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On Sunday I delivered a mental health & wellbeing workshop at RXBOX CrossFit Gym in Didsbury. I started the talk by creating a safe space, with a nonjudgmental & respectful atmosphere. I was genuinely blown away by how everyone opened up to the group.

I spoke about things I’ve learned from courses & workshops in Mental Health First Aid, Active Listener, Effective Mentoring Skills, Mindfulness & Emotional Resilience. I spoke about cuts to mental health services & all kinds of things we can do on a daily basis to help look after our wellbeing such as practicing gratitude, self-care & mindfulness.

I invited participants to talk about positive & negative connotations around mental health difficulties & the importance of destigmatisation, 5 things they are *truly* grateful for, & I asked people to talk about self-care & what they have done over the past week to really look after themselves. We also did the famous mindful eating of a raisin exercise.

I gave handouts with all kinds of wonderful resources such as TED Talks, further reading & a list of counselling & advice services in Manchester. I enjoyed every minute & I came away feeling very reflective, grateful & strong. Connction & community are so important when it comes to mental health & wellbeing. Here’s to more people working to destigmatise mental illness & mental health struggles, & more people feeling able to open up & ask for help when’s they need it.

Thank you everyone who came along & thank you Suze & Andy at RXBOX CrossFit Gym for this amazing opportunity.

Helpful Mental Wellbeing Resources:

Crisis and emotional support helplines and organisations…

Samaritans:

They allow people to talk about feelings of distress and despair.

Confidential and non-judgemental support.

Phone: 116 123 (Freephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Email: jo@samaritans.org   Website: www.samaritans.org

Saneline:

Out of hours mental health and emotional support and information for anyone affected by mental ill health, including family, friends and carers.

Phone: 0300 304 7000 (Local call rates 6pm-11pm, 7 days a week)

Website: http://www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/helpline/

Rethink Advice and Information Service:

Practical help and information on Issues such as the Mental Health Act, community care, benefits, debt, criminal justice and carer’s rights.

Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Local rates, 9:30am-4pm)

Finding a therapist…

The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies:

Multi-disciplinary interest group for people involved in the practice and theory of behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy

Phone: 0161 705 4303

Email: babcp@babc.com  Website: www.babcp.com

Counselling directory:

Free, confidential directory of trained, professional counsellors and therapists in the UK. You can check whether the counsellor found through this website is also registered with one of the professional/ accreditation bodies in the UK. Alternatively you can contact the relevant professional organisation directly once you have found a named professional to check details of their registration.

Phone: 0844 8030 240  Website: www.counselling-directory.org.uk

Rebel Therapy:

Therapy in Manchester for non-conformists — freelancers, artists, musicians, writers, performers, and those in non-conforming careers and lifestyles.

https://rebel-therapy.com/

Gaddum:

Individual counselling. Pay what you can (£10 minimum) Located in Manchester.

www.gaddumcentre.co.uk

LGBT Foundation:

Free individual and couples counselling for LGBTQ+ people in the North West.

https://lgbt.foundation/

Beacon:

Counselling for individuals and couples in Stockport and the surrounding area. Free or payment by donation.

www.beacon-counselling.org.uk

Talk Listen Change:

Counselling for adults, couples, children and young people. Based in Stockport, priced on sliding scale based on income.

www.talklistenchange.org.uk

Manchester Mind:

Free impartial advice on benefits, debt and housing to people with mental health needs in Manchester,

www.manchestermind.org

Further reading:

• Practicing Self-Care Is Important: 10 Easy Habits To Get You Started – Noma Nazish

https://www.forbes.com/sites/payout/2017/09/19/practicing-self-care-is-important-10-easy-habits-to-get-you-started/#26d46791283a

• CALMZONE – Campaign Against Living Miserably

https://www.thecalmzone.net/

• 20 Proven Ways to Quickly Lower Your Cortisol Levels – Jordan Falls https://www.optimallivingdynamics.com/blog/20-proven-ways-to-effectively-lower-your-stress-hormone-reduce-counteract-manage-cortisol-decrease-levels-for-brain-mental-health-anxiety-depression-cognitive-function-foods-nutrients-herbs-supplements-adaptogens-adrenals-naturally-tips
• 9 Ways To Promote Gratitude in Your Life – https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/therese-borchard-sanity-break/ways-promote-gratitude-your-life/
• S.U.M.O. (Shut Up Move On): The Straight-Talking Guide to Creating and Enjoying a Brilliant Life, Paul McGee (2005)

