Push Pull Health

The Cognitive Biases Keeping You Stuck

Ben Davis Season 1 Episode 34

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0:00 | 1:01:16

What does your rotten health attitude struggle with most?

Mild discomfort is the sneakiest trap. When life is “fine,” change feels unnecessary—until it isn’t. 

We pull back the curtain on the psychology that keeps people circling quick fixes: the region beta paradox, cognitive dissonance, and the availability heuristic that makes past diets look better than they felt. 

The mediocrity trap—tight clothes that still button, creaky knees on the stairs, bleak sleep patched with coffee—shows why tolerable problems rarely spark action. 

From there, we map the fork in the road: flashy six‑week shreds versus the slow, identity‑level work that actually sticks. Ben shares the evidence‑based lens he’s just earned, and we lay out simple trade‑offs that compound over time. 

Then we get blunt about cognitive dissonance. You want the outcome, but your trolley and calendar tell a different story. We offer a practical fix: build a new identity quietly by acting like the person you’re becoming, not by announcing it. Finally, we unpack the availability heuristic and the fading effect: you remember compliments and old jeans more readily than you do hunger, isolation, and rebound. That’s the dieting loop—fail, pain fades, remember the win, repeat. 

With a temper as short as her legs, Fiona joins Ben every week to forcefully "Push Your Health From The Pulls Of Life."

Expect Foul-mouthed narcissistic ramblings on fitness, nutrition, film, and life's daily rot. 

This weekly audio & video expansion on the world-famous 'The Daily (ish) Rot' email and video ramblings also includes: 

Usefully Useless Fitness and Diet Advice.
Half-arsed film reviews.
The exploitation of children.
True Crime recommendations.
Nutritious leprechaun-inspired recipes (short and to the point)
Narcissistic wisdom. 

WHO THE FU*K ARE WE?

Howdy,

I'm Ben, the only 'health' coach (not a life coach) who allows you to embrace your Rotten attitude towards exercise and nutrition! 

Empowering You to give the middle finger to your yo-yo diet and half-arsed exercise routine in JUST 30 Days! 

Are you sick of yo-yo-ing from one restrictive diet and hideous exercise plan to the next, begging for it to end so you can slip back into old habits? 

Only to start the same rotten cycle again?

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY 30 DAY DIET KICK-UP-THE-ARSER 

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Chaotic Banter And Setup

SPEAKER_01

Just arguing off camera, won't we, Fiona, about this.

SPEAKER_03

We never argue, Ben.

SPEAKER_01

We know what Santa's getting you.

SPEAKER_03

I'm not getting a tablet, Ben.

SPEAKER_01

We don't not an iPad, buddy.

SPEAKER_03

I don't want to.

SPEAKER_01

Worth that.

SPEAKER_03

I don't want her. This is absolutely no difference between that size and this size.

SPEAKER_01

Just can't see. Barely can see.

SPEAKER_03

Hi, I'm here. Yes, you can see me. We've just been a twat. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01

Post-productions just doesn't work for me. Well I have to edit this in.

SPEAKER_03

It works for me. You don't need to edit out. Who wants to see me anyway? You're the star.

SPEAKER_01

How would you know?

SPEAKER_03

You're the star. I am. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

How would you know? How would you know? How many episodes have you edited?

SPEAKER_03

A whole zero.

SPEAKER_01

You couldn't even do your job today, could you? Couldn't even do your job today. Because you're uh you're a bit under the weather.

SPEAKER_03

I'm unwell then. He's unwell.

SPEAKER_01

He's unwell. It's unwell. It's unwell. I'm so happy we're having to slash this. This is now becoming a two-parter. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_03

We'll see how it goes. How about that?

SPEAKER_01

No, it's a two-parter. It's a two-parter, isn't it? Oh, bless ya. Bless ya. Oh, I forgot about this. This is new, isn't it? Yeah. We sit on the same sofa now.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Anyways, who are you? Where are you going on?

SPEAKER_01

Pushable health. Pushable health. Two parter. This is gonna be a two-parter.

SPEAKER_03

It stinks.

unknown

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Have you? Don't know. Shoved up your arse.

SPEAKER_03

Well, the cat was at.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. So he shoved it up his ass.

SPEAKER_03

Why does someone have to shove it up their ass? I don't know. Why does he stink?

SPEAKER_01

It's just been in the box. Maybe lick it. Oh yeah, it's got bad breath. Yeah. Which the tongue goes to the arse, which makes sense, doesn't it?

unknown

Stop it.

SPEAKER_01

And goes to the other cat's arse. Holes. Bum holes.

SPEAKER_03

Stop it, Ben. Stop it.

SPEAKER_01

God. Right, so you're sick, so thanks very much. Well done.

SPEAKER_03

No badder.

SPEAKER_01

But I've done the best thing I could and dragged you on to get something done.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, we'll see how it goes. I'm Techy.

SPEAKER_01

Oh. Nothing new there. Huh?

SPEAKER_03

That's true.

SPEAKER_01

This needs to go.

SPEAKER_03

Right. Who are you and where are you going?

SPEAKER_01

I'm Ben from Pushpool Health. This is Pushpool Health. We will have an intro.

SPEAKER_03

Canadian man.

SPEAKER_01

There is a bald, I think he's 50 now.

unknown

Wow.

SPEAKER_01

There is a bald 50-year-old, sad, lonely Canadian man. Don't ask how we met. Don't ask how I know him. He's in Canada somewhere. He's very lonely. It's very sad. So what am I gonna do for him? I'm gonna let him do the intro for push poor health.

SPEAKER_03

You just keep push putting that off door, Ben.

SPEAKER_00

Well we don't do the other they won't do the other one anymore, though.

SPEAKER_01

We don't do the other show. Remember the other show?

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

The film review one. He was a big fan of that. Huge fan. We don't do that anymore.

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_01

We do a part of it though. That's annoying. Two weeks ago? That film podcast got 264 downloads. Went released an episode for almost three years.

SPEAKER_03

Why? Why is it why haven't you just deleted everything?

SPEAKER_01

Why would I? 264 downloads. But why these people doing it? In a week, Fiona. Not a month, not a year, in a week. Silly people. Because I'm I'm assuming a couple of people have stumbled upon it and gone. Yeah. This is how it should be.

SPEAKER_03

Hmm. Maybe.

SPEAKER_01

Take that. The efforts. Thank you very much. Push for health. We've still got the film bit, just not as long. Those film reviews were terrible. Hour and a half of just rubbish.

SPEAKER_03

The King's speech was very good.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you very much, all those downloads, downloaders. Come over here. The film reviews still exist over here. They're just shortened. They're improved.

SPEAKER_03

Well, what do we do now, Ben? What's the whole thing about washing your heads? Oh, push your health.

SPEAKER_01

Pushing your hell from the pools of life.

SPEAKER_03

What does that mean?

SPEAKER_01

Empowering you to find a form of exercise that you can stomach and a diet you can stick to for longer than 10 minutes. Give the middle finger to your yo-yo diet and half-ass exercise routine in just 30 days. Many taglines. Many taglines.

SPEAKER_03

Wash your face.

SPEAKER_01

All good. Oh well. How do you pick?

SPEAKER_03

The mall.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and there you go.

unknown

Nice.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Should we get on?

SPEAKER_01

Should we get on? Let's get on.

SPEAKER_03

15%. We forgot to clap.

SPEAKER_01

It's fine. It's fine. Too late now, isn't it? It's too late. I'll deal with that post-production.

SPEAKER_03

Yep, I'm sure. Will you do this one? Absolutely. You're gonna edit this video?

SPEAKER_01

No. No, you should, because then you could see this and go, God, do you know what that is a bit ridiculous, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03

Then you can't even see it. It's not an issue. No worries. You won't know, will you?

SPEAKER_01

Do you watch the episodes when they're released on YouTube?

SPEAKER_03

Oh I hate them. I hate seeing myself.

Show Direction And Format Shift

SPEAKER_01

That's a shame. Do have a few more subscribers. Boost those numbers. It's getting there. Just it's a grind. It's slow. But we've reached the point now where I've got maybe more time.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, why? Why do you have more time all of a sudden?

