Just As Well, The Women's Health Podcast - Wax, Shave, or Laser: Gemma and Claire Answer ALL Your Questions

Episode Date: August 5, 2025

Our hosts Gemma Atkinson and Claire Sanderson are in the hot seat - no question off limits. Gemma opens up about life in the public eye, answering your questions on fame, body image, wellness, motherhood, and everything in between. From her early days in lads mags and awkward waxing stories to navigating online trolls and building real confidence, nothing is off the table. Expect honesty, laughs, and honest stories as Gemma and Claire get real about what it means to stay strong - inside and out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Peloton. A new era of fitness is here. Introducing the new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus, powered by Peloton IQ. Built for breakthroughs with personalized workout plans, real-time insights, and endless ways to move. Look with confidence while Peloton IQ counts reps, corrects form, and tracks your progress. Let yourself run, lift, flow, and go. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus at OnePeloton.ca. Is it the matcha, or am I this energized from scoring three Sephora holiday gift sets?

Definitely the sets. Full size and minis bundled together? What a steal. And that packaging? So cute. It practically wraps itself. And I know I should be giving them away, but I'm keeping the summer Fridays and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez.

I don't blame you. The best holiday beauty sets are only at Sephora. Gift sets from Summer Fridays, Rare Beauty, Way, and more are going fast. Get full-sized favorites and must-have minis. Bundled for more value. Shop before they're gone. In-store online at Sephora.com. When I was doing the modelling days, my image, my pictures were everywhere.

Every news magazine, you know, the zoos, the nuts, the maxims, page three everywhere. And I look back at those pictures. And I wasn't in the shape. I'm in now as in like muscle. I didn't have my muscles then. I wasn't healthy then. I was drinking. I was having McDonald's for breakfast.

I was out with the girls. Because it wasn't on my radar. Health wasn't on my radar then. I was having fun. I was young. I'm at that stage where I want to feel. feel good before looking good for anyone else. Hi, I'm Gemm Atkinson and I'm Claire Sanderson,

and the editor-in-chief of Women's Health. And for this episode, it's a little bit of a curveball, in it? There's no guests all about us. It's about us. We realise we're talking to all these people, and there might be listeners on here, who don't actually know anything about myself or Claire. So we're doing a meet the host,

kind of ask us anything type of episode. We put this out on our socials, and you guys have sent some brilliant questions in for us, some of which we're seeing for the first time now, so it'd be quite interesting. So yeah, we're going to just rattle through them and hopefully by the end of this step, you know, a little bit about myself and Claire. So, shall we dive straight into some of the questions we've been asked? Yes. So one of the questions I was asked, Gemma, is how are you two friends?

So we first met 2017, I think. On the students. I asked you to be on the cover of Women's Health, if you remember, because you were on Strictly at the time. And I'm a big Strictly fan, still am. And you invited me to come and watch you in the live audience,

which was the thrill of my line, to watch that. Although it's much smaller than you realise. And it's so long, the show is so long. You have to be there at like 4 o'clock, don't you? Yeah, and they give you like a bag of nuts or something. Yeah, that's sort of like orange juice. Because you're not allowed out of the studio, you're not allowed out. But following that, you were on our Jan Feb issue.

No, January issue, at the time it was just a January issue, which is the big issue for women's health. And you were on the cover, and it's sold amazingly well, as have your last two covers after that as well. It's been on the cover three times. And there's only one other person who's been on the cover three times. I've done that hat trip. You have done the half-trade.

And it's been at different stages of your journey as well, isn't it? So one was pre-children. Pre-children. One was after Mia. Because I remember when the second one came in, I remember saying to you, oh, Mia's only going to be about six months old. And then I remember thinking,

why is that going to stop me? I'll be doing it with a six-month-old baby. My body's not going to look how it did. And I thought, what a platform to be able to show women, you know, just because you've had a baby, it doesn't stop you doing things, but also because you've had a baby, you're not going to look how you did,

and that's okay. No one expects you to. So that was kind of, I was on the fence about doing that one, and I just thought it's a great opportunity to do it. And then the third one was after Tiago, and when I turned 40, my 40. Yes, because it was for your 40th, isn't it?

So that was this year, Jan Fever issue, the double issue this year, which was the best selling issue for two years? Really? Yeah. It was the best selling issue. This is my first issue. Yeah.

But, no, so that's how we first met, wasn't it? And then they became mates and you've been to Strictly since. So now we've got this. We do. So when I decided that Woman's Health was going to launch a podcast, you were my one and number one and my only option as my co-host. That was, yeah, because you just completely embody women's health, in my opinion. You're not only down to earth, relatable, you genuinely live the lifestyle.

but in amongst all the other responsibilities us women have, you know, you've got your two children. So I'm at the stage where you still have to do everything for them in terms of getting dressed and stuff. But mentally and hormonally, they're the chill. You're at the stage where they can do their own shoes and stuff, but hormonally and mentally they're wild. Yeah.

It's a different phase for every parent, in it? But it's still hard. I genuinely worked from the age of 12. And I look now at our children and they think, God, they don't know they're born. I sound like my mother. I know when my mother say phrases like that, but I just think, goodness, me,

I was out there earning money when I was 12, 13. I don't even know if it was legal, too honest, but this was the 80s. Anything went. I've been sent a question. I think this is mainly for you, Claire, although it does reply to me as well.

But obviously you're the editor of men's and women's health. Yes. So someone said, with us both working in their health and wellness space, do you ever feel under pressure to stay in shape yourself? Hugely. Really? Massively, massively so.

And to the extent that last year when I put on a lot of weight, and I was the biggest I had been in my adult life, pregnancies aside, probably actually bigger than when I was full term pregnant. And I felt so, so uncomfortable in my own body. And a lot of that pressure was put on myself because I didn't feel that I represented. that I represented what the editor of woman's health should look like, which is ridiculous because actually wellness and health is so nuanced and everyone can be in all different shapes and sizes and still be healthy.

And I actually went to a clinic, a health clinic in Spain called Shaw Wellness the previous summer and had loads of health tests. And I was told that most of my readings were way above average for my age, though even though I was carrying a bit of extra weight, I still had much higher than average muscle mass or nearly all of them were exemplary, my readings, my stress levels were, they said, at top of the chart,

considering I was someone in the position I am, I'm someone who can deal with stress. And I know that. An absolutely tornado can be going off and I don't feel stress and pressure, but I put pressure on myself about my appearance, which is sad and a bit ridiculous because how I look has absolutely

no influence on my ability to do this job. But I put that pressure on myself. And I blame it from the generation where I grew up in. So I grew up in the 80s and the 90s when the... Yeah. The representation of women was very slim, very lean, heroin chic. And curvy women, and I am a curvy woman, were not at all represented. And in fact, we're a lamb bastard for having a hint of cellulite.

you remember the days of magazines, the weeklies, that would put women on the cover and circle their cellulite and all stuff like that. Awful. Yeah. So I grew up with that. So it's no wonder women of my generation, which is slightly older than you, are a generation of women who beat up on their own bodies.

So I've always put pressure on myself and my appearance. But last year in particular, because I catastrophized and just thought I didn't represent what the editor of women's health should look like. But the logical part of my brain knows. that's ridiculous. Yeah. And especially because you're like the editor of a magazine that empowers women regardless of shape, size, age situation, you know, whatever they're dealing with in life. And like you say, it has no impact at all on your ability to do the job you do so well.

Although it has somewhat has an impact in that I had such a downer on myself. I didn't feel my best self and I didn't feel the best version of my healthier self. You know, I was. a bit fatigued and I was getting run down. So, and to be, to do my job when I'm spinning so many plates, so many, you know, I've got a big team reporting into me, two brands, a podcast now. I need to be the best version of myself. And for me, that is exercising and eating well, because that's when I feel the best, the most physically and mentally healthy. What about yourself? I don't feel pressure to stay in shape as such because I always think who am I staying in shape for

if anyway, it's myself, you know, and I've been criticised for having too much of a muscular frame, too much of a manly frame, for having massive boobs when I had my boob job back in my glamour modelling days. So I think however I put myself out there, there's always going to be a criticism of, you know, she looks like a man or she's too much. or she's, you know.

So for me, I kind of think, I'm not doing it for any of them. I'm doing it for my health. I think my mindset flipped and I realized I want health and longevity, not just a physique to please strangers. And I don't know whether that's since becoming a mom. Because when I think back to when I was doing the modelling days, my image, my pictures were everywhere. Every news magazine, you know, the zoos, the nuts, the maxims,

page three everywhere. And I look back at those pictures and I wasn't in the shape. I'm in now as in like muscle. I didn't have my muscles then. I wasn't healthy then. I was drinking. I was having McDonald's for breakfast. I was out with the girls because it wasn't on my radar.

Health wasn't on my radar then. I was having fun. I was young. It didn't matter to me if I rocked up to a shoot having four hours sleep. That's what I make a part of his foot. I'm now at that stage. I could probably still do that, but I would feel like shite. Yeah.

And for me now, I don't know if it's an age thing, but I'm at that stage where I want to feel good before looking good for anyone else. Do you know what I mean? I don't want to arrive to work on no sleep. I'd still get the job done, but I hate feeling crap. So for me, rather than have outside pressure from strangers, I'm like, okay, what's going to work for me in terms of my health, my longevity, my wellness? Back in the day, maybe it would have affected me.

Whereas now, I always think all bullocks to them. I'm not bothered if they think there's a problem. I don't look right for them, that's fine. But I look and feel right for me. But I have quite a strong history of depression. I was particularly bad in my 20s. I've been on an even keel for years, but a way to keep my depression on an even keel and not dip

is through optimal nutrition and not drinking alcohol very often because it does make me feel shit. And I think it makes me feel probably a bit more shit than some people in the days after. and I struggle to get myself back up onto that even keel. So for me, eating too much sugar, eating too much processed food is a sure-fire way to impact, yeah, negatively impact my mental health and I can't afford for that to happen. No.

And the beer fear as well. Yeah. We don't want any bear fare. Ooh, I used to wake up in the morning after a night out, and I used to dread, it was before the online stuff, I used to dread going to the petrol station because I'd see front page a headline of either I was drunk, or a picture of me and I remember there was a picture of me

and my good friend Kath Dad Blight and she played my mum on Holly Oaks and we had a whale of a time. I always joke that thank God there was no social media back in the Oaks days otherwise we'd never work when you've heard from Divinia Taylor what it was like, crykey but there was a picture of us both

trying to get out of this taxi that makes me laugh now we were both so drunk because we had a good night out but I remember putting petrol in the car that the following afternoon and seeing myself and going oh my gosh and I remember it really really upset me

to the point of I went home I cried to my mum and my mum said tell me you were just on a night out were your friends what are you on about she said how many people were in that bar I said well it was packed and she weren't there you go she said the only thing is is they've not been pictured on a paper they've probably been pictured on the little Kodak camera by then they've got the evidence for themselves

She said, the only difference is, is the evidence of your night out is public. And if you can't handle it, you need to get a different job. She said, because it's going to continue. And from that moment, I thought she's right. I either have to think, all right, this is my life. I'm not hurting anybody. I'm going to live it. Or I have to find a job that I don't want to do and I don't enjoy

just because of what other people think of me. And it's a tricky one. I assume it's a lot, lot harder now with social media. You know, because it's not like you even have to wait the next day for the press to print it. It's their done live. People can be on an Instagram live filming you without you knowing, which is just awful.

And then you see all the trawl comments. Yes, yeah. Yeah, so I tend, I mean, I don't go out a lot now anyway. I only really drink on special occasions. But I tend to have, if I do want to get like that, I have it at house, a house party. So then at least in the morning it's just my own beer fear. No one gets to see it in the papers the next day.

I can't imagine that. Because during my party years, mid-90s, early noughties, no one had camera phones. You know, yeah, it was the disposable cameras that people took ours, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. When I was in uni in London in the mid-90s, no one even had mobile phones. And I think in my final year, I got one of those Samsung brick things. Yeah. But goodness me.

The glory days, because I call them. All right, so I've got one here for you. You're quite a personal one. Okay. Wax, shave or laser? Oh, I've been lasered. All of that? I've had laser on my legs, laser on my bikini,

shade my armpits, but everything else has been lasered, but I've got this strip. I've kept the strip. I didn't want a dolphin's mouth strip. I remember I had everything waxed once. My friend, Jem, does me waxing. Well, did my waxing.

And she used to break, leg right up, kid. Leg back kid, get your all positions. and she said, have you ever had it all off, like Brazil? Is it a Brazilian or Hollywood? Hollywood, all off, yeah. I said, no. And I was going on holiday. So she said, well, let's get it all off, see if you like it.

And she got it all off. Honestly. I didn't like it. I got home and I thought, it looked like I've got a dolphin's mouth. And then I felt like a bit, I don't know, I just didn't, I felt a bit young. I didn't like it. So when I came back, I said to her, don't ever give me that again. Always leave me something.

and then as obviously time's gone on see how does my laser so I go like twice a year for a top-up but I haven't shaved my legs for about five months and they're air-free that is good a big socks

yeah I recommend laser and it's the ice laser so it's not painful there used to be a heat laser that was painful but the ice doesn't hurt and it's quick what about you I've told me you wouldn't ask me A mixture of both. I have had laser.

Right. But I've not gone from the top for the top of. So I now get... Just false. Yeah, so I get it waxed. I get it waxed. It's waxed. And shave my legs.

Laser something that I got, well, I'm going to go and do that. I'm going to do that. I've got one of those Phillips lasers at home. There's no excuse. I could do it. Because even the at home lasers are really good now. days. So maybe you've inspired me. I said, you need to do it in the winter, don't you?

Yeah, because you can't do it when it's done. It's a pain doing your top one. When you first so many sessions, you're like, oh God, but then when it's done, yeah, it's so much better. This one is for you. How do you decide who's on a men or women's health cover? So there's a few reasons that I try and go for. So there's the most obvious one, which is fame. So the bigger the star, especially the bigger of their social following,

because we ask cover talent to share all our content on their social followings, which increases the reach enormously. And also, if you get a big star, it'll get picked up a lot by the national press. So on women's health, your cover got picked up a lot. We shot Davina this year post brain surgery, and that got picked up a lot by the national press. So, and that helps enormously to drive traffic online and the sales. But we wouldn't put a person on the cover unless they truly live the lifestyle.

So someone can't go on the cover of women's or men's health just because they're famous. That they need to be seen to be living a wellness lifestyle as an inspiration to the audience. And on women's health especially, I really want the cover stars to be the type of women that you can sit down and have a good old chimwag with. Or you maybe go to the pub and share a glass of wine and, and, and, and, have a chat with. I don't want it to be so aspirational that it's unattainable. Yeah, I know what you mean. Yeah. Got to be something, because no one, myself included, like, so you can look like me, but all you need to do is have water fast, getage soup, exercise seven hours a day and have no social life. Yeah, and have millions and

millions and millions of pounds of your disposal that you're not really living in the real world and you've got access to this, that and the other. So they need to be relatable and down to earth on women's health. It's the same on men's health. You have a certain type of cover star that seems to perform a bit better. Like a slightly older man who's in really good shape

because then it provides inspiration to the audience. But generally, or they can be really quite famous within their engaged audience. And give you an example of a cover star that sold really well is Leanne Haynesby.

Now, Leanne Haynesby is a Peloton instructor. So if you haven't got a peloton, you may not know who Leanne Haynes Fee is, but if you do have a peloton, you're obsessed with her. Because she's one of the most famous peloton instructors, the most engaged. The Peloton statue, she's one of the most popular amongst this audience globally.

So she was on her cover. After she had breast cancer, actually, she was taught, she was, you know, 34, beautiful girl, peak health, and had breast cancer. So it was a really emotional story. There was a news reason for her being on there. but it's sold really well. But even though the Peloton audience is disproportionately small compared to the national population, chances are a lot of those Peloton instructors

are women's health readers. So we try and tap into those more niche, but super engaged audiences. So there's like a science behind it all as well. It's not just he's in shape, let's get him. Yeah, there is a science, but also you've got to think I've been at this brand now, it'll be nine years in January.

So, you know, there's a lot of hunch an editorial judgment that comes into play and I am quite good at just like for instance the cover star at the moment is Lucy Bronze and I'm sure everyone watched the match recently for the Euros where she was the she scored the second goal she scored the winning penalty like she's the golden girl of the Euros

and she's on the cover now and that was just my hunch and she's the girl that we need to go after for the Euro so I do I've you know I've got that gutting instinct that I trust as well Yeah. And with the men's health as well, do you get any questions about being an editor of a male magazine, or is that not? No, when I was first promoted to take over men's health, which was, well, it'll be two years in December ago. I can't believe how quick Matt's gone. I did face a little bit of criticism online and on Twitter. How can a woman run a men's magazine? Right.

But, you know, I don't even dignify that with a response. And I've got an almost exclusively male team around me. so I can use my editorial judgment, but also the beauty of being in the media these days is that you have real-time data at your disposal as well by looking at what are people looking at on the website, what are people engaging with on the social channels, even platforms like Apple News Plus now,

you can see what contents people are engaging in. So there's so much data, the rich data, that I can use to inform cover choices, while leaning on my team, but also just leaning on my expertise as a journalist who was worked in the national media for 27 years. So I'm showing my age now. But I've worked.

My first job was on a national newspaper at the Daily Mirror in 1999. So I've worked for such a long time in the national press. I've got so much experience that I can draw upon. So you know what you're doing, so have that. Yeah. Anyway, you reached out and gave her abuse. So this person wants to know our morning routine. Now, I know you're quite big on a morning routine, aren't you?

You're your early morning workouts and you've got your whizzer thing and your coffee. Tell us all about that. You see, well, my routine's different from the first six months of the year when Gorker's home, I'm up around sixish, half six, but from July until December, he's anywhere for Strictly. So he's in London where they filmed strictly, but based on where his partner could be, that's where he has to live in the week. So I always, you know, I'm the one on the school run. And for me to get up and train, it's far more beneficial.

than me having an extra few hours in bed and trying to squeeze it in after. So when Gork was away, my lamb goes off at half past four. I get up and, but I am in bed for like nine. I go down to bed at nine o'clock. And like literally I meet the kids go to bed at eight

and I have an hour to myself, do what I need to, in bed for nine, red light mask, everything. And then I love to be asleep no later than half nine. So it's like not very rock and roll. But my land goes off at a pass four, go downstairs,

now I'll be letting Benji the dog out for a quick way. And I always have, you'll know it as a bulletproof coffee, but it's literally just a black coffee with my MCT and collagen in it. Whizz it up, so it's a nice, thick and frothy. Have that kind of potter about at 10, 15 minutes, do what I need to do. And then I go in the gym. I've got a gym equipment and stuff at home. So I'll do my session.

I like to start it at 5, finish around 10 to 6. quarter to six. It's a quick session done by Elliot who we spoke to on here. And then I'm back in the house, eat, prep my food for the day. Tiago will probably wake up about half six, quarter to seven, near a little bit later. So as long as I've done everything I need to do, by 7 a.m. latest, I'm going to go. So when the kids wake up, they've got my full attention. I'm feeling amazing, energized because I've trains, I've eaten well, I've refueled. I feel great. I've had a good night's sleep because I was in bed at nine. So the kids, the school run, I do all that, get Tiago to nursery, get me to school. And then I do a dog walk, take Benji, normally about half an hour,

a nice dog walk, come home and then that morning is then time for any admin I have to do. So say we need to catch up about this. I've got the gem and tonic, the business that I run, so I have to do all that stuff. Any social things I need to do, I do all that, have my lunch, and then I have to be in work for the radio that I leave my house about two. I have to be there at three, prep show on air four to seven, and I'm all about quarter to wait for bedtime and kids in bed.

So it is quite regimental. It is, but I love a routine. I do love a routine. For me, that's where I thrive. If I've got a day where I've not got a lot planned, I'm like, oh, I never kind of know, I don't really rest well. I love a to-do list, a checklist.

With Amex, Platinum, $400 in annual credits for travel and dining means you not only satisfy your travel bug, but your taste buds too. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Conditions apply. So what, when that alarm goes off at 4.30, to me that sounds disgusting. So what, are you someone that goes, right, I'm up? Or do you have to have a chat with yourself?

I mean, it's seven and a half hour sleep that I've had. Yeah, but it's so far. It's the middle of the night, though. Like this morning I woke up really early I was in the hotel because obviously I stay down here in London and my call time wasn't too late but I was like about 10 to 6 I was very wide awake so they did a bit stretching and stuff in the room but I think your body adjust and I used to do breakfast radio

on RD drive time when I did the breakfast show we were on air at 6 so I used to get up at half four for that but I think I thrive better if I've I love coming home from work knowing that I don't have to do anything, everything's done. And I get through the day better if I've had a training session. If I skip a session, people think it makes you more tired.

For me, I'm tired when I'm not doing anything. That's when I start sorting. I mean, do you train first thing, or do you have to train in the evening? No, I can't train in the evenings. But I never have. Even when I was single, no kids, I was really someone who would exercise. I used to go maybe runs in the evening. I'm someone who has to train in the morning.

but I couldn't set my alarm at 4.30, no chance. Sam Dugia. No. Well, I get up at 6.30 because, which depends if it's a working from home day. I set my alarm on quarter past six because I have to get my son up at 6.30. So I give myself 10 minutes, 15 minutes before I have to deal with getting him out of bed because getting teenage boys out of bed at 6.30 in the morning can be challenging. And he's much bigger than me, so I can't actually, you know, physically roll him out of bed.

So then I get him off to school. and then I'll take my daughter to school to breakfast club get back to the house by about 20 past 8 and then exercise and then get ready to log on between 9 and 915 and then I end up doing what is Bickram sitting there during my working day and the clothes I've trained in that morning

but I do that in order because if I'm working from home I'll try and go for a walk at lunchtime otherwise I'll just end up sitting in my home office but on office days I you've inspired me to try and set my alarm earlier because I have to be on the train by 8 o'clock in the morning to come up here and then before that I had to get two kids off to school.

But so I get my training in by walking everywhere so I walk up from Waterloo to the office, 25 minutes, walk back at the end of the day. If I've got any meetings, I'll walk to them. If I've got time and I do try and get out at lunchtimes I'll go and walk around St. James's Park. I just try and get as much walking in us possible.

Yeah. Well, that's brilliant. Yeah. And it breaks up the day, doesn't it? And then I always train. Seems different for everybody. Yeah. And I'd always train on a Saturday and a Sunday, regardless of, yeah, I will fit it in on a Saturday and a Sunday.

We don't have to do it quite as early. My kids are not as needy as yours. They're at an age now where they're quite self-sufficient on a weekend. You know, we have to take them to sport, but the sport doesn't start until like 9, 9. So a little bit in your time. We carried ours on on holiday when we were in Tenerife, the start of the year. Me and Gorka took it in turns. So I wake up one morning

Go and do my session and be back in the room for Half seven the latest The following morning he'd get up So one of us would stay with the kids Again that I think it's cooler in the morning Is an hell quality anyway

But that settles up for the day of right We've got all day at the beach now We can play in the pool We're not clock watch it And it's not kind of I think some people might see it as a selfish thing But I prioritise training Like you would a meeting

You have to prioritise it in And even if like, you know, my agent says, can you do this call at this time? No, I'm training at that time. I can do it before that or after that. Yeah, as you have to be accountable to yourself, it's not something you do and whereby you canceling other stuff to have a jolly or watch a Netflix show, whatever. You're invested in your health mentally and physically. And there's no, there's no greater investment than that.

So I always schedule it in. This is my time. I'm benefiting my health. No one just to her, mate. Yeah, after there she could all pull me in whichever direction you want me in. But for now, leave me alone and do my session. That's genuinely how I view it. But I'm old enough now that my son goes to the gym with me.

So I'm spotting my 13-year-olds. Yeah, because he's really into it now and reads men's health. As soon as it arrives at home, he takes it up to his bedroom to read. But, yeah, so when we were on holidays, Obrista, every other morning, We went to the gym and it was borderline we'd start bickering because he doesn't want mummy

to telling him what to do so if I went over and invited to correct his form he absolutely didn't want to listen to me but then if he needed to be spotted for a trespress or something then I'd come into my own and I would help him but there's nothing to make you feel old

than taking your teenage son to the gym because you're like... And my two have always seen me exercise and then my nine-year-old now we have a peloton bike at home but it's a whole training platform and she goes into our little home gym and does the dance cardio workouts

and she knows how to work the screen out herself because kids these days are more tech literate than we'll ever be it, you know, and she'll go in and she put on a little dance cardio and it's almost a bit like old school zumba but she's in the, you know, and then she'll come in and pick up the really, you know, the light weights that you get on the back

of the peloton bike but she'll be copying me, you know, she'll try and, you know, she'll try and follow along. And so it's, I remember in COVID, we did pee with Joe every day, you know. So, yeah. So, yeah, and, you know, both of them like sport now. So I hope it has brushed off on them a little bit. Sure, he has.

Yeah. Another question I had is that someone saying that they love the pod, thank you very much. And they said, who are we most excited to speak to with the guests that we've got lined up? So the person I was the most excited, to meet and thoroughly enjoyed speaking to her as

Lucy Bronze because I think she's a true inspiration in female sport that she is will go down as the legend of female football

I think she's she's 34 now which makes her the oldest lioness and something she's proud of

and she's been playing women's football back from when she had to sleep on people's sofas because there was no money in it at all

and she's seen the game grow into the spectacle that it is that packs out Wembley and I don't think she can quite appreciate or get her head round how big women's football is now

and she feels that she's grown with it and meeting her she's the most decorated female footballer in the world she's won the treble in three different countries but she's so humble and down to earth with it and I just thoroughly enjoyed meeting her and I took my daughter Nell who I've mentioned who plays girls football

along to the recording and it's just such a privilege of this job that I can give my children core memories like that Yeah, and meet legends Yeah And sport For me, we've not spoke to it yet

We're speaking to us soon Kate Moyle The sex expert Yeah I'm so excited for this Because I think it's a very taboo area I think a lot of people Women especially get a bit shy

When it comes to sex And how you sex drive changes during perimenopause and menopause and from partner to partner and it's a big part of a relationship in my opinion you want it to do well and strive and keep going and the reality is when you're tired with kids and you're working and you're in different places and you know your hormones are going all over the place it's not always the way and I think someone like kate can help was not normalize that but have a reason why that happens it's not just like oh you don't fancy him anymore something can be going on home

only, you know. So I'm really interesting to delve into that and find out, you know, loads of questions that you speak to your girls like and you're like a WhatsApp group. Yeah. Well, we did ask on women's health, we put an ask out on our socials for questions. And some of them, well, put it this way, I'm not asking them. You can. Yeah, you will. I'm too, uptight. Some of them. Of all the women listening, I will ask those questions. I just think it's fascinating because all, when I'm with my girlmates from school, it's all we talk about, you know, like, oh, under what he's, I wonder what she's like. Like, we hope that's what girls talk about.

