Are you hearing Donna Summer in your head?
Music is such a powerful anchor to emotion. We can change our state simply by putting on the right music – something I have been doing for decades and am very focused on at this challenging time. I’m careful with my music selections choosing upbeat tracks linked to happy, light hearted times and I want you to be involved too so come on send me your requests, ‘pop pickers’!
Quick message …as we approach our one year anniversary on Zoom (49 weeks this week), I would love your suggestions as to how we can mark the occasion – let me know a.s.a.p. please. It’s not too late to join us on Zoom if you haven’t yet or for a while. Don’t wait for face-to-face classes as they are a long way off!
You choose!
But now back to my musings. As you know I am all for choosing to be happy that doesn’t mean I wake up that way, sometimes I have to create my happy state. Whilst walking in the woods on Sunday I was thinking about Valentines Day and how many people feel stressed and miserable because of it, eg. ‘I don’t have a Valentine’, ‘I don’t know what to get for my valentine’, ‘I cant afford anything’ or ‘I didn’t get anything or experience any feeling of specialness or appreciation because of the inaction of my partner’ etc. I’m not debating that bit, I’m thinking that if we require validation from another, our emotions and sense of self are dependent upon the thoughtfulness of others. Do you want that to be the case?
I have learned that I am in control of my happiness and, short of really significant life events, I am able to turn myself around by choosing to ‘love’ things. I was practicing this on Sunday and it went something like this… ‘I loved walking the dogs in the cold weather, it gave me a chance to wear the warm gloves, hat and scarves of which I have many but rarely wear. I love the contrast between my cold cheeks and warm body. I prefer the the frozen ground to the slippery mud. I love coming home and having a cosy hot drink, then a hot bath which feels slightly stingy as i get in it. I love being able to join in other teacher’s dance classes (and I participated in a spin session last week which I loved too) and I loved not having to leave my home to participate. I loved having the time to catch up on home stuff, watch a bit of TV and snuggle up with the pups on the sofa. I loved having a gorgeous vegan Sunday dinner. I loved watching David Attenborough show us our amazing planet and things that I would never know about if his brave cameramen and crew didn’t put them selves in danger and discomfort to record it. I love the awareness of climate change we gain from these programs so that we all can do something about it. I love my DYBO family and knowing that we are helping each other through this challenging time……. shall I go on? Can you see that I felt properly loved up with things that are there all the time and don’t depend upon anyone else but me.
Have you tried Planning and Journaling?
Dividing your days into work, rest and play, creating your goals and planning your strategies, recording your days events is a great way to create success and note all the days wins, fails and magical moments – I recommend it. I’m a notebook girl but some folks prefer the digital system. If you are a Journal keeper, any tips?
Presenting
I am presenting at two separate events on the weekend of the 27th and 28th February.
At lunchtime on the 27th (12.30pm) I’m presenting ‘Fun, Funky and Fabulous’ – a dance fitness class
and on the Sunday I’m presenting ‘Flo Motion’ at (11.15am).
Please us my personal code when booking (FCWHC) for a £5 discount and £5 to me – offer expires on the 20th!
This week
I have been asked to extend the teaching time on the Boogie Fit and Dance Fit routines and your wish is my command so an extra week for both routines.
You have a new routine for Step and fresh content for all other classes too.
We are super busy making sure we are caring for your inspiration as well as your fitness and wellness.
One to one is on Zoom or outside in the fresh air, which is fab fun even when it’s cold.
DYBO Live & Online – This week’s Classes are as follows:
Monday
6.30pm Boogie Fit (Beginners/Returners)
7.30pm Total Tone (All)
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, you have THREE options!
£6.50 per class. Paid in advance please.
10 Class Voucher £55 ( to be used within 12
weeks of purchase)
Membership, unlimited classes, £50, plus a lockdown bonus of free access to all videos of the classes! (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.
Disclaimer
I declare that all of the information I have given (both written and verbal) is accurate and truthful. I know of no reason why I cannot participate fully in any exercise programme and I do not deem it necessary to consult my medical practitioner/GP/specialist. I undertake to inform my instructor should any information change.
I understand that I participate at my own risk and that any information given is not intended to replace or represent medical advice.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
Pancake Day, yayyy!
Shrove Tuesday need not throw you off your low sugar and carb diet…
…here is an example of a low carb high protein recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup almond Flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
2-3 tsp palm sugar or stevia
5 large eggs
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup of coconut il or equivalent
1, ½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp sea salt
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. (Batter should be the consistency of typical pancake batter. If it’s too thick, add a little more milk. Don’t add too much, or the pancakes will be too “wet”.)
- Preheat an oiled pan* on the stove over medium-low to medium heat. Drop the batter onto the hot pan and form into circles. Cover and cook about 1.5-2 mins until bubbles start to form. Flip and cook another 1.5-2mins, until browned on the other side. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
Serve with maple syrup or honey, berries, thick yogurt, chopped toasted nuts
Mmmm!
Have a fab week and you know I love ya!
Helen xx
