Never have there been so many ways to find your ‘fitness thing’ – it’s amazing that the whole nation isn’t super fit and lean isn’t it!
But so much choice can be rather confusing, leaving those who want to improve their health and fitness wondering which type is best.
My advice is always that the best form of exercise is one that you enjoy, and thus far more likely to stick with!
Consistency is key though. Do you remember that at the beginning of the month I suggested that you changed just one thing, something you can successfully do every day, that will contribute to your wellness?
After 40 years of coaching in fitness, wellbeing and lifestyle, I’ve seen many ambitious and valiant attempts at turning figures and fitness around in January, and no matter how much these changes are wanted and desired, they end in failure and disappointment. There are many reasons why these goals are not achieved (I’ve written many articles on it) but one big reason is that folks try to change too much in one go. If last year you felt too busy, overwhelmed and exhausted to be able to fit in long and daily fitness sessions, fill the cupboards with only ‘on plan’ healthy foods, cook everything from scratch, make the bed and keep the house, garden and kids ‘tip top’ then what makes you think that you can do it this year, without a significant change, in circumstance, mindset and/or actions? Or should I say yes you can achieve those things, it takes more than wanting something in order to achieve them
Creating a step-by-step strategy is essential, a map of action, order of events and so on but even before that, defining your goal, knowing what it looks and feels like, what it will give you, what you will no longer have during the process and when you get there, knowing when you want it by and understanding what it will take to get it, are all important thoughts and conversations to have with yourself and others who have influence in your life.
Anyway there’s more to successfully achieving goals than just saying you want …(insert goal here)…and so may I suggest that if you have not stuck with your New Year goal, you CAN do it but need to create a proper plan. You CAN do that today, tomorrow, next week etc but you won’t achieve what you want by just talking about it, and not taking action or making changes
I also believe that to be happy, successful and safe undertaking your fitness and wellbeing activities, you need to get the correct advice and support, which rarely comes via celebrities, influencers, fads, trends and fashion but rather from those who work at the coal face ( in that field) with the relevant knowledge, experience and qualifications . It’s important that those you work with want you to achieve your goal for yourself and not for them, choose people who will support you take the necessary actions to help you succeed rather than this who collude in any derailing, because that makes them feel better about their own situation!
FITNESS IS A BROAD CHURCH- it doesn’t matter which church you attend as long as you do so regularly and frequently!
There are a few noteworthy dates this week.month, ‘Burns night’, ‘Veganuary’, ‘Dry January’ but I’m selecting this one to put under your nose!
What’s coming up?
Firstly I want to remind you that the early bird booking for Independence Day ends soon, so read on for the details (by the way you can book via Bacs payment to the usual account rather than using PayPal if you prefer !). See further down the page for information
You have more fab classes , music, content choreography and of course friendship and banter planned for you this week, as always!
plus a new Friday night course for February – Book Now!
Gym balls have been around for decades, and they are a brilliant and under utilised bit of kit for all types of top to toe exercise (not just sitting on).
You can work on your stability, posture, balance, flexibility and strength using the fitness ball and I love using them for myself and with my clients.
For our ‘Big balls and what to do with them’ class you will need a gym ball, a body length of space, a mat, band, light weights and one clear wall/closed door etc. to lean against.
Your gym ball must be anti-burst quality, free from knicks/flaws, stored away from heat and direct sunlight. It also need to be pumped to the correct height.
Ensure your exercise space is clear of sharp objects, pets, loose flooring, rugs, stairs/steps.
Participate in trainers, bare feet or non-slip socks. A non-slip yoga mat is best.
I can help you source a good quality safe ball, just ask
Choose the correct ball size for your height
5’0″ to 5’5” Small: 55cm/22″
5’6″ to 5’11” Medium: 65cm/26″
6’0″ to 6’3″ Large: 75cm/30″
IndepenDance is back with Nikkie Riozzi and Me!
Join us for an afternoon of fun laughter and Dance!
Join us for INDEPENDANCE on Saturday 27 April ‘24
With Helen Carpenter-Waters & guest presenter Nikkie Riozzi
Enjoy four creative and unique masterclasses;
- House is a Feeling – Nikkie
- Soul Motion – Helen
- Fluid Art – Nikkie
- Release – Helen
Location – All Hallows School, Farnham, GU9 9HF
Special Offer
Buy now save £10 – tickets only £29*
Normal price £39
*Offer ends Wed 31 Jan 2024
Please note, tickets are non-transferable or refundable.
Pay via BACS to UK Fitness Academy Ltd.
Low Carb Tortillas
Full of gut microbe loving fibre!
Great for breakfast, lunch or supper.
Makes around 6 tortillas
- ½ cup almond Flour
- ½ cup oat fibre
- 1 tablespoon xanthan gum (or chia seeds soaked in water)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 medium egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup warm water
- In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.
- Beat in the egg and the warm water and mix into a dough.
- Let the dough sit for 10 minutes to firm.
- Roll the dough in between two layers of grease proof paper. Roll it as thin as possible.
- Use a small saucepan lid to cut out a circular shape of the dough.
- Repeat until you have used all the mixture and have a pile of tortillas.
- Heat a frying pan on a medium heat and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until slightly golden.
Fill with your favourite fillings such as scrambled eggs, salad onions and peppers, or hummus and cucumber, or make a Mexican bean filling, guacamole and tomatoes.
Let me know what you think!
Have a fab week, you know where I am if you need some inspiration, motivation and information.
Love ya,
Helen xxx
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DYBO Live & Online – Next weeks 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
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)
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga Express – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.
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Joining us at All Hallows or The DYBO Church Crookhm 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
*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, 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, 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 cues.
*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
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 Freestyle Fitness Yoga – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.
****** 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.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