SPEAKER_01

Doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_03

What's happened with MNU? Oh, that's right.

SPEAKER_01

I am now officially an evidence-based practitioner.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, he passed it. He passed it.

SPEAKER_01

It was yeah. Rockier than I expected. Tough. But I suppose it should be.

SPEAKER_03

That's the way it's.

SPEAKER_01

Everyone in the world is an evidence-based practitioner.

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_01

So it's not Mickey Mouse, is it?

SPEAKER_03

Ben from Pushpull Health is.

SPEAKER_01

I am. I am.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I am.

SPEAKER_03

He's one of a few.

SPEAKER_01

The website, on the other hand.

SPEAKER_03

Hard work. Misery. Not so good.

SPEAKER_01

Misery. That's kind of there now. Kind of. So those were the two. 2025, those two, away from actually just running Pushpool Health. The app, online clients, the lovely clients at the private pushbelf studio in Hernbay, Kent. Just doing that as well. As on top of this, and a menu and the website. It's a lot. It's a lot.

SPEAKER_03

Well, what's 2026 gonna bring?

SPEAKER_01

More time, hopefully. More time. So buckle in. This is becoming a daily thing.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

It's so much easier because if we just do the shorter ones, even though this is Sure, we're 10 minutes in and say, we just do short ones. Or we can just do the same episode, but part one to five. So we just energies in. Go right 45 minutes, that's enough. Energy, I'm knackered. Let's move on with our day. We'll do part two tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Not part two next year. That schedule's not working for me.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. So what are we doing today, Ben?

SPEAKER_01

So the film is the Truman Show.

SPEAKER_03

Oh good film. I was very unwell yesterday, but I actually watched it and I actually absorbed it. It's very good.

SPEAKER_04

It is.

SPEAKER_03

It's a good film. But for some reason, I had it in my head that the film also filmed outside of the end of the film.

SPEAKER_01

No. Yeah, I don't know why I thought that. No, no. No. But we'll get to that in part two. Yes. Or part six.

SPEAKER_03

Or ten. That is right.

SPEAKER_01

What are we doing?

SPEAKER_03

So we're doing.

unknown

Oh.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, sorry.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I thought you were asking me.

SPEAKER_01

Sorry, I know you're on well, so I don't need to do too much work.

SPEAKER_03

So we are doing understanding common cognitive biases.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, common fallacies.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, oh, that's the word.

SPEAKER_01

Have you heard of the term cognitive biases?

SPEAKER_03

Not really. Biases. Not really, but fallacies. Yes, I've heard you bang on about fallacies quite a lot. I have, yeah. You're talking over me.

SPEAKER_01

Please?

SPEAKER_03

You're talking about me. No, I just said that.

SPEAKER_01

How are you feeling? You're looking pretty perky. No, I feel shit. I knew this would be, I knew this, I knew doing this would make you feel better. That's why I dragged you on. Some would say I'm a monster.

SPEAKER_03

You are.

Milestone: Evidence-Based Credentials

SPEAKER_01

Don't like the awkward pauses, like, what do you want to do? Yes, so we are doing cognitive biases. We're gonna get into a few. I should have had a definition of what a cognitive biases is.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. You should have. But you didn't.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know. And I don't want to just gargle one out. So why don't we get into some common ones that us humans face in our lives, and then it will then start to make a bit more sense. I just punched the mic and it punched me in the face. Did you see that? Good. I just did this.

SPEAKER_03

Good. I am glad. Did it chipp a two, chippy? That's happened before.

SPEAKER_01

That's old. That's old. That's on the old one. So it's like we've never done this before. Are we okay?

SPEAKER_03

No, I'm not feeling very well then.

SPEAKER_01

You look you look and sound pergy.

SPEAKER_03

I'm feeling very crap. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Well, we're breaking it down for you.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

What a trooper, eh? Hey, hey, everyone. What a trooper she is.

SPEAKER_03

You're so irritated.

SPEAKER_01

What a trooper.

SPEAKER_03

Region beta paradox.

SPEAKER_01

Hang on, hang on.

SPEAKER_03

The mediocrity trap. Right. The mediocrity.

SPEAKER_01

The region, yes, the region beta or beta paradox. The mediocrity trap.

SPEAKER_03

So what that basically means is people are less likely to change when things are mildly uncomfortable than compared to when they're unbe unbearable.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. What else we got? Mild problems last longer because they never spark action.

SPEAKER_03

Severe problems force movement.

SPEAKER_01

Reactive to our lives, not proactive.

SPEAKER_03

Plus it's taking turns.

SPEAKER_01

We need to get new sofas.

SPEAKER_03

I know.

SPEAKER_01

This is uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_03

So what does that mean, Ben? It means that we just complain about the little things but never do anything about it. It's only when it becomes a problem we complain. Yes, I believe. Or we ch we make changes.

SPEAKER_01

I believe most people spend their lives in the region beta. Paradox. Area. Space. Continuing. There. There. Everything's just a bit rubbish. But don't work's just a bit rubbish.

SPEAKER_03

But they're not willing to change.

SPEAKER_01

Changing is hard. Changing is painful.

SPEAKER_03

People don't like change. I don't like change.

SPEAKER_01

The older you get, the more responsibilities you get. It's hard. It's very hard just to wake up and go, do you know what? That's it. That's enough. No more. I'm not going to work. That's it. It's over.

SPEAKER_04

Lovely.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, well, fine. Great. We've got the children, yeah. The mortgage? The car? What about the holiday?

SPEAKER_03

What about Benadorm? That's important. What about Benadorm? Maybe not Benedorm, but that's important.

SPEAKER_00

Sorry, what do you want to say?

SPEAKER_03

I've been to Benedorm. I don't like to go back to Santorini. Okay.

SPEAKER_00

What else is there?

SPEAKER_03

What's that other tip? I'd like to go back to Greece.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Uh Mikanos.

New Recording Cadence And Two-Parter Plan

SPEAKER_03

What about Mikanos? No, I want to go back to Santorini. Anyhow.

SPEAKER_01

Pick a popular holiday destination. What about it? Who's going to pay for it? So, no. Get up, go to work.

SPEAKER_03

But that's a necessity. Because you have to work to pay your bills.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Most people do, yeah. Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So you can't really change that, can you, unless you change your job and become happier.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Even doing that is painful.

SPEAKER_03

That's that's hard. Yes. To fill in out a job application these days takes ages.

SPEAKER_01

Right. So it's easier to just moan about something.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And depending on what else you've got going on in your life and other responsibilities that you've got, it's very difficult. Anything else on there, Fiona? So these episodes are different now, aren't they? So we don't want to just have you sit back and everyone just sit back and listen to you just struggle your way through.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I do struggle to read. Massively.

SPEAKER_01

It's it's horrible.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

Film Sidebar: The Truman Show

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. So again, me. Just a nice person. Yeah. Dragged you on here because I know it'll make you feel better.

SPEAKER_03

Doesn't.

SPEAKER_01

I don't want you to, I don't want you to struggle through this anymore with your dyslexia. Thanks. I don't want to see it. I don't want to hear it. So anything else on there?

SPEAKER_03

Well, I liked your examples.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, oh, this is fantastic. Yes. And some of them are related to health and fitness because push pull health. It's push-pull health.

SPEAKER_03

Pushing your health and push as well.

SPEAKER_01

We talk about health.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_01

Makes sense, doesn't it?

Main Topic: Cognitive Biases Overview

SPEAKER_03

So your clothes are tight, but they're not that tight. You're still getting away with it. Even though there's a little bit of overhang happening, you're still getting away with it. You're still not going to do anything to change because it still fits, it still closes. Your sleep is crap. But I'll just have a cup of coffee. I'll feel alright then. I like that one.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Yeah. It's good, isn't it? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Joint aches, but you know, it's not dramatic. When I walk up the steps, my knees are starting to grind. I'm 35 now. I'm 35. That shouldn't be happening. Yeah, I'm getting old. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, no, it should be. I'm getting older. That's the point. Oh, and I'm older. Well, it shouldn't be. I'm past it.

