The Health Huns
The Messy Side of Health and Fitness!
Your favourite amateur athletes keeping it real, discussing the messy side of health and fitness
The Health Huns
Ep.16 Helen Anderson
Helen Anderson joins us to share her health and fitness journey, including how she transitioned from being an internet personality representing body positivity to losing weight and finding joy in fitness on her own terms.
• Helen explains how comments about her body from a young age impacted her self-perception despite outwardly being an advocate for body confidence
• The turning point came in early 2023 when Helen decided to commit to her health to prove to herself she could stick with something
• Run Norwich experiences - Helen achieved a 58-minute time in only her second 10K race
• The BPM playlist hack that helps Helen maintain consistent running pace
• Moving from focusing on weight loss to valuing functional strength and fitness
• The double standards within the body positivity community when influencers choose to lose weight
• Industry "icks" including protein-washing products and the overwhelming number of supplement advertisements
• Practical advice for beginners: be consistent, drop the guilt, and lower your expectations about timeframes
• Helen's three-year journey to lose three stone and how maintenance has become effortless
• How fitness communities provide positive social connections beyond just exercise
Hello and welcome to the Health Huns, the pod where we discuss the messy side of health and fitness.
Speaker 2:From gym fails to newfound communities.
Speaker 1:We're here to help you feel like less of a failure and find your place in the messy world of health and fitness.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to episode 16 of the Health Huns.
Speaker 1:I was doing a little bit of singing then.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think we got the end of Hole Again by Atomic Kitten. It was like Kerry Katona was in the room with us. I know that singing then. Yeah, I think we got the end of um whole again by atomic kitten. It's like carrie katona was in the room with us. I know that would be so fun that would be. We were just um discussing our dream guests I don't have one, but uh reed has two yeah katie price and carrie katona.
Speaker 2:My apps I don't even, not even on the podcast. I would just love the opportunity to interview them just to be in their presence. Yeah, hold their hand maybe, because that'd be creepy.
Speaker 1:I reckon Katie Price's hand is skinny and bony and frail.
Speaker 2:Don't talk bad about the Pricey it would be, though. Maybe, maybe, maybe we just did something very exciting, didn't we, amber? We did Very exciting we just had our first ever guest on the pod. So what you're about to listen to is a lovely, slightly chaotic chat with the one, the only, helen Anderson who was kind enough to come on the pod and talk all things health, fitness, running and give a little insight into her own personal journey over the last couple of years with weight loss, um, getting into the gym, running and her attitude towards things, and she gives a little bit of advice at the end, which I think would be handy for a lot of people and it was very interesting and refreshing.
Speaker 2:Just you know straight down the line saying what she feels, which is nice, but she done it in a really like, not in a nasty way at all, no, no, no, it's just what Bit of tough love, but just what's worked for her.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we hope you enjoy this first ever guest episode and tell us what you think, yes, and tell us who you want to be a guest.
Speaker 2:Yeah, people in our posts we've got two more guests lined up because now we know how to do it. We're on a roll. There's no stopping us next stop.
Speaker 1:No guests too big. No guests too big, anybody.
Speaker 2:If you want them, tag them in our posts and you want to hear their thoughts and opinions on health and fitness. Yeah, we will interview them. We'll do the lord's work, we really will. Right, we'll let you get into the episode now. Bye cool.
Speaker 1:Wow, you are our first guest, so we're probably gonna like stumble through this.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the health fundounds.
Speaker 3:Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Right, so Rui, is it Rui? It's Rui. Yes, hello, I love to meet you, Rui, and you. How are you? I don't think I got to ask Are you good?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know, I just got distracted because of my two horrible hounds horrible hounds.
Speaker 2:But yeah, no, I'm a good, I'm all good. Thank you. Good, right, then? Well, hello, welcome to the health huns. Yeah, we like to start every episode by asking each other how our week's been. So how has your week been? And raise it out of 10?
Speaker 3:oh, my goodness, you actually caught me on a terrible week. To be fair, not terrible, just wondering. Well, yeah, no, I've just had a look. I've just been in a. I've just been going I don't know, it's a lot lady issues um, and I've been to and from various different like walk-in centers to try and get to the bottom of it. So you know, I've been, uh, going to various clinics, um, just to be told that I'm having a period when clearly I'm not having a period, because it's nothing like my period, neither is it due, or so I'm like, yeah, just a bit, oh, you know it is.
Speaker 3:Don't you just love how like medical professionals take women's health so seriously yeah no, I know, it's just like I just got back from the hospital and they were like it just sounds like you're having a period. I'm like I wouldn't waste six hours of my life in a waiting room if I was just having a period.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean so I'm like, come on, girl you're yeah, so.
Speaker 3:So yeah, but no other than that. Uh, it's been all right, been nice, my weather's been great. Uh, I haven't been able to go to the gym there because I've just not been feeling well enough. So I'm like, but like there's so much built up energy just needs to be released. But my, I haven't been able to go to the gym there because I've just not been feeling well enough.
Speaker 1:So I'm like, but like there's so much built up energy just needs to be released, but my body's like no, stop it.
Speaker 3:You feel like you're going crazy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how are you, babe? You go, amber. Well, my week has been okay. I would give my week a seven out of ten. That's high for you. Yeah, I mean the lows. Well, the lows, the lows and the highs were both related to run norwich. No, great and terrible all at once, um, but yeah, I've, you know working, done a few little runs since Run Norwich and it's just been average.
Speaker 2:It's an average week, the week it's been up and down, I'd probably go like a five out of ten. Oh, that's low for you. Yeah, it's not been great. I hated every second of Run Norwich. I was disappointed in my time and normally I don't care. Normally I don't let those things hang over my head.
Speaker 1:No, you don't.
