Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Hello,
I was chatting with one of my class members who said she was starting to find walking uphill more difficult. I asked if she lived in a bungalow and she said yes. Believe it or not, having to climb stairs several times a day helps keep your fitness levels up. If you do live in a bungalow, the first exercise below is especially for you. Here are some exercises for keeping your fitness levels up. 
5 Essential Strength Exercises for Seniors | Physiotherapy Strength & Fitness for Adults 55+

No Pilates or Chairfit on Wednesday 14 May, due to a class member’s funeral
Sadly, one of our class members has died. Judy Holroyd, our lovely Wednesday Pilates class member, started to have problems with her speech and swallowing in Spring last year and after several visits to consultants, she was diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease in January this year. Her last Pilates class was in December last year, so it has been a shock how fast this cruel disease has taken her. The funeral is 11.30am on Wednesday, 14 May at Charnock Richard Crematorium.

Bank holiday in May
No classes on Monday 26 May.

Instructor holiday no Do Fitness classes from Monday 26 May until start back Monday 9 June.
I am taking 2 weeks off from Do Fitness classes in the last week of May and the first week of June. The first week is to catch up with myself, and the second week is to go to a Yoga retreat in Portugal run by a French friend of mine. I have never been to Portugal before so I am looking forward to it.

Early Bird Pilates class on Monday mornings  8am
We have started this class at 8am at Prospect House. Great if you have other commitments or work during the day.

 Nordic Walking coming off Do Fitness timetable
I am taking Nordic Walking off the Do Fitness timetable. Groups will continue to meet but they will be running themselves. Let me know if you want to join them and I will put you in touch.

Timetable and booking
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 12 May -Prospect House
8am Early Bird Pilates
9.30am Move It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

Tuesday 13 May
10am  Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre 
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 14 May- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba on as normal
10.30 am Pilates No class due to funeral
11.30am Chairfit No class due to funeral

Thursday 15 May
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive6.30pm Zumba  Prospect House Sandy Lane
7.30m Pilates

Friday 16 May-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949  
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.
Stamps – I am continuing to collect used stamps- they will be given to Galloways – the local sight loss charity Galloways Sight Loss Charity Preston 

Our VE day themed Chairfit class at St Mary’s Community Centre
x

Diane

x

Hello,
The secret weapon to healthy ageing is exercise. Keep your exercise challenging, interesting and enjoyable. Try to have a mixture of exercise types, including strength training (Pilates or Chairfit) and cardiovascular (Zumba or fast walking). Include some balance challenges and stretches. Variety is the spice of life and this goes for exercise too.
How to age well: top tips for healthy ageing | Age UK

No Pilates or Chairfit on Wednesday 14 May, due to a class member’s funeral
Sadly, one of our class members has died. Judy Holroyd, our lovely Wednesday Pilates class member, started to have problems with her speech and swallowing in Spring last year and after several visits to consultants, she was diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease in January this year. Her last Pilates class was in December last year, so it has been a shock how fast this cruel disease has taken her. The funeral is 11.30am on Wednesday, 14 May at Charnock Richard Crematorium.


Bank holidays in May
No classes on Monday 5 May and Monday 26 May.

Instructor holiday no Do Fitness classes from Monday 26 May until start back Monday 9 June.
I am taking 2 weeks off from Do Fitness classes in the last week of May and the first week of June. The first week is to catch up with myself, and the second week is to go to a Yoga retreat in Portugal run by a French friend of mine. I have never been to Portugal before so I am looking forward to it.


Early Bird Pilates class on Monday mornings  8am
We have started this class at 8am at Prospect House. Great if you have other commitments or work during the day. 


Timetable and booking
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 5 May – Bank Holiday No classes

Tuesday 6 May
10am  Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre 
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 7 May- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30am Chairfit

Thursday 8 May
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive

6.30pm Zumba  Prospect House Sandy Lane
7.30m Pilates

Friday 9 May-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold

Saturday  10 May
10am Nordic Walking Paradise Lane

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949  
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.

x
Diane

Hello,
Last night, it was my honour to get 500 people Zumba dancing as a warm-up for the Walk in the Dark to raise funds for Rosemere Cancer Foundation. What a fantastic atmosphere with 500 people walking from Chorley Hospital to Royal Preston. A great experience! Home – Rosemere Cancer Foundation

Mini-sessions – 5-minute kitchen workout and exercise snacking
Sometimes, we are all or nothing about exercise. We think ‘I don’t have time to get to class this week or go for a walk , so I won’t have chance to exercise at all.‘ Here are some ideas for those busy weeks when time is short:

5-Minute Kitchen Workout: Quick Fitness Routine / Dr Chatterjee

10 Easy Exercise Snacks you can do Daily for Better Health  #health #wellbeing #tips #shorts

No classes Thursday 1 May due to polling day
Our venues are being used as polling stations that day, so they are not available to us.

Bank holidays in May
No classes on Monday 5 May and Monday 26 May.

Early Bird Pilates class on Monday mornings  8am
We have started this class at 8am at Prospect House. Great if you have other commitments or work during the day. 

Timetable and booking
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 28 April -Prospect House
8am Pilates early bird
9.30am Move-It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

6.30pm   Nordic Walking meet Tescos Extra Leyland

Tuesday 29 April
10am  Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre 
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 30 April- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30am Chairfit

Thursday 1 May
No classes – venues used for polling day

Friday 2 May-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold

Saturday  3 May
10am Nordic Walking Paradise Lane

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949  
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.

x
Diane

Hello,
I hope you are having a lovely Easter weekend with friends and family, or just relaxing and catching up with yourself.
                         
Pilates and how it improves everyday life
I was working on my allotment, and the new lady on the next allotment commented on how well I could move. She had seen me bending, squatting and lifting. As we are a similar age, she asked how I could do that, so I told her about Pilates. If you practice Pilates regularly, your body is prepared for all the challenges gardening poses with the strength and flexibility you need. Cultivating Wellness: Why Gardeners Need Pilates for a  Blooming Body and Garden and How Pilates Can Keep You  Gardening All Summer Long – Wilder Pilates, Lenexa Kansas
We talked about this in class, and some said how Pilates helped them when looking after grandchildren, as they could easily get up and down off the floor to play with them or easily lift babies or small children. One class member said they moved better than their own children because of their regular Pilates classes! Pilates helps us continue doing the things we love to do as we age.


Walk in the Dark to raise money for Rosemere
Some of you have had a connection with or raised funds for Rosemere. I am excited to be doing the warm-up for Walk in the Dark next Saturday, 26 April, at Chorley Hospital!
(4) Facebook    Walk in the Dark 2025 – Rosemere Cancer Foundation

No classes 1 May due to local elections 
Our Thursday venues, St Mary’s Community Centre and Prospect House, are being used for local elections. No classes that day.

Bank Holidays in May 
No classes Monday 5 May and Monday 26 May

New. Early Bird Pilates class on Monday mornings  8am
We have started this class at 8am at Prospect House. Great if you have other commitments or work during the day. 



Timetable and booking
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 21 April –
No classes Easter Monday

Tuesday 22 April
10am  Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre 
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 23 April- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30am Chairfit

Thursday 24 April
11.15 am Chairfit- St Mary’s Community Centre 

6.30pm Zumba-    Prospect House
7.30pm Pilates-     

Friday 25 April-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold

Saturday  26 April
10am Nordic Walking Paradise Lane

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949  
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.




x
Diane

Hello, A very short week coming up with Do Fitness classes on Monday only. I decided to do the Monday classes because there are so many Monday bank holidays in the next months, and I didn’t want my Monday people to miss out. I was at another event on Friday (Lifestyle Improvement NHS), demonstrating chair-based classes. This is such a good way for people to exercise when they have mobility issues, balance issues, pre-joint and post-joint replacement and so on. It can also be fun! Facebook There are many chair-based routines on  Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden New. Early Bird Pilates class on Monday mornings  8am We have started this class at 8am at Prospect House. Great if you have other commitments or work during the day.  Easter HolidayBreak There will be no classes on and from Tuesday, 15 April, until we start again on Tuesday, 22 April Timetable and booking All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane OakdenMonday 14 April -Prospect House 8am Pilates early bird 9.30am Move-It Mondays 10.30am Pilates 11.30am Zumba Gold 12.30pm Seated Pilates6.30pm   Nordic Walking meet Tescos Extra LeylandClasses finish for Easter – start again on Tuesday 22 April Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949   Do Fitness videos This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.x Diane

Hello, I gave demonstrations of chair-based exercise yesterday at a local community event. Chair-based is great because everyone can join in, so it is very inclusive. It was great to get everyone ‘dancing’ in the chair to fun music. Dance and movement to music is so good for us as Angela Rippon spoke about recently. (1) Video | Facebook It is good for our cardiovascular system, strength, and balance. It boosts our mood, improves cognition and is sociable, so that is the reason people leave Zumba or Chairfit feeling better and uplifted! 9 Ways Dancing Is Good for Your Health Dancing and the Brain | Harvard Medical School New. Early Bird Pilates class on Monday mornings  8am We have started this class at 8am at Prospect House. Great if you have other commitments or work during the day.  Easter HolidayBreak There will be no classes from Tuesday, 15 April, until we start again on Tuesday, 22 April Timetable and booking All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden Monday 7 April -Prospect House 8am Pilates early bird 9.30am Move-It Mondays 10.30am Pilates 11.30am Zumba Gold 12.30pm Seated Pilates 6.30pm   Nordic Walking meet Tescos Extra Leyland Tuesday 8 April 10am  Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre  11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre 1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens Wednesday 9 April- Prospect House 9.30am Zumba 10.30 am Pilates 11.30am Chairfit Thursday 10 April 11.15 am Chairfit- St Mary’s Community Centre  6.30pm Zumba-    Prospect House 7.30pm Pilates-      Friday 11 April-Prospect House 9.30am Zumba 10.30am Pilates 11.30am Zumba Gold Saturday  12 April 10am Nordic Walking Paradise Lane Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949   Do Fitness videos This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites. x Diane