CAUTION: Contains themes of an adult nature. I believe that we can all learn something about ourselves from every single person we interact with and that it is through hearing other people’s stories that we can learn the most. Today’s guest has a really powerful story to share – he is the singer-songwriter, Benjamin Francis Leftwich. I’ve been a huge fan of his work since his 2011 debut album and I think his music connects with people in an incredible way. Ben’s fourth studio album, To Carry a W...
Jun 22, 2021•2 hr 56 min•Ep 193•Transcript available on Metacast We are living in the middle of a stress epidemic - the World Health Organization calls stress ‘the health epidemic of the twenty-first century’. But what can we do about it? Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 56 of the podcast with neuroscientist, researcher and author of the book ‘Stress-Proof, Dr. Mithu Storoni. In thi...
Jun 17, 2021•15 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve been told that the more we move, the more calories we will burn but today’s guest is here to explain why this way of thinking is wrong. Dr Herman Pontzer is an evolutionary biologist who researches how our deep past shaped the way our bodies work today. Over the past 20 years, Herman has conducted ground-breaking research across a range of settings, including pioneering fieldwork where he lived with the Hadza hunter-gatherers in northern Tanzania. The Hadza are considered one of the last h...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast Digital technology is slowly eroding downtime from our lives. The constant flow of digital noise is affecting our ability to be alone with our thoughts, to focus, and to cultivate authentic relationships. Is it time for a digital detox? Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 50 of the podcast with Professor of computer scien...
Jun 10, 2021•15 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION: This episode contains swearing and themes of an adult nature. Today’s conversation is about unlocking your full potential, striving for peak performance and ‘going big’. My guest, Steven Kotler, lives and breathes ‘flow’. He’s an expert in this optimal state of consciousness, where we feel and perform at our best. And you don’t have to be part of the business or sporting elite to benefit from his research. Steven believes we can all attain flow, because as humans we’re hard-wired to ach...
Jun 08, 2021•2 hr 40 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast Rates of stress and anxiety are increasing and it’s estimated that 1 in 4 of us will experience mental health problems at some point in our lives. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 61 of the podcast with best-selling author, and one of the most prominent voices in the mental health arena, Matt Haig As someone who has su...
Jun 03, 2021•16 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast This week's episode is a special compilation episode all about movement. As the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer (at least here in the UK), many of us feel a strong desire to get outside and move. But the question is, have we made movement and exercise too complicated? Have we lost sight of what it really means to move our bodies? The need to move our bodies has been gradually eroded from our modern lives and has been replaced with the modern concept of ‘exercise’. But, ...
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep 187•Transcript available on Metacast So many of us these days are living lives that are not truly ours. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 28 of the podcast with the inspirational wellness advocate, best-selling author and podcast host Rich Roll. In this clip, he shares his incredible journey - from someone that struggled with his health as well as alcohol ...
May 27, 2021•16 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast Today I'm delighted to welcome one of the world's leading neurosurgeons, Dr Rahul Jandial back onto the podcast. I first spoke to Rahul back on episode 76 about the simple things that we can all do to improve and optimise our brain health. I decided to invite Rahul back onto the show after taking a look at his latest book, Life on a Knife's Edge: A Brain Surgeon’s Reflections on Life, Loss and Survival, which is a beautifully written account of the resilience, courage and belief he has witnessed...
May 25, 2021•2 hr 53 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast How do we improve our relationships with our children? And what should we do when we make mistakes? Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 75 of the podcast with psychotherapist and author of ‘The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’, Philippa Perry. In this clip, she explains why being authentic with our children is importa...
May 20, 2021•15 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve been conditioned to believe that the path to success is paved with relentless work. The more important the goal, the harder we have to grind. That if we aren’t perpetually exhausted, we’re not doing enough. Now, working hard is more exhausting than ever and many of us are stuck in an endless loop of “Zoom, eat, sleep, repeat” and we’re often working twice as hard to achieve half as much. This week, I’m joined by writer, speaker and podcast host, Greg McKeown who believes that getting ahead...
May 18, 2021•2 hr 1 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast There are many health benefits associated with a consistent practice of meditation, and the benefits of a regular practice can extend beyond the meditation itself into daily life, increasing our awareness and reducing stress responses. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 23 of the podcast with meditation teacher, internat...
May 13, 2021•13 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast Today I talk to one of the most thought-provoking and influential writers on the subjects of happiness, habits and human nature. Gretchen Rubin has sold over 3 million books worldwide and also hosts the Happier with Gretchen podcast. We begin the conversation discussing what happiness really means and why so many of us struggle with it. Happiness is such an elusive concept and Gretchen believes that it’s more helpful to think about being happier – to ask ourselves things like ‘if I do this, will...
May 11, 2021•2 hr 1 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast It’s easy to go through the motions every day and let life happen to us, but if we want to get the most out of life, we need a strategy. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 58 of the podcast with Dr. Tara Swart – neuroscientist, executive coach, and author of the best-selling book ‘The Source’. In this clip, she explains ...
May 06, 2021•15 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains mild swearing and themes of an adult nature. Today's conversation is all about our emotions and my guest is Professor Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. He's published over 100 research articles over the course of his career, and has dedicated his life to studying and teaching emotional literacy. But why are our emotions so important? Marc explains the profound benefits of being better able to express and reg...
May 04, 2021•2 hr 40 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast Despite our cultural differences, we have a very similar view of happiness across the world. So, what can we learn from the world’s happiest countries? Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 32 of the podcast with founder and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute - Meik Wiking. Meik has travelled the globe interviewing ...
