The Wellness Scoop - 2025 Highlights, Red Light Masks, Our Daily Rituals

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

This week we’re closing out the year with the moments that shaped 2025; the trends that genuinely made a difference, the habits that stuck and the simple rituals our whole community kept coming back to. From red light masks and fibre-maxxing to the wellness shifts that actually felt doable, we’re sharing what mattered most and why it resonated. We’re also diving into your end-of-year questions, from navigating UPFs and building easy plant-forward meals to creating cosy evening rituals and figuring out which habits are really worth prioritising. It’s a practical, honest look at what helped us feel grounded this year and the small anchors we’re taking with us into 2026. Grab your copy of Ella's new book 'Quick Wins' - out today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Wellness Scoop, your weekly dose of health and wellness inspiration. This is our last episode of 2025 and we are here as always as your host. I'm Ella Mills. And I'm Riannon Lambert and I'm sad it's the end, but we've got way more to come in the new year. But today we're still going to be diving into the best juicy topics as chosen by you. We said this on Monday's episode, but we are just so appreciative of. of every single person who's listened to us this year or 36 million minutes of the wellness scoop that have been played in 150 countries in 2025. It has been phenomenal.

You stuck with us. Through chocolate tasting all the way up to, you know, charity awareness and AI images of women, you know, we have discussed it all. Yeah, we really have. Fart Walks, sober phone walks, hot girl walks, we've done all the walks. It's just been so fab. And my book is out today. wins is out in the world yet as of today which is super exciting and you've signed 3,000 books yes last week I went to the warehouse and signed 3,000 books I do remember once getting like a one-star review on the book being like this is not signed in real life this is printed and being like I swear to you do you know how much my hand has I know I do have quite kind of not childish writing but quite like big blocky writing but anyways so yes there is 3,000 sign books and I think

It's still half price on Amazon. So if anyone wants, quick wins, really easy, fuss-free recipes for a busy life, but also eight weeks where you have all your dinners planned for you with meal plans. Go get it today. I think it's just £12.50 on both Waterstones and Amazon. So go, go, go. Oh, congratulations, Ella. It is a huge day.

I mean, this is an epic day. It's very exciting. Yeah. New book, Christmas countdown. It's all happening. It's all happening. And also, Re, a few weeks ago, you recommended to us the call her dad. podcast interview with Victoria Beckham.

You bet you. I listened to it last week. I loved it. I know it's such a huge show, but I'm late to the party. I'd never listen to it. And also it's so funny because I spoke to my sister and I was like, oh my gosh, I think you'd love this episode. And she was like, wait a second, isn't that the really, really raunchy podcast? And I was like, oh, no, I don't think it is anymore. No, no. And also, I've only listened to that one episode and a little bit of another one. So it did start in that way, I think. Yeah. And now I do think it's that. So if you were like, oh, it's not for me, I think it's changed. But, but, Anyways, I loved that. I just really respect Victoria Beckham and it was a really interesting insight. So if you're looking for something to listen to where you're doing some Christmas prep or something, some wrapping, some, you know, some like pre-cooking before the big day. Really good one. I then listened to her episode with Kim Kardashian. I know. I know lots of you will judge me. I love the Kardashians. It's one of my favorite shows. I tried to watch it Ella and I did actually try to watch it when I was doing book edits last week. And I have to say I switched it off after 20 minutes. I couldn't do it.

but I won't judge you I think you should judge me for being obsessed with it when people are like what's your guilty pleasure I'm always like it's an oxymoron something can't be a pleasure

if it's guilty but actually I think the Kardashians is in fact my guilty pleasure but it makes sense because I still watch Friends over and over again like I go back

to series one of Friends is fantastic Friends is leaving Netflix I saw that was the headline this weekend I know sad times Well now I've ordered now TV

you know to watch the Wicked Program that I want to watch I can watch the reunion finally I hadn't seen the friends reunion. Oh my gosh. It's very back. It's on there. It's so good. Okay, everyone's Christmas watching. It's being lined up. Do you know what? This is a recommendation maybe probably only if you've got small people in your life over Christmas, nieces, nephews, your own children or whatever. The new Grinch movie. They did an animated version of a few years ago.

We've now watched it three times. The kids are obsessed. Sorry, how have you only just seen the Grinch movie? Well, I saw the original. The original was my favorite growing up, but they've done an animated version. A new one a few years ago. Yeah. Yeah. missed it, completely went over my head. I told you, on Monday, I have been the Grinchry. I have hated Christmas. Now my heart has grown three times in. Now I understand.

It's so, oh, the singing bit when all the crowd comes down and they're do, do, do do do do do do. It's so good. Excellent. So if you need a Christmas rack, I 10 out of 10 recommend the animated Grinch in case you, like me, have lived under a rock. My kids actually find the original one. The original one quite scary because the faces. Yeah, the animated one I think was more suitable. Yeah, anyways, I love it.

