1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Hello, listener, it's Amantha here. So you might have heard. 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 2: My fourth book, The Health Habit, came out yesterday. To 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 2: celebrate this occasion, I'm releasing a couple of bonus episodes 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: of How I Work. If you missed yesterday's episode, I 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 2: gave a warts and olview about what's involved in getting 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 2: a book deal with a major publisher through to a 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 2: book hitting shelves. And today I'm going to be going 8 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 2: deep into my own health challenges and how I personally 9 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 2: have applied the strategies that I write about in The 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 2: Health Habit. My name is doctor Amantha Imbert. I'm an 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 2: organizational psychologist and founder of Behavior change consultancy Inventium, and 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: this is How I Work. 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: The show about. 14 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 2: How to help you get so much more out of 15 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: the hours in your day. 16 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 3: Hi, it's Neo here. I'm Amantha's partner. You might have 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 3: heard me yesterday interviewing Amantha about writing the book. Today, 18 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 3: I'm asking her about her habits to improve sleep, movement 19 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 3: and a nutrition. So, Amantha, in your booky writing about 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 3: the habits you've got to improve sleep, movement nutrition. I 21 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 3: want to start with sleep, and I know you had 22 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 3: before we met many battles with insomnia. Do you want 23 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 3: to go through some of those kind of challenges you had. 24 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:21,279 Speaker 2: Yeah. 25 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: So I. 26 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 2: Remember this moment where I was in my mid twenties 27 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 2: and I was living in Sydney at the time, and 28 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: to get to my office where I was working, I 29 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 2: had to sit in a lot of traffic and cross 30 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 2: over the Sydney Harbor Bridge. 31 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: And I remember sitting in. 32 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: My car one morning and I was so tired, as 33 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: I was every single morning when I was sitting in 34 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 2: traffic in peak hour in Sydney, and I remember this 35 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 2: thought popped into my head and I thought, I wonder 36 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: if there are some people that are not perpetually exhausted 37 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 2: as I felt like I was as a twenty something 38 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: year old. And I thought, I wonder if there are 39 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: people that actually feel energetic, like for the whole day. 40 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: And in my mind I concluded that yes, that was 41 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: definitely a thing. I believed that some people, maybe lots 42 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 2: of people, actually had energy during their days. And that 43 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 2: little thought conversation with myself blew my mind and it 44 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 2: made me think I've got a problem. I don't think 45 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 2: I'm sleeping well, so I think I just googled a 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: sleep doctor or something random like that. 47 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: And I found an. 48 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 2: Apparently reputable sleep doctor in Sydney, and I went to 49 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: see him and I told him about the fact that 50 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 2: I was just never waking up feeling refreshed. I was 51 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: feeling tired throughout the day. And he suggested that I 52 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 2: should do a sleep test. I think it's called poly sonog. 53 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: Why am I asking you if that's right? 54 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 3: I have no idea, But these are the ones where 55 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 3: you go into the hospital and sleep in a strange 56 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 3: bed while they wire you up. Is that the one? 57 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's exactly right. This one was a little bit different. 58 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: I've since done a second one that was in a hospital, 59 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: but this one was actually in a part of the 60 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 2: doctor's office where he'd set up a room. It looked 61 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: like like grandma's bedroom. 62 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: Off a fifty sitcom kind of vibe. 63 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: And you went into the lab within his office, and 64 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: you like went there in the evening, You got dressed 65 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 2: into your pajamas, you did your bedtime routine, and then 66 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 2: just before you were being tucked in by a lab clinician, 67 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: they hooked you up to about forty or fifty electrodes, 68 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 2: including some being glued onto your scalp like onto your hair, 69 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 2: and then they said good night, time to sleep, and out. 70 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 3: The lights go, and they expect you to sleep, and. 71 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: They expect you to sleep someone's watching you through the 72 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: whole night on a camera in the room next door. 73 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 2: So not exactly ideal sleeping conditions. 74 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 3: Okay, And did you get to sleep? 75 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: Well? I was surprised because they said that I did 76 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: actually sleep for five hours, but I don't remember doing that, 77 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: Like it felt like I was just awake all night. 