Apr 29, 2021•13 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast I believe that in many ways, the quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives. Good quality relationships help us with our physical health, our mental health and our happiness. Today, I’m delighted to welcome two fantastic guests who are experts on how we can all build exceptional relationships. David Bradford and Carole Robin taught interpersonal skills to MBA students for a combined seventy-five years in their legendary Stanford course, Interpersonal Dynamics (affectionatel...
Apr 27, 2021•2 hr 59 min•Ep 177•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains swearing and themes of an adult nature. ‘When individuals see themselves as part of a connected tapestry of wider meaning, they feel much better about their lives.’ Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 94 of the podcast with Johann Hari. Johann went on a forty-thousand-mile journey...
Apr 22, 2021•12 min•Ep 176•Transcript available on Metacast Gut health is a hot topic these days, with more and more research showing that our gut health impacts so much more than simply our digestive system. The gut is now being implicated in a host of different conditions, including joint pain, brain fog, insomnia and depression. Over the past few years on the podcast, I have had the pleasure of speaking about the importance of gut health with some incredible experts, including neuroscientists, immunologists, nutritionists, and clinical researchers and...
Apr 20, 2021•57 min•Ep 175•Transcript available on Metacast Compassion, friendships and strong community connections don’t just make us feel good, they can have powerful effects on our health and longevity. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 138 of the podcast with Dr Julian Abel - a recently retired consultant in palliative care. Julian is joint leader of a project which aime...
Apr 15, 2021•12 min•Ep 174•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION ADVISED: Themes of an adult nature. Do you have a voice inside your head? For most of us, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. And we often turn to this voice for guidance, ideas and wisdom. But sometimes this voice can lead us down a rabbit hole of negative self-talk and endless rumination. So, is it possible to take back control and harness the power of this so called ‘inner chatter’? This is the question the award-winning psychologist and guest on today’s podcast, Dr Ethan Kross set out ...
Apr 13, 2021•2 hr 40 min•Ep 173•Transcript available on Metacast How we eat, sleep and exercise in January should be different to how we do those things in July. We intuitively know this, but have we lost touch with the natural rhythms and cycles of our lives? Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 102 of the podcast with nutritionist and author, Dallas Hartwig. In this clip he explain...
Apr 08, 2021•16 min•Ep 172•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION ADVISED: This podcast contains swearing. Today's conversation takes a deep dive into an ancient philosophy and comes out with some practical strategies that really couldn't be more useful for these uncertain times. My guest is Ryan Holiday, someone who I've been really keen to speak with, ever since a close friend of mine gifted me his incredible book, The Obstacle Is The Way. Ryan is someone who's making timeless ancient wisdom accessible to millions of people all over the world through...
Apr 06, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep 171•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION: Contains swearing. Making changes in life and overcoming obstacles can sometimes seem insurmountable, but if this man can turn his life around, anyone can. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 91 of the podcast with endurance athlete and author, John McAvoy. John was born into a notorious crime family and serve...
Apr 01, 2021•14 min•Ep 170•Transcript available on Metacast CAUTION ADVISED: This podcast contains themes of an adult nature. This week, I’ve decided to re-release a conversation that I had over 2 years ago, yet one that still remains one of the most important conversations that I’ve had to date on this podcast. Since I first released this conversation back on episode 37 of the podcast, the number of listeners has grown exponentially and I’m really keen that all of my new listeners hear this conversation. For those of you who have already heard the conve...
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep 169•Transcript available on Metacast We can all harness the power of intrinsic motivation – it can be the reason we get out of bed in the morning, go for that run or push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 73 of the podcast with strongman swimmer and adventurer, Ross Edgley. He’s the first ever swimmer to circumnavigate...
Mar 26, 2021•10 min•Ep 168•Transcript available on Metacast This week's guest is someone who I really respect - Dr. Tommy Wood has a biochemistry degree from the University of Cambridge, a medical degree from the University of Oxford and a PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the University of Oslo. He's currently a research assistant professor at the University of Washington, and he conducts research focusing on ways to increase resilience and treat injury in the developing brain. What I love about Tommy is that not only is his knowledge and educatio...
Mar 24, 2021•2 hr 44 min•Ep 167•Transcript available on Metacast We all know that exercise is good for our physical health, but exercise can be just as powerful for our mental health. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 97 of the podcast with clinical-academic physiotherapist, Brendon Stubbs. His work is helping to provide much needed evidence of what we know instinctively - physica...
Mar 19, 2021•10 min•Ep 166•Transcript available on Metacast This conversation is about a really important topic - how we should talk about bias, discrimination and race. The advice is relevant for everyone, whether you have children or not but will be particularly helpful if you’ve ever felt confused or conflicted about how to talk to children about race. My guest is the brilliant Dr Pragya Agarwal, she’s a behavioural scientist, an academic, a journalist and an award-winning author, who has written widely on unconscious bias and prejudice, racial inequa...
Mar 17, 2021•2 hr 37 min•Ep 165•Transcript available on Metacast We all have times when we lack self-confidence, but loss of confidence, low self-esteem and anxiety can sometimes hold us back and stop us living the life we want to live. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my new weekly podcast for your mind, body and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 65 of the podcast with hypnotherapist, anxiety expert and author, Chloe Brotheridge. Chloe explains why it’s imp...
Mar 12, 2021•13 min•Ep 164•Transcript available on Metacast 
