Don’t come to me for advice!

We booked a holiday. Egypt. Five stars. Caves hotel. Fred and Wilma style. First proper trip as a couple in over twenty years — basically a very late honeymoon.And within about thirty seconds of booking it, my old brain did exactly what it always does. The panic, the timeline, the "I need to do something." And yes — Mounjaro crossed my mind. Of course it did. It's everywhere.But here's why it will never be my solution. Not now, not for this holiday, maybe not ever. Because I'm not overweight because I'm hungry. Hunger is genuinely the last reason I eat. And no medication fixes what's actually broken underneath.This episode is also an honest update on my streak system — including the chocolate cheesecake day that nearly went off the rails and didn't. And what I'm actually planning to do in Egypt. Spoiler: absolutely nothing differently.If you've ever felt that familiar panic the second something nice gets booked — this one's for you.I'm Petra. Don't come to me for advice.

I scratched my eye trying to put on fake eyelashes, ended up in A&E, felt sorry for myself… and turned it into a full 7-day binge spiral.You know the one.Where one thing turns into “fuck it, the whole week doesn’t count anymore”.I talk about:the streak system I’m using (very loosely… not a rule book)how quickly things can slipwhy it took me 7 days to get back on trackthe internal arguments that nearly make me quit every timeAnd I say my weight out loud. Which I really didn’t want to do.This isn’t advice.It’s just what it actually looks like while you’re in it.

This week, having a shower counted as a win.Not exactly the kind of thing you’d post as a transformation, is it?And I think that’s exactly the problem.Because I am so fed up with this constant feeling that I’m somehow not doing enough…not disciplined enough… not strong enough… not “there” yet…just because I don’t look like someone else’s highlight reel on Instagram.The truth is, I am showing up.Just not in a way that looks impressive.This week that looked like:not drinking wine when I wanted to,getting through the day without disappearing into old habits,cooking something instead of ordering rubbish,going to the gym even when I really didn’t feel like it…and yes — sometimes just having a shower.And I’m starting to realise something.These are the things that actually move me forward.Not the big, dramatic, all-or-nothing changes.Not the “this is how you completely transform your life” nonsense.Just… small decisions.Made over and over again.Especially on the days where everything feels a bit shit.In this episode, I’m talking about those little wins.Why they matter more than we think.And why constantly feeling like we’re falling shortmight be the very thing that keeps us stuck.No big lessons.No perfect plan.Just real life… and trying again anyway.

This week my brain decided I was about to lose my job.Nobody actually said that. Nobody told me I was doing a bad job. But after a colleague was fired and a rather hostile meeting about “being watched and audited,” my nervous system went straight into threat mode.5:30am wake-ups. Arguing with management in my head. Planning financial collapse before breakfast.Normally weeks like this end in alcohol, junk food and shutting down.This time something different happened.Instead of numbing out, I checked in every day, tried to stay grounded, and focused on what I could actually control.Result: I survived the week… and somehow even lost three pounds.This episode isn’t really about weight loss anymore. It’s about learning how not to burn my life down every time my brain panics.

This episode almost didn’t happen.The last couple of weeks completely stress-tested my ability to cope. Between our pony Elvis being diagnosed with laminitis, work feeling uncertain, and the general chaos of the world right now, my brain tipped into what I call “the dark place.”A weekend of doom scrolling, junk food, wine, and doing absolutely nothing showed me again how quickly stress can knock me off track.In this episode I talk honestly about what happens in my brain during those stress spirals, why you can’t think your way out of them, and how small actions – not motivation – are what slowly pull me back out.I also share how I’ve been using AI as a kind of thinking tool to help me regain control when everything feels overwhelming.This is not a life guide. Just a real conversation about what it looks like to fall down, get back up, and try again.

This episode explores the gap between people who never seem to question their bodies and those of us who carry that tension for decades.I talk about identity, old baggage, and the pressure women live under to discipline and correct themselves — and why real change doesn't come from thinking harder, but from staying with different behaviours long enough for something to shift.What’s emerging feels lighter.Less effortful.And easier to keep going.

In this episode, I’m back behind the mic and finally figured out how to add music to my podcast — which feels like a small miracle and a good sign for 2026.I talk about why I stepped back from social media, how I learned to quiet the outside noise, and what changed when I stopped letting other people define what MY “well-lived day” should look like.I reflect on last year, my relationship with alcohol, why stopping drinking didn’t magically fix everything, and how I realised the real issue wasn’t willpower — it was stress regulation. I share how using ChatGPT as a daily check-in tool helped me stop burning out, spiralling, and starting over again and again.Weight loss is still an important goal for me — not for how I look, but because extra weight affects my mobility and pain levels — and I talk about why focusing on foundations first is finally making things feel sustainable.This episode is about staying present, keeping things simple, and learning how to move forward without turning life into one long self-improvement project.🎵 As promised, here’s the link to my little pick-me-up / happy song — created with Suno:https://suno.com/s/r2wqPY99ftYT5QKy

I thought I was signing up to point people down a path in a high-vis vest. Instead, I ended up part of a 500-year-old tradition with horses, carriages, and chaos. More than that, I realised how small my world had become — nights on the sofa, routines that kept me safe but disconnected. Volunteering for the Lichfield Sheriff’s Ride pulled me out of that bubble, reminded me what real connection feels like, and showed me the growth that comes from saying yes instead of no.