I love that you've recommended this, Ella. And we've also got another one, crowd farming. Oh, my gosh. Okay, so my mum has been recommended. Camilla, shout out once more. The final shout out of the year, Camilla. My mum, she has been trying to get me onto this all year. And I don't know why I never took up on it, but it's basically, it's a website.

It's called crowdfarming.com. And it's all of these beautiful, small farms all over the world. and they basically tell you when these particular crops are in season and they are the best version of it you'll ever have. So we bought four mangoes from there last week and they were just the mangoes of all mangoes. I've got a box of avocados and lemons coming from a farm in Spain. So they'll tell you these are about to become ripe.

How many do you want to buy? You're buying it directly from the farmers. It's such a nice premise and the quality. This is when you're like, oh my gosh, you just want that to be like the star of the show. Like you've never had a lemon like it. Anyway, crowdfarming.com. ultimate Christmas gift to yourself, like the ripest, juiciest best mango. I saw they had Kiwis coming up.

Anyway, it's a super cool website. Maybe you can do gift vouchers for Christmas, not sure if you can. This is so good, everybody. It's really fun. And also it's quite fun in terms of the appreciation of your food. Like, we've been really excited for our mango box. And the kids were like, oh, yum. And then we were waiting a few days and, like, checking them if they were ripe.

So, yeah, it's a fun one. And also one more recommendation, sort of on that vein, from one of our listeners called Catherine, who said, I have a recommendation to share that my health of your listeners. I snack on nuts and fruits between. meals, but I do find nuts very expensive. Very true. A good seasonal tip I discovered is if you buy nuts in the Christmas range at this time of year, they're so much cheaper than non-fested packs. And I'm thinking of saying to Bruce here, but I'm sure it's the same everywhere else. Even better after Christmas, the festive branded packs of nuts are often on clearance because they have

snowflake, etc. packaging. Very true. But so often they're unsalted, plain nuts. And so they're not Christmassy. They just have snowflake packaging. And they're several pounds cheaper. So I hope your listeners benefit from the tip. that was such a nice tip from Catherine. It's so good. You're right about the cost of things. I was filming something in a shop called the grape tree last week. But if you do buy a jumbo bag, and I just think we don't think to buy a jumbo bag.

But if we did, we would save so much money because you can buy like a kilogram. It's very heavy bag of mixed nuts as well. And that just saves you long term. A hundred percent. And then I just wanted to share one little win from a listener before we go into it. A bean win, Ella. It's a bean win because we've been really, I think you guys will know talking about beans this year and how good they are for us. and they're great for the planet, and they are delicious.

Who doesn't love a creamy butter bean with loads of garlic? Anyways, this list is said... That's what I'm making tonight, by the way. Yeah, butter beans, cream. Because I saw you made your, like, a stewer beans at the weekend. Yes, and then I fried some mushrooms on the top of it, which was such a win. All my favorite thing at the moment is, like, brothy beans with chummy-churry green beans on the top. Yeah, nice.

I love chimmy-cherry. I think I've given that as a wreck a few times. I know, you have actually. But also, you're into the spice as well. So Ella will probably top everything, which. Nine chilies on the top. Anyways, this listener said, I follow a pescatarian diet and have struggled to get my toddler to eat beans for a while now. But have recently added in frozen peas, blitzed together in a food processor to the pesto based on your recommendation.

And he ate three servings. I've also done chickpeas, blitzed, with salmon and psalter sauce, which was also a hit. So thanks for sharing all you have on the importance of fiber in our diet and these quick wins. Oh, quick wins. Name of your book. I know. But also, how nice. It was like everything we wanted to achieve this year.

You don't have to change everything. But if you can start getting peas in your pesto, what a win. Beans on your plate. It's good for the soil. Oh, I'm so up for this. Okay, so we are now on to our final episode of the year, everybody. I had a fun game to play. Do you know what?

Ella did a fun game and I was so down for it. She came up with this side area and she said, I've got questions for you and Irie. I was like, look, it's the end. Last episode of the year, we've got some listeners questions too, but I thought, let's wrap on some of our favorites as well. So I wanted to go in first, Re, fav trend of the year. By the way, when Ella had done this, I was in one of those kind of bar humbug moods.

I was so exhausted with work. And then I read the brief and I had to answer my questions. And I was so happy. I was like, yes. Oh, good. I thought you were about so resentful of you. No, no. I was really, really happy.

My recommendation is definitely the red light mask. Love that. Because I've never spent money on something. It is an investment piece. It's something, but I use it. And I've noticed just such a difference. And I feel reassure because we've had all of these dermatologists and people that I speak to that quote the literature that say it is the only wellness trend that actually has good evidence base when it comes to our skin. So essentially, it's called a light emitting diode, which is LED therapy.

