Bite Sized Habits Podcast with Dr. Heather McKee, evidence based ways to build healthy habits that last

You can read the full show notes here: https://bit.ly/2lBWHUo The importance of embracing our vulnerability Life coach, personal trainer, meditation teacher, and positive mental health advocate Ben gives us a lesson in the importance of cultivating positive mental health habits. Ben aka the naked professor is a champion of the need for us all, in particular men to become more in touch with ourselves, care less about what others think of us and be proud of our vulnerabilities. In this episode Ben teaches us how he got out of his head and stepped into his true self and the roadblocks he experienced along the way. In this episode you will learn: • The importance of routine • How honesty is the cornerstone to building healthy habits • How to become more aware of the power of our thoughts Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode include: • How can you be more honest with yourself? • How can you learn to check in with yourself and notice how what your feeling can be guiding your actions? • What limiting beliefs do you hold and what can you do to overcome these? The power of allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, is so often overlooked. I love what Ben represents in terms of empowering people, in particular men, to embrace their vulnerability, overcome their limiting beliefs and ultimately feel free to be themselves. I hope you enjoy this episode on The importance of embracing our vulnerability with the naked professor, Ben. You can find Bens website and podcast here: https://thenakedprofessor.me/about/ https://podtail.com/en/podcast/the-naked-professors/

You can get the full show notes here: https://bit.ly/2lwEac0 The power of transforming negative thoughts into positive emotions Fiona Brennan is a much-acclaimed clinical hypnotherapist, bestselling author, Ted x speaker and positive psychology advocate. Having experienced the struggles of anxiety first hand, Fiona was driven to find an approach that not only helped her breakthrough her own mental barriers but one which she could then share with others. S he is the author of The Positive Habit - 6 steps for transforming negative thoughts into positive emotions. Through her book and online programme Fiona supports people to reduce their anxiety in order to thrive and flourish. In this episode you will learn: • How thoughts are habits too and the importance of reframing your thoughts • What one of the most sought-after positive mental habits is and steps to take to attain it • The key habit Fiona uses to maintain her positive emotions The key question to ask yourself to integrate into your own healthy habits based on this episode is: • What one small thing can you do now today to start taking care of yourself and your mental health? I am a massive fan of Fiona’s work – which I’m sure you can tell as I’m positively gushing throughout the conversation. But also because she is someone who really walks her talk and is a huge inspiration in terms of what the power of working on your mental fitness can do. I highly recommend her weekly blog, which gets sent out every Monday morning it’s a fantastically positive way to kick start your week. I hope you enjoy this episode with Fiona Brennan on The power of transforming negative thoughts into positive emotions. Resources: Book: https://www.thepositivehabit.com/the-positive-habit-book/ Website: https://www.thepositivehabit.com

You can read the full show notes here: https://bit.ly/2lYKuJw Why we don’t need fixing Having had worked in addictions for years behaviour change specialist and bestselling author Shahroo wanted to find a way to translate key behaviour change theory into an accessible format that could be used by her clients and be easy to apply to their everyday lives. In this episode we discuss: ·      Shahroo’s top habit tip that she implements every day to help her overcome challenging situations ·      How forearmed is forewarned – having a plan of action is key ·      Why guidance is much more valuable than opinion Questions to ask yourself based on this episode: ·      Can you become aware of your negative self-talk? And start to think about rewriting your own more encouraging script? ·      What three things will test me today? Can you jot down just three things and come up with ways in which you’d like to behave in response to them? For example, how will you deal with a difficult colleague? When temptation crops up? It was so fun talking with Shahroo, and I’m not kidding when I say her book is jam-packed with incredibly effective ways in which to reflect on and improve your own habits. I know you will find today's conversation an interesting insight into how to cultivate kindness habits now! Resources: The Kindness Habit book that I frequently recommend to clients can be found here! Shahroo's website can be found here: https://shahrooizadi.co.uk/