• The FOMO Is Real: How Social Media Increases Depression and Loneliness

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/social-media-use-increases-depression-and-loneliness

• How To Take a Social Media Vacation: The Complete Guide To A Social Media Detox

https://www.socialreport.com/insights/article/115003377786-How-To-Take-A-Social-Media-Vacation-The-Complete-Guide-To-A-Social-Media-Detox

• Is Gratitude the Secret of Happiness? – The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/oct/23/is-gratitude-secret-of-happiness-i-spent-month-finding-out
• Nutritional Psychiatry: Can You Eat Yourself Happier? Amy Fleming https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/mar/18/can-you-eat-yourself-happier- nutritional-psychiatry-mental-health#img-1

Fantastic videos on Youtube:

• How Stress Affects Your Brain – Madhumita Murgia
• TED Talk: Cultivating Unconditional Self-Worth – Adia Gooden
• TED Talk: Sleep Is Your Superpower – Matt Walker
• TED Talk: The Power of Vulnerability – Brene Brown

Photo by Nigel Maitland (2017)

Today is the 1st of May 2019. There were 30 days in April and I set myself a challenge to do a 30 Days of Yoga. I deliver all kinds of fitness classes at Manchester Metropolitan University and I wanted to strengthen my whole body, enhance my flexibility and relieve my muscles that sometimes feel sore from all the training. Yoga has so many incredible benefits, but the main reasons why I wanted to do the 30 days were:

❤️ To get back into regular yoga practice

❤️ To inspire others to engage in regular yoga practice

I was inspired by Youtube Yoga GODDESS Adriene Mishler AKA Yoga With Adriene – she’s fantastic at helping you Find What Feels Good!

I had already been enjoying (joining the global community) doing her YouTube yoga sessions. So many friends, gym members, PT clients and I regularly talk about how good she is and how much she helps us. She is genuinely wonderful. Adriene has a special way of helping you feel supported and motivated, whilst encouraging you to ‘ease into it’ both physically and emotionally. She talks in an adorable Texas accent, she can laugh at herself, she is patient and loving towards her dog Benji and also towards herself. She encourages you to be kind to yourself, and talks about “full body awareness” in yoga – showing people how to get in touch with their bodies, exploring mindfulness in the body. AND she has yoga for EVERYTHING! See some of the awesome sessions below!

Yoga for flexibility:

Yoga for anxiety and stress:

Yoga for when you are stuck:

Head and Heart Reset:

Yoga for when you’re on the road!

Yoga With Adriene has already provided millions of people with free YouTube video 30 Day Yoga Challenges (more than once too!) and I had already tried to do her 30 Day Challenge a few times and only got a few days in each time.

So this time I decided to choose my own Yoga With Adriene videos, in any order I liked, as the hurdle that kept stopping me from continuing each day in the past was the time of certain sessions. If I felt too tired or too pushed for time, seeing a 27 or 33 minute practice on that specific day’s video didn’t work for me!

On the 1st of April I started a chart, writing each yoga practice I chose and how long it takes. If I do this again (yes I know I’m a nerd) I will put stars next to my favourite sessions, or even write notes about certain poses they feature and what they are good for.

By the 7th day I noticed that I already felt so good for it. I started to feel more energised. My joints felt better. I felt slightly stronger in certain poses and I looked forward to how I would be feeling and what I would be experiencing in my mind, body and soul by Day 30.

I’m afraid I don’t yet know what that would feel like 😂 I made it to 10 days in a row! And after a long day in work, smashing out band practice playing the drums for a couple of hours and talking to my housemates, I just climbed into my bed, without doing an evening yoga practice.

At first I felt a bit like I had let myself down as I had dropped off the wagon (especially when I had announced this 30 Day Yoga Challenge online) but I soon forgave myself. I realised I felt glad that I had proven to myself that I can do yoga for 10 days in a row! And I was happy when a few people told me I had inspired them to get back into Yoga With Adriene videos at home!

Photo by my Grandma when I was doing downward facing dog 😂 (1989)

I did a few more days of Yoga With Adriene videos, with a few sun salutations or cat / cow poses on my mat at the start of my day sometimes. In total, in April, I did 13 Yoga With Adriene videos and other bits here and there.

