The Uneducated PT Podcast - Ep 113 – From Cocaine to Clarity: Redefining Midlife with Bruce Robertson

Episode Date: August 28, 2025

This week I’m joined by the very handsome and very wise Bruce Robertson — a health and fitness coach helping people in their 40s and 50s redefine what midlife looks and feels like. Bruce is a 10/10 coach and human being. His work goes far beyond sets and reps — it’s about building a sustainable, meaningful life that doesn’t stop at the gym door. In this conversation we dive deep into:💊 Addiction, Escapism & Recovery — Bruce’s relationship with cocaine, the culture that normalised it, and the turning points that led him towards lasting change.🧠 ADD & Mental Health — how diagnosis shaped his understanding of himself, and the tools he now uses to manage focus, stress, and stimulation.🤝 Community & Belonging — the role of accountability, relationships, and support in recovery and in building a healthier midlife.🏋️ Coaching & Purpose — how Bruce’s struggles made him a more empathetic coach, and why autonomy is the secret ingredient to lasting results.🌱 Wisdom for Midlife — lessons learned, truths faced, and what a well-lived life looks like beyond 40.This one’s packed with raw honesty, practical insights, and wisdom that anyone — whether you’re navigating midlife, coaching others, or just looking for a reset — can take something from.Bruce Page

Hello and welcome back to the uneducated PT podcast. Today I'm joined by the very handsome, very wise Bruce Robertson, a health and fitness coach, helping people in their 40s and 50s redefine what midlife looks like and feels like knowing Bruce personally. I can say it's a 10 out of 10 coach and a 10 out of 10 human. So I'm looking forward to having this conversation with you. Welcome to the podcast. Thanks, Kyle. How you doing?

I'm doing very well. So what I'm going to, I'm going to ask you to talk first and foremost about addiction. escapeism and recovery as well because I was listening to your podcast that you did with our good friend Adam as well all about even your relationship with cocaine and I was even I was actually I pulled up a few stats on this as well

because I thought it was quite interesting so wastewater analyst estimates that Londoners consume around 23 KG of pure cocaine per day amounting to over half a million doses this makes London the top consumer among European cities for cocaine use. Isn't that interesting? Because they said like they're pure cocaine.

And like, you know, from my experience, you know, the majority or my, you know, prior experience, I should say, like the majority of cocaine in London isn't fucking far from pure. So if that's what they've picked up from the wastewater, the actual volume of actual, in-in-a-comers, cocaine that people are doing, must just be. staggering. Yeah, it's much more than that, but I presume that's the only way that they can. Yeah, that's what they're looking for. They're picking up one. Yeah, because, you know, it's cut with all sorts of, you know, benzacane and all sorts of. And then, you know, now because of like designer drugs, you know, I imagine that actually, you know, quite a lot of the stuff on the street now,

people are, well, I actually know from experience, let's get into it, because I've had, I've had I've had a couple of run-ins with the law. My first running with the law, I got, I was living in London and, you know, I was just doing it every weekend. And it actually started to creep into the week, which is when I finally realized, like, I need help. So, and that's when I called a help line, went to a meeting and then started my three years of, nearly three years of sobriety doing the 12 steps, yadda, yada, yada, but like when I went into the Nick, so they collared me, they collared me of all things. is a bike on a copper on a bike. And he came around the corner. His colleague said we call him like the eagle

because he's got such a good eye. And basically he came around the corner and I was like prouched down and I was like putting it in my sock. I just got out of the car of this Eastern European guy who like is the call. And he said, what are you putting your sock there, mate? And I was literally, I looked up in just like,

you have to be kidding me. And anyway, so what I was putting in my soul was obviously cocaine. But then when they took me down to the police station, they said, you know, we run this through our machine. And we can tell you that actually, it's only like 1% or it's not even really cocaine. So I sort of turned around to them and was just like, does that mean I could go? They were like, no, very much not because you've told us that that's what it is. And so, you know, I think even, you know, like that is enough for them to go, look, possession.

So I spent, I actually, I mean, I got. a caution but I spent a night in Wandsworth cell in a bloody tuxedo of all things as well. How glamorous is that? But yeah, happy to talk about, yeah, happy to talk about that. Yeah, so what? Escapism, addiction.

Wow, those are some quite... Well, I suppose from your personal experience and since because, like, I know for myself here in Dublin and just outside of Dublin and Wicklow, like, you know, cocaine is rife. Obviously, it used to be the, you know, the middle class drug back in the day.

and now it's pretty much everywhere and you go you go to the kind of any kind of pub or nightclub and you'll see lads just queuing up in the in the toilets to you know take a piss and like i'm just wondering like why why in in london in in particular is it's so prevalent and so high is it the like the culture the environment the the fast city-paced life I think, I mean, you know, I think like it's probably, you know, case by case, right? I think each, I think people find these things, you know, in their own kind of way. But I think, because if I'm going to make like any kind of sweeping kind of statement on it based on my experience. And by the way, thanks very much for the intro.

I do have quite a lot of wisdom. But my wisdom comes from my experience. I don't, you know, but the handsome face comes from my mum and dad. My mum will like that if she listens. this. So, yeah, I think, yeah, I think from my experience, having kind of gone through the ringer and removed myself from London as an environment, you know, London is a melting part of, you know, activity and it's a stressful place. So, you know, everybody has like, you know, serious jobs. And of course they do because they're having to, you know, have a salary which pays for the, you know, the cost of

living and that's including their properties. But also I think like, you know, there's a lot of people and it's dense and I think as human beings, you know, I just don't think our nervous systems are necessarily or anything about us is necessarily designed to kind of like, you know, live in that kind of like environment because our nervous system is obviously, you know, and this is, you know, it's obviously linked to stress. The reason why I bring up the nervous system is designed to kind of keep us safe. And so, you know, any kind of perceived threats. So the nervous system is constantly, you know,

you know, reading information. And so, you know, if you're in London, people are walking at you, past you, you know, most people have good intentions, but some people don't. You know, you just got kind of like, have your wits about you, I guess. But that's, if you think about it,

that's placing a lot of stress. It's kind of like the opposite of like when you're walking in a meadow and you can see as far as the eye can see, there's nothing around you. You know, and you know, everybody knows that feeling of just being really calm and relaxed. And it's because there's, your nervous system is basically just going like, sweet. Like there are no perceived threats here.