Speaker 2:I really don't care, but I was so annoyed at how long it took me. I hated the heat. I hated the hills, the crowds were good, the atmosphere was really good, but it's been a long week and I'm still hot'm gonna take my hoodie off in a minute, okay, but I want it to be cold.
Speaker 1:I'm ready for the autumn winter months, I think yeah, I think it's just the kind of inconsistency, isn't it like I want to put away my summer clothes. Well, I either don't want to put them away, or I want to put them away one or the other. Oh, this is. You've met bae, haven't you? Helen?
Speaker 2:I don't know if I have, she's um well, our number one fan, yeah, our only fan, yeah yeah, oh yeah, people don't.
Speaker 1:We don't normally record it, so people hear about the pugs, but they've never seen them before.
Speaker 3:Really, oh, bless her. Look at it, you'll want to go down in a minute how did your run large go do?
Speaker 3:you know what I was, um, considering.
Speaker 3:I was in like quite a lot of pain on the day, almost bailed because I was like shit, I don't feel good.
Speaker 3:Um, I did considerably well because it was only my second ever 10k and the first one I did was two weeks before to do the practice run, and I was like I feel like I just felt a little bit insane on the day, so I loaded up on painkillers and I had, like I took my ADHD medication and then I had 180 milligrams of caffeine in the form of an energy drink, just and because I was just like I just need to get it over and done with, and then it just sort of like, as soon as I crossed the start line, it was like zoom off, I went and I just I just all I could think about was just I don't know seeing my friends on the side cheering and wondering where they might be in the city, and I just was like where are they now?
Speaker 3:Where are they now? And then, uh, yeah, before you know, it was sort of like over. But then I had, uh, my legs ached so much for a few days afterwards which I've not really experienced before, and I think it's just because I was so focused on getting it done I didn't even consider, like, what my body was actually going through at the time.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I was just like what was your time? Was it like 57 minutes? It was 58, um which I was just like let's go. What was your time Was?
Speaker 3:it like 57 minutes, it was 58, which I was really really pleased with, and I got my PB on the 5K. So I was like this is so fun. Yeah, I was really, really happy with myself. Did you do much training for it? Well, no, I just sort of like I do.
Speaker 3:I probably do about a 5K, like like once a week, maybe twice a week. You know, most weeks I'll do a run, but then like, yeah, the only time that I did the 10k two weeks before with some running friends, and even that was chaotic for me because, like we, we usually meet at like uh 8 am outside, grounded the coffee shop on on thank road and I I'm not normally late these days, but I got there bang on time, but it was trying to find somewhere to park and they're all stretching and I was under my window and went and they're all pointing in different directions, like I was getting overwhelmed, and then one of the girls was just like pull in here outside of the nero, and I'm frank and I'm terrible at parallel parking anyway. So I was just like, especially when people are watching.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so I was just getting in. So I literally got in there, parked, terribly, and then I just just chucked the things on the floor, grabbed what I needed and just ran and they'd already set off. So I was like all discombobulated and like that, just threw myself straight into it and they're all like you're fucking mental. Oh no, so yeah, I did it. I did. My first 10k was, uh, after like a little bit of morning chaos. So all right, here we go throw myself in the deep end.
Speaker 2:Do you enjoy running with people in a group or do you find it a bit much?
Speaker 3:I don't mind it, I like having. I think the having a chinwag aspect takes the uh heat off. Actually think about what you're doing, like I was just like having a aatter. But then I so I have this like little running hack which I first I just hate running Awful, and also just like this is more fun or enjoyable. And basically it was.
Speaker 3:Basically I was running on the treadmill because I didn't like I didn't like road running outside.
Speaker 3:I was running on the treadmill at the gym and this song came on it was a Lamb of God song came on and I realized that I was running at the exact same pace as the beat of the song and I was like this is really satisfying. And so I just like Googled the BPM of that track and then I wrote in Spotify like 160 BPMpm. And then what it does is it creates your playlist based off your music taste at, with music at that bpm give or take. So then what it meant was is when I actually go out running, now I can listen to my music and stay at a consistent, like sustainable pace, because I'm just like. So that's the only thing that is. The downside to running with other people is you can't listen to music, so I don't know what's pacing out and I don't know, like, if I'm going too fast or too slow, so I know my running pace like by myself. So but yes, other than that I do like it, because afterwards usually there's coffee or some pastry involved.
Speaker 2:I'm not a chatter and a runner. I just haven't got a conversational pace. My pace is dying like that's why you like running with Shannon. No, I can't run with Shannon, it's sprinting with. Shannon, I haven't got it in me to chat and run.
Speaker 3:Maybe one day, but what was your time for the Norwich 10K One?
Speaker 2:hour 16. Oh really, yeah. Why were you disappointed?
Speaker 1:though.
Speaker 2:Because the last time I did it I did it in one hour eight and I and I feel like I should be a lot fitter this time around than I was when I first did it, so I was just like what happened.
Speaker 3:A bit environmental, like it was a hot day, like there's so many things that contribute to it, to it being like you know, yeah.
Speaker 1:We both said, like as soon as we've got something coming up, we can't follow a plan it's like some kind of like demand avoidance. Yeah, demand avoidance, like you're meant to be doing it. So you're like, no, I just can't run.
Speaker 2:I'm not going outside, I'm not putting my trainers on yeah, I can't make me do it yeah, I had cramp before I even started running so I kind of thought it's not gonna go well today. But you finished it. I finished it and I ran up rose lane hill or whatever it is right that was.
Speaker 3:That was evil, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:I walked, it was uh well, it's like the last two kates was uphill like a never-ending time, which I think it really was, wasn't it? It was rough, it was tough. I was running. There's people being put in an ambulance, one person falling, falling over. Was that on Castle?
Speaker 1:Meadow? No, it was on Tombland. Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:There was another person who just stopped in the middle of the. I was like, oh, what's going on here?
