Move and exercise your grey cells

If I look back at my early posters I can see a theme...move more, enjoy the benefits of exercising with friends, exercise your grey cells and find the 'thing' that helps you to keep fit. 
 
After some 17 years my words seem to be holding true as more and more research tells us that exercising with friends is good for your mental health, co-ordination is great for the grey cells and doing 'what you can plus a little bit extra' is a great way to increase your daily physical activity.  
 
The British Gymnastics have launched a new chair based programme for people with dementia, Love to Move, but when I look at my classes I can see that I challenge my members with physical tongue twisters- arms going in one direction legs in the other, remembering routines, phrasing of movements, putting it to the music and interpreting the music. Smiling, laughing and interacting with others. It is impossible to put a smile, laughter or spontaneous singing into a class plan; these things happen when people get together and have fun! 
 
Keeping physically, mentally and socially fit is about doing something you enjoy and this week I saw that in the smiles of 3 ladies who have found the 'thing' they are looking for at my EXTEND and Medau class.
 
So, as the rain spreads across North London and we huddle in front of our TV's with comfortable mug of tea, think how you can increase our daily activity...you can always pop along to a class and see if it is the thing that 'ticks your box'.