I can really kind of like, I can really chill out. So I think that's, but then I think also there's like a fashion, I think it's like a fashion statement. I think sometimes, you know, myself included, you know, I was that brat in bars telling people what I did for a living. And they were sort of like glazing over because they're not fucking interested. And I was giving it the big one. And, you know, how much money. make and, you know, doing, you know, doing cocaine was kind of like, you know, part of that because, you know, it does have this sort of glamorous thing, identity from maybe, I don't know, the 80s and

or whatever, like, but I think like, you know, I think that, um, the reason why, yeah, I think that's the reason why it's kind of like so, you know, so, so prevalent. But also, I think what people also don't realize is that they, you get actually addicted to. And I think this was me in particular, you get addicted to the mix of alcohol and cocaine. It produces a certain chemical. And so that's why I think most people get dependent on it. So they go and have a few drinks and then they will want to then, you know, get on the gear. And they don't understand why that's happening every time they're drinking. And it's because they're introducing this alcohol. And then that the body's craving this chemical that then is. So, you know, because I never,

I never sniffed it like dry. I always had a few drinks in me. And then it was just, like, right, game on. So, yeah, I think, I think that's, I think that's why, you know, as a sweeping statement, obviously individual to individual people are, they might not be just, it might not be the stress of their surroundings that they're escaping. There might also be some kind of like trauma or something. And I'd use trauma with like a small tea as well as a big tea, you know, some whatever stuff that like is going on for them that they're just a bit insecure about or not happy about. And, you know, cocaine, obviously. you know, for anyone who's tried it.

And if you haven't, please, please don't. But like, you know, it does, you know, produces a lot of serotonin happiness, which then dulls, you know, allows you therefore to escape from whatever this residual sort of thing is that you might have been consciously aware of that's sort of like weighing you down a little bit. It kind of, you know, so,

so it's really, you know, it's really fucking dangerous. Yeah, that's such a good point about the, about the alcohol as well. because like I see it even in friends it's like the minute they take a sip of a pint they're like all right let's get a bag um yeah there's that meme online and it's like it's like it's like your first beer and it's like that little twist of my bite your hair saying bag bag back back back back oh man like yeah i mean you know i like you know i was trying all sorts of stuff like to stop doing it i one of the things i signed up for a marathon i signed up so i got sober in 2017 and i signed up to the edinburgh

marathon which was in May. I actually ended up getting an injury and so I had to move it to the next year. I did actually finally complete that marathon. Funny enough, sober. Funny how like training for a marathon becomes so much easier when you're not doing cocaine every single fucking week. But like, so I signed up to this

marathon and I was, I remember one day, it's so funny that you say that bag, bad, bad, thing because I was with my mates. We went to see my team is spurs. Sorry if that's turned load of people off. But like, so my team is spurs for for my sins. And we were playing Watford and we hammered them for one and we went to the pub and I'd

just done like a hill run that that that morning as part of my training plan. So like, you know, I was like pretty exhausted. I had like and so the last thing really that was on my mind is like, you know, doing cocaine. But I went to the pub to watch the game. I had a couple of beers. And then, you know, we won. And so we're all in the state of hysteria. And then it was literally and then we just, you know, how can we make this better and inverted commas? You know, by the way it did not make my the next few days better it made them like you know horribly worse and of course this is the tradeoff that we all know you know it was that you know robs from tomorrow doesn't it but like and then we all came steaming out the pub and we were singing bag bag bag bag bag bag bag bag bag bag bag so that

no limit song and it just i remember that now just like what am i doing and like you know and so we went on until i probably went on until like four in the morning and then probably had a rest day the next day and then the day after that had to get it to get it. back out and run again. And it was just like, you know, it was just, yeah, it was just crazy. And it was just, all it had to do was just introduce alcohol, just introduce alcohol. And no, how many times I'd said, like, no, I'm not doing it, I'm not doing it. Which is why, you know, obviously, like the program of recovery, no matter what drug you're, you're trying to sort of battle with, you know, they, you know, the solution is abstinence. It's like, you know, you need to take

alcohol out because alcohol obviously is an uninhibitor, you know, we all know, right? It all, make you do things that like sober, you just wouldn't even dream of doing. Whatever it might be as something silly as dancing on the tables, which I know you like to do. Because I've heard, I heard your podcast, where he talks about your nights weekend where you're all dancing on the table. Sounds fun, by the way. Or it could be as dafters, you know, like, yeah, like, you know, going on a mad all-nighter when you've got like some important family meal the next day, you know, just, you know, like, you know, it just kind of, you know, makes you, your, your executive functioning goes out the window, your decision making is just like,

this is an impulse which feels good. I'm going to fucking do it. You know, so, so, but also, yeah, I think people do get addicted to the mitts, which I don't think is really widely understood. I think that's actually what I was addicted to. I don't think I was addicted to cocaine. I was addicted to the mix of alcohol and cocaine. I wish I could remember what the chemical was it produces, but anyway, it's not important.

the nerds can go and look that up. Yeah. I had an ex-girlfriend and she moved over to London for a few months and she got like a corporate job and I remember her when she was coming back she was saying to me about like how literally like it was a Friday and like everyone in the office was straight on it like bags in the office

and everything else and I was like Did she work in like media or something sexy like that or? I don't think it was property. Totally not yeah yeah yeah I can't imagine yeah yeah yeah anything anything salesy, anything like, you know, I think in banking, obviously it's rife.

I think, yeah, anything where, yeah, where there's kind of like, you know, anything, to be honest, where there's quite a lot of ego at play, because I think, you know, yeah, because again, you know, what do you do when you take it? You just want to you just talk about, like, yourself and like your fucking, what you do for work and like,

you know, or whatever your political views are. You just, you know, grandstand in someone. kitchen. It's just like, it's just, it's like, yeah, it definitely gets hold. It brings out something in people's egos, which, which I don't think is necessarily pleasant. I mean, particularly, yeah, I look back on some of my, some of my behaviors and the way I conducted myself in the world. And it was just like, oh, it was just all about me. I didn't care about anybody else. Even though these people I loved dearly, like family, partners, friends, whatever, just like nobody would get in the way of, you know, my cocaine use. It was just, uh, blah, blah, blah.

makes a you will send a shiver down my spine now thinking about it. What would you say to someone listening who like thinks they've got it under control? Because like obviously you've heard my my messaging as well. It's like I'm very much not the the messaging of you know, for everyone, everywhere and you need to go cold turkey and like obviously you have this hustle culture. We have so many parade and about like, you know, 50 year old kids who'd never even experience like telling everyone about how they don't drink and they run with their top off and all this and like that kind of just,

I just get something from that, but then also from the other side, because I, like I've had addiction in my own family. So I've seen a first hand of how much it can impact. And then like sometimes with my messaging, it can get me screwed, misconstrued to like, it's okay for everyone to have a drink when I, like obviously having a drink can,

can, you know, have a great impact on the social environment that you're in with your friends. Totally. There's no doubt about that. But then I also have friends, who I'm looking at and being like, maybe you shouldn't have an alcoholic tree. Like, but this,

but this is the thing, like, right. So like, like, there's no need to be dogmatic about this, about this stuff. Like, it's really complex.

It's really nuanced and it's individual to individual. There is no hard and fast, like rule that everybody should fucking adhere to. Like, you know, it's down to your individual, you know, preference.

