5 things I learnt about myself filming my new podcast Health or Hype

I had so much fun filming Health or Hype, my brand new podcast series in partnership with Bupa.

If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch or listen to the episodes here, or wherever you usually get your podcasts. It’s more like a TV documentary than a podcast, so watch it if you can because the team’s done an amazing job with the visuals.

Across five episodes, I explore five different areas of health and put myself through a few experiments to find out what really makes a difference and what’s just hype.

I loved making the series. I learnt so much from all the brilliant experts we met along the way, but I also learnt quite a lot about myself. Here are five things that surprised me.

1. I’m not as bad at dancing as I thought

In the first episode, you’ll see me dancing with Strictly Come Dancing pro Katya Jones.

I’ve never thought of myself as a good dancer, so this definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. But once I stopped worrying about what I looked like and just went for it, I actually had so much fun.

I’m also wearing a pretty outrageous outfit, which will make you giggle.

2. I’m more addicted to my phone than I realised

I knew I was bad with my phone, but it wasn’t until I was forced to give it up during one of the experiments that I realised just how much I reach for it without even thinking.

Who’d have thought I’d end up spending 24 hours alone in a cabin, surrounded by nature with no phone or technology?

It made me realise that sometimes I really do need to put my phone away, switch off from everything and be fully present in what I’m doing.

3. I need to move my body every day

I love moving my body. Whether I’m working out, going for a walk or running around with the kids, being active is a massive part of my life and something I feel really lucky to be able to do.

So when I had to cut my movement right down to just 2,000 steps a day for one of the experiments, I really struggled with it.

I noticed a difference really quickly. I felt it in my mood and energy levels and even noticed changes in my food cravings. It reminded me just how important daily movement is for me, not just physically but mentally too.

4. With the right tools, I can deal with anxiety better than I thought

I’m pretty claustrophobic, so when the team told me I was going to be shut inside a small box, I really wasn’t looking forward to it.

You’ll see in episode five how strongly my body and mind reacted to it. But I also learnt that with the right tools and breathing techniques, I could sit with those uncomfortable feelings and help myself calm down.

It was a really powerful experience and showed me that I’m more capable of dealing with those feelings than I thought.

5. The more sugary foods I eat, the more I want them

In the nutrition episode, I worked with gut health scientist and registered dietitian Dr Megan Rossi to take a closer look at my diet. As part of the experiment, I cut out high-fibre foods and swapped a lot of the fruit and veg I usually eat for more processed foods.

I love cookies and chocolate, but one thing I noticed during the experiment was that the more sugary foods I ate, the more I wanted them. Once I started, I found it really hard to stop.

It made me appreciate how much better I feel when I’m eating the balanced, varied diet I normally enjoy.

There’s so much more I learnt from the experts we worked with on Health or Hype.

The first two episodes are out now. I really hope you get a chance to watch them and enjoy the series. Let me know what you think.

Joe x