Mum! Dad’s Got Another Tattoo

In this episode, health and lifestyle coach Brian Parana discusses the transformative power of health coaching for high-performing professionals. He emphasizes the importance of leaving clients in a better situation, addressing common challenges in health and lifestyle, and the societal pressures that contribute to overwhelm. The conversation explores strategies for work-life balance, time management, identity shifts, and nutrition for busy individuals. Brian shares insights from his experiences and offers practical advice for creating lasting change in health and lifestyle.Check out Brian's socials here:InstagramYoutubewww.thecalltorise.comThe overarching philosophy of health coaching is to leave clients in a better situation.Life experiences are unique to each individual, but common challenges exist.Many people feel overwhelmed and overburdened by societal pressures.Work-life balance is often misunderstood and requires active management.Time management strategies can help prioritize health and wellness.Identity and self-talk play crucial roles in health transformation.Overcoming barriers to change involves understanding personal motivations.Nutrition strategies should be simple and manageable for busy professionals.Traveling with family creates lasting memories and strengthens bonds.Humans desire to live happy, joy-filled lives, free from excessive burdens.TitlesTransformative Health Coaching for ProfessionalsOvercoming Life's Challenges with Health Coaching sound bites"It's not a good trade off.""Plan, prepare, act.""I eat what I pack."

In this episode, Marc interviews Belinda Coker, an Australian hiker, writer, and educator, who shares her journey of reclaiming confidence and freedom through hiking. Belinda discusses her experiences with multi-day hikes, the impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle choices, and the importance of community and connection in the hiking world. She emphasizes the psychological and physical benefits of hiking, the significance of new experiences, and how nature can enhance mental health. Additionally, Belinda talks about her initiatives to support women in midlife and her insights on house sitting as a unique travel option.You can reach Belinda here https://soultreader.com/Or you can download Belinda's book, Hike it RightHiking can help reclaim confidence and freedom.COVID-19 prompted many to reassess their lifestyles.Age should not deter anyone from hiking.Multi-day hikes are gaining popularity as travel options.Hiking offers both physical and psychological benefits.Experiencing new things can enhance life satisfaction.The hiking community is welcoming and supportive.Nature provides a unique perspective on life's challenges.House sitting allows for immersive travel experiences.Understanding health issues like lipedema is crucial for women's health.TitlesReclaiming Confidence Through HikingThe Journey of a Midlife Hiker sound bites"Hiking is an endurance sport.""It's a journey of firsts.""Nature gives us perspective."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Hiking and Midlife Adventures02:22 The Journey of Self-Discovery through Hiking09:34 The Rise of Multi-Day Hiking Holidays11:37 The Psychological and Physical Benefits of Hiking17:38 Creating a Community for Women in Hiking23:21 The Creative Connection between Nature and Writing25:06 The Benefits of Disconnecting in Nature27:03 Community and Camaraderie in Hiking28:42 House Sitting: A Unique Way to Travel31:16 The Importance of Community Engagement34:04 Facing Challenges in Nature37:47 Perspective Gained from Nature43:59 Health Awareness and Personal Challenges45:38 Final Thoughts and Resources