SPEAKER_03

It should be when you're 60.

SPEAKER_01

Whatever age. I said 35.

SPEAKER_03

It's quite young, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

But it starts to you start to get creaky. At 60, of course. Well, 60, you're like, well, I'm dead. I'm pretty much dead. So. No, that's the mindset, isn't it? That's the mindset. Yes. Well, maybe you should make a change, you know, maybe join the private pushwell studio down the road.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but it's only hurting a little bit, Ben. It's only hurting a little bit.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I know, I'm 60. I'm 60. I could be dead tomorrow. Those days have gone. Those days have gone. And it's some some days are good. It's not always terrible. I'm not always in pain. It's only door's steps.

SPEAKER_02

I'm miserable most days, but some days are happier. I feel a bit better. We go to Benedorm.

SPEAKER_03

That's what you and Benedorm today.

SPEAKER_01

It's a popular holiday destination.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. It is actually. I've been there. Your diet feels grim, but you've had worse.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I think we've all done it.

SPEAKER_01

Yo-yo dietis. Give the middle finger. Sorry, kids. To yo-yo dietis.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

It has to be pretty grim. Most people, when they start a diet, is because they've they've gone past that point. So then they're in there at the region beta, beta paradox. They're in that most of the time, like, oh no, I could exercise. Oh, I've I probably should cut down a little bit, maybe. And then they may open the door as Truman does. Step out. God, okay. Yeah, let's make a change. I'm I'm feeling really rubbish. That's approaching. January, new year. No yeah, near me. It's coming.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I don't want to.

SPEAKER_01

So you open the door like Truman does, which we'll get to in part two. You step through and go, oh, okay, this is this is the other side. But then it's scary. Because the other side is like, yeah, we're here.

SPEAKER_03

Well, the other side's all change.

SPEAKER_01

Right. The other side will then present you with some options. Here's one option six week shred. Juice diet? Counting points and sentence. You've done it before, you got results? Remember?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

But you're not excited about it. And it's only six weeks. It's only six weeks.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, oh, okay. Well, I've opened the door now, so I'm here, so alright. I can I'll give it a word. I can give you, I can give you six weeks. Or me, hi. Uh Ben, push more health. Yeah, oh I've seen some of your wacky videos. Yeah, I'm not too sure. You seem a bit weird.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah. Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01

But I have this. This is this is a long-term solution. So this is this is the whole of 2026. This is a year. What do you think? On the app, in the private studio? It won't be easy. But long term, change your life. Long term you'll feel better.

SPEAKER_03

Nah, I'll do the six-week one.

SPEAKER_01

So this paradox that you're in, the region beta, you're in this. So that we're gonna try and get you out of that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but you see that most people stay in this region, Bisha, most of their lives.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, and if they do open the door and come through and go, oh, you know, what there are other options. Let's have a look. Okay. Push for health over here. Like, how long? A year? Six months. I'm only mildly dissatisfied. I'm just a little bit overweight. My clothes are just a little bit too tight. Or sorry, that that was someone else. Hi, count points and sins. Juice diet, six weeks. Quick, come on, six weeks. Six weeks. Six weeks. Bloody hell. Six months. It's six months, but it's long term. It's long term. You won't have to do those again. Come on.

SPEAKER_03

Nah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, there we go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

See you, cross head clown. Yep. Not a hope.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. So I'm not sure that was a good explanation, but I'm hoping people kind of get the point of what we're trying to get at.

SPEAKER_03

I get it. I get it. I get it.

SPEAKER_01

Anything else on there, Fiona?

SPEAKER_03

Um, no, you said that the the mediocrity trap was a default setting for adults.

SPEAKER_01

The the same thing, Altman. Yes. Yes. We just we're we're very we're not very proactive with most things in our life, let alone our health. It has to get really bad. As I keep saying, you have to get almost past the paradox, the region beta. You have to get past it. Beta beta. Beta beta. You have to get past it. You have to open the door, as I keep saying.

SPEAKER_03

I liked what you wrote here about the prompts. A slow burning decline in your own health or fitness before you fixed it. Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And not proactive.

SPEAKER_03

Who who a client who ignored early warning signs until it became a crisis?

Health Examples Of Mild Discomfort

SPEAKER_01

Yes, and most most people do. Most people will come to me because it's it's bad. It's not good. Very rarely will people come to me and go, Oh, yeah, I'm just in this region beta paradox. I'm like, ugh, it's just a bit just a bit. I just yeah, I probably could do something, but I've just not got the drive to. And for some reason, I saw one of your videos, or I got recommended. You got recommended by someone. I thought, oh do you know what? I'll be proactive. I won't allow it to get really miserable. That's why I'm here. No. No, it's quite rare for people to do that. It's I'm I'm rock bottom. Like it's really bad. This is yeah, this is terrible. I've put on a lot of weight. I'm not very happy. I don't exercise anymore. Everything hurts. Name your endless amount of pain points. But still, are they in for the lo are they in for the long haul?

SPEAKER_03

Well, I still intend people still want quick fixes.

SPEAKER_01

Who wouldn't want a quick fix? Especially if you've done this before. If you've given it a go. If you've gone on a diet, if you've tried to exercise, it was miserable. It's not it was miserable. You got results, they were good, you're happy with those, but the process, which we'll get to in another one, the process. You almost have to block you have to block that out. Do you remember the last six-week shred? Yeah, I lost like 25 pounds. Okay, brilliant. How did you feel? How'd you feel at the end? I lost 25 pounds. Okay, well, what about from week ones to six? What about that that middle zone there?

SPEAKER_03

Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I I forgot about that. It's very traumatic. Not great, I don't think. Yeah, didn't have any energy. Starving. Ratty. Hated everyone and everything. Yeah, but hey, 25 pounds. Okay. And why was the 25 pounds? Ugh. They went back on answer.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Not to judge people. God, no. God no. How are we feeling?

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah? You look a bit peaky now.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I feel fun.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I'm dealing.

SPEAKER_03

I feel fine.

SPEAKER_01

You look a little bit peaky. Wonder how you look on the camera. Anything else there, Fiona? Anything else there?

SPEAKER_03

No, I think we're happy to go on to Iver at all.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, okay. Well we can bolt these out a little bit now because the point is, Fiona, the point of all this. The point is wouldn't this be nice if this wasn't just like a a once-a-month thing? Yes. Wouldn't it be quite refreshing if you could just pay?

SPEAKER_03

But I'm I'm much preferring this new layout. No, that's fine.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, exactly. So imagine if we just did this You're more relaxed.

SPEAKER_03

I'm more relaxed. Oh, and he's not giving out the Imagine if we just did this more often. And I don't even have to. Maybe not every day.

SPEAKER_01

Maybe that's a little bit ambitious. We need to get the sponsorship deals, numerous things need to. But a couple of times a week.

SPEAKER_02

And you just do the shorter episodes. It's fine.

SPEAKER_01

I think we can I think we need to get to that that two mark. And it just it's shorter. It's like 45 minutes. And you go, do you know what? Yeah, okay. I could go on for another half an hour, but my energy levels are tanking a touch. So let's move on.

SPEAKER_03

And let's move on to number two then.

SPEAKER_01

There's not as much pressure, is there, to get everything out. I've got all these, I've got all these cognitive fallacies, I've got these fallacies, I've got all these biases, I need to get them all out. There's hundreds. There's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. Other episodes, it's like, right, okay, we're gonna talk about bodybuilding. We're gonna talk about calories.

SPEAKER_03

We've done bodybuilding.

unknown

Oh.

SPEAKER_01

We're gonna try and take this topic and speak about everything in one hour and then never talk about it ever again.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, but we always do.

SPEAKER_01

I know. And why do you think it's stressful?

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I think.

SPEAKER_01

Why do you think it turns to poop? Oh let's just talk about these more often.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, darling.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, great. I'm here. Does that make sense? Yes.

SPEAKER_02

If you enjoy something, just do it more often.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Like this.

SPEAKER_03

Number two.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Can that be seen on the camera?

