Hi ya, I hope you had a wonderful weekend and got a chance to enjoy some bonus sunshine, what a gift!
I was reading some research about the mood boosting affects of the great outdoors and being in forests in particular. It seems that simply being in the woods lowers our stress hormones increases our happy hormones and boosts our immunity! Hugging a tree literally boosts our Dopamine (happy hormone) levels!
I love walking in the forest best of all my walks, but don’t disregard walking if you can’t get to the woods – getting out amongst flora, fauna and people even on footpaths and in cities (as long as pollution levels are low) is great for physical and mental health.
In fact doing any activity you love at a sufficient intensity, for enough time and at an optimal intensity does the trick for mind and body fitness full stop.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that people with mild to moderate depression take part in about three sessions a week, lasting about 45 minutes to one hour, over 10 to 14 weeks.
Well I say, “why stop at 14 weeks?” – mental and physical fitness requires us all to keep doing what is good for us, and to stop doing what is bad for us – from birth to grave – poor mental and physical health comes about when we stop taking care of our fitness, physical, physiological, emotional, nutritional and social needs!
Last week brought some challenges for your DYBO leader ! We had our alternate Thursday night class all sorted, lots of you were Zooming in and I had a full Studio here with me at DYBO HQ when it all went a bit Pete Tong! It turns out that my Microphone decided to ‘go sick’ at the point of broadcast, and whilst I was ‘faffing’ with what I though was a Zoom issue, Zoom decided to lock me out too!
I went ahead with the crew in the studio and recorded the session. If you had Zoomed in with me and missed your class, get in touch and I will send you the recording.
Whist extremely frustrated at the time, I feel blessed that in the two and a half years that we have been Zooming this is the first time I haven’t been able to deliver a class due to technical problems.
I purchased a mic within an hour on overnight delivery and was back up and running ready for Fridays Fitness Yoga Class – boom!
I popped up on TV again!
I was watching Alan Titchmarsh chatting to Bananarama on his Sunday morning show, when out of the blue who should pop up by little old me. Back in the 80’s I performed as a dancer gymnast doubling for Karen for the 80’s girl band on their hit song Love In The First Degree (choreographed by Bruno Tonioli), I hadn’t appreciated at the time how much we looked alike (although on the filming day Sarah from the band started chatting to me thinking I was Karen ) now I can see it ! See for yourself
The week ahead – come to class and keep warm, get fit, feel fabulous – it’s cheaper than putting the heating on!!! So let’s burn lbs rather than spend £’s!
I’ve prepared lots of fresh class content plus a brand new 90’s classic Dance Fit routine for Tuesday (eeeek its fab)
All classes are on and I have a brand new Mic too!
Spicy pumpkin soup
Comforting, warming and healthy soup – yummy!
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, or ghee
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 2-3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 30oz natural pumpkin puree
- 4 cups chicken bone broth or vegetable stock
- sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
- for your pumpkin bowl:
- 1 whole large pumpkin, approximately 5-6 pounds, rinsed and cleaned
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees f. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Cut around the stem of your pumpkin to remove the lid and using an ice cream scoop, scoop out contents save the seeds for another recipe and give the pith to the birds
- Season inside with sea salt and pepper.
Transfer to your prepared baking sheet together with the top and roast for, 40-45 minutes,
Whilst pumpkin is roasting, heat the oil in a large pan or soup maker and add the onion and sauté for 3-4 min, stirring occasionally.
Add in the jalapeño, garlic, carrots, and pumpkin puree.
Pour in the stock, stir, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a low, cover your pot and simmer for 25 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Remove from heat and blend until smooth and creamy.
Transfer to roasted pumpkin shell and decorate with parsley and or pine nuts on top.
This will make a fab soup for every day and a statement meal for Halloween !
Have a fab week!
Let’s keep each other warm.
Love ya,
Helen x
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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 – In The House!
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 – ‘Bailemos’ (Let’s Dance)
Friday (DYBO Studio)
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.
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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 for track and trace.
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 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 .
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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.
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.
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/trainiing.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19 infection or have tested positive and are instructed to isolate as per Government guidelines.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
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