Just As Well, The Women's Health Podcast

This week we’re doing a little mindset maintenance – looking at fear. Specifically, the fear that you’re not good enough, and how this can build and build and hold you back in many ways. From not going for the goals you want because you’re so fearful of failure, to being fearful that the success you’ve accumulated is so fleeting and so ready to be wrenched away from you that you keep chasing success but never actually allow yourself to recognise it; to enjoy it. The type of fear that, if it gets both hands on the wheel, can drive you towards overwork, burnout and a total disconnection from meaning, purpose and happiness in your life. Roisín is joined by Dr Pippa Grange - a doctor of sports psychology and a world-leading culture coach who’s hired by the sporting and business elite to help them edge in front of the competition. As head of people and team development at the Football Association, she worked closely with Gareth Southgate’s England team for the World Cup in 2018. She calls fear a thief, arguing that working on your fear is an essential step in achieving success - and talks through the techniques to facing it once and for all. Dr Pippa Grange is author of Fear Less: How to Win at Life Without Losing Yourself (Vermilion) - out now. Join Women’s Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukJoin Roisín Dervish-O'Kane on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokane TopicsHow fear is holding you back in many aspects of your lifeWhy being fearful of failure stops you going for goalsHow fear can lead to burnout when combined with ambitionWhy success won’t necessarily bring relief from fear (in fact, it can be the exact opposite)The best techniques to combat fear once and for all Like what you’re hearing? We'd love if you could rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps other people find the show. Also, remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you’ll never miss an episode. Got a goal in mind? Shoot us a message on Instagram putting ‘Going for Goal’ at the start of your message and our experts could be helping you achieve your health and wellness ambition in an upcoming episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s your relationship with yoga like right now? Maybe you’ve never really ‘got’ yoga (or thought that it’s for you) but the stresses of this moment mean you’re keen to access those juicy mind-body-soul-everything benefits that fans go on about. Perhaps you only flow on a fairweather basis and you’re curious about the benefits you might unlock if you start to practice regularly. Or maybe you’re someone who previously got a real buzz from attending studio classes, don't feel comfortable returning just yet, and need some inspiration to reinvigorate your at-home practice. Wherever you're at right now, we’re confident that, by the end of this episode, you'll want to unfurl that mat before you can say 'savasana'. This week's host Morgan Fargo, Women's Health's Digital Fitness Writer, is joined by two yoga experts full of tips and tactics to help you build a regular yoga practice. The first is Jessica Olie, a former elite swimmer and sports science grad who’s built a 900k-strong community around her online yoga workouts and #LetsStartYoga ebooks. Then there’s Nahid de Belgeonne, the former yoga sceptic and founder of The Human Method, which is a blend of yoga flow, restorative poses and breathing techniques she uses to soothe the nervous systems and improve the lives of her high-powered and highly-stressed clients. Together they discuss the importance of starting small, new ways to find joy within your self-practice and why yoga, truly, is for everyone.Join Jessica Olie on Instagram: @jessicaolieJoin Nahid de Belgeonne on Instagram: @thehumanmethodukJoin Women’s Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukJoin Morgan Fargo on Instagram: @morganfargoTopicsWhy it's so worth developing a home yoga practice The benefits of yoga for mental and emotional healthReflections on yoga's history and modern evolutionWhy you need to find a teacher you love (whether you're doing yoga over Zoom or IRL)The balance of postures you need for whole-body healthLike what you’re hearing? We'd love if you could rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps other people find the show. Also, remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you’ll never miss an episode.Got a goal in mind? Shoot us a message on Instagram putting ‘Going for Goal’ at the start of your message and our experts could be helping you achieve your health and wellness ambition in an upcoming episode. For more great yoga content from Women's Health head to www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/yoga Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, we thought we’d try something a little different this week. After all, aren't some of the richest sources of inspiration for positive change often found when listening to smart, switched on people share their personal stories? We're