Get the full show notes here: https://bit.ly/2lwrS3g “Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.” Brian Tracy Having suffered from anxiety for over 10 years. Chloe knew a thing or two about the importance of making her mental health a priority. Having trained as a hypnotherapist she wanted a way to be able to share all that she learnt, to help others know that change is possible. So she founded calmer you, to help people bring out the calm and self-assured person within them. In this episode, we talk about the key tactics she uses with both her clients and herself to make positive mental health a priority, overcome longstanding barriers, and ultimately help them let go of negative thoughts and worries and get back to enjoying their lives. In this episode we discuss: · How making your mental health a priority is key · How busy is a decision · Why boundaries are important to your mental health Questions to ask yourself: · Do you know what your boundaries are? Can you say no when you need to? When these boundaries are tested can you ask yourself what is best for me? What do I want from this? · Can you schedule some worry time for yourself? Can you note down worries throughout the day, then set aside some time to focus on them. Noting any strategies that you feel may help you manage them? I just loved Chloe’s insights as I know she really walks her talk. And she shares loads of helpful exercises in this episode, many of which I went off to implement straight away so I know you are going to get a huge amount of value from this bite-sized habits episode with the wonderful Chloe Brotheridge. Resources You can find out all about Chloe's amazing work at: https://www.calmer-you.com/ You can get her latest books here (these are jam-packed with actionable insights to kickstart your journey to being the most confident and calm version of yourself) https://www.calmer-you.com/books/

For full show notes see here: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-15-can-you-celebrate-what-you-gain&post=u5B0E4 Hannah, a highly regarded personal trainer reached out to the Bite Sized Habits Podcast as she felt the philosophy of the podcast was really aligned with her own. In particular in terms of having an accessible, realistic yet evidence-based approach to building healthy habits. Once I found out about her own personal journey I knew I just had to have Hannah on the podcast. And she didn’t disappoint. In this episode you will learn: • The importance of celebrating your successes and the amazing fiterversay that Hannah has each year • How to step away from a perfectionist mindset and define what consistency means for you • The importance of focusing on what you gain from healthy habits for long term success, not what is taken away Key questions you could ask yourself to enhance your own healthy habits based on this episode include: • How can you celebrate the process, applaud yourself for sticking with your goals? Could you create your own health anniversary? • How can you start to define what consistency means for you? • How can you focus on the journey of health rather than a particular destination, How can you add more, focus on what you gain, and create gain orientated goals? I honestly couldn’t get enough of Hannah’s healthy habit insights. Her knowledge on her own and others behaviour is exceptional and her ability to experiment with what works for her is so impressive. I know you will get a huge amount of value from this episode on celebrating what you gain with Hannah Buddle. Hannah's website is: http://fitpersonaltraining.uk/blog

You can find the full show notes at:https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=the-real-definition-of-self-care&post=uD01FD Suzy Reading: The real definition of self-care It was the combination of motherhood colliding with her Fathers terminal illness that catapulted Suzy into the world of self-care. Suzy is, (among other things) a mother of two, a Chartered Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, Health Coach and author of the fantastic ‘The Self-Care Revolution’. Her mission is to support and empower people with the tools they need to engage in their own unique self-care habit. In this episode we discuss the importance of creating your own unique framework for self-care that can serve you both in day to day life as well as times of need. In this episode you will learn: • The true definition for self-care, that will help you concrete it in your daily life • The common barriers to self-care and how to overcome them • The importance of experimentation for what works at what time for you. • How to build a self-care framework that is unique to you One question to ask yourself based on today’s episode is: • What does self-care facilitate in your life? What does it allow you to do? Who does it allow you to be? What I love about Suzy’s work is she takes what can be seen as quite nebulous and brings it right down into the real world, giving us actionable tools and skills to execute our own self-care frameworks the fit our busy lives. I am absolutely thrilled to be sharing this episode on the real definition of self-care with Suzy reading. Resources: You can find Suzy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/suzyreading/?hl=en Suzy’s amazing book is: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Suzy-Reading/e/B073QPPHBW