🦋 FROM CRISIS TO CHRYSALIS: Navigating Life After Dry JanuarySpecial Guests: Steve Smith (Soberilliant) & James Lloyd (Alcohol Free Coach) Co-hosts of the Alcohol Free Revolution PodcastIt’s January 30th. Dry January is ending, and the "First of February" fever is hitting. In this episode, Marc is joined by sobriety coaches James Lloyd and Steve Smith to discuss why a 31-day "white-knuckle" break is often just the beginning, and why the real "superpower" of sobriety only starts to bloom after 90 days.📍 Connect with the Alcohol Free RevolutionSteve Smith: SoberilliantJames Lloyd: AlcoholFreeCoach.comPodcast: The Alcohol Free Revolution Podcast (Available on all major platforms)🧗 The "Second Mountain" and the Midlife ShiftThe Chrysalis Metaphor: James discusses the concept of "Middle-escence"—shifting from a midlife crisis to a "midlife chrysalis" where removing alcohol acts as the trigger for a total life transformation.Keystone Habits: Why alcohol isn't just about the drink; it’s a "keystone habit" that, when removed, regulates sleep, diet, exercise, and mental health in a compounding way.The "Grey Area" Spectrom: Moving away from the binary "alcoholic vs. normal" labels toward Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)—recognizing that many "middle-lane" drinkers are being held back from their full potential.🛡️ Challenging Limiting BeliefsThe "Saudi vs. Edinburgh" Paradox: Marc and the guests debate whether sobriety "free-rides" on the social energy of drinkers. James and Steve challenge the belief that alcohol is the sole source of "convivial" atmosphere, attributing much of it to unfamiliarity and habit.The Holiday Trade-Off: Marc shares the raw reality of his first alcohol-free Christmas—feeling the loss of "getting sozzled" on a sunbed with his wife. The coaches reframe this: Marc traded a tipsy afternoon for four hours of core memories playing in the freezing Atlantic with his daughter.Walking the Path: Steve uses the powerful analogy of stepping off a well-trodden grass path into the long grass to build a "new norm".🚀 Tips for the "Adventure" AheadData over Failure: If you had a drink during Dry January, you haven't failed. You’ve successfully completed 95% of the experiment. Use it as data to understand your triggers.Why Wait to Feel Great?: Don't wait for a gap in your social diary. There will always be a wedding, a birthday, or a rugby dinner. The best time to start is immediately.Compound Benefits: James notes that the "compounding train" of restorative sleep and mental clarity often hits a new peak around 18 months into the adventure.Follow us on Instagram: @dadsgotanothertattoo Email the show: mumdadsgotanothertattoo@gmail.comThis podcast supports the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). If you are struggling with your relationship with alcohol or your mental health, please reach out for help.Hi Peter!

In this episode of the Mum Dad's Got Another Tattoo podcast, Marc and Richard are joined by Dash Lilley, the "Chief Alchemist" and co-founder of Three Spirit. Find Three SpiritOnline: threespiritdrinks.com Retailers: Ocado, Majestic, Selfridges.The Pub: Available in many Young's pubs across the UK.Follow the journey on Instagram: @dadsgotanothertattooThey dive into the world of botanical elixirs, functional drinking, and how to find the "pleasure without the pain" in a midlife crisis.🧪 Alchemy and Adaptogens: The Science of Three SpiritGuest: Dash Lilley (Co-Founder, Three Spirit)Marc, having recently celebrated a year of sobriety, is on the hunt for a sophisticated alternative to alcohol that doesn't involve "pond water" or sugary soft drinks. Dash explains how Three Spirit uses active plant compounds and innovative extraction methods to create drinks that prioritize function and feeling over simple imitation.🚀 From Film Sets to "Plant Potions"The Accidental Entrepreneur: Dash recounts his transition from the camera department on feature films to founding a coconut water business after noticing film crews’ obsession with functional health boosts like Berocca.The "Chief Alchemist" Role: Dash embraces his title, explaining the experimental early days of "guinea-pigging" friends and family to find botanical blends that actually trigger pleasure receptors like GABA, dopamine, and serotonin.Texture Over Taste: Why Three Spirit avoids the "watery" feel of many non-alcoholic spirits, opting for "swamp juice" richness and complex, earthy profiles that overwhelm the senses.🍹 The Three Stages of the Social RitualThree Spirit is designed not to mimic gin or whiskey, but to replicate the occasions and feelings associated with drinking.Elixir Occasion Functional Highlights LivenerThe "Uplifting" StarterStimulating, vibrant, and caffeinated with green tea (L-theanine) and ginseng.Social The "Social Lubricant"Designed to be floaty and buzzy; Marc describes the flavor as earthy, complex, and un-downable. NightcapThe "Mellow" FinisherRelaxing botanicals like Valerian, Ashwagandha to aid sleep quality.🛡️ The "Zebra Striping" StrategyChoice Over Abstinence: Dash explains that most customers aren't teetotalers; they are "zebra striping"—alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to find a sustainable balance.The "Gentleman's Retreat": Richard and Marc prepare for an NFL-heavy weekend, planning to use the Livener for the 4:00 AM championship games and the Social for the day-long "rituals".Sipping vs. Consuming: Marc highlights the "MasterChef wanky" complexity of the Social elixir, noting that it provides the slow-sip ritual he missed from boozing without the "borrowed happiness" of a hangover.📍