It's bizarre. And maybe it's just because we're all 40 now, maybe we're going through this spike. I don't know, this peak, I don't know what it is. Apparently, that is a thing. Really? Yeah, yeah, apparently. It's your last fertile years, your body's going, right, make me pregnant now. Yeah, apparently we go through a bit of a...

We can ask Kate tomorrow, but you go through a bit of a horny... Hey, wow. Maybe that's what it is then. But it is things like, for me, Justin Bieber, it's like a young lion and I've watched a video of another day and thought, oh my God, they're quite attracted to me. So I need to know why that's happening.

So yeah, Kate, I'm really looking forward to speaking to. So this next one, to caveat it with neither you or I are qualified personal trainers, but we have a lot of knowledge and I think that's why this question has been asked. So I'll ask it of you. This person here was struggling to get mentally and physically fit after two babies.

Now we've both been there, we've both had two babies and she would like our tips. My first one would be to, you're an athlete for having two babies. There's no great, there's nothing harder than growing, housing, birthing and raising a child in my opinion. I would, you know,

any boxy ring, CrossFit, gym, swimming lens, whatever, it's a walk in the park compared to doing that. So the fact that she's done that in itself, pat on the back to it as it's bloody hard. And I would remember what your body's capable of in doing that. You know, remember what it's achieved. And I would take it slow and steady, not all in, kind of. Small changes daily make a massive, massive difference.

and, you know, to mentally feel better first, for me, we were more important than how you look. Like a cold shower in the morning, give yourself a big dolphin boost, you know, kick off your hormones in the right way, walking outside in nature, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. That's what my advice would be. Yeah, it's really hard.

I would say be kind to yourself as well, you know. We put ourselves under such pressure to bounce back, you know, and to go back to what it was. but no, you have to look forward. You know, you're a different person. You have birthed a child. And I know when I was on maternity leave with both of mine, I did go back to exercise quite quickly.

And I also want to caveat this was saying I had two very straightforward, easy births. So I was able to go back very quickly. I know you had a different experience and you had two emergency C-sections. So we all have very different birth stories. So you have to go for your checks. and sometimes the NHS six-week check is maybe less sub-optimine

and you need to go to a female health physio to check that you really are ready to exercise again. But for me, even though I'm someone who's trained in a gym for years and years, I started training in the living room and putting the baby in a bouncer, watching me, because babies think that's hilarious then, watching mummy, you know, jump up and down. Yeah, what is she doing? often using the baby as a weight

and I remember just following this was back in the days of a PDF training plan Kayla Restina I don't know if you remember Kayla's yeah I used to do hers but these days if you were to go on the woman's health app you'll find your training plan that Elliot wrote for the woman's health app

and your full body four week plan so there's lots of plans on there there's a plan on there for Joe Wiley who was on our cover last year this cover stars generally we speak to their trainers and they give us training plans. So if you were to go on the women's health app,

you can get access to a training plan if you need a little bit of inspiration, a bit of guidance. But also, and there's free workouts on our YouTube as well, you don't have to go to a gym. You could maybe start at home and just do a bit to get yourself. Yeah, build yourself up slowly.

How often do you train for maximum results? I tend to do maximum five times a week. Matt's, I would have two rest days a week. So I do two big strength days, cardio days, more of a moderate one. And my cardio can be anything from an arm rap or a walk with Benji. You know, Elliot does my programming, but he's very understanding that. With kids, if something comes up, they come first, you know. And listening to your body as well.

If I've been up all night mid-Tiago, that 4.30 alarm will go. go off but rather than go and do a really big strength session that was planned it could be a case of a lovely coffee sitting in the garden watching the sun come up doing some yoga and stretches still moving but i'm not over exerted you know over exerting myself but i do like to have two rest days as well whereas it's nothing it's just me because that's when your muscles grow when you're not training and so that's hugely important to me what about you so i strength train three or four times a week and then on the days I'm not strength training I do my walking which are my office days

but I do try and do 15, 20 minutes max of cardio so yesterday I went on the treadmill for 15 minutes other times I'll go on my peloton bike for 20 minutes because I actually had tests by a sport scientist for work a few years ago and they told me that my inflammation levels were through the roof

and they attributed it to too much high intensity exercise because I was doing a lot of cross-fit type training at the time. So I scaled it right back. And then I went for the same tests about 18 months later and my inflammation levels were completely normal. So it just goes to show, yeah, I did reverse it. So now I just concentrate on strength training and walking with a bit of cardio thrown in for heart health, land capacity, etc.