confident that will be the case with this week's guest: personal trainer, global fitness superstar and founder of the Fit Body App, Anna Victoria. At the age of 32, she has already been on her fair share of health journeys and here she chats to Women’s Health’s Editor-in-Chief Claire Sanderson about the lessons she’s learned along the way. Expect an unfiltered account of Anna’s struggles with unexplained infertility and IVF plus how, now she’s pregnant (and due any day now) she plans to raise a strong, resilient and self-confident little girl. They also discuss Anna’s personal evolution from someone who thought nothing of eating Maccies thrice daily (yep, really) to a woman who lives and breathes a healthy lifestyle so much so that she’s been able to amass a 1.2 million-strong community of women around her passion and knowledge for living well. Oh, and there are tonnes of tips and tactics you can apply to optimise your health - no matter what stage you're at on your own journey.Join Women's Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukJoin Anna Victoria on Instagram: @annavictoriaJoin Claire Sanderson on Instagram: @clairesandersonTopics:From IVF and infertility to pregnancy: one woman's journey to motherhoodPregnancy workout pro tipsWhat to know when starting a fitness journeyWhy the 80:20 nutrition rule is so important for mental healthRaising strong girls: how Anna plans to do itLike what you’re hearing? We'd love if you could rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps other people find the show. Also, remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you’ll never miss an episode.Got a goal in mind? Shoot us a message on Instagram putting ‘Going for Goal’ at the start of your message and our experts could be helping you achieve your health and wellness ambition in an upcoming episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there’s been one common thread weaving through your episode request messages over the past couple of months, it’s that many of you want our experts’ guidance on breaking out of unhealthy eating patterns. Just a few examples: Lauren wanted to learn strategies with which to curb her snacking, Hannah wanted to know what will stop her snacking on junk food, while Leila wants help disrupting her emotional eating reflex. At the other end of the spectrum, plenty more of you wanted advice on how you can avoid slipping back into restrictive habits around food. This week, Roisín is joined by Dr Laurel Mellin, associate clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco and founder of neuroscience-based, habit-change system Emotional Brain Training - alongside Renee McGregor, leading sports and eating disorders dietician. They discuss how the surprisingly simple principles of neurophysiology can help anyone manage emotional eating issues, food and feelings-based ways to temper sugar cravings - and what to do if the stress of the pandemic is tipping you toward restrictive eating habits. Dr Laurel Mellin is author of The Stress Eating Solution, find out more about Emotional Brain Training.Renee McGregor is author of Training Food and co-host of the Train Brave podcast, join her on Instagram @r_mcgregorJoin Roisín Dervish-O'Kane on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneTopics Why so many people have been struggling with negative eating patterns recentlyWhat is neurophysiology and how can it help disrupt negative eating patterns?A brain training technique to try if you're concerned about your overeatingAn energy-sustaining healthy eating schedule Sweet tooth in overdrive? Why you might not be eating enoughIf you'r struggling with disordered eating right now, check out the UK's Eating Disorders Charity BEAT for information and support: beateatingdisorders.org.ukLike what you’re hearing? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you’ll never miss an episode.Got a goal in mind? Shoot us a message on Instagram putting ‘Going for Goal’ at the start of your message and our experts could be helping you achieve your health and wellness ambition in an upcoming episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sleeping soundly is something that’s become an increasingly elusive goal since the pandemic pressed pause on our daily way of operating. So much so that UCL research out in June revealed two thirds of people surveyed have been experiencing some sort of sleep disturbance in lockdown. Far from ideal when you consider that getting adequate, good quality sleep is a critical factor in us being able to feel and function at our best - and that experts believe we’ll be cycling in and out lockdowns until a Covid-19 vaccine is found. While much of the anxiety and stress of this moment can harm your sleep whatever your gender, as a woman, you’re up against specific slumber saboteurs. From extra caring responsibilities to hormonal gymnastics, women have - as one of today’s guests puts it - ‘really hit the jackpot’. Thankfully today’s guests - both foremost experts in their respective fields within