I’ve learned a lot along the way. I’ve also found myself reading more about yoga [THE BENEFITS ARE INCREDIBLE] and feeling really good on the whole. I could have felt gutted that I didn’t do 30 days… But yoga is all about compassion, to others and to yourself. It’s not about being in competition with others, and it’s about accepting where you’re at right now, in the moment, being fully present and being kind to yourself.

There is so much more to say, but I will save that for another day. Also thank you to everyone I know who has been part of my yoga journey so far, I am eternally grateful and I will never stop doing it! I just probably won’t do it every single day. And that’s okay!

Good night x x x

This one is pretty special before sleep. Let me know if you give it a go! ❤️ Namaste ❤️

Photo credit: This Girl Can

This Girl Can’s latest campaign to inspire women and girls to get physically active is all about being real about exercise. As I mentioned in my last blog post, if you really want to enhance your fitness level, get stronger, or tone up, it’s all about keeping the training regular. And there are so many ways to fit being physically active into our day to day lives on a regular basis.

In the words of This Girl Can: Whether you’re cycling to work, literally running the school run, or getting muddy with your pooch in the park, we’re celebrating all the amazing ways you fit exercise into your lives… There’s no right way to get active – if it gets your heart rate up it counts. And we want more women to find what’s right for them.

It’s time #FitGotReal

If you’re in need of some motivational words from some of the awesome women I know who do all kinds of exercise, read on!

When I asked questions like what inspired them to start exercising, what motivates them to keep at it, and how do they stay focused, here’s what they had to say:

Vix: My friend split up with her boyfriend and asked me to come to a trial with her to Global Taekwondo International – GTI – we did 4 weeks. She decided it wasn’t for her & I’ve been going ever since, I love it.x

Una: I started doing Tai Chi in my 20s on and off and then Qi Gong on and off over the years. It has made a huge difference to my health and learning the breathing techniques meant I no longer have asthma (Combined with a dietary change – no dairy etc) I have an inhaler, just in case and haven’t used it for years.

Vickie: The desire to get through a school quarter without drugs and alcohol got me into yoga. It helped me reduce anxiety and stress.

Paige: My body went through quite a lot at a young age, including an accident at 16 where I nearly had to have my leg amputated. I was told I wouldn’t be able to run or kneel (you’ll be surprised how much you use kneeling day to day when you can’t! No kinky references implied!). I had to learn to walk again, swim again, ride a bike again. I can now run and kneel. I also got sick at 21 and unfortunately now I’m unwell again which has disrupted my gym routine. Going between watching your body fade away in front of you, and then engaging in activity that builds it up again has been really empowering for me. I don’t do anything mega – just stretch, cardio, use weights, s couple of times a week. But the difference it makes in my mood/physicality is incredible. I see my body as the vessel that carries me through life & feel so lucky to have full mobility when I’m healthy.

Carolyn: I’ve fallen out of my gym routine but walk 1-2 miles per day. Great way to start and end the day and mood booster.

Georgia: If you’re having a bad day or going through a tough time, working out can be an hour of your day where you can forget about it all and do something positive for yourself.

Shelly: Geri Halliwell inspired me to start Yoga at the tender age of 16! I’d always been fascinated with Indian Culture and after purchasing Geri’s VHS it literally became my saving grace….and still is.

Lisa: Well, I’m a big time walker-explorer + hiker. It eases my stress, clears my mind (especially in nature), + gets me right sorted. xo

Sian: I leave for my first ever yoga retreat in Cambodia on Thursday! I’ll let you know if it’s inspires me to move more!

Lizzie: I LOVE exercise. It all started with PE teachers at school as a haven from teenage angst and a place to clear my head and I hope it will never end. I get my sense of self from sweating and panting for sport, and when sweating and panting in a team I am one with the team. When done well (inclusively and fun, not necessarily to a high ‘standard’), sport can fill people up with a confidence and feeling of life that I havn’t ever found elsewhere. I currently lead 2 girls football clubs and it fills us all with joy. There you go, that’s one woman’s view of exercise and sport. You’re a right inspiration Fi, keep it up please. Love X

Emma: I exercise because I like the feeling you get afterwards. It makes you feel more motivated, not just in fitness, but in everyday life. 