78 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 3: All right, And so the outcome was well. 79 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 2: Yeah, so the outcome was well, the good news was 80 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 2: that there was nothing physiologically wrong, so I didn't have 81 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 2: something like sleep apnea, for example, where you know it 82 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 2: can affect your breathing, which can then affect the quality 83 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: of your sleep, which is quite a common condition. But 84 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 2: the bad news was it was psychological and there's no 85 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: magical pill that is going to fix that kind of 86 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 2: a sleep problem. So this is where I first learned 87 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: about the power of sleep restriction, which is something I 88 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 2: write about in The Health Habit. And I should add 89 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 2: when I was researching The Health Habit, you know, I 90 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 2: think there's so much advice out there about the three 91 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 2: areas of health that I write about in the Health Habit. 92 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: So I look at sleep, I look at movement, and 93 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 2: I look at nutrition. And we all know that we 94 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 2: shouldn't be scrolling through Instagram while we lie in bed. 95 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 2: That's pretty common knowledge. We all know that we should 96 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 2: be getting more vegetables. So there are lots of things 97 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 2: that are common sense. But what I wanted to write 98 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 2: about in the Health Habit was looking at what were 99 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 2: the most impactful according to science, but actually underutilized or 100 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 2: underused strategies for improving our health. Because no one needs 101 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: to be told things that they already know. Again, I 102 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 2: wanted to see if I could uncover what were the 103 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 2: lesser known strategies that we're going. 104 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: To have a really big impact. 105 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 2: And one of those strategies, which I did learn in 106 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 2: my twenties because of this experience with the sleep doctor, 107 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: is the power of sleep restriction, which sounds really counterintuitive, 108 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: like if you're trying to improve your sleep, why would 109 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 2: you restrict your sleep? But this is the main It 110 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 2: was certainly the most powerful strategy that I got at 111 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 2: the time that completely transformed my sleep. So how sleep 112 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: restriction works is that you think about how many hours 113 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 2: you spend in bed, and at that point in. 114 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: My life, I estimated I was. 115 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 2: Probably spending maybe ten hours in bed, which sounds kind 116 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 2: of ridiculous. I think I was getting into bed at 117 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 2: about nine pm and then getting out of bed at 118 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: about seven am, with the thinking being that if I 119 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 2: could spend a long time in bed, then surely that 120 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 2: increases my chance of catching some sleep. But the sleep 121 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 2: doctor also asked me to estimate how much sleep I 122 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 2: thought I was actually getting within that ten hour window, 123 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 2: and I think at the time I said, I reckon 124 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: maybe six hours, maybe six hours at a guess, it's 125 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 2: always really hard to know. And he said, Okay, what 126 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 2: you're gonna do is you are now only allowed to 127 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 2: be in bed for six hours, which and he didn't 128 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 2: want me to adjust my wake time, which meant I 129 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: was going to have to stay up into one in 130 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 2: the morning, which blew my mind. I had no idea 131 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: how I was going to do that, because I would 132 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 2: just be exhausted. But I did it, and so for 133 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 2: several weeks I restricted my time in bed. And what 134 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 2: that does is your hormonal urge to go to sleep 135 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 2: is building up so much that by the time your 136 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:42,559 Speaker 2: head hits the pillow, you pretty quickly fall asleep, which 137 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 2: then starts to change your association with bed, because before 138 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 2: then I was having a lot of anxiety about going 139 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: to bed. I was really nervous that I was just 140 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 2: going to be up all night and tossing and turning, 141 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 2: and it makes you really dread going to bed, and 142 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 2: psychologically you start to assoc your bed with everything but sleep. 143 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: And so by restricting the amount of hours are spending 144 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 2: in bed, and I should add like, when you feel 145 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 2: like you're actually sleeping for those six hours that you're 146 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: in bed, you can slowly start to extend it until 147 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 2: you're in bed for the time that you want to 148 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 2: be sleeping, which for me is about sort of eight 149 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 2: hours or so. That was That was the best thing 150 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: I learned from that sleep doctor. And I'm surprised to 151 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 2: this day how uncommon that is as a strategy for 152 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 2: people that are suffering from insomnia, when it's one of 153 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 2: the most powerful strategies that you can use. 154 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 3: On the surface, when you say it makes sense because 155 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 3: you're going to be so dog tired by one am, 156 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 3: you will sleep, that makes perfect sense. But the other 157 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 3: part you were trying makes also sense, which is I'll 158 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 3: just lie in bed longer and eventually I'll get tired 159 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 3: and fall asleep or get bored. So yeah, that's a 160 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 3: really very valuable thing to share with everyone. 