the science of women’s sleep - come armed with tonnes of tips and tactics that we can all use to help us protect our sleep and live better. Joining Roisín this week are Dr Shelby Harris, a NYC-based clinical psychologist and author of The Women’s Guide To Overcoming Insomnia and Dr Katharina Lederle, consultant human sleep and fatigue specialist and author of Sleep Sense. Whether your wake-up-at-3am insomnia has reared it's head in recent weeks; the specific anxieties of the moment mean, for the first time, you’re struggling to nod off; or you’re a late riser who’s thriving on their new set-your-own schedule and worried about returning to the office 9-5, they’ve got you. Find out more about Dr Katharina LederleFind out more about Dr Shelby Harris Follow Women’s Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukFollow Roisín Dervish-O’Kane on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneTopics: Why cycling in and out of lockdown is a sleep saboteurThe case for sleep being a feminist issueWhat to do - and not to do - if you can’t sleepHow going to bed later can stop early-hours wake ups Ways to readjust your schedule if you’re returning to the office5 doctor-approved better sleep tactics you can try tonightLike what you’re hearing? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you’ll never miss an episode.Got a goal in mind? Shoot us a message on Instagram putting ‘Going for Goal’ at the start of your message and our experts could be helping you achieve your health and wellness ambitions in an upcoming episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unless you’ve been living under a rock with no Wifi connection (and you've set all your WhatsApp groups to mute) you'll be aware that pubs and bars in the UK are reopening on 4th July. Think about how this makes you feel: jubilant about sitting down with a freshly-pulled pint? Thrilled that your gang are finally able to make merry in a place with actual working loos? Maybe you’ve cut your units right down during lockdown and have mixed feelings about social drinking opportunities showing up in your life again. Whichever way you're leaning, now is as good a time as any to take stock and start thinking about your drinking. Joining Roisín on today's show is David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, outspoken former government advisor and author of Drink: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health (£16.99, Hodder & Stoughton). One of the world’s foremost experts on the impacts of drugs on the brain, he’s determined that everyone who drinks understands the impacts boozing has on their bodies and minds. Decidedly not ‘anti-booze’ (he’s a wine fan, FYI), Professor Nutt believes it is possible to have a healthy, wholly positive relationship with drinking alcohol - provided that you apply a few important principles. Here, he spells out what these habits look like - and how to apply them - whether you're going out or staying home. Follow Professor David Nutt on Twitter: @ProfDavidNuttFollow Women’s Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukFollow Roisín Dervish-O’Kane on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneTopics:Beyond the liver: how unhealthy drinking affects your healthWhy it’s important to address stress-drinking The impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on our drinking habits Counting your units: how to do it and why it mattersHow to stick within your limits when pubs re-open Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re going full-on health geek and diving into the fascinating world of hormones. Why? Well, because getting to grips with how these little chemical messengers work is integral to achieving so many of the health goals you tell us you want to really nail - whether that’s having more energy, being more productive, or maintaining your happy weight. In this episode, Roisín is joined by GP and integrative medicine specialist Dr Sohere Roked alongside Dr Michael Craig, a consultant psychiatrist at London's Maudsley hospital and a leading PMS researcher. They discuss how hormones actually operate, how to get yours in balance and why, if you’re eating well and working out but still feeling decidedly off, they might be to blame. The doctors also discuss the latest research and treatment options for common hormonal conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and severe PMS. Time to plug in, get to know the inner workings of your body a bit better - and, ultimately, help it work a bit better for you.Join Women's Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukJoin Roisín Dervish-O’Kane on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneLearn more about Dr Sohere Roked: drsohereroked.co.ukLearn more about Dr Michael Craig: craigclinic.comTopics: How hormones operate and the key systems for womenOne simple way to monitor your symptoms The lowdown on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)Natural ways to manage PCOSHow stress hormones impede weight loss and