Julian Thorne on Leaving the ForceSpecial Guest: Julian Thorne (Director of Men’s Mind Project & Founder of Tip-Top Dog Training)This week, Marc and Richard are joined by Julian Thorne, a man who spent decades on the frontline of the ambulance service and the police force before "breaking" and reinventing himself in retirement. From dealing with machete attacks in Southwark to finding his true identity through a green Mohican and dog training, Julian’s story is a profound look at what happens when the uniform finally comes off.🚨 The Frontline & The "Sheer Terror"Identity as a Copper: Julian discusses why he never wanted promotion—preferring the chaos of the streets to becoming a "number cruncher" in an office.The Canary Wharf Secondary Device: A chilling (and briefly amusing) account of the ambulance control vehicle nearly being caught in a secondary blast.The Machete & The Fox: Graphic, honest memories of Southwark's frontline, including a dissection-style machete wound and a murder victim discovered by scavenging foxes.The "Continuity Officer" Burden: Julian recounts the one job that will never leave him: identifying the body of a young boy who drowned in the Surrey Docks, and the "etched terror" on the lad's face.🧠 Breaking the Canteen CultureThe Pressure of "I’m Fine": Julian reflects on the "perfect storm" of modern policing—zero processing time between traumatic calls and a culture that incentivizes probationers to hide their struggle.Institutionalization: After 30 years of being told what to wear and where to be, Julian discusses the "weirdness" and struggle of waking up to total freedom in retirement.The Mohican Manifesto: Why retirement meant regressing to his 16-year-old punk roots—piercings, green Mohicans, and Lego trainers as a reclamation of self.🐾 Dogs & The Men’s Mind ProjectTraining People, Not Dogs: Julian discusses how a dog named Millie helped him out from under "horse rugs" during his 2010 breakdown and how he now uses that passion to help others through Tip-Top Dog Training.The Men’s Mind Project: A deep dive into the Snodland-based group Julian directs. It’s a space where men over 18 can cry, laugh, or just sit in silence without judgment.The Exhaustion of the Mask: Marc and Julian discuss the "introverted extrovert" struggle—the sheer physical exhaustion of pretending to be okay when you are suicidal.📍 Connect with Julian & Support ServicesMen’s Mind Project: Mondays at 7:00 PM, Snodland Town Hall.Dog Training: Tip-Top Dog Training.Follow us on Instagram: @dadsgotanothertattoo Email the show: mumdadsgotanothertattoo@gmail.comIf you have been affected by the themes of suicide or trauma in this episode, please reach out to CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) or Samaritans (116 123).Would you like me to draft a high-impact LinkedIn post featuring Julian’s advice on the "Voice as a Weapon" for your professional network?