You can find the full show notes here: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-13-can-you-take-just-one-breath&post=uAC521 It was a major health scare that was the catalyst for Terrence’s journey into mindful living. A sceptic at first Terrence wasn’t sure meditation was for him, he didn’t even know how to go about it. However, a chance meeting with a practitioner sparked his curiosity, all it took was one mindful breath and Terrence was hooked. This lead to years of practice, integration, learning, teaching, and research which as a result has not only has brought him down a new career path but has had a transformative impact on both his physical and mental health too. In this episode Terrence talks about the science behind how meditation affects our thought patterns, how it can become habitual and how to find pockets of mindfulness in our day. Terrence translates this evidence into actionable ways in which we can start to bring more breath, more meditation and more mindfulness into our daily lives. What is really special about Terrence’s work is that he takes meditation out of the clouds and into everyday life. He supports us in integrating mindfulness into our normal routines in way that results in a whole host of benefits including; reducing stress, anxiety, emotional eating, strengthening our immune system to ultimately enhancing the joy we get from our day to day experiences. In this episode we discuss • How you can overcome the common obstacles that prevent you from engaging in a mindfulness practice • How to integrate mindfulness into your day, including how you can even catch a mindful moment whilst rushing to a meeting • How a repeated mindfulness practice can lead to permanent changes in your physiological state Key questions to consider based on this episode: • Can you take in one breath? Terrence has an amazing way of going back to basics, stripping away all the noise and helping support us in creating a mindfulness practice that unique to each individual yet best serves our busy lives. If you’ve ever felt like meditation wasn’t for you I hope this conversation sparks your curiosity about how you could adopt some of these elements into your own life. How you can find out more about Terrence’s work: The chat bot we discussed and that I thoroughly recommend is: www.breathewithterrence.com You can find out more here: https://www.terrencetheteacher.com https://instagram.com/terrencetheteacher Other resources mentioned: The Biology of Belief https://www.amazon.co.uk/Biology-Belief-Unleashing-Consciousness-Miracles/dp/1848503350

For full show notes go o: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-12-how-to-live-more-positively&post=u96182 Despite all the time and energy Charlotte put into ‘fixing herself’ physically through diet and exercise she remained hounded by fatigue, food intolerances, repeated injuries and chronic stress. Out of sheer desperation and at her doctor’s advice she decided to try meditation. Interestingly, over the course of a few weeks of mediating she started to feel a whole lot better. This intrigued Charlotte, so she began investigating the science behind mediation to understand why and how these changes were occurring. Through her organisation Step -inside charlotte shares the key inisghts from her own journey as well as the latest research from the world of positive psychology to help both individuals and workplaces thrive. In this episode Charlotte details how, she turned a huge challenge into a possibility. She describes exactly how she developed her positive mental health habits and gives some actionable insights into the ways in which you can cultivate these habits in your life, starting today. In this episode you will learn: · How your physical health habits may not be best thing for your mind · Why gratitude is a science not just hippie folklore · How if we focus on our individual character strengths we can improve everything from our income to our performance at work · You will also learn, Charlottes amazingly innovative way of cultivating gratitude every day Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode: How do you become more in tune with what your mind needs? How can you experiment with ways to take care of your mind? Can you write down 3 things a night that you are grateful for? Or can you write down 3-character strengths that you possess that you are grateful for on a daily basis? For example, I had the courage to send that challenging email, I had the patience to not snap at my child I’ve been lucky enough to attend one of Charlotte’s mindfulness course and experience first-hand her expert and insightful teaching. And so I was keen to have her come on and share her insights. And you are in for a real treat with this episode as it is full to the brim with actionable insights that not only enhance your mental health but also take no time at all to implement into your life.

For full show notes go to: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-11-a-traffic-light-system-for-habit-change&post=u165D1 Running his own thriving company and managing a busy social life makes it difficult for Henry to have structure in his eating and drinking habits. Now that he isn’t able to exercise as much as he once was he has become more aware of this and is looking for ways to restore a healthy balance. However, he doesn’t want to do this to the detriment of his social life, spending time with his other half or simply feeling like he is being deprived of the things he likes to do. In this episode Henry and I discuss how to create a system that not only helps him become accountable for his healthy habits but importantly a system that doesn’t feel restrictive or punishing. In this episode we discuss: · How focusing on positive progress rather than berating yourself is more motivating in the long term · How accountability and awareness of your habits is key · How to work out how flexible you can be with your habits Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode: · Are your self-monitoring methods positively or negatively impacting your progress? · Is there a way of focusing more on the positive progress you are making? · How do you reflect on what works for you so you can continue to make progress in the direction of change? If you’ve found that counting calories or units is actually demotivating rather than motivating. Yet you want to find a healthy habits system that will work within the context of your busy life that is encouraging rather than restrictive then I know you will enjoy this episode.

For full show notes go to: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-10-how-are-others-supporting-you-in-your-health-goals&post=u7D813 In this episode we talk to the renowned Stephen Ledbetter, also widely known as Coach Stevo. Stevo has spent over 10 years practicing in the field of motivation science. For two years he wrote to an audience of 85 million on the My Fitness Pal blog, and has since gone on to found Habitry. He is currently based in Oakland, California, where through Habitry he helps businesses embed practical motivation science, build evidence based products and more effective communication. In this episode we drill down into the concept of motivation science, how to gain others support, how to experiment to find what works for you and ultimately how to see health as a journey not a destination. In this episode you will learn: • Why adopting key elements from motivation science is vital to help you build habits that last • The importance of relationships with others in your health journey • The goals that are successful – (hint they aren’t weight loss goals!) • How to gain the vital support you need from others for your health journey including; how to role play the exact conversation to enable their support Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode: • How do you ensure your basic needs are met in your healthy habit journey? • How are others supporting you in your health goals? • Who are you nervous about telling about your health journey – can you ask them for their support? It was such a huge honour to have Stevo on the podcast and I know you are going to love his actionable insights. Key resources: Stevo’s website https://habitry.com/about I thoroughly recommend his blog on motivation science https://medium.com/practical-motivation-science Get in touch with Stevo at: stevo@habitry.com Podcast https://twitter.com/thebettercast Other resources mentioned: The importance of walking for health and stress management. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/stressed-at-work-try-a-lunchtime-walk/ Charles Duigg as mentioned here Lean habits -lifelong weight loss https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lean-Habits-Lifelong-Weight-Loss/dp/B0719QLM2N/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1526755006&sr=1-1 Why we what understanding motivation https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-what-Understanding-Motivation/dp/0140255265 https://www.amazon.com/Self-Determination-Theory-Practice-Supportive-Environment/dp/1520661355 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loss-Happens-Monday-Josh-Hills/dp/1931046549/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526755066&sr=1-1&keywords=josh+hills

For full show notes go to: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-9-how-to-put-things-together-for-yourself&post=uC2C1D Dr Gary Bennet is the Bishop-MacDermott Family Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, Global Health and Medicine at Duke University. He directs the Duke Global Digital Health Science Center and the Duke Obesity Prevention Programme and is the Immediate Past-President of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. He has authored more than 125 scientific papers and his research program has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health. In other words he is a world leading expert on health behaviour change and obesity. In this honest yet hugely informative episode Dr. Bennett details the latest findings from the field of weight management, what it takes to create lasting lifestyle changes and the strategies he uses to stay on track and maintain his weight. In this episode you will learn: • Why losing weight isn’t about motivation alone • The 3 key pillars of weight loss that will help you get started and keep you on track long term • The No 1 habit that helps him maintain his weight and stay on track • The importance of failing fast and avoiding perfection in habit change • How to put things together yourself Key questions to ask yourself • What self monitoring have you tried in the past, what works what doesn’t – if there was one thing you could monitor each day – what could that be? • What skills could you develop for long term weight loss success? What scenarios do you feel particularly vulnerable in? restaurants, with friends etc. ? Can you plan/build skills to deal with these scenarios more effectively? • What support can you harness, be it an expert or a friend to help keep you on track with your goals? • How can you find some form of activity that at best you can enjoy or at worst you can tolerate, and incorporate that into your life? It was such an honour to talk to the esteemed Dr. Bennett about his views on weight management. I hugely enjoyed his educational yet accessible insights. He has an amazing ability to break down what is a vast and complex field into actionable guidance that you can immediately apply to your own health related goals. I know you will get a huge amount from this valuable episode. Enjoy! Resources: The key websites mentioned were: https://www.nih.gov/ https://www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx You can follow Dr. Bennett’s work and get in touch at: https://twitter.com/drgarybennett http://drgarybennett.com/ If you would like to be involved in Gary’s international study you can learn more about it at chargestudy.com

For full show notes go to: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-8-trying-to-stick-with-your-goals-why-values-matter&post=u7433D Overview In this episode Amy, a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach, discusses how through a series of small changes and mindset shifts she managed to gain back control of her health. What is really magical about this journey is how Amy used her core values as her guiding light. How prior to making a decision she would check in with these values and see if what she was doing was in line with what she wanted to be and who she was. Amy talks about how she made her transition moving away from an all or nothing mindset an how she cultivated more balance and consistency in her life. In this episode you will learn: · Why taking a holistic approach to your health, rather than a weight loss approach is more beneficial to long term success · Importance of shifting from a ‘ how do I fix myself’ mindset to a ‘how do I support myself mindset’ · The importance of taking an objective point of view on your health – are your unhealthy habits symptoms of something bigger? Are they a result of you not living in line with your core values? · The importance of setting up your physical and social environment to support your values Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode: · What is your reference point for decisions about your health? · What are your core values? The 3-5 things that guide who you are and the way in which you live your life · Can you create your own mantra to help you keep in line with these? Amy provides an amazingly accessible way to keep your long term goals in mind, live life the way you want it and help avoid unnecessary temptation. I absolutely loved Amy’s take on creating a values mantra that guides your health decisions it is a hugely useful tool and I strongly encourage you to use this episode as a catalyst to reflect on and define what guides your day to day health behaviours. Enjoy! Resources: You can find out more about Amy and her amazing programmes to help women get back to their happiest and healthiest self here: www.wellnesswithamy.com Amy also has a beautiful Instagram account here: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithamy/ If you’d like to know more about cultivating a self-kindness habit you can read how to get started on the Bite Sized Habits blog. We talk a lot about the importance of acting in line with your values in this episode and to help you learn more about this I have created a PDF guide to support you in creating your own unique values to help you get the mindset for success and stay there. To get this PDF simply email me at info@drheathermckee.co.uk

For full show notes go to: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-7-finding-the-healthy-habit-that-works-best-for-you&post=uBD562 Overview With so many fads in fitness and health at the moment it’s hard to separate what’s trendy from what works for you. In this episode the vibrant Dr Amy Bucher, Behaviour Change Design Director at Mad*Pow Boston discusses the importance of experimentation and cultivating kindness to finding the healthy habits that will work best for you. In this episode we discuss ·       How engineering your environment is vital to your long term habit success ·       The importance of adopting an experimental mindset towards your healthy habits ·       How becoming a coach not a critic can help you overcome healthy habit challenges ·       How to tune into the key things that will help you get started with a physical activity habit Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode include: ·       How can you shape your environment to support your healthy habits? Is your gym convenient enough? Can you bring your exercise gear into work? ·       Could you start to experiment with various aspects of self-determination theory to support your healthy habits? (keeping in mind the balance of these factors is completely individual i.e. community doesn’t matter to everyone, but feedback can be more important to some) For example: ·       How can you feel like being active is a free choice for you? o   Perhaps thinking firstly about; Why it is important to you to engage in activity? ·       How can you feel like you’re making progress or growth? How do you get positive feedback? o   What type of feedback works best for you? Are you data driven? Or socially driven? ·       How can you foster feeling part of community? o   What type of encouragement works best for you? o   How can you build community (if that is what motivates you) into your habits? ·       Can you tune into your own inner coach, what positive things can you say to reinforce your success? o   (For evidence based ways of how to do this see our Kindness Habit blog) Amy has a unique and engaging way of translating what the evidence says is most effective into key factors that you can apply to grow your healthy habits today. I hope this conversation sparks some ideas about how you could adopt some of these elements into your own life. Resources: You can find out more about Amy and read her fantastic blog at: http://www.amybucherphd.com/ The game Amy mentioned was Super Better https://www.superbetter.com/

The power of functional medicine In this episode Dr Bernadette Dancy, health coach extraordinaire, talks about the functional medicine movement and how taking a functional medicine approach can help us look at our health more holistically. Bernie has over 15 years experience as a senior lecturer in sport and exercise science, a PhD in sport psychology and a rake load of qualifications in exercise prescription, and personal training. Bernie  helps people with stress, those with chronic conditions and those who are simply finding it difficult to juggle their health alongside the rest of their lives, take back control of both their physical and mental health to make changes that last. In this episode you will learn: ·      How functional medicine can help us build healthier habits ·      The importance of rest, recovery and sleep to your healthy habits ·      Why, when it comes to your habits, less is more, is far more effective than the no pain no gain mantra Based on the insights from today’s episode, key questions to ask yourself about your habits include: ·      How can you respect your body more, listen to it more? How can you treat your body with compassion? ·      How can you think more holistically about your health? How do you take care of your mind as well as your body? ·      How often do you check in with yourself to see what your body needs? Bernie is also a friend, mentor and an all round inspiration and I am hugely excited to share her insights with you today. Key resources: You can find out more about Bernie’s work at: https://www.bernadettedancy.co.uk/

Stuart Biddle is a Professor of Physical Activity & Health at University of Southern Queensland, near Brisbane, Australia. He started out in physical education before moving into the psychology of physical activity as an academic. He was Head of Sport & Exercise Sciences at Loughborough University, UK, 2001-2007. This was where met Stuart and was very fortunate to have him as an academic supervisor where we co authored a paper on physical activity, sedentary behaviour (reducing too much sitting time) and psychological correlates in adolescents. Stuart has dedicated much of his career to date examining the field of physical activity and sedentary behaviour from a behaviour change perspective. In this episode you will learn: · The importance of reducing your sedentary behaviour and some of the latest findings from the field · The best ways to start reducing your sitting time · How sedentary behaviour not only affects your physical health, but the impact it can have on your mental health too Key questions to ask yourself: · How can you monitor your sitting behaviours? · How can you use your environment to support you in reducing the amount of time you spend being sedentary? · How can you focus on the opportunities rather than the barriers, to increase your activity and reduce your sitting time? Stuart truly is a pioneer in this field and I am deeply honoured to have him on the podcast. I know you will find his insights hugely fascinating and applicable to your daily life. The best way to get in touch with Stuart is on twitter, he can be found at: @stuart_biddle Resources mentioned: Get Britain standing http://www.getbritainstanding.org/ British Heart Foundation (BHF) https://www.bhf.org.uk/ The centre for behaviour change and the behaviour change wheel http://www.ucl.ac.uk/behaviour-change BJ Fogg’s behavioural model https://www.bjfogg.com/

In part 1 of Martins story we looked at how he journeyed from a sedentary lifestyle into a healthy habits master. In the second part of this episode (listen time 25 mins), we look at the key healthy habits he established to maintain his health long term and how he focused on enjoyment and structure to get him there. His insights are really valuable in understanding some of the lifestyle shifts people go through when creating habits that last. Not all of what he applied will work for you however I encourage you to think about his journey in terms of how he sets about key foundations for long term habit change. In this episode he discusses: • How he introduced other healthy routines over time, for example sleep, drinking more water. • The importance of keeping it simple and looking at what worked best for him • How valuable tracking is to establish long term success (You can read more about the power of self monitoring and how to create this habit here) • How to balance a number of healthy habits at once to find the routine that works best for you • How long it took for him to create his habit system change • Why weight loss wasn’t his ultimate goal Finally he finishes up with a list of the key resources he used to help build his habits. The full list of resources can be found here: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php?title=episode-4-consistency-beats-intensity-every-single-time-part-1&post=uACEEE However if you are interested in habit change and the science behind it, as a starting point, I thoroughly recommend: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg I hope you enjoy Martin's honest and valuable insights on how to create a healthy habit system that works for you.