It's non-invasive. You don't feel anything. You literally just put this mask on your face. It is relaxing. Lots of people say it depends on the color or the wavelength. So there is a difference in some masks. But they can target inflammation. collagen production, accelerate healing, and even kill bacteria on your skin.

So I would say that's a far better investment for your health than spending a fortune on... Things like collagen. Collagen powders. That's exactly it, Ella. And I had to mention my favourite trend that has emerged towards the end of this year. Podcasting is fibromaxing. I mean, I know I'm writing a fibre formula book. Yeah.

To see it, the fact that I'd started the fibre formula whilst finishing the unprocessed play and then saw these trends emerge, I was like, this is the time, Ella. Fibbermaxing is a fun one because again it's these quick wins. It is like blitzing extra beans into something or adding an extra sprinkling of crispy lentils or whatever it is. It is just a win. It's just a win. And we should all take wins. Okay, my favourite trend.

It was the hot girl walk and it's one of our original trends right from when we started. It took off everywhere. Yeah, but I loved how the community took it on board. I loved how accessible it was. I loved that it was quite funny. It's free to do. It's free. It's easy.

And I like that even the like original idea when it took. took off on TikTok was essentially about inspiring people to get outside, move your body, and then you were meant to be listening to something while you moved your body that was empowering, be that like your favourite podcast at the world, I'm a skim, but also like great music, things that you just feel super, super positive about it. So you clear your head, you set in tension and you just feel good and you make a bit of time for yourself, but as you said, Rie, in that like simple, accessible way. And we've also had headline after headline this year about how good walking is for us, you know?

And so I just, I love it. not just hot girl it became a fart walk and a phone free walk but hot girl walk let's be honest has a has a better ring to it it really favorite thing to do as a fart walk it just doesn't sound the same but do you remember even my dad tried it but we let's not call it we're like yeah dad you can go for a walk just has changed the name okay so our favorite wellness scoop trends of the year then a hot girl walking red light masking and fiber max yeah love that okay tell us yours obviously okay reefeave wellness hack of the year so mine here was something that I learned from Ella actually as well and it was just getting up before the kids it really motivated me to try and set my alarm I mean I will say this is only 10 to 15 minutes before them I know Ella has a great morning ritual 15 minutes of calm is huge it made a difference not being rushed when I got out of bed in the morning more awareness of my mobile phone in general essentially and always taking the stairs they're like my things I've really really focused on this year I love those and those are all little nice hacks yeah how about you mine I have

I had two. I was literally just eating it from a Tupperware box. So I can testament to it. Cheer pudding. With dates on the side. With dates on the side. Hempsees on the top. I am on brand today. Shears. But I actually asked chat GPT, sorry, to calculate the amount of fibre in it for me. But with some oats and cheer seeds, you got about two tablespoons of cheer seeds in there. You got about 14 grams of fiber. I then had a sprinkling of hemp seeds. Half your intake just in your breakfast. Had a couple of dates. So I've got over half of it. And it takes me like one minute. I do cheer seeds, oats, coconut. you'll get a little bit of kind of an oat milk or something like that and then I'll often do a little bit of hemp seed or you could do some nut butter, some banana, whatever you've got on the side. It takes me 30 seconds to make it. I really like it. But as you said, it's like when you're busy, that's A, it's pretty filling. But B, that's half your fibre. I know. And you're just done. I find it really interesting. And you can prep it for the week. Because the 30 sounds like such a big number. But when you do look at like even a porridge, you can get up to 10 grams of fiber and these basic starts the day, traditional meals.

I wouldn't say cheer seed was traditional, but it's become an easy staple. Yeah, it's sort of half overnight oats, half cheese eats. Exactly. And so I think that's been my wellness hack. It's the same like I prep the kids porridge often the night before. And again, I'll put in a tablespoon of cheer seeds in there. And it's just such an easy win. And Omega 3 is good for your brain.

Exactly. So guys, I'm genius and I'm full of fiber. What was your second one? My second one was, funnily enough, the Red Light Mask as well. But I love to do it when I'm really. really wellness-winning while I listen to a 10-minute meditation. That's my dream morning routine. It's so good you can do that in the morning.

That for me is evening. I'm so impressed. But I'm a morning gal, not an evening gal. I'm lazy as it comes. I like to sit in bed and watch Kardashians at night. We're weird chalk and cheese night and day. But it's good. I know.

Exactly. We need a little bit of everything. Best Wellness Buy of 2025. Very best thing you bought. The tongue scraper. Yes. Yeah. The one you got me at the start.