Lucy: I’ve made loads of friends through sport. It’s a huge part of my life. I get stressed really easily. And when I exercise or play sport I don’t have time to really think about that stuff.

Thank you all of you. Keep it up! And if you’ve been inspired by this blogpost, why not get involved by sharing your stories with the hashtag #fitgotreal?!

Last year I took on a new challenge, delivering women only fitness classes for students and staff at Manchester Metropolitan University. I gave the classes my all and ended up leading consistently the most highly attended fitness classes across all of the uni all year!

I wanted to create fitness classes that motivated women to get fit in a non-judgemental and fun environment. Most exercises in the Legs and Bums and Ab Attack F.I.T Classes had easier versions for people new to fitness, and more advanced versions for regular gym goers.

Week 1 had an alright turn out. Here’s our post-workout photo! Happy faces and The Cheerleading Society setting up in the background!

Week 2 OMG people must have told their friends to come along! I was so glad I had a microphone!

I created an uplifting female fronted music playlist, featuring music from inspiring women musicians like MIA, Missy Elliott, Beyoncé, Rihanna and The Slits. I wanted all participants to leave the sessions feeling really empowered, and like they’ve had a damn good workout!

I love it how as the weeks passed, the post-workout photo started to look more and more like a sports team!

Sometimes the classes had specific themes. During Uni Mental Health Awareness Week, I ended the Ab Attack F.I.T Class with 15 minutes of yoga. I turned the music down, whacked the more relaxing playlist on (Bjork, Cocteau Twins, Portisead) and encouraged a show of hands to see who had never done yoga before! It was great to see that many of the participants were new to yoga. I spoke about the benefits of yoga for the mind, body and soul, and ended with key poses that are specifically designed to help the body relax and wind down, such as child’s pose.

Here we are balancing in tree pose!

I also invited all participants to give themselves a pat on the back, because turning up to fitness classes whilst at university is really great for reducing stress levels, along with reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as giving everyone a boost of endorphins, the ‘feel good’ hormones, and helping everyone get a good nights sleep!

By January the class participation had grown beyond belief! It was truly great to see so many people up for getting fit after over indulging over the festive period, but from then on, we had to cap the class number at NO MORE THAN 70!!!

Even though people had to be turned away every session, people still kept coming back for more! I recommended people who had to be turned away go home and smash out a 30 minute legs, bums and tums workout on their bedroom floor, incorporating exercises they have learned in my sessions! It was an incredible feeling seeing the same faces come back week in week out, and to see people’s fitness levels increase, along with their bodies becoming more toned and their confidence levels improving too.

Because of the popularity of these classes, MMU Sport HQ decided to add another F.I.T Class to the fitness timetable. We welcomed @bex.hellyer to the F.I.T Class fam and she started to teach classes on Thursday evenings at Sugden Sports Centre, focusing on weight training. Bex’s F.I.T Classes have also been highly attended, and students kept telling me that they love the combination of my bodyweight and plyometric Ab Attack and Legs and Bums classes, along with Bex’s weightlifting classes. People were really starting to see results!

During @ThisMMUGirlCan Week I encouraged everyone to do their research and check out This Girl Can, if they’re not yet aware of this incredibly inspiring and successful fitness campaign. Before the first session started, Abi Dean and I showed the participants a This MMU Girl Can banner and invited everyone to sign their names on the banner, pledging on inspire and encourage other women and girls to become more physically active. I love my job!

I ADORE This Girl Can and I can still remember the shivers-down-the-spine psysiological affect that seeing the first This Girl Can video in 2015 had on me. Such a fantastic campaign to inspire more women and girls to become more physically active. It was just so refreshing to see women of all shapes and sizes, ages, colours getting physically active, and enjoying themselves! SOUNDTRACKED BY MISSY ELLIOTT’S GET UR FREAK ON. SO MUCH LOVE!

Never before had I seen a fitness video like this! I know so many people who have been inspired by this campaign. Whatever your gender, if you find yourself needing some exercise motivation, watch this video! Get up and go!

I also love the newer This Girl Can video. Even more ridiculously energising and inspiring footage of women in various types of exercises and sports, doing their thing, in conjunction with a recording of legend Maya Angelou reading her Phemomenal Woman poem. Perfection.