Like I have, uh, is the kind of industry colleague of my, uh, guy Eddie. He goes by Mango Man movement, fucking legend. And he coached me. He runs like a men's group.

And he coached me. He kind of coaches people in terms of, he's kind of like a live coach. But like he's got a sort of element to him, which is a sort of spirituality element. But like if you met this guy, he's not very woo-woo. He's from Brixton. But he discovered yoga and he's discovered certain practices.

And then now he, you know, having experienced the benefit, he likes to try and share them with other people and they they rate there is big benefits so people you know so i you know people pay him money for his help and his support right and his guidance and um you know he told me that you know him and his wife they they'll have like you know a couple of beers and then they have really nice chats about stuff that they want to do or or they just the the sort of the uninhibiting aspects allows them maybe to just open up to each other about stuff that maybe been on their mind that they're waiting for an opportunity.

You know, we've all been there, right? You have those, you're like drinks and then you just end up having like quite a like, maybe like a deeper meaningful or whatever it might be, right? So yeah, I think it does, I think it does have a place. But, you know, back to your original question, which was, you know, what would you say to somebody thinks they have a problem? It's like, like, I can't tell you if you've got a problem. Like, but you will know, you will know if you have a problem.

And if your problem isn't a problem enough to go and get help yet, Brack the fuck on. Brack the fuck on. And when you get, like, the people that go into recovery and go to meetings, you know, it, you know, the way it's referred to is a rock bottom, right? Everybody will have a rock bottom where basically it's just like enough. Like, I am so fucking done that I'm prepared to like wave the white flag, surrender my ego on some level and ask for help and go to this.

these meetings, which obviously nobody wants to go to a meeting, like, you know, hi, I'm here and, you know, it's cups of tea and polyester cups and, like, shit your biscuits and you have to chat about what the fuck's going on with you. But actually, you know, though that place for me was such an incredible stepping stone into where I am now. And I, and I really, really had a, had a rock bottom. I'd had like two weekends over the summer of 2017. When I say weekends, I mean, like three days. where I didn't sleep a wink. One was in Manchester. One was a festival in tram lines in Sheffield.

And I just came back from both, you know, not sleeping for three days and just doing cocaine, will just leave you just absolutely fried. You know, and if you've got any kind of responsibilities, which everybody has, you know, good luck. So I just kind of was just like, I cannot do this anymore. This is crazy.

So, you know, I think, I think that's kind of key. I think, you know, you can't really intervene with someone who's got a problem. You know, that's another thing. You know, I think people sometimes make the mistake of thinking that they can take people to rehabs. You know, we've seen this a lot with like celebrities. They get taken by their agents or their managers or their family. Like there's an intervention.

Then they put them in a rehab like the prior or whatever. What do they do? They come out and they just fucking cracked back on. Like, you know, the individual has to get. to a point of total surrender. You know, it is, it is that, that is that vital first step in, in recovery and also in the actual steps of like, really surrendering and going like, right, I haven't got this. Because without that, you're not opening yourself up to really learning and growing in

terms of like, right, what is actually going on for me here and bringing that, bring that self-awareness in. And then from there, you know, taking, actually being able to. then take responsibility for the thing. So yeah, it's, you know, it's really interesting. I think, because, you know, I mean, I always think of there's, there was somebody in our meetings and I had a friend of mine. And this friend of mine, he approached me and he said, you know,

I think I've got a problem. And I know you've been going to these meetings. But my wife really wants me to get help. And so I said it to this guy who was basically like my sponsor, so he was almost like an elder within the recovery. circle. And he said, okay, interesting. So what? He said to you that he wants a bit help because his wife's giving him shit. And I was like, yeah. And he said, all right, cool, leave him the fuck alone. And I was like, what do you mean? He goes, like, if he's come, if he wants to get sober

for his wife, it is not going to happen. Like, he needs to come back to you when he wants to get sober for himself. Um, so yeah, you know, I think, I think that's, that was quite a, like, eye opener for me in terms of really understanding yeah what was going on and it does it does it does come down to the ego yeah it reminds me of that quote like the pain of change

has to be you know you have to want the pain of change versus the pain staying the same because your life has got so fucking miserable that staying the same and doing the same shit is just not an option anymore yeah yeah yes and there's another good one which is like pain is the touchstone of growth.

So like, you know, again, like going into that meeting was painful for me. Like I was a successful dude. You know, I'd managed to maintain my career. I was what you call like a highly functioning addict. You know, in so many areas of my life, I had it together. I, you know, I owned my apartment. I was part of a startup business and I was their sales guy and I'd help grow that. and I had, you know, clients spending lots of money with me.

So on the surface, I was a very capable human being. But in this one area of my life, like, I didn't, I just, I was fucked and I didn't have it at all. And so I knew going into a room, we'd let addicts. And, you know, some of these people were like, you know, proper crackheads, right? Or like, you know, or, you know, they, there was just like a very diverse mix of people. There were people who had very corporate jobs, and people who were. were like taxi drivers or like in the trade or whatever, very, very mixed bag. You know, it's not just, it's not discriminatory, you know, addiction.

It affects, you know, all people, colors, creeds, whatever backgrounds. But, you know, that was a, that was a painful thing for me to do. But I knew that the pain of doing that was less than continuing on this past. Because actually, what I'd come to the realization was, is that sooner or later, my heart was going to pop. Like, you know, I was going to, this was going to, kill me because I'd had moments where I'd done too much and I was looking at myself in the mirror and I didn't feel good and my heart rate was jacked and I knew I'd done a lot of drugs and then

it was kind of coming to an end and then I would start to sort of feel quite like anxious and so then the you know so and then I'd have to go for a walk to try and calm myself down but that was really kind of terrifying in fact I think I was quite close to having kind of panic attacks which I've experienced since them. Funny enough, I've experienced those without like ravaging myself with cocaine but I have actually experienced those

when I haven't been looking after myself terribly well. But they feel like heart attacks coming on and so you know it was really scary to me. I'd actually got to the point where I was like, you know, do I want to live anymore? Like, and if,

And if I do, well, then I need to just, you know, get over the fact that I just need to go to this awful place and, and just crap on and just do some really painful stuff in terms of like having a close look at myself and then just doing the work, doing kind of whatever was, whatever people said or whatever people suggested. So, yeah, it is about a tradeoff of what's more painful to you. What do you think them like weekend benders and even weekday benders were giving you that was missing in your life? I think like it was like abandoned. So I was constantly switched on and constantly, you know, it was like Blackberry culture, right? What an awful invention that was. So, you know, and I had clients like in the Middle East. I had clients in Latin America.

So I could be on and I could be doing. And I was a sales guy. So I was always in the hunt for. So, and, you know, I had undiagnosed ADD. So I was constantly seeking out dopamine. So it was like the thrill of closing that next deal or moving that deal further on. So my brain was just constantly on. And I think, you know, I've learned since then about the brain.