Because I don't know how I didn't know about. it before. I just don't understand now how I could ever go back. Me too. There's something foul about when you started and you're like, oh my gosh, what lives on my tongue? It's a bit like when people tell you how dirty your toilet seat is. Yeah. Or like, you know, those reals. It's because I'm wearing an invisiline as well. You know, since like Rona put my inviseline on at the Chelsea Dental Clinic, I realized that overnight my mouth just felt worse. And I was like, oh, my tongue scraper. You just notice all the bacteria. Anyway, this is bit gross. But that is definitely one of my top buys and then obviously like detoxing cleaning products i hate using that work but it's true i'm

so aware of chemicals and products those seep things that i got with all the different sponges that weren't the green fluffy ones that rub off i didn't know anything about the plastic in my house until this year yeah i love that so much i've learned about plastic i am really trying to go as natural as possible did you see the panorama documentary on plastic i haven't watched it yet i felt like i really needed to watch it and we need to discuss in the show have you seen it i have it was just a reminder it's in your clothes just as much as everywhere else and I actually found it a bit overwhelming

because I felt there were no solutions in place yeah I find the microplastic conversation very overwhelming I would ask for a call-up from our community for recommendations for active wear brands that use natural fibres that aren't extortionate that's really hard for it.

If anyone has any good ones yeah let us know please let us know and Ella what were your favourite wellness buys this year okay I bought a it's actually the brand face gym like Gouer Shah and it has one of the edges is slightly serrated

that's why I like the face gym one I mean like gently but you can kind of good for the 11 lines and anyway I'm obsessed I love it like part of my morning routine how long do you spend because I find it gets warm quite quickly

like three to five minutes okay yeah I just really enjoy it I do have to say when you have done one side then the other side one side does look much puckier and lifted who knows what it actually does but I really enjoy it also the drink mother root I recommended that a month or two ago. It's like a ginger, apple side of vinegar, chili. They call it an

aperitiv. I honestly would say, I don't think it has anything to do with alcohol. And it's very, very different to a cocktail. But if you're not drinking and you want something that's not water or lemonade or squash, that sparkling water, ice, 10. That sounds great. Replace your limoncello at Christmas with Marlborough. Yeah. So good. Okay. And then I've got two more questions for you, Ree. The most useful howd bit that you've implemented for your health this year. I'm not going to pretend that I've done this perfectly at all. No one does anything perfectly. No.

And I've been quite bad. Like I said, I think I've mentioned on Monday the last few weeks I've worked so much that I've not really looked after myself. But what I have done is tried the non-doing. Even on the train, I used to just get on the train. Work, work, work, emails, emails. I might just sit and try non-doing. Remember we discussed that it's really hard to just sit and not do anything. Sit and just gently stare out the window.

Yeah, that's hard for me. So I try that quite a bit And then my favourite thing Which I did take a picture of And sent it Ella last night It was so good It's since my Black Friday purchase Of my hot blanket

It goes on the bed And then I've got the old massager My husband got me in lockdown Because I just had a baby And there was no way that it was COVID We weren't going to see anyone for like a year So we bought a little shoulder massager It goes on the bed

I put my blanket on And then my red light mask goes on And I sit and listen to something That is my evening routine That is heaven on earth It's like five minutes bar time every now Oh my God, I love it. Ella, what's yours? I actually would say the most useful habit I've implemented. Maybe it's not as enjoyable or fun as yours, but the most handy for me has been gentle meal planning. I never used to do that because I quite like, they're like, spare of the moment. What do I fancy? And then when you've got two kids on a job, they're like, what do you fancy? Doesn't quite come into the equation. Roll off the tongue so much on a Tuesday night.

Or you say what you do and they're like, oh, I don't want that. Oh my gosh. That's the worst. Exactly. And you're like, I am not a right. restaurant. This is what I planned. I know. Everyone wanted something different for breakfast this morning and I was like, guys, I'm on a 7.30 train. You must get to school. No, I'm not making four different breakfast. This is like a lot columpet. The elves are watching. I made porridge last night and you will either. No, mine has been gentle meal planning. I don't plan every single meal. It's not like a rigid thing where we must stick to it or else. But I just do a plan of dinner. It's dinners fundamentally for the week. And then I do a shop based on that. So I have all the ingredients for the recipes I'm going to make. Obviously, we can devio. It doesn't have to be that. But I find it really

helpful when I get home from work tonight. And I'm like, right, tonight we're having, we're having some like miso, maple fried tofu with veggie rice. And I have everything I need. I know what I'm going to do. It'll take me 20 minutes. It feels really accessible. And then also I find it easier to get variety in. So gentle, not intense, like must hold me accountable at all times meal planning, but just having a structure for the week, which was, yeah, the premise of quick win. And but it was, now I've got it in my own life. Do you think that helped you? Yeah, because I tried it out doing eight weeks a bit.

And I was like, wow, the mental load. Because how much do you hate being asked what's for dinner? I was also going to say on that front that it just takes how many times to create a habit. But once you try it and you really see results, it's really motivating. 100%. Okay, Rhee, last one. What's your goal for next year? Oh, gosh.

