Ep34. Kim K, expectations & ageing strength

In this episode, Laura and Sarah mix honest life updates with a sharp, evidence-based conversation about what people really want from health and fitness right now. From cycle-related energy shifts and supplement hot takes, to the rise of community-led gyms and strength training across every age group. They unpack how wellness is evolving beyond aesthetics and into daily life, identity, and long-term wellbeing.

01:00 - Paddle boarding, cinema, and weekly life updates
The two catch up on Sarah’s paddleboarding adventures, Laura’s reluctant-but-enjoyable trip to Toy Story 5, and the general chaos and joy of the week.

06:03 - Work, travel, and social life balance
Laura shares a busy week of work travel, a great Italian dinner in Clapham, and a conditioning session at her jiu jitsu gym.

08:55 - Cycle talk and how it affects mood
The conversation turns to how their menstrual cycles affect energy, mood, and self-perception, with honest reflections on feeling “gray” on day one.

11:26 - Period stigma and product packaging
They talk about the awkwardness around period products, how menstruation is still hidden in plain sight, and why the packaging could feel more normal and less clinical.

15:04 - Kim Kardashian’s supplement strategy
Laura dives into Kim K’s new “Update” product and why the branding, positioning, and caffeine-free angle are smart from a product-development perspective.

23:15 - Electrolytes, creatine, and supplement marketing
They debate the supplement market, discuss how people make choices around creatine and electrolytes, and emphasize context over hype.

31:44 - The “great reset” in gym expectations
Laura introduces research from Total Fitness showing how gym member motivations have shifted toward long-term health, mental wellbeing, and community.

35:00 - Community as a real gym offering
They explore why “head of community” is becoming a genuine role in gyms and how social connection is now a major part of the fitness experience.

44:43 - Safety, pools, saunas, and who is joining gyms
The discussion highlights that women increasingly prioritise safety and that pools, saunas, and steam rooms are major reasons people join clubs.

47:00 - Digital fitness vs in-person coaching
Laura and Sarah discuss why in-person coaching and community still matter, even as apps and online classes remain part of the market.

48:36 - Strength training across generations
They celebrate the rise in strength training among older adults and younger people alike, and why it matters for independence, confidence, and health.

54:30 - Alcohol, mental health, and changing habits
The episode widens out to broader lifestyle choices, with a candid reflection on alcohol, education, and a healthier next generation.

56:35 - Weekly peaks and pits
Laura and Sarah share their weekly highs and lows, ending with gratitude, perspective, and the value of small moments of joy.

Thank you for listening, like subscribe and tell your friends!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Hello and welcome back to Fit for What, a no-nonsense evidence-based take on health, fitness, and wellness with some humour, a lot of honesty, and maybe some practical advice to help you build your fittest year yet. As you may know, my name is Laura, also known as Biceps. I'm a personal trainer and feel very, very strongly about living our best lives as best as we can. Lovely. I just felt motivational today, you know?

SPEAKER_01 0:40

And my name is Sarah, a newly officially qualified final coach, which I am I've not really actually processed, don't think, but yeah, I've got my exam results back this week. Passive flying colours. Oh god, the cat's meow at the door. It's not gonna be. No, Diego's celebrating your uh your certificate. Woohoo! Um, PT, and now also a paddle boarding expert. What's the proof? Photographic evidence. Nah, that's AI. Honestly, so I went paddleboarding last night for the first time in my have you paddleboarded?

SPEAKER_00 1:15

What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 1:16

No.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Yeah. Have you? Yeah, loads. I used to I used to be a sailing, I used to work on boats in Cayman.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Of course, I've paddleboarded. Honestly, I had the best time with it. Like I was slightly nervous, so I'm just letting the cat in for um background effects. Um, it sounds like a special effects department. Um I paddleboard last night in Richmond, which I felt actually probably quite a risky place to do my first ever paddle boarding experience with a whole host of viewers from the White Cross pub on the river. But I didn't fall in. I didn't fall in at all, and I actually really enjoyed it. I can so see the appeal of it. So I think I'm gonna become a bit of a a semi-regular fine weather paddle boarder.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Are you sure? So what what what does that look like? How many how many times are you gonna go?

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Probably another, what's it now, July? Let's say biannually. I'm saying it's quarter annually a thing. Quarter annually? Quarter annually. Every every every quarter. But not in the winter, so yeah, biannually. So yeah, twice a year. So what you're saying is you may go once more this year. I probably will go once or twice more this year. And I absolutely loved it. I just yeah. Bloody loved it. I so I want a paddleboard now, but I don't think where am I gonna put a paddleboard?

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Well, you know I used to have a canoe. No, for God's sake. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I used to go to canoe club um in Wayway Waybridge Canoe Club. Uh yeah, it was oh god, God, you're asking me now. Um I mean around the sort of 12. So when you're collecting stamps as well, yeah, in in the in the chess stamp collection judo canoe footballing era. What a girl. Wow. Yeah, I mean it's a wonder I've turned out the way I have, to be honest. Oh, if yeah, if anyone's listening and you've got an only child or one child, or you are an only child, do you relate to me at all? Because did you do all the sports when you're younger because you had no one else uh to play with at home?

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Talking of play though, I managed to drag Laura to see Toy Story 5 this year. Oh god. And I honestly was like, I asked her because I was meant to be in with her friend, but sadly she couldn't come with me. So I thought, no, I was more than happy to go on my own, but I thought, let's just ask Laura, it's in her local area. She might fancy it, and I thought she's gonna. I actually thought you were gonna tell me to F it off. I thought it was gonna be no kiss, and I thought, fine, she said I can make that work. And she came in with a backpack the size of her. Um, I was sat there with my with my specs on and my hair up in full Sunday mode hair. I had such a nice time, I really enjoyed the film. That you did.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Uh I was I was picked to the scene, I've looked at my phone, I've just done last set of lap pull-down, I've had an alright time. I'm in my I'm in my uh Simon Cow gym outfit. Um, hi, would you like to see Toys Story Five? And I was thinking at first thought, I thought, five? I thought I've missed three and four for a start. So that's that was that was tough to take. Um, and then I thought, oh, do you know what? Go on then. I'll see. It might I haven't been in ages. But it it is when I text my girlfriends who have known me my whole life, and I told them I've I've just been they thought they said you have not. They said, I I we can't believe it. That is not you. I I I I hate the cinema so much.

SPEAKER_01 4:49

I'm so surprised. I literally wasn't even gonna bother asking you. I thought there's no point, she's just gonna say no. And then I thought, no, please ask her. The girl who didn't.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

Part of me, part of me didn't want you to go on your own, but I'm glad I did go. I I'm glad I did go because it was it was I mean, I didn't I didn't cry, but I I felt it. I felt something. It was it was lovely, actually.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

Oh my god, no, it was genuine. If anyone's not seen Toy Story 5 yet and you need a brain coddle, I described it as go and watch Toy Story 5. Literally, yesterday morning. I was hyper yesterday morning. I don't know what was wrong with me. Every single member of um the gym that came through my door yesterday had to ask them, have you seen Toy Story 5? Yeah, but no one had. No one, no one, I said obviously. They've got kids though. I suppose no, Sarah, no Sarah, no Sarah. Are you okay, Sarah? Yes, I'm fine. Um, so yeah, that was that was a highlight of our we haven't trained this week, but we have seen Toy Story Five together this week.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

Absolutely. I have been to the gym, I've done two strength sessions, and it's the the week is still young, still have two more days, so I could get what I believe to be my third and final uh strength session of the weekend. So that is going to be my plan. I'll go to jujitsu um tomorrow. It's today, as we record, this is Friday. Um so yeah, I'm hoping yeah, the weekend is ahead of me, and I just want to just want to get get on it. Um, but it's been uh it's been as always a lot of things gone on this week. Um, I've done a bit of travel work-wise, work's been relatively intense, um, but I've also got a bit of social stuff in as well, which has been really nice. Um, went to a really nice Italian um last night in in Clapham Common, it is called La Mia Mama. Um really good. Food was amazing, very reasonably priced. So that's on the North Cote Road. If you are listening in a London area, um, yeah, really, really nice. And yeah, they had like singing and and loud music when it was someone's birthday. Love. Um, so yeah, that that that was quite fun. So I feel very, very social.

SPEAKER_01 7:02

Yeah, there's also I just have a little googlay, there is another three in London, two in and one in Notting Hill.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Popular. It's really, really lovely. Yeah, food was great, company was greater. Um it was it was it was really nice. Um and actually, no, I tell a lie, I've been to I've done a uh I did a fitness class, I did a conditioning class at my jiu-jitsu gym this week. I did.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

Lovely.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Um when did I do that? I think that was Wednesday night. I did that. Yes.

unknown 7:35

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Yes, and I I dragged I dragged and I dragged uh another few girls in. Um it was good. And the without asking, the instructor decided to we did some bicep bicep finishes.

unknown 7:49

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 7:53

I thought, my guy.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

My guy's weathering. Tell you what I did coach this week, bicep isometric holds, spicy. Really great.

SPEAKER_00 8:04

What's the time domain? What were we going for we aiming for then?

SPEAKER_01 8:07

30 seconds, which is oh gosh, quite the period of time, but I actually thought I've used that actually as a transferable um movement for my postnatal classes because I tell you what, holding a baby, my biceps do be shaking. So I thought that's actually a very good exercise to be putting in my postnatal classes. So, um, yes, many, many. Yeah, I don't have my trained this week. I have, I think I've done all three strength sessions this week, which is fabulous. I would like to go for a conditioning session on my own tomorrow, and then I think I'll do a swim. So I'm having I've actually had, despite it getting quite an intense work week, I've still managed to get them in. So I'm chopped with that.

SPEAKER_00 8:46

That's good. I'm still nowhere near where I need to be, and I know that, but I'm just really giving myself grace for it. I know I've said this this for I know I've said this for a while, but I'm relaxed, I'm relatively relaxed, and also um, obviously, we on this podcast we are fairly open about. I mean, I'm sure if you've been listening for a while, you probably can guess at what point uh we are at both on our cycles, uh, depending on our tone and and mood and and level of humour. Um, but I I'm I'm I feel dreadful. I said to Sarah yester uh yesterday, I was like, I feel grey, I feel sh I feel hollow as a person. My day one of my cycle, I I and every every time I say it, even to my mum, I don't feel very shocked. Oh, darling, doesn't sound good, is that normal? Yes, it is normal for me. I look I have 24 hours where I feel like I should just pack myself into the nearest wheelie bin and have a good and have a good cry. It's um it just is, isn't it? And there's nothing I can really do about it.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

And it's so funny. I I get that. I kind of get like I I could yeah, I I actually feel the day one of my cycle, I s I feel like lighter without all the kind of like obviously the physical symptoms of having a typically quite heavy period. Mentally, I feel like a new person. It's so funny how we experience these cycles so differently. But yeah, when Laura said to me, I was like, is that normal? And then you're like, Well, actually, what what is normal, and that is your normal, and as long as you're comfortable with that and you don't feel like you need to chase anything diagnosis-wise for that, it's just like you just know on a day one, you just need to be a little bit more conserved with your energy, so but it's absolutely great.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

I think yeah, it feels for me like going into the start of my cycle, it just takes me a little bit longer for estrogen to start to dial back up. I just don't, and when I get it, I I'm like, oh my god, I feel significantly better. Yeah, um but yeah, I just um and maybe the progesterone hangs around a little bit longer than it should for me because I definitely see the um yeah, it is it's a little bit glass half full in my natural state. But I think just because maybe the work that we do and we talk about it a lot and culturally like we're not concerned about meant talking about it, um, you it starts to become, yeah, I I acknowledge it and I sort of say to myself, don't listen to yourself today because you know today is just not your day. Just ride this out, do what you need to do. And like for me, it was like I just need to probably be be on my own. And do you know what? However, yesterday I had a a very, very social, professionally, personally day, and you can do it, you just have to get a good outfit on that you feel comfortable with. Ensure that I've I've necked a couple of feminics, and you know, I was in a meeting yesterday in a professional meeting yesterday, and uh they were like, Would you like a drink? And I was like, Oh, yes, please, cracked over my feminines at the meeting room table. I was with two women and I thought it is what it is. It is what it is.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

I remember when I was working on the gym floor, and I used to be like, I caught myself one day and I used to like hide my like sanitary towels in my in like my sleeve, and I was like, Why am I doing that? Like And still do that. Do you? I just stopped myself doing that. I was like, what like who gives a shit? Like, we all do like well, generally speaking, we all men straight at some point in our lives. Like, why would we be embarrassed? Like, what is seeing a sanitary towel? Someone's got to fall over and see a sanitary towel, like it it's not that deep, but it's so funny how you kind of like I really had to actively stop myself doing that because I I used to get frustrated myself. I was like, it doesn't matter, someone's a tanch towel, big deal. Um it's not like I'm walking around with a a dirty one glued to my forehead, but um well, I didn't want to say, but do you know what I think we uh we've missed a trick?

SPEAKER_00 12:36

So I might give Proctor and Gamble a call, or when next time I'm in Weybridge, I'll pop in and say, Have you considered for the ladies for and for the lady, you know, and for the lady, you know, we everything else is fashion. Can you just help us out, please? Because what you've what what you've done is you've colour coded something that we ever if you see it, everyone knows we shove that in our vaginas, right? And what you've done is you've colour coded that for us. If you're a bloke, you might not know, but women know the colour. They do. And do you know what? I don't think I want I don't want anyone to yeah, it's a yellow one or just I I just it's too much. Help us out. Can you give us something that visually is just a little bit more fashion? Fashion. It's it's giving it's giving cleaning, you know, products. Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

To be fair, I I use um or organic tampons on sanitary products now, and they they're the packaging on those are just white. Like you wouldn't really, they're quite inconspicuous. Um, but I hear you, I feel like the the big names that I shan't name. Um yeah, you know, you know what that is a mile off, don't you? If you see one of those um hanging around.

SPEAKER_00 13:52

So um is it um what are the what is it day? Is that the one that's got CBD? Do they? Yeah, CBD in it. CBD tampons, it's a proprietary formulation which has uh C B D, C B A. Yeah, that's right, C B A. Can't be asked, C and C B G. Um to be fair, they're quite pretty. I'm just on their website now.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

The packaging's actually quite quite cute.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Do you know what I didn't I didn't consider? I don't think I really understand, maybe one for another time. No, but to understand that actually in physically, yeah, obviously you you take things or orally like a feminine and you would swallow it. Putting CBD in the area, how does that diffuse and how does that help? Uh does it have an anti-inflammatory effect? How does it alleviate symptoms? Don't know, need to think about that. Question mark on that one. Yeah, I mean we know question mark, we'll fact-check ourselves and we will come back to you.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

Very we know it's a very porous area, so I imagine infiltration maybe in that zone might be more effective effective, but I don't really I've don't I don't know a hell of a lot about CBD, so yeah, let's let's let's say maybe part that one for now, but we can definitely look into that. It's quite interesting thought, isn't it? It is definitely.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

And speaking of product launches, I am absolutely obsessed. I was actually talking to someone this morning um about it, and they were like, I didn't realise you were like really into Kim Kardashian. I was like, Well, I don't really know how to explain it, I'm not really into Kim Kardashian. I wouldn't say I'm like her fan, but I'm just I'm obsessed, I'm obsessed by her personal brand. Yes, I love her. I absolutely love her. I think she's funny. Would I like to go would I like to meet her and go for a Jou Bell with her? Absolutely. I would. I'd like no actually I'd like to go to the gym with her. Would you?

SPEAKER_01 15:50

Yeah. I can have a chat. I I struggle. Did you did I send you that meme? Is it a meme? I always struggle. What's it what's the difference between a meme and a gif? A meme, a video, whatever, on Instagram or like a montage of them training on the Kardashians, like they're changing.

SPEAKER_00 16:05

Yeah, you sent that to me. It's dreadful, yeah. It's not good.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

I don't think I could do gym with her, but I would love I'd love to go for a matcha or a coffee with her. I love that gym.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

Do you know do you know what though? It's one of those things where I think that's probably a little bit old, or you know, it's probably the the an absolute video of lowlights. Her PT is in unbelievable shape. And actually Seneda Greca.

SPEAKER_01 16:30

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

She's a model for skims, and she actually she moves really well.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

Yeah, well, that's what I always used to struggle with, is like your PTs look phenomenal and they move really well, particularly her. And then you see these montage, and you're like, what in the what in the I know.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Have we ever given any feedback here? I know. I don't know. I think do you know what actually, thinking about that from a PT's perspective? I definitely know that with my longer-term clients, yes, of course, the the long-term goal is to improve and develop, and that's really that's my job, as Roy Keane would say. However, what is most important is that they move safe, get a good stimulus, and feel good about themselves and enjoy it for the next time. I I for me, it's like I could make it a whole technical session say, Oh, nope, stop there, let's start that again, and that wouldn't be very much fun. So I give the benefit of the doubt. I hear what you're saying. Yeah, you know, they're they're in the gym, they're moving. No, is it ideal? Does it uh burn our eyes as professionals, fitness professionals? Yes, it does. But actually, if you know, I I don't want to throw uh well how'd you what's the saying? Throw bricks in a glass house? Throw stones at a glass house. Yeah, I don't want to do that because actually if you if within my career, if someone had got CCTV footage of me coaching some people, you know, they could say to me, Oh god, that person's not and I'm like, Yeah, but you didn't see what it was like before, you don't know what they've got going on in their day. I hear you know, and actually they're safe.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Yeah, yeah. I hear what you're saying, and I like that positive outlook. I think, yeah, it just burns my eyeballs as a person. But is there merit in movement? Of course. Am I going to belittle them for training? Of course not. But yes, it's um it does make me curl up a little bit. But anyway, what are you saying? Kim K what?

SPEAKER_00 18:26

Kim K, so back to Kim K. She has so obviously, you know, sports supplements and fitness industry, and it's like wellness is expanding beyond the gym now, right? So we've we've got people, the consumers of health and fitness, all these different things that you know, before it was like if you want to get fit, healthy, however you want to describe that, it would be go to the gym. Now there's all these other things that you can do. You can take products, you can da-da-da, all this stuff, you can have this drink. It was all about protein, take your creatine. There's five, we're telling everyone to do all the most, right? And caffeine has been what I have seen, certainly in my view of the market of sports supplements pre-workout. I think is as a concept, is now deemed a little bit old school. The powder, you know, putting the powder in, you know, scratching your face because of all the beta-alanine, which is actually a very good ingredient, but it impacts people differently. And if you're not prepared, it's a lot all at once. Anyway, what she's done is she's created a product that is called update. It's a it's a can, it's an RTD, ready to drink, it's called update. So just the name, it's like update, a refresh, a personal, you know, I'm up I'm growing, developing, and then you can say to someone, would you like an update? Or I'm just gonna grab an update. Quite like it. I think it's quite a cool word. Secondly, the the product itself is caffeine-free. So this is targeting someone who has a busy lifestyle, they're probably professionally want to get it all done, they're personally, they've got a lot going on in their lives and they they want to be active. And what she's done is she's taking the mick out of herself, and she's saying, you know, remember when she says people just don't want to work these days. She is saying this is for people that want to work but don't want to have the crash. So, what this is is uh an energy and focus drink. The macros are unbelievable, zero calories, zero sugar, and there's two active ingredients in it. One is uh it's not caffeine, but it's has similar impact but just less intense. And the other one is a nootropic. And if you look at the packaging, as I have honestly, I'm not even joking. I was reading the back of the pack at midnight last night, go and and researching uh so they're they're two branded ingredients. So what that means is they don't have to when they're branded ingredients, they don't have to fully dis disclose what's in it, which is good because you don't want to have anyone copying it, but it's essentially a a form of caffeine-style stimulant and and a nootropic, which is for energy and focus, yeah. And and and it's supposed to be uh that benefit without the high, low, crash. It's supposed to just be a little bit of a pickup, yeah, um, which I actually think is so smart for where everyone is at right now. People are they they want to people just want to be stable. We don't want the highs and the lows anymore. We just want to be, you know, yes, we want to work and blah blah blah.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

Yeah, yeah. Oh, I like it. It's very I'm just on the website now. You can Laura, I think I can see you subscribing to this as well. It's got a subscribe and save situation, 12 12 pack.

SPEAKER_00 21:35

So currently it's only available, I'd have to move the to the US to achieve that. I know, yeah. I did a lot of research last night just because I was obviously I'm interested, and I I think it's in terms of product development, it that's really my bag. But it's um, yeah, different flavours. I just thought the pan looks cool, and I was just like, Yeah, I really like I really like it. And and actually, for once, she's it it. It's a very transparent product. Yeah. As in, you know, there's there's a lot of products out there that you know it's prime, let's say. Let's say pri that was lots of additives, blah blah blah, all of that. Yeah. Um, actually, this one, this one's is pretty good. And I just I like the campaign. If you're listening and you're like, what are you talking about, Laura? This is rubbish. Go on Kim Kardashian's Instagram and there's a video, and she's taking the mick out of herself, and she's like, Everyone's always asking me if it's if they're real, and then it like zooms in on her chest, and she's like, No, not those. And then she's like, Everyone says I don't want to work, and then she's like, I did pass the bar, I raised it, and everyone's like, Bars, oh my god, you know, because obviously she's taking the piss out of herself, she didn't pass her exam. Someone in this in on this podcast passed their exams, uh, but Kim Kim Kardashian didn't. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

So obsessed. No, I actually like look at that. That's a bit that's a bit of me that is because I must admit, I was with my friend Rachel yesterday. We were in she had a meeting about 11 o'clock, and she was like, mate, how many coffees have you had today? Really, this is number four. I'll be honest with you, this is number four, and there is a tensie in my bag, but yeah, I mumbo number four, mumbo number four. But do you know what I actually feel yeah, I can definitely with with coffee, I definitely feel that rise and fall. So I when it's available in the UK, I think I'll be I think I'll be sampling some of those. I know.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

So cool, isn't it? Anyway, I just thought I'd I'd bring that up. And what I'd also spotted um is you know, we talk a lot about electrolytes, and you know, I've sort of shared how I feel about electrolytes. I think there's a time and a place for it. And if you're doing the right intensity of exercise and you you're a heavy sweater and you're a sauner, and all that's not a word, but you know what I mean. Electrolytes, you know, is is there's there's a place for it to replace it, blah blah blah, all of that. It has just hit 2.2 billion uh dollars in in global market value. This is, I mean, it's essentially flavoured salt. Um so it's the fastest growing category uh in performance nutrition, which is bonkers. Uh, and I will fat check myself, but I believe that that means it is faster than creatine, um, which has got a lot, yeah, it's got lots of studies, as we know. Um, but you know what? It it just showed, you know what it shows, says to me is that there's a lot of people that are looking for something to help them look, feel, perform their best in the gym, out the gym. For sports nutrition is going mainstream, and I do think as as fitness professionals, as people within the industry, it really is up to us to try and help guide, you know, people. I'm sure you will have clients, Sarah, that say, Oh, I've heard that I need to take creatine, is it a good idea? And do you know what? I bet if we asked every PT in the UK, we'd get a million and one different answers, you know. Um, and I think that's the challenge with our industry as a whole. Who do we listen to? You know, even some of the science is contradicting. So it's like, you know, as we always say, it's a bit like we just described with my symptoms or my menstrual cycle, it's so unique. If it works for you, who am I to tell you to do it or not do it?

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Agreed. And I think I I that's I get that question a heather blot. Mainly mainly around creatine is my kind of main supplement I get grilled on. And I'm always like, look, this is a body of research, take it away, read it. Is this gonna be is this gonna be worthwhile for you? Are you gonna be able to take this consistently? Does this work for you? All these different questions. I said, don't just throw money at something because you can. Is this actually worth you doing? Fortra, I I don't think I've taken creatine consistently for about three years, and I'm so bad at taking supplements, so I've just stopped paying for it. Like I just don't do it, I'm so rubbish doing it. But that's not to say, someone like you, you're so militant with taking it, you're so good at doing it. Yeah, I take it every day. I take five grams minimum every day. It's worth you doing, but for me, if I'm gonna remember every fourth day, I'm like, do you know what? Right now, it's not got a place in my life, but it's not to say it won't forever, and there'll be different points in my life where maybe I'll explore that route again. But yeah, I always say just read the research, is it gonna work for you? Because yeah, it's it is literally what is your normal and what's gonna work for you. So yeah, I've seen electro, and I get grilled on electrolytes a hell of a lot, and it's often do you need them? What's the formulation? Is it actually good stuff or is it packed full of crap? And a lot, sadly, a lot of the products on the market, there the formulation isn't maybe optimal, so it's just checking what you're taking in as well.

SPEAKER_00 26:14

Um, yeah, I think with electrolyte, I mean it's salt, isn't it, really, at the end of the day. So and I think if it tastes a bit too good to be true or very sugary, or it's because there's loads of sugar in it, just just just just have a just have a look at the back of the pack. I'm not suggesting you need to all go and buy some table salt and raw dog it. You know, it's okay to take something because it tastes good that helps with adherence. I'm like I'm fully with you there. Um, I like I I take flavoured electrolytes if I'm do doing, you know, if I'm heavy sauner or whatever. So yeah, like you said, it's um to you know, try it for yourself if you do like it and it works, cool. I think the the challenge is, you know, if you if you're a personal, you hire a personal trainer and you say these are my goals, and it can be quite clear, have I have I or have I not reached my goals with my personal trainer? That that's quite clear. By taking creatine, it's very difficult to know. Oh, did I get that extra rep-in? Because I've you know, I'm saturated, I'm saturated with creatine. I don't know, I can't tell you, but the evidence suggests that it will play a part.

SPEAKER_01 27:17

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 27:17

You might not you might not feel it, um, but it the evidence does show that that it will. So yeah, it's just one of those things, isn't it? It's like, you know, many years ago when I worked at L'Oreal, and we, you know, I worked on the category strategy for anti-aging, skin skincare, and it's like there's so many things that impact your ageing. It's like, here, put this 30 quid cream on your face, and you might look half decent in 30 years. Uh it's so deep, I can't tell you, but I know that it will help. Yeah, exactly. It's a contributing factor, but you can't pinpoint it down to that, can you? We just want we want fast results, we want it now, we want it yesterday, ideally. Um, and and speak speaking of uh high performance, with all this chat of the World Cup, eh? Stop talking about me. I'm actually well, do you know what I said to someone the other day? So I'm going to the Commonwealth Games next uh next week. I'm really excited. Obviously, we've had all this stuff the World Cup. I actually missed the World Cup. I missed Shakira. I hope she's alright. I think she did great. Love her, she did well. Um, anyway, Bernaboy, I don't know what he was doing, but anyway, it's it's now it's Commonwealth Games, it's actually started already today. In I know, yeah. I've said it so many people, they're like, When's it on? I was like, No, it's literally started. Right. And I said to someone, uh it was very lovely, but I said, I'm going to Commonwealth Games next week. And they went, Oh my god, congratulations! Like, and then they was like, Stop, and they were like, What for? I was like, What the fuck? What? Like, Jiu Jitsu. Yeah, I was like, just ask yourself that question. That would be a real shock if I was uh if I'd qualify for the Commonwealth Games, but anyway, um, yeah, the the biggest shock to me. But I'm fortunate enough that I've got two people I know that are competing. Well, there's actually a few people I know from my weightlifting, uh, my previous weightlifting life and community is loads of them that are amazing. And there's some there's some Team GB, there's some Team Islands, uh Holly in Team Gibraltar, sort of people in and around uh the club that I used to train, it's amazing. But Emily Campbell is lifting in the uh Olympic weightlifting, 86 kilos plus, and one of my really good girlfriends, Crystal Campbell, uh qualified to represent, she's the only representation uh for Team Jamaica. So I'm there in the same category. Oh my god. Um I know both Campbells. So yeah, I'm so excited. So I'm gonna be doing up Glasgow for the day. The day is gonna start at 3 a.m. It's just flying to Glasgow. I'm gonna I'm flying. Oh, I didn't know you were flying. I thought you were trying to fly. Yeah, I'm flying. No, no, I uh do you know what? I spoke to my Scottish friend Claire, yes, and she said, Don't get the train, mate. It there's so many delays and cancellations, like you'll never get there. She was like, just fly. So I was like, okay, sweet. Um unfortunately, the the the air carrier I chose the next day, it was all over the press. The the window smashed and that bloke nearly got sucked out. So yeah, really buzzing about that. Hope mum doesn't listen. She does listen. Don't worry, don't worry about that. Don't worry. Actually, I booked somewhere else. It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. But anyway, so I'm I'm I'm flying up, it's the longest journey to watch two hours of weightlifting, and then I'm coming straight back in the day. So yeah, I'm I'm looking forward to that. It's gonna be amazing. Uh, hopefully, I'll get spotted and maybe I'll compete in the next Commonwealth games. I'll I'll choke a couple of people um and just and just see. Yeah, hopefully it'll be really good. But yeah, I'm absolutely buzzing. That'll be good. So maybe you catch it. It's the CrossFit Games as well, by the way, this week.

SPEAKER_01 30:54

I know, I'm just I don't know, I've my head has just been buried in work and day-to-day hour to hour stuff, but I need to I'm off next week. I might maybe indulge in a little bit of watching. I I do like watching that kind of activity level. I just feel just makes me feel like uh a pipe cleaner, but that's fine, that's a me thing. I need to watch it, I need to engage a pipe cleaner, that's quite a good what do you mean?

SPEAKER_00 31:17

As in no good, yeah. I actually um I was I was texting a a friend uh today and she was like, Oh sick, maybe we used to weight lift on a Friday, and she was like, Oh sick, weightlifting Friday's back on soon. And I was like, Yeah, but I think I'll be snatching a pipe. And that that is and that's on that, and that is how we will leave that. That's on period. Okay, literally. Um, so big news uh this week that I have seen um a company or a gym group, uh total total fitness, uh headed up by um a lovely lady called Sophie Lawler, who I don't know personally, but I can say that within the industry I have observed her doing some really great, impactful uh work. She was actually a few episodes, um, a few podcast episodes ago, we talked about Sophie because she did a study on women. That's what what women want in the gym. So I just I feel like me and her, we're gonna be mates one day. She doesn't know it yet, but I might try and be a mate one day, anyway. Um until that until that time, I'm just gonna admire uh and talk about her work from a far and fully credit her. So she has um she has done a new body of research um that is looking at how the expectations and motivations of gym and health club members have changed and evolved uh in the five years. Can you believe it's five years since we emerged uh from lockdown? I feel like a completely different person. Um do you know? I still get people saying, I did your workouts in lockdown to this day. So yeah, I I thought I looked a bit better since those days, but people still recognise me from that, sadly. I need to do more work to my face, I think. Um that's on that. Um, so she it's called the Great Reset, she calls this, and the response so the study size it's always important to know, 770 uh new members of Total Fitness. Yeah, um, with those uh seven uh 750 uh new joiners uh surveyed in 2021, so they're comparing uh the two. Um and unsurprisingly, the the top line findings are that consumers are actually prioritizing a bit more, a bit what I call soft gym life. It's about long-term health, it's not what I can do necessarily today, it's what I can do today, tomorrow, next week, next year. Um, and we've also very much observed um over the last couple of years, I would say, this switch of the physical elements of describing what's important to the mental well-being and just quality of life. Um, and then another buzzword that um it wouldn't be current uh current fitness land if we didn't say community, um, but yeah, staff ex staff expertise and a sense of community are playing a greater role. And do you know what I've witnessed over the last couple of years? Gyms are hiring heads of community. Yeah. Oh, was that your speech? Did you hear that?

unknown 34:37

Was that your speech?

SPEAKER_00 34:38

Can I tell you what that was? That was my uh uh my I'm gonna fess up now. I'm like my nutrition's going really well. That was a little bowl of cereal that has just slightly slipped in this in on the I've left it over on the table. It was your garlic, but it's probably out of the fridge. It's still in there. It's nearly I've got to check its best before date actually to see if I'm holding it against its will. Um, probably I am. Um so yeah, community is everywhere. Have you seen that in your gym? Yeah, agreed.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Yeah, not there's not a head of community at Barch, but there's so community is like the biggest piece that we all work around, and there's just yeah, it's always what can we do in the community, what can we do in the community. Don't think I don't think I wonder if David Lloyd has a head of community.

SPEAKER_00 35:24

Let's have a little cheeky look. Well, what they do sort of, um while while you're looking, I'll share what I believe to should be what they have. Um they have they have events and marketing people. Do you have is there a head of community?

SPEAKER_01 35:39

There is a head of community at David Lloyd Clubs. Yes, there is. There is a man called Luke Freer who is in charge of the club. Okay, yeah. So yeah. Pick up Luke. Pick up Luke. Maybe he's in the case. That's a tough job. Hundred clubs he's got to do that with. And maybe he's in charge of the big boards with the community pieces on there, including which we were gutted to miss yesterday, the floating sound bath at date. Ah, we've missed it again. Gutted. Anyway, sorry, going back to what you're saying, Lovely. Yeah, head of community, I hear you there. I I've noticed that as well. There's a lot of kind of it would have just previously been like head of ops, head of head of PT. PT, head of fitness, but head of yeah, it's it is a thing, isn't it? It's um it's emerging for sure.

SPEAKER_00 36:22

It is, and I think it's you know, my previous experience in in the on the gym floors that I've worked at have been what you would more call more cool studio, more boutique, so like smaller membership populations. So mine's like the cheers of gyms, so like I know everyone in there, but yeah, I've also I find it really in fascinating, interesting to see how bigger box gyms with the sort of thousands of members, how do you actually how do you generate a sense of community? Because you can't hold host an event for all 5,000 of those members at that one site, and quite frankly, not all of them will want to go. Um, what I have witnessed is some like run clubs, some spin-off things, call that community, some like singles, nights, some drinks. And I just wonder if there's someone that's like never gonna if you're a gym member, I'm never gonna go to that. I'm just not interested at all.

SPEAKER_01 37:16

Same, same disease. Um, yeah, yeah, but I think it's nice to have that option there, isn't it? And I think I think especially I think probably everywhere, it's not just a London thing, but I think I and I've witnessed that first hand. We've had a lot of um new members join um the gym that I work at. A lot of them, um, we've had an influx of American um new members, which has been lovely. And um it's it's been so impressive that like and I said to one of the girls last night I met lovely shout out to Kayla, I don't think she listens to this, but I'll shout out to Kayla. She just moved over here from Utah with her husband and her young children, and she's just thrown herself into community at Barch. Like, she's at every single event, she was paddleboarding with us last night, she's gonna try the run clubs, like it it can be such a great vessel for building out communities and friendships, and yeah, it's as much as it's not really my kind of thing, I can so see how it could be. And I think I'm very fortunate that I have already got a community of friends and family around me. But if I was to move, say, to another country or to another city, I think the first place that I would seek out new friendships would be a gym, so I can so see why why these are these are full-blown roles now. Head of community is a key role in a in a in a gym for sure.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Yeah, it's tough though, isn't it? Because it's like you don't want to force it. No, it's like how do you how do you just give the people enough to, you know, it's like Pied Piper of community? It's like, yeah, what tune do I play and who am I attracting? And you know, how I I I I was thinking, I was literally talking about it this morning with someone, and I was like, the reason why I wouldn't go to a community event is the fear that no one would talk to me.

SPEAKER_01 38:53

Oh, don't be ridiculous!

SPEAKER_00 38:55

No, that no, but that's yeah, really? Yeah, yeah. Well, because I don't know anyone. In my big old age, in my out, you know, how outgoing I am, and people I was even having a conversation last night with someone that they they said, I'm not laughing actually, I don't know why I just laughed, but it I was laughing just sort of how it was funny as we were talking about it. They said that they we were talking about people that are a menace on LinkedIn, and they're like, I'm delighted to have gone to the office today. Do you know what I mean? It's like the the updates are quite vague, aren't they? On LinkedIn sometime, everyone's delighted about something, thrilled to have um had a lunch break today. Um, but she was like, Oh, she was like, Oh, I just couldn't post on LinkedIn, and I was like, Why why not? And she's like, Well, I just I just would worry that you know who wants to listen to to me. I was like, I I would. I'd be I'm interested to hear about your job and what you're doing and you know your current challenges and how you've overcome it. Or like I do I find professional news and insight really interesting, so I I I put I like LinkedIn because I like to see I like to see people celebrating milestones. I like I think people have become more open on things like LinkedIn and they're talking about like their failures and learnings and lessons, and I think you can look, you can look, but anyway, she was saying she just wouldn't even post on LinkedIn for fear of of judgment. And I was like, Jesus Christ, I don't think I've considered any sort of social media platform fear of anything. But in real life, in real life, having to physically stand there, like if no one likes my post, it's cool, but if I'm physically standing there and I get a sense that I'm struggling here, yeah, oh I'm gonna cry all night. Really?

SPEAKER_01 40:38

Yeah, horrendous that. It's so funny, isn't it? Because I am probably the opposite. Like, I I'm LinkedIn terrifies me. Like, I think because I don't feel like I sit in I don't know, I think I see LinkedIn's like a corporate space, which I guess it is to some extent, but I I think what I do would maybe be dunno, just not taken seriously, perhaps on that kind of platform in terms of kind of the holistic health and and the well-being. I don't I don't know. And I I from an outsider, I've not really engaged with LinkedIn for a long time, as I'm sure you can see from my my dusty profile. But um didn't even know you're on it. I haven't seen or seen it. There's just so much AI stuff. I think with the rise of kind of AI, like you can't tell if someone's actually written something. Well, you can, you can certainly tell us, but it all, I don't know, for me, from what I've witnessed, it feels quite robotic, and I think yeah, I just it doesn't appeal to I think I know at some point I'm gonna have to put my big girl pants on and start posting and engaging on there, but right now I'm like I'm just putting it off for any possible any possible reason to not post on there, I won't post on there. I get it, I get it.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

Yeah, I I just I I say this to everyone that's worried about social media or or LinkedIn or or just communicating, posting in general. I'm like, yeah, but if you've got if you're just doing it for for ego of yourself, if there's no real purpose, I I I I don't know. But if you're if you have a business that you believe in passionately and you and you want to help people, you need to communicate in as many ways as possible and frequently and often. And I know I'm not fantastic on social media, but when I've got something to say, I I I really go after it. And I, you know, I often get you know, you know, Facebook memories and Instagram memories, it's like, oh, you said this in this article five years ago, and I'm like, yeah, I'm still saying the same shit, genuinely. I I it's the same stuff, and I might aren't people bored of m I mean, some I'm sure some people are very bored of me, but it it's just one of those things that it's like if you feel strongly about it, there's always someone to help because someone there's someone that hasn't heard your message yet, or just needed, you know. I think there's some stats that say before someone purchases or engages, they need to see like seven hours of something, or there's seven steps to like the purchase decision, and like that's gonna be like that for you. You know, you you're it you're coming out new, like people have a version of you that they know if they've never interacted with you before. How am I listening uh what how am I? I mean, you've got VAG at the end of your name now, haven't you? Sarah Bever the VAG, yeah. So that you you you've got to talk about it, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

And I think like even like I've got that signature I can put under my name now as a as a s as a to show that I'm a fully qualified practitioner, but I mean no one no one really knows what IMH means. Like and that I only know that because that's what I am, but it's it's so niche to what I do, and I don't think we're still not at that stage where people are seeking out as I don't know if that's true actually. No, I think I think yeah, people still are in that kind of exploratory phase of looking at holistic roots to deal with kind of hormonal issues, etc. So I think it will become more known. Um, but yeah, it's you're so right. Like, and I it's on my to do list of like just getting out onto LinkedIn and reintroducing myself. This is what I'm doing now, I've pivoted. I'm still in the fitness industry, but I'm actually really going after this space because I'm so fiercely passionate about it. But you're right, yeah. Who cares if it gets any likes?

SPEAKER_00 44:09

Like, but yeah, this is the thing. If someone doesn't want to read, okay, cool, we've probably got a penis. Like, or do you know what I mean? It's like, all right, or I just think if you don't, if you don't like, yeah, I'm not forcing anyone, I'm posting, I'm putting it out there. And if people want to engage, they will. If they feel a certain way about me, okay, cool. I just think people that are happy and content will not judge others for trying to just do their thing, you know. I just think we should we should we should celebrate. It might not be for everyone, but um, yeah, I think we I think we should. And I just think, you know, in terms of your business and your and your focus, like like we were just saying, this report shows more people are looking at their sort of longer-term uh well-being, and and there are there are obviously, as we know, there's so many uh influencing factors of of that. And this like we said, it's not just the physical, 76% are placing a greater emphasis uh on their on their mental well-being. Um, and also what we're seeing is that I think there's more choice out there in the fitness industry in terms of health clubs, and and what they said is that um retur people that return to the gym are are the group that are most likely to be drawn to the swimming pool, which I found really fascinating. Um, and uh from a gender perspective, two-thirds of the newcomers over the last five years are women. Okay. So so I I I do think that there is, uh, you know, we talk a lot about you know safe spaces for women, and actually I saw another report this week that said like basically the number one consideration for women when exercising, working out in whatever environment is safety.

SPEAKER_01 45:54

Yeah, yeah, that doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_00 45:55

So, you know, we can talk about all these cool things and this machine and blah blah blah. Does it does just she feel safe? That's that's lit that's literally it. We don't care uh for your your posh leg press, you know. I do, I love posh leg presses, but you know, you know what I mean, you know what I mean. So yeah, and it was um yeah, 68% were motivated to join because of the swimming pool, uh and 48%. So half of half of the people that joined in the last five years joined for the sauna and steam facilities. So it's like, yeah, it's like the squat rack, the treadmills, we haven't even mentioned that yet. We've talked about we've talked about mental well-being, and we've talked about sort of slower, more relaxed. Well, not slow, we are rapid swimmers, personally, you and I, we're very fast at swimming. Um, I'm I'm really not.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Um so relate to that. Like, even when I was looking at a new gym space issue, like I probably I whiz around that gym floor. I was like, cool, squat racks are cool. Like I was like, that's that isn't even what I'm here for. Like, I'm here for the sauna, for the steam room, for the yin yoga, for that whole experience. So absolutely I literally ticked every boxer I can say. You did.

SPEAKER_00 47:01

Yeah, so people that tick that boxer uh pension age, no joking. Um, they also uh what they've also looked at is digital fitness. I know that we talk about you know, tech and digital, it's everywhere, blah blah blah. 10% regularly use fitness apps, that's quite low. I know this this is sort of this is like I mean, it's total fitness members, right? So it's it's probably uh the the bias of the demographic um is is to be uh taken into account here. Yeah, um two percent participate in online fitness classes, yeah. Even that's quite high, is my expectation.

SPEAKER_01 47:38

Exactly. I yeah, I just I think people just want it, and it goes back to that whole community piece, but people want to be around people, and I think the PT market and the coaching market is is I don't think it's going anywhere. I think people genuinely really look forward to that connection and that interaction in it in that space. I can't I think there's obviously a space for online coaches a hundred percent, but I think actually I can see the I can see why people would choose a in-person coach over an online coach 100% for so many reasons.

SPEAKER_00 48:11

But I think I like Chat GPT is I've seen a lot of people, I know I've got a lot of mates that use it for for programming, and actually, yeah, yeah. And I and I look at it and I'm like, oh, that's pretty sound, like it's applying sensible overload, as long as you understand how to read it and adapt for you on that day, and it's you know, it's a guide, and if you are motivated to do it, cool, absolutely works for you. Um, but I just yeah, I think you know, your P if you're a PT that you know creates accountability, psychological safety, support, advice, your coach actually teaching them how to move better to you know to help them to reach their goals, you'll never lose to AI. Um, and the the the the last one for me 78% of these members treat membership as essential, and if they came into financial difficulty, they would cut back on spending elsewhere. It's so cool, isn't it? It's like my gym is my space, social space, maybe it's my workspace, maybe it's the time the only time in a day that I speak to a person and I need to do this, not just physically but uh mentally. And and what we're seeing also is um it's not, you know, we hear a lot about Gen Z getting into the gym and sort of the young gym shark generation, which is really, really cool, but that's not all of it. Um 77% are 45 to 54, 70, 55 to 64, and 73% over the age of 65. So we love it, we love it.

SPEAKER_01 49:43

Exactly, and I I was that's something I've really really noticed myself actually. I kind of I I'm seeing a lot of older people entering the strength training space now. In the last few months, I've had a number of consultations and new clients on boarded um that are easily over the age of 65 and they want to start strength training, which is just like as I honestly I'm buzzing about it, like these people want to learn how to strength train, and it's yeah, and I think what's so refreshing about it is they're not training for aesthetics, they're literally training because they want to be able to live an independent life. Can I walk down to the shops and get my pint of milk and a bunch of bananas without having to worry about tripping and not being able to get up off the floor? Am I able to kind of get on the bus, get off the bus? Or and sadly, I think obviously as we start to age, people will maybe start to lose kind of long-term partners, and that in itself is so traumatic and upsetting. But actually having the confidence to know that yes, emotionally, this is really difficult. They know that they can still support themselves physically and look after themselves because they've got that strength um behind them. And I've seen yeah, I've seen it firsthand anecdotally. Um, but yeah, we're seeing a lot more um people joining now of that age group. Um, and also we we touched on it ourselves. You said there it was what is it, 70, yeah, 73% over the age of 65. That's phenomenal, and I think it's obviously and I think it's seeping to mainstream media a bit more. I see a lot of it on BBC and kind of even in kind of print press still, there's a lot of um articles around the benefits of strength training. And I I often will get kind of messages from clients on WhatsApp, look, Sarah, look, we're doing we're doing everything right. This is so like and they it's so lovely that what I'm telling them in the sessions is being compounded and confirmed for them in media. I think our generation, I mean, and because we're in the industry ourselves, we know what we're doing is good for us, but sometimes it's nice for them to read that external kind of press and information. Strength training is what I should be doing, and this is Keith mean. We know that there's more and more bodies of work coming out, kind of researching it now. But yeah, I've just honestly it's been so lovely, and it's I love it. I love starting training people who have never trained before in their lives. I think it's such an exciting um way to work and to introduce someone to their first barbell or their first like kettlebell. I'm not, I'm actually really excited by that. And the changes in like some of my clients that have started, it it's I think it's probably one of the most rewarding things I do is as my job is is keeping them independent and strong. Um, and seeing the mental we know the mental health benefits is is amazing, and um yeah, I'm I'm buzzing about it. But also on that, on that, there's also we've seen a rise of younger people entering um strength training as well. And I've actually I noticed I was walking up the high street earlier, um, and not and not just strength training, I think even just exercise full stop. And I was walking up the high street earlier, and there were these three gorgeous girls, they must have only been about less than 13, 14. Obviously, there's a summer holidays now, so they're kind of they've got all the time in the world, and they had they must have been like cheapy, kind of like running sunglasses on, and they had their little running shorts and um added ash trainers you have. And I was like, Good for them, like they've chosen to socialise by going for a run, like they clearly just so nice, and I was like, that's actually such a positive thing. Like, I mean, what I was doing at that age, but sure. I how long how old was I when I started training? I was probably kind of 15, 16 when I started training myself, but yeah, I mean, they they probably were a little bit younger than that, and I was like, that's so cool. Like, they're not like hanging around parks smoking vapes, like they're going for a run and like exercising and looking after themselves. And I was like, that's such a great thing to say that we're seeing both ends of that age spectrum now engaging in exercise in whatever way they want to, and I think it's super cool. And I yeah, I I mean I've been very lucky that I work with a full range of ages, but I work with teenagers and taking I've got a couple of clients of mine that have just finished uni, and I'm like, oh my god, like I've trained you since you're 15, you now left uni, like this is crazy. But um, yeah, I can I've seen firsthand the benefits, but I yeah, I just love that we're seeing more and more people doing it now, um, and just so much more access and so much more range. And yeah, I I don't I don't see it going anywhere. I think it's only going to get bigger and bigger and bigger, and I think we're gonna see more and more forms of exercise that people stick to for a longer period of time, and hopefully take the weight off of the health service as well as a result of that.

SPEAKER_00 54:23

I just yeah, I mean, it's generationally it will it will be different. Yes. I mean, uh that there'll always be something, isn't there? Like, I mean, I can't imagine vaping's any good. No, um, so you know, and I also think it's been talked about a lot, but we're in a sort of a mental health crisis at the moment. We're in a a crisis of sort of neuro neurodiversity diagnosis, like there's so many things to work through, um, but it is really an incredible start, I would say. You know, I've had a lot of good times with alcohol, uh, you know, but we can't what we can't deny is that it is not ideal, you know. Alcohol, you know, excessive consumption is not optimal for health. You could say it's optimal for whim whimsical social interactions, and maybe we need more of those these days, to be fair. It's just it's cold out there on them streets, but yeah, I I think um, yeah, I I definitely think that there should be a healthier generation or a more educated uh generation to come. And this is the thing, you know, we're all still fucking around and finding out in in in in life, really. And I, you know, I've got a a friend, someone that I was um with a couple of weeks ago, she was like, Oh, I'm a bit nervous turning 40. I was like, No, I promise you, it's amazing because you're the best version ever of yourself, and you've had more time to get to a you know, you you've worked through all of those things. So anyway, I think it's it's really positive. We love it in all age demographics. Obviously, you and I for the last however many years, you know, 15 years, uh, you know, maybe a bit longer for you. We've been we've been battling these, and I remember seeing the first headline of like strength training for women is really important. I was delighted, and I was like, oh great, you know, I'm part of this this this conversation. I'm still saying the same shit 10 years later. Um, but it it is the dial is moving. So we love it, we really love it, and let's hope that we can uh not just talk the talk, but we can personally walk the walk. And um, I I very much know how it feels to not feel in your zone, in your routine, and I'm not there yet, but I feel I feel closer uh to getting there. So yeah, we we should always give ourselves grace, but really we are here at the end of yet another week. We've got both of us have said that we're gonna try and have a relaxing weekend. Well, we and we've both got a week off next week. How was no work apart from me do flight doing up Glasgow for the day? Um we're we're gonna take a bit of time for ourselves, which is really lovely. Um and reflecting uh on the week. Yes, my yeah, my my pit. Um yeah, I mean I've already talked about it, but I it feels fresh in my mind. My stomach feels like it is a tumble dryer. Um I feel like I'm fro if I could frown, I would be. I don't know if you can see it in my eyes. Yeah, yeah, that was a frown. Yeah, although I I can't move anything else. Um so that really, my thank you to Mother Nature. I I recognise the the health connotations of having a regular cycle, um, but it really is a pit in how it makes me feel. Oh my goodness. And yeah, my pit of the week actually, there's a loud car outside.

SPEAKER_01 57:45

My goodness, um my my pit of the week has been as much as I'm guys to have a week off, when you are self-employed, yeah, you really have to wind up to wind down. So I currently have, I mean, I meant to be on leave from now, but I have a to-do list about the length of my arm that I would like to get through in order to take the week off. So um, as much as I'm so grateful I'm gonna take a week off, I've realised I've not taken any leave this year since February, so not ideal. So I have made the choice to take a week off next week. Um, but yeah, I think it's made me realise as much as I and there's so many perks of being self-employed, do not get me wrong, and this is this is not a moan, this is just I've realised I've got so much shit to do before I can switch off. Yeah, but maybe it's a learning for myself actually in the future. Give yourself a couple of weeks to prepare for a week off rather than get into Friday and being like, shit, I've got a lot of stuff to do still.

SPEAKER_00 58:43

But yeah, that's probably a bit a bit of this week, but I'll be grateful for it next week. Yeah, it's tough, isn't it? I guess in in some, but I always think a handover. You know, you do a hand in corporate, you do a handover and you go, hi Susan, would you mind this is my handover list? This is really important on Monday. And you come back and you're like, what the hell? No one's looked at it, and they're like, Oh, stay to still the same. You're like, okay, thanks so much. I'm glad I spent all that time on a handover list. Um, so yeah, it's you're when you're freelance, you hand over to the good lord and pray. Um you you pray to just the faith of the world, and hopefully you still got clients the other side. Um right. Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna go to uh my peak. I'm actually gonna try and flip the perspective on my challenging um period pain. I'm buzzing with my I literally did like a little clap to Mother Nature, my own mother nature to myself because 30-day cycle. Oh you know what I mean? It's just like I'm back, you know, it's taken a bit of time. I must say, after the the the IVF fertility egg freezing vibes in December, we're six months post, and I'm now just back, like, yeah, cool. Mother Nature knows she's like, cool, 30 days, we can deal with that. So yeah, I just I feel I feel pleased, you know. When you're just like as a woman, yeah, maybe you can relate when you just feel pleased with your body for doing what you hope or expect it to do. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it doesn't like, yeah, cool, we know what we're doing, girls.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:13

Yeah, it's that feeling of connection, isn't it? I think I spoke about it um maybe earlier in the year. I kind of spoke about my experience of being on the marina coil for a very short period of time, but that really fucked with my cycle, and I just felt really disconnected to myself. And I think when you get back into that swing of like, okay, you can kind of preempt what's going to happen. It's actually I I so hear you. You feel like, okay, I actually I know what's going on here, I know what to expect, I know how long, and things like planning for social events, even if it I if you know that you are a troll on day one of your cycle, then you can make allowances for that. So, no, I so hear you. That's not not a sleep peak, uh peak, peak, pick, peak at all. Oh my god. Um, but my peak is peak. I literally had a euphoric moment last night. I was on the paddle board coming into Richmond, sun was setting, and I just thought, oh my god, I'm so lucky. I think even sent mess uh sent a message to Laura after. I was like, I've had such a long day, but I'm genuinely so grateful for so much in my life. And that that, yeah, I just felt amazing last night. I think I've I've and I think obviously with the exams being passed and lots of other stuff going on in my life and business bits going on, but yeah, I just feel really focused, I feel really aligned, I feel just feel really good and really grateful. Grateful is the main word, I think. There's been a lot of shit going on personally and and with with loved ones as well, and I just feel really grateful that I'm in a good space and um I've got some amazing people around me. So yeah, that's my peak of the week. A big peak, actually, a big, big peak that I will take with me. That's lovely.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:50

That's lovely. I saw um something that was like after every what's always certain, after every period of challenge and hardship, there will always be some good times coming. And then sadly, another period, a future period of hardship and challenge will come, but there will always be the good times again. And I definitely have found certainly within my 40s, looking for the small moments of joy in my day, and that could be a coffee with a friend, it could be a moment to myself in the bath listening to my favourite podcast. You know, I I'm I really live for those moments, and those moments are probably just they probably just feel peaceful. Yeah. Um, because when I'm not in that moment, there's a million deadlines, there's people asking me for things, you know, I'm accountable for we're both accountable for our ourselves, you know, our our lives, our work. And yeah, I just I think that's a I think it's a lovely reflection, um, you know, gratitude, because at the end of the day, you know, we don't what is all of this? It's it's you can't deep it all. Just get a bit of perspective sometimes. Sometimes perspective is forced upon us.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:56

Um and we realise. So that is a a wonderful and positive note to end this week's podcast on. Uh this evening, um, I'm delighted to go. I've got a third, I'm a third wheel in a relationship. I I'm the third girly um with with my uh my two friends that are are engaged to be married next year, Emma and Claire. So I'm really looking forward to that. And then I'm gonna go and strangle anyone and everyone who will listen to me uh at Jiu Jitsu this weekend. And I assume you're going paddleboarding.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:27

I'm gonna go paddleboarding. I'm gonna joke up. But maybe, who knows, I might paddleboard next week. Maybe we could paddleboard together. Who knows? Uh no. We could do the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:39

When I say uh when I say I like paddleboarding, I was talking about in the Cayman Islands. I wasn't talking about the Thames. I can't make that work. I can't make that work next week, but you know. Well, that is that is a you that is a you problem, and that is on that.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:54

Well, thank you so much for everyone for listening again and for your continued support. We can we see the numbers and we see our baby pop podcast. Isn't that cool? That is so cool. And yes, thank you so much for your continued support, and we hope you have a wonderful week, uh, whatever you're doing, and take care, and we'll speak to you soon.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:11

Bye.