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