Well, I love this.
Today is…
NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY
Have you been waiting for a sign to tackle that big project, start a new habit, get fitter, learn a new skill or finally check something off your to-do list? This is it! National Kick Butt Day, celebrated on the second Monday in October, is your official permission slip to get motivated and take action.
#KickButtDay
National Kick Butt Day is the day to give yourself that much-needed kick in the pants. It’s about moving past the planning stage and getting down to the business of doing. Whether your goals are personal, professional, or just practical, today is the day to make progress and prove to yourself what you’re truly capable of.
We all need a kick up the butt some times and hey, that’s what we are about here at DYBO which stands for Dance Your Butt Off – and even if you don’t want to dance we have many other ways to help you achieve amazing health, fitness and wellbeing.
Use National Kick Butt Day to move forward with your goals with DYBO!
As you might remember, October is International Menopause Month, with the aim to raise awareness about Menopause.
If you missed last week’s first instalment, please go to the website and check it out in the Blog section (dated 06/10/25)
Here is this week’s second instalment…
Menopause Health and Wellbeing – Part 2
Written by Helen Carpenter –Waters
Award winning health and fitness professional including specialisms in women’s health, (ante-post natal, menopause, health & fitness and wellbeing) Sports Massage Therapy, Gut Health. NLP and Life coaching.
How to…
Menopause need not be regarded the beginning of the end but rather a transition in to the next exciting phase of life!
There is much we can do for ourselves to turn our frown upside down, switch a negative in to a positive and to take those lemons and make lemonade (at least).
Such as…
Click here to read the rest on the website
Lifestyle adjustments – so much can be managed/prevented by tweaking how we run and live our lives; let’s look at…
Exercise – selecting appropriate activities that include resistance training for bone, joint, and muscle strength will make day-to-day activities easier (walking the dog, maintaining the house and garden, personal care, work, being active and playing with children and grandchildren).
- Increasing our physical strength also boosts mental strength and confidence.
- Resistance training improves muscle and skin tone (a real self-esteem booster) and elevates resting metabolic rate (resulting in higher calorie burn, even at rest!)
- Mixing hi/lo impact interval training with any steady state cardio training will strengthen and protect bones and joints (preventing osteoporosis) whilst creating a strong, healthy heart, great circulation and boosts metabolism – all of which are negatively impacted by menopause.
- Include bouncing, agility, balance and co ordination work, to have a body that can cope with all of life’s demands and to continue with active hobbies. Even with osteoporosis there is much you can do with just a few adjustments.Being able to change speed and direction and bounce is really important all our life and especially as we pass through menopause, i.e. being able to absorb and recycle impact when jumping keeps bones and joints functional and reduces risk of injury.
- Being able to control body position and balance when stationary and when moving makes every day life easier and safer, boosting confidence and keeps life interesting and more fun keeping health and spirits high.
- Adapting and changing the intensity and frequency of your exercise i.e. do some high intensity training on 1 or 2 days a week then moderate and recovery training for the rest of the week. This allows better recovery after training, better muscular adaptation, manages inflammation levels and keeps exercise interesting. But what ever you choose to do training and being active every day is definitely a must.
- Trying new things and working on all the components of fitness you never made time for before. Including lots of flexibility, relaxation, mindfulness and core training. These are the things that we need to do throughout life but often neglect in our younger years because ‘they don’t burn calories’! (go on admit it, you did think that didn’t you!). Keeping our muscles flexible and our joints mobile and lubricated reduces friction within the joint, lowering inflammation, wear and tear and arthritic pain.
- Maintaining great posture and mobility improves balance and coordination, will make day to day life easier, reduces our risk of aches, pains and injuries, keep us standing and moving optimally with great posture and ease of movement! Standing up and connecting with people eye to eye creates a more youthful silhouette, gives an air of confidence and energy! It also means that we get more daylight into the back of our eye and boosts mood!
Nutrition– Maintaining Gut Health becomes even more essential.
- By avoiding things that damage our Microbiome whilst doing all we can to protect and strengthen it will boost our immune system, boost vital vitamin and mineral production and absorption, will improve the function of all systems and organs of the body, giving better health, appearance and energy levels.