maintenance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If sunshine’s energy could be distilled and infused into a British millennial woman, the prime candidate would probably be 26-year-old Chessie King. The presenter, blogger and author of new book How To Be Your Own Best Friend is a champion of body confidence and self-kindness. She’s earned an army of loyal fans thanks, in part, to her willingness to show her ‘imperfections’ (think: cellulite, rolls of skin on her midsection), but Chessie’s not always enjoyed such a free, confident and self-loving relationship with herself and her body. In fact, her disordered pursuit of becoming her smallest, leanest self saw her overtrain her body to the extent that she experienced a mini stroke, which left her with a heart condition and hearing loss that still affect her today. Here, she tells Roisín about the life lessons she’s learned along the way and why she's so determined that other women won't need such a dramatic event to make them realise how important it is to listen to their bodies. Plus, she shares her top tips for practising self-kindness and why everyone listening can improve their body confidence - no matter where yours it at right now.Join Chessie on Instagram: @chessiekinggJoin Roisín on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneJoin Women's Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukTopics:Why teenage insecurities can be so damagingWhat it's like to be told you're 'too big' while at 8% body fatThe health scare that transformed Chessie's outlookTwo simple strategies for bad body image daysHow to ride the lockdown emotional rollercoasterBe Your Own Best Friend: The Glorious Truths of Being Female by Chessie King is published by Harper Collins and out now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have recent events made you a little more cautious and deliberate with your spending? We hear you. That’s why this week, in response to a flurry of your messages, we’re talking tips and strategies for putting together super-nutritious meals when you're on a budget. Roisín is joined by Dr Rupy Aujla, a medical doctor whose passion for nutrition is such that he’s created courses for top UK universities that educate doctors-in-training about the protective powers of different foods - and how they can bring healthy eating advice into their consulting rooms. He's also author of The Doctor’s Kitchen cookbooks, hosts a podcast series with the same name and is an unabashed food lover. Here, Dr Aujla makes a convincing case for why, if you want to hit all your nutritional targets (everything from getting ample fibre and protein to ensuring dietary diversity), while watching your finances, it's essential to find your groove with healthy cooking. Let's get stuck in.Join Dr Rupy Aujla on Instagram: @doctors_kitchenJoin Roisín Dervish-O'Kane on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneJoin Women's Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukTopics:Dr Rupy's three core principles of healthy eatingWhy eating well and eating frugally go hand in hand15 affordable ingredients all healthy cooks need in their kitchenThe healthiest herbs and spices to experiment withHow to stop beans and lentils making you so bloated Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women’s Health’s July cover star Kayla Itsines probably needs little introduction. Founder of a multi-million dollar fitness empire with the hugely-successful Sweat app at its core, the 29-year-old has helped millions of women the world over start, and stick to, a training routine. Her philosophy? Firstly, that getting fit – and staying that way – only requires 30 minutes of exercise each day. And secondly, that showing up for these sessions (be it a swift walk or high-octane HIIT) is one of the most simple and effective form of self-care. Yes, this no-nonsense Aussie PT-turned-global home workout mogul passionately believes that self-kindness does sometimes looks like being tough and gritty. Why? Because showing up for that session, whether you want to or not, is ultimately one step towards unlocking the mind-and-body rewards wrought by having a consistent, sustainable fitness routine. This conversation has tough love, tonnes of insight from Kayla’s journey back to fitness after giving birth to her one-year-old daughter, Arna – and advice for how everyone can embark upon a forever fitness journey, whatever your current level.Follow Kayla Itsines on Instagram: @kayla_itsinesFollow Roisín on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneFollow Women's Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukTopics:The power of discipline in fitnessWhy physical fitness fuels mental resilienceHow to plan your week of workoutsWhat Kayla learned from her postpartum fitness journeyKayla's number-one goal-setting ruleWant to get strong at home? Sign up for Kayla's 28-day bodyweight challenge, created exclusively for Women's Health. Things kick off on the 8th June. Let's #GetFitDone Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices