When did exercise become another thing we're supposed to be EXCELLENT at?

Between running influencers and viral fitness challenges, it can feel like simply moving our bodies isn't enough anymore. We have to be faster, stronger and constantly pushing ourselves to our limits.

Today's guest, Esmée Gummer, has a very different perspective on what it means to move. After being paralysed at 18 and told she might never walk again, she went on to run 5,000 km across the UK and Ireland in just 99 days, hosting 77 run clubs along the way and earning a Guinness World Record.

But for Esmée, the biggest achievement isn't how far or fast she can run. It's being able to move at all, and helping other people find that same joy in exercise.

We’re talking about:

🧠 How to stay consistent with exercise when motivation disappears
⏱️ Is chasing a PB ruining your relationship with exercise?
🚩 The problem with viral fitness trends like 75 Hard or Hyrox
🏃‍♀️ Running slower could actually make you enjoy exercise more

📱 How to escape comparison culture and start enjoying exercise again

Resources & links mentioned:

-Esmée’s Instagram: @esmee_ldn

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🛑 Disclaimers: Opinions are my own. This content is for educational / entertainment purposes and not medical or financial advice.

Another Thursday, another mini episode!

Every Thursday, we’re sharing the Buy or Bye Bye segment from one of your favourite Her Discussions episodes - a breakdown of what actually works for your health.

This week, we're revisiting our episode with leading sports dietitian Renee McGregor, where we unpack some of the biggest lies women have been sold about food, exercise and what a “healthy” body should look like.

In the full episode, we discuss:

⌚ Why 10,000 steps on your fitness tracker might be wrong

🍝 The amount of carbs active women actually need

✨ The 3-5g creatine rule for women

🔋 The #1 overlooked reason you’re constantly tired

⚖️ Why getting leaner isn’t always healthier

Listen to the full podcast here:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7IHxfxS4IjGB6tNMl9ePGd?si=4p4-Q239QNewNGv8dlW3Lw

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nza7XyJR5tY

Can I ask you a BIG favour? 💙

Please leave a review or rating. It helps us grow the podcast and bring you more amazing guests.

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Instagram & Tiktok - @drfayebate

Podcast Instagram & Tiktok: @herdiscussionspod

📩 Want to reach out?

Email: ⁠drfaye@outreachtalentgroup.com⁠

🛑 Disclaimers:

Opinions are my own. This content is for educational / entertainment purposes and not medical or financial advice.

Do you ever feel like a completely different person in the two weeks before your period?

Hormonal changes can have a huge impact on women's mental health, yet the relationship between our hormones and our brains remains surprisingly understudied.

Today's guest is Dr Emilė Radytė, a neuroscientist who studied at Harvard and Oxford, and founded Samphire Neuroscience, a company developing wearable brain stimulation technology for women's health.

Together, we're exploring how hormonal changes affect our brains, why women's brain health has been overlooked in research, and how advances in neuroscience could transform the future of women's mental health.

We also talk about:
🩸 The 2 most common treatments for PMDD (and what to know before trying them)
💊 Why your ADHD medication might feel less effective before your period
💭 PMDD vs bipolar disorder: how can you tell the difference?
🧠 The surprising link between ADHD and PMDD
🫣 Why PMDD is so much more than just bad PMS

Resources & links mentioned:

-Dr Emilė’s Instagram: @dr.em.neuroscientist

-Samphire: www.samphireneuro.com or @samphireneuro on Instagram

-Schmidt et al. (2017) on why sensitivity to changing hormone levels matters in PMDD.

-Broughton et al. (2025) showing the emerging evidence on PMDD and ADHD overlap (note that this study measured provisional PMDD)

-Reuveni et al. (2023) discusses differences in emotional processing networks in PMDD.

-Kaltsouni et al. (2024) covered a review of EEG findings, including the early research on alpha waves in PMDD.

-Silva et al. (2026) is our published home-use direct current stimulation study in PMS and menstrual pain. Samphire's PMDD trial data is currently under peer-review and expected to be published in early 2027

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📝 Her*d Substack: https://fayebernadette.substack.com/

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📱 Find us on socials:
Instagram & Tiktok - @drfayebate
Podcast Instagram & Tiktok: @herdiscussionspod

📩 Want to reach out? Email: drfaye@outreachtalentgroup.com

🛑 Disclaimers: Opinions are my own. This content is for educational / entertainment purposes and not medical or financial advice.