In this Episode we are talking to the lovely Gemma Pugh.

Gemma is a mother to two young boys, she left her head of science teaching job and embarked on a journey of fitness and community.

Gemma talks openly about leaving a job she loved to transitioning into her love of fitness, having the huge mum guilt and finding having a dog difficult!

You can find the fabulous Gemma talk openly about wellness BEYOND the gym at the following places:

Instagram: Gemma Pugh:Fiercely Fit (@gemmapugh_fiercelyfit) • Instagram photos and videos

Facebook: (7) Facebook

LinkedIn: (3) Gemma Pugh | LinkedIn

You can keep up to date with the host Helen here:

https://linktr.ee/Helencorsicadmore

Liked this episode? Remember to subscribe and leave a review! Or if you want to be a guest then contact me at hello@helencorsicadmore.com

Thank you,

Hels x

So welcome to another episode of

Fabulous and Female and this week

2

is my wonderful guest Gemma Pugh.

3

Uh, Gemma is another fellow

Welshie so I'm obviously really

4

excited to talk to another Welshie.

5

Um, first and foremost though

Gemma is a mother to Thomas and

6

Mason who are aged 11 and 9 and is

a wife to the wonderful Ritchie.

7

By the end of December 2020 20, Gemma

created a supportive and inspiring

8

community for women called Fiercely Fit.

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Until September 2021, Gemma

was head of science at a local

10

Welsh medium comprehensive, a

job which she actually loved.

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However, the wonderful pandemic and

lockdown one gave her the opportunity

12

to massively reflect on life.

13

Um, by taking daily morning, morning

walks, which we all were allowed to

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do for that short time, listening to

podcasts, which brought her to the

15

realization that a big passion of

hers actually laid in helping other

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busy women unlock their true potential

and to live their best lives through

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fitness and simple, healthy habits.

18

So I'm delighted to have Gemma talk

to us a little bit about a transition

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from being in a job that she loved.

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Um, to where she is now and being

this fantastic facilitator of

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this wonderful fitness community.

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So welcome, welcome, lovely Gemma.

23

Oh, thanks for that intro Helen.

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I love that.

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Oh, do you know what?

26

It's always like the, you know,

the corporate sort of bio, like

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right, let's get all the details

out and then, yeah, and then we

28

just go into normal life reality.

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Um, And before we, before we press record

on this, we would, uh, Gemma said, Oh,

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I've got a somebody in the background,

somebody who's said now, and I was

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like, Oh, a little waffle, the dog.

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I mean, you know, he's only a

year and I'm saying my Stan is 12.

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And I said, Oh, do you,

do you, do you love him?

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And I love that you were so honest.

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Your face said it all.

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You were like, um, yes and no.

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Having a dog is harder

than having children.

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You know what?

39

More of a commitment.

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So is.

41

And interesting, right?

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So what, just to talk about

dogs, you know I love dogs.

43

So what is it though about

the commitment of having a dog

44

that's more difficult than kids?

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Yeah, I don't know, like children.

46

I don't know.

47

I obviously really wanted children.

48

I was a bit on the, on the

edge with having a dog.

49

I guess I've, my children are

older now, so I've got a bit of my

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freedom back until we had Waffle.

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And it all starts,

starts over, doesn't it?

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Yeah.

53

Anyone that's thinking of

getting a dog, it's, yeah.

54

I, before, before I had my twins,

I I remember thinking like, Stan

55

was the hardest thing in the world.

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I was like rushing back to, you know, make

sure I got back to walk him, to feed him.

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And she's going out and, oh

God, now I, I'm the opposite.

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Now I'd love just to

have Stan as my, Right.

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Okay.

60

So a little bit of candid

honesty there from Gemma.

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So welcome Gemma anyway, to

the Fabulous Female Podcast.

62

Gemma Atkinson Thanks.

63

Um, take on, obviously we just

said the bio about the corporate

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bio, but tell me a little bit

more about Jemma Poo, the person.

65

Um, so Jemma Poo, the person, yeah.

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So you've summed up in

terms of a mother of two.

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And I think that is my priority, being

a mum and trying to be a good mum.

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I think we all, as mums, always feel

like we're not getting it right.

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And I think we're quite hard on ourselves.

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Um, and the mum guilt,

I know I'm talking to.

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All of my girls, mum guilt

gets us all, doesn't it?

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Um, so the first, that is my main

thing about trying to be a good mum.

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And within that then is trying to

help other mums realize that they

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need to drop the mum guilt and that

it's okay to spend time on you.

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And it's more than okay.

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It's essential that we spend that quality

time on us alone, um, without any guilt

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because that makes us better mums.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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Kind of where Feastly Fit stemmed from.

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So before, uh, lockdown and

my realization, fitness has

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always been my, um, therapy.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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Amazing.

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I always loved exercising, um, found

it difficult when the boys came along

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because I had a husband who worked away.

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Um, I created a community back then called

This Mum Can, which was a free Facebook

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group to try and do it similar to what we

do in Feastly Fit to let mums know, um,

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That you can exercise without the guilt.

90

Yeah.

91

And then fast forward to the pandemic.

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I was working full time as head of

science at a local comprehensive.

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Um, and I was super lucky

that I had a positive.

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Lockdown experience.

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I know that's not the case for everyone.

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And I'm, you know, I feel really sorry

for those that had really difficult

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times, whether they were working in

the NHS or had family members that

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got struck down badly by COVID.

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But for me, it was being a new mum.

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But a week before the

pandemic, I'm laughing now,

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but yeah, you did that alone.

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All alone.

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Yeah.

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So we obviously had completely

different experiences.

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So for me, my husband who was

working away all the time was home.

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He was furloughed.

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Um, I, as a teacher, so I was

head of science at the time.

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Uh, teaching that first lockdown

had not caught up with technology.

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So I was really fortunate.

