I’ve been pondering the word ‘half’ and depending upon the place you are in your emotional and physical well being it can be viewed from completely opposite perspectives. We are half way through the year and half of that has been locked down/in. For some this is a depressing, sad experience when they focus on their loss of experiences, events and interactions. Some have lost loved ones, health, income, businesses and my heart goes out to them (we too have experienced these things).
For others it’s viewed from a positive position, one of rest, recovery, stepping off the rollercoaster , learning new or revisiting old things, hobbies skills etc., clearing, sorting and de-cluttering their environment and head, nesting in their home and garden, connecting with nature, re-establishing connections and cutting off ones that are not healthy and for some, a time of awakening.
For some it has been a time of indulgence and lethargy yet for others it has been an opportunity to gain fitness, eat well, sleep well and become healthier. For many it has been a mixture – a sort of half and half!
Whether we see the cup as half full or half empty, remember we can always fill it up!
It is always a good time to move forward with those things that you have wanted to do, to create better balance with fitness, health and relationships. Do take that step/leap with the career, study and self-development/care.
Seek those who support, who mentor and inspire, the people who see and facilitate your desire, those who help you to fill your cup.
Take care with whom you take counsel, ensure they have the expertise, resources and your best intentions at heart. Beware of the neighsayers or those whose cup is too empty for them to pour from, or those who would take from yours. Look for those who can help you find where you pour into your own cup from your own source.
We can say that we have done well to get half way through this year and we have more opportunities ahead – aren’t we blessed. We can look forward to ways of staying the same, if that’s what you want, or to move forward and try new things and create a positive experience. We can make a better life and world!
I want to remind you that as we move from one type of lockdown in to a more liberated one, that it’s even more essential (although it’s always important) to create, boost and maintain a great immune system. Ensure you eat a gut healthy diet – 70-80% of our immune system is attributed to the gut and 20 different hormones are created in the gut, affecting our mood/anxiety/sleep/energy brain, all round health, body fat and metabolism. We create and absorb our nutrition via the gut and what we eat, drink, how we live our lives in terms of medications, pollution and so on affects its health. Healthy gut, healthy person.
You must ensure you get Vitamins D, A, C, plus Zinc, L-Arginine in sufficient quantities, daily. Drink water, your immune system needs plenty, as does every part of our body. Sleep well (7-8 hours). Magnesium and inulin help us sleep and are also great for gut health, plus a good sleep hygiene routine will help. All of this is key to supporting our immunity against all bugs and viruses.
Exercise daily (but not too hard) 1-2 harder sessions per week max – remember we need a mix of cardio, muscular strength, endurance, mobility and stability.
If you are struggling with physical mental or emotional health, reach out.
Wash your hands whenever you have been out, carry hand santiser and use it after touching things outside of the home. Avoid face to face interaction with any one outside of your bubble if less than 2 metres apart. Masks are now mandatory on public transport.
I am awaiting government guidelines regarding when I can get back to group exercise and personal training indoors. For now I am offering One to One and small group (3 from separate homes or up to 5 from same homes/bubbles) in my garden/outside gym plus of course via Zoom.
Phone or email me for information and booking – 01252 621280, helen@dybo.co.uk.
You might have noticed that I have some information videos on Facebook please do share with your contacts and invite those of your pals who you think would enjoy our classes and one to one services.
This coming week…
I’m so excited to share new choreography in all classes, including Boogie Fit, Cardio Dance, HIIT, Dance Fit, Step Barre, and Dance & Perspiration, All other classes always have new weekly content. A great week to get back in to classes x
HIIT crew…I want to you create or imagine this on the floor of your training area!
Here are the links for this week’s classes and payment details and support as to how you can have the best online experience with us, if you are having trouble connecting then contact Steve on his mobile (Call, SMS or WhatsApp on 07968 759826) and he will help.
DYBO Live & Online – Classes are as follows:
Monday
6.30pm Boogie Fit (Beginners/Returners)
7.15pm The Middle Bit – Complimentary when attending BF or CD or £3.50
7.45pm Cardio Dance (Intermediate)
Tuesday
6.30pm HIIT (Simple & effective fitness training)
7.15pm Core Power – Complimentary when attending HIIT or DF or £3.50
7.45pm Dance Fit (Intermediate)
Wednesday
6.30pm Old Skool Step (All levels)
7.15pm Barre Fit (All levels)
Thursday
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch (All levels)
7.30pm Dance & Perspiration (Fitness with a Dance focus, more experienced)
Friday
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga (Relax, Restore and Reboot)
****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****
How to prepare your environment
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- Ventilate your exercise space, have plenty of water and towels to hand, keep your exercise equipment close – if you need anything, let me know.
- 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.
- 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
£6.50 per class. Paid in advance please.
10 Class Voucher £55
Membership, unlimited classes, £50
(Valid first to last day of calendar month, paid on the first day of the month)
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.
Creamy Spinach and Sweet Potato Noodles with Cashew Sauce
Easy to make, adaptable, gluten free, vegan. Divine and delicious (from Pinch of Yum)
- 1 cup cashews
- 3/4 cup water (more for soaking)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 large sweet potatoes, spiralized
- 2 cups baby spinach
- a handful of fresh basil leaves, chives, or other herbs
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil for drizzling
Method
- Cover the cashews with water in a bowl and soak for 2 hours or so.
- Drain and rinse thoroughly. Place in a food processor or blender (I got better texture with the blender) and add the 3/4 cup water, salt, and garlic. Puree until very smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the sweet potatoes; toss in the pan for 6-7 minutes with tongs until tender-crisp. Remove from heat and toss in the spinach – it should wilt pretty quickly.
- Add half of the herbs and half of the sauce to the pan and toss to combine. Add water if the mixture is too sticky. Season generously with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and top with the remaining fresh herbs.
Serve with a side salad, yummy.
Remember I’m still here!
Love ya,
Helen x
