If we can incorporate regular movement into our daily lives we will feel the physical and mental benefits, yet many of us view exercise as a punishment or an obligation.Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.Today’s clip is from episode 109 of the podcast with Kelly McGonigal. Kelly is a US research psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University and an author.Kelly reveals how it’s possible to change our mindset to view physical activity as a way to engage with life. If we focus on calories and metrics, we may be missing the joy we can experience from movement.She explains how going beyond what you think you’re capable of, whether that’s an endurance event or lifting heavy weights, can change the brain in positive ways.Any movement is good for you though and can provide a reset for your mood and your brain chemistry. Repeatedly contracting any muscle, whether working out with weights or doing gardening, releases antidepressant substances called myokines that scientists have dubbed ‘hope molecules’.Kelly gives us tips on how to incorporate more movement into our lives and find ways to move our body that we truly enjoy.Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/109Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on today’s episode needs no introduction. Whether you’ve read his books, tried a recipe on social media or joined in with his PE (Physical Education) With Joe workouts, Joe Wicks has been inspiring wellbeing for nearly a decade.Behind the success is a truly inspirational – and surprising – story of a man following his passion against the odds. When I spoke to Joe, he’d just raised £2.5m for Children in Need by doing a 24-hour fitness challenge and had been awarded an MBE. But, as he tells me, struggles at school and family problems could so easily have derailed his ambition.As an 11-year-old at school, Joe would motivate his classmates to get more out of PE. This is a man who knew his calling in life from an early age and is now doing the same on a global scale. This is an authentic and touching conversation. It’s easy to assume Joe’s success must be driven by an empire, a slick marketing machine, but nothing could be further from the truth. Family is everything to him and he opens up to me on topics like parenthood and coping when you’re the child of an addict. He has great advice on the importance of consistency and self-belief when striving for your goals and believes that optimism, compassion and healthy living are choices that are within everyone’s reach.As well as being full of practical tips, this episode is a brilliant chance to get to know more about a man who’s familiar to many of us – yet has hidden depths. I hope it puts a smile on your face. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/149Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could giving up alcohol really change your life? Whilst some of us may currently be alcohol free for Dry January, many of us have haven’t given our drinking habits much thought. We often look at improving our diet and moving more but is alcohol the elephant in the room that could be holding us back?Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.Today’s guest is performance coach and author Andy Ramage. Andy is co-founder of the habit-changing program One Year No Beer that invites people to try 28, 90 or 365 days alcohol free. He believes it’s possible to become the most productive, present and healthiest version of yourself just by making this one change.We discuss how alcohol is linked to many parts of our lives and why Andy described himself as a ‘middle lane drinker’ before he gave up alcohol 6 years ago. He explains why taking a tactical break from alcohol could bring a surprising host of benefits and how his own experience changed his life.Andy believes the greatest discovery you'll ever make is your authentic self and that by removing alcohol you allow yourself the chance to be you again. What could be more powerful than that?Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/85Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Improving the quality of our sleep is arguably the single most effective thing that we can do to reset our brains and recharge our bodies, yet many of us just aren’t getting enough. But what is the optimal amount of sleep and what can we do if we struggle to get enough? I’m delighted to welcome back onto the podcast the world-leading sleep researcher, Professor Matthew Walker to answer these questions and more. Matthew is author of the international best-selling book ‘Why We Sleep’, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California and a fountain of knowledge when it comes to all things sleep.My last conversation with Matthew back on episode 70 of the podcast was one of the most popular to date. A few months ago, I asked my podcast listeners to let me know what further questions they would like Matthew to answer and in this conversation, I put some of those questions to him.We cover how many of us feel that we don’t have enough time to sleep for 7-9 hours but how rather than stealing time from us, getting more sleep can actually make us more productive. And even grabbing an extra 15 minutes of sleep a day will have benefits for our overall healthspan. Matthew shares some brilliant tips on how we can regain control of our sleep and for those who are really struggling, he explains that there is an alternative to sleeping pills that is just as effective in the short term, but much more effective long term.We cover so much ground in this conversation, including polyphasic sleep (sleeping for periods of time throughout the day), unbroken sleep and why lying awake in bed for long periods of time can affect our ability to sleep in the future. Matthew shares the fascinating and dramatic changes that have occurred in the way we sleep and dream following the coronavirus pandemic and why it has allowed what he calls “the revenge of the night owls.”We delve into REM sleep and how it is one of the best forms of therapy – the brain can literally re-wire negative memories when we sleep. Finally, we cover sleep trackers, caffeine and how sleep impacts our immunity. This really is a fascinating conversation, full of fresh insights and actionable tips that we can all put into practice today. I hope you enjoy listening.Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/147Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The start of a new year is the time many of us look to make changes in our lives, incorporating healthy habits and removing unhelpful ones. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.This week’s guest is Professor BJ Fogg, a leading expert in behaviour change Methods for building habits have often focussed on repetition, willpower and motivation. BJ believes there’s a simpler approach. Habit formation is linked to our emotions and by creating a feeling of success we can wire in a habit. We discuss my own experience with patients as well as the results he has seen with his own program.Finally, BJ reveals how easy it is to form new habits by using his 3-step method. When you do something and feel successful, that behaviour becomes more automatic. Feeling good can be the key to forming new healthy habits that last a lifetime.Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/108Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you believe habits are ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Are you constantly trying to create better habits and quit those that don’t serve you? Today’s guest has insights that will help get your 2021 off to a great start by truly understanding what habits are – and how to optimise them.James Clear is an entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author of Atomic Habits a handbook for anyone who wants to finally get to grips with successful behaviour change. He shares his learnings via his hugely popular newsletters, to help people use the psychology of habit formation to live healthier, fuller lives.We talk about ‘designing your environment’, building a tribe around you who support what you want to achieve and finding the path of least resistance to what you want to do. When it comes to good versus bad habits, James says it’s more about which are effective – are they serving you?We also discuss how true behaviour change is really identity change. Every action you take towards your goal is a vote for the person you wish to become. You’re no longer that someone who tries to go for a run three times a week, you’re a runner. James says we can all begin by asking ourselves ‘Who do I want to become?’ then looking at what habits we might need to build that identity.This is such a useful conversation, packed with practical tips, and I think it’s a great way to kick off the year. I know you’re going to feel fired up to seek out your new identity once you listen. Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/145Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s conversation will stop you in your tracks. It’s powerful, confronting and challenging and I am so grateful for my guest’s honesty, empathy and willingness to share the wisdom of her 93 years. Dr Edith Eger is a Holocaust survivor, psychologist and expert in the treatment of post-traumatic stress but above all, she’s an incredible human being with an extraordinary story to share. Her latest book, The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life, is quite simply a phenomenal read and in my view a must-read for all of us.As a Jew living in Eastern Europe under Nazi occupation, Edith was taken to Auschwitz concentration camp with her parents and sister, at the age of 16. She explains how she found her inner resources, how she came to view her guards as the real prisoners, turn hate into pity and, incredibly, she even describes her horrific experience as ‘an opportunity’. She has liberated herself from the prison of her past through forgiveness.I’m acutely aware that for many of us listening, myself included, it’s hard to put our own problems alongside anything Edith has faced. Which makes her teaching that, ‘There’s no hierarchy in trauma’ all the more beautiful. Edith is not here to make us put our own suffering into perspective and overcome it. Rather, she explains, we can learn to come to terms with pain, reframe it and become stronger.We cover so many different topics in this conversation, from parenting and relationship wisdom to insights on semantics and depression. Edith’s message to us is that we can change the thoughts and behaviours that are keeping us imprisoned in the past. I felt grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to speak to Edith and the conversation really changed me. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/144Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains mild swearing and themes of an adult nature.Final episode of 2020 - It’s that time of the year again when the mics are turned and it’s me in the hot seat. Today, I sit down with colleague and close friend, Dr Ayan Panja and reflect on the past year.For me, 2020 has been a year of great introspection during which I have reflected upon my values and the definition of success – what does success really mean? We discuss how I believe that one of the most important things we can all do, is find out what success means to us. Otherwise, we can end up rushing around, trying to do more in order to live up to an idea of success that society has defined for us.Authenticity is a topic that has been spoken about a lot on the podcast this year and has been at the forefront of my mind and we discuss how I have been striving to put this at the heart of everything I do both personally and professionally. A huge part of my working week is dedicated to this podcast and we chat about some of my favourite and most impactful episodes of the year.As you may know, I have also spent a large part of this year writing my brand-new book, Feel Great, Lose Weight and we talk about why I decided to write this book and how I hope that it will help me in my mission to improve the lives of 100 million people.This is such a wide-ranging conversation, but at its core this is simply a raw and authentic interaction between two very good friends. I hope you enjoy it.Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/143Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a very special end of year episode that I hope serves as a celebration of the conversations I have had on the podcast this year. My team and I have put together some of the very best ideas shared on my show which I believe, if you start implementing, will immediately start to transform your health and happiness.The central theme is looking after our minds, which has never been more important. Whether it be controlling our reaction to stressors, managing anxiety, spending time alone with our thoughts OR cultivating resilience and learning to be more present: this special episode will help you on your journey to become your true, authentic self.We’ll hear:Rich Roll on the importance of having time alone with our thoughts and why we need discomfort in order to grow.Jay Shetty explaining why so many of us these days are not living lives that are truly ours.Tom Bilyeu discusses identity, how to become resilient and how to view criticism as a gift.England Football Team Psychologist Pippa Grange shares her belief that most of us are performing at life not living it. She explains why we should stop holding back, put fear aside and allow ourselves to live the life we want to live.Brian MacKenzie reveals how we can use the power of our breath to become more present and help counteract the constant stimulus of modern-day life.James Nestor explains why the way we breathe is so important for the health of our body and for the health of our mind.Psychotherapist Julia Samuel talks about the many ‘living losses’ we are experiencing through the pandemic and that how we respond to change, in many ways, determines how our lives will unfold.And finally Peter Crone - AKA The Mind Architect - explains why we all need to slow down in order to find true happiness in our lives.This is a powerful episode that I really enjoyed listening back to - I think you will too!Show notes and the full podcasts are available at drchatterjee.com/142Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleep is one of the most important pillars of health. Our bodies and our brains are designed to function during the day and rest at night.Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.This week’s guest is award-winning journalist, Linda Geddes.Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are kept in time by light and dark cycles. These rhythms can become disrupted by changing our exposure to light which can affect our sleep and make us feel sluggish during the day.Exposure to bright light after sunset is a modern phenomenon. Darkness is a signal to our bodies that it’s time to rest and access to bright light and screens at night disrupts these signals.There are simple things that we can do to help reset our circadian rhythms. Linda shares the findings of her own experiment of getting rid of light at night in her own home.Finally, she gives her tips on what we can all do to get more light into our days and darken our nights.Access to sunlight, even in winter, is crucial for living a happy and fulfilling life. I hope you feel inspired to get outside!Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/77Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeukDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.