga while you’re off to sit at a desk for nine hours.

Please feel free to share your own frivolous yearnings via editor@hotmedia.me

For your home interiors, advice and inspiration in the UAE visit https://blivinguae.com/