And the brain, our brain waves have different frequencies. So we've got like beta alpha. Then there's like theta. So there's ones which are, and if you imagine the. brainwheres. This is what I talked about at Lewis's adherence amplifier event. So when you're like really problem solving and really active, you know, the frequency has very short, close together spikes. It's kind of, do, do, do, do. Whereas when we're almost in a like sleep

state, which is the other end of the spectrum, it's like really gradual, nice, more wavy, wider curves. And if you spend too much long in one state, you're just frying yourself. And you haven't got a chance to rest. So you're but your nervous system can't move into like a parasympathetic state. You're going to constantly feel stressed as a result. You know, your cortisol is going to be jacked. You're going to feel anxious.

You know, you're not even going to digest food properly. All these sort of things that are going to, you know, are going to be quite harmful to you. So I think the only way I knew how to turn all that off was obliteration. Yeah. Was just like, right, I'm just going to go to like, yeah. It just was total abandonment and just for three days just go, I'm checking out. I'm just, you know. So since then, I've learned, you know, other more healthy ways to like relax.

Like look after myself on my nervous system like go for a walk. Who'd have thought that? You know, like go out in nature, go for a run. And I actually tried to do a lot of these things now without like headphones in. Yeah. Because I think what I think what people maybe don't realize is that going for a walk, if you've got headphones in, you're listening to a podcast, right? Who doesn't like to do that, especially if you're listening to School of Fitness podcast?

But like, you know, that is your brain is still then processing. it's still thinking and doing. So in order to experience you've got the states, you know, you actually have to take that out, really disconnect. So I think that was it.

It was, yeah, it was the disconnection. I was just disconnecting from the world. My responsibilities, my brain, you know,

this brain, like, yeah, whether it's the ADD or not. I mean, it's a lot to do with the ADD. It's just monkey mind.

It's just like constant. It's just like, Jesus. Shut the fuck up, man. And if I did enough blow, and did enough booze, it would just quiet that noise. So yeah, and I know with that now,

but, you know, I didn't, I didn't know that at the time. But that was why. Yeah, that was why. It was just, I was just like obliterating, yeah, obliterating myself. Did you think the ADD diagnosis really helped to shape that recovery as well

because you had more of an understanding of what you are what you are yeah totally yeah totally i think that was the biggest thing that it helped me with is reframe this stuff that was going on so suddenly i had um a uh i could understand it i could put it into context of because unfortunately uh this stuff that was going on for me before i didn't have anything to put it down to so sadly um you know i would put it down to the fact one i was was a freak. Two, I wasn't like, you know, smart or like I didn't, my brain, there was something to, you know, something wrong with me. So, you know, that narrative is, you know, obviously a really unpleasant narrative. And probably also that maybe had, you know, a lot to do with me not

feeling very secure despite, you know, having a successful career and all this kind of stuff. Like, I, you know, I didn't feel, didn't feel secure. I felt like had a bit of a point to prove. And so, yeah, it sort of allowed me to kind of just understand, oh, right, okay, so that my brain does, I'm just, you know, it's just a neurodivergent thing. And then, you know, now living somewhere like Brighton where probably like everybody within a square, you know, five mile radius of me is fucking, you know, ADD. And actually I think we're going to see more and more people. I think it actually what, what, all the stuff I've read about ADD is that and the thing that I, the theory that I kind of tend to. to resonate most with is that actually this is just an evolution of the human brain that like more and more kids are actually just going to be born with it and I think that's because we're bombarded with lots of stimuli and lots of stresses and stresses are also you know like things that basically can distract us right so devices stimulation from wherever it might be and that's that means our brains are kind of the dopamine pathways are kind of of of course they are you know

they're going to change and they're going to develop differently. So I think there's a lot more solidarity and a lot more understanding around it. And, you know, I can meet people all the time who have it and we can laugh about our own little idiosyncrasies and how they manifest in life. So, yeah, that was a big thing. But also I think, you know, because the first thing they do, suddenly enough, when you get diagnosed with ADD is they go, do you want to take this? And it's like, well, what's that? It's always Ritalin or Elvance. the quick release or slow release.

It's like, well, yeah, but what's in that? And it's like, well, it's amphetamins. And it's like, oh, is that why I've been seeking that out every fucking weekend? It's like, you know, so like that was quietening my brain, which the pharmacological, whatever that word is like, solution as far as modern medicine deems it is to give people you know, amphetamins. So, so yeah, I think that did help me to just move beyond.

I'm not a freak. There isn't really anything wrong with me. I'm just much more highly evolved than everyone else. And you said, and I remember, I know you said also on the podcast that I listened to that you felt like you were almost addicted to stress. Yeah, yeah, totally. Yeah, it's addicted to stress, restricted to drive. anything that kind of, I guess, like, yeah, it made me sort of feel alive, really.

I think when you're operating up in that kind of like frequency of just like everything's jangly and it's all just like, you know, you can get, it's very discombobulating to come out of that. You almost might feel a bit guilty, like, you know, you see this a lot. with people who are really busy. Like people are like work apolics, right, which is the other kind of like addiction, right? You know, to like sit still and just do nothing is like really hard for them. Yeah.

And and the reason is is because, you know, you need to train this stuff. It's like the same with our fitness and our health. Our nervous system, it needs to be trained to and encourage to kind of move, know how to move between, you know, states and actually move into, you know, a parasympathetic state. Because although that's like an unconscious thing, a subconscious thing, we don't have any. I can't say now move into a parasympathetic state. Like I say, like I can say move this arm, right?

But we can do things if we know what they are to then help produce that autonomic response of like moving into. a parasympathetic state. I've lost my train of thought a little bit there. What were your question? Well, no, Ed, like, I really resonate with that because even when you were saying about, like, right, going for a walk or going for a hike, like, I remember this happened to me only two weeks ago

where I drove up to the mountains. I love, like, that's where I go to, you know, after like chaos, go to the mountains, big open space. It's where I'll, you know, relax my nervous system. But I would have a podcast. cast our music in and my, the battery died.

And when I got up there, I was like, I was nearly having a, I was nearly having a freak out the fact that I was going for a walk without, I was like, oh my God, now I have to listen to my own thoughts. You know what I was like,

like it's so funny, like people will call like discipline like, that person's able to work really hard, that person's able to train, that person's able to, you know, blast out load of tasks. But get that person to try and relax and do nothing. Like,

that's that's difficult like that yeah you can't sell that as you know uh or it's hard it's a harder sell but it's probably what i would imagine it's what most of the population right now need is more of that than more of grind hard or work harder yeah totally i had i had exactly the same thing the other day with like this garment watch i was going for a run and i wanted to listen to something and so i was trying to load the bloody music on and i was like what i was like why won't it go on the I was getting, because I'm eating into then my running time, my allotted, you know, exercise time, like, how mad is that? And like, and then I suddenly realized that, oh, I know why the music's not loading onto my watch is because it's not the watch that allows you to load music onto. Like, so for like 10, 15 minutes, like, I was trying to do something where the functionality didn't exist. And I was getting really irritated. And I think the, I think that what you've touched on there, uh, for me is like, um, is this like a media, like a media kind of, um, um, gratification versus like delayed gratification. So like delayed gratification doesn't give us dopamine.

