Ep 36. Eclipse, dream matte mousse & environments

Sarah and Laura are back for another episode of Fit For What?. They cover hot weather, fitness routines, clutter, workspaces, and the people around you who either lift you up or drain you. 

Chapters:

00:00 - Opening chaos, heatwave complaints, and British summer energy

05:11 - Football and the solar eclipse

11:50 - Laundry routines, beauty nostalgia, and brand loyalty

17:00 - Why your environment affects how you work and perform

18:14 - Managers, teams, and psychological safety

26:18 - Productivity systems, structure, and why clutter is the enemy

28:44 - Tidiness, routines, and setting yourself up for the day

32:11 - Workspaces, home life, and showing up ready

37:05 - Hormones, fatigue, and feeling like a potato

38:17 - Inefficiency, impatience, and needing things done properly

41:51 - Getting back into training and loving the process again

45:05 - Sarah’s menopause masterclass and what it covers

49:26 - Wrap-up and sign-off

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

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Do I do, I do, I do. Red, red, and yellow, no, red and green peppers. Hello, and welcome back to Fit for What, a no-nonsense evidence-based take on health, fitness and wellness with humour, honesty and practical advice to help you build your fittest year yet. My name is Sarah. I'm slightly Dululu. I'm a women's health hormonal health coach, PT business juggler, and yet again it's bloody hot.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

I am steaming. I've been lava lava lamped live. I've been boiled alive here. Um on my screen. So me and Sarah have a script every week, and mine just says, My name is Laura. So that is how well I have done. She's written the whole thing trying to make herself look good, and she's left me with my name is Laura, but that is a me problem. Welcome back to the pod. My name is Laura, also known as Biceps, and I'm delighted to be joining you here live on air, back again uh this week. Obviously, we joined you again last week after a little bit of time off, and today is the hottest day since records began.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

But it's weird because I don't feel I don't feel like I'm hot, but do you remember when we were filming a few months back and I was like a lot I look like a lava lamp and we were sat in the dark. I don't feel that warm. Like I'm warm, but I'm not like have we adjusted?

SPEAKER_01 1:27

I think we might have adjusted. We there is something I might be making this up, don't fetch at me, or maybe do Google it while we're on the pod. I think there's been something crazy like 30 days over 30 degrees this year. Yeah, and the reason why I know that is because many many years ago, when I worked for L'Oreal, I in when I used to uh talk about my commercial business performance when I looked after Garnier Hombre Solaire's sun cream business portfolio. Yeah, yeah, that was my I I was I looked after that. Um yeah, chat reported in to me, his name was Adam, really nice guy. So I looked after uh total skincare, hair care, and he took sun care uh and he absolutely killed it actually. But me and Adam constantly our our excuse, our commercial excuse was well, the sun's sun's not been out, which I think is fair. What do you want us to do? I can't sell a cup of tea to polar bears. Actually, maybe I could, that's a bad example. I think polar bears love tea, but yeah, I it was basically in all of our reports we would report every month how many days above certain temperatures that would deliver. So if you are in in the business of ice cream uh or cold drinks at the moment, you are absolutely laughing. So big up the team at Garnier Hombre Solaire. I hope you're having a good season and I hope you're flashing up your commercial. Flashing up means you're turning up your commercial forecast. We used to flash up or flash down, which is probably uh not PC. I don't think you can flash anymore in the office. Um at least yeah, it's uh it's I I was outside earlier and I was I actually said to myself, I actually spoke to myself, this isn't good. I said, Are you taking the piss under my breath? I was like, This is a joke, fam. Yeah, it's mad, it's mad. But I spent I spent most of the day in aircon, if I'm honest with you.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

Yeah, me too. I was in the I was coaching all day and I was bloody grateful. Do you know what? I had to turn the the members came in at 10am and they're like, Can you turn the air con down? I was like, sorry, pardon me. What? They said it's too cold in here. I was like, we're not having any of that. We are we are not saying that.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

Put your jumper on it and shut up. But um, more layers, please. Bring tape more layers. Yeah, I I was at um Barry's boot camp this morning, Soho, 7am, uh, with Emily. Um big up Emily, men's health, women's health run as world. Um, she yeah, we we both took a little trot out. We went to uh uh abs and ars, I think it was, and a bit of treadmill. So yeah, it was it was uh Red Rim vibes, but yeah, then I was in Aircon from 9am, so I feel absolutely uh delighted with myself and a bit of jujitsu at lunch.

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Oh delightful. What did I do? So yeah, I literally I mean today was a cray cray day. I I've done a lot today, and I'm a little bit lulu, but I've had a really wonderful day. I had a couple of those that I think based off our conversation last week, which was quite um deep and reflective. Was it last week? Yeah, it was last year. Yeah, it was. It was quite a reflective chat. Do you know what? I literally was like coaching PTs today, and I was like, this is just fantastic. Like, as much as my ATMs, if anyone's listening, my ATMs, it is like herding cats in that room. It honestly is carnage. I wouldn't change it for the world. I absolutely adore them all, and they all work their asses off. And then I had my new client who's just turned 75 years old and we're starting strength training for the first time, and I was like, oh my god, I'm so lucky. Like, this is so cool. Then I just PT'd my mum. I'm like, life's great.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

This is and you PT'd my gynecologist, and I PT your gynecologist, who I adore, who I adore. So she speaks well of my bits.

SPEAKER_02 5:01

Well, I can't discuss that's on the podcast, but um confidential. Great vibes, really great vibes, um, quite warm, but we move.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

We move, and and speaking of moving, um, I had my my dad travelled all the way from Big Chai, Chichester, uh, down south to watch the Arsenal last night, um, versus Como. So if you know me well, you know I'm a big Arsenal fan. So, and the manager of Como is Sesk Fabrigas, who's an ex-Arsenal uh legend, that was really lovely. And uh if you're an Arsenal fan or you're a season ticket holder, I believe there's a bit of a culture if we don't really go to the friendlies, we wait till the start of the season. Um, but I was kindly gifted some tickets from uh a friend uh in a in a from a corporate perspective, and I I thought I'll ask my dad so we got a real showcase of of all the Arsenal players. Um, and if you're into football, young Max Dowman, uh he's the chap who's 16 youngest ever cap, I think, um, for the the England men's, or maybe he hasn't, yeah. I think he has got a cap, or he it's gonna be a big season for him anyway. It was amazing, but I didn't see as a result of me waiting for my dad at Holloway Road, I didn't see the solar eclipse. Did you? Oh my god, do you know what? I I I tried to, but he didn't have the glasses. Well, no one knew, no one knew it was happening until the day before, and then apparently you had to have a whole colander setup or special glasses.

SPEAKER_02 6:30

Honestly, the colanders and the sieves were cracking me up, but where I was located was behind some very, very tall buildings, and I couldn't see the bloody sun. Right. But it was like someone had turned a dimmer switch down. I must say, I was like, this is actually quite cool. Didn't actually see the the moon. Was it the moon? God, I feel really thick right now. It was the moon, wasn't it? The moon comes over the sun and blocks it out. That was it because I saw a cat. I saw a gif gif meme today of an orange cat being eclipsed by a black cat, and that's how I that's it. I've seen that meme. I've got sent it.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

Big up sweaty flow sent me that meme.

SPEAKER_02 7:13

But everyone was comparing it to nail like toenail clippings. I was like, that's made me feel very uncomfortable about the whole thing.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

How is there any comparison to a toenail clipping? I don't get it.

SPEAKER_02 7:23

The shape that you could see apparently was quite similar to it was that kind of god, what is wrong with everyone? So that's put me off. I heard Quasant. I was like, I can get down with that, but yeah, I didn't see it. But I must say the sun was absolutely dazzling after, like it was like, whoa, this is Bobby Bobby dazzling through the um Emirates Stadium. Was it a hot in there? I was concerned for your heat.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Yeah, yeah, we were hot. We were hot. Um do you know what? We actually had in front of us was the most drunk group of lads in the entirety of the Emirates. I think they were vaping, they were vaping the whole time.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

Like when we went to when I when I've been to see West Ham play, Big Up Be Irons, um people get absolutely annihilated. I'm like, but you're here to watch a game. I do not know. I don't think they watched it. No, and this is the thing, like I even when I go to concerts and stuff, like even at Mr. Worldwide, people were smashed. I'm like, but I want to remember and cherish this moment forever. Some people just want to forget. Listen, I don't understand it, especially at a football game. Like, if you're like an avid football fan, surely you want to like be present. I've never understood the idea of getting really, really drunk for football game, but that's just me, you know, each their own.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Yeah, I mean, I said to dad, I was like, This is a big Wednesday night. We've had the solar eclipse, he's had the solar eclipse, and yeah, he was just vaping. And and he was him and the other guy, they were they were basically having an argument the entire time looking over each other, and I was like, I don't think he's looked at the pitch once. Once, oh yeah, but the songs, the the the chants were back on, and me and dad were loving it. We've been going for 30 years. Um, when I auditioned to be a a ball girl, and the tickets were £7.50 for me. Life was good there last night, it was really good, but yeah, it was really hot, missed the solar eclipse, didn't have the right colander or glasses to wear. But what I have seen today is that uh Google searches for my eyes hurt has gone up significantly. That is how basic we are as a as a society. Everyone goes, there's a solar eclipse coming, don't look directly at it. Everyone's gone, given it one eye closed, or through their hands, like you're watching a scary movie. Everyone's had a look at it, haven't they? And now they're like, hello. I watched, I looked at the solar eclipse, and now my eyes hurt. We are but we are basic, we think we're above it, we think we're better than the sun.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

It's so funny. I was really laughing at Jack and Ash, who we love. They the stories they're putting up, like hiding behind their fingers. It was just so funny, but it is good. I messaged George Esse about um George being my boyfriend, so I feel like I need to give context. George Oh, you didn't say you didn't say Jack and Ash were, but oh sorry, Jack and Ash, but um I was like, Don't forget about the solar eclipse, and he was like, What when? And I was like seven o'clock tonight. Oh, he's just messaged very loudly messaged, shush. And um good timing, George. Yeah, thanks, George. And um he was like, I'm just gonna stare at it just just just because I can. I was like, no, literally don't do that.

SPEAKER_01 10:35

I've literally just said no. What if though? What if you don't have the internet and you you know you don't scroll Instagram to understand that lad Bibles told you don't look at the solar eclipse directly? What if you're just like oh that looks dumb and then you're blind?

SPEAKER_02 10:50

But I think that level of brightness you'd know, you'd instinctively look away now.

unknown 10:55

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

I don't know, I don't know. Don't look into the eye, look around the eye, you're under. People will look right in. People will look right in. If you say you like if if you if someone's getting changed, go, don't look at me, you'd look.

SPEAKER_02 11:08

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Don't look, don't look. What? I don't I want to look at what I'm not supposed to look at.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

I remember really clearly as a child, there was like a joke at school and it was like, Don't look at my belt, and they'd be like, ball gazer.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

Did you ever get the thing where people would do that? Yeah, and then and you look at it. I've just I've just gone, it's an audio podcast, just reminding myself where you do like you put your hands together in like a circle, or you do that in like a photo. Oh, what is it?

SPEAKER_02 11:38

What is that called? There's like I don't know, but it's stupid. It's I've really game. Oh, what is it called? Yeah, yeah, I can't remember what that one is. God, being being a child was such fun, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 11:50

100% now just adult things, adult problems. It's all we've got. HMRC problems, mortgage problems. Yeah, all I do is do washing.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Like it's an end I saw a meme that really tickled me. It's like all I do is wash clothes, and that's literally all I do.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

No, it's literally one of my like the main parts of my personality is just get home and I I unpack my bag and I unpack all the things that need to go in the wash, and there's a full wash daily.

SPEAKER_02 12:16

What your washing um routine is. Can you can you break that down for me, please? Because I feel like you'd have a good one.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Yeah, so I have um special gym wash tablets for uh for fragrance because everything is obviously gym, and unfortunately, I roll around obviously on the floor and I roll around with other people. So every time I go to jujitsu, I s I'm in my I have to wash my ghee. Yes, your pajamas. So yes, so I I put that basically when I come home because I'm afraid of making noise for my neighbours. Oh, you're very so I literally do it as soon as I get home so that it's on, yeah, and then I hopefully I can leave it out as much as possible. I want it to dry naturally. Yes. Um, but sometimes, girl, I don't have the time for that. So don't tell my dad, because he says don't use the dryer, but I sometimes use the dryer if I have to. Ooh! Yeah, and yeah, so I have yeah, and I have the Marks and Spencer's um fabric conditioner that is just I'm a big fan of like lavender vibes, sort of sand sandwood, is that right? Sandwood, yeah, sandwood. Sandalwood, yeah. And yeah, there's a whole routine. I mean, you can imagine it for me, right? I I am a I'm a lady of structure, I like the routine, and if something pulls me out of that routine, I do get quite upset. So Yeah, no, I hear you. I am thinking there's a lot going on in here.

SPEAKER_02 13:39

Yeah, I like a Lenore outdoorable fabric conditioner for all those concerned. Really good on the scent front.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

So very potent. Interesting that you say that. Oh, because of my no, well, no, it's not it's just I'm a loyal girl. I'm a loyal girl, and because I used to work at Unilever, I would never use Lenore because that's a proctor and gamble around. So I'm a Purcil and Comfort girly. Understood. Just because so like I wouldn't use Nivea because I'm a Garnier girl. I'm a Garnier L'Oreal Maybelline.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

Maybelline! Do you remember the Maybelline Drake? Oh my god, I can't speak. The Maybelline Dry Mat Mousse. Are you joking? That was literally my job. That was my skin for 10 years with it on my lips at school. Dream Mat Mousse. Dream Mat Mousse.

SPEAKER_01 14:33

People used to use that as like I basically we we did lots of studies on where do you put Dream Mat Mousse? And it was like, yeah, it was lip gloss, it was eyeshadow, it was everyone was laser posty, and it'd come out and it'd do a little.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

Oh my god, my skin was horrendous.

SPEAKER_01 14:49

I don't think you could breathe through it, but yeah, it's a very it's a very, it was a very high-performing part of the range. But yeah, Maybelline, Maybelline UK was very much um my life when I was at L'Oreal, and that is who I worked on Maybelline with Katie Cottum, who is the founder of Luna Daily. That's really cool. Talking like that, that's that's the spray that you gave me for my fanny. It is so just for context, I did buy Sarah a fragranced and sanitary spray for her vagina, um, but that was just out of you know, support, out of kindness. So, Katie Katie Cottum is a C C E O of a brand called Luna Daily, L-U-N-A. She created and founded this brand that is now an international brand that is stocked in boots and Sephora, um, and it is an incredible female health brand that is yeah, it's basically big up the pH balance for anything that's going to touch your bits. Absolutely. All right. So there's the wolves. Yeah, she she's she's amazing. So yeah, we um she's I'm currently using the the big pump all-over body wash. So yeah, thank you, Katie, for sharing that with me. But she was obviously we we we grew up together working uh on Maybelline, and we've I genuinely think uh reflecting on this, my time at L'Oreal, I met some of the best people, and that's not to say uh Unilever I didn't, I'm still in in touch with them, but like you know, Lauren Wilson at Third Space, she was my pal at L'Oreal, you know, all of these people that are like founder brands, like that later down the line. I mean, there's so many brands that I could say, or or people in in really senior roles, but anyway, anyway, that was a really wonderful part of my career. So yeah, I grew up in in Maybelline in L'Oreal, and it's made me the direct gal that I am today because we had to be very, very we had to be very, very resilient, and that is the power of my professional environment. What a good, what a good uh, what'd you say, a segue? That was so smooth. That was a smooth segue. I should have been too smooth and not even mentioned it, but yeah, when when we uh go through all our pods, Sarah and I go, What should what's on your mind? What should we talk about in the next podcast? Because we like to we like it to be authentic and just go, what feels relevant at the moment? And we both have had quite a lot of conversations, haven't we, about the power of being in the right environment and and what and what it does.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

Totally, yeah. No, I can agree more. I think we were we were just discussing, and I was like, Yeah, we I think where was I? I think I'd taken myself to my workspace yesterday, uh David Lloyd. And it really struck me how much more productive I am when I take myself out of my home environment. And I I honestly, yes, I was so chuffed with myself. I had a to-do list the length of my long arms and long legs, and I've got five-three and counting. Five-three, thank you. Um, but yes, uh, yeah, I totally agree. I think it's so important in the environment that you're in, and there's some really interesting reading around this and research. Um, 54% of undervalued UK employees say that they plan to leave their roles in 2026, which is a sign. That's mad, isn't it? That shows you how much people around us shape, whether we stay motivated or we check out. Um hang on, hang on. Let's just deep that for a second.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

Yeah, half under yeah, just over half of undervalued UK employees, they plan to leave their roles this year. Yeah, yeah, mad.

SPEAKER_02 18:34

Like, and then that links, I think, closely to the fact that a great manager keeps 94% of employees committed to staying, a poor manager drops that just a 19%. So this is the thing, you know.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Like, I was actually having this conversation with someone this morning around how grateful I have genuinely felt for on the whole in my professional career, I've been surrounded by people who get it or who underst who understand me, or and actually uh earlier in my career, I've had so many amazing people to look up to.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:07

I could I you know, I could I could really name some people that you just go, you have been so pivotal in my view of how to lead, how to you know deliver projects, how to give feedback, how to receive feedback, and you know, you could I've always said like I could be oh I could be a uh you know a newspaper delivery, you know, I could do paper rounds, but if I've loved the team and felt valued, I'd probably still be doing it, you know? It's so important.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

I agree, I totally agree. I've I've had the same experience, I think, through I again I've been very, very lucky with with kind of previous managers across all industries that I've worked across. I mean, I left literally went to university for two weeks and then went straight into work. And I yeah, in all the kind of industries I've been in, I've had some really great managers. I think my the best managers I've ever had are those that have kind of like at points in my life where maybe I've doubted myself or not had a lot of confidence in myself, it's when they've actually really empowered me and like just trusted me to step up and maybe do something that I didn't feel ready to do myself, but kind of push which I probably hated them for at the time, pushed me into a space of kind of discomfort where I've actually really learned that actually I I'm actually far more capable than I realised I was, and I think that is the key is having someone can actually say on the days when you're not feeling actually I've got this, they're in your corner and they're like, No, you've got this, like go for it. What's the worst that can happen? And I think that's really pushed me in my career, and how I think eventually, really, how I've ended up being self-employed because I think accumulation of what how many years I've been employed now? Gosh, 10 years? No, yeah, 10-11 years of employment. Like, I've actually realized I've learned so many things from managers and my team to be like, actually, no, I've got this now. Over the years, I've and I've I mean I've worked in mental health, I've worked in retail, I've worked in fitness, and I think actually, as much as they felt disconnected at the time, like you've just said, in terms of the teamwork you've made, like the some of the team members I've become friends with and and will be friends with forever, I've learned so much from as well. And I think, and it does, it keeps you somewhere for longer. Like I would say, possibly even last year, I stayed longer than maybe I should have, or I or or my health would say, because I loved the team I was working with, I loved the idea, I loved the people, and I think that's what kept me there for longer, potentially, because yeah, it was it was my team and the management team around me that I adored working for, and I had so much fun there, but that probably slowed my realisation of realizing actually I'm ready to do something different now. But yeah, I can so see how a manager and your direct lead would have such an impact in crafting how successful and how productive and how happy you are at work for sure.

SPEAKER_01 21:53

Totally. And I I always uh like to talk about in a professional capacity: do you have psychological safety? Yeah, yeah. And and uh it's yeah, yes, there's the things that people say to you, but also just the confidence and knowledge that someone's got your back in a room that you're not in is is is really important. And I and I do think some professional environments do, especially if performance is challenged and there's pressure, you know, it does sometimes bring out the the the baseline of people's behaviour because in a in some way people naturally are trying to protect themselves, yeah. And you know, I have definitely observed over the years in my corporate career that there are people that you know they're definitely out for themselves, you know, but also you know, it's business. Um and and and and that's it. So I I think they're you know, you I feel very lucky to be a part of a place that cares about not just what you do but how you do it.

SPEAKER_02 22:50

Yeah, I agree, and I think actually, in some ways, maybe in the moment there's been moments where I'm like, oh, I disagree with how that's been managed, or I've maybe been let down because I'm like, oh, maybe they're they're just out for themselves. But I think actually it's been a massive lesson for me to learn that I think we both are real people pleasers and real we're both. I I I don't want to blow my own trumpet here, but I think we're we're we're both very nice people, and I think sometimes personally I've experienced that to my detriment where maybe I've not put myself forward for things or progressed myself further for the sake of other people. I think in some ways, sometimes those conflicts in decisions can be really beneficial for you to actually learn. I I mean I have become a hell of a lot more resilient by going through those experiences as well. It doesn't, it doesn't actually feel positive at the time, perhaps, but there's still huge learnings that you take from that. And it's like, okay, maybe I wouldn't have, maybe I wouldn't have done that in that way, but I can see why that person has done that in hindsight. Absolutely, and from that I've learned a lot, and that it in itself has been a huge learning and a real resilience and confidence builder. So yeah, your team, your team that you're with is so keen. I think that's probably yeah. I mean, it's definitely why I've stayed in jobs for longer because I love the people. I've been so fortunate, I can't think of one job where I've been like I've I've not bought kind of you know, I feel like my friendship group I very much collected people from my various jobs, and I think that's really lovely that I've got like a real network of people with different backgrounds, different interests, and all of them I've learned so much from as well.

SPEAKER_01 24:25

Absolutely, through all those different chapters of your life, and this is the thing like who we are today is the is the culmination of all of our experiences. It's interesting that you say I think we're both people pleasers. I actually wouldn't describe myself as that. I want I do want people to be pleased, but I don't think I always please people. Does that make sense? Yeah, I I think I think actually I'm I've learned to be a bit more uh direct. Yes. And I think I uh later in life I do think clear is kind. What I wouldn't want to do is just hype people up. I would say, I actually think what I do say is okay, I hear you, but have you thought about it like this? Yeah, I I really like to look at the perspective like you just described. It's like okay, maybe that person did say that thing or do that thing, but from their perspective, this is maybe why. And I don't know, maybe it helps to help my own personal narrative to be like, well, maybe it wasn't something I did, maybe I don't take it personally. I who knows. Yeah, but I I I do think cut you know, clear is kind. I don't think you know, if everything is always positive, everyone's happy, some there's something wrong there. I agree because I think I I think I think healthy conflict and difference of opinion is is really important, but again, it does depend, like we said, on who you surround yourself with. Because some, being honest, I've I've worked with people that don't want to hear the feedback, and I can just tell. And I go, I've tried, I've tried, I've tried to give the feedback, give the feedback, it is not well received. Actually, I think it's worse for me now, and that almost teaches you that it's not psychologically safe to speak up. And uh maybe a lot of people listening to this can relate to that, and that's a really challenging position to be in. And I do think if you are in a position where you do feel free to speak your mind in a you know, appropriate and professional way, I think you're very lucky because I actually think it's pretty rare these days.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

Yeah, it's true, isn't it? It is, and I think going on from that in terms of like the other factors that we need to bring into kind of environment, obviously, it's people. I think people is the key thing here, but also space. Like there's a there's a really interesting stat hen. I'm not sure. I don't know. It says the average UK employee is genuinely productive for two hours 53 minutes of an eight-hour day.

SPEAKER_01 26:39

Not me, mate. Not me, mate. I'm productive for for seven hours fifty-nine.

SPEAKER_02 26:44

Yeah, I think, yeah, and it says time tracking and better structured workflows have been shown to both to boost productivity by up to 47%. Environment slash systems matter just as much as willpower, which I totally agree with because I think if I I've I've got into quite a good routine now where on a I tend to fit I try and finish my week, so on a Friday I'll try and make a list of stuff to do for the Monday. So I'm really picked as to what my goals are, um, because I can get quite that's a good strategy, flustered, shall we say. Yeah, because I can get quite flustered, and I think sometimes it can eat into my weekend if I'm spending time kind of overthinking what I've got to do the next week. So I can so but I think yeah, I I struggle as a self-employed person. My workflow and my structures and my systems are something that I'm building out as I go because I'm again I'm learning, I'm not in that kind of fixed corporate space now where there are a process laid out for me. That's a very fair point. Maybe I have lost productivity or product productive time because I'm spending so much time building out those systems at the moment. That's actually something I hadn't really thought of.

SPEAKER_01 27:51

Yeah, I think, yeah, I think systems is important. I think if you just start your day and just raw dog it, I think you can go in all sorts of different directions. I mean, yeah, I I love having a plan, I love time blocking, but also I've got you know, if you're too rigid and you get upset if it doesn't go. I I definitely have been on the end of the scale where shit, you know, I feel like I've been derailed immediately, and that's why I like getting up so early at you know 5am ish. I like get I feel like I've cheated the day because no one's no one's coming for me. I'm on that treadmill this morning at Barry's at 7am. No one is circling their emails back to me at that time, and that that that that is my time, and then I feel like I can give myself fully to the rest of the day and be efficient because I'm not scraping back for that time uh for me. Um I I one of the biggest things that I think on this, and I believe that you will strongly agree with this, is uh it is it is estimated that 18 nearly 19 million of UK households currently are in need to declutter. Not your not your house, um but but I over half of of people in in the UK say clutter leaves them feeling stressed. I mean, yeah, 100%. 100% it absolutely does my nut in. And do you know what I I really like? Have you heard the speech? Um, it's it's an American uh chap. Um it's his name is Admiral William H. McGraven, um, and he uh made a speech called Make Your Bed. And it says, if you make your bed every morning, you'll have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter, and I am that person that I make my bed immediately. And I didn't used to, I'll be honest, because there was a goblin in my bed. So recently, recently, the new there's no no, just me. So I'm having a great time. I feel in charge of of my own life, and honestly, it uh it changes everything.

SPEAKER_02 30:21

Yeah, I'm I could not agree more. Like, I feel my house is my pride and joy. Like, I'm a very, very tidy, clean person, and I'm the same as Laura. Like, in the same way Laura gets up and has a bath in the morning, I will get up and like do the dishwasher, do the catch tray, like hoover, make sure everything's tidy so I can start. I cannot start work if there's stuff to do around the house. I just can't do it, and it has actually a point of contention in the relationship because my part I'm very lucky. George, George is a tidy, clean person, but like I'm tidy and clean to another level, and I've had to really learn whilst living together that like my standards are so much higher, and I I just have to take care of that for myself. Like, I just for me, for me to be productive and to be happy, I have to deal with it my way. I'm a control freak, I'm aware of it, but I I could not comprehend the idea of living in clutter. Like those kind of do you remember those programs like how clean is your house? and like what's called there's like an oh Stacey Solomon like sort your life out, like or like sort the idea I've heard of it, I haven't seen it, but yeah. I love that kind of stuff. Like, I I love if I wasn't what I if I wasn't a women's health coach, I think I would honestly be a cleaner or one of those people that goes into your house and decluttered. Like, I get so much joy. Just call me Mary Kondo, like I literally am that woman, I love cleaning, and yeah, and I actually to be fair, that's why I work better in a space away from my home. Because if there's a wash to put out, that wash is going out before I start any work. So it's it's like it for me, it's like a double-edged sword. Like, sometimes it's great because it definitely starts me off on a productive note, but also I can get so into tidy and organizing because I love it so much, I don't get any work done. So it's like that, like it kind of makes you procrastinate as well.

SPEAKER_01 32:11

100%. I get it, I get it. But I do think if you are in the position where you can have a declutter, things are clean, you've got space to think. But also for girlies like us who are we're hybrid professional girlies, every you know, there's there's many a coffee shop or many a co-working space or many a place on the floor where I've set up uh my working space. Even today, I was working. Well, I was actually in my the co-working space at my jiu-jitsu club, and bizarrely, I was too cold, I was shivering. The air con was so bad I had to take myself out to the hall to steam. But I do think having a separate space for work versus like I just I walked into the co, I was the only one in there this morning. It just got there at just before nine as I arrived from Barry's, and I was like, yes, I felt so good. I'd done that stuff for myself, and believe it or not, well, you will believe it, um, I did get in the bath at quarter past five this morning, and I washed my hair, and I got ready, I put on a full face of makeup, and off I arrived. I was at quarter to seven at Barry's Soho, and basically, my friend Emily, she she actually, you know, bigging myself up, she said this to me. She was like, God, you always look so fresh, and I was like, Oh, yeah, you know, fine. But I didn't want to go, yeah, because I've been up for two hours. I just I think I honestly think it's so informed from my days as a PT. I would never comprehend not turning up on the gym floor at 5 30 to get ready for the day without a full because I knew it would just be downhill from there. I'd be looking dreadful, I'd finish 9 pm looking like slick brick.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

I'm always the same, but I go in like looking reasy refresh in the morning, and then by like 12 o'clock, I'm like, Jesus Christ, so I'm gonna look like I've been on a bender, literally, but no, I don't I and I do know what like as much as I take the makeup, I think it's such a lovely trait, and I I actually think I'm quite similar. Like, I won't ever rock up to work in a vertical mess, like a coaching day without like something on my skin or like feeling like I've put effort in in the morning. I just yeah, I just dream dream mat mousse.

SPEAKER_01 34:19

Dream Mat Mousse and some fate tan on, but do you know? Do you know what I use? Garnier, my my obsession with my loyalty continues. Garnier BB cream. Have you ever tried it? A bloody is that still there? Every day I use it. Yeah, I use Garnier BB Cream Medium because I was there when we launched it. Yeah.

unknown 34:39

Gold.

SPEAKER_01 34:39

Do you know what? Do you know what BB stands for? Beauty balm. Yes, well done. Plus interview. Because at the time when we were launching it, we were like, does anyone because obviously it's come from Asia? C C cream then. Who? CC cream.

SPEAKER_02 34:53

Uh correction concealer. Right. So I love BB. I use the La Roche-Pose tinted SPS.

SPEAKER_01 35:01

Colour correcting, complexion correcting. Sorry. So C C cream has different undertones. So this is my another mastermind subject. It has different like purples and greens, different undertones depending on your complexion. Yes. Whereas BB's got that tint to it.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

Yeah, I hear you. I I can really remember the smell of that weirdly, the BB cream that you use. I used to use myself about that. No, it's a lovely smell. Um, but yeah, I totally hear that. And I think that cleanliness, maybe that's what we're saying, like in terms of like I think personal hygiene probably is actually really important in terms of your environment. Like if you feel clean and good, I think that's what it stems. I think that's what it stems from for me. Yeah, I saw, and I can feel even like on work from home days. I actually I don't think I work from home a single day now because I just I don't feel like I I don't it doesn't make me feel good, but um yeah, on days occasionally when I've maybe like done some work in my pyjamas, I just feel gross, like I just don't feel good about it. Doesn't feel like a treat, it just was like a bit of a yeah, I just don't like it. So no, and also I guess linking to that separate spaces for work versus play. I always find the versus play a bit cringe, like play play time. What am I playing? Yeah, um, but only 24% of homeworkers have a truly dedicated office space, which is true for me because I live in a one-bed flat and our desk is in our living room, and I hate it. Like I absolutely hate it, and I get you've got that there. Literally, she sat here at her desk in her living room. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:29

I love I love it because I'm surrounded by light and big windows.

SPEAKER_00 36:34

I look at a wall, which is I kind of do a little bit, but I've got some lovely just behind me, I've got some lovely pictures of my family, and it's a really lovely desk set, and I've got two big screens.

SPEAKER_01 36:45

I look like I'm on Wall Street, and there's my big spreadsheet, yeah. My and my gay chair. Love it. It's a big gay, it's a big gay chair. I love it. It's like the Graeme Norton big chair that my mum gave me. I will never, I will never change it. But yeah, I do, I do think, you know, how you feel, and I think that's why I feel so crap in this heat. I know we've adjusted probably a little bit, but I uh paired with I slept five hours last night because obviously it was important to go to the football and it was important to go to Barry's this morning, is what it is. Life goes on if your whoop score's not great. Um, I you know, I feel, I'll be honest, absolutely crap. I feel like 10 ton Tessie, but I'm not, but I know that I have to say to myself, I know that I'm not. What is wrong with you? Uh bless you. But mentally, I mean, I know I don't whether it is, I'm not self-diagnosing, but we know that a bit of PMDD is a real thing, and I and I do think it is very relatable for women as you approach different parts of your cycle, that your your perspective of yourself. So that is my pit of the week. My pit of the week is that I feel like a giant potato. I can't help it.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

That's really sad. I need to share with you a song called I need to find it for you. It's a sweet one, but it's called You Are Not a Lutil Potato. It's it's is it Wallow the Sweet Potato? I can't remember what it's from, but it's a child. It's gorgeous, it's gorgeous. I will share that with you. Um that sad, what is my pit? Inefficiency. Oh, you sounding like me. Inefficiency bothers me deeply. What on the rower or in life? In life. In life, in life, I have realized I think I must be quite unbearable to work with because I I didn't want to say, but yeah. Honestly, I annoy myself. Like, if I need to do a task, it's done. It's done immediately. Like, so funny, yes, I messaged Laura. I was like, I don't have time to plan the pod tomorrow. Do you have time to plan it? And then we literally within I think a minute in my WhatsApp inbox, I had this like I was like, we are so annoying, but it just works.

SPEAKER_01 38:55

Um, but yeah, I just I I appreciate your need to close a loop. Yeah, I I feel when you have an open loop, I feel it, and I go, I need to help her close that loop. Yes, and then and then I can also relate to that. So before we started pre we before we press record, I've just had a full-on a panic attack, Sarah, about something. And I was like, before we press record, I've got to share this loop with you. And we close that loop, you're gonna help me close it, and then we'll then we'll we'll start game on as normal. But yeah, I I hear you on in say it. Inefficiency, the opposite of efficiency, it's not the one, it's the one.

SPEAKER_02 39:31

I just can't stand it, and like even in like where was I to say? I was in the petrol station and I just wanted this poor woman bless her, and I think if I had a bit more patience about me, I mean, bear in mind I've been up since 4:30 this morning, so I was like, I just want to get home and it's hot. I hate I hate filling up my car with petrol, I don't know why, but I hate doing it anyway. Done it, got into the Sainsbury's, whatever it's called, to pay. And there's a woman, there's a woman in front of me saying, The pumps aren't working, the pumps aren't working, my petrol's not gone up, but I filled my filled it up. I thought, well, I think it's more like an issue with your car, but you know, I'm just like, I can't face telling her that. But the people behind the kiosk are just doing nothing, and I'm like, can someone speak to this poor woman? And like, come on, let's just be efficient. And I'm like, there's two people here, someone let me make my payment, and I'll be on my merry way. So, yeah, inefficiency is it just it it grinds my gears. But that was my pit of the week, which is very Sarah on brand, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_01 40:26

I'm so sorry to hear that for you, and I I just think going back to our need for resilience, um not everyone, not everyone will uh will do. I I mean yet yesterday, last night uh at Holloway in the tube, uh, I was literally I do this, let's get moving. I can't help myself, I'm clapping. I get it from my I get it from my mother and my aunt. Off we go. Why are we so slow? Can we move? I'm the same. Uh yeah, I I just I I if anyone's ever walked anywhere with me, you will know. I've I I yeah, I have to be really careful.

SPEAKER_02 41:04

Remember that game Subway Surfers, you're the subway surfer.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

I don't remember that at all. Uh it rings no bells.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

They just glide everywhere, just gliding through life. You don't know.

SPEAKER_01 41:16

I just but you know, but you understand it because on the gym floor, there's you can't mosey around the gym floor.

SPEAKER_02 41:23

You've got to get you I used to walk across the boys. Used to take the piss so much because I used to lean forward, I was walking so quickly. I looked at hear you as you walked out the door in the other room.

SPEAKER_01 41:35

She's coming back. Where's it? She's coming back. Dun dun dun dun dun dun. And then there's me.

SPEAKER_02 41:45

They've missed our noises. We are unbearable. Wait, what's your peak then? Let's turn that frown upside down.

SPEAKER_01 41:51

Uh my peak is I'm afraid I'm back. I know I've said it for a few weeks, but I've actually like properly chosen to go and do it. I've had my knee sleeves on twice this week. Yeah, they're back, they're bet they're better. I've got my yeah, I've had my knee sleeves on. I've had covered in yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:08

How often do you wash your knee sleeves? Every time. Oh, thank God. Okay. I've got I've got four pairs. Oh, fantastic news. Carry on, as you were.

SPEAKER_01 42:18

I think I mean, I do think there probably could be a situation where I didn't have two, because it's only me, I don't inflict it on anyone else, so it's only me, but I do unfortunately sweat. So if it's sweat, if there's sweat in there, then yes. However, there has been times where I've trained in gyms that have been cooler and it's not a thing. But unfortunately, in I I currently train in third space, and those knee sleeves are I I unfortunately I I sweat in there. Uh so yes, it's it's it's all a part of it. Um, yeah, I've had my I've had my uh uh straps, I've had my straps on, done some RDLs, my thumb's still not great. Um so yeah, I need to use my straps, but yeah, it's it's been really good. I've done some fitness, I've done, yeah, I've done all of it. It's just been really nice. So I'm like looking at my programme, yeah. I feel like I'm back, but yeah, Barry's is cool. I'm going to Barry's in the morning as well, so I'm buzzing. Yeah, I very kindly um got given uh some some passes. So I just thought, yeah, and obviously, like I just love experiencing fitness. So like a friend uh told me about a new gym in Battersea. Anyway, I just like going to experience different gyms. It is unfortunately in my head, I'll be honest, but I'm I'm I'm analysing it all. And I'm thinking, I don't think we needed to do that pulse. I don't think we needed it it would have been better if we superset with this, blah blah blah. I can't help myself. It's not to say that I know best, I'm just explaining what goes on in my head.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

I'm the same though, and I find it really overstimulating. I think you you see that as a positive experience, which is wonderful. I I always a try. I yeah, I struggle with that. I think I'd find Barries. I'm gonna have to do it one day, but yeah, I just I'm a I'm a girl who likes quiet noises and and broad daylight.

SPEAKER_01 44:16

So but I hear I just think you can do I just think as long as you go into that situation going, I will take your direction and I shall do as I need. Um but yeah, I mean I did I did mention that I I did uh uh understand a situation where a group ex coach did talk about a cue for a single arm upright row and mentioned we don't want to get big traps do we and that absolutely sent me into the nether realm um for the next uh three to four business days. It's just it's just one of those things I can't help myself, I've been in it too long. Again, not saying I know best, I'm just saying it's not something that I would uh suggest. Understood, you know. So so yeah, so that that's been that has absolutely been uh my peak. Do you have do you have any peaks that are uh vagina related?

SPEAKER_02 45:05

Oh, always vagina related with me. But um I that's really throwing me. I don't know why saying vagina really threw me then. Oh grow up, Sarah. I've not I've just what's my main thing?

SPEAKER_01 45:17

Yeah, we're gonna say, but yeah, we've all got one, all right.

SPEAKER_02 45:21

My peak of the week is I launched Drum Roll, please. My own vagina. My first ever built for her, which is my new company with the lovely Rachel Carr. Wars masterclass at Barch, which is where I work, and I am so excited. Like I feel like in the last six weeks or so, I've really distilled this. I as I'm sure many people aware, and Laura is aware of far too much. My brain is extremely busy, and I feel like I juggle a lot of things, but I actually feel like I've distilled down a lot of thinkings into this, and I feel like I'm ticky boxed on progressing how I want it. Anyway, the first step for that is me launching my first ever menopause masterclass, and I've already sold over 70% of the tickets. Gone. That's mad. That's mad. Will there be life drawing there? No, right. You can come and do life drawing there, but I don't know if anyone else I'm listening.

SPEAKER_01 46:20

I love right. Will I get thrown out if I ask someone to take off their clothes because I'd like to draw them? Potentially, yes. Right, okay.

SPEAKER_02 46:29

Probably not the time or place, but I'm excited to go. For anyone who is in the Richmond area, my menopause masterclass is covering everything. I say menopause master with a little sneaky star next to menopause because you will very much learn that menopause is actually the incorrect term for what we're talking about. So menopause is a point in time. It's a point in time, one day in time.

SPEAKER_01 46:50

We're at one moment in time. Is that it? Is that the song? Who's that by? One moment in time.

SPEAKER_02 46:57

Is that Leona Lewis?

SPEAKER_00 46:59

Hopefully.

SPEAKER_02 47:00

Um, anyway, if anyone's in the Richmond area. Whitney Houston. Ah, banger. Um, yeah, sorry, I'm just doing a really bad job of sending this. It's not even for sale, it's for free. But it's gonna be I'm hoping an hour, but I can talk for Britain and we've got loads to cover, but it will be discussing all things perimenopause, all the evidence, all the researchers out at the moment. Actually, some really interesting findings that I've been researching in terms of kind of the crossover between postnatal and perimenopause, and often those um symptoms can be confused and conflicting. So, and I've had messages of people being like, Can I come? I don't think I'm perimenopausal yet. Probably are perimenopausal. Get your bum down there, have a look, have a listen, learn some stuff, and you can you can discuss vaginas.

SPEAKER_01 47:45

If I was uh someone who's interested in this subject, but I am not in the Richmond area, would you consider having any future plans to share some of this information on the line? Why, thank you, Laura for that question.

SPEAKER_02 47:55

That's a fantastic question. Well, yes, I would be up for sharing that, and that will be coming soon as well, my dear. I think so. When I have more time available to me, but right now time is a limited currency.

SPEAKER_01 48:09

Yeah, I get it. Well, big up yourself for that because that's um yeah, it's a it's it's a it's a big step, and just have it, you know, there's a lot that goes into these events and pulling together the content, and I know that you you will put so much into it. So yeah, big up yourself for the menopause masterclass in Barch. What's the date again?

SPEAKER_02 48:27

Monday, the 24th of August, 6 45 till 8 pm. Get yourself down there. Raw indeed. Are you boiling and hate everyone? Maybe you need. I remember once I went to a fancy, I think I'm pairingopause. I threw a potato at my child's head, and we were like, Yeah, I think you are.

SPEAKER_01 48:48

I know, yeah. It's just one of those things, isn't it? You're like, why do I want to uh slap everyone around the back of the head? Oh, that's hormones. Um it is what it is, but yeah, big up yourself. What a week we've had. We've had um a busy week. I mean, it's it's 36 degrees in the shade again today. Tomorrow's looking a little bit better. Um, as usual, this podcast will be going out on the Sunday morning. So if you are listening to this on a Sunday or potentially Monday or throughout the week, as as we see, we get the biggest amount of listens on Sunday and then probably about 70% again uh on on the Monday. So we wish you, we hope you've had a good weekend.

unknown 49:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 49:26

This is this has been our attempt at a shorter podcast, and I think we've nailed it. So I know Carol uh big up Caroline uh Bragg, Pilates PT Extraordinaire. She actually requested a longer pod. Sarah and I just cut yeah, she said she's training for the London Marathons. She's like, please can you make it longer? I just think you'll have to put it on five speed, point five speed if you want it longer, because me and Sarah, we've got we've got vaginas to analyse and I've got powders to sell, and that ain't a that ain't a lie. Legal, legal, not in combination. No, well, potentially, um potentially, we'll see. But we wish you a wonderful week and thank you for listening to us again, as always. Um, I I've I've very much uh enjoyed this conversation.

SPEAKER_02 50:07

Me too. Thank you for joining me. Goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.

SPEAKER_01 50:13

Perfect, well done.