With your health, with your wellness. Do you know, I feel like I just feel so happy with the wellness scoop this year. I feel like I've really found somewhere. I feel comfortable like I actually fit in rather than struggling to fit in since school. You know, those kind of feelings that have emerged. So mine is to be more present with the community that we have. Also with retrition, the clinic, just to feel like I'm presently there, not always planning. It's hard to do, but I feel like I've spent my life always planning the next things.

And I just want to deliver more to these amazing communities we have. But also be present and interact with it because I feel that. enhances my productivity. Is that a weird thing to say? No, because I wrote the exact same thing. Did you let me see? Find ways to be better at being more present. Yes.

And it's true that's so many amazing things and this is a huge part of it and it's easy to kind of gloss over and keep going, keep thinking what's next, what's next, what's next? And actually, do you know what? My father-in-law always says it and I always think he's a very wise man anyway and a very special person, but one thing he's always said, which I really appreciate it. He always says, you've got to say it when you're having a good time. because actually life can be so rubbish and we all go through really difficult periods

where things often way beyond our control happen or happen around us or to us and they're so difficult and really hard to go through and then there are moments of your life where actually things are great and you need to stop and you need to say things are great today and I am so lucky so I saw this real last night

I don't know if I put it in the group I can't remember but it's exactly what you just said I think it was a BBC one They were interviewing somebody that works in care homes, and they asked this lady a question and said, what is something that everybody says towards the end of their life that they wish they'd done more of? And the first thing they said was just be happier and not work as much was the second one, which is, I know, easier said than done. And they said just to acknowledge those happy days and just to, because they'd give anything to go back to that time and that place. And it was such a reminder, I nearly cried watching it because it was just such a reminder that it's so,

is easier not to be happy than to be happy. I know. I've always really struggled with it. And I'll say one last thing on that. I remember because both his mom and his dad have always been so good at this. And I always remember it. It was like one of those like life-changing moments anyway was when his mom had been diagnosed

with terminal brain cancer. And it was early May and it was a beautiful day. It was one of those like beautiful, beautiful days. The bank holiday was his sister's birthday. And we were all in the garden at their house. And his little niece was about 10 weeks old. And they'd just been told she probably had a year to live. And it was a really devastating diagnosis, obviously.

But it was a really beautiful day, just like a beautiful British summer day. And we were all there as a family. And my little niece was there. And as I said, and she was having a little bath in like a tub in the garden. And it was all so sweet. But I remember being so sad all day. And she and I, because I was just couldn't stop thinking about the future. And I remember at the end, she was like, that was just such a perfect day.

And I just remember it forever being like, gosh, you all. all so good at living in the moment because she was right that the future was not but that day was those my wise words to end our little segment on and we can move into listeners questions i'm so excited to tell you about my brand new cookbook quick wins healthy cooking for busy lives i wrote this one to make healthy cooking just simple when life is busy so you'll find refrigerate suppers, one pound wonders and batch cooks that you can turn into two easy meals. Plus, we have eight weeks of delicious meal plans to complete with shopping lists so all the thinking's been done for you. Every recipe also gives you plant points to help you eat more plants

so you can get your 30 plants a week. It'll all help you feel great and just make healthy cooking feel effortless again. So Quick Wins is out now wherever you get your books. Our first question today that we've got from you all is from Cara. Kara has said, goodness, thank you so much for creating this space every week. It's helped me so much in the last year. Last November, despite doing everything right health-wise, I was diagnosed pretty much out of the blue with acute myeloid leukemia. I had a stem cell transplant in March and then developed lung disease as a complication.

So safe to say it's been a very difficult year to navigate. Dipping my toe back into anything health and wellness felt incredibly toxic especially with headlines about quote unquote anti-cancer and it all made me feel like I'd done something wrong I was scared of everything but listening to you both every week has made it so much less scary

and I've been able to learn and enjoy all things wellness again without so much of the worrying I've also made use of so many of your wrecks lots of books by Ella the Bicera skin line which has been amazing for my chemo ravaged skin and Ella I also use so much for your app

the yoga and breathwork has been a godsend as I try and get back into movement again. So thank you, thank you. I have a question to you both about UPFs. If I'm having something like mayonnaise or yogh, in theory, if it's less fat or less sugar, does that mean it's more processed? Should we actually go for the full option and enjoy it? A very good question, but thank you for sharing that. I'm sending so much love to you because it's so brave to share that.

And you've obviously been going through such a lot and really feel that for you right now here in the studio. I also support, and I think this is on what you've just said, an amazing charity called DKMS, and I just want to shout them out again because they help everybody become stem cell transplant donors. So all you have to do is I take a swab like a COVID swab test kit. They send it to you in the post for free. You just take a swab of your mouth, send it back and you could save someone's life. Like it's so easy.

And if anyone follows them, it's at DKMS underscore UK. But to answer your question, to go into that, it's always the way, isn't it? that if you go low fat, you're taking the fat out of the products. You have to replace it with something tasty. But that's how the industry started off in the 1960s, really, with low fat. That's the first demonized macronucrium, really, wasn't it? Low fat. Or was it carbs first? I lose track because Atkins.