SPEAKER_03

Hello pumpkin.

SPEAKER_01

The Halloween episode? Trick or trick or treat? That was there the whole time. I had no idea.

SPEAKER_03

Ben's observations.

SPEAKER_01

I didn't even know that said ha hello pumpkin. No idea.

SPEAKER_03

The autumn one.

SPEAKER_01

Wasn't part of the show.

SPEAKER_03

We'll have a Christmas one.

SPEAKER_01

Wasn't part of the uh the decor.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, number two. What's number two, Ben?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

Cognitive dissonance.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, okay. Yeah. Nice. Cognitive dissonance. You just gotta do a little bit of work still. You've got to do something. Because you don't do anything else. You do nothing. Zero. You can't even put the lights on properly today. Is the camera straight? I'm not too sure.

SPEAKER_03

You did that.

SPEAKER_01

I'm not too sure. Gotta get those curtains closed as well.

SPEAKER_03

Right, what's cognitive dissonance?

SPEAKER_01

The scientific explanation is there, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03

Yes, go on. You do some work too.

SPEAKER_01

Who do you think put the notes together? Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Holding two conflicting beliefs causes mental discomfort.

SPEAKER_01

The brain reduces the tension by inventing a more comfortable story. Oh no, that's the same thing, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, sorry. That was sorry, that's the next one.

SPEAKER_03

I can't see the next one, by the way.

SPEAKER_01

You want the outcome, but you are unwilling to adopt the behaviours needed to achieve it.

SPEAKER_03

Say that again.

SPEAKER_01

You want the outcome, but you are unwilling to adopt the behaviours needed to achieve it.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Gotta get a boom arm. Just get someone to hold it. It's quite heavy, this.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

It's quite heavy.

Programming The Show For Shorter Episodes

SPEAKER_03

So examples of that then. Is that making sense? Yes. It makes sense. Good. You don't want to make any changes, basically. You don't want to change your behaviors.

SPEAKER_01

You want to make changes.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, but you're not doing anything about wanting to do it. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

I want to exercise. I want to start becoming an exercise person, but I don't want to do any exercise.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Or they will say that and then they will be doing the opposite. Their behaviors and the way they carry themselves and the things they do, habits day to day, won't change. Or they won't become something you would expect from someone who exercises regularly and looks after their health.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, when you've got one here, I want to lose weight, but also I want to eat not like nothing needs to change.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. Probably why that the foods that you love. Probably why that just does so well. Because it's the dream, isn't it?

unknown

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Here's my six-week shred. And you can still enjoy all the foods that you love. How?

SPEAKER_03

In a lot smaller quantities.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, there's there's lots, isn't it? And also sometimes it does it not depend on what what foods are these? And in what quantity. When you say, I just want to eat all the foods that I love but lose weight, or lose body fat. I will say weight, but it's it's body fat, isn't it, Fiona? Losing weight is yeah, is is reasonably simple.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. It's simple, not easy.

SPEAKER_01

But I mean the concept of actually losing mass, losing weight, you can lose weight pretty quickly.

SPEAKER_03

And how does it be a good thing? Goes to the toilet. Oh, I was gonna say calorie depth.

SPEAKER_01

Drop the kids off. No, I'm talking about weight. Losing weight as opposed to body fat.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

Cognitive Dissonance Defined

SPEAKER_01

So when people say I want to lose weight, they really mean body fat. Yeah?

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

If you sell someone on the dream of join my six week tread, and you can still enjoy all the foods that you love. Okay. Out of interest, what are all these foods that you love?

SPEAKER_03

Pizza. Full fat cork.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_03

Full fat milk.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. White bread. So not demonizing foods, but it's more about how often do you eat them and the quantity of them?

SPEAKER_03

I have a 20-inch 20-inch dominance every day.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

What wash down what bottle of cork? Full fat. And then I have donuts or something afterwards.

SPEAKER_01

You know, we might be being a little bit facetious here. But yes, that there's to a degree, it's the the quantity of the food and how little you're moving. So if you're not willing to adopt these new principles of.

SPEAKER_03

I don't walk out to my car on the drive.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

So I do move.

SPEAKER_01

So yes, you you can still enjoy those foods, but the dream fizzles out when I have to tell you that you have to cut them down dramatically.

SPEAKER_03

How dramatically though?

SPEAKER_01

A slice of pizza? What full fat coat goes to Coke Zero?

SPEAKER_03

What about moving down as breakfast? Am I still allowed that?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Do you have coffee with it? Yeah. Nice milky latte. Okay. Black. Americano.

SPEAKER_03

Where's a six-week person?

SPEAKER_01

Socialising. I've got a bang, I've got a banging social life. Oh, you can you can still go out. Yeah, yeah. So you can enjoy the food that you live and you can still go out and it and just just enjoy, revel in your banging social life. Brilliant. I just can't believe it. This is amazing.

SPEAKER_03

Two pints of cider, anyone?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, that that needs to stop. Yeah.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Based on your goals. By all means, keep keep drinking the beers, the Guinness, whatever you want. But if you're trying to lose fat, you might need to change those. You might need to s swap out the beers for a slim line gin and tonic.

SPEAKER_03

I don't like it.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. So let's try and find a spirit and a low-calorie mixer that you do enjoy. But you can still go out, you can still have a couple of drinks and still engage in the tomfoolery and the all the ballyhoo that comes with having a bang in social life.

SPEAKER_03

Am I allowed my 20 chicken nuggets after the end of the night if I do that?

SPEAKER_01

It's not about allowing it. You do whatever you want. You're an adult. But what are your goals?

SPEAKER_03

To lose weight. I just gave up my 20 pints of cider for 10 years ago.

SPEAKER_01

Are you willing to move a bit more then?

SPEAKER_03

Maybe. I'll be dancing all night, so Right.

SPEAKER_01

Long term. Are you willing to find a form of exercise at your stomach? Twice a week?

SPEAKER_03

Maybe.

SPEAKER_01

Are you willing to increase your steps a little bit?

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, you are?

SPEAKER_03

Maybe.

SPEAKER_01

Well which one is it?

SPEAKER_03

Maybe. Haven't decided yet.

SPEAKER_01

Right. You can call yourself an excise person and you're going to start doing all these amazing things for your diet, for your health. Move a bit more, exercise, etc. But then I see you. I bump into you in the in the the aisle of Aldi, the middle aisle of Audi. And there you are. Trolley, just rammed, full of Ben and Jerry's. It's not Ben and Jerry's because it's Audi, but they're equivalent. And don't get me started on the low-calorie ice cream in Aldi. Or little. Don't even get me started on where that's gone.

SPEAKER_03

Where has that gone? What's it been placed at? No, what's it? Bakewell tart.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, full fat bakewell tart ice cream. Yeah, we're all just hunkering for that, aren't we? Anyway.

SPEAKER_03

It's never sold out, just to let you know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. The freezer's stocked full of just random full fat ice cream flavours that no one's eating.

SPEAKER_03

But the low calorie one, that was always sold out.

SPEAKER_01

Who wants it? I don't want it.

SPEAKER_03

I think you do. I think you do, Ben.

Food, Social Life, And Goal Trade‑Offs

SPEAKER_01

Not interested. I think you do. Anyway, let's bring it back. Let's bring it back. Is that making sense? So I Ben, I'm ready. Pushable health, long term, I'm ready to go. I'm going to try and become an excise person. I may never enjoy it, but I'm going to try and find something I can stomach. Excellent. Excellent. I see you an hour later in Audi. Trolley. Rammed. Stocked to the brim.

SPEAKER_03

I'll start tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01

Of this new fantastic Bakewell tart, full fat ice cream. And it's not about saying that you can't have it. We've just discussed the foods that you love. You can try and get them in. Does this not represent a bit of a clash here? We've just had the discussion. And an hour later, the trolley is rammed full of ice cream. Then what? The excuses? Oh, I've just had a really stressful day. Oh, my ankle hurts. It's just tough. I was on the treadmill for 15 minutes.

SPEAKER_03

So got my steps in. Some of them.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I I walk around the block two or three times.

