Where we've been - and what's going on | A quick update

I'm healthier than ever, so why do I feel worse about my body? | Man vs Body Image (again)

Tim and J return to body image – a year after their first three episodes on the subject, which apparently achieved very little for Tim personally. Despite quitting smoking, cutting back on the booze, and actually going to the gym again, his relationship with his own reflection has somehow got worse. They get into that, in detail, and J sets Tim a challenge. J, meanwhile, has lost a tonne of weight since starting ADHD medication and taken up intermittent fasting for reasons that turn out to be surprisingly well-researched. Together they cover obsession, ChatGPT as a personal trainer (verdict: relentlessly positive, close-to-useless), and why "thinner" and "healthier" are not most definitely NOT the same thing. Also featuring: gym mirror narcissists, a 90km bike ride attempted with no preparation whatsoever, and the Excel World Cup (yup, it's real, and it's a serious thing).

The 6-hour carpark wait (thanks, Anxiety) | Man vs The Last 3 Months pt 2

We extend our thanks to Anxiety for its role in today's talking points. And J specifically wants to thank Anxiety for his day-long wait in the car park after dropping his little girl off at nursery. Tim & J are properly back in the swing of things now and looking to get some closure on the last three months. How can you take care of your mental health when your whole world and routine go out the window? Yeah, the guys struggle with that. And J can't get his head around the term 'exercise snacking'. Tim insists it's not that complicated. J insists Tim's full of sh*t.

We’re BACK! Baby joy, regional conflict, grief, and very pink sneakers | Man vs The Last 3 Months

And boom, brand-new Man vs Mind drop out of nowhere, like we've never been away. After three months away (and approximately 47 WhatsApp voice notes saying “we really need to record”), we’re finally back in the same room together. This episode is one big catch-up on everything that’s happened while we’ve been gone – the beautiful, the painful, the surreal, and the very, very stupid. J shares the joy of expecting a baby boy, alongside the heartbreak of losing his father-in-law. We talk honestly about grief, becoming parents for the second time, and how strange it feels watching your children slowly become their own little people. We also unpack what it’s been like living through months of regional tension and uncertainty here in the Middle East – the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the emotional weirdness of experiencing “real-time trauma” while still trying to carry on with everyday life. Somewhere in amongst all that: Tim rebuilt a kitchen, forgot to film half the episode, had an existential crisis during bedtime cuddles, and bought a pair of aggressively pink Adidas trainers with tiny platform soles. It’s emotional, chaotic, very excitable, occasionally profound, and — fair warning — unusually sweary even by our standards. We missed you. (Back as usual on Monday morning!)

Where we've been - and what's going on | A quick update

Yeah we totally owe you an explanation. Blame geopolitics. And some other stuff. But we PROMISE we're back soon...ish. Soonish. It's still a promise. Jus7aJj66XrpcT0tFzvl

How routine, fitness & rituals are helping us cope

Shaving your legs indirectly benefits your mental health... ... isn't something many podcasts will claim, but somehow Tim indirectly links shaving his leg(s) – for real – with maintaining his mental health. Make of that what you will. This week, still working remotely for safety reasons, Tim & J catch up on how they've been coping with the ongoing regional conflict. Expect talk about working out, getting tetchy, emotional flatness, reaching the end of your tether, and finally Tim considers dabbling with an EMS experiment on-air...