NAT-STORY5 B&C COMBINED FOR ONLINE: Dr Alex George: Embrace fitness and boost your mental wellbeing

Local TV

TV Doctor Alex George shares insights on maintaining motivation and achieving long term health goals as he launches a new audio series.

Transcript

00:00You've just run the London Marathon.

00:03How was it and how does taking on something that big mean to you personally?

00:07My legs are still recovering.

00:09It's been a few days, but yeah, it was really, really tough, but also really incredible as

00:13well.

00:14I was running it because of a promise I made to a dear friend of mine, Freya Barlow, who

00:20was at medical school with me over 12 years ago.

00:23Unfortunately, she got diagnosed with leukaemia at the time.

00:27Our plan was that when she recovered, we'd go and run the London Marathon.

00:30That was the kind of goal.

00:32But unfortunately, she became more sick, more and well, and passed away.

00:38Just before she died, she asked me, please do run it one day for me.

00:43Just over 12 years later, I've kept my promise.

00:45Well, wonderful you did that for your friend.

00:48Now I understand you found running later in life.

00:51What inspired that change and how did it impact your own mental health?

00:56Well, I mean, I've never been a runner, and I think a lot of people can relate to that.

01:01You know, when you're at school, you see certain people that do the cross country, they're the

01:05running group.

01:06And the less you kind of do that school, often you just think, oh, well, that's not for me,

01:09or I'm not good at that, or it's too late now.

01:11And you know, in my thirties, I thought, well, gosh, am I ever going to be able to be a runner?

01:16Everyone talks for the benefits that they're kind of endorphins.

01:19Actually, over two years ago, I was 20 stone in weight.

01:22I was overweight.

01:23I was not healthy at all.

01:25And I could hardly run.

01:27And for me, I basically had made the decision I wanted to turn my life around.

01:31I wanted to find a healthier version of myself.

01:33And I started running.

01:34And at first, I could only do a couple hundred meters.

01:36There's a kilometer.

01:37There's a couple of kilometers.

01:38And then last year, I run four half marathons.

01:41So over time, you can, you know, build it up again.

01:45You've got a new audio series, which focuses on holistic health.

01:49What does that mean to you?

01:50And what more can we find in this audio series?

01:53Yeah.

01:54So this in-by-gone balanced running series, which is on Spotify.

01:57So please do go and search it.

01:59I think the great thing is, it's three episodes, 30 minutes.

02:01And we're cheering you along.

02:03So the idea is that you go out for a run or run, walk, or even stomp if you want to go for

02:07walk while doing it.

02:08And we're cheering you along throughout that kind of time.

02:11So encouraging you, but also like focusing on different topics are important.

02:14So like getting into fitness and finding that balance with it.

02:17You know, dealing with stress and pressure.

02:19It's really interesting to talk to elite athletes and hear their take on how they deal

02:23with pressure.

02:24And, you know, there's lots of ways that we can learn from actually athletes, how to

02:27kind of manage it, how to deal with it, you know, finding balance in your life.

02:30So it's not all just about the running, say, but learning how to unwind properly.

02:34Like what's your decompression routine?

02:36Do you talk to people about your experiences?

02:38What's your diet like?

02:39Your exercise, you know, all these things are important.

02:41And then the third episode, we're looking specifically around self-care.

02:45So something that I think more people are learning about, but we really delved into that.

02:49You know, what does that look like for each of us?

02:51So, yeah, it was an awesome conversation.

02:54I just hope, you know, for me that it will inspire people to try running, you know, stick

02:57the series on, head out the door and give it a go.

03:00Many, including myself, feel daunted by the idea of getting started.

03:04You know, it's really about the mindset of realizing that you have achieved something

03:09that you have won when you've stepped out the door or you've gone to the gym.

03:12I think too often we think, right, I need to do gym four times a week and I got to do these

03:16specific exercises and get stronger every week.

03:19Actually, when I, for myself, changed my mindset, it was like when I walked through the door of the gym,

03:24I've achieved, you know, my goal.

03:26Everything else is a bonus.

Category

Transcript

Recommended