The Happier Life Project

Strong on the Inside and on the Outside with Renee McGregor

You don’t need to be a professional athlete to reap the benefits from fueling yourself correctly with food and movement. But with so many confusing mixed messages, diet plans and other people’s influences over how we should look, eat and show up in life, often we are left operating sub-optimally without even realizing it. 
Do you try to eat well to reduce the risk of chronic diseases? Or do you try to eat well to look a certain way? Do you look at other people who seem to be radiating health and happiness and think "why don’t I feel like that when I follow their ‘tips’ and suggestions?" Do you feel a prisoner to your own cravings? Is fatigue the bane of your existence? 
You might be under-fueling even if you are ‘doing all the things’, and not enjoying life as much as you should be because of deep rooted fear derived from outdated, inaccurate propaganda. 
Renee McGregor is a leading Sports and Eating disorder specialist dietitian with 20 years experience working in clinical and performance nutrition. Renee works with individuals, athletes of all levels and ages, coaches and sports science teams to provide nutritional strategies to enhance sport performance, manage eating disorders and overtraining. She is also author of ‘Training Food: Get the Fuel You Need to Achieve Your Goals Before During And After Exercise’, ‘Fast Fuel - Food For Triathlon Success’, ‘Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad’ and ‘More Fuel You: Understanding Your Body & how to Fuel Your Adventures’ with another book on the way. 
Renee passionately believes in only giving advice backed on science and sitting down with host Gabby busts some common nutritional myths, whilst sharing her deep disdain for the ‘move more, eat less’ mantra. Renee talks about the pressures athletes are put under and how that can lead to the development of an eating disorder. She also shares her concerns about some of the harmful messaging from the ‘wellness industry’ that are setting people up to fail and cause potential health problems. 
In this jam packed episode, Renee teaches Gabby about low energy availability, the importance of female hormone health and how food can impact. Plus she stresses why it’s never ok for girls to go without periods. In addition Renee reveals the foods that make her feel strong on the outside and on the inside and shares why it’s actually much healthier to go for a slice of cake than a protein bar. 
This episode of The Happier Life Project will make you question how you eat and rethink where your priorities line up on the scale from vanity reasons to health, happiness and longevity.  For all things Renee McGregor: https://reneemcgregor.com
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

Steps For Managing Anger with Dr. Ryan Martin

We all feel angry at times and occasionally it can be a helpful emotion. But sometimes it can be difficult to manage and make our lives harder, especially when we too easily fall victim to our triggers. While anger is not considered a mental health issue, it can often be a symptom. And whether you’re the person who is angry, or you’re on the receiving end, it's not good for either party's mental and emotional health. 
Dr. Ryan Martin (aka the Anger Professor) researches and writes about healthy and unhealthy expressions of anger. His books, ‘How to Deal with Angry People: 10 Strategies for Facing Anger at Home, at Work and in the Street’ and ‘Why We Get Mad: How to Use Your Anger for Positive Change’, explore why people become angry, how people can use their anger in productive ways, and how to work effectively with angry people.
 
Talking to host Gabby, Ryan shares some strategies for both managing your own anger and what you can do to diffuse someone else's. Ryan also explains why at the root of road rage, the cause of the anger is usually something bigger than what has happened on the road. Plus, Ryan breaks down the signs to look out for if you, or someone you know, may need professional help for their anger. 
 
For more on Dr. Ryan and to take part in The Anger Project survey: http://alltheragescience.com/
To follow Dr. Ryan on social media: @angerprofessor on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

India, Yoga & Healing with Gabby and Friends

To mark International Yoga Day 2023, a global event celebrated to promote the practice of yoga and raise awareness about its numerous benefits, host Gabby takes you to India, the birthplace of yoga.
Listen to Gabby’s incredible journey which begins in Rishikesh, a city in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills, frequently referred to as the yoga capital of the world. As Gabby completes an intense month-long yoga teacher training course she speaks to some of her teachers and fellow students from the Jiva Yoga Academy about what makes yoga such a prolific physical, mental, and spiritual practice for your well-being.
Then Gabby is off to South Goa where after a rocky start, being scammed into what she thought was a yoga retreat, Gabby meets Julia Gavin a dedicated yoga teacher, and teacher of teachers, who splits her time between the north west of the UK and southern Goa. At the stunning Palm Trees Yoga Resort, Gabby and Julia discuss what makes India and yoga teacher training, such a life changing experience.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To enquire about a retreat or yoga teacher training at the Palm Trees Yoga Resort, Goa: https://palmtreesyogaresort.com/
 

How Are You Dad? with Mark Williams

Fathers' mental health pre- and post-pregnancy has received little attention in comparison to mothers. As Prince William said himself of becoming a father, "It’s one of the most amazing moments of life, but it’s also one of the scariest." Dads – as well as mums – struggle during the perinatal period, but many fathers don’t get asked about their mental health during the antenatal and postnatal period. And when they were asked, many reports have said that up to 39% of new fathers wanted support for their mental health and one in five felt totally isolated in the first year of fatherhood.
In short, a lot of dads struggle in silence.
On the lead up to Father’s Day and International Fathers’ Mental Health Day, the Happier Life Project speaks to parental mental health speaker, author and international campaigner Mark Williams who founded International Fathers Mental Health Day and the #Howareyoudad campaign to make sure all parents are having support for the whole family.
Mark himself experienced paternal postpartum depression and suffered in silence for years until he entered community mental health services. Talking to host Gabby, Mark shares his research around fathers and their mental health, advising on the signs to look out for when dad’s may be struggling and squashing the myth that men don’t like to talk. Mark and Gabby also discuss how alpha mums might unintentionally leave a father feeling sidelined and the impact of what dad's witnessing a traumatic delivery can do to their mental health. Mark also explains why if we help support dad's too, we are helping the whole family unit.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
For Dad’s Who May be Struggling - Hub Of Hope: https://hubofhope.co.uk/
 

How To Support Our LGBTQ+ Loved Ones with Olly Pike

Every June is Pride Month where the world celebrates the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning (LGBTQ) community. And although since the 1969 Stonewall Riots, huge progress has been made, we must not ignore the stats. LGBTQ adults are more than twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition, and transgender individuals are nearly four times as likely as cisgender individuals (people whose gender identity corresponds with their birth sex) to experience a mental health condition.
So how do we best support our LGBTQ+ loved ones? Are we doing enough? We might not agree with the haters and fear mongers but do we stand up to them? How can we graduate from being a bystander to an upstander? How can we do better?
Olly Pike is a ​​Children’s Author, illustrator and YouTuber who created and is director for Pop’n’Olly, an LGBT+ equality educational resource for children, parents, carers and teachers with content in the form of books, stories and videos. Pop’n’Olly is now is now one of the UK’s leading providers of LGBTQ+ educational resources for primary schools. Their mission being to combat LGBT+ prejudice before it can begin to develop.
Olly has also created content for CBeebies, Tate Kids, Hopster TV and collaborated with UK charities Stonewall and Mermaids. Olly has spoken in Parliament and London City Hall, in 2020 made the UK‘s Pride Power List and in 2021 Olly was awarded an Attitude Pride Award.
Olly talks to host Gabby about the subtle ways we can support our LGBTQ loved one and the community overall. Olly also explains why it’s important (if safe) to stand up and diffuse negative and unpleasant acts of discrimination and homophobia, and why educating ourselves and others is the best way we can show that we care.
To find out more about Pop ‘n’ Olly: https://www.popnolly.com/
To follow Olly on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ollypike/
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
 

Loving an Addict; Looking After Yourself with Taner Hassan

When someone you love is struggling with addiction, it doesn’t just impact that person. It impacts the whole friends and family network. Your life becomes filled with worry, stress, frustration and anticipation, which can chip away at your physical, mental and emotional health. Strained relationships, financial difficulties, and increased risk of abuse are only the tip of the iceberg as your life becomes consumed by their problems.
But if we can’t walk away, how do we cope? How do we set healthy boundaries? How do we stop something bad from happening without succumbing to enabling? How do we make sure we don’t neglect the rest of the family, as we’ve been focussing all our efforts on the addicted person? How do we look after ourselves?
Counsellor, psychotherapist and addiction expert Taner Hassan has over fifteen years experience specializing in Substance Misuse Addiction, Sex Addiction, Porn Addiction and Alcohol Addiction. Taner has worked within the NHS, Community Drug & Alcohol services and addiction and mental health rehabs; working tirelessly, not only with the person in addiction, but also with the family members in addiction.
Today’s episode is for those of you who have someone in your life, that you love, who is battling with any kind of addiction. This might also be helpful to share with anyone you know who is an addict to help them see how it affects you and your mental health.
 
To work with Taner and to find out more about his services: https://www.taner-hassan.com/
To follow Taner on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanertherapy/
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
 

Reset Your Body Clock with Professor Russell G. Foster

Your body's "biological clock," or 24-hour cycle (circadian rhythm) can be disrupted by a number of factors from too much technology time, not getting enough natural light, working night shifts, a partner who snores, jetlag, children, external sound distractions… the list goes on. Interrupted, or not long enough sleep, can cause a negative impact on our health, happiness and wellbeing; with varying symptoms from mild to severe.
Professor Russell Foster is Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, the founding Director of the Sleep and Circadian Research Institute (SCNi) and is a Fellow of Brasenose College, University of Oxford. He is also author of 'Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health' and is regarded as a world-leading expert on circadian neuroscience.
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Professor Foster studies how circadian rhythms and sleep are generated and regulated and the impact across the health spectrum when these systems fail. Why do we feel more emotional when we don’t get enough sleep? Why are some people early birds, others night owls? And can one turn into the other? Is it ok to take sleeping aids such as medication or alcohol? Does the use of blackout blinds help or hinder our natural sleep-wake cycle? And why do most mental health illnesses change the way we sleep?
Professor Foster shares all the science and research based facts around these common questions, dispelling the myths whilst explaining how a well regulated body clock can drastically improve our quality of life, health and happiness.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health is available to purchase in most places.

Demystifying Women’s Reproductive Health Dr Brooke Vandermolen

When we look at a female’s reproductive health (the health of an individual's reproductive system during all stages of their life), there is a lot going on! And while we have made great progress in openly discussing topics that have historically been conducted in hushed tones, or not spoken about at all, there is still a lot of confusion and embarrassment around certain areas.
Good sexual and reproductive health is important for quality of life for all people. And we know all too well, if we keep worries and concerns bottled up, this takes its toll on our mental health and state of wellbeing. Dr Brooke Vandermolen is on a mission to talk openly and informatively about women’s health and parenthood. A practicing NHS Obstetrics and Gynaecology doctor, as well a popular medical content creator, under the handle the @theobgynmum Brooke’s evidence-based information has taken the internet by storm, smashing down taboos and reassuring thousands of women about their reproductive and sexual health.
Should we be using feminine hygiene products, what is a ‘normal menstrual cycle’, can diet really affect fertility, what if I don’t have a symmetrical looking vulva, is it ok to have a bit of discharge every day, should I get the HPV Vaccine even though I’ve already started having sex, and why are our emotions so influenced by our reproductive organs… Dr Brooke sits down with host Gabby to cover all this and more.
 
For more on Dr Brooke Vandermolen: https://theobgynmum.com/
To follow Dr Brooke on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theobgynmum/
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
 

What It Means To Be A Real Man with Alex Holmes

Surveys from around the world find that males everywhere are reluctant to talk about their mental health. Could the dangerous effects of toxic masculinity, the way men are culturally trained and socially pressured to behave, be the main underlying reason why? 
In a world heavily influenced by the projections of film, the media and social media, what does it mean to be ‘a real man’? And if you don’t fit the definition of, what does that make you?  
Alex Holmes, is an award-winning mental health podcaster, writer, mental health coach, trainee therapist and workshop leader. Alex has spoken extensively on the mental health of men and boys, taking an intersectional approach by looking at the impacts of gender, race, sexuality, and ability on our mental wellbeing.
Alex is also author of ‘Time To Talk: How Men Think About Love, Belonging, and Connection’, which highlights some of the areas men struggle to open up about most, whilst debunking masculinity myths and explaining why '’Manning Up" is NOT the answer.
Alex and host Gabby look at some of the dangerous definitions of what it means to be a man among men in today’s society. They also explore why so many men feel it’s better to suffer in silence and bottle up their emotions rather than communicate. Alex shares gentle advice on what anyone can do to support a man who may be struggling, thus helping to change the narrative that vulnerability isn’t rooted in weakness, but in strength. 
For more on Alex Holmes, his podcast, courses and book: https://alexholmes.co/
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

Coping with Grief and Loss with Alex Mammadyarov

Grief and Loss affects nearly all people at some point in their life. Not only do we have to go through it, we have to experience loved ones go through it too.
The pain and suffering can be excruciating and highly traumatic. And we can grieve in different ways, presenting a variety of symptoms and emotions including: shock and numbness, overwhelming sadness (with lots of crying), tiredness or exhaustion, anger and guilt.
Alex Mammadeeyarov is a psychotherapist from New York who offers therapy for grief, relationships, & personal growth. In this episode of The Happier Life Project Alex offers comfort and advice for the grieving, sharing her expert wisdom as a grief counselor.
Bereavement is the main reason for grief and loss, but there are other reasons we can mourn a loss too, such as; the end of a relationship (romantic or friendship), losing a job or changes in financial security, changes in health, losing someone to addiction… The death of a loved one is the predominant theme in Alex’s conversation with host Gabby, but the other reasons for why we grieve are also discussed too.
Please note, this episode contains content that some listeners may find upsetting due to the subject matter. Please proceed gently and with self-compassion. If you are in need of some professional medical advice, the crisis button on the My Possible Self app offers a directory of expert helplines.
For more on Alex Mammadyarov: https://www.alexmammadyarovtherapy.com/
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast