Just As Well, The Women's Health Podcast

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

Have you found yourself thinking lately about your habits? Maybe you’ve been reflecting on what actions, thoughts and behaviours from the time BC (Before Covid, that is) are worth incorporating into this ‘new normal’ we’re hearing so much about lately - and which ones you’re better off without. If you’re privileged enough to be able to do your non-essential job from home right now, without needing to simultaneously care for children (major props, by the way, to all parents pulling it off) your days may well have gained some additional white space. And this, according to Dr Rangan Chatterjee - medical doctor, lifestyle medicine advocate and host of the Feel Better, Live More podcast - presents a real opportunity. One in which you can reflect on your daily routine and begin making small adjustments that can have a big impact on your physical, mental and emotional health. In this episode, he joins Roisín to discuss the healthy habits worth building into your schedule, and the behavioural science-based techniques you need to make these changes last. Join Dr Rangan Chatterjee on Instagram: @drchatterjeeJoin Roisín on Instagram @roisin.dervishokaneJoin Women’s Health on Instagram: @womenshealthukTopics: Why lifestyle medicine is so powerful A 15-minute daily plan for mind-and-body fitnessHow to turn behaviour changes into lasting habits A simple rule to curb mindless snackingHow to hold yourself accountable when it comes to self-care---Want a new workout routine?At Women’s Health we have created a 10-week Sweat & Reset workout plan that's available on Fiit. Whatever your fitness level, this 10-week full-body programme will help you cultivate a weekly fitness routine at home. Right now, we're offering you a 14-day free trial plus 25% off the plan you choose with Fiit. Sweat & Reset is included with any Fiit Premium membership - just head here to sign up: getfiit.tv/wh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you feel like your own wants, desires and needs too often fall way down your to-do list, this episode is for you. It’s a conversation with Glennon Doyle: activist, author and the woman who Reese Witherspoon credits with helping her feel strong enough to handle the destabilising uncertainty of life right now. Glennon’s powerful writing on mental health, motherhood and self-discovery has been lauded by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Brené Brown and Gwyneth Paltrow, while her latest book Untamed: Stop Pleasing, Start Living has spent weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Here, she joins Roisín to discuss how she learned to stop chasing other peoples’ goals in order to shoot for the life – and love – she really wanted. And, of course, she shares her road-tested tips for how all of you can do this, too.Glennon’s third memoir, Untamed: Stop Pleasing, Start Living is published by Vermillion and out nowFollow Glennon on Instagram: @glennondoyleFollow Roisín on Instagram: @roisin.dervishokaneTopics:The mental exhaustion of trying to save a relationship after repeated cheatingWhy trusting yourself is like a muscleA mind-calming trick to try if you can’t meditateThe power of writing down what your dream life looks likeWhy being a good mum doesn’t mean sacrificing your needsExclusive Workout Offer At Women’s Health we have created a 10-week Sweat & Reset workout plan that's available on Fiit.Whatever your fitness level, this 10-week full-body programme will help you cultivate a weekly fitness routine at home. Right now, we're offering you a 14-day free trial plus 25% off the plan of your choice.Sweat & Reset is included with any Fiit Premium membership. Sign up here: getfiit.tv/wh Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If anyone has come out of all this as a veritable national treasure, it’s Joe Wicks AKA The Body Coach. The father-of-two has kept the nation moving and spirits up while we’ve all been locked down, with his daily PE With Joe Youtube workouts. Two individuals who have burpee-d, star-jumped and bunny-hopped their way through countless 9am sessions are Women’s Health Editor-in-Chief Claire Sanderson and her seven-year-old son, Zak. In this episode, they both hop on a Zoom call with Joe to discuss everything from getting motivated to workout whatever your age, his predictions for the future of the fitness industry, and why living healthily - in and outside of lockdown - really doesn’t need to be complicated. Topics:How PE with Joe came aboutWill people go back to gyms post-lockdown?Get kids exercising with this one simple tip How to maintain motivation while working from homeWhy overthinking calories is a waste of timeFollow Claire Sanderson on Instagram: @clairesandersonFollow Joe Wicks on Instagram: @thebodycoachJoe's new book Wean in 15: Up-to-date Advice and 100 Quick Recipes is published by Bluebird, and out now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're coming to you a little earlier than usual this week with news of a very special episode. This week on Going for Goal, Women's Health editor-in-chief Claire