161 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. 162 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: Something else, and I mean, like for listeners that are 163 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:08,719 Speaker 2: also listeners and fans of Huberman, this will probably not 164 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:10,559 Speaker 2: come as new news, but if you're not a fan 165 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 2: of Hubman, it might is the importance of exposing yourself 166 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 2: to daylight or certainly high levels of light very. 167 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:20,719 Speaker 1: Early in the morning when you wake up. 168 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 2: So what some of the sleep professors that I interviewed 169 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 2: when I was researching the health Habit recommend is that 170 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: you should try to get out into daylight, ideally actually outside, 171 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 2: but if not, sit near a window for ten minutes 172 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 2: to half an hour. And what this does is that 173 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 2: this actually resets your body clock, so it's really effective 174 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: in terms of like waking yourself up. It's a great 175 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 2: way to overcome sleep inertia, which is that groggy feeling 176 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 2: that a lot of us feel and we get out 177 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: of bed, and also helping us feel ready to go 178 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: to bed at the same or similar time every night. 179 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 2: So this is something that you and I do. We 180 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 2: sort of have had different routines around, like I refer 181 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 2: to it like you have like a water shower or 182 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 2: a shower to clean yourself, but we also have a 183 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: light shower where we shower ourselves with daylight. 184 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 3: And it's surprisingly easing to fit in, whether it be 185 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 3: take the dog for a walk in the morning or 186 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 3: just try to get out for a walk before the day, 187 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 3: those kind of things fit in really well with my 188 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 3: lifestyle and because I wasn't doing it before. 189 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: We met, Yeah, I feel like it is easy, Like 190 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 2: I think that on maybe on school drop off mornings 191 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 2: it can be a tiny bit more challenging, although sometimes 192 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:42,079 Speaker 2: we can enlist Frankie to maybe come for a short 193 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 2: dog walk around the block, or we can pop out 194 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 2: into the. 195 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: Garden for a little bit to eat breakfast. So so 196 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: there are ways to incorporate it. 197 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 2: But certainly if we don't get time before school drop off, 198 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 2: then certainly it's something that we can do straight after that. 199 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 2: Ideally you want to be doing it within the first 200 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 2: couple of hours of waking up. So that's a good 201 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,079 Speaker 2: strategy and a lot of evidence behind that, and I 202 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 2: write about that in the Health Habit. 203 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 3: Okay, so let's go on to nutrition that's been a 204 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 3: challenging one for you over the years, not so much anymore, 205 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 3: But do you want to tell all the listeners about 206 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 3: where you started with nutrition journey. 207 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 2: So I am someone that had terrible eating habits, like 208 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:30,599 Speaker 2: from just eating all sorts of crappy junk food as 209 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 2: a teenager and still in my twenties, and I think 210 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 2: realizing in my twenties, but probably more so this all 211 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: coming to a head in my thirties that I had 212 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 2: a massive problem with sugar. 213 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: I was massively addicted to sugar. It's funny. 214 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 2: I've never been like a drug taker or had addictions 215 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 2: of that nature, but sugar was absolutely my achilles heel. 216 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 2: I needed sugar. I needed it several times a day. 217 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 2: I needed it to energize me, to power me through. 218 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 2: The cravings were very, very intense. And this all came 219 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 2: to a head when my daughter, Frankie was three months 220 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 2: old and I was in the kitchen. I just put 221 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 2: Frankie to bed and I needed a hit of sugar 222 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 2: so badly, and I looked through the fridge and there 223 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 2: was like there was literally nothing there. There was no 224 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 2: chocolate cake or anything sweet. Then I went to the 225 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 2: pantry looking for biscuits or leftover lollies, and there was nothing. 226 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 2: But then I saw a tap of way container that 227 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 2: was full of raw sugar, and I thought, Okay, let's 228 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 2: know what I was looking for, but let's give this 229 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 2: a go because it might it might help. And so 230 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: I took out the tapware container and I started spooning 231 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 2: like spoonfuls of raw sugar into my mouth. And then 232 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 2: my husband is now ex husband not for that reason, like, 233 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 2: came into the kitchen and saw me doing this, and 234 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 2: just the look on his face was like, what. 235 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: Are you doing? 236 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: And I just I saw myself through his eyes and 237 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 2: I just thought, what am I doing? This is ridiculous, 238 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 2: this is out of control. 239 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:22,439 Speaker 1: I need to stop. 240 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 3: So that was your sugar rock bottom. If you'd like, 241 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 3: how much sugar were you eating a day and what 242 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 3: was your sugar of choice? 243 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,960 Speaker 1: H Chocolate bars were a go to. 244 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: They were like an easy source of energy in the afternoon. 245 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: So I would say that, you know, every every day 246 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 2: I would be having maybe one or two chocolate bars. 247 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 2: I remember when I was pregnant with Frankie, I had 248 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 2: a little routine. Where my office for Inventium was in 249 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 2: the city, there was a route that I would walk 250 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 2: from the office to Flint the street station in Melbourne, 251 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 2: and there was a shop at Industry Station, it's still 252 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 2: there called the Sugar Station SUGA, and it was filled 253 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 2: with mixed lollies. And every day after work I would 254 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 2: go in and I would fill up a bag of 255 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 2: mixed dollies and I would eat them on the train home, 256 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 2: like every single day. 257 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: I was addicted. 258 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 3: So that's going to be a tough halt habit to break. 259 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 3: So when you hit that rock bottom, how did you 260 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 3: change that? 261 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 2: So there are a few things that I did, and 262 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 2: this is why I feel like, you know, knowing something 263 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: is not enough. And I talk about this research in 264 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 2: the Health Habit where information doesn't actually change behavior most 265 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 2: of the time. And I'd read books about quitting sugar. 266 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 2: I'd read books like Sweet Poison by David Gillespie. I'd 267 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 2: read Sarah Wilson's stuff about quitting sugar. 268 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: I'd sort of I'd tried and failed. 269 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 2: And this is where the second part of the Health Habit, 270 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: which is all about the habit heroes around what are 271 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 2: habit change strategies that are go to deal with the 272 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 2: habit hijackers or the barriers that are getting in the 273 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: way of behavior change, like what is best applied, And 274 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 2: so a couple of other things that really worked for 275 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 2: me is firstly, like one of the hijackers that I 276 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 2: talk about in the Health habit is environmental hijackers. So 277 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 2: just the physical environment and situations that we put ourselves 278 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 2: in every day can have a really big impact on 279 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 2: our behavior. And if you're trying to quit sugar and 280 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 2: there's sugar like sugary foods in your pantry or in 281 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 2: your fridge, it's really hard to change your behavior because 282 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 2: that stuff is staring at you every day. So in 283 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 2: the Health Habit I talk about disrupt the default, where 284 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 2: make the default choice like the sort of the natural 285 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 2: thing to do to not have sugar, And how you 286 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 2: do that is through removing sugary treats and snacks and 287 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 2: food from the house. Another strategy that I used and 288 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: actually think this was probably the most powerful one for me. 289 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 2: He's understanding the power of language and specifically the power 290 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 2: of the word don't. So there was some really interesting 291 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 2: research conducted by Vanessa Patrick, who's a marketing professor, and 292 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 2: she brought a bunch of people into her lab and 293 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 2: she divided them into two groups and taught each group 294 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 2: a different strategy so around resisting temptation. One group were 295 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 2: told to use the self talk when presented with the 296 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 2: attempting chocolate bar, I can't eat chocolate. The second group 297 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: was told to switch up that second word slightly and 298 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: say I don't eat chocolate when presented with that unhealthy temptation. 299 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: So they learned these strategies and then they thought the 300 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: experiment was over and on the way out of the lab, 301 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 2: which is actually the crux of the experiment, they were 302 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 2: offered the choice, these participants of a healthy musli bar 303 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 2: or a chocolate bar. What they found, what the research 304 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 2: has found is that the group that had the don't strategy, 305 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 2: I don't eat chocolate, We're fifty percent more likely to 306 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 2: choose the healthy musli bar compared to the chocolate bar 307 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 2: compared to the group that we're told to say I can't. 308 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 2: But interestingly, when we're trying to change behavior, we often 309 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 2: say to ourselves, oh, I can't do that. I can't 310 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 2: do that, like I'm not allowed to do that. But 311 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 2: if we say I don't do that, it speaks to 312 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 2: who we are as a person. It's like our self 313 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 2: identity changes, and I really felt that way when I 314 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 2: made the commitment to quit sugar, which I've done ninety 315 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 2: five percent successfully over the last decade, where almost every 316 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 2: single day I just I haven't consumed like chocolate or 317 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 2: sugary foods because I say to myself, I don't eat sugar, 318 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: I don't do dessert, I don't eat sweet treats. And 319 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 2: that is literally who I am as a person. So 320 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 2: to break that is like living a life that's not 321 00:17:57,920 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: consistent with my self identity. 322 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 3: That You've been totally fine and there's been no issues 323 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 3: with me coming into the house with any chocolate per 324 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 3: se over the last while. 325 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 2: Right, So you love your dark chocolate and it's now 326 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 2: or it was for the last few months, always in 327 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 2: the house, and for the most part that was actually fine. 328 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: But the last few months. 329 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 2: Of twenty twenty three were very, very stressful, and I 330 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 2: found that I started getting into the habit of having 331 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 2: dark chocolate every night. 332 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: And you know, arguably dark chocolate is fine. 333 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 2: And there are actually good things in dark chocolate, but 334 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 2: I knew that it was it was like a slippery 335 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,959 Speaker 2: slope in terms of like regressing back to where I 336 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 2: was ten years ago, and so we had a chat 337 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 2: about it because I wasn't happy with how I was behaving, 338 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 2: and I feel like, if there's chocolate in the house, 339 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 2: it started to become really hard to resist that temptation. 340 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 2: So now we removed the chocolate. I think you have 341 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 2: possibly hidden some chocolate somewhere in the house. I have 342 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 2: no desire to go on a little treasure hunt, but 343 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 2: it's reversed where I was going, So once again, no 344 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 2: dark chocolate now for me. 345 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 3: And for me, it's not been that bad either. I 346 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 3: do enjoy a chocolate at the end of the day occasionally, 347 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 3: but I haven't missed it, which has been crazy. And 348 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 3: it's still hidden somewhere magically around the house, but I 349 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 3: haven't craved it either, So I suspect it feels for 350 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 3: me was habit end of day reward myself with a 351 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 3: bit of chocolate, but also it being there at eye 352 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,120 Speaker 3: level in the pantry every single day. So you've done 353 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 3: me a favor as well, and I'm not missing it. 354 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: I'm glad to hear that. 355 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,439 Speaker 3: Okay, any other habits you want to go through? With nutrition? 356 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 2: Oh? 357 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: Look. 358 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 2: The nutrition section of the book was actually the hardest 359 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 2: one to write because there's so many conflicting views around 360 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: what we should be eating to improve gut how and microbiome, 361 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 2: improve our energy, improve how we feel, and give ourselves 362 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 2: the best chance of living along in healthy life. So 363 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 2: there's a lot of disagreement between academics, but something that 364 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 2: pretty much everyone agrees on is that our blood glucose 365 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 2: or blood sugar levels like which which is essentially just 366 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,360 Speaker 2: a measure of like how much sugar is floating around 367 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 2: in our bloodstream, is something that we want to have 368 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 2: as stable as possible. So if you have ever eaten 369 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 2: a meal and felt completely crap and sluggish or maybe 370 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 2: still hungry after you've eaten a full meal, chances are 371 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 2: what has happened is that the meal has spiked your 372 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 2: blood sugar levels and then they've come crashing down. 373 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: So maybe you've had like. 374 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,959 Speaker 3: The big pasta lunch where you feel like sleeping at 375 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 3: three o'clock, yeah. 376 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 2: Exactly exactly, or maybe like you know, like a big 377 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 2: burger or something like that, and you're, you know, and 378 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 2: you're just feeling like rubbish. Maybe half an hour later, 379 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 2: maybe an hour later. It's probably because your blood sugar 380 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,959 Speaker 2: has crashed, and we want to avoid that. So some 381 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 2: of the strategies that I talk about in the health 382 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 2: habit are really really effective at stabilizing or leveling out 383 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 2: our blood sugar levels. And if you can do that, 384 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 2: you will feel so much better. You will feel fuller 385 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 2: after you eat, you will feel full of energy, and 386 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 2: you avoiding those horrible crashes that a lot of us experience, 387 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 2: particularly in the afternoon. So it's super important. So one 388 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 2: strategy was one of my favorite ones, is that there 389 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 2: was some really interesting research and this has been actually 390 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 2: research a few times. 391 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: That looked at does the order or the. 392 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 2: Sequence of which we eat our foods make a difference 393 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,439 Speaker 2: to our blood glucose response. So there was one study 394 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 2: that had people eating some Asian vegetable, a chicken breast, 395 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 2: and some white rice. But what they did is they 396 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 2: mixed around the order that different groups were eating this meal. 397 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 2: In what they found, and this finding has been replicated 398 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 2: several times, is that if we can eat our vegetables first, 399 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: followed by the proteins and the fats of the meals, 400 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:23,680 Speaker 2: in this case the chicken, and finishing with the carbs 401 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 2: or the starchier parts of the meal, which in this 402 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 2: case is the rice, we have a very big impact 403 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 2: on stabilizing our blood glucose as opposed to if we 404 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 2: eat it all at once, or if we eat the 405 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 2: carbs first, which is very common. If you're out in 406 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 2: a restaurant, you probably get served bread first and you 407 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 2: gobble that down and then you have the rest, which 408 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,239 Speaker 2: leads to a much bigger spike and crash in your 409 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 2: blood sugar. So obviously this is not always possible. If 410 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 2: you're eating spaghetti bowl and aise, it's pretty hard to 411 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 2: apply this strategy, but you know, for the most part, 412 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 2: like if you're eating a poke bowl or as we do, 413 00:22:57,960 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 2: we will often have some sort of proteins, some kind 414 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 2: of vegetable, and some sort of carbs like potato or 415 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 2: rice or something like that. This is something that I 416 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 2: almost religiously do. 417 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 1: And then something else. 418 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 2: Look a final thing that I'll talk about with nutrition, 419 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 2: which is something that we both did. 420 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: I think this. 421 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 2: I know I've done it more recently, but we did 422 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 2: it together a year ago where we decided that because 423 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 2: I think at the time you were feeling a bit 424 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 2: crappy health wise and I was feeling experimental. 425 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: But I'm always feeling experimental, so no. 426 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 2: Difference there is that we got a couple of continuous 427 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,879 Speaker 2: glucose monitors cgms, and these are essentially a little device 428 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 2: that you stick on your arm like sort of the 429 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 2: back of your arm where your triceps. If you imagine 430 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 2: a circle that's like the size of a squashed ping 431 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:55,479 Speaker 2: pong ball, and it's got a little needle in it, 432 00:23:55,720 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 2: and that needle sticks into your into your skin. So 433 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 2: what it does is it essentially reading your blood gluecose 434 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 2: levels continuously. And typically these devices last for about fourteen days, 435 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 2: and then you sync it up with a particular app 436 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 2: and then you with your phone, you can scan the 437 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 2: CGM anytime of day and get a reading of what 438 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 2: your blood gluecose levels are doing. So, as I talked 439 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 2: about before, it's really important. We should all have the 440 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 2: goal of trying to stabilize blood gluecost levels. We want 441 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: to avoid the spikes and the dips. And having a 442 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 2: CGM we're both wearing for two weeks allowed us to 443 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 2: run heaps of different experiments and actually work out Because 444 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 2: this is a very individual thing, like which foods are 445 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 2: going to spike it, it's not the same for every person, 446 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 2: but we were able to experiment with the sorts of meals. 447 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: That we were having, and I would say. 448 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 2: You know, we made some significant changes off the back 449 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 2: of that experiment, like what did what did you learn 450 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 2: from that? 451 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 3: I loved rice noodles, and I found that they spiked 452 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 3: me every single time. And one of my favorite dishes 453 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 3: is like an Asian soup with the rice noodles in 454 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 3: it and maybe a couple of dumplings in the luck. 455 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 3: And yeah, I've gone off those as a staple that 456 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 3: I go to all the time. That was a big 457 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 3: one for me and disappointing at the time, I got 458 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:23,439 Speaker 3: to say, but others I found were it showed me 459 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 3: where my energy levels were being dipped in the afternoon 460 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 3: and why they were being dipped. And I found my 461 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 3: concentration improved when I made some different food choices. And 462 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 3: I found that that's made a bigger difference for me 463 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 3: because one of my issues is coffee, and if I 464 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 3: get that afternoon slump, I'll want to go for a 465 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 3: coffee and then I'm buzzed all night. And so what 466 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 3: I found is with better blood glucose management, I don't 467 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 3: crave for coffee so much in the afternoon. 468 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 1: Interesting. 469 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:53,199 Speaker 2: I remember porridge was a very sad finding For me, 470 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 2: I used to love porridge. And you know, by all accounts, 471 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 2: we are told that porridge is LOGII, so theoretically it 472 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 2: shouldn't spike blood glucose levels, but for me, man it 473 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 2: spiked it massively. And it also explained, well, I could 474 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 2: eat a big bowl of porridge and still be really, 475 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 2: really hungry, and that is why, because my blood glucose 476 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:20,360 Speaker 2: was spiking and then falling, and so porridge pretty much 477 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 2: left my rotation of meals. Sadly, but good. 478 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: For my health. 479 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 3: And they were good porridges. You were making your own 480 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 3: from home. It wasn't sugar laden or anything like that. 481 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: A bit of a shame, yeah, very sad. 482 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 3: Okay, let's finally talk about movement. Do you want to 483 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 3: talk about what your fitness regime is? Yeah. 484 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 2: So in the movement section of the Health habit it 485 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 2: is definitely aimed at people who, well, look, there's stuff 486 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 2: in there for everyone, but it assumes that you're not 487 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 2: a gym junkie. And I would say I I am 488 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,159 Speaker 2: to some extent, like I'm very regimented with how I 489 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 2: move and how I think about exercise because I just 490 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 2: I have learned, particularly over the last five years or 491 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 2: so where I have been very diligent and disciplined around 492 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 2: my movement that I just I feel the benefits massively, 493 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 2: So you know, as background and as you know, neo like, 494 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 2: I was never a sporty kid. I would probably always 495 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: lie about having my period at school to get out 496 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: of swimming and all sorts of sporting activities. 497 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: It was just not me. 498 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 2: I was very uncoordinated, hated sport, identified as being someone 499 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 2: who was unfit. 500 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: But then so if during my. 501 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 2: Twenties and thirties I got into exercise, but it was always. 502 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: Just like a means to an end. 503 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,119 Speaker 2: It was always about you know, how to lose the 504 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 2: final five kilos on a diet or you know whatever 505 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 2: kind of like you know, rubbish fad I was on. 506 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 2: But for the last five years I have got genuinely 507 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 2: into weightlifting. And I don't mean bodybuilding where I'm trying 508 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 2: to I've become super muscular and anti competitions. It's more 509 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 2: I just love the feeling of being a female in 510 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 2: her mid forties and actually feeling really strong and fit 511 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:15,119 Speaker 2: and healthy. So four times a week I will do 512 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,879 Speaker 2: resistance training or weights training. We've got a home gym 513 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 2: set up in the garage, which I set up when 514 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 2: COVID hit and I couldn't go to the gym anymore, 515 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 2: and I love that. 516 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: In I think the. 517 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 2: Part one of this little two part series, I talked 518 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: about temptation bundling, where you combine the not pleasurable activity 519 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 2: with something pleasurable to kind of trick your brain into 520 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 2: feeling motivated to do the thing that feels hard. 521 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: And weightlifting, to me feels hard. 522 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 2: I don't actually love it per se, but I'll always 523 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 2: pair it with one of my favorite podcasts, so I 524 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 2: actually enjoy the experience and really look forward to it. 525 00:28:55,800 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 2: The other thing I do is I do cardio. I 526 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 2: did get back into running or slow jogging for a while, 527 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 2: but at the moment, I'm back into interval training on 528 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 2: my bike, which is a hideously expensive bike called Carol, 529 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 2: which is basically pre programmed with REHIT workouts. And if 530 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 2: you've never heard of REHIT, I do talk about REHIT 531 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 2: in the Health Habit. It stands for reduced exertion, high 532 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 2: intensity interval training, and it is pretty much the most 533 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 2: time effective way to improve your cardiovascular fitness. So if 534 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 2: you check out the Health Habit and look for the 535 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 2: micro workout chapter, you will find a way to improve 536 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: your cardio fitness very very quickly and in short amounts 537 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 2: of time. A couple of the things that I do 538 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,960 Speaker 2: think about now that I learned when I was researching 539 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 2: The Health Habit is, Firstly, I used to be a 540 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 2: ten thousand steps a day kind of person. But I 541 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 2: learned when I was writing the book that there is 542 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 2: literally no sign scientific evidence I could find that ten 543 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 2: thousand steps is the optimal amount per day. And in fact, 544 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 2: what research has found is that beyond about seven five 545 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 2: hundred steps, the benefits in terms of like reducing your 546 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 2: risk of dying in early death sort of flatten out. 547 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 2: So seven five hundred steps is in fact what you 548 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 2: want to ideally aim for. And then the other thing 549 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 2: finally that I'll talk about. I mean, there's so many 550 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 2: more health habits in the book. 551 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 3: But I love the VILPA by the way. 552 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: You love the vilpi. Yeah, and the VILPA. 