It actually just gives us the sense of like pride, fulfillment, satisfaction, probably like serotonin, you know, like happiness or whatever. But it doesn't give us dopamine. So it's, you know, but like listening to that your favorite mix or that nice podcast while you go on the run, you know you're going to get dopamine fixed from that. So soon or like in your case, yeah, again with that walk. and then looking forward to this. And then your brain goes, hang on, we were so close to getting that reward.

Like, why aren't we getting that reward? And I think that's where that frustration comes in. And I think that's quite easy to sell to people, isn't it? It's like have this fucking donut or like, you know, buy this new sneakers or, you know, go on this holiday, right? As soon as you even book the holiday, you get dopamine release. You're just like, woohoo, I'm excited. Whereas, like, you know, meditating every morning. for like six months so that you feel much more content and you don't overreact in arguments

or just to end of like how do you fucking sell that it's not but you can't bottle it up you can't nobody knows like necessarily how that it's harder to tangibly sort of measure and kind of um but it is something that I think is the crux of this is like um and it's certainly from my own point of view what I need to basically try and spend a lot of time and try and put a lot of energy but I find it really really hard because you know I'm a dopamine junkie like like everybody but I I'm getting a lot better at it I'm getting a lot better at it you know I can take walks and and just find some stillness and just watch how my monkey mind just kind of like the monkeys just one by one just jump out my head and I can just find a bit of stillness

like, you know, sitting outside a cafe, having a coffee, right? Instead of looking at your phone, put your phone down and just watch the world go by. Yeah. And just sit with that, even if it's like 15 minutes and just see how that feels. I'm getting like a bit tingles now just like thinking about that. You know, it's just, it's just, you know, yoga, like, or I don't know, anything. Like, yeah, I think even sort of like reading a book might, you know, I don't know how much of that is like, I think some people, you know, if they're reading fiction, you know, they're kind of like escape. But yeah, I think, I think for a lot of us, you know, we're way too stressed. Like life, you know, is like difficult, it's challenging for, and especially for like a lot of people,

you know, if you've got kids and big mortgage and this kind of thing. and you know so i think it's just going to keep getting worse and i think yeah from from people's health and fitness point of view that's often the thing that you know actually they need help with the most um it's just kind of reducing some of the stress i mean even like hiring somebody to take that responsibility away from you so you've got you've got enough you know shit on your plate like but this is really important if you can afford it it's a really good investment because your health and fitness will be the thing that gets deprioritized.

You know, first, I think, you know, we see that like time and time again. I know even for me, you know, it's the first thing, you know, that I will de, because again, it's like a delayed gratification thing, you know, like I'm going through this run because I'm improving my cardiovascular fitness and I've got an event in that X amount of months. But all I can just go and work and I could answer that email and try and get a new client on board, and that's going to give me a little dopamine here. And so that will always win in that moment. It will always win unless you can go,

oh, no, but hang on, hang on. Like, this is important because in X amount of years or X amount of months, like we're going to feel much better for it. Do you find that with clients that come on board with you? It's like, because, you know, you might have someone who comes on board who fits that category of is always on the go, who's working really hard, is constantly getting that dopamine here. and, you know, is maybe burnt out, their nervous system is fried.

And now they think that the solution is for you to put them in the gym, maybe four or five times a week. And add on to that stress that they already have where in reality, it's like you're actually trying to pull back for them so they can, you know, recharge. Yeah. To do that. I haven't, you know, I'm still quite new into this industry. So, like, I've only been, you know, qualified for like two, three years and then doing sort of online coaching for, like, I guess, like, year and a half. As I say, you know, because of my previous like success, I'm in a barely lucky position that like, you know, I can take my time with it in terms of like growing it.

But I do, I actually, I actually haven't had any clients like that who fit that bill. But I think if somebody did come on board, I know, I know like some of our industry colleagues have these clients who they have really busy lives. And I think they hire a coach because it's like a box to tick. And again, maybe it's also like a bit of a fashion statement. Yeah. It's like, oh, I've got a coach. I've got a PT2 because I'm a high flying lawyer in the city and all my colleagues do.

So I have to have one. And then the coaches get really frustrated because they're like, this person isn't doing anything. And it's like, well, maybe they just, they just want to be able to, they just want to say in the bars that they've got a coach. Like, maybe you just keep taking their money if they're that stupid. But like, but I think, I think if I had somebody who, Yeah, I think there's two things, you know, like one signposting somebody to like, I guess like, yeah, like therapy or do or doing something that would help them to get in a better position to actually do the work. Yeah.

If they're actually physically not doing the work. Or, yeah, just tell them, like, do them a favor and go like, I'm really sorry. Like, you're wasting my time and yours. I did actually have a client that I had to, yeah, I've had some, I've had some clients where I've had to have difficult conversations. with them and where I've basically got to a point where they're actually becoming an energy straw on me and I've I've had to sort of then get to a place where I'm like like this is actually hurting me now like their lack of their inability to do the work and putting the action is actually a major drain on me and so I just have to just you know have a conversation and say

look. And actually, I think that's the best thing that we can do for people like that, because maybe a little seed will get planted. And then on their future journey, that I might have actually had a really positive impact on them where they actually go, oh, yeah, do you know what? Like next time I hire a coach, I'm not going to do that because it felt really embarrassing to be told basically, you're fucking fired. Like, you know, like, I'm not what, like, I don't need your fucking money. Like, you're, like, you know, and I don't need to be your fashion. accessory like you know see you later sort of thing yeah but I haven't really had yeah anybody I think because I'm I'm attracted you know I'm attracting people that um I'm I'm

I'm attracting people that don't necessarily fit into that mold I'm kind of attracting people that already starting to get it like right I know that I work too hard why party too hard and now I am actually open to working with somebody who you know is also a yoga teacher and speaks to things that maybe not all, you know, fitness coaches speak to because people in their 40s, 50s, their priorities are unique and they're shifting in a unique way. And it's not about getting a six-pack. It's just like, I just want to get up in the morning and not ache.

And I'm getting frustrated with my changing body. And also, you know, I always think of that, like, top gun quote, you know, my body is like cash in checks that my ego can't write. And, you know, like... Very good. And, you know, like, and they've just got to the point where they're like, I'm ready. I've already started this kind of move a little bit. So they're open then to, they're really open to like, you know, change.