At the end of the This MMU Girl Can Week class I suggested the idea of channelling our inner goddess for the post-workout photo!

Here we are holding Warrior 2 yoga pose at the end of Legs & Bums class. Warrior 2 (AKA Virabhadrasana II) is a standing pose that enhances strength, stability and concentration, whilst stretching the legs, groin and chest.

It’s wonderful that some people made the time to keep coming to the F.I.T Classes during the exam period. Did you know that exercise, specifically weight training, frazzles your central nervous system in a way that you are less likely to experience stress and nervousness for the next 24 hours?! Shoutout to weight lifter Kath Shack who told me this awesome piece of information!

At the end of the academic year, I thanked everyone from coming to the classes and bringing such high energy, and wished all students the best of luck for their exams!

Now that Freshers Week is out of the way and lectures have started this week, my classes are starting up again tonight!

I am so excited to welcome all the new faces and say hey to the regulars from last year! Expect new playlists, some new exercises and some of the same! Let’s see how long people can hold plank for to measure where your core stability is at today, and let’s take it from there!

If you’re a female staff member or student at Manchester Met, come to Brooks sports hall, bring your ID card, your water bottle and get involved.

F.I.T Class Legs & Bums 18:00-18:30

F.I.T Class Ab Attack 18:30-19:00

The classes are free as part of Active Campus, the fantastic drive to get more staff and students physically active on campus.

Roll On YEAR 2! LET’S DO THIS!

So the Spice Girls Dance-A-Thon was loads of fun!

Here’s a photo of everyone who stayed dancing right until the end! Well done! Thank you everyone involved, the Spice Up organisers, box office staff and the Manchester Central security team. Big love to one of the security team who joined in! I loved *every minute* leading the Spice Girls dance session! I encouraged everyone to sing along as well as give it their all dancing, and they did!

Some of my amazing friends came along, check out my ILL band mates posing with me in the Spice Bus! The Spice Up exhibition has been extended until the end of September and can now be found in The Great Northern!

My Zumba classes are going from (high energy) strength to strength. Just received some lovely feedback from Chloe: ‘I LOVE IT! Really enjoyed being offbeat and free styling and it felt like a space to be able to do that too. You’re really great Fi’

THANK YOU CHLOE! SO ARE YOU!

My next Zumba challenge will be learning the officical Zumba Instructor Network choreography to the sizzling Level Up track by Ciara. It’s such a cool track, it was no surprise when I learned that Missy Elliott had been involved in the creative process. What a track, about self-improvement and getting better and better at whatever you do.

If you like this video (I love it) you should watch the ‘making of’ video. The video is spellbinding and showcases how extremely far music video choreography has come in the last few years.

Watch how the dancers learn and MOVE! So much respect for PARRI$ what a legend!

But don’t be scared off, my Zumba classes will soon feature this track musically, but with moves way more accessible than in this video! You don’t need to be a professional dancer to enjoy dancing with conviction in a Zumba class, you just need to be ready to have fun!

Everyone (18+) is welcome. My Zumba classes are every Wednesday 6-7pm at Platt Lane Sports Complex in Fallowfield. Prices: Public £4.70 / MMU Student £4.20 / Other students, MMU & MMC Staff £4.40 / Concession £2.45

TODAY I GOT A BBC RADIO SHOUTOUT FROM ONE OF MY HEROES, TALKING ABOUT DANCE (IN CAPITAL LETTERS)! I am so excited to go dancing at Lucky Cloud Sound System this Sunday in London with my friend Caroline. I’m still buzzing from hearing Lauren Laverne do a BBC Radio 6 Music shout out to us today, when talking about listeners weekend plans! LISTEN AGAIN 25 mins in:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/m0000fjf

The featured photo at the top of this blog is me posing with another one of my heroes: FIERCE DANCER / Manchester legend / northern powerhouse / Mother of The House of Ghetto Darren Pritchard. After one of Darren’s most enjoyable Vogue Workshops I’ve ever experienced, part of Superbia, during Manchester Pride Weekend, we were *totally feeling ourselves* and we had just been told that there was steam coming from the room!

Photo by JA G Wallis

I also have some really exciting news coming up about a dance event I will be leading at Halloween! Stay tuned! 💀💃🏻⚡️💋