Sanderson, together with her seven-year-old son Zak, interview the nation's PE teacher, Joe Wicks. Joe talks to Claire about his plans for PE With Joe after lockdown, the future of the fitness industry and his own home workout routine. The episode drops on Thursday 14th May - don't miss it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something that loads of you have been in touch to tell us that you want our help in order to really nail is running. So, whether you’re a total beginner, looking to make running a habit, or a fair-weather runner, keen to use their Government-sanctioned daily exercise time to up their mileage and confidence, this episode is for you. This week, Roisín is joined by Anthony Fletcher, a biomechanics expert, Precision Running Head Coach at Equinox Gyms and founder of One Track Run Club. Plus! Women’s Health’s own digital editor, Amy Lane - host of running podcast Well Far and author of new book I Can Run: An Empowering Guide to Running Well Far. Together, they share solutions for how you can hit the running goals that matter to you - and their tried and tested tips for making running a whole lot more fun. Topics:  Tools to help you make running a habit How to shave minutes off your 5k time Training tactics for a faster half-marathonThe strength-training moves to make you a more efficient runner The truth about running for weight loss  Follow Roisín on Instagram @roisin.dervishokaneFollow Women's Health on Instagram @womenshealthukFollow Amy Lane on Instagram @wellness_edFollow Anthony Fletcher on Instagram @aka_fletch Offer: You can get six issues of Women’s Health magazine sent direct to your door priced at just £6 for 6 issues. That’s a massive saving of 76% on carefully-curated, award-winning journalism on health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and beauty. All you need to do is go to Hearstmagazines.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Body goals have developed a bad rap of late, haven’t they? Before-and-after transformation pictures have been criticised for suggesting there’s a blueprint for a process that’s wholly individual. If your main workout motivation is to get, say, a tighter waist or sculpted arms, that’s seen as being dated - or, by some, straight up unhealthy. And yet, you’ve told us that changing an aspect of your appearance remains a priority, and many of you are choosing to use this time at home to pursue body goals you haven’t had the time to go after before. So, is it possible to change your body without falling into dangerous patterns of thinking? Yes, says Emilia Thompson. The former bikini fitness competitor, now lecturer in Sport Nutrition at Manchester Metropolitan University, has experienced the toxic side of dieting culture firsthand. Now, she coaches clients on how to reach their own body goals, led by a science-backed, compassionate approach. In this episode, she chats to Senior Editor Roisín Dervish-O'Kane about how to change your body without compromising your mental health. Topics:  Can a body transformation ever be healthy? How do you know if you’re in the right mindset to change your body? What is a process-based approach and how can it help you?What is a calorie-deficit and how does it work? How to keep compassion front and centre of your goal Follow Emilia Thompson i on Instagram @emiliathompsonphdFollow Roisín on Instagram @roisin.dervishokaneFollow Women's Health on Instagram @womenshealthuk Offer: You can get six issues of Women’s Health magazine sent direct to your door priced at just £6 for 6 issues. That’s a massive saving of 76% on carefully-curated, award-winning journalism on health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and beauty. All you need to do is go to Hearstmagazines.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lockdown life (spending 99% of your time in the house with snacks on tap; tweaked workout schedule; pandemic-induced worry) is causing unprecedented levels of digestive disruption to women right now. But, if you're currently bloated, gassy, or seriously blocked up, we have good news: getting your gut health back on track can actually be pretty simple. Joining host Roisín Dervish-O'Kane to show you how is Dr Megan Rossi AKA the Gut Health Doctor, a registered dietician who investigates nutrition-based therapies in gut health at King's College London. She's also author of the bestselling book Eat Yourself Healthy: An Easy-to-Digest Guide to Health and Happiness From the Inside Out. In this episode, Dr Rossi explains why a well-functioning gut is essential for everything from good mental health to strong immunity, and how you can get yours in a good place - through lockdown, and beyond.Topics: Why lockdown life can make us bloated and gassyHow to create a gut-stimulating morning routineThe fundamentals of gut-healthy nutritionWhy tweaking diet and lifestyle is better than taking probiotic supplementsA constipation-relieving workout switchFollow Dr Megan Rossi on Instagram @theguthealthdoctorFollow Roisín on Instagram @roisin.dervishokaneFollow Women's Health on Instagram @womenshealthuk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices