Today I am going to throw the spotlight on a special member of our tribe, Jessica DeRose.

Jessica is a biology teacher and mother of two boys, 5 and 8 years old.  Jessica lives in Yardley, PA. She loves living near the canal and river, where she takes her boys for long hikes and bike rides.

Jessica isn’t only a member of the Tone and Strengthen, fitness tribe. She is also a team member of Tone and Strengthens instructor team. She taught kids yoga classes in winter of 2021. When I met Jessica in fall of 2020, I could tell how she had a special spark for yoga. She is a highly creative kids’ yoga instructor. She has a true passion for bringing joy to kids through yoga.

She weaves the themes of connection to the world, breathing for calmness, compassion for others, and love of self into games, imagination, and exploration. Her classes are guided by the needs of the kids attending the classes. My kids attended Jessica’s classes during the winter yoga session. In every class, they spent time calming and breathing and sometimes on dancing and releasing the energy. My kids walked away with a fuller heart after every single yoga class. Her classes instilled self-confidence, self-love, and self-awareness in my kids. You can learn more about her yoga on her Instagram page names.yay

Keep reading to learn more about her fitness journey in her own words.

Questions 1.  Give us a background of your wellness journey? How did you get started? What inspired you?  

Yoga practice has been very important to me for many years. I am a mom to a child with SPD, ADHD, and anxiety. This has led me on a long and winding journey of learning how to help him manage his physical, mental, and emotional needs in flexible and creative ways.

My Biology background came in handy here. I spent lots of time (so much time!) researching different methods of helping children to manage the increased demands of society and deal with the resulting stress and anxiety. Along the way, I found Yoga Education, an evidence based yoga program designed to improve anxiety, attention and focus, social, emotional learning, mental well-being, and physical health in children and teens. It aligned perfectly with my goals and my love of teaching and yoga. I’m so excited to say I am now a Certified Children’s Yoga Instructor and on my way to being an RCYT for children and teens with a trauma-informed focus.

I feel very strongly about the importance of giving children the tools to become resilient adults. My goal is to teach social-emotional learning and mindfulness through a fun and dynamic physical practice of breath and yoga.

Question 2. What are your current fitness and wellness goals?

Summer means spending lots of time outdoors with my boys and our dog.  We hike or bike most days.  And we love to spend days at the beach and pool.  My goal is to get outside and be active every day with my kids and share my love of the outdoors with them!  I recently got a stand-up paddleboard and enjoyed exploring local lakes and streams from a different vantage.  I haven’t convinced them to come on my paddleboard with me yet, but I’m working on it!

My boys are also my guinea pigs for ideas for my kid’s yoga classes. They’re good sports about it and give me honest feedback!  We tend to practice once or twice a week together.

Question 3. What challenges do you face in keeping up with your fitness goals?

Time.  There is always something that needs to be done.  It’s really easy to let exercise slip during my daily routine.  If I prioritize some exercise right after I drop my kids off at school, I feel much better for the rest of the day.  If I don’t do it in the morning, then it becomes easier and easier to get lost in my to-do list.

Question 4. How did you find Coach Aesha and started working with her?

Last winter, when I wasn’t comfortable with in-person fitness classes, I found Aesha’s classes through the Newtown Parks and Recreation programs.  I loved practicing with an instructor on the live-stream.  She kept me accountable, and I enjoyed her Barre classes.  After a few classes, Aesha approached me about offering a few virtual Kids Yoga Classes, and she helped me to be able to reach many more children and give them a taste of yoga and mindfulness.

Question 5. How has Coach Aesha’s training helped you with your fitness journey?

Before working with Aesha, my fitness routine mainly consisted of yoga with a run thrown in the 1-2x week.  Aesha helped me appreciate the strengthening and toning advantages of Barre.

The post Member Spotlight 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Today I am going to throw the spotlight on our tribe member Dina Toal. 

Dina was born and raised in Philadelphia and lives in Bucks County. She has been living in the Holland area for the past 20 years. She’s a human resource professional and working now as an HR Business Partner for Cenlar in Yardley.  She gets her motivation and strength from engaging with people and anticipating fun and new activity.  She was thrilled to find Tone and Strengthen with Coach Aesha during the pandemic.  She is a joy to have in my early morning classes. Keep reading to learn more about Dina.

Questions 1.  Give us a background of your wellness journey? How did you get started? What inspired you? 

Exercise and movement are an essential part of my life. When planning my overall week, the first thing I add to my calendar is my scheduled workouts and activities and hold to it. I have participated in group exercise classes for many years ranging from cardio, yoga, to TRX in addition to personal training. I also enjoy golf, pickleball, walking and swimming.  Several years back, I welcomed the eating methodology of a nutrition program into my life that has allowed me to maintain a healthy weight as I progress further along into my 50s!

Question 2. What are your current fitness and wellness goals? 

My overall wellness and fitness goals are to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.  At the beginning of the pandemic, like most things, I paused on exercising and now working to regain my strength and flexibility and maintain it long term. 

Question 3. What challenges do you face in keeping up with your fitness goals? 

It all comes down to planning and accountability.  Placing my workouts on my calendar in the beginning of the week so I plan around them versus fitting them into my schedule is key. I also find meal planning critical to healthy eating. 

Question 4. How did you find Coach Aesha and started working with her?  

I found Coach Aesha during the pandemic. I could no longer blame the pandemic for pausing on exercising so I registered for virtual exercise classes through Northampton Township Parks & Recreation, then joined her on-line virtual community. 

Question 5.  Tell us about your experience of working with Coach Aesha? 

I attend several of Coach Aesha’s classes each week and now belong to her virtual community.  She is very supportive and engaging during the classes and provides a very thorough description and benefit of the moves. She encourages you to work to your own personal limits and comfort level. And always recommends an alternative move for everyone to feel included. Her website and social media are very inspiring and informative and takes a holistic approach to wellness.

Question 6. How has Coach Aesha’s training helped you with your fitness journey?  

I am feeling stronger and stronger as the weeks go by!  And her yoga classes have helped maintain my flexibility which is especially needed as I continue to work from home during the pandemic. Plus I no longer feel guilty when my husband takes me on my weekly ice cream trip to the Zebra Striped Whale in Newtown!  I’m enjoying the journey!

The post Member Spotlight – Dina Toal 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.