Yes, you're right. I think it was carbs. Then fat. Low fat. And then went back to carbs, obviously, quite a bit. Yeah, I think so. But we used to then replace the low. fat products with artificial sweetness and all sorts of things to make it really palatable.

But nowadays you can actually buy low fat products that don't have anything replaced within it. So my advice is always to read the labels on the back. Full fat is obviously going to be less processed because you haven't taken anything out of the product itself. But it can still be high and saturated fat if you're talking about dairy items like cheese or kaffir yogurt. So it depends on you and your personal goals.

If you have high cholesterol levels like I do naturally, even though I'm very fit and healthy, I'm probably better off having more low fat items than full fat. You've got to really do what works for you. And aim for those good fats, the ones we always talk about, the olive oil, Ella's favorite avocado on toast, you know, our walnut trends. That's what we want to be getting. And less of what I call the HDL,

the ones that come in animal saturates like sausages, fats on meat, butter, cheese. And one little shout out, I'd recommend the oncology RD. So oncology.nutrition.r.R.D. on Instagram. Nicole, she helped me with my mom and she specializes in cancer nutrition and she's a really amazing dietitian. It's actually qualified to follow. Love that. That's all such good advice. I think reading the label is probably like the number one easy answer to this, which is just keeping it as minimally processed or minimally alter process as possible. Be a little bit of what you love is fine. 100%. And I think what you've said there is. enjoy it is the answer. Like, there's no point having lots of UPFs and then not enjoying them.

I agree. You know, if you're going to sit down with your quality streets this Christmas, while you watch a Christmas movie. Are you a quality street girl? I'm actually not. I'm more miniature heroes. Oh, I know. I like celebrations.

Oh, no, no. Actually, am I celebrations? Yeah. I always thought celebrations for the bands. It's a big question. It's a big question. But anyway, sit down with your Christmas movie and enjoy them. Don't then feel guilty because then that's madness.

us. So like enjoy these things. Sit down and enjoy them. But then, you know, get some fibre too. Make that cheer pudding. Exactly. And it leads us on to a nice question from Lucy who said, and I think Ella, you should definitely answer this. What do your family weekly go to meals? I'm trying to become more plant-based for my health and struggling of ideas for quick, easy. Let's use the word quick wins there. Meals for weekdays. Bonus points. If it will please my meat-eating husband, gosh, I can relate to that. Yeah. I think so many people can relate to that. And I love that question. I think so many people like you, Lucy, juggling lots of things and, you know, have their go-to meals.

So changing that up is quite, as we talked about us, that mental load, the emotional toll. Before you answer it, Ella, I tried one of your plants meals last night. I forgot to tell you. Oh, God, I've just been so rushed. One of the frozen. I remember it was frozen, and it was the tofu spinach curry. Oh, my gosh. And my husband, who also is a meat eater and finds it hard, said, he said, I like the texture of that tofu.

I know. That is a huge compliment because believe you or me. That is mega. Yes. Well, all are all plants, frozen meals come direct your doors. So that makes your life so easy. Thanks, Larry. Anyway, give us your four weeks. One thing I'd say about your husband and I've always said this and I remember to start with people used to get quite cross with me for into a better word because they were like, I thought you were promoting a vegetarian diet. I'm like, no, I'm really here to promote eating more vegetables as opposed to trying to promote anyone, like having to follow anyone. eat what you like, but just eat more veg. But what you can think of, I always like this idea of it's like reversing it. So instead of thinking about meat and two veg, think about two veg and your meat, like make the meat or the animal protein, the fish, whatever it is the side, and make the veg the main event. So you can cook something that everyone's eating, but it doesn't mean you can't put some chicken

on the side. And then your husband's probably maybe not to speak for you, but I think we've seen this a lot over the years at delicious yellow, more likely to try it and then be like, oh, wait a second, I actually really enjoyed that. You know, I remember, like, my mum's boyfriend, for example, I'm sure she won't mind me saying, gosh, they've been together, I don't know, a long time now. And to start with, that's what she always said. And then after a few years, he was like, well, I don't think I always need it. Like, I actually really enjoy the vegetarian meal and now they rarely ever do that.

Like mine is my 15-year-long project, Ella, and when I met, he didn't eat any veg or fruit. Like, I walked out in arguments, and now he eats everything, like even a roasted tray bake. So it does take time. Yeah, and just go gently. And I think that idea of reversing it, so it's not me as the centre. It's the veg bit as the centre and the meat bit on the side. It's a really nice way of thinking about it as a gentle shift, but one way you're getting more vitamins, minerals, fibre in your life.