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I had a team of nine staff, so I

would delegate out work to everyone.

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We would upload our work in

the night, and then I got to

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spend all day with my children.

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Um, and crucially, I, every morning

I went on a walk on my own, and that

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was my time to stop the first time

sitting, how old was my eldest then?

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Eight, nine years where I stopped,

I paused, I took a breath and I

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realized, gem, what are you doing?

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Yeah, I'd been on this path,

this narrow path I was following.

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All these promotions were

coming my way and work.

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I was taking them.

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I was young, I was eager, but I wasn't

really thinking beyond this narrow path

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of what society thought was meant for me.

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Yeah.

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Um, so.

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Gemma Poo then got her back, herself

back and found who I was and what my real

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passion was and I was lucky, right time,

right place, Covid really worked for me

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at the time and of everything and yeah,

fast forward, here we are obviously fit.

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Do you know what, we're going to go

into that a lot, but I would love to

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just take a couple of steps back there.

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Um, Isn't it interesting that you

said, like, what the, the society and

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the norm thinks we should be doing?

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And you, you know, like you said, you

were, you were young, you were grabbing

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all these opportunities to, you know, get

up in, in, in work and actually enjoy it.

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And the thing is, the good thing for you,

you didn't, you didn't hate your job.

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So it wasn't as if you were, like,

looking to leave as such, but it

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was an opportunity came your way.

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Why is it though, do you think

that as, and I'm going to say

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this, especially as women.

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Yeah, we feel the need to be this like

person of being, you know, doing all the

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things and always like high achieving

what, why do we, why do we do it?

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Yeah.

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Why do we do that?

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I think, you know, especially when you

become a mom, you feel like you have

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to be the best at your job, but the

best mother, the best wife, all these

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different hats you need, feel like you

need to be the best when actually, yeah.

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We don't.

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Why do we?

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I guess that's society again, isn't it?

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Yeah.

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You're meant to have it all.

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And I don't think social media

helps when everyone's posting these

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lovely photos of them, the kids,

and then World Book Day with the

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amazing outfits and all these things.

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And I'm like, oh my word,

is it World Book Day?

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My goodness.

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Right.

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Can I, can we just talk about that?

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Because if you have got children, you'll

know that it's A very, very stressful.

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All of these things,

all the time in school.

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Do this, do this, do this.

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And I get World Book Day,

right, is, is fantastic.

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It's actually one of the ones that

I get why it's, why it's done.

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Because it is, you know, it's

very, we're very fortunate.

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I'm very fortunate.

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My kids have got a bookshelf

with loads of books on.

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They actually don't like reading.

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That's something I'm working on.

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So I'm like, all these lovely

books, don't bloody read them.

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They're there.

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Yeah, they're there.

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Um, but actually, God, today and

last night, I'm in this group for,

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um, nursery for the, for the girls.

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And there was all these pictures being put

in of all their children really dressed

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up, right, and they looked bloody amazing.

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Do you know what my girls went in today?

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Come on, Helen.

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Bella went in in a Spanish dress up dress.

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I am not Spanish.

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I'm like, you know, a

bit of Italian in me.

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And Sophia went in with, um, her

poppy from, uh, Trolls dress.

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They're not books.

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I'm sure, I'm sure there's a Trolls book.

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Is there?

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And I'm sure there's a Spanish book.

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Well, the story behind it is, James

took them in today, my husband took

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them in, and the teacher said, oh,

what have you come in as today, Bella?

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Yeah.

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And James went, um, a

character from a Spanish book.

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What the hell?

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I was like, oh, do you know what?

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And I was just like, look at all

these lovely, lovely pictures of

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all these children come through

on the, on the WhatsApp group.

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And I was like, No, I am not doing this.

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I'm not conforming.

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I think that's it.

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Because you know, we ultimately,

there are pressures out there.

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Yeah.

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And we could decide whether

we let them get to us or not.

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Yeah.

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. Yeah.

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Fair.

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So I know my youngest tomorrow is

probably gonna go in a rugby kit and

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there are a lots of rugby books out there.

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There.

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Exactly.

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Right.

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And I know one of the

members spent a fortune on.

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On Vinted buying all this, okay Vinted,

you know, this secondhand and stuff.

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But still, you're still spending money.

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Yeah.

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For what's going to be

ruined in this series.

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Not doing it.

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So it's interesting you said that about

social because, um, As we know, very

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recently, socials disappeared for,

what was it, like a couple of hours.

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I didn't even notice, to be honest.

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I don't spend my life on

socials, but a lot of people do.

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And actually, going back 20 years ago,

you know, when I'm 43 next month, like

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20 years ago, they weren't really around.

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No, they weren't.

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They weren't.

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Like, were they even around then?

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I didn't even know.

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But they weren't around.

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So, I think you're right there.

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The pressure now.

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That we, and this is the thing, right,

we bring this pressure into our world.

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We're on social media.

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We're guilty of it, aren't we?

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I'm guilty of it.

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We allow it.

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Yeah.

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We allow it.

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Um, but yeah.

233

So it's so interesting.

234

So I want to just, I want

to go back a bit again.

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So when you were going on these

daily walks, I mean, love the

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fact you said on your own, like

on your own, your time for Gemma.

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Tell me about that moment when

you just went, do you know

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what, I'm going to do this.

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So it was a series of things.

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Um, so I started listening.

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I discovered Dr.

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Chatterjee, who I love.

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I love Dr.

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Chatterjee.

245

He's amazing.

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Yeah.

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He's changed my life.

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Honest now, my, my mindset, and you

know, people say you can change.

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I am a different person to what I was

three years ago from, Just being open

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and listen to other people's opinions.

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There's a wealth of knowledge

out there on podcasts.

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Yeah.

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Like yours.

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And, um, I discovered on his podcast

then someone called Peter Crone.

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Okay.

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He's known as the mind architect

and there were loads of things

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that he said, but one of my biggest

discoveries, and this kind of links

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back to that society norm was judgment.

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I was so judgmental of others.

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And even more so judgmental of myself.

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That was a huge thing.

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Massive.

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And that Peter Crone, listen to his

podcast really made me get out of

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that and realize, do you know what?

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And one thing he says is that if you,

so I was quite judgmental of, people

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quite close to me and um, he said if

you were to live their life exactly the

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way they had, so gone through all their

experiences from birth, through childhood,

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through adulthood, you would respond

and react exactly the same as them.

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So if you've got anyone in your life where

they just, You know, they get to you.

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If you just listen to this on audio,

Gemma's like, like gritting her teeth

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and like, uh, clenching her fists there.

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Get it?

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Yeah.

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I've got a not very pleasant

neighbor at the moment, so I'm

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trying to remind myself this.

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So if you were to live their

life exactly as they had, you

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would respond the same as them.

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So they're responding due to their, uh,

Personal experiences and their backgrounds

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and, and it's not necessarily their

fault for the way they're behaving.

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So it's that understanding and then

going towards it with some love and

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compassion and empathy to their situation

and realizing it's not a reflection

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on you, it's a reflection on them.

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And then that has helped me being,

stop being judgmental of others

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and also then to not be so harsh

on myself with all society norms.

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Yeah, do you know what, that's so

relevant and it's one of the things

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that as a coach as well, I work with

a lot of my clients on because We, we

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can't control other people's thoughts.

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We absolutely can't.

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And whatever society, their

values, their beliefs, normally

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the things that we think and we

believe in have come from childhood.

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We've got no control over that

and it's none of my business

292

really what other people think.

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That's something that I

massively relate to that.

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It's still hard though, isn't it?

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Oh, it's bloody hard.

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I love people and I find it

hard when they don't like me.

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I find it really hard, but

that's something I'm working on.

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Who doesn't love you, Jen?

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Who doesn't love you?

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This is the thing though, right?

301

We can't, and this is

like old saying, isn't it?

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You can't, no, not everyone

can love you or like you.

303

Yeah.

304

You know, that's up to them.

305

Not everyone's cup of tea at you.

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Yeah, that one, yeah.

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That's it.

308

That's it.

309

Um, where am I going with that?

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Yeah, so self judgment is huge, and

the one thing I would say on that as

311

well is I've massively learned, and

I, like you said, I still do it now,

312

we're not bloody perfect, are we?

313

But, um, it's been so hard

on ourselves all the time.

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Yeah, it's huge.

315

It's so, so big, and how much energy

are we wasting by thinking of this,

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like, you know, Do they like me?

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Do I like them?

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No.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

321

It doesn't.

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So talk me through then.

323

So when you, when you listen to

that episode and you thought,

324

right, okay, yeah, this, this is

where I want to see things go in.

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What made you take that?

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Yeah.

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Yeah, I think that started planting

the seeds, just listening to these

328

different things and then, uh, I

think being outdoors, so I, I've never

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avoided being outdoors, but I realized

I didn't really embrace the outdoors.

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And just so I think March we

went into lockdown, didn't we?

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And I live near, you might be

familiar with it, Helen, a beautiful

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gardens called Klein Gardens.

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Gorgeous.

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And I would walk through there

and then around May time, so

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during lockdown still now.

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Just, it started to bloom and the

bluebells were the first thing that

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struck me and I was like, oh my word,

how have I never ever noticed this?

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Been living here for a few years.

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Have you not?

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How have I never noticed this?

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Gemma!

342

I know.

343

What?

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And I think if you're a teacher, coming

from a teacher, May is the most stressful

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time because the exams are about to start.

346

start, you're trying to finish

courses, marking coursework.

347

So I never used to step

foot out of the house.

348

So I think that connection

with nature was massive.

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Uh, and wanting them to be outdoors.

350

These little seeds have been planted.

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I then read a book caught by Vex

King, um, called Good Life, Good

352

Vibes or Good Vibes, Good Life.

353

Um, the first.

354

Three quarters was all right, but the

last quarter was all about going for it.

355

And the realization came,

okay, what is your passion?

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I just love exercise.

357

I've in the past tried to delve into

it thinking I'm going to do my level

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two, but never got around to it.

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So during lockdown, then when we went

back to school, that just the summertime

360

and it was hell on earth, we had

five pupils in a classroom with me.

361

And then I had cameras on me with

other classrooms watching me with

362

teachers in those classrooms and

all these cameras, it was awful.

363

Yeah.

364

So during that time I was like,

right, I'm going to do it.

365

I'm going to do my level two.

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Um, so started doing that.

367

Then I had loads of friends who wanted to

be guinea pigs to do personal training.

368

We kind of came out with that lockdown.

369

So I was doing personal

training with them.

370

Then we hit that Christmas lockdown.

371

Oh God.

372

I don't know if you remember.

373

Oh, I do.

374

I do.

375

Yeah.

376

I know.

377

It's funny you remember, isn't it?

378

I remember crying a lot.

379

Yeah.

380

I bet.

381

You just see your freedom.

382

Mum friends.

383

And then Christmas with family.

384

Oh God.

385

So that, one of my PT clients said,

Gemma, why don't you go online?

386

And I'm like, I'm not going to go online.

387

There's so much out there online already.

388

What is this online?

389

Yeah.

390

Um, anyway, I did.

391

And within the first week, I had 30

women signed up to do my classes.

392

I was doing three classes a week.

393

So.

394

Faisley Fitts, the name didn't exist then.

395

It was like, oh, okay, I've got these

women who want to train with me.

396

No, it was just an idea that

let's get some fitness going.

397

Um, and then I think the Vex King

thing was in my head when he was

398

just, you know, go for it, manifest

it, believe it, believe in yourself.

399

and go for it.

400

I've got a very supportive husband

who, despite his job not being secure,

401

like a teaching job, um, he said he

would support me, whatever my decision.

402

And things just kept growing.

403

So we did come up with a brand

name there and Feasley Fit started.

404

But the vision was that I drop a day every

day in Uh, every year in work, I'd drop

405

a day and try and build physically fit.

406

Yeah, I know.

407

And then, so that vision

was in March, uh, February.

408

Yeah.

409

Then by March, we were still

in lockdown at this point.

410

Um, I had 90 women signed up.

411

Online timing though as well.

412

So yeah, fitness industry,

Christmas, brilliant.

413

Yeah.

414

So I had 90 women signed up by March.

415

Things were going brilliant.

416

I was head of science in school.

417

And I thought I can't do both.

418

It's not fair on the school.

419

It's not fair on these women.

420

Yeah.

421

Um, so I'm not fair on you either.

422

I'm not fair on me.

423

Yeah.

424

Yeah.

425

You've got the most important person.

426

Yeah.

427

I'm not fair on you.

428

So I went to my head and asked, can I

drop a day and keep head of science?

429

So he agreed.

430

And then two weeks went by and I

was like, I still can't do this.

431

I think it was over East Holdings

then I was having time to reflect.

432

And I, um, um, so no, just before East

Holdings, I went in and I said, can I

433

drop a day and drop head of science?

434

So he's like, yeah.

435

He agreed.

436

Then he used to hold it,

and I was like, this is it.

437

Yeah.

438

Yeah.

439

I read the book again.

440

I read the book for a second time,

The Vex King, and Rich agreed with me.

441

So I went in, knocked on my head's

door, and happened to be my deputy.

442

My head was sat there,

and they were like, oh no.

443

No, I didn't know what

you were going to say.

444

And I was like, yeah.

445

Um, and that's it.

446

Do you know what though, to fair play

to have as well, you know, fortunate

447

to have a supportive, um, School that

allowed you to, to drop those days

448

and obviously, you know, support you

in, in your outside of work goal.

449

And I, you know, I did, and I do,

I'm still in contact with them.

450

I have a, I had a lush,

um, supportive group.

451

Yeah.

452

And there's not many physics, well,

speaking physicists out there.

453

So I think they didn't want to

lose me because of that as well.

454

Oh my God.

455

I can imagine.

456

Like, I don't know if I've mentioned this

to you before, but like when I was in

457

school, It was just double science, and it

wasn't the separation in my school anyway.

458

We, that's what we did, double science.

459

Yeah, double science, but it

wasn't even like, you know,

460

what is it, biology, chemistry?

461

Oh, they taught them all together.

462

Yeah, it was just one.

463

I know I, I really didn't like science.

464

Sorry, Jen, but I think it comes down

to the teacher and my, my teachers.

465

Well, anyway, I'm talking, I'm going

to where my teacher's in high school.

466

I'm going to be there all day.

467

Um, right, so you decided.

468

That's it.

469

I'm done.

470

I'm done with the teaching.

471

Okay.

472

That's a huge change, right?

473

Going from having the stable

income, the security, you know.

474

A manager.

475

Telling me what to do.

476

Telling you what to do.

477

Your routine, just gone.

478

Just gone.

479

And it's a choice that you

made, which is obviously turns

480

out to be very unsuccessful.

481

Yeah.

482

What are, in that transition

period, is there anything you think?

483

Oh my god, what would I

have done differently?

484

I'm not someone to dwell on the past,

you know, I think everything worked.

485

The way it did.

486

And I am so thankful for all that just

timing and you know, the women around

487

me, the support, my husband, family.

488

Um, I don't think I do anything different.

489

I did struggles the first, when I,

that first week, when the kids went

490

back to school and the first time

ever, I didn't go back to school.

491

And I sat in this room in silence.

492

Now, considering I've been a

teacher all my life where you

493

never get silence in the school.

494

I was like, What have I done?

495

What do I do?

496

That must have been

such a strange feeling.

497

Really, really strange.

498

What did you do?

499

Uh, I did cry a bit . I was like,

oh my word, what have I done?

500

Wonderful.

501

But I'm quite, um, I am an open book,

so I reached out to some friends.

502

I'm like, I need a chat, please.

503

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

504

So they would reassure me and,

um, yeah, yeah, I soon built up my

505

calendar and yeah, things were busy.

506

Yeah, I don't get that.

507

I'd love that time Now, say in silence.

508

Hang on a minute.

509

We'll come onto that in a bit,

but yeah, that, just, that

510

realization of, of just having.

511

What you've actually, what, you know,

the reason you've left to have, to

512

have that option of being able to sit

in silence must have been massive,

513

actually, and I think we often take

things like that for kind of, you know,

514

Not for granted, but when you, when

you actually get what you've set out to

515

achieve, it can be a bit overwhelming.

516

Yeah.

517

Because you're like, oh shit,

right, I've actually got this now.

518

What am I going to do with it?

519

And have I made the right decision?

520

Yeah.

521

You know, was there ever a

point where you thought, Oh, I'm

522

gonna, no, I need to go back.

523

I need to go back.

524

No, even though I was like,

oh my word, what have I done?

525

I never thought I want to go back.

526

That sounds awful.

527

I love teaching.

528

I love teaching, but all teachers,

I'm sure when I say this will relate.

529

Yeah.

530

It's so tough.

531

And it's so stressful.

532

But again, I know I put that stress

on reflecting out the stress on

533

myself and that was good for me.

534

And I felt like I had to stay in work

late every night and and there's probably

535

things I do different now in hindsight.

536

However, it is a very

demanding and stressful job.

537

And if teachers didn't have

those long holidays, there would

538

be no teachers in the world

because they need those holidays.

539

Yeah.

540

Just in the defense.

541

Oh, no, I've got a lot of respect.

542

I've got a lot of, I've still got

a lot of teacher friends, but I've

543

interviewed a few teachers that have,

that have actually left careers and gone

544

on to do other things, um, coaching,

stationery, and just gone to know what

545

I've had, I've had enough of being that

person that is non stop all the time.

546

So, right.

547

So now you've created This fantastic

brand, business, and I am a member and the

548

reason I wanted to get Gemma on is, um,

which I know I've said this to you Gemma,

549

but I'll say it to the audience as well.

550

So, recently moved from Cardiff

to Swansea, which is not that

551

far, it's like an hour, and I

know Swansea like, fairly well.

552

I've got, we've moved here to be with

close to James's family and a support, but

553

I felt completely lost when I got here.

554

Um, situation, I was living with James's

now, and we've only just moved into

555

our new house, and, All of this stuff.

556

And I, I could not find a

gym that was really easily

557

accessible to me that I liked.

558

And I was like, right, there's

got to be something more.

559

There's got to be something more.

560

And I attended one of your classes,

and I was just like, oh my god.

561

I feel, and I still feel this

now, even though I haven't

562

been this week, but hang on.

563

I can honestly say this hands on

heart that What you have created,

564

um, for somebody that's not from the

area, doesn't know you from Adam, as

565

it happens, uh, husbands like know

each other when they're like 16 or

566

something, but actually you have

created a community that is welcoming.

567

It's It feels easy, it feels easy

for me to go and do exercise,

568

sometimes in the bloody rain,

you know, I love it, I love it.

569

I've been, I'm the opposite to you,

I've always been outdoors, I've always

570

loved going outdoors, walking, not

running, but being out with the dog.

571

Um, you know, lived, loved

being outdoors and spent.

572

Like a lot of time outdoors and for those

who haven't mentioned this now, but you

573

know, most of your classes are outdoors.

574

Outdoors, yeah.

575

Why, let's talk about that a minute.

576

So why are they mostly outdoors?

577

Yeah.

578

Um, so that going back to that initial

first lockdown and that time I spent, um,

579

on my morning walks really opened my eyes

to the benefits of being with nature.

580

Yeah.

581

Um, and like you said, it's not about

running in nature, just being in nature,

582

just go and sit in a park, just be around.

583

Trees, plants, maybe even hug a tree.

584

I have done that once.

585

I've got a friend who

does it all the time.

586

It's really, really good for you.

587

So my coach always says,

I'm just out in nature.

588

I was like, right, Ann, don't

start licking those trees now.

589

Only, only give them a bit of a hug.

590

But it is really good.

591

And just seeing and feeling the changes

of seasons, all these things I experienced

592

in lockdown, that made me think, do

you know what, because my husband spoke

593

to me, Oh, maybe you should go inside.

594

The numbers are going

down when this rain ended.

595

And I was like, no, because I feel

so strong that even being out in

596

the rain, and I've got to say.

597

When we do a class, the class

is where it's hammering it down.

598

Those are the classes where the

women give the biggest cheers because

599

they feel like they've achieved so

much that they have worked so hard

600

against all whatever nature's throwing

at them and they push through.

601

The forces.

602

Yeah.

603

It's just such an invigorating feeling.

604

I had a few women who were like, Oh,

I can, but I won't come in the rain.

605

And then when they've attended that

first one, they're like, and they

606

realize what they've been missing out on.

607

And it is, it's, um,

it's something special.

608

And, you know, like this week now we've

been blessed with some lovely sunshine.

609

And then that contrast from the rain

and that feel of, I achieved it.

610

So just being out and feeling that sun

on your face and just moving the body.

611

And it's just such a lush experience.

612

Um, so we have spoken,

I say, we, me and Rich.

613

Rich is like, he's really good

at just giving ideas and stuff.

614

But I'm like, no, I, I

refuse to go indoors.

615

It's what makes us different.

616

Like we have the most beautiful.

617

Beautiful gym.

618

Yeah.

619

Nature outside.

620

It's just so lovely.

621

And you know, where we, where I live is

we've got so down a black pill and then

622

we've got Klein Gardens where we go in the

summer and it's, you know, it's gorgeous.

623

It is.

624

And just, um, for those that don't

live where we are right now, so.

625

Black Pearl is an area of

Swansea that overlooks the

626

beach, like it's just fantastic.

627

It's a lovely space and Cline Gardens

is a beautiful, um, yeah, full of

628

green, full of green trees and grass.

629

And there's so much science on,

um, being with nature and the

630

benefits of being out in nature.

631

So much.

632

Yeah.

633

So much more than we realize actually.

634

And if I'm like negotiables is I

go out for a walk, Like every day,

635

obviously I go out with a dog, but

if I can as well, I'll go on my own.

636

Um, yeah, I'm saying I'm, that's

like, set in stone, but pretty much.

637

When you can, yeah.

638

Yeah, yeah.

639

I'd say 75 percent of my

week is, is doing that.

640

And the other one is, you know.

641

I think that's a very good non negotiable.

642

Having kids and stuff as well.

643

Um, and also from a business

point of view, right, saving.

644

Yeah.

645

You're not paying.

646

Well, I am.

647

I pay for the, for the land.

648

I do pay the council for doing it, but

it wouldn't be as much as owning a space.

649

Do you pay for growing gardens?

650

Mm.

651

What?

652

I know, which is ridiculous.

653

I know.

654

I'm picking, well, I won't go into

what I'm picking up before class, but.

655

Okay.

656

All right.

657

Yeah.

658

That's another story.

659

That's something I didn't know.

660

That's interesting.

661

Isn't it interesting the council can

get away with that when it's Yeah.

662

You can just go and sit

there and sit down for free.

663

Hmm.

664

Okay.

