A woman joins the gym, grinds 30–40 minutes of cardio every day, keeps the weights light, fasts four days a week, relies on laxatives, and gains two kilos. Familiar? We’ve seen this pattern again and again, and we break down why it happens—and how to turn it around with a plan that respects stress, hormones, and real life. We start by dismantling the “eat less, do more” script that pushes women into chronic stress: steady-state cardio in the middle zone, under-fuelling, and long-term constip...
Episode 97: Fire, Trapeze, And A Midlife Marathon with Louisa McShane. What happens when you mix marathon grit, firefighter standards, and a fear-conquering leap on the flying trapeze? We invited Louisa to the mic to share how a ten-week sprint to the London Marathon collided with a life-changing bid to join the fire service, and how both journeys reshaped her strength, mindset, and identity in her mid-40s. We start with the rebuild after Covid, when group classes vanished and habits f...
Episode 96: Authenticity, Identity, And The Courage To Say No with Pauline Buckley What if the truest version of you isn’t a fixed label but the choice you make right now? We sit down with guide and former HR leader Pauline Buckley to unpack authenticity, identity, and the courage it takes to live in alignment when culture nudges you to conform. Growing up as the hearing child of deaf parents, Pauline learned to listen in a way most of us never do. That deep stillness now shapes how she helps...
Episode 95: Inside The Joe Wicks Protein Bar Controversy And What It Reveals About Ultra-Processed Food What happens when a “healthy” label hides a legal sleight of hand? We sat down to watch Joe Wicks’ new documentary and found ourselves peeling back the bright colours, influencer endorsements, and protein promises to examine what ultra-processed foods really deliver to our bodies. From the first glossy montage to the cigarette-style warnings on a prototype bar, the story exposes how taste e...
Episode 94. From ME To Mighty: How Jo Mayes Rebuilt Energy, Confidence, And Community Through Strongman Training A decade ago, Jo Mayes rationed every ounce of energy just to manage the school run. Today, she’s stepping onto an invite‑only stone lifting field and carrying a 103‑kilogram rock for 36 metres—proof that small, repeatable steps can build a life you want to live. We unpack the full arc of Jo’s transformation: pacing during COVID, daily walks that slowly grew, and the first gentle ...
Episode 93: How does stress show up in your digestion (and what can you do about it)? Your body might be doing everything right—just at the wrong time. We dive into the overlooked power of how you eat: the timing, the pace, the breath between bites, and the simple rituals that flip your system from stress to digest. Drawing on lessons from French and Spanish lunch culture, we explore why protected mealtimes lead to steadier energy, calmer guts, and better sleep, even before you ch...
Episode 92 Abs-urd: Why a Flat Stomach Isn’t the Point. A single moment in a shop—two women, three stone lost, and still “not enough”—opened a bigger conversation about why so many of us measure our worth by a flat tummy. We take you inside the subconscious, where safety and belonging outrank motivation, and show how decades of programming and social media filtering make “smaller” feel like the only path to approval. This isn’t a willpower problem; it’s an identity problem. And identity, than...
Episode 91 Most of us don’t give the gallbladder a second thought — until it becomes a problem. But this small organ has a big role to play in women’s health, especially during perimenopause and menopause. In this episode, I dive into the hidden connection between the gallbladder, bile flow, and hormone balance. You’ll learn why bile isn’t just for digestion, how sluggish clearance can fuel estrogen dominance, and the early warning signs your gallbladder may be struggling — before it becomes ...
Episode 90 Your body thinks there's a tiger in the room, but it's just your overwhelming to-do list. That constant state of fight-or-flight is driving you toward burnout, even if you're still functioning on the outside. Most midlife women don't recognise the subtle signs of burnout until they're completely exhausted. You wake feeling unrefreshed despite sleeping. Small irritations trigger disproportionate reactions. You catch every cold. Sugar, salt, and caffeine become necessary fuels. Your...
Episode 89. Wellness Washing: Products that pretend to be good for us That "healthy" product you're buying might be anything but. Catherine and Julie pull back the curtain on the deceptive world of wellness washing – products claiming health benefits while potentially causing harm. The conversation ignites when Julie shares her frustration over a Dettol laundry detergent advertisement targeting parents with fear-based marketing about germs on children's clothes. Despite everything we n...