Navigating Dry JanuarySpecial Guest: Hamza Najam (Founder of Breathe Sober)Welcome to the first episode of 2026. While many are attacking January with "New Year Resolution Fever," Marc sits down with sobriety coach and breathwork teacher Hamza Najam to unpack our complex, often automated relationship with alcohol.Marc reflects on his own 12 months of sobriety—the gains, the "othering" at work, and the unexpected challenges of a sunny Christmas—while Hamza explains why your struggle to stop isn't a lack of willpower, but a deeply wired nervous system.Connect with Hamza Najam:Website: breathesober.comInstagram: @hamzannajam.sobrietycoachingYouTube: Breathe Sober BreathworkFollow us on X/Insta: @DadsGotAnotherTattoo🧠 The Science of the "Old Mind"Nature vs. Nurture: Hamza breaks down his journey from a binge-drinking culture in Pakistan to the high-stakes house and techno scene in Canada. He explains why we often drink not for the taste, but to change an internal state.The Nervous System Trap: Why "willpower is like bringing a knife to a gunfight." Hamza explains how our subconscious automates drinking patterns to serve an identity we might not even like anymore.Introspection as a Tool: Moving past the "external excuses" (the friends, the parties, the stress) to realize that unhappiness is often the root cause of over-consumption.🛡️ The "Trailblazer" Tax: Social & Career PressuresThe Work Dynamic: Marc shares a raw account of how sobriety might have "hurt" his career in the short term—missing out on the 2:00 AM post-conference bar bonding and the "never trust a non-drinker" stigma.The "Mirror" Effect: Why do people ask "Why aren't you drinking?" Hamza reveals the uncomfortable truth: they aren't curious about your health; they are holding up a mirror to their own habits.Holiday Hurdles: Marc discusses the "Final Boss" of his sobriety year—spending Christmas in the sun and the nostalgia of "quietly getting sozzled" on a sunbed with his wife.🌬️ The Path Forward: Phases of RecoveryPhase 1 & 2 (Mindset & Visualization): Moving from "lacking" to "embodying" the person you want to be.Phase 3 & 4 (Rewiring & The New Mind): How breathwork allows you to bypass the ego and release years of unresolved shame to build a thriving, alcohol-free life.The 900-Patient Insight: Hamza shares the one thing he’s learned from coaching nearly a thousand people: Alcohol is never the problem; it’s a symptom of an alignment issue.

In the second half of the episode, we get into the part of Ricky’s story that most people never hear about:His move into a health-tech startup trying to use AI to support chemotherapy patients — what they got right, what they got wrong, and what the NHS could never have provided the room to experiment with.The emotional cost of working around cancer care, and why even the smartest tools struggle when real humans are involved.What founders don’t tell you about health startups: the chaos, the optimism, and the moment you realise you’re building something genuinely useful.Ricky’s own mental health journey — how he recognised he was slipping, what made him stop, and the surprisingly simple things that pulled him back.Why competence can be a trap: the danger of becoming “the person who always copes” until you suddenly can’t.A conversation about purpose, burnout, and the thin line between ambition and self-harm in high-pressure careers.

These show notes focus specifically on the boxing experience and the discussion surrounding the NHS and the medical profession, as requested.🥊 The Doctor Who Fights: White Collar Boxing & NHS BurnoutSpecial Guest: Dr. Ricky Gondhia (GP, Entrepreneur, and White Collar Boxing Champion)This week, Marc is joined by Dr. Ricky Gondhia—a successful GP, family man, and startup co-founder—who recently won his debut white collar boxing match. Ricky joins us to talk about the physical and mental release of stepping into the ring, the pressures of the NHS, and why so many doctors are feeling disillusioned.🥊 White Collar Boxing: From Couch to CanvasThe Accidental Sign-Up: Ricky reveals how a random Facebook notification led him to sign up for a 10-week white collar boxing program, and the surprising personal and logistical alignment that made it possible.More Than Just Fighting: The importance of the group dynamic—training alongside a motley crew of people (plumbers, architects, etc.) and the "shared cause" that made the experience so powerful and beneficial.The Punching Problem: Ricky discusses the psychological hurdle of being a "lover not a hater" and overcoming the natural reluctance to hit an opponent in the head, especially in the context of the sport's high respect level.Rocky Theme & Fight Night Chaos: Recounting the exhilarating day, from the Rocky theme tune entrance (and the resulting pressure to win) to the fights kicking off in the crowd.AI in the Corner: The surprising role of ChatGPT in designing a personalized training and nutrition program to prepare for the bout, highlighting the poor state of nutrition education for doctors.⚕️ NHS in Crisis: The Disillusioned DoctorThe Vocation vs. The System: Ricky discusses his deep love for the essence of being a doctor (the caring, helping aspect) but his resentment of the NHS system, which he says forces less one-to-one time and more paperwork and litigation-covering.The Remuneration Gap: Marc and Ricky discuss the financial realities, with doctors being "dicked on" regarding pensions and compensation levels that have failed to keep pace over the last 20 years, leading some doctors to use food banks.The "Say No" Dilemma: The argument that for the NHS to survive, doctors must be empowered to "say no" to non-essential or unrealistic patient demands, even if it's politically unpalatable, to protect resources for those truly in need.