We, as I said before, are doing a bit of gentle meal planning, and I'm finding it really helpful. We'll do things like tray bakes, for example. There's one I keep making. That's a kind of fajita-style one, and literally everything goes on one tray. So red onion, peppers, tofu, some spices, that all roasts. And you do garlic on the tray as well. then squeeze out the roasted garlic, mash it into yogh. Pop the spot. Pop the spot. So good. And then stir some rice through. And lots of lime juice. And it is so no fast, but makes all the difference. I'll do a batch cook once a week. I've currently obsessed with, I think I've mentioned this before, pulled mezzo at obegene.

That's my favorite dish in the whole world, Ella. So good. You just roast the obergine until it's like blistered and collapsing and then you spoon out all the flesh and do it with like a rich tomato base with a bit of miso in. And again, you can make huge pork. of that you could do it as a pasta and again like you put palms down on the top for him like it doesn't need to be fully plant based that's not my take two other things I'm loving fancy butter beans on toast but that's great because for someone that is a meat eater as well you would still have beans on toast and think it's a classic for sure and it's a lazy supper then do some poach eggs on the top for him so you're still getting the beans in there it doesn't have to be all or nothing you're just sorting those of garlic tomatoes a bit of yogurt a bit of lemon butter

beans and then the other one that we've been making loads of which is quite nice for winter is a creamy white bean and mushroom auzeo risotto that is delicious and because risotto takes too long to cook midweek for most of us but also takes 10 minutes to cook I felt actually I should have put also as one of our hero wins at the beginning of the episode because I've just cooked with it nonstop since that day we recorded at the delicious liella office yes and we had an auzo dish now and then I was like that's getting me back into my also again and I've made it so much the kids now love it yeah my kids love it anyway if you want loads of recipes like that. Quick ones out today. It does, I'm not just trying to plug it. That actually has all

those sorts of recipes in. It has those ones in and it does, is all about those easy weeknight meals. Okay, read this question's really for you from Heather. I'm looking to introduce a quality hot chocolate because you're a hot chocolate guy. I am. Into my winter evenings as a sweet tree and as an alternative treat to a glass of red wine when actually I'm looking to cut back on. I was reminded of re talking about her hot chocolate and her special milk froth a thingy some episodes back and I thought I'd give adopting her ritual or go, but I can't figure out whether a quality dark chocolate to melt into milk or a cacao-based drink is the better option. I mean, it's a very, very good question, Heather.

I go for ease here, to be honest. I actually think, if you break it down, I go for the actual chocolate itself, like the dark chocolate. Just dark chocolate. Because I just think the texture, it's a bit thicker when you make a hot chocolate. And I cheat because I buy those bags, those like, there's quite a few companies that do it, but like 70%, 80% ground down hot chocolate mixes that have already been ground down into tiny chocolate flakes and then I just add that to my velveter.

What's your favorite brand? I've got a few. I definitely like the hotel chocolate one because I know the quality is different but it goes up to like 80% and you can get really high cocoa percentages. Because I make hot chocolate a lot for Sky, my older daughter, who loves it.

Yeah. But I actually just end up chopping up dark chocolate. Exactly. But that would be wazier. It saves the middleman job of chopping it all up and getting it small enough to melt into the little pieces. And I love that. And I put it in my valvetiser.

And I also use my valetiser for matcher. I use it for baby chinos for the kids. I think I'm going to need to get the kids a valvertiser for Christmas. Yeah, that's a really good present idea because it's just all year. I know I drink hot chocolate all year round. Well, actually, Sky, not May. She really thinks hot chocolate is gross, which is interesting. But, you know, I think, to answer the question, that it's nicer tasting than the powder.

But I grew up with the powder because it's cheaper. it's, you know, it's more accessible. But also I think what you're asking here is using a cacao powder so versus a hot chocolate powder. And I would say, flavor-wise, you obviously can. You can then add a bit of almond butter.

You can add a bit of maple. You can add a squeeze a pinch of salt into your milk and you can froth that all up. So I think you can make it really nice. And if you've got it in the house, great. But I think for an easier, more indulgent one, I would just either get your flakes or if you've got a bar of dark chocolate in the house,

just cut up a few squares. Cows very bitter, there's no added sugar. You need to add some maple or some honey. You need to add your flavour. Yeah, if you want that nice hot chocolate, although it is good for you guys. I know that it can be marketed as a superfood. Let's just take that with a pinch of salt, but it does contain those antioxidants. Also, have dark chocolate as hot chocolates because research shows that it stimulates stem cell production back to our question one.

So it causes them to move from the bone marrow into the bloodstream, potentially aiding rapid repair in areas like heart and skin. And so remember that having your darker chocolate is really good, not just for taste and less sugar, but because it does improve our blood vessel function. And that's really cool. I'm really enjoying all our wrecks from Monday and Thursday this week. I am. I feel like we're going to go on slow, gentle walks. We're going to do some little gentle yoga or Tai Chi.