Speaker 1:I think I had minor heat stroke, to be honest, Like it was so hot.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I'm just glad I finished because I was ready to like by the time we got to the second water station yeah, I accidentally spat on a man because, because because I at that second water station I was I had such dry mouth, so I just I just got the cup, I chucked it at my mouth and I managed to swallow some, but I also managed to inhale some, and just like that and immediately. And then this man went, thanks for that, and I turned around and was like I'm so sorry, carried on running.
Speaker 2:What made me laugh was the brownies giving out the cups of water. I don't know where it was, maybe in Anglia Square and I was like girls, you need to be quicker. Like yeah, too slow. They're like yeah, yeah, they, they weren't fast enough. I needed, I need them to be a bit quicker there. Well, they should be trained properly. I wouldn't have given them that badge or whatever they are after these days?
Speaker 1:I don't know will you sign up to any more races?
Speaker 3:yes, I think. So I think that's pretty fun. I don't like, yeah, race a group run. Don't like thinking of it of a race, but yeah, like a just a fun time day out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, don't do the Holcomb one no, the Holcomb 10K was the worst time of our life.
Speaker 2:Really it was the worst race I've ever done. Yeah, but why the first three kilometres? All right, so when was it? July? July the 5th, I think At one o'clock in the afternoon. We'd been delayed because there was a wasp's nest, so it was just getting hotter and hotter. The first three kilometers is up a gravel hill, sandy gravel. You're just out in the open. There's it's just open field, so you're getting like battered by the wind, there's no shade, and it said it was a flat course. I think it was like 100 meters of elevation. Yeah, and I normally do like five meters of storage, but it's not much. It was awful, it was really bad. No, yeah, that doesn't sound right. So if you want a challenge, maybe do that one, but I don't recommend to a friend. Okay, that was rude, I'll avoid.
Speaker 1:Do you think you'll do further distance or stick at 10K I?
Speaker 3:don't know, maybe I might do a bit, but who knows? Maybe. The world's my oyster, like I could probably give it a go like just one more half a marathon, not me, but you maybe try one day, I don't know. I just I don't even like. I don't like to think about things. I'm just like oh, I'll do it, and then I don't think about it till the day, and then I'm like, oh fuck, I'm doing this. Okay, cool, so it goes, that's a good mindset to have.
Speaker 2:I think, yeah, moving on from run Norwich.
Speaker 1:I guess the reason why we wanted to ask you on is because, like the last few years, you've really like embraced fitness and changed kind of like habits and stuff. But what made you decide to do it?
Speaker 3:um, how long have you got? It's a long. Well, no, um, in short, I was just fed up of being fat. Um, that's it like. No, it was.
Speaker 3:My relationship with my body has been so like sort of tumultuous since I've been 2021 and, um, a lot of it stems from being, like an internet personality and I think that, and I was like exposed to the world of body confidence, but also just exposed to thinking about my body on the daily from probably the age of 2021. And I never was someone to even think about, like the way that I looked and the way that I was perceived, and although, over the years, the comments regarding the way that I looked were supposed to be kind of kind and you know like, uh well, not not horrible, a lot of the time it also always felt like backhanded, probably not intentional, but, like you know, you know like it would be things like, um, it's nice to see a bigger girl here, or, um, someone that's thicker, it's nice to see someone with a body like you wearing something like that, or it's nice to see someone with a body like you wearing something like that, or it's nice to see someone. How are you so confident, like over and over and over and over over these years and you start to kind of question, like, like, not that I did think that there was anything wrong with me, but you can't help, but kind of those things sort of settle, yeah on you, like all right. Well, I must have some sort of superpower for having the body that I do, to wear the things that I do and act the way that I do. Like, because obviously you know that but they wouldn't say otherwise and I know again, like people don't mean it harmfully, but I don't think they quite realize that the the weight of what they're saying like it does actually have a negative impact on people.
Speaker 3:And so I was in, I was in denial for a very long time about, like, my body and my relationship with it, and I was always yo-yo dieting and I was always like demonizing food, I was always like punishing myself with exercise, and so for someone that kind of was on the surface, being like this advocate for body confidence, actually deep down was really actually unhappy with the way that she was and the fact that she felt almost like pigeonholed and put in a box. That that's what I had to represent. And if I, if I admitted that I didn't like that or that I wanted to change something about myself, that I was letting the team down, or that I was fake or all these things that kind of go, with the sort of like going against what people expect of you, especially when you have, like, an online audience. And I do think that there is far more to um like the body confidence movement and just just generally speaking. Long story short, I don't think it's anyone's business what you decide to do with your body in the way that you look, you know if it's your decision at the end of the day. And I think that there is toxicity on both sides of the coin when it comes to being bigger and being smaller, and I don't think that either party are 100% in the good like. I think, yeah, anyway.
Speaker 3:So it got to um 20. Well, 2023 it was the beginning of the year I'd just been through like quite a like. I've been for a breakup with someone I'd been with for a little while and in that relationship there were times where I was made to feel bad about the way that I looked like. Again, indirectly, don't think the guy was bad, I just think he was very sloppy with the language that he used and a lot, and there were comments that were made about my, the way that I looked, which had a lasting effect, and I thought and I get my desire to lose weight did not come from pressure or like feeling like I had to because of everybody else. I think, actually, when I think about it, it came from a place of wanting to do something and stick to it, to show that myself, that I could do it. Because, you know, there was all of these reasons as to why I was unhappy, I was in denial. I used food and alcohol as like emotional, like as a release. You know, it was just my relationship all around the topic was just kind of a bit on the unhealthy side and I was.
Speaker 3:I knew that deep down, but I was always trying to mask that with you know, yolo, or, like you know, treat yourself, I'm all this shit, you know, and I was always trying to mask that with you know, yolo, or, like you know, treat yourself. I'm a world of shit, you know, and I was like it's not that you're just. Every time something bad happens, you, you eat. Every time something good happens, you eat, you know, and or, whilst you're actually not happy with the way that you've the feeling of your legs chafing on, your arms wiggling, and like how you feel uncomfortable, you feel unfit, like all of these things that were just there that I just anyway, anyway. Twin that we've also you can tell that I've thought about this answer twin. That of also, uh, having adhd and not being able to stick to anything and things being a novelty, and then you get uninspired and excited by things. I was like you know what, fuck it? I'm gonna do it. I'm just gonna try really hard. I'm gonna do the 10 week shred that my boot camp put on and I'm actually gonna finish it this time and I'm gonna really try and make like, see results. Because it's just me now. I'm by myself, I'm single. The only one that I need to look out for at the moment is me. I'm in control, I'm just gonna do it. So, yeah, I um.
Speaker 3:2023 is when my sort of weight loss journey started and I did try really hard and I did keep the consistency and throughout that year, the weight just sort of started falling off and I started seeing results and um, and then actually what inspired me more was in was in integrating myself more into the fitness community and um, also just reaping the benefits of just feeling better about myself. And then, you know, after that, the past, like couple of years, it's gone from wanting to lose weight, for like the look of it, to actually no. I just want to be really fit and strong now and, you know, be able to take on a bear or something. Because I think that, if anything recently my confidence has come from being strong and being able and being like I can outrun you or I could lift you if I wanted to, or if I got in a scrap, I'd fucking win do you know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Like that is more exciting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'll set foot in a gym just in case anyone needs me to fight.
Speaker 3:I can be there, yeah yeah, but that's way more appealing to me than being able to fit into like a size six dress like I don't care, you were already at Norwich Fitness Academy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I've been going there for years doing the boot camps um, my friends own it and I love it.
Speaker 3:Lovely community there. I really really enjoy it. And I've been going there for years doing the boot camps. Um, my friends own it and I love a lovely community there. I really really enjoy it. And I had been going to like more conventional gyms as well. But, um, now I feel like everything has a reason. So, like everything in my fitness sort of like routine has a reason for me. So, for example, boot camp is for more cardio based and, like the community, I just really should go there for a chin work. Example, boot camp is for more cardio based and, like the community, I just really should go there for a chin wag. Then I train at a more like a normal gym for strength and, like you know, building muscles because I got my little workout plan. And then I go boxing for a, because boxing's cool and be more cardio, and I go there once a week. I just like being around the boys. That's just funny.
Speaker 2:Have you ever done boxing? No, I've never done boxing. I never fancied doing that charity boxing thing they do in Norwich.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean one of my clients. Her husband, jackson, does that, it just seems.
Speaker 2:I don't know. Fun story I tried to do that four years ago and the first session. I just got punched in the face by this guy and I cried oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:Did you go back.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, I was in a real fresh-up place and I just cried and said I can't do this anymore. Oh, Anyway, no reflection on the organization of that. I feel like it would be it actually just really hurt.
Speaker 1:I feel like it would be good. I feel like it would be good, but I feel like I'm not very good at I don't want to say I'm not good at committing to things, but I find time when I have to go at certain times other than like coming to see you on a Thursday morning really difficult, yeah, and I feel like with that you have to go like a lot of evenings and stuff. I'd love to see you do it. Thanks, I think you'd be really good. I mean, my neighbour did it maybe that could be 2026 maybe I'll think about it.
Speaker 1:Where do you go boxing Helen?
Speaker 3:I go to Norwich Lance Club, which is basically down at the Hewitt School, and it is Graham who runs it. It's so old school he's been like training boxing down at the Hewitt School. Oh okay, and it is the Graham who runs it. It's so old school he's been like training boxing since, probably, as you know, a child and he just he's just been doing it forever and yeah, all the lads that go there are quite young or they're a bit older. It's just a real variety of blokes there. But I will say like, oh my god, it sounds quite, seems like. It seemed like quite intimidating at first being surrounded by blokes, but actually they're so respectful and nice and Graham doesn't like put up with any shit from them, so he's like I don't know if he'll be like there's a lady in the room we don't talk like that around ladies and I find it really funny, the good kind of misogyny.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, yeah yeah, he's like.
Speaker 3:He's like it's harmless and it's old school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, so you do feel a bit like you can say if anything went down yeah yeah got your back is there anything in your fitness journey so far that you've been surprised that you've actually enjoyed or, yeah, done that you're like, oh my god, I didn't think I could do that uh, running I didn't think I could.
Speaker 3:I honestly I remember back where, back before all of this, um, I did a park run and I had a tantrum halfway around because I was like this is fucking shit, I got dirt, I want that. I literally ran back to my car and drove home, um. But so, yeah, running was a real surprise that I'd actually found enjoyment out of and was it was quite good at it. Uh, we're not good at it, but like could actually not cry halfway through. Just keep it. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes I go for a run and I'm like, why am I doing this? I want to go home now. But then I'm like, don't shut up, just keep going. And then I get home and I feel great. Um, also, being able to do a pull-up was wild. That was actually a dream of mine to be going to go one. Probably never in my life will I'll be able to do a pull-up. And then here we go, like I could do like tapu, maybe unassisted.
Speaker 1:And then I'm like, but I still did it so yeah that's what I'm working on at the minute, and it is really hard yeah, so, um, what?
Speaker 3:what method are you using? Um, because one that I find quite interesting is doing a lateral pull down and then just trying to get to your body weight on there and then like being like, well, if I can pull my body weight on a lap pull down, then I can pull it up, cause it's basically the same.
Speaker 1:I just do whatever retails me to do. So my PT so are you Ray?
Speaker 3:Oh, you're a personal trainer, ray. Oh, my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, that's cool. So yeah, I do whatever you tell me. I actually don't know what method I am. No, no, yeah, we just try a bit of everything, don't we?