- There is so much more to gut health so check out my gut health articles and presentations, but in summary we need to eat, pre and probiotic foods, lots of fibrous colourful veggies, pulses, nuts, seeds and legumes, avoid alcohol, refined sugars, ultra-processed foods, don’t smoke (anything!) reduce caffeine intake, only take absolutely necessary medications and anti-biotics, be careful with cleaning and sanitising products as they damage our microbial systems and manage your stress well and consistently!
- By doing so we can have healthy weight management and body composition with all the associated health and aesthetic benefits, better sleep, better cognitive function, improved energy, reduced risk of disease and inflammation throughout the body.
Supplements – as we age, we are less efficient at creating, maintaining and absorbing vital vitamins and minerals. This combined with modern food production and distribution results in malnutrition (it is common for a person to be over weight and still malnourished ). Some women take various herbal preparations to help with menopause symptoms such as Black Cohosh, Sage, Yam, Red Clover, Ginseng and more. This is not my area of expertise, but worth looking at if you are interested. Supplementation of vitamins and minerals is regarded as health boosting once we move into peri and menopause years
Stress Management – an accumulation of ‘life’ stuff combined with the challenges of modern living and multiple plate spinning with the added impact of hormonal dys-regulation often results in low mood, depression, mood swings, anxiety brain fog, low self esteem, low libido and motivation. Firstly, put your health and well being first and at the top of your long list – you are no good to any one if you don’t fix your own leaking boat first and it is your birth right to live optimally all your life!
A good diet, optimal exercise, optimal sleep, practicing mindfulness, mediation and where necessary, seeking support via talk therapies such as CBT, NLP, psychotherapy etc. are all very helpful!
Managing stress effectively is an essential health giving skill and worth investing in!
Sleep!
Women often experience disturbed sleep when raising their children and sometimes never get back to a normal 6-8 hours per night routine. The reduction of female hormones during menopause exacerbates the problem.
Hot flushes, a drop/disappearance of progesterone levels, low mood, menopausal joint and muscle pain, and busy brain combines to create truly awful sleep.
- For menopausal women, alcohol and sugar are a disaster for trying to get a good night’s sleep and whilst a heavy meal is not a good idea close to bed time, a snack with protein and fibrous carbohydrates such as a date and walnut with a nut milk warm drink, or peanut butter and celery with warm water will help you get off to and stay asleep.
- Even if your brain is tired, exercising will help produce the post exercise relaxation hormones needed to help you sleep, so don’t skip that class!
- A good quality magnesium tablet and warm (not too hot) bath, or an Epsom salts bath are perfect tools to help you get off to sleep.
- A pen and notebook by the bed is a good way of jotting down those ‘things to do’ that come to you when you are supposed to be asleep!
- If you have tried all of these things, there are several herbal sleep remedies available (I sell a natural product called Sleep Well, that does the trick) or you can get medication from your GP.
Living purposefully
If you have kids, Empty Nest Syndrome is very real, women have often devoted every spare thought and moment to their family and home, and when those chicks fly, the nest there is often a ‘now what’ grieving process (I think that’s why parents and teenagers fight, it’s natures way of helping you to look forward to them moving out, ha ha).
When women become parents and /or have a life partner they can lose sight of who they are and their own needs, they are not the same version of themselves that they were before kids/partner and maybe they have lost touch with the relationships they have once had with their partner, family or friends too. This combined with the ever changing sands of their hormones, a sense of loss, lack of purpose or motivation can become a problem.
- Create purpose / an intention for every day that goes beyond doing jobs! Look for new hobbies, and make new friends/ reconnect with old ones.
- Plan activities and events, get back to the gym or your classes, learn a language, try art and crafts, learn or go back to dancing, the list is endless.
- Hang out with mood inflators not mood drainers (misery loves company and it multiplies when it has some!)
- Monitor your own thoughts and language, ditch the words, ‘must’, ‘have to’, ‘need’, ‘can’t’ and replace with ‘can do’, ‘want to’ (or ‘don’t want to’ if that’s true). Choose to focus on the reasons why you can make it happen – if you want to – rather than the ‘excuses’ we make and pay more attention to.
I personally have ditched the phrase ‘can’t be bothered‘ if I even think it, I get off my butt and bother and always feel better for it.
Find what is it you have always wanted to do and do it.
Next time in Part Three of Menopause Health and Wellbeing, I talk about hormones and…
…to take HRT or not to take HRT – that is the question!
Part 3 next week.
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Classes this week…
Cheesy Autumn Vegetable Bake (suggested by Steve)
(from Amy Sheppard Food)
If you fancy something a little bit different for your Sunday roast this week…something veggie, something that’s ridiculously comforting, you have got to try this!
Roasted butternut squash and broccoli, cabbage and some buttery leeks, topped with a gooey, golden, mustardy cheese sauce.
Try it with roasties and stuffing balls, but if you wanted to do this as a midweek dinner, it would be brilliant with chips or jacket potatoes. Or go low carb with beans and a salad.
Feeds 4
400g butternut squash peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
300g broccoli florets
2 leeks thickly sliced
Vegetable Oil for roasting
4 savoy cabbage leaves, cut into thick pieces (tough stem removed)
40g butter
50g flour
650ml milk
80g grated cheddar cheese (plus extra for topping)
1 tsp dijon mustard
Heat the oven to 200C fan
Place the butternut squash, broccoli florets and leeks on a baking tray. Drizzle them in oil and use your hands to ensure they’re coated.
Season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Add the cabbage to the tray and coat it with a little more oil. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan. Stir in the flour on the heat until combined and starting to bubble and turn pale.
Slowly add the milk a little at a time. Stir continuously, bringing it to the boil each time until thick and lump free before adding more.
When all the milk is used up, season with salt and pepper and stir in the grated cheese and dijon mustard.
Tip the roasted veg into a baking dish. Pour over the cheese sauce and give it a little stir until everything is coated.
Top with grated cheese and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins or until the cheese topping is golden brown.
Enjoy!
Love ya,
Helen xxx
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
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 & Fab
Wednesday (DYBO Studio)
6.30pm Old Skool Step – Step, hand weights and band.
7.30pm 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
Friday (DYBO Studio)
6.30-7.15pm: Friday Fitness Yoga Express
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Joining us at All Hallows or The DYBO Church Crookham Studio? – 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.
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, please also keep a record of your own attendance too.
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, sweat towel, and drink.
Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – in order to prevent cross contamination 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, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and on the last Thursday of the Month you will need 2 x tennis balls and a sock for our Trigger Point and Myofascial release class !
3) Re borrowing equipment – if you would like to try a class or have forgotten equipment then you may borrow equipment on that occasion and please ensure that you sanitise it before and afterwards (sanitising products supplied). I can assist you with sourcing your own equipment inexpensively, moving forward.
On the night
*When you arrive at All Hallows, enter the school via the gates to the left as you face the school and follow the road around the school buildings.
*Please park in the playing courts and walk between the old school building and new sports hall, up a few steps on to the outside seating area, the studio door is to your right.
*Participants are required to arrive 5-10 mins before the class.
*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, ie. slip off your outdoor shoes, place in your bag, or leave at the door , and change into your indoor trainers . This is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the space, avoiding stones and glass being walked in and potentially causing injury and to protect the lovely new wood floor.
*The toilets are open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding queues.
*After a wonderful class change from your indoor trainers to outdoor shoes and sanitise your hands again if you wish.
*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes!
When joining me at the DYBO Studio (No.42, GU52 0YA) I will send information directly, including entrance code for the Studio and please note, advanced booking is required.
Fees, you have THREE options!
Please note that all Classes must be booked and paid for in advance and are non transferable or refundable.
Online payments only.
45 min Class – £8.00, 60/65 min Class – £8.50.
10 Class Voucher: £75 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase).
Membership: £55, unlimited classes, plus a bonus of free access to all class recordings on our DYBO TV channel, and another bonus of a £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.
To be paid by the 1st day of the month (at the latest) and is valid from the first to last day of calendar month.
One full month’s notice of membership suspension/cancellation is required with one membership restart permitted within a 12 month period.
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
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Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information
Monday
6.30pm: Boogie Fit
7.30pm: Total Tone
Tuesday
6.30pm 5 in 1 Fitness Class
7.30pm Dance Fit & Fab
Wednesday
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
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch
7.30pm Dancespiration
Friday
6.30pm Friday Fitness Yoga Express
****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****
How to prepare your Zoom 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.
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. I agree to comply with all terms conditions and class protocols and instructions as outlined above and whilst attending DYBO classes/training.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19, Flu or airborne transmissible infection or have tested positive.