So what was the moment when like health and fitness and wellness and all this stuff became a career for you rather than just a hobby or your self development? Well, to be honest, it was. wasn't really even like it was like when I was younger and I was a teenager I was pretty active and I was like a keen runner I used to represent my county yada yada yada but that was like when I was a teenager I think most people you know we're really active when we're when we're kids and we're young um and then that all took a major backseat when I went to uni and like you know we came along and then and then my 20s partying but but then when I got sober I mean before then actually I was really trying to get into the gym because actually I was like I'm really frustrated

with how I looked. And when you drink, you know, 20 points a week, like, yeah, no shit. Like, you're going to, you know, changes are going to happen. But then when I, so I was going to the gym and I was like trying to, I guess it was just really about vanity then. It was just about, probably it was just about getting women. But then when I went sober, I, you know, you got all this time, like, and, and money.

And, yeah, like, time you're getting up early in the morning. So I invested in a really good gym. I didn't, if you had like third space in London. So like banging gym, like I really actually miss that place. So you should just go there and just hang out. And so I was spending a lot of time in there. And then at the same time, I was seeing a career coach because I'd exited my sales job for this business, which ran conferences. And I was really trying to figure out what I wanted to do next. quite laughably. At one point, I was like, can I just make money through Instagram?

But I think in my head, I was basically like, can I be an influencer? Like, how deluded was I? And my sister, like, works in like social media marketing. And she was literally like, okay, Bruce, like, what's your thing? And I was like, well, what do you mean? What's my thing? And she was just like, do you even know anything about influencers? I was just like, no.

But like, am I not a bit entertaining and stuff? Yeah, you would be an influencer that I would advocate. for you to be honest well probably enough because i used to get this thing when i was in the office i would like go on these mad little like i'd basically just like do a little like show i'd just start you know i don't know just being a pratt like class clown that was the thing that was always on my report and that that's the never change and i'm just basically like an attention seeker but so and people in the office would be like bruce and this is going to sound really arrogant but they would be like bruce you should have your own fucking tv show like you're

ridiculous. You know, it wasn't like a sort of like, you should be like Brad Pitt. It was more like, can we laugh at you? tongue and cheek kind of comment. Yeah, yeah. And so I remember thinking like, yeah, like, I'm not really cut out for this corporate environment. There is, I do sort of need. So anyway, so I kind of was like entertaining these fantasies and having this career coaching. And like, you know, and I, I, I liked the idea of going. into as being a trainer or some kind of coach because we'd had people come into our business who'd helped us with sales. They trained us on the theory and human behavior and psychology. And I remember

my brain really lightsing up and being like, this is really cool. But also from the point of like, I really likes these coaches. I was quite envious of them. I'm like, you're coming in here. You get to tell us how to do our jobs better, but you don't actually have to be the corporate dudes doing the job. You just go around from business to business, to you travel and you meet people. all the things that basically I like, but what I didn't like was like the spreadsheets and the targets and the meetings about meetings. So like,

and I was doing all this exercise, seeing this career coach, discussing all these things. And then it just clicked one day where I was just like, I'm spending all this time in the gym. Like I'm really enjoying this. And then I was just like, I could just do that.

Like, I can just do that. So I decided to re-qualify as a, PT. And I'm really, really glad I did. And I'm really glad that my niche is kind of, you know, 40, 50 year olds because I get a lot of comments from people, which is so nice. Because when I first came into the industry, you know, I had such imposter syndrome. I was just like, this is a young man's game. Who the fuck is going to want to get fitness advice from someone who's like a former addict who's like in his 40s? But I get all these comments where I'm just like,

I'm so pleased you're here, dude. Because like, if I get patronized and told, like, what I should be doing by a 20-something year old. any fucking more, I'm going to go mad. And like, you know, so, yeah, so that was so really long-winded to answer to your question. Yeah, that was basically like the, that was like the journey into it. Yeah. And I'm really pleased that I've kind of finally found something which is quite, quite authentically me.

I think basically my previous career was to try and like please my parents. I think I had this idea of what success was. And it was just like, you know, making money and having a successful business. and and but it wasn't quite it wasn't quite me it wasn't quite authentically me um so yeah I'm really pleased uh must get to like meet people like you get to work with people like you it's fucking brilliant yeah I love that because I know so many trainers especially around my area who like had previous work and they might have got in into the fitness industry in their in their late 30s early 40s and stuff like that and they become the best trainers in the gym like because like not only

you know, they've life experience for one. So like I don't really buy into the like, you have to have a certain amount of years experience in the fitness industry to, for that to, you know, push you in certain categories of how good you are at your job or anything like that. Like what is coaching? It's just, do you know what I mean?

It's being able to interact with humans and be able to get them to do the behavior change that they want to do. Like, and you know, I don't think that you need to be, uh, starting on. as a 16 year old in the gym and does I have 10 years experience by 26 but still not be able to relay to someone who's in their 40s or their 50s and in midlife like you know a lot of people just won't be able to resonate with that yeah yeah and I think that was like my experience with like

when I was in the gym so when I was talking about you know when I first really was like going to gym and basically I was trying to get like you know I was just on a vanity project I worked with PTs and they're all in their early 20s 20s and there's not a single time when I felt I could maybe open up to them about, oh, by the way, like, I'm also, like, doing quite a lot of, like, hoax and, like, booze at the weekend. I wonder if that's damaging my progress. Because I was just like, what's that guy? What am I expecting from that guy? He's, like, chiseled. He's, like, 20-something. There's no way he sniffed the line of gear off the top of a sister in the dodgy bar. Like, absolutely no way. So what's he going to do?

He's just going to turn around. And, like, he might give his opinion, which is like, well, that doesn't sound like healthy behaviours. But, like, that's not why he's not why. need. It's like, yeah, no shit. But why I need, like a lot of my clients who I've met, because I'm so upfront about it all on my Insta, they sit down with me and we talk. And it's almost like they can't wait to tell me. It's like, oh, by the way, I used to be a real knob and I used to do all this stuff. And it's just like, cool. Like, me too. Like, but so that's good. Like, we're in a safe space and we can like just like open up about that and own that. That's cathartic in itself. But then also, I think that gives people a lot of comfort in the fact that like, yeah, I can

talk to Bruce about this stuff on a level and you know he's going to yeah he's going he's going to he's going to he's going to have like a level of relatability and then we and that that that just helps to find sort of solutions because you know I would have I would have found lots of solutions, lots of things that ways that it didn't work and lots ways that it did work and they're not necessarily all things that you can find in a book um but also I can just I think uh, you know, empathize as well as like sympathize with people and not just give like my opinion actually give like advice based on, you know, real world, you know, transitioning from one place to another, which doesn't necessarily mean aesthetics. It also means like, you know, avoiding chasing, for example,

like this ideal body and straying into like dysmorphia, you know, like actually kind of getting really clear on like what it is that we want to achieve and why that's important. And it's not because I want to look buff in Ibiza around the pool. It's like because I've got kids and I want to I want to kick a football around with their kids. And, you know, so these are things that, yeah, you know, I mean, I don't have children. So I don't, I can't. That's where my empathy kind of like or my ability to relate does end. But I do have, you know, I know what it feels like to be in a 40-year-old,

something year-old's body and, you know, slowing down the metabolism, how much easier is to put on weight, aches and pains. And just also just getting to that point in your life where you're just like, holy shit, like, you know, I'm not immortal. Like, you know, and actually, you know, suddenly facing the prospects, you know, we look at our parents, they're getting to a certain age, maybe they're getting a bit ill, or, you know, we're seeing them slow down.

