What is Clean Well-Being?

​Hello! I'm Joanna and I really care about well-being. There are so many confusing and confused messages about health and well-being available, and I wanted to show that it's really simple and straightforward: you can look after your health and well-being without getting side-tracked by fuss and faff.

I work in education, having been a teacher and a school improvement adviser.  As an independent education consultant, I now work with the Jigsaw PSHE team and Optimus Education and travel around the country encouraging people to promote health and well-being through the wider curriculum. I'm a director at Gabriels Wellbeing and Education CIC and I also work with Sport In Mind, the mental health sports charity. I work with various local authorities school improvement teams, as well as fire & rescue, police and community safety teams in the south-east of England, supporting their PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) work in schools. I also regularly speak at conferences and large events. 

Training others is one of my favourite things to do and I have devised courses that promote well-being in a stealthy way.  My micro-school is for people who want to dedicate a few hours of their time to learning skills for managing work and life more effectively. If you would like me to train you/your team in person, get in touch. 

One of the best times of the week is teaching my Clean Well-Being exercise classes - they are simple and effective and I don't jump on the latest fitness trends: I value consistency over fads by teaching about movement and demonstrating techniques that enhance overall health and well-being. You can book onto my classes here. 

Clean Well-Being philosophy

What is Clean Well-Being?

It's well-being without the fuss and faff! I wanted to show that health and well-being can be easy to access, so 'clean well-being' seemed fitting. These are some of the quotes and ideas that I have found really useful and that have helped to form my 'philosophy' for Clean Well-Being.

This is one of my favourites:
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" (Eleanor Roosevelt). I love this one - it gets rid of all that "You made me upset" or "You made me so angry" excuse language, where people blame others for how they feel. You're responsible for how you feel, no one else.

Another idea that I love is linked to the Alexander Technique, of which I am a big fan. It's about pausing and giving yourself time to respond: When in doubt, pause. When tired, pause. When angry, pause. And when stressed, pause.

My most favourite non-fiction book is 'The Four Agreements' by Don Miguel Ruiz. No need to read the whole thing - just the inside cover will do. I love the agreement about not making assumptions: "Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama."

My exercise philosophy

What makes Clean Well-Being Classes different? Here are my top three ideas behind Clean Well-Being fitness.

1. Hydration
It's important to keep hydrated during exercise. At Clean Well-Being classes, there are regular water breaks to make sure everyone stays properly hydrated and can get the most out of the class. There is water available at each venue in case you forget your own.

2. Mindful movement
Long gone are the days of 'no pain, no gain'! I use the phrase 'soft limit' to describe how to listen and respond to what your body is telling you. If your body can move only up to a certain point or at a certain speed, don't force it beyond this point, get frustrated, and possibly cause injury. Go as far as is comfortable - and rest when you need to. 
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3. Sustainable exercise
At Clean Well-Being classes, I recommend gradual improvement and a long-term focus, rather than pushing yourself as hard as you can at the first class... and aching for the next few days! Treat your body kindly and with respect - that way, you will see the most sustainable results.