553 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 2: You'll you'll find a chapter on VILPA in The Health Habit, 554 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 2: which stands for vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, where you 555 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,720 Speaker 2: will learn about the power of just very short, like 556 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 2: one minute long, vigorous lifestyle activity like running around playing 557 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 2: chasing with the kids or running for the train if 558 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 2: you're running late for it, for example. Anyway, more about 559 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 2: that in the book and Villpi. But I something that 560 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 2: we try to incorporate. We don't always do this successfully. 561 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 2: But back on the topic of blood sugar is the 562 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 2: power of going for a leisurely ten minute stroll after 563 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 2: eating And ideally if you wait about half an hour 564 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 2: after eating food, then go for a ten minute wander 565 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 2: around the block. It doesn't have to be at pace. 566 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 2: You will significantly reduce the blood sugar spike and dip 567 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 2: after eating, no matter what the food was that you ate. 568 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 2: So it's a really great way to feel a lot 569 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 2: better to stabilize out your energy like, for example, after lunch, 570 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 2: a lot of people feel pretty crappy in the sort 571 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 2: of you know, like one or two hours after lunch. 572 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 2: But instead of say going for a walk and then 573 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 2: having lunch, have you lunch, sit in chill for half 574 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 2: an hour or maybe check some emails and then go 575 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 2: for a ten minute walk and you will significantly improve 576 00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 2: your energy levels for the rest of the day. 577 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 3: And it's not a power or a job, is it. 578 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: It is just a stroll. It's just a stroll. 579 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 3: All right, Well, there are quite a few excellent little tips. 580 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 3: There are more in the book, I know, but thank 581 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 3: you very much for chatting to me on your podcast 582 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 3: and talking about The Health Habit. So I hope everyone 583 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 3: picks up the book because I love it to Thank 584 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 3: you for being interviewed. 585 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 2: And thank you so much Neo for hopping behind the 586 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 2: microphone on a bit of a whim. It's been very, 587 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 2: very fun chatting with you about things that you knew 588 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 2: the answer to, pretended. 589 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: That you didn't. 590 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening today. I hope that 591 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 2: you have learned a few useful habits for your health 592 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 2: and if you are keen to find out more and 593 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 2: learn even more things that can improve how you're sleeping, 594 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 2: how you're eating, how you're moving, all to make you 595 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 2: feel way more energetic and get in great shape. If 596 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 2: that is something you're trying to do, then please, please, please, 597 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 2: I would be so grateful if you go and pick 598 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 2: up a copy of The Health Habit, or maybe go 599 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 2: and buy it as a gift for someone that you 600 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 2: know maybe needs a little bit of help getting into shape. 601 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: So thank you so much. 602 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 2: I will see you with the regular programming of How 603 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:23,040 Speaker 2: I Work tomorrow. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would 604 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 2: love to ask a favor. Click follow on the podcast 605 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 2: app that you're listening to this on, and if you're 606 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:33,240 Speaker 2: feeling really generous, leave a review for the show. Following 607 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 2: this podcast and leaving reviews helps How I Work find 608 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 2: new listeners, and your support is one of the things 609 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 2: that makes this podcast possible. Thank you for sharing part 610 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 2: of your day with me by listening to How I Work. 611 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:49,960 Speaker 2: If you're keen for more tips on how to work better, 612 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 2: connect with me via LinkedIn or Instagram. I'm very easy 613 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 2: to find. Just search for Amantha Imba. How I Work 614 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 2: was recorded on the traditional land of the Warrangery people, 615 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 2: part of the Cool and Nation. I am so grateful 616 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:09,800 Speaker 2: for being able to work and live on this beautiful land, 617 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 2: and I want to pay my respects to elder's past, 618 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 2: present and emerging. How I Work is produced by Inventium 619 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:19,320 Speaker 2: with production support from Dead Set Studios. 620 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: The producer for this episode was 621 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 2: Liam Reardon, and thank you to Martin Nimba who did 622 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 2: the audio mix and makes everything sound better than it 623 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 2: would have otherwise.