I IMAGINE we're all searching for silver linings stuck in lockdown at the moment.
Much like that two-month-old chicken crimpy I just found lodged deep inside the couch, the majority feel decidedly stale right now.
However, I think I've stumbled across one in exercise and fitness. For the majority of my adult working life I've held a gym membership.
But much like home and contents insurance, I don't really use it. It's just nice to kid myself every January 2 that this year's gonna be different.
Lockdown has changed all that. Like a prison inmate I've taken enthusiastically to my hour of exercise each day.
It's easy to keep motivated when you aren't allowed to do anything else. In normal times I'd be spending a free hour out of the house every day sipping lattes or sinking schooners.
Whereas now I'm forced to trudge around Lambton Park or box fit with my wife, who I suspect is enjoying the opportunity to throw jabs precariously close to my face more than she lets on.
Gladys Berejiklian and Dr Kerry Chant could be the most motivating fitness double act since Michelle Bridges and The Commando. Hopefully their partnership doesn't end in a nasty split and a drink driving charge.
In fact, the NSW lockdown has even spawned its own fitness regime, which can be undertaken in the privacy of your home.
"The Gladys Workout" is held daily and is guaranteed to work all muscle groups. What's even better you don't need to purchase any crappy fitness equipment that'll be gathering dust five minutes after coming out of the box.
Simply, all you need to do is tune in at 11am every day for Gladys' daily doomsday reading and follow the premier and chief health officer's coded instructions.
For every "please know" uttered, that's two burpees. A "come forward" means two push-ups, "I can't stress enough" is five star jumps, "can I just" is eight high knees, "jabs in arms" is three sit-ups, a plea of "get tested" warrants three squats and "restrictions" is four crunches.
I also like to add a box jump for every "assume everyone has the virus".
Active recovery and a chance to sip some water comes whenever there's a change of speaker. While any time there's a journalist asking a question you've gotta plank.
When I chucked on the workout gear on Thursday for the daily "Glad wrap", obviously the premier felt NSW needed more work on their collective upper body, as she absolutely smashed the "come forwards" and get vaccinated. My pecs are still burning.
So will this new found commitment to fitness be sustained post-lockdown?
However, the more pressing question is how many burpees does it take to burn off a stale chicken crimpy?