Speaker 1:yeah, but I can do like a band assisted one now and I couldn't do that at all for ages like because even just stepping onto like the elastic bands fills me with fear. You can hang off the bar for a good while now. Yeah, yeah, so I'm definitely getting a bit more strength, but I don't know. I feel like pull-ups are a lot of people's kind of like goal, aren't they a pull-up, a push-up?
Speaker 3:but you know why I think that the thing is with fitness and I think that, like, a lot of people miss like, have the misconception that it's all about vanity and like looking buff and all like, but actually I think why it's so appealing fundamentally, you're able to do things physically that are for survival, that are practical and are functional.
Speaker 3:So like, it's not about how many, how many, how much I can fucking bicep curl, I don't care. If I can lift my body out of a ravine right and outrun a like a velociraptor, then that's cool. Do you know what I mean? That's why I think functional strength training is just so important and people don't understand that, like you know and you notice it, like when you're doing, when I'm doing my gardening or just things around the house, like these days, I can lift more, carry more to the car, like, lift it out of the car if I'm traveling and I've got my bloody suitcase that weighs 25 kg, that I'm definitely going to get, you know, stopped at checking it's like I don't need a, you know a gentleman to help me carry up the stairs, I've got it myself.
Speaker 2:I'm like that's like, mate, just those moments in life where you think, yes, bloody worth it, and I think I started PTing six years ago and the shift in reasons why people start coming to the gym have definitely changed towards that mindset. Like back in the day six years ago, um, back in the day 2019, um, it was like I want to be toned, I want to lose weight. Now it is people come to me actually like older people as well. I just want to be able to, like, get up when I'm 70. I just want to be able to get up off the floor without pain. All these reasons that are a lot more motivating and keep you going and you can actually see the progress, like month on month.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean a way to think about it, for sure.
Speaker 1:My mom is 76 and like she's never really done any exercise and she has loads of issues with her knees, and I'm just like I don't want to be like that. No, I'm just like I don't want to be like that. No, I'm 76. I want to be going out, walking, be swinging from the monkey bars, absolutely doing pull-ups, doing whatever I need to do. I just don't want to get to like you know, my 70s, and have to sit in a chair all the time no, no, and it's quite nice when you can just get up and not have to get.
Speaker 3:You know, I mean like just moving, just being more mobile, how you can like I don't know. I mean I fall over all the time anyway, but these days, when I fall over, I mean I catch myself better. I'm just more nimble, you know, yeah, the strength in my legs and my balance has just improved so much. I'm just okay.
Speaker 1:I saved that one, whereas an old version of me would have been crashed out, you know how have your audience of social media reacted to the change in like the kind of stuff you've creating now? Um?
Speaker 3:really positively. Actually, I think that for the most part, most people have been quite inspired by it because I feel like my audience are around my age, like you know. Yeah, so people have sort of grown up with me and I think actually people seem to resonate in a lot of ways because they, yeah, they're going through similar things or they've acknowledged a lot of stuff about themselves that they also want to change, and so they're seeing someone like myself that has been through the ringer over the years in various different areas of life just going fuck it, I'm doing it. Then it was done it. I think actually, um, yeah, that just sort of why not add, why can't I do it?
Speaker 3:Attitude is quite, um, I know, I guess quite inspiring for people then, comforting that that they see someone do it and get on with it. Um, there, you know that there's been a very small percentage of people that have been like oh well, you're not relatable anymore, so I'm going to unfollow or you're not. You know you don't serve, you know you're not, I can't, yeah, I can't resonate with you anymore because I used to look like you, like I look like the way that you and all that, that sort of thing, and I'm just like, yeah, that's fine yeah that's not my responsibility to be your.
Speaker 3:You know comfort, you know so and I'm okay with that.
Speaker 2:I think a lot of the, like you said at the beginning, the body positive influencers who, in the last couple years, have decided to take the weight loss route, or to lose weight or to just change the way they're doing things, have got so much hate, negativity, they were almost expected to never change and to never any character development or anything at all. Um, and I think, like you said, it's quite hard to live up to these expectations of. This is how you started out, this is how you should stay forever, and yeah double standard of people wanting body positivity and like fat liberation.
Speaker 2:I'm so for all of that, but you have to accept that. You have to accept and love what anyone decides to do with their body. You can't just be like, yeah, yes, yeah, it's a whole thing. Either way, you've got to be behind it, support it and not give a shit as well, like, not, actually, that's exactly it it, it's the double standard and it's also the uh, it's the whole.
Speaker 3:And then I mean, this is just the internet anyway. You can only have an opinion if it's the right opinion, which is completely like the hop, the problem of the world anyway, because whether if you're on the left side of the right side of the fence, everyone's going to have opinions that they don't agree with. And this is where I find the whole thing of opinion and outlook so painfully. What's the word like contradictory? So it's just like okay.
Speaker 3:So I think, with the whole, you know, when people decide that they want to make changes to their body, it's kind of no one's fucking business as to why they want to, because, like I know, people hate, hate to admit it, but that people have to lose weight for health reasons. It could be mental health reasons, it could be literally any reason under the sun, but you don't have to explain yourself if you want to do it now. The only thing is is when people are still profiting off, like the, the body positive movement, or they're profiting off something that they're no longer aligned with. That's where I'm just like I shouldn't really be doing that anymore, because if you're changing your kind of self and you can't, you can't, can't play on something that you used to. I don't, I don't know, you can't, you can't take advantage.
Speaker 3:That's what I'm trying to say yeah, I guess once you've moved on and you're into a different chapter, you sort of have to be honest and leave that and move on to pastures new yeah, but I also believe that I don't think that it's necessarily fair to um, I think a lot sometimes people will think, just because that you've lost weight and you no longer look or want to look the way that you used to, that that means that you have an issue with people that look like the way that you did and it's like no, actually this is not about you, sorry, this is about me. I don't care what you look like. No, you look great. But that's. This is about me and my journey. It doesn't mean I hate you and that I hate other people that look like the way I did. That I think it's gross or there's something wrong with it. It's nothing to do with that. This is my personal journey.