I think that's a big thing for lots of people like my age, around my age, where they're like, shit, I'm getting this little window into the future. And like, I don't, I don't want to make these mistakes. I want to, I want to put in, what can I do now to maybe help me avoid, you know, what I'm seeing my parents go through sort of thing. so yeah yeah it is like uh it is like a relatability thing plus we can just have a fucking good laugh about how great the 90s were and how strong the pills were and you know jungle music and just great shit like that i think i think that's such a that's such a good point as well even like the because everyone has their kind of hidden pain that pushes them towards making some sort of change and like obviously when you're when you're a young lad it's uh the pain of being

rejected by a girl is so much that i got to make sure that like get in shape so someone pays a question to be whereas like in your 40s or your 50s it might be like okay you're seeing your your parents get older you're seeing them lose their independence you're you're seeing your own mortality as well and it's like oh my god shit like maybe i'm thinking about death for the first time like really like i don't think anybody i think people don't really think about that often enough i don't think or they don't talk about it in depth and maybe they do once or twice and if they really do it really starts to bring up questions of how they want to live their life and it can be a scary thing but I think it's a real pain motivator for people

to be like okay let me get my shit in order whatever that looks like yeah and I think actually usually the the catalyst though is always like something like it's like an intrinsic motivator so it's something like oh my belly's really big um or like you know I just don't like the look at my body when I see it in the mirror, right? So that's like an external thing in terms of how I'm being perceived. But actually what's lying underneath that often is like these intrinsic motivators, which is, yeah, things that I want to play football with my grandkids. And yeah, like you say, and also like my own mortality, that's kind of like an intrinsic thing. And yeah, people don't think about that. And why? Because it's too far in the future. And it's,

again, it's just not something that people are enjoyable to think about. But it's not like there. it's not so much like there in our faces. So, you know, I, you know, when working with clients, that's why they're getting clear on the why, not just like the external motivators, but also these intrinsic ones. And just taking a moment to kind of like really get those down on paper, get clear on those.

Because, you know, those are the things that actually, once the belly goes, you know, why are you still doing, why are you going to still do that thing? Well, because we've got these other like really beautiful reasons. And I think, so I think I try and bring that into people's psyche so that, yeah, they, they stayed a course and they've got a variety of motivations, a variety of reasons that they're kind of clear on in terms of doing this stuff and going forward. Because, you know, it is, it's hard and it is boring at times. So, you know, you've got to make sure, right,

fucking I want, I got to have a few reasons, like, why we're doing this. And then one will, one will gravitate and you'll be like, right, cool, I'm off and running again. Has recovery, because we never really spoke about even the importance of community in your recovery and stuff like that has from this kind of journey into the health and fitness space and into the person you are now has it changed your circle slightly has it changed your relationships has it changed how you show up in relationships yeah definitely definitely I think because I'm no longer doing things necessarily for other people so much I'm doing things more for me I kind of a bit more impervious to like people's judge It's just like, you know, I realize now my change is, the reason why they're difficult for people is because it can sometimes, it feels threatening to them. It holds a mirror up to like, you know, shit that they're not doing. So I've kind of got okay with that. I, yeah, my community now, you know, I have a community of like fitness coaches, right, that I get to like touch space with and feel connected to and part of, which is amazing. And by the way, there's like more wreckhead party people in our industry than I fucking ever.

realized. I'm just like, oh my God, you too. Like, oh, amazing. So, so that's really, that's really nice. And then also, yeah, I do feel now. I think, you know, I think this is part of identity shift. Shifting. I think like, I used to really hate, again, it's like holding the mirror. I used to really hate fitness people. Like, you know, I would still be up, coming home, and there'd be joggers. and I'd just be like, your life sucked. But now that's, but now that's me.

And like, you know, and actually like, you know, the reason why I, I hated those fuckers is because, yeah, they were,

you know, they were holding up a mirror to something that I just didn't want to kind of like see, which is like, yeah, shit, like, you know, like that I should be doing more,

more of that kind of stuff. So I feel, I feel, you know, I go to the gym now and like, I can, you know, best bump with people.

And yeah, I think that's really, really important. And, and, you know, I think, I think that's kind of like the,

I think that's something, that's like the Holy Grail, I think, for a lot of people in terms of getting in those environments and kind of feeling comfortable in there. And you should feel comfortable because ultimately these places, especially if they've curated the environment and they're not just, you know,

exclusive bodybuilder places that just feel very like, you know, barriers to entry. But if they're nice spaces, which, you know, a lot of gyms are. You know, if you think about it, everybody's there for the same fucking reason,

which is just to like improve their lives. And there's amazing solidarity in that. When you chip away at people's posteriors, they're like, fuck you, I'm using this machine. And I'm sure actually, you know, when you actually, like venture out of your, and maybe talk to them or else than spot you or just start, like you'll find that actually they're really helpful.

It doesn't matter if you're new to the gym. you know and there and you know you'll find that you have more in common with those people than you think you know you're all there just ultimately to do exercise better and and to improve so yeah I found my little yeah communities I've started like running so I've got friends who are like trying to get me into like trail running but even that I'm just like wow like trail runners they're a peculiar breed but then I'm kind of curious I'm like I kind of there's something like a bit enticing about this like and then I'll be a trail runner and I'll just laugh at how I used to think trail runners were fucking like nutcases and now I'm one of them yeah that reminds me I'd hate to bring

everything back to a being but it reminds me of that there's one where it's like uh for those of you who party too hard in the 90s house of your half marron train and going or how's that how's that be a 300 kilometer hike that you're doing going I mean like you know run as high like if I can put that into a pill like fuck me like I'd be rich Because, you know, there's no, there's no come down from it. It's like, you have it. And then, you know, you might even still just have a nice residual, residual high.

Like, running has been like a massive, man. I used to, like, say, I used to have done it. You used to do it when I was, like, young. And I'd forgotten how great it was, like, you're outdoors. I do find it weird how people nod at you and wave at you. I'm like, what's that about? Like, other runners? When I first went out, I was just like, why's everyone fucking waving at me?