SPEAKER_03

Hmm. So not everybody. Other examples there, Fioda. Stay with Aldi.

SPEAKER_01

Don't say one thing in the private pushwell studio or on the app. And then I I I go and I see you in Aldi with the trolley stock full of full fat, bake or tart, ice cream.

SPEAKER_03

What if it was stocked full of the little calorie one, Ben?

SPEAKER_01

Well, that's the difference, isn't it? That's the difference. Because you could say the foods that I love is ice cream. Right, okay. If your goal is to lose body fat, maybe we can start here. What do you think? Okay, yeah, I'll give it a go. An hour later. Oh. Nice to see you, Steve. Oh, low calorie ice cream. Yeah, yeah. You know, giving it a go. Giving it a go. Trying to make some changes. Nice.

SPEAKER_03

But you're not going to see that, are you, Ben? I don't know. Because Aldi's not stuck in it.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, that's not in this instance, no. So yes, oh, there you go. Then so it's not their fault. They did go and reach for the low-calorie ice cream, but because Aldi have uh put it in the bin, they had to go for the cherry bake well.

SPEAKER_03

So it's Aldi's fault. It's Aldi's fault. Aldi's fault.

SPEAKER_01

There you go. Cognitive dissonance.

SPEAKER_03

Aldi.

SPEAKER_01

Aldi.

SPEAKER_03

A little.

SPEAKER_01

God, I'm so uncomfortable. Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

SPEAKER_03

Right. So what else?

SPEAKER_01

Other examples there, Fiona?

SPEAKER_03

Um, where is it? I'm starting fresh this week versus I'm acting like someone who is who isn't starting anything. Monday. I always say I'll start a diet on a Monday. Don't know why. It never happens on a Monday.

SPEAKER_01

Like the previous Monday and the one before that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it never happens. And then you have to say, oh, Wednesday comes, oh, I'll just have to wait until Monday to start.

SPEAKER_01

The thing about cognitive dissonance, cognitive dissonance is it sounds like we're making people feel bad.

SPEAKER_03

No, I think it's just a normal brain war, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but you want to do it, but no one likes to be called out, do they? And that's what it is. That this is what this bias is. Cognitive dissonance is that. I'm going to do this and then do the opposite. Your behaviors and your habits demonstrate that you're not doing that and you're doing the opposite. Or you're not falling in line with your new label that you've given yourself.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Jesus.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, sorry. Thought provoking, eh? Yeah, it's very thought-provoking. So yeah, there's more examples here, but do we need to go through them all?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know, maybe. A couple more, is there any more?

SPEAKER_03

Exercise is important to me versus I only move when guilt forces me to.

SPEAKER_01

But what about down here, Fiona?

SPEAKER_03

I want to be healthier versus I don't want to behave like a healthy person.

SPEAKER_01

Here we go. What about this? In the moment. So because the moment you say I go to the gym, I train regularly, I eat a bit better. It clashes with their existing identity. I don't like the gym. I'm not an active person. Life is stressful. Food is my comfort. Exercise is something other people do.

SPEAKER_03

Very good.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah?

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Should have talked more about that.

SPEAKER_03

So the brain has to what did you say about the brain earlier? You had a good statement about the brain. So the brain has to pick one side, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01

It's a clash, isn't it? There's a clash. There's a constant clash. And identity, that's a big thing. We didn't we should have spent more time on that. If you identify with certain characteristics or a way of life, food, exercise, habits, behaviour. That takes a long time. You can wake up every single day and say, Do you know what I'm going to exercise today? I'm going to start becoming an exercise person. Back into the Monday thing.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I'm going to start Monday. I'm a person that gets back on the horse Monday.

SPEAKER_03

I'm not. Monday's the worst day to start.

SPEAKER_01

What about your identity?

SPEAKER_03

It's a horrible day to start.

SPEAKER_01

What about all the traits that make up your current identity? They're the opposite of that. You hate Mondays.

SPEAKER_03

I hate Mondays.

SPEAKER_01

You feel terrible.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

6 a.m. swing class on a Monday. Are you sure? No. Is that long term?

SPEAKER_03

No.

Identity Friction And Quiet Change

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_03

That's once on the blue moon.

SPEAKER_01

So they're gonna clash.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

They're gonna clash straight away. You want to get to the point where you just do something. How are you feeling?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, fine. Okay. Just live.

SPEAKER_01

You don't want to be labelled an exercise person, do you? Like we keep saying about, oh, I I am now an exercise person. I'm now someone who exercises. You just want to adopt a new identity and start building one through through different behaviours, different habits.

SPEAKER_03

Well, why can't you be instead of saying I am a healthy person, why can't you say I am trying to be a healthy person?

SPEAKER_01

No, no, that's you don't want that here. No, we're not trying, we're just doing.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01

We're just doing.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Well, because if you say I'm trying, it's very you've got your jail, you've got your get out of jail.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I am trying, because if you again back into Audi, here's Steve.

SPEAKER_03

It's trying and then taking the actual responsibility for actually trying.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, but you just are.

unknown

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And don't and don't tell anyone about it. You just are. So people aren't always asking you, oh, how's the how's the latest diet going? Oh, uh, I heard that you're uh back doing the spin classes. And we get to that, maybe not in this episode, but we'll get to that. We get to people. Everyone hates everyone.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. We get to the end, we get to the envy, we get to the oh, oh, I heard you I heard you were doing your diet again. Oh, oh, you started to exercise. You got you gone back to the running club of you. Oh. Oh, hope I hope it's different this time. How long will it last?

SPEAKER_03

She seemed like that.

SPEAKER_01

You don't want to talk about it, do you? Like you don't want to talk about it I know some people like the idea of telling people and announcing it to the world. I'm doing this because it gives them some responsibility, doesn't it? It holds them accountable. You tell everyone around you, you tell the world, you make a social media account and go, right, this is me, day one of my journey. I can appreciate that can be quite useful. Because people will then say, You got this.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, well, it's it's looking for other people's acceptance, isn't it? You've got this, you can do this.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, keep going, keep pushing. Yeah, don't give up. Right. That can be quite motivating.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But sometimes I'm sure people just want to be left alone.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And just do it. And then and then and then six months later, or a year later, someone just goes, Oh, buddy, what do you have, Steve?

SPEAKER_03

You look Well, sure, that's better.

SPEAKER_01

You look alright. You're like, you know, what's been happening? Oh, I just started going to push well. Oh, I just started to be a bit more conscious of all the things I shoved in my girl. Oh right. Oh, okay. Did you not want to tell everyone about that? No. No, it's just what I do. Just who I am. Now and then you can sit back and just watch that flicker in their eye. The envy.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. And that's that'd be m that'd be so much more satisfactory.

SPEAKER_01

Looking like you. Going like, oh, oh.

SPEAKER_03

What do you mean looking like you?

SPEAKER_01

Looking, you know, queasy.

SPEAKER_03

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, oh, oh, oh, Steve, I'm I I'm so happy for you. God, you're right there. You're right there, Nigel.

SPEAKER_03

Shut up. What's these names? Nigel's.

SPEAKER_01

I I'm protecting people. I'm just I'm using examples. Well, I'm using examples from over the years.

SPEAKER_02

God, these names. Are you okay? You look a bit queasy. I'm fine. Yeah, I'm just really really happy if you let you've changed your identity. So so push for health, where's this? Who is this?

SPEAKER_01

Don't worry about it. I'm going there tonight, actually. You carry on. How's your journey going?

SPEAKER_03

Oh, back at the running club.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I do need to join the gym again.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I'll leave you too.

SPEAKER_03

See you in six months. Right. I like that example. Yeah, okay. I like the Nigel and Steve example.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's the envy Fiona. Oh, it's there. People don't like to admit it though, do they? They don't like to admit it. It's it's there. It's there for everyone. Women as well. I think women. Women in particular. This might be stereotyping, but it's there.

SPEAKER_03

I think it's just there. I think it's just there for everybody, to be fair. I don't think it's men or women, but women are usually known to be a little bit more Oh a bit catty. Catty, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So just have a look next time. I'm just talking, I'm talking to you. I'm talking to all women out there.