Speaker 1:I think that's the thing, though. Isn't it like if people just sort of stayed in their own lane and focused on themselves, worrying about what you're doing and what you're doing and how? That how you make me feel maybe the world would uh, especially around weight loss and stuff would yeah, a lot easier with a little bit of self-reflection.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, yeah, they see it. Because the thing is, I'm so painfully literal as well. I'm very black and white, I think it's like um, so it's just like when I do something for me, it is for me, I'm not thinking of anyone else. So just because I've done this doesn't mean I hate you. Now there's no reading between the lines. This is black and white. I've lost weight because I want to, not because I hate fat people yeah, you know, despite everyone, yeah, it's just, it's just like just think about it what?
Speaker 2:so you've been in and around health and fitness for like a couple of years and you're like, in the communities we have a lot of fitness ics. So there's lots of things about the health and fitness industry that I just think, oh stop, do it. Tell me, you, tell me yours, I'll let you incriminate yourself first and I'll go.
Speaker 3:I don't really. I don't think I really have any fitness like community icks. I think the only thing that I just have an issue with in the gym are those leggings that go really, really far at bottom cracks. I just, I just I don't like it. It's not in my opinion. I don't think it's a good look, like the ones that we can see people's dinner, um no, but in terms of like community ics, I don't really. I'm so come and go with it, like if there's an event going on, I'm like I might go to that and then I'll go and have a great time. Or if I don't, I don't, but I just let people get on with it like I wish. Yes, I don't know, but tell me yours because I'm intrigued.
Speaker 2:Should I be icked out by things? One of mine is just the absolute obsession with all things. Protein Okay, I get it. I get the importance of protein, but not everything you eat has to be high in protein. Oh no, no, it's really hard. Stop making high-protein, low-calorie desserts.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, okay, I will say this, though when brands use protein as a buzzword because it's like my pitas bread say high-protein, and I didn't buy them because they say high-protein, I just bought them because they were there, but then I was like that's not even that much protein, like they're not that much more in that than a regular pita, like it's a buzzword.
Speaker 1:So I think like I saw this on the internet but like cathedral city cheese do a protein cheese and like it's much more expensive and like when they looked at it per like 100 grams it was like one gram of protein more than the original one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you've got like 10 pounds for a block of it. Yeah, they've got the security.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean my current. It's not really a nick, but the thing that is annoying me at the minute is the amount of ads I get on social media for fucking electrolytes.
Speaker 2:Women.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, in me at the minute is the amount of ads I get on social media for fucking electrolytes women. Oh yeah, oh my god, yeah, I'd four in a row the other day yeah, like I do use electrolytes.
Speaker 3:You're right with the floodgates now, because I was just trying to think of what I was again. I was thinking quite literally, but I was like you are right, it's all the supplement ads, all the different, all the things that, like, you need more of this. Now you need more of that. And you're like, um, do what? Yeah, like probably not. We've managed as a species so far without supplements. You don't need supplements if you've got a deficiency in something, but apparently we've all. We're deficient in everything now, so we need to take all the supplements in the world yeah, collagen, magnesium, protein, everything, electrolytes I'd uh, I I made a.
Speaker 3:A group of girls at an event I went to recently all shudder because I told them that a friend of mine who is a like a scientist, who works in biology, she's great, she's just an amazing nerd. We were on a trip together and she went. I don't know why everybody's eating collagen. It doesn't do anything to your. You can't digest it. It doesn't do what it says it's going to do for your gut. You have to apply it, like topically or whatever.
Speaker 3:So she's like all these people lol people lol, eating collagen to make them look younger, so we do absolutely nothing for them. And yeah, and I told this group of girls at this table and they were like what I've got? I've got collagen gummies. I'm like nothing for you.
Speaker 2:I mean, we should make a supplement, we should just come up with something but that is the thing, isn't it?
Speaker 1:so many like fitness influencers. They do create supplements and they must make so much money from it. They're like take my supplement, it will make you younger, stronger, faster.
Speaker 3:Whatever they're like, people want to just take something and it makes them better yeah, no, I think it's the just just work hard, just do the work in the gym and it just, I understand electrolytes like for, just like electrolytes that you can buy from boots. Yeah, just to help a little bit more of hydration, but just drink more fucking water yeah, exerting yourself quite hard during the day, you probably don't need them.
Speaker 2:Like, if you're sitting, you know you've had your water, maybe a coffee or a tea or something.
Speaker 3:You're all right, yeah or you've had the shits you know. Yeah, I need to replace you're having a good day.
Speaker 1:I can chill out. After run Norwich I did have some electrolytes because I had sweated so much and I was getting cramp in my legs and like we have got some at home. So I do take them sometimes, but I don't really think I need them.
Speaker 2:It's when people are made to feel like they're a must to get to the next level. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:What other?
Speaker 2:icks, we normally have so many. We normally just say men in gyms, don't we Men in gyms?
Speaker 1:Yeah, men. Oh, the grunts, the grunts. There are some lovely, lovely gym bros yeah, actually gym bros aren't the issue, are they? We've said before, we love a gym bro yeah, there I, I tell you what.
Speaker 3:The gym that I go to, oh, I have the loveliest men there. They're all a bit older and they're just so sweet. I'll, um, they'll just hand me something, if they like. For example, if I'm like going like this, they'll just hand it to me, or they'll be like they're very helpful, or they're just like hello, are you all right?
Speaker 1:yeah, I'm okay, thank you. It definitely depends on the gym. Like the gym that reworks at where I train with her, is there, everybody there is lovely. But I also go to another gym, another gym down the road from me, um, which is on the river, um, a big health club narrow it down.