665

But ultimately, though, you're

still saving money on On gas,

666

electricity, yeah, everything.

667

Absolutely.

668

Rent, yeah.

669

Yeah, you don't have those operations

outgoing, which is fantastic.

670

Okay, so you've created

this fantastic community.

671

Um, And tell us about something else

that you've just had into your bow that

672

now, you know, you've got this time and

it's like, oh, let's just add more stuff.

673

Typical, typical entrepreneur.

674

Yeah.

675

So I think what's been, um, maybe

not shocked me about Feasley

676

Fit, but what has, um, probably

overtaken the fitness side of things.

677

I think people come to Feasley Fit for the

fitness, but they stay for the community.

678

And the community has

just been a huge thing.

679

And I'm so grateful for

members like yourself, Helen.

680

I've got such a, an amazing, diverse,

um, highly skilled group of women who

681

like me, when I was teaching, Um, a lot

of working flat out and the only time

682

they get themselves is coming to class.

683

And I know they all have hidden passions,

which they haven't been able to explore.

684

So I thought, so how can we help this

current community more to find those

685

passions and then use those passions?

686

Because that's what, um, is really

going to feed that soul, isn't it?

687

Yeah, so come up with Feastly Fit Kick, or

it's called the Communed Feastly Fit Kick.

688

Now a KICK is a community

interest company.

689

Yeah.

690

So it's a not-for-profit,

um, uh, business.

691

Mm-Hmm, . So we essentially apply for

grants and then those grants fund certain

692

events, courses, and the aim is to use

our current community fiercely fit.

693

Um, and their skills and passions to

then help the wider, um, area to help

694

improve the well being of people.

695

wider Swansea, Neath Port

Talbot and maybe beyond.

696

Yeah, absolutely.

697

I, when you said about doing this, all

right, I'm just adding more things, but

698

actually for the benefits that, um, a

kick or community interest, um, can bring,

699

it's just fast and, you know, for having

somebody like you that's so caring of.

700

other people and thinking what else

can I do for them that's actually going

701

to be a not for profit is incredible.

702

So, well done.

703

It's one of the things.

704

Um, so with, with Fiercely Fit then in the

fitness community, we've talked a little

705

bit about, you know, the transition,

um, the benefits of just being outdoors

706

and, you know, as a, not even just as

a parent, just as a person, you know.

707

If you're feeling that these four walls

are getting to you, one of my top tips,

708

as I've said, have a non negotiable

right and bloody get outdoors, change

709

your environment, that I'm sure,

and if there's not something like

710

Fiercely Fit in your, in your area,

then maybe message Gemma and we can,

711

uh, we can set up a little, uh, Yeah.

712

A little franchise, maybe.

713

We'll set something up in there.

714

That's my dog.

715

That's your dog.

716

Oh, well, shall I let her out?

717

Yeah.

718

Yeah.

719

Go for it.

720

This is, uh, this is human.

721

This is why I love these, uh,

podcasts because when the dog needs

722

to go out, he needs to go out.

723

Okay.

724

I was tactically holding the camera then,

so you couldn't see the mess behind me.

725

Yeah.

726

Like I showed you mine off

camera, I won't do that.

727

So right, what's your top tips for

anyone that's thinking of starting

728

out in Um, so it has to be something

that you're passionate about, that

729

you love, but that's, I think goes

without saying, if you're not really

730

interested in it, don't start it.

731

Yeah.

732

Um, it has to provide a service

or support or something that

733

people are willing to pay for.

734

Um, so it's gotta be a need out

there, like a need from the customer.

735

Yeah.

736

Um, so I think that's really

important and probably something

737

I haven't highlighted here.

738

So it's like, we've spoken

about me building Feasley Fit.

739

I have been super lucky that I've

got an amazing team behind me.

740

And when I say team within Feasley

Fit themselves, itself, I've got,

741

um, members who are running choir

for me, book club, netball, and

742

all of this is done voluntary.

743

I'm not paying them.

744

So I've been super lucky, like the kick.

745

Now I've got, uh, one of my members,

Emily, who is leading the kick and doing

746

all the behind the scenes work, the

majority of it, so I'm super grateful for.

747

Um, so you can't do it alone, even

though this is Feastly Event with

748

Gemma Pew, it's not, it's, it's much

more than that and, um, Yeah, it's

749

realizing that you can't do it alone.

750

So you do need that support.

751

Yeah, it's, you know what?

752

It's a massive thing there.

753

And funny enough, just before we came on

to record this, I was doing a coaching

754

call and we were chatting in there about,

it's like, you can't do it on your own.

755

If it's not your zone of genius

as well, delegate it out.

756

Don't spend your energy wasting your

own time and energy, which giving it

757

to somebody else that loves doing that

or is really good at doing something.

758

And it's about finding that.

759

That network, isn't it?

760

I don't know if I'm asking you about

finding your tribe, but it's like

761

finding that network of people that

will not only support you, but will

762

be able to grow themselves as well

and taking those opportunities on.

763

Um, so yeah, I love that

because you're right, you know.

764

If you do it all, you'll end

up burning out because you

765

cannot do everything yourself.

766

Um, and I guess from, you know, we,

you've said there about you've had, you've

767

also got a supportive family, you know,

very, very lucky to be in that position.

768

Um, even if you don't have that supportive

family behind you and you're really

769

still passionate and you really want

to do something, then still do it.

770

Yeah.

771

Because whatever you, whatever you do.

772

You've, you've taken that step to do

it and you can always bloody go back.

773

You can always go back.

774

Right.

775

You're not going to go forward.

776

You're always going to go forward.

777

But you can.

778

And I get, I think that's always been in

the back of my mind that if it doesn't,

779

what happens if it doesn't work out?

780

I've had that question of lots of people.

781

I go back to teaching.

782

You know, I, I'm an, and I am a

lucky situation there because I'm

783

a Welsh speaking physicist and

there's not many of them around.

784

So I know.

785

Without sounding, you know,

that I, I would get a job,

786

but, um, yeah, you can go back.

787

And I think the fear is one of

the biggest things, isn't it?

788

The stocks people, you know,

I've had the loads of questions.

789

What about the, what about your pension?

790

That's another one.

791

Oh God.

792

It's like, I, I think during

the lockdown time as well, I

793

thought I could die tomorrow.

794

So, you know, come on,

let's do this now or never.

795

Um, and a lot of people

don't have pensions.

796

Lots of people are not in a position where

they've been and has a corporate pension.

797

Um, my, my husband's left, uh,

police after 17 years, you know,

798

and I was like, you know, I could

support you whenever you want to do.

799

And so many people said to

him, what about the pension?

800

Give a shit, right?

801

You're, you're right there.

802

Okay.

803

Life is too short.

804

We'll find other ways.

805

We'll find other ways.

806

Yeah.

807

And let's just quickly

touch on that, that fear.

808

Yeah.

809

Um, because it does come up for a lot of

people and not just when you're starting

810

a business, but when you're, you're

growing and when you're going, you know,

811

thinking of maybe pivoting the business

or change it or add in or, you know,

812

taking something away, that fear kicks in.

813

Have you had that?

814

Yeah.

815

Yeah.

816

You know, fear is there

to protect us, isn't it?

817

Mm-Hmm.

818

It is.

819

Back in the olden days when

we, I dunno, there was a, a

820

yp with tiger hanging around.

821

Ah, . The fear's good, right?

822

Yeah.

823

Because you run, keeps you safe.

824

Yeah.

825

So your mind's always looking for

worst case scenario to protect you.

826

Mm-Hmm.

827

. And maybe being aware of that to

start with helps is the first thing.

828

Yeah.

829

Um, I think it's just

growing some balls sometimes.

830

Isn't it being like,

do you know what, what?

831

Ask yourself what's the

worst that can happen?

832

So if I'm gonna do this now Yeah.

833

Like, what is the worst that can happen?

834

If I start feas Fit, I try it,

it fails, I go back to teaching.

835

Yeah, absolutely.

836

And also something to, to, uh,

sort of reframe that as well is

837

what can I gain from doing this?

838

Mm-Hmm.

839

What can I gain rather than maybe

what's, you know, that's good.

840

What I'm not.

841

Yeah.

842

What can I.

843

What can I gain?

844

What can you gain from doing something?

845

And did you know you were

only born with two fears?

846

Oh, I did know this because I'm

sure I've heard this in a quiz.

847

Right, so there's the fear of falling.

848

Yes.

849

Yeah, I've heard this somewhere.

850

And the fear of starvation.

851

No, no.

852

So yeah, definitely.

853

We're only born with two fears.

854

One is fear of falling and

the other is loud noises.

855

Everything else is learned behavior.

856

So when you're thinking about

that fear kicking in, just remind,

857

remind yourself of those two things.

858

And we've learned everything

else, so we can unlearn it.

859

We can not, we can

choose not to be fearful.

860

But as you said, fear does keep us safe.

861

And I always say, just embrace

it, um, embrace it and think

862

about what you can gain.

863

I'm really conscious of the time,

um, cause I knew I could just,

864

I talked to you for forever.

865

Um, okay.

866

Ah, I was enjoying that.

867

I'm not going to stop.

868

I'm not going to stop.

869

So, we've done a bit of a top

tip there, just go for it anyway.

870

Um, I want to ask you though, Jan, now,

because you look after everyone else.

871

How do you, how do you

really look after you?

872

When was the last time

you did something for you?

873

Well, I've actually, a friend

of mine bought me this, um,

874

washer, I think, a face thing.

875

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

876

So I booked in, I booked in for next week.

877

I had, she's given it to

me about two months ago.

878

I booked in.

879

Amazing.

880

Okay.

881

I do now.

882

So one thing I couldn't do when

I was teaching was go for brunch.

883

Oh, I love brunch.

884

I love going for brunch now.

885

So once a week I make sure I go

for brunch with someone, whether

886

it's my husband or a friend.

887

Friend.

888

Love that.

889

I do do that.

890

Okay.

891

Um, and.

892

When I was teaching, I don't know.

893

I dunno why, but I, I, I was

never into traveling ever.

894

And I think 'cause in school

time you can't obviously Yeah.

895

You can't go.

896

And then it's so expensive in school

holidays, maybe that's why, I dunno,

897

. But now I wanna travel all the time.

898

amazing.

899

Rich just told me stop.

900

'cause I said last night, oh

well I wanna book somewhere.

901

We've got some things lined up.

902

Do it.

903

Do it.

904

Yeah.

905

Well, and this is the reason, right?

906

You've started your own business

to, to enjoy the adventures

907

that you wanna take on.

908

Do you know what?

909

If you wanna look after yourself

a bit more, book something for

910

you, go on your own somewhere.

911

Yeah.

912

Yeah.

913

I'd love it.

914

I would love to do it.

915

It's my, it's my 40th year this year.

916

Oh, so I need to do something.

917

Yeah.

918

Something crazy.

919

Maybe I'll do that.

920

I go on holiday, do that.

921

Yeah.

922

Ab bloody, absolutely.

923

I God, yeah.

924

Do it.

925

Do something for you every single day.

926

Even if it's something really

small, like five, 10 minutes, just.

927

Sitting down, reading a book,

whatever that looks like.

928

Interestingly, right, so when

you're in lockdown, you took

929

time for yourself every day.

930

Every day after I walk.

931

We don't do it.

932

We don't do it because we

fill it with other things.

933

Yeah.

934

And how did you feel when

you were taking those walks?

935

Yeah, I know.

936

Yeah.

937

Life changing.

938

Life change.

939

Okay.