Episode 88 Ever wondered if you could replace your wellness coach with ChatGPT or just follow along with YouTube videos? In this eye-opening episode, we tackle the provocative question: "Why should I use fitness, wellbeing, and nutritional professionals when I have AI and social media?" Through candid conversation and revealing personal anecdotes, we explore the limitations of technology in the wellness space. We share stories of AI making potentially dangerous health recommendations—like mi...
Episode 87: How do I prioritise my health when everyone else needs me first? Ever feel like your well-being is the last item on an endless to-do list? You're not alone. This candid conversation tackles the reality of being a busy woman trying to prioritize health in a world that expects you to do everything for everyone else first. Julie and Catherine cut through the noise to address what's really happening when women put themselves last – it's not laziness or lack of willpower, but pr...
Episode 86 Have you ever wondered what your body is really telling you about your health? Beyond the numbers on a scale or your clothing size, there are simple physical indicators that reveal far more about your longevity and quality of life. This week, Julie and Catherine dive into seven DIY health assessments that provide valuable baseline information about your overall wellbeing. From the surprising importance of your waist-to-hip ratio (ideally under 0.8 for women) to the revealing chair...
Episode 85: August Reruns A Holistic Approach to Future-Proofing Your Well-being with Helen Lauer What if your brain's remarkable ability to rewire itself could be harnessed to transform your health? In this captivating episode, we're joined by Helen Lauer, an occupational therapist specialising in neurological rehabilitation and a qualified shiatsu practitioner who bridges Western medicine with Eastern healing traditions. Helen takes us on a fascinating journey through the inner worki...
Episode 84 August Rerun - Embracing Sobriety: Redefining Social Norms and Enhancing Wellness with Sarah Williamson Have you ever questioned your relationship with alcohol, even though you don't consider yourself to have "a problem"? This eye-opening conversation with Sarah Williamson, life and sober coach, challenges everything we've normalised about drinking culture. Sarah's story begins not with hitting rock bottom, but with simple curiosity. After 15 years coaching young people about sub...
Episode 83 August Reruns - Healing Through Harmony: The Miraculous Power of Craniosacral Therapy and Vagal Tone Why do so many of us feel perpetually on edge, even when there's no immediate danger? The answer might lie in your vagus nerve - the master switch of your nervous system. When craniosacral therapist Sarah Johnson joined us to discuss this remarkable nerve, we uncovered profound insights about how our bodies process stress and trauma. With over a decade of experience helping everyo...
Episode 82. August Reruns - Thrive Through Menopause: A Holistic Guide to Wellness The journey through menopause doesn't have to be a struggle of hot flushes and mood swings. This comprehensive episode uncovers the foundational approach to navigating hormonal changes with grace and vitality. Before reaching for supplements or hormone therapy, Julie and Catherine emphasize establishing what they call "the four legs of a chair" – balanced nutrition, regular movement, quality sleep, and ...
Episode 81: Joy, Community and Breath: Uncovering the Magic Behind Singing What brings genuine joy to your life, and when did you last allow yourself to fully experience it? In this soul-stirring episode, we're joined by Abi Gilchrist, founder of UK Soul Choirs, who reveals how the seemingly simple act of singing together creates profound transformation. Far beyond hitting the right notes, community singing builds connection, resets your nervous system, and opens pathways to joy...
Episode 80 Ever returned from holiday feeling like you need another holiday just to recover? You're not alone. That "sod it" holiday mindset can leave us feeling sluggish, bloated, and exhausted – the complete opposite of the rejuvenation we crave. In this practical episode, we explore how to genuinely enjoy your holiday indulgences without sacrificing your wellbeing. From rich restaurant meals and tempting desserts to disrupted sleep patterns and travel stress, holidays present unique welln...
Ever felt paralysed by contradicting wellness advice? One expert swears by intermittent fasting while another warns against it. A fitness guru promotes one approach while doctors recommend something entirely different. Welcome to what Catherine aptly calls "wellness noise"—that overwhelming cacophony of health information that leaves many midlife women feeling more confused than empowered. This candid conversation cuts through the clutter to reveal why so much wellness advice feels contradic...