Speaker 1:Yes, that one, the people there, in my opinion, are not very nice. They, you know they they're quite judgy. I've been going there for nearly three years. People still look at me like, oh and I'm just like, but whereas at the other gym everybody's really nice. So I do think it depends on the setting that you go to.
Speaker 3:I do feel like, yeah, there are different clientele for different gyms, absolutely like if you go on it, because I've been to a few different gyms through Norwich and you're like it is almost like a sitcom. Yeah, like the stark difference between different person, like types of, without being too judgy, and like you know I am being and I am I am stereotyping in my brain right now, but I'm just like it's true it is so true.
Speaker 2:I've worked in quite a few gyms and you do get the same type of characters. I don't know why no one's ever written a sitcom about the gym, because I think it would be a success.
Speaker 3:It would be Like the different gym types of folks?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Our gym is Fitness is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean we probably, we've definitely got more.
Speaker 2:But They've lost. I've lost them all.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So have we got any other questions? I don't think so. I think we've kind of covered quite a lot.
Speaker 1:I think the only thing that I wanted to ask you is, if somebody has been inspired by your journey and your progress and they wanted to get started and they were nervous or they didn't know what to do, what advice would you give to them?
Speaker 3:um, I would say well, first of all, like a lot of people get the gym anxiety before they go, um, and I know like sometimes it feels like the saloon doors are opening and everyone turns and looks at you in this tumbleweed and you're just like, oh my god.
Speaker 3:But first of all, no one gives a shit about what you're doing. They're just, they're too concerned about themselves at the gym. Um, in a nice way like, don't worry about what people think about you at the gym. They're not judging you. They don't know that you don't know what you're doing, like that you're a stranger, you could be an athlete for all they know. They don't know that. So you just get in there and just like, get on with what you can and always ask for advice and help from a personal trainer or someone that works there to get you started and make yourself a little workout routine.
Speaker 3:Um, but also I would just say like I've got a tough love kind of attitude when it comes to the health and fitness and the weight loss thing, because I had to be like that with myself and I think that at the end of the day, you've got to be consistent, you've got to stop lying to yourself and you've. You can't think I will start again on Monday. You've just got to. Every day is important and every day counts, and I think the minute that you start being more accountable for your actions and take responsibility because if you've got a goal in mind and if you're like me and the kind of person that would be in denial a lot of the time and not just like, you're doing yourself a disservice at the end of the day and the only one that you're letting down is yourself, and that again, that sounds really savage and quite harsh, but I think actually, you've just got to fucking do it and like it doesn't also need to be a chore.
Speaker 3:This is the also, this is probably the most important thing. There's being strict, or there's being like consistent and being honest with yourself, but there's also seeing everything as a positive, like food. There's no such thing as bad food. There is eating too much of certain food groups. You shouldn't ever like demonize things or punish yourself of exercise or see exercise as a bad thing. I think, yeah, that was it. The moment everything changed for me was the moment I changed my perspective, when everything like I'm doing this because I have to turned into. I'm doing this because I want to and I'm gonna be a fucking beast, yeah, you know. So I think yeah sorry, that's a roundabout way of saying that I have to be honest with myself kick my own ass, but also just be like come on, why even start? If you're not going to, what's the point? You either want to or you don't. You know so. If you want to, then just do it.
Speaker 1:If you don't have to go to the gym every day. But if you want to make changes, you do have to consistently go.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like yeah, and also drop the guilt. Stop feeling guilty like like you, you either own the decisions that you make, or you or you honor yourself. So, for example, I used to get, before this sort of fitness journey started properly, I'd get such crippling guilt and like, if I didn't go to the gym or boot camp because I thought that I was, everyone would know that I wasn't there. I'm a letdown now if I don't go. I know that there's bloody good reason for it, because I love going and I and it's such an integral part of my routine.
Speaker 3:I've not been this week because I've been feeling unwell. So I'm like I'm not going because I feel unwell, but I'll go next week when I'm feeling better. Or sometimes I've slept through my um, or I've turned my snooze off and slept through my alarm and missed my class, my boxing class. I'm like, well, I must have been bloody tired because otherwise I'd be there right now. So it's like the guilt's gone. And also, when it comes to like food and eating out, it's like, right, um, I'm gonna eat this because I want to and that's that um. Next week I will just make some more changes in my diet because I've done that, but that's not a bad thing, you know, it's just, it's it's responsibility, but it's also ownership of that.
Speaker 2:You just got ownership and a bit of balance, yeah, and I also think, kind of on from what you said is lowering your expectations of how fast things are going to happen, and I something I come across so often is they think six months, three months is all going to be done and everything has to be perfect. I think just you lower that bar just a little bit. You're going to start achieving more and then get in a role and you're full, more confident. You're full, more motivated. If the bar's all the way up here, more than likely you're going to fail before you even get there and give up exactly, and it's not a quick thing. No, it's not. You're looking to lifelong habits. That's not going to happen in three months.
Speaker 2:You're not going to do 25 years worth of bad habits, maybe that you've built and stuff like that. So just give yourself a break.
Speaker 3:It's taken me three years to lose three stone and it's stayed off. I feel like the first half a stone came off really quickly, because it usually does, and then it just slowly came off yeah and I'm at a point now where I'm like my maintenance is so easy to maintain.
Speaker 3:I can eat more now, like I don't really I fluctuate by three or four pounds up and down, but like it's so easy to just maintain it because I've just got that balance right now and because of when you obviously build muscle, it needs to eat. So it's like it is a weird concept now of being able to eat more even though still there is magic in maintaining and that is such.