940

Right.

941

I'm going to do some quick fire,

quick fire questions at you.

942

So.

943

Just as I like to do this.

944

Coffee or tea?

945

Tea.

946

100%.

947

Don't like coffee.

948

I drink too much tea.

949

I drink about 20 cups a day.

950

Oh my god.

951

Funny, I haven't drank tea for ages.

952

Right.

953

Okay.

954

Um, Beach or snow?

955

Beach.

956

Salt and vinegar or cheese and onion?

957

Cheese and onion.

958

My kids hate it but I

actually am cheese and onion.

959

I hate salt and vinegar.

960

Oh my god, sorry.

961

Okay, sweets or chocolate?

962

What's that?

963

Sweets or chocolate?

964

Yeah.

965

Chocolate.

966

Chocolate.

967

And I know obviously we, actually we

haven't touched on the sugar thing.

968

So just very quickly before I, before

I sign us off, um, there's this app

969

which both of us use called Yuka.

970

Y U K A.

971

It's incredible for, so both Gemma and

I have, So I'm like, well, ham, right?

972

Ham is one of these things.

973

It's so convenient.

974

Like my girls love, like, it's

just Ham and anything, yeah.

975

Oh, God.

976

And I give it to them.

977

But this Yucca app, it's brilliant.

978

You basically can scan any barcode

and it'll tell you if they've got,

979

um, added salt, if it's good, if

it's poor, um, loads of Additives.

980

So they're emulsifiers.

981

Yeah, all of the, all of the

crap that comes in stuff.

982

So if you don't think anything

else away from this podcast,

983

the Yucca app, it's really good.

984

Um, okay.

985

So question I always ask all of my

guests, because food is life for me.

986

I love food.

987

What's your favorite cake, Jan?

988

For a cake.

989

Mmm.

990

Um, I'd say carrot cake.

991

Carrot cake.

992

I do like a carrot cake.

993

Nice.

994

And moist.

995

It's got to be moist.

996

Oh, it's definitely got to be moist.

997

Yeah, and it's got to have

that nice icing on top.

998

Oh, the icing on the top is

the most important thing.

999

Yeah.

00:42:56,270 --> 00:42:57,259

It really is.

00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,430

Carrot cake with moist and good ice cream.

00:42:59,590 --> 00:43:01,030

Okay, amazing.

00:43:01,030 --> 00:43:05,040

It's been wonderful to talk to

you and if people are interested

00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:09,190

in learning more about Jambapoo,

Fiercely Fit, anything about the

00:43:09,190 --> 00:43:12,030

kick, how and where can we find you?

00:43:12,605 --> 00:43:12,775

Yeah.

00:43:12,775 --> 00:43:16,685

So I have an Instagram page called

Freezly Fit with Gemma Pugh.

00:43:17,045 --> 00:43:23,065

I also offer Helen for your listeners

who live away, uh, virtual programs.

00:43:23,105 --> 00:43:27,115

We do four workouts a week online,

live, or this then on demand.

00:43:27,125 --> 00:43:30,065

So if they want to check that out,

they can see that on my Instagram page.

00:43:30,595 --> 00:43:33,235

Uh, the website is www.

00:43:33,585 --> 00:43:33,735

freezlyfit.

00:43:33,775 --> 00:43:33,935

co.

00:43:33,955 --> 00:43:34,735

uk.

00:43:35,220 --> 00:43:39,740

And we have a Facebook, a Facebook,

a Facebook group called Gemma Pugh,

00:43:39,740 --> 00:43:44,649

Feasily Fit or Feasily Fit with Gemma

Pugh, one, one way round to the other.

00:43:44,650 --> 00:43:45,260

Amazing.

00:43:45,290 --> 00:43:45,580

Amazing.

00:43:45,670 --> 00:43:51,120

And actually just on that, um,

the online stuff, I know, cause

00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:54,230

we talk about being outdoors, but

obviously not everyone can join.

00:43:54,230 --> 00:43:55,435

Yeah.

00:43:55,435 --> 00:43:58,790

And not just a moment, if

you've got this stuff going on.

00:43:59,070 --> 00:44:03,860

Um, but actually the other night it was

like 10 to six and I've got, James was

00:44:03,860 --> 00:44:07,665

away working The twins were in, it was

just the three of us, and I was like,

00:44:07,705 --> 00:44:09,655

I'm desperate, I need to do something.

00:44:09,655 --> 00:44:12,985

And I'm very much, I don't like

doing things on my own, I like

00:44:12,985 --> 00:44:15,095

somebody to kind of guide me.

00:44:15,485 --> 00:44:19,465

Um, and Gemma sent this message

on the group saying I'm started

00:44:19,465 --> 00:44:21,705

in 10 minutes, lower, lower body.

00:44:21,725 --> 00:44:25,153

And I was like, yes, I literally,

I literally was brilliant,

00:44:25,153 --> 00:44:26,619

I was absolutely shattered.

00:44:26,619 --> 00:44:32,090

So there's that opportunity if you're

just sat down, you know, Having that,

00:44:32,420 --> 00:44:33,600

shall I do something, shall I not?

00:44:33,630 --> 00:44:34,240

There's the opportunity.

00:44:34,340 --> 00:44:35,160

Half an hour.

00:44:35,240 --> 00:44:35,760

Felt amazing.

00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:36,660

Yeah, that was it.

00:44:36,660 --> 00:44:37,290

Felt amazing.

00:44:37,310 --> 00:44:38,040

Yes, fab.

00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:39,160

Fantastic.

00:44:39,170 --> 00:44:41,790

Well, thank you so much,

Joan, for being a guest today.

00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:44,080

Um, yeah, it's been

wonderful to talk to you.

00:44:44,170 --> 00:44:44,570

Thank you.

00:44:44,590 --> 00:44:45,560

Thank you for having me.