Emotional Wellness

Now Halloween and Bonfire night are out of the way, the Christmas advertising is full steam ahead.

Marketeers are hard at work creating campaigns to get us to spend our money with their clients. Successful Marketing is both a science and an art form and large companies invest fortunes in finding the most effective ways to convince us to buy their products, often persuading us that we need what they are selling, creating a desire within us that we must have that thing, lifestyle, image etc. and that spending our money will give it for us.

If only campaigns were more successful when trying to help people choose a healthier lifestyle with more movement and fitness, healthy eating, great emotional and mental wellness and a positive approach to our environment, work and finance.

I’m certain that if more effort/money/focus was invested in these things then the NHS would not be under the strain that it is – we would have fewer people off work suffering with mental and physical health issues, we could live in a more functional society with less addiction, anti-social behaviour, crime and so on. Care for self, others and the environment go hand in hand.

Have you noticed that when you eat well and exercise other things in your life fall in to place? Have you noticed that when you stop exercising, your diet slips and so do other aspects of life.

My purpose is to inform, inspire, encourage and support.

If I can do that for you and you can do that for one other person, can you imagine how much change we can bring about, at the very least for those who adopt a happier and heather life style for themselves.

So we, you and me, can be the promoters and marketeers of health and wellness! Together we can be the difference that our communities, friends’ family and ourselves need!

Over the past couple of weeks I have shared some information and challenges regarding creating better mental and physical fitness. Today I’m sharing thoughts on how you can bring about greater emotional wellness and resilience.

 Emotional Wellness Challenge

Start a new one every day – they can be started in any order you wish but do try to do them all.

• Adopt at least one strategy to help you manage your stress. Write it down, describe what it is, how and when are you going to do it. Do it (or select another from your list if you have one) every day for the next 5 days and beyond.
• Reach out to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken with in a while, arrange a phone call or meet up.
• For the next 7 days, jot a few lines down in your journal about how you are feeling and remember to acknowledge and record good and less than good feelings, what created them, how you expressed them, any learning’s and so on.
• How are you creating balance every day between work, rest and play, self, family and colleagues/professional roles? Ensure that you take time every day for emotional wellness.
• Find your bliss everyday, do something that fills you with joy and moves you towards those things that fill you with excitement and happiness and make you a life as a human being rather than human doing!

Practice what I preach

I have some news – I have been offered another professional dance job. Amazing isn’t it!

My initial response was to say no because of getting back in time for evening classes, but then I realised that I wasn’t living my own advice, I so got back in touch with the choreographer who held my spot so I could get things organised.

It’s a great opportunity for me plus a change is as good as a rest,  but I haven’t forgotten about you and I have arranged for the very lovely Rachel Webb to come and Guest Teach for us on Monday and Tuesday 14^th and 15^th November.

Rachel has taught the DYBO family before with great feedback for her Step, stretch and conditioning classes – she is a qualified teacher of health fitness and dance and personal training. Rachel is a regular attendee of ‘Independance’ and massive dance and fitness enthusiast . She holds a first class degree in Dance, Health and Fitness amongst many other industry qualifications. I have had the honour of mentoring Rachel towards her teaching and presenting goals.

I know you will love her and look after her, the DYBO family are always so thoughtful towards guest teachers as I know you understand how nerve wracking it is to cover an experienced teacher’s class.

My Dance performance is on Wednesday 16^th (Monday and Tuesday are rehearsals) and I should be back in time for the evening’s classes, but if not I can arrange for a DYBO TV broadcast, although members you can log in any time.

It’s for a very big and famous client but have signed an NDA so can’t talk about it just yet.

The week ahead…

and on Friday…

Note – Class Booking details, payment and Zoom links are in the second half of this newsletter.

IndepenDANCE

Chickpea and Barley Stew (found on Vegan cocotte)

Perfect to make in a big pot or slow cooker for everyone to dip into when they want some!

6 portions.

Great for gut health and packed with fibre and taste.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 ½ cup (325 g) pearl barley, rinsed
• 6 cups (1.5 litres) vegetable stock
• 28 oz (400 g) chick peas, drained and rinsed
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 1 small bunch (30 g) fresh dill, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cook the carrot and celery for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until slightly softened.
2. Add the sliced leek and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the garlic and fresh thyme and cook for another minute.
4. Add the Pearl Barley and stock and stir, bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the pearl barley is al dente.
6. Stir in the chickpeas and simmer for another 5-10 minutes (or until the pearl barley is cooked)
7. Add the lemon juice and fresh dill and stir to combine.
8. Season to taste and serve with extra chopped dill and lemon juice if you like.

Have a fabulous week!

Luv ya,

Helen x

———————————————————————————————————————-

DYBO Live & Online – This week’s Classes are as follows:.

At All Hallows, Farnham & DYBO Studio, Church Crookham (Book in Advance only): Zoom class details further down the page.

Monday (AH)

6.30-7.15pm: Boogie Fit – ‘All she wanna do is dance’ !

7.30-8.15pm: Total Tone – with bands, handweights and mat.

Tuesday (AH)

6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, handweights and mat.

7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit – ‘Passion’

Wednesday (DYBO Studio)

6.30pm Old Skool, Step & Strength – Step, hand weights and band.

7.15pm Barre Fit – Something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.

Thursday (AH)

6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.

7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration – ‘Dancing with the Stars’!

Friday (DYBO Studio)

6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga Express – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.

—————————————————————————————————-

Joining us at All Hallows? – Protocols and information

I’m so happy to be able to run Face to Face classes at All Hallows and at the DYBO Studio in Church Crookham   My primary objective is to ensure that we all have a wonderful time with effective and fun classes that are engaging, relaxed and of course safe.

To ensure that is the case I just want to share with you our class protocols to inform and reassure everyone. Not everyone has been out and about much over the past 2 years and some of us are more anxious than others about getting back to ‘normal’ life and activities as restrictions are lifted. Please be patient with each other and me – I have the responsibility of keeping you all happy and safe whilst complying with governing body guidelines and providing the best experience possible.

*Denotes for you to do, the rest is just info

Preparation

1) *Firstly ensure that you have booked by sending us an email info@dybo.co.uk confirming all the classes you wish to attend plus your payment method, be it as a member, using your voucher, or pay as you go.

No on the door bookings or payments can be taken. Bookings are not refundable or transferable. I will keep records of all attending..

2) *Preparing your kit bag/box. This depends upon the class you are attending.

Boogie Fit, Dance Fit  and Dancespiration crew will only require your indoor trainers/dance shoes to change in to, your hand sanitiser, sweat towel, and drink.

Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – currently I am not  sharing equipment in a group exercise setting so you will need your mat, a resistance band and light hand weights/equivalent in addition to your trainers, hand sanitiser, sweat towel and drink.

Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and at times 2 x tennis balls and a sock!

On the night

*Please park in the playing courts and maintain social distancing as you walk to the studio.

*Participants are required to arrive, enter and be in their personal exercise space between 5 and 10 mins before the class, please wait outside to be called in so that we are certain the space is ready for you.

*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, e.g. slip off your outdoor shoes, place in your bag, walk to activity area then put indoor shoes on, the same in reverse to leave. This is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the space and protect the lovely new wood floor.

*The toilets will be open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding cues outside. 2 people max allowed in at a time.

I will be sticking to class times for sanitising and ventilation purposes. Doors and windows will be open for ventilation, irrespective of the weather, and if it’s warm fans will be used to blow air forwards out of the windows and open door (as per guidelines).

Our exercise space is much larger than the governing body requirements (double in fact) indeed the government have lifted all guidelines, so it will be easy to maintain 2m social distance but please do keep your distance.

I will maintain social distance, however I will have a visor/mask if I have to come close to provide first aid etc.

After an entire teaching career facing my class participants with my back to the mirrors I have made the change (for now) to face the mirrors, this is for my safety in this strange Covid world, but I assure you that I will still be able to see everything you get up to and will coach, encourage and nag as effectively as usual!!!

*After a wonderful class and virtual hugs, slip off your indoor trainers and you will leave in order of those nearest the door first then slip in to your outdoor shoes at the threshold.

*Please clear the site a.s.a.p. after class, I know you will want to chat but this directive is part of my compliance and I am responsible for you until you are off site!

*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes, I now have to rebuild my group exercise business after months away from face to face teaching due to the pandemic .

—————————————————————————————————-

Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information

Monday

https://zoom.us/j/93817898799

6.30pm Boogie Fit
7.30pm Total Tone

Tuesday

https://zoom.us/j/94370544053

6.30pm 5 in 1 Fitness Class
7.30pm Dance Fit

Wednesday

https://zoom.us/j/95899675041

6.30pm Old Skool, Step & Strength – Step, hand weights and band.
7.15pm Barre Fit – Something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.

Thursday 

https://zoom.us/j/95416823519

6.15pm Contemporary Stretch 

7.30pm Dancespiration

Friday

https://zoom.us/j/92666213498

6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.

****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****

How to prepare your Zoom environment

1. You need space to move 2 side steps, 4 walks forward, 4 backward. Move trip hazards and furniture as much as you can (get help, be careful!) to give you maximum space for upper and lower body movement. Roll up rugs or secure them so they don’t slip or cause you to trip.
2. Plugging your device in to your TV with an HDMI cable is brilliant as it gives you a good picture of you (like a mirror) and me – as well as boosting the sound if you go through the TV/Hi-Fi sound system. If you can place your device under the TV, then even better.
3. I know some of you are using your phones – try to plug in to a speaker system (even those little speakers we have when we go on holiday would help) so that you can hear better as you move back from the phone. Angie has tried Bluetooth earphones and it worked well.
4. Ensure you have maximum access to your Wi-Fi in the house and as close to the router as is feasible. Take phones off the Wi-Fi system and pop them on to your 4/5G network or place on airplane mode, unless that’s what you are using to join us, obviously. Ask family to do the same for the duration of your class – keep them off the internet whilst you need the bandwidth. The more bandwidth you have, the better the picture and sound and the less likely you are to lose the feed. Your health is a priority at this time and I’m sure they can do something else for that short time!
5. Ventilate your exercise space, have plenty of water and towels to hand, keep your exercise equipment close – if you need anything, let me know.
6. Wear correct footwear for your activity – putting an old pair of socks over the toes and ball of your trainers will help reduce friction when exercising on carpet (if they are a really old pair, cutting the toes open and then just having them over the ball of the foot is even better). It’s up to you if you want to dance or train in bare feet but be careful if you don’t usually do this as it takes time for the muscles and connective tissue of the feet and rest of the body to adapt to barefoot training.
7. Make your own gym equipment. Save laundry liquid or milk bottles – you can fill them with water or wet sand/rice etc. to add weight and make a dumbell/kettlebell. I recommend you make a few in differing weights and you have written on them so you know what they weigh and seal the caps with tape to prevent leakage. Get a heavy duty shopping bag and put weighty items in it, check they can’t fall out and you have a kettlebell alternative. Make your own hurdles, put cushions, pillows, boxes, books on the floor to jump over. Use household items as floor markers for circuit activities. The stairs and outdoor steps are great temporary steps/benches for cardio and upper body work. The garden is a great open space to make an assault course or if you can get a signal, take your class or PT session outside, but do make it safe.

Fees, you have THREE options!

£7.50 per class. Paid in advance please.

10 Class Voucher £65 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase)

Membership, unlimited classes, £50, plus a pandemic bonus of free access to all videos of the classes on our DYBO TV channel ! (Valid first to last day of calendar month, paid on the first day of the month). One full months notice of membership suspension/cancelation is required with One membership restart permitted within a 12 month period. Bonus £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.

If things get so tight that you can’t afford it then please reach out to me, I want to keep you healthy and happy and help you through this tough time and trust that no-one will take advantage of me.

Bank details are UK Fitness Academy Ltd.

Sort Code 09-01-28, Acc No. 04284324

Please email me when you have made a payment and use your name and what it’s for as a reference.

eg. Jane Smith Class Voucher. As reference, I do have a Paypal account but it costs money to receive and move money.