SPEAKER_02

Just have a look. Just see if you can catch it. I've seen it. See if you can catch it. I've seen it. I've experienced it.

SPEAKER_01

You announce something. Oh, I've got a new job promotion. Oh, I have I have joined Pushball Health. Yeah, I just didn't make a big song and dance about it, just bit by bit. Trying to make long-term changes. Yeah, I have lost two stone. Yeah. Yeah. It's coming along. Even if you're not making a big song and dancer, even if you're not running into the office and telling everyone, oh my God, look at me. I haven't worn this dress in 10 years. Everyone. Even if you're not doing that, if you're doing that, then yeah, oh my God, envy all over the place. You're in big trouble.

SPEAKER_03

You're the hated person in the office, then.

SPEAKER_01

It's worse, actually. I reckon maybe in some cases it's worse if you if you're just quiet about it. And then someone spots it.

SPEAKER_03

But it depends on the person who's spotting it, isn't it? It depends on who's willing to say it. Because a lot of people will be just like, oh, I wonder if she's okay. She is.

SPEAKER_01

People won't say it.

SPEAKER_03

That's what people say. That's the point.

SPEAKER_01

People won't say it. They will just make a remark. Or they will just start when you go meet a friend after a while. How's things? And if life for them is not great, in particular, that's the problems. If their life is, if they're still if they're stuck in the region B to paradox, if they're there, and life just oh God, this is tough. Oh, I'm just not having a good time of it. You come in, either, yeah, look at me, or just, yeah, I've done this, I've lost this amount of weight. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good. Oh yeah. Oh God, I'm so happy for you. I'm so happy for you, honestly. Or you might get some people who go, Oh, have you? Oh. Oh, well, you know, I hope you keep it off this time. Yeah. Do you think you'll stick do you think you'll stick to it this time?

SPEAKER_03

Good for you.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, right. Yeah, I just I just enjoy my weekends too much.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

You know, I just I just I just love it. Yeah, I I'm just not giving up all the foods I love. You know, there's more to life, isn't there, babe? There's more to life. Yeah, I didn't really actually. No, I just I just changed my identity bit by bit.

SPEAKER_03

I just made a glass of wine with this lunch and my big dinner.

SPEAKER_01

Because I can.

SPEAKER_03

Because I can and I will.

Availability Heuristic And Fading Effect

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I just made small changes, yeah. Over time. I just didn't fancy another six-week shred. Didn't fancy it. How did your latest one go? We could be here all day, Fiona, role-playing.

SPEAKER_03

Seeing the same situation over and over again.

SPEAKER_01

No, it's not Fiona, it's different examples.

SPEAKER_03

It's a different example, yes.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's different examples. I know you're queasing. Nigel and Steven was the prime example, I think.

SPEAKER_03

We're not getting anything better than Nigel and Steven. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Barbara and Dowerty.

SPEAKER_01

There were some clips there where we were talking over each other. You know, when I when I'm when I'm in full flow, Fiona, you have to just let me go.

SPEAKER_03

I do.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

You have to let me go though sometimes as well. Even if I'm talking crap. Right, what's the third one? I can't say that word.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, this is the last one then, Fiona.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, excellent. Good.

SPEAKER_01

Part two.

SPEAKER_03

Number three next week. Ever a three.

SPEAKER_01

Who?

SPEAKER_03

Ever a three. Number three.

SPEAKER_01

Was that Irish?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

This is English. You're in England.

SPEAKER_03

Number three.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Please, why do you keep saying Because I don't know what the word is? Uh Which one? Availability heuristic.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh. Yeah, that's nice.

SPEAKER_03

Is it?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's fine.

SPEAKER_03

Oh. Availability heuristic plus fading effect bias. So availability heuristic, we make decisions based on the memories that are easiest to recall. And fading effect bias is negative emotions fade faster than positive ones.

SPEAKER_01

Do they? I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

I don't know. I don't think they do.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's an interesting one. We might have to just talk about this a little bit and then just pick it up in the next one. Because there's quite a lot here. I feel like I've got a lot to say on these ones. No, no, but well, we just went on a massive 15-minute tangent about Nigel and Steve.

SPEAKER_03

So Oh Steve, I thought it was Steven.

SPEAKER_01

Steve, Steven, Steve for sure.

SPEAKER_03

That's fine. I like that.

SPEAKER_01

This is serious.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, okay. So yeah, whatever you say, Ben. Um so yeah, I'm not sure about the negative emotions thing. Fade f fade faster than positive ones. I think positive fade faster. That's interesting. People focus on the negative more, don't they? And a negative feeling.

SPEAKER_01

They can do. I suppose it can depend on how much time has be has gone since something bad happened. Since you had the the messy breakup. You either remember the good bits, if it helps, if if it ever comes up, or you bump into that person, you go, do you know what? Enough time's gone now. Oh yeah, we did we did do that holiday and we did go to Benedome and it was okay. Yeah, it wasn't all bad. Or you just forget about it and move on completely.

SPEAKER_04

Sure about that.

SPEAKER_01

When people die, I don't know, when people die, it's probably quite bleak to remember all the bad things. Yeah, but however much of a monster that person was, it's like, well, over time, you forget about time healers, not this up.

SPEAKER_03

Oh god, okay.

SPEAKER_01

Go after you, if you're no.

SPEAKER_03

No, no, no, of course. No, sorry, no, no, no, God.

SPEAKER_01

I mean if you haven't interrupt me, I'm assuming you've got you've got something really powerful to say.

SPEAKER_03

No, I don't actually. I'm just spitballing.

SPEAKER_01

Wow, that makes it more annoying.

SPEAKER_03

I'm just spitballing.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Okay, good. Spitball maybe when I've finished talking.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, okay, but you never finish talking. Yeah, well.

SPEAKER_01

A lot to say, hence why we have to start doing these more often. What are we talking about? What are we talking about? Yeah, so right. So you think that that's not the case?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Is this evidence-based?

SPEAKER_01

I'm sure there's some research out of there. Yeah, it's it's it's quite a uh common thing that comes up quite a lot in literature and thinkers.

SPEAKER_03

But then, so let's go back to exercise. So if we're doing a six-week shred, are we going to remember the six weeks where you're completely miserable or the feeling you had after your six-week shred where you felt great?

SPEAKER_00

Well, yes.

SPEAKER_03

When you think about going into a new diet, when you're thinking about going into a new diet and you've put all that weight back on.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

So I think I'd be focusing on how miserable it was in that six weeks to get to that point. More so than the dress size, because my dress size has now since gone up because I've put that weight back on.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Well, here we go. Here's a line. You forget the suffering, but remember the win. So you repeat stupid decisions.

SPEAKER_03

Oh. I was on to a winner there, wasn't I?

SPEAKER_01

So maybe you can apply that across across the board. The the terrible relationship, the terrible marriage. I don't know, the win being children, maybe? Can I never understand? Maybe some people just naturally can just forget the negative bit quicker because they know they were negative and they're miserable. And they don't ruminate too much. People just have a have the ability to not ruminate as much on things. And they just say, Well, what's the point? It was terrible. That was really, really miserable. So why am I going to spend too much time thinking about it? Then we just put that in the bin and just try and block it out and just move on from it.

SPEAKER_03

Well, yeah, but then if you're in a very, very restricted diet for six weeks where you are completely miserable for six weeks, and then you go back in to do that same diet, you're gonna remember the negative. How shit you have.

SPEAKER_01

How much time's gone though?

SPEAKER_03

Well, yeah, that's the time.

SPEAKER_01

People might only be dieting or trying to diet twice a year, maybe. If if that once every ten years.

Dieting Memories: Wins Versus Suffering

SPEAKER_03

Well, yeah, they won't remember that. They'll remember that they'll lost a weight. Yeah. Okay. I'm seeing it as a big thing.

SPEAKER_01

People that go, people that do a photo shoot, put the fake tan on, put the pants on.