I was like, oh, oh, it's like a runner's thing. thing it's like a hi you're a runner i'm a runner we've got away with each other like and now i'm doing it i'm just like hi oh hi it's a little it's a lot it's a little nod of respect you know it is it is we're better than everyone look at us out run on it's a smug it's the it's the smug nod yeah um so um so yeah so yeah and you know like that run is high and what it does for my mental health as well like how it just like just sends all those nice chemicals to my brain and then and i think also like you know, it helps me clear my head of shit and, and I don't have to think about work and I'm outside.

And so actually somebody was telling me, get this. So like with ADD, they do this like therapy. I forget what it's called where basically like your eyes move like really quickly and it's supposed to like release kind of like, you know, this like overstimulation thing and just center us and make us. And apparently when you're running, because your eyes are moving and from sort of side to side periphery, and you're kind of processing information at speed as you're moving. It has the equivalent

therapeutic effect. So maybe that's also why I'm just feeling a hell of a lot better. And my sort of ADD seems to like calm, you know, calm down. I mean, it does calm down with activity because obviously, yeah, I'm like, you know, IDD people can be quite high energy. They can also be quite low energy, but they can also be quite high energy and a bit chaotic and, you know, can get overwhelmed and overstimulated. And so exercise is actually a really good way. It's like release all that shit. So you come back to sort of,

you see your default state is one of a bit more calm. Anyway, yeah. So it's kind of like a cool little piece of information I learned. But again, you know, like I wouldn't be talking to people about this stuff. Had I not had I not got into exercise and made it such a part of my life. And then you just kind of like, you know, you learn from people and your knowledge and your experience grows. And, yeah, I think that's, I think that's a wonderful thing because those things will then stay with you for the rest of your life, you know.

What does, for, for those listening who, you know, are in midlife or, or coming up to midlife, like, what does midlife well lived look like to you? Nice question. And, you know, I want to answer that with like, string train, because, you know, circophenia makes your muscles like and all that kind of stuff right which like it's it's true and but i you know i think like a lot of people i always think like you know a lot of people know intellectually they know so we don't need to on this podcast to tell them like you know eat healthier move more bad right but actually i think like it's being it's being mindful of like how many pillars there are of health and how like i know you know you're into this and you know so

know, social is, is a pillar of our health, like having healthy human connections. So, you know, I mean, this is going to sound really weird, but like, one of the things that I have is my weekly, you know, must do things. And it is sad that I need to remind myself, I need to have it on my to do-do list. But it is, again, because I just get so sucked into work or whatever the thing that's giving me dopamine. And actually, I do need to be reminded to step back and what is important. So one of my weekly, like, non-negotiables is I just put like, family, like, family friend in time. So that means picking up the phone to someone or arranging to meet someone or whatever, you know, just like making sure that my social health pillar is healthy,

like is like charged up. So I think it's just kind of looking at health overall and like looking at all the things, you know, so, you know, with my programs, you know, I've worked with coaches and it's fucking like, just I can't, I still can't believe, but I work with coaches and they give me like, you know, program strength training. And I'm like, cool. Like, where's the, like, there are any, like, warmups and stuff that you want me to be doing or any, like, stretches and, like, little drills for, like, mobility that you want me to do.

And it's just like, no, just fucking back, just do some warmups on the back squat and then just fucking jump into it. And I'm just like, okay. But, like, you know, with my clients, you know, I kind of, there are like certain yoga poses, for example, not like major ones, but just little ones that I put into the end of their workouts, which would not just stretch. but also will just help they have like

calming properties. They might like stimulate the vagus nerves. I'm thinking of like a recline twist which kind of stretches a lot of the body. But you know, you're lying down. So you're at the end of your workout. It induces a little bit of state of calm. But also it'll just help them

come back to homeostasis, right? So they're not all flustered. And so when they leave the gym, they're kind of like calm. But you know, all these things I think for me have been important things as part of making sure I feel more healthy in terms of no. So I think, so I think that's where I kind of try and, yeah, help people. So even the things that we touched on this podcast, you know, going outside, going for a walk.

I'm not one of those people who's like, get your fucking 10,000 steps in. I'm like, like, you should be active. But also, if I can maybe make a suggestion when you are going for a walk, you know, if you're open to it, take your headphones out. Or like, go to a place of nature and just see. Just like maybe you don't feel relaxed, in which case, come back to me and I'm happy to be told, you know, doesn't work for you.

But, you know, I think most people will say, yeah, I don't know why, but that just made me feel really good. And it's like, well, cool. Isn't that what ultimately we're trying to, you know, work towards. So yeah, it's kind of just thinking about, you know, Nearly everybody comes to me. I give them certain boxes to check. What do you want to achieve?

And nearly everybody takes, you know, improve overall health. And obviously what I discern from that is like, right, okay, it's not just about getting in the gym. Like, we need to look at what the areas of your life are that maybe you can do with a bit of help and support. And let's just see what like little behavior change or what little action points we can introduce to kind of help you with that. Yeah.

Yeah, I think that's such a good point even on the walk and side of things. Like there's such a difference between going out for a walk to wind down versus going out for a walk to tick off a box of 10,000 steps. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, you know, like walking after a meal, right? I really like walking after a meal because, you know, if I can eat a lot of food, I'm a greedy bastard. So I tend to have quite, you know, like a big plate of food.

And, you know, everybody knows that like 3pm coma, right? like oh you just like hit a wall and you know and also i just don't like feeling like roguy and like they're heavy so like going for a walk after a meal i try and do after every meal even if it's just like 20 30 minutes which really helps the digestive process really was and kind of like i think does something to your you know glycemic index it helps to kind of just like yeah as part of digesting it just sort of stops you from having these crashes and spikes and kind of energy um so you know, little things, little things like that, if I can help people, yeah, and that improves their overall energy for the day, then it gives them maybe more energy to put into, yeah, whatever

else there is on their, fucking, in their busy lives. Bruce, let's wrap this up. Where can people go if they want to reach out about coaching or they just want to follow up with the work you do? Oh, sweet man. So I've got a website, which is actually under review at the moment. So it's like, being updated, that's www. dot satara

hyphen fitness.com sorry that's the terror doesn't roll off the tongue. I was trying to be really clever when I came up with a business name. It's S-T-A-T-E-R-A. That's Latin for balance because I thought

I was being really clever. Or you can just find me, yeah, you can just search like Bruce coach. You should find me that way I'm Satera. Fitness on Instagram.

Yeah. All right. Well, we'll leave it in the show notes so people can find your account and Bruce, it's been a pleasure. Folks, this has been the uneducated PT podcast with me, your host, Carlo Rourke.

I told you that Bruce was very wise and if you're watching on YouTube, I told you that he's very handsome as well. So Bruce, thank you very much for today, mate. It's been a great conversation. E.C. Kine. Nice one, Carl.