Take your hot chocolate on the walk. We're going to drink hot chocolate and enjoy it. We're going to just mindfully do everything. Guys, we're going to be so zen when we come back in January. I used to take my hot chocolates to rehearsals with me. me. It was a thing in my super class. I'm really inspired to do this over Christmas. Okay, we have one last question of the year and that comes from Gabby and I felt really nice to end on a high and this one is therefore perfect. Gabby said, let me start with saying how much I love the

wellness scoop. I'm an avid listener and feel so empowered by you gals. Thanks Gabby. I'm reaching out for some guidance on what truly deserves priority when it comes to my health. I'm constantly reminded of the saying you can do anything but you can't do everything because I'm full of big ideas and good intentions but I rarely follow through on all of them. I'm starting to think the real issue is that I'm simply trying to do too much at once. So Ella and Ree, what would you say are the daily weekly essentials? Is it getting 10K steps? Is it doing 30 minutes of morning yoga?

Is it a fibre or protein-rich breakfast? Or is it more trial and error and figuring out what works best for our own bodies? Are there any quick wins? I love for everyone saying quick wins. I know. We can easily incorporate into our days. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. And I'd really appreciate your wisdom, especially for a 30-year-old girl on a budget.

Thanks, Gals. Gabby, what a question to end on. Thank you, Gabby. Yes, such a high end. I think, Ella, you should start because we're quick winning today. We're celebrating. So what would you say would be yours? I would say the biggest thing that I try and do, and I really get you, Gabby, I feel like I've had times days where I'm like, right, I must do my morning routine and I must do my walk and I must exercise X times this week.

And I must have my fibre and I must have my protein and I must batch cook and all the rest of it. And it just doesn't fit into real life sometimes. and sometimes it does and when you create a rigid schedule it's impossible and I think it's easier to say it than to do it when you say you've just got to let it ebb and flow but I think you do and I think what you've got to do and it's what I'm like going to gently say obsessed with at the moment is this need when it comes to our health and wellness habits to zoom out and it's not about what will change your life today tomorrow this week next week and I think this is particularly pertinent for all the overload of advice that's coming our way in January and it's about zooming out and thinking like what over time will

add up to really improving my health span. And so, you know, some weeks, most things will feel impossible. Quick year pudding might be or win. And other weeks, you'll have more time. And that's okay. It's not about what you do today. It's about what you do over time and how those habits add up. And I think for me, that's the biggest thing. I think the only thing I'm quite rigid for want to a better word on is I really do try and kind of help my future self for want to a better word. But I like thinking about it like that because I find it quite positive. So, for example, I got back quite late last night, like 9 o'clock and I knew I had a train at 7.30 this morning. And so I was like, okay, what, what's my win for the morning? That is late back for you. It is. And me.

Wildler. Yeah. You know, prepping the porridge ready for tomorrow morning. And so that's kind of become my thing. There's anything that I can do that will make my life easier in the future, kind of remove barriers for entries. So if I'm going to make a dip, I'll make a big dip because I've got my blender out. doesn't make any difference. And then I've got that to snack on throughout the week. If I'm cooking, I'll always make too much of it. Again, I've got that throughout the week. It might be I'm just roasting veggies and I've got too many and then I'll just chuck those into a soup, that then that'll be a three minute soup when I'm working at home one day. So that's my biggest thing.

It's no one specific thing, but it's zoom out when you think about your health and let it ebb and flow because that's what life does and don't put too much pressure on. But then when you have got time and space, action it. And then the second thing is make your future life easier. by when you are doing something, double it up, triple it up, make life easier for your future self. It just makes so much sense. It's just perfectly, perfect common sense advice. I couldn't echo that more, Ella, because I know there are days, like when I'm doing

literature reviews or book writing, I just know that that is a write-off. I'm not going to fill my best. And then I've got a period of time in January, I'm really excited about where I'm not actually actively writing something or a project. I'm actually going to take a break. I spoke to my husband last night. I said, I just need a bit of time where I'm not. not delving into the literature for a little bit.

And I'm going to maximize my movement a little bit more. I'm going to try Ella's favorite hot girl walks. I'm going to do more of them in January because I find January hard. I think January is the hardest month of the year for so many people. And we are going to be there in our wellness scoop jumpers every week for you all. Matching sweatshirts, matching wellness sweepers, we will be here. Guys, what a year? You've honestly made our year.

so we are like endlessly grateful for your support, your enthusiasm for the wellness group. Let us know in the comments your favorite trend. Gadget Gizmo tip. What you got for Christmas? That's helpful because maybe it's something that we can bring some of those to the show when we come back. In January, we will be back 5th of January that Monday morning.

If you're off to work again that morning, you're commuting into the office, we will be right there with you. Yeah, don't you worry. We are dead set on this and we've got lots of amazing things and ideas. and it's going to be a wonderful 2026. So thank you for being here for all of 2025. Merry Christmas and a very happy new year.

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