SPEAKER_03

The baby on.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my god, look at me. Get that on the mantelpiece. Look at this. Look at this. I starved myself for 12 weeks. Oh my god. Wow. I did all these poses.

SPEAKER_03

Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_01

Just like your 2026, that's coming out. We're getting there, Fiona. We're finishing off. But the yeah, the photo shoot. Oh wow. Every time I see behind the scenes of a photo shoot.

SPEAKER_03

That was I think the best deal of my life.

SPEAKER_01

They're in they're in their pants. They're in the pants. And they're in they're in like a you know, we were in the private pushwell studio, so not quite as good or or as glamorous. But people are are sitting on like motorbikes and they're they're holding.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, we should have got a prop, a motorbike prop.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but they're they're doing stuff like holding you know the ropes and and the pull-up position. It's like, wow, look at his look at his muscles.

SPEAKER_00

My god, look at that, look at that definition. I've just Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_03

Did you like one fit, Dan?

SPEAKER_01

No, not particularly. No, it's not. Yeah, it wasn't great. But then that was that was on a budget. You do it properly, you spend lots of money and you go to a studio and you sit on the motorbike, room room, in in your pants.

SPEAKER_03

But you weren't even in pants then. You were in a pair of speedos.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think some people do.

SPEAKER_03

What do you call them?

SPEAKER_01

Pants.

SPEAKER_03

No, hot pants?

SPEAKER_01

No, the Speedos.

SPEAKER_03

They are the pink and budgie s butgy smugglers.

SPEAKER_01

Oh yes, kind of, yes. Yeah. So I think uh yeah, I guess women wear I don't know. Not quite knickers, but they wear Tongues knee strings.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But they're bikinis.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, okay. I don't know if they're they're maybe they're a bit beefed up.

SPEAKER_03

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

Bikinis, yeah. Maybe bikinis, yeah. And and blokes might wear like short shorts.

SPEAKER_03

Speedles.

SPEAKER_01

Sitting on the motorbike or holding the pull-up position. Tricep rope. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Well it's not it's not that. It's right.

SPEAKER_03

It's tough. Anyways, how do we get on to talk about a photo shoot?

SPEAKER_01

No, it's tough. It's tough. But I get it though. It does make sense for a lot of people. Changing their identity. It's all part of it, isn't it? Yes. At the end of that 12 weeks, you've starved yourself. Fake tan, pants, motorbike, room room, pull-up, tricep rope. Put it on the mantelpiece. That's your new identity now.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. We don't have any photos of you on the mantelpiece, unfortunately. Not yet. Not yet. I'm gonna get a big blowout one for another one.

SPEAKER_01

Anyway, different topic. Different topic, but when we start to do these more often, we can just talk. We just have 15-minute tangents about Ven's photo shoots. Photo shoots. And just how for many, for many, just not too sure.

SPEAKER_03

But it's common in 2026, apparently. My one is. My one is photoshopping.

SPEAKER_01

My one's coming out.

SPEAKER_03

Let's just say it's uh it's something else.

SPEAKER_01

It's one for the ages.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Anyway, back to back to this. Maybe we'll just we'll just do a couple more minutes and Fiona, because I think we we should pick up on this because there's a lot to this, which is quite interesting. Yes, well what my energy is lacking a little bit as well, so okay.

SPEAKER_03

So where were we actually? Just go for the examples.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, go for the examples and then we'll just we'll pick up.

SPEAKER_03

So this is the examples of the availability heuristic and then the fading effect bias, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

Not quite sure why I put these two together.

SPEAKER_03

They're kind of different, but remember so you remember losing the weight, but you forget the starving element of it. You remember the compliments, but you forget about the social isolation, not being able to go out, etc. You remember fishing the genes after how many years that they actually fish, but you forget about the binge.

SPEAKER_01

Oh that's yeah, that's a big one.

SPEAKER_03

So you romanticize about the routines that make you miserable. So you do not you kind of what do you say? You savvy them up a little bit to make them sound better.

SPEAKER_01

Savvy savvy them up?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Is that the right word? Is that the right thing?

SPEAKER_01

Savvy.

SPEAKER_03

Probably not the right word. What's the word then?

SPEAKER_01

Well, hey, we're live. We're live, you just you just come out of stuff. It's not perfect.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. What what's the word?

SPEAKER_01

Butter them up, you that's the word. You talk something up.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you talk it up.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Yeah, and then you forget. Romanticize. Well, yeah, I didn't like that word.

SPEAKER_03

That was quite romanticising is like love and hearts and stuff.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

No, I suppose. Yeah, that's that's probably what's a good word, too.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, that's that's the that's that's the word, yeah. Sorry.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, stick to that one. Okay. Good word. What did I say? Savvy.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, savloi. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. Okay. Right. So positive feelings are fleeting. So the anticipation often feels better than the actual event.

SPEAKER_01

Different topic entirely, but yes.

SPEAKER_03

So it's again, Barbara and Dorothy walking in. Barbara has lost two stone. She's wearing a dress that hasn't fit her for a couple of years. She's saying, Oh, my friends are gonna say this, they're gonna say how great I look on all of days.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, right, okay.

SPEAKER_03

But then Doris just like, oh well, I hope it stays off.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, the envy, yeah, the envy. Oh yeah, but it's yeah, yeah, but the the idea of that is is thinking about or looking forward to going to Benedome.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, well, and then when you get to Benedome, it's like uh Well when you get to Den uh when you get to Benedome, all you do is eat and drink, so you want to feel like crap anyway.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, yes, but the anticipation that's why I always talk about you you must you must enjoy the process. You know, I was talking about that and I just I can't stand it because a lot of the process is really, really miserable.

SPEAKER_03

I broke my nail.

SPEAKER_01

The process uh this year of of some of MNU of building that website, really, really miserable. Oh, I heard really just just the pits, the absolute pits. Push poor health, the business. A lot of that is horrendous. This podcast, this is okay.

SPEAKER_03

This part's fine, this part's fine.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but it's what comes next.

SPEAKER_03

See you in a few hours.

SPEAKER_01

And you wouldn't know. You wouldn't know better. It's what comes next, it's what comes before. Putting the lights, the camera.

SPEAKER_03

That's very hard.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's it's it's it's not ideal. It's not ideal.

SPEAKER_03

But it has to be done.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and it has to be done even better, but we'll get to that in 2026. But it's what comes next.

SPEAKER_03

Did you put this note on for me, Ben?

SPEAKER_01

Wait, what was my point there? I lost my trial at all.

SPEAKER_03

Uh anticipation of it feels better than the actual event.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

No, that doesn't make sense.

SPEAKER_03

You went off on a tangent.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03

We lost it. We lost it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, we're getting that, aren't we? We're getting that point. We're we're we'll expand upon this on the next one.

SPEAKER_03

So tragedy plus time equals maybe I'll try Keishaw again.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, right.

SPEAKER_03

So there's a guy I was bang on about Keyo.

SPEAKER_01

There's a guy called Adam Masteri. Oh, I should know his uh name.

SPEAKER_03

It's not written now.

SPEAKER_01

Masterani, Masteromi, Masterani. Sorry, Adam, I'll tag you. Poor. It's because the lights on the light, the light, the camera's on, you you forget basic stuff, don't you? Your your head goes, it's it's embarrassing. Experimental history. He does a like a blog type thing on something called Substack. Very good, very good. That's one of the things he says. Tragedy plus time equals comedy. So something that's something that's horrendously blake, someone dies, awful relationship, whatever. You just need a bit of time. And then eventually, maybe, you can start laughing about it. The negativity around that, the misery around that situation starts to fade. To the point where you can start actually laughing about it. Go, oh god, do you remember? Remember how upset I was about that. Maybe, maybe not as much deaf, but I suppose with deaf, it's oh you start you start remembering all the good things. It doesn't it doesn't instantly make you feel awful remembering someone or something. Initially, I imagine every time it gets brought up or you think about that person, you just start to feel terrible straight away. Because it's whatever. The regret, the fact they're just dead. Yes. That changes somewhat maybe. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

Well, time heals, apparently.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. So I do get that, but I think in regards to what we were saying when it comes to diet and health, not sure. That that can be that can go wrong because that time of when you did the keto diet or you did some wacky diet and the I don't know, the tragedy of of doing it, which was quite bleak, and then the short-term results, oh my god, yeah, I got results, and then the time after where it was like, oh no, oh no, I've put it all back on again. Oh no, I feel terrible. Oh dear. Plus the time before you then try and do it again, the same thing, the same diet, or something similar, and you've forgotten how you felt. And someone says, Are you sure you want to do that again? Remember last time it was you didn't have a good time, it was pretty, pretty miserable. Everyone else around you is always quite miserable. That photo shoot, you know, I know broom broom on the on the motorbike, and you looked you looked sexy in your hot pants, but that 12-week period, bloody hell.

SPEAKER_02

You're an anti-christ.

SPEAKER_01

You're unbearable. And you've got you've got kids and you've got a life. Are you sure? Yeah. I don't think it was that bad. No, no, it was. It was it was terrible. Every day you you just said that you wanted to stop. Nah. Nah, I think it was alright. We'll try that again because I think that that could be said better.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

But you see what I'm trying to say?

SPEAKER_03

Yes, I do see what you're doing.

SPEAKER_01

It works for other it works for certain things. Strategy plus time equals comedy. Adam, he's spot on there. But for maybe health and dieting and other things when it comes to your pushing exercise routine and your diet and your lifestyle and your habits and your behaviour. I don't know. Having the time to get over it, great, but that makes you forget how miserable it was in the first place. So you try and do it again. The same thing.

SPEAKER_03

I think um dipping now. You're at your end, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. We've got to, I don't know, invest in some curtains, maybe?

SPEAKER_03

No, no, it's not good.

SPEAKER_01

No, I think we need to invest in some curtains. Yeah, yeah, because we've got light, we've just got light everywhere.

SPEAKER_03

We've got curtains, Ben.

SPEAKER_01

I know, but the the blinds. Yeah, but the the sun is streaming through. And we've got this as well, don't forget that. That's bringing light. Just lots to do, lots to lots to think about in 2026.

SPEAKER_03

Shall we go as far as the dieting loop and then end?

SPEAKER_01

That could be the the last line, yeah. That's fine. Yeah. We'll just pick up on the on the next one.

SPEAKER_03

So Ben has written here that people rewrite their dieting past like a eulogy. All the good bits, but none of the pain. I think that kind of sums up what you just said. Yeah. Uh live a life for you that that's the same line, Fiona.

SPEAKER_01

That's fine. That leave it there. Leave it there.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

That's fine. That's fine. Yeah. We'll we'll get to that on the next one.

SPEAKER_03

Go and edit.

SPEAKER_01

Hmm.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

We'll cut that bit out, Fiona. You just listen.

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_01

I'm just thinking about you because you're very, very poorly.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Final line. The dieting loop. Fail, pain fades. Remember the win. Repeat. Fail harder. It's not a case you'll fail even worse than the. Yeah, but it's not a case where you might fail harder. It's just a case of just reliving awful memories.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

But maybe you will fail harder because you've failed again at the same thing.

SPEAKER_03

Well, yeah. Well, it won't last as long, will it? If you're doing a diet.

SPEAKER_01

You've got to talk into that mic immediately.

SPEAKER_03

If you're doing a diet.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, how are they getting on?

SPEAKER_03

Hoops.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I don't remember what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, hang on, the light's gone. That's so much better. You see the difference?

SPEAKER_03

Yes, the sun's gone then.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Do you see the difference? We've got to get the sun blocked out, Fiona. You're in charge of all this for Christ's sake.

SPEAKER_03

It's back.

SPEAKER_01

Oh God. We've got the blind. I don't ask you to do anything else.

SPEAKER_03

Phoenicians. It's grand.

SPEAKER_01

Finish you off then. Finish you off, because this is a six parter. Part one of six six.

SPEAKER_03

It's not six, it's going to be two, but.

SPEAKER_01

It will be whatever I want it to be.

SPEAKER_03

Right. What I'm saying.

SPEAKER_01

That's it.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, that's it. Okay, thank you. Bye. See you soon.

SPEAKER_01

How'd you find those Fiona?

SPEAKER_03

Much better.

SPEAKER_01

A little bit rough around the edges, but that's fine. If you do these more often, doesn't matter. You can have a rough one, can't you? You can have an episode where you go, I didn't quite put that point across. I'd like to have said that better. Oh, it's okay. We're going to do another one in two days. Not, oh, we're going to do another one in a month. That's the issue. We're podcasters.

SPEAKER_03

Well, we'll see you next week, won't we?

SPEAKER_01

We're podcasters. We've got to start taking this stuff seriously, Fiona.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, darling.

SPEAKER_01

Do you agree?

SPEAKER_03

No. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And in 2026, there might be more time available for everyone. If you catch my drift.

SPEAKER_03

I don't.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, you will. I don't.

SPEAKER_03

I'm even my job then to do podcasts for you.

SPEAKER_01

You know what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_03

Do I? Yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_01

You do.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Whatever you say, darling.

SPEAKER_01

More time.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

More time.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. We'll see about that. I think there'll be less time.

SPEAKER_01

Poor health. Push your health from the pools of life. There will be an outro as well. When I get in touch with a sad Canadian man. He's bald as well, by the way. I am I'm going. I'm getting there.

SPEAKER_03

Let me see your rap-a-patch.

Outro, Promises, And YouTube CTA

SPEAKER_01

I will get in touch with a Canadian man who is fully bald and sad and lonely. To do an outro as well as the intro.

SPEAKER_03

Yep, we'll be still talking about this this time next time.

SPEAKER_01

I will. I will. Alright. Okay, goodbye and goodbye. Pushball health. Join the app. 2026. A lot happening in 2026. I'm making a lot of promises. But the app, it exists. It's going to become the thing.

SPEAKER_03

Excellent.

SPEAKER_01

The thing.

SPEAKER_03

Well, Shlonlath, Augus Goram Mahagut.

SPEAKER_01

Anything else to say, Fiona?

SPEAKER_03

I just say goodbye.

SPEAKER_01

What about the socials? People do say this.

SPEAKER_03

Facebook, the Instagram. Are you on the TikTok?

SPEAKER_01

You always say that. Yes. I never go on it. Never go on it. But I'm on that.

SPEAKER_03

You're not on it then, if you're never on it. Well, the kids.

SPEAKER_01

The the Irish kids, they like my videos, I think.

SPEAKER_03

Do they?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know. Never go on it.

SPEAKER_03

Well, the TikTok, the ins all the social stuff.

unknown

YouTube.

SPEAKER_01

YouTube. Just subscribe on YouTube. It makes me feel good. More than anything else, YouTube. I feel like YouTube subscribers are really hard to come by. When I go viral in the future.

SPEAKER_03

Because nobody uses YouTube or Duda.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think a lot of people use YouTube. Yeah. Yeah, it's quite popular.

SPEAKER_03

I'm not down with the kids up there.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's pretty popular, Fair enough.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's just hard. It's like a subscriber on YouTube is worth 10 followers on Instagram. It's it's just every time I get a subscriber, I'm like, yes. I feel like I worked really hard for that. So if you can, even if you just don't use YouTube, you've got an account, maybe just subscribe. Makes me feel pretty good. I want to just keep building those numbers up before I then go viral. Because you go viral and then you get 25,000 subscribers, and you're like, oh okay, but I just did a video talking about rubbish. Or did some video with props and my my chef's hat and just you know whatever gets you viral, waving pounds of fat around.

SPEAKER_03

You've got a pound of fat.

SPEAKER_01

I do. Yeah. Yeah. Unfortunately I'm gonna have to start waving it around again.

SPEAKER_03

Anyhow, I'm switching off.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Goodbye.

SPEAKER_01

Cheers. Thanks. Any final thoughts?

SPEAKER_03

Pushing your health and pulls of life.

SPEAKER_01

Was that a good episode?

SPEAKER_03

Push pole out.

SPEAKER_01

Yes or no.

SPEAKER_03

Maybe.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

Go edit.

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