We've got the quick fire crash. Yes. We always ask guests these at the end of each. session. So it's only fairly asking each other. Yeah, go on them. So I'll come into your house for tea. What are you going to make me? Well, I'm a terrible cook. I'm just, I just can't be bothered, to be honest. I rotate the same dishes, but I am good at a roast. Now, I know that you're vegetarian, so I would do a vegetarian version of a roast, but would you still have the roast if they were cooked in olive oil, cauliflower cheese, yeah, all that.

Yeah, and I'd try and I'd attempt, I can't promise how good it be, but I'd attempt like a nut roast or something. I mean, you don't really have fish with a roast. I eat, on holiday, I'll eat fish if I'm abroad. Right. It's more of a, it sounds really snobby. For me, it's more of where my food's from. Yeah.

It meets me kind of, I remember I picked up some food, some salmon in a supermarket a year or so back. and it said farmed in Devon. I just thought, this fish hasn't eaten been in the blooming ocean, so why on earth am I going to eat it? Whereas when we're in Tenerife, and it's fresh, literally caught on the day, I think, right, that is what it's supposed to be. But I don't want me to go well with a roast dinner, would it?

No, you'd have to do me a nut roast. Nut roast. Right, go on, then. What am I coming? What am I having me around? I'm going to do your capricis salad, you call it? It was the tomatoes, mozzarella and the olive oil. Lice, yeah. And then I'd sweet talk. Gora to make you a high hour. Buy I'm allergic to mollusks.

See, you'd have to take those up. That's fine. We can have it. Just no moloops. It does a vegetable one for me so you could show. Yeah. And then dessert would be in Biscophe's cheesecake. Nice. Love blue. Like I say, if Gorkor wasn't at home, it'd probably just be on TV dinner or a deliveroo. Char Frazy from a desk from a supermarket. What was the last thing that means you laugh, belly laugh? So I love comedies that I can.

watch with my kids and the ones that really make me Benny laugh or Schitts Creek on Netflix, which I can just watch on repeat. Gavin and Stacey makes me laugh, although it's not that appropriate to watch with a nine-year-old. And there are a few scenes with, you know, Nessa and Smithy that you have to forward, fast forward. And I also like Superstore on Netflix.

I don't know. That's very funny. I could re-love comedies all day. Here we go on the BBC. that's a good one. You need to watch that as well. So they're my four top tips. What about you?

Well, the last time I genuinely laugh was just then talking about me and Cass pissed off, falling out of a taxi. But anything with the kids, I think they're at the age where they're either fight it or really crudley and loving. And I think they're, you know,

me is at that stage where poo's funny. The word poo, if anyone trumps, you know, how they react to them. It makes me laugh every single day. Yeah. So yeah, I'd say me and Cass drunk are my kids. It's a big mix, isn't it? If you're going to a desert island for a year,

the one thing you could take, oh, I'd take Benji in my dog. Would you? Take the dog with me. We'd have a lovely time. Just us to on a desert island. It'd be marvellous. See, I would have to take mozies spray because I'm even being bitten in my bedroom.

Yeah, I just, I think we must have that sweet blood. I was even Googling last night. Why am I being bitten? Whereas my husband, who is laying in the bed next to me, is not being bitten. And apparently it's to do with your scent and your blood type. But I'm literally covered in them. I woke up, I've got them all over my neck and the top of my back. Yeah.

Grim. And lastly, if you can only do one type of training, for the rest of your line. Same as you, lift weights. Yeah, strands training. Yeah. I just love how it makes me feel mentally and physically. Yeah. Same.

I love that I can deadlift and backscot more than I have more. I can't back some more than our way, that's the lie. Brack and Dead live more than our way. So, yeah. Well, I fairly enjoyed that. I see it. And I'm thoroughly enjoying hosting this podcast with you. So if anyone would like to know more about us,

we could do this episode again, send in more questions. Yeah. And thankfully, you guys are listening, which is great. We've got some amazing guests lined up. So stay tuned to just as well. And if there's anyone who you would like to feature, maybe you've got someone who you really look up to and you think I'd love to grill them, just pop a comment and we'll try and reach out to them and see if we'll come on.

But I hope you enjoy this episode. So you can access this podcast, wherever you access to your podcast. So Apple, Spotify, YouTube, but it wouldn't mean the world to us if you could subscribe and also leave us a review. Rinse takes your laundry and hand delivers it to your door, expertly cleaned and folded. So you could take the time once spent folding and sorting and waiting to finally pursue a whole new version of you. Like tea time you. Or this tea time you. Or even this tea time you.

Said you hear about Dave? Or even tea time, tea time, tea time you. So update on Dave. It's up to you. We'll take the laundry. Rinse. It's time to be great.