With a sedentary and demanding job, Martin started to notice his clothes were getting tighter and his energy was becoming quickly depleted. He promised himself he would start running when the weather got better. He lives in Ireland, so it never did! He was faced with a decision keep going the way he had been; feeling low on energy, self conscious about buying clothes and with increasing back pain. Or he had the choice, to start making some changes. In this episode Martin, a father of two, with a busy career managing his own thriving business, discusses the strategies he used to go from being sedentary and feeling low on energy to a healthy habit master. This episode is split into two parts (the second to be released shortly) as it is jam packed with really useful insights which I didn’t want you to miss out on. I know you will enjoy Martin’s powerful story. In this episode you will learn: · Why taking a holistic approach to your health, rather than a weight loss approach is more beneficial to long term success · The importance of finding credible sources of information to support your healthy habit journey · The power of consistently focusing on adapting your healthy habits for greater enjoyment Key questions to ask yourself based on this episode: · How do others affect your healthy choices? How can you ensure others support, rather than suffocate your health goals? · How can you adapt your habits for enjoyment? · How can you create more structure around your healthy habits so that they become part of your daily routine? For full show notes and links visit: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php Ask a question/suggest a podcast theme: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/contact.php

In this episode Laura talks about how nutrition impacts all of us in so many ways. Laura is interested in helping people find out what is best for their body and how we can use nutrition to maximise our performance both at work and in our daily lives. In this episode you will learn: -How nutrition isn’t black and white, and why we shouldn’t be dogmatic about it -How flexibility in your diet is key -How to look at food as a project and break down your nutrition goals just like you would with your work goals Key questions you could ask yourself about your habits based on this episode: - Are you ignoring your body signals? How can you listen to your body more? - How can you become more proactive about your food choices? - How does planning feature in your daily habits? In a sea of nutritional clutter and fads Laura is breath of fresh air, helping us all learn how to eat it real. And I know you will thoroughly enjoy today’s episode with Laura. For full show notes and links visit: www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite…d-habits.php Ask a question/suggest a podcast theme: www.drheathermckee.co.uk/contact.php

In this episode Shelia, kindly shares her personal weight loss journey. Shelia talks about how she overcame a issue that baffles a lot of us; How do you approach losing those last stubborn pounds, without being too restrictive or resorting to dieting? In this episode Shelia describes: - How she let go of a dieting mindset - How healthier choices are now the easier choices for her - How she manages her hunger yet doesn’t feel deprived Key questions for you to contemplate based on this episode: - How can you start to let go of a dieting mindset? - What information you are consuming that is detrimental to your long term success? What websites, blogs, social media streams are hindering rather than helping your efforts? - How can you shift your focus to eating foods that are nourishing and energy giving, that keep you full and satisfied throughout the day? I really enjoyed speaking with Shelia and I think you will find her story both inspiring and thought provoking. For full show notes and links visit: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php Ask a question/suggest a podcast theme: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/contact.php

In this episode chief science officer, entrepreneur, behavioural scientist, and epidemiologist Dr Kate Wolin talks about going back to basics with your health, understanding the core principals of behaviour change and the importance of finding out what works best for you. For those who are less interested in the research field I would recommend starting this episode around 26.30 minutes in, where Kate focuses more on how you can apply the research findings to your everyday life. In this episode you will learn: • Kate’s top evidence based insights into how to build healthy behaviours into your life in a balanced way • How to best employ self-monitoring technology to support you in your healthy habits • Why going back to basics in your diet is key and how to approach this Key questions for you to contemplate based on this episode: • How can you bring more delight into your own healthy habits? • What things can you do to make the healthier choice the easier choice for you? • How can you harness the power of self monitoring to be a positive support rather than a punishment? This episode is a fantastic opportunity to learn some key insights from a leader in this field and I know you are going to get a lot out of it. Enjoy. For full show notes and links visit: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/podcast-bite-sized-habits.php Ask a question/suggest a podcast theme: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/contact.php