This morning I got a comment—unsolicited advice, the kind that used to send me into a spiral.I would’ve taken it as truth.I would’ve overthought it, deleted my post, and probably changed how I showed up online.But not today.In this episode, I share the moment that reminded me just how far I’ve come. The way I responded. The way I didn’t shrink. And the power of standing tall in the face of opinions you didn’t ask for.This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt small after someone else’s judgment. Anyone who’s stayed silent to avoid discomfort.I’m not doing that anymore.We talk boundaries, self-trust, social media weirdness, and yes—AI, real life, and how I’m using it to stay productive without burning out

Join me for a very real catch-up: proud mum updates, family tension that nobody talks about, and why consistency still feels terrifying. Plus, my pony throws over the wheelbarrow mid-recording. Because of course he does

I’ve always been a nervous rider. Even when I was younger, even before the bad falls.It’s never been easy to get in the saddle—but this time, something’s different.I’m still nervous. Still cautious. But there’s a flicker of enjoyment now. A quiet moment of oh… this could actually feel good.In this episode—recorded from the car, dogs in the backseat, straight after a ride—I talk about getting back on my horse after more than a year off, and what it feels like to finally maybe start enjoying something that’s always come with tension.It’s not just about horses. It’s about slow healing, trying again, and letting joy sneak in even when your body’s still a bit braced.There’s middle-aged rambling, ADHD jumps, mother-daughter dynamics, and real talk about physical pain, fear, and finding new rhythms.Hit play if you’re in the middle of your own “maybe this could feel good” moment.

Warning: I start with blisters and end up talking about Trump. In between, there’s a dodgy perm in Bangkok, a henna tattoo on a boob, and some properly honest reflections about the state of the world right now. If you like podcasts that are structured and tidy, this ain’t it. But if you’re up for some raw rambling with heart, welcome in.

I had this version of someone in my head for years.Thought I was the smart one. The driven one. The one who knew better.But life has a way of humbling you.And eventually… yeah—turns out I was the a**shole.This one’s about ego, old stories, and eating that unavoidable slice of humble pie.If you’ve ever had to face your own bullshit—you’re in good company.

My son is about to be sworn into the Army Reserves. My daughter just finished her A-levels. They’re becoming grounded, driven humans — far more steady than I ever was at their age.When I was 18–20, I was a mess. I’d already failed three apprenticeships and spent years trying to outrun myself — first to London, then Southeast Asia, then the U.S. I drank too much, smoked too much, and kept dragging my chaos with me.I was nearly arrested in Malaysia once… but got saved by a penis pipe.This episode is about body shame, running, reckoning, and unexpected parenting pride. It’s about watching your kids build solid lives while remembering how lost you were — and feeling all the feels about it.If you’ve ever thought How the hell are they doing so well when I was still a disaster? — this one’s for you.

A rough week, too much chocolate, and a hard look at why I self-sabotage when things start working. This one’s real, raw, and might hit close to home if you’ve ever spiraled just as something good was gaining momentum.

Five episodes in, and I still haven’t got a bloody clue what I’m doing. There’s no fancy editing here—just me, walking around my living room, recording this on my iPhone and hoping ChatGPT can clean up the background noise.But this isn’t about technical perfection. It’s about real life. Real thoughts. Real bloody bras that won’t roll down over damp skin.In this episode, I talk about joining the gym—not for weight loss, but to actually speak to people! I share what it felt like to go for my first swim in years, why I’m doing it for my dopamine, not my body, and how I ended up stuck halfway into a sports bra… and going home commando.

This week I found out my HRT hadn’t just gone missing—it had been quietly cancelled without so much as a heads-up. That set the tone. A beach day turned into a row with the husband (no divorce lawyer was called), some uncomfortable truths surfaced, and—also—my boobs have started smelling weird lately when I take off my sports bra. It’s hormonal, emotional, a bit sweaty, and very real

After 100 days without alcohol, I expected clarity, joy, energy. Instead, I felt flat — and that’s what led to one of the biggest epiphanies of my life.This episode is about discovering that alcohol was never the core issue — it was just one of many crutches I used to chase dopamine. The real problem? A completely overloaded and imbalanced brain.I talk about the emotional crash that came after quitting, the habits I unknowingly clung to, and the massive shift that came when I realised I can literally influence my happiness on a molecular level.This isn’t a diet story. This isn’t about willpower. It’s the beginning of rebuilding my brain from the inside out.If you want to learn with me, contact me under:https://www.instagram.com/petrasempowermentzone?igsh=bGZya3BlNzU4MXpl&utm_source=qrhttps://www.facebook.com/share/1FGmpyZBcd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

This episode nearly didn’t happen — because Helga (my inner bitch) was loud, rude, and relentless.She told me I was ridiculous. That I’m not good enough, that no one cares, and honestly, that I should just shut up and go back to being invisible.She said it with that voice — you know the one. Flat, smug, and mean.But here we are.I talk about what it takes to actually push through that voice — not in a motivational way, but in a dragging-yourself-forward kind of way.Also:Going out without my phone (because it was dead) and realising... I actually liked being more present.Feeling the relief of leaving it all in the podcast — instead of splattering my life across Instagram.And seriously questioning why we feel the need to constantly “show up” on social media in the first place.If you’ve ever been bullied by your own brain, Helga and I have a seat for you.

In my very first episode, I talk about starting something new, battling mini panic attacks (and no, I don't even have an inhaler), and figuring it out as I go. If you're scared of new ventures too — welcome to the club.

It's happening!!!