Speaker 2:Everyone overlooks the maintenance period, but the actual. Once you get into the initial weight loss, that's relatively easy. But the maintaining that people struggle with, hence yo-yo dieting and up and down the thing, yeah, kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:So if you can build the habits and the skills to maintain your weight, well then you can do that at any point that's one thing I found like I've lost like 10 and a half stone in the last three years, but then I've had really big periods where I've just maintained like that's incredible. I've literally had 10 months where I just went up and down the same like half stone, and then I've recently had about eight months where I've just sort of stayed the same and that used to would have just sent me off the rails because I'd be like why am I not losing weight? And now I'm just grateful that, like I've actually maintained, yeah, and it's run Norwich just done. Run Norwich, all that, yeah, I wanted to do. And, like you know, for me as well, like fitness is not, I don't think going to the gym, running, doing spin classes, they don't make me lose weight, but what they do do is make me want to maintain my weight, so I can still do them yes, that's it.
Speaker 3:But also it just makes you feel good, like because, um, I remember when sorry, I know we're like back to end things, but I'm like I know I'll keep going um, when I got diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, he told me that I had to exercise more and I was like, how real are we? But then actually I'm like, no, he's right, because if I don't exercise I go like. It's like the fizzy feeling that is in my brain and in my body already literally just builds and builds and builds, and it's like popping a mentos into it, like a yeah.
Speaker 3:I'm about to explode and so, but I also do find that exercise has become a way to deal with my emotions as well now, which sounds so like well, but it's it. I remember really being really angry the other week. I was fucked off at something and I was just like old me would have gone, fuck it, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna buy some beers or I'm gonna just like chain smoke or something you know, or grab whatever. But I was like no game for a run and I put on some heavy metal. I went for a run and I was like fuck, yeah, I feel great it's like the endorphin that all things they say work work yeah it's so true.
Speaker 3:God damn it.
Speaker 3:They were right all along yeah and also, let's just say, the community around fitness is so great because you know what it's a community built on people wanting to do good for themselves. And uh, it really made me laugh. Actually, a few months ago, my friend she was celebrating her birthday and we went to celebrate. We went, did a morning 5k and then went to the lion's den for a sauna and cold plunge and had a little picnic. And I mean it's funny how things are. Like we would have we wouldn't have been meeting this morning, we'd all still be in bed with hangovers, like going to get a fry up or something, whereas now we're all. We're all awake and alive. We've been for a run, we're feeling good. I'm having a little cute picnic with all things that people have made. I'm like isn't this just isn't this nice?
Speaker 1:this is. It's like that for so many people now, isn't it like? I do feel like those days of like going out getting really pissed, feeling like shit the next day. People have moved on from that it doesn't make you feel good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it just doesn't make you feel good no, it's just.
Speaker 3:Nothing ends well, it just it's just yeah. So like the, the wellness and the fitness and the health sort of community. I say health but I'd like to call it wellness actually, but like that community is just, it is a community based on mutual want to feel good and there are so many little micro communities within it as well so wherever?
Speaker 1:you are, you can find somebody and some community that works for you.
Speaker 2:Find your thing.
Speaker 3:Exactly, I think, if you're new to it or want to be involved, like if you want to participate and tip your toes in it, like there's no need to feel afraid because everybody is almost encouraging of more Come on, feel good. Like we do not like in a culty way, but just in a like oh, come on, yeah, no, this is great, we're all friendly here and the fact that you want to join in on this is great, so be, come on out.
Speaker 2:so I heard of someone having their hen party at a reformers pilates studio. Oh, that actually kind of sounds hen partyish.
Speaker 1:I have got a client and her and her friends went to Brighton and as part of the hen party they went and done a spin class somewhere.
Speaker 2:I'm all for fitness, but spin isn't for me oh, you know, I love spin if you ever get married again don't do that.
Speaker 3:I think that actually you, if I was to ever get married again, I would, on my hen do totally take my friends up a mountain Like I'm arranging the hen. Do, because I'm a good control freak but we're claiming Ben Nevis or something we can pop something at the top. Yeah, whatever, it would be so funny, wouldn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is quite the hen do, yep.
Speaker 2:Woo, that is exhausting Right, just yeah, that is quite the hen.
Speaker 3:Do yep right. Well, I feel enlightened. Yeah, that was fun. It was fun our first ever guest. Oh, I'm glad. I always worry that when I speak as a guest or like talk about stuff, I just sound like a complete bitch. But it's just because I'm so direct what can we grab from this?
Speaker 2:yeah?
Speaker 3:yeah, this may make her out to be a real, but no, I I just because I was like I have the way this is how I think in. I don't really sugarcoat anything and so, yeah, I hope it came across as polite or like all right.
Speaker 1:I think it's very relatable. I think you know lots of people. Realistically, when you make changes, it is because you're having a harsh word with yourself, isn't it? And you're like things have got to change. I can't carry on. And you know, all those days when you don't want to go to the gym or you don't want to do this, you're like, come on, if you just get up, you feel better. So yeah, that is where it comes from you should, yeah, positive, positive affirmations for people.
Speaker 2:Put some positive affirmations out of people. You should record them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like so yeah just do them as like real so people can download them. You can't do that at some point, I'm sure, in lockdown. Snoop Dogg done positive affirmations. Helen does positive affirmations.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they'll be positive, but they'll also be like right here you fucker. Get up, you idiot. I actually say it to myself all the time, actually Like if I find that I'm doom-scrolling too much, which is terrible, like for you, because I do it all the time, because it's so addictive.
Speaker 2:But I'm like, right, right you fucking whore, get out of the room like, stop doing that, it's destructive. Well, on that note, we'll let you go and enjoy your afternoon. Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3:I'll go make some, I'll write some positive affirmations.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much for coming on. It's been a treat. You're welcome. Thank you for inviting me and yeah we will speak to you soon.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll see you out on the street Probably.
Speaker 1:See you soon.
Speaker 3:Bye.
Speaker 1:See you later. Bye.