Real Health with Karl Henry

It’s 2019, the start of the New Year and I’m sure you’ve got new goals and resolutions in mind. But how many of you see those great ideas and plans fade away by the end of January? This week’s podcast is all about giving you the ten SOS tips to make sure they last. I’m giving you all my experience, tips, tricks and tools to ensure that this time, your resolutions are going to last. I see the same...

It’s been a few days since the presents were opened and the turkey and ham all eaten and I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas. With New Year fast approaching, I’m sure your thoughts have started to turn to plans and goals for 2019? Weight loss and getting fit are of course amongst the most common and popular New Year’s resolutions and so this week’s episode of the Real Health podcast is all...

Only a few days to go before Santa will be making his way to your home and I hope you’ve all been good and been trying to keep up with some of your Christmas training plan as well. I wanted this episode to be about making your Christmas Day better, to avoid the family rows and helping you deal with the in-laws. It’s a very stressful experience and so I was joined by psychologist and coach Neil O'B...

Simon Harris, Minister for Health, joined me for a special pre-Christmas interview to discuss the health problems of the nation as well as talking about his own need for balance and healthy living to cope with the demands of being a government minister. I was fascinated to find out how, at such a young age, he got involved in politics and then was appointed to one of the most challenging ministeri...

The Christmas countdown has begun. We’re into December and I’m sure you’re all getting busy with presents, parties and decorations? Don’t forget, last week I gave you my Christmas Survival Kit to keep on top of your fitness so make sure you listen back to that if things are getting a bit too hectic for you. This week we’re staying with the Christmas theme and I find out about all the cool fitness-...

We all know December is about Christmas parties, nights out and too much food and drink, but how can you stay in shape whilst also going out partying? Welcome to your Real Health Christmas Survival Kit! For this week’s episode I’m giving you the tips to have the best of both worlds. I tell you how to have your nights out, how to lessen their impact on your body and how to still be fit and healthy....

Do you lead by example when it comes to healthy eating with your kids? Or do you find it a constant power struggle trying to get your kids to eat their fruit and veg? Dietitian, Aoife Hearne, also known for being on Operation Transformation, joins me on this week's show to solve your problems when it comes to family eating. She tackles the thorny issue of treats, overweight children, technology-fr...

It's Science Week and so the Real Health podcast wanted to get the answers to life, death, health and happiness and everything in between! Who better to ask than Professor Luke O'Neill, the author of Humanology, which answers the twenty questions about life and our existence. It’s a fascinating interview with a true scientific expert in his field and we cover topics such as why do we laugh?; sleep...

Retiring at your peak aged 27 is not easy, but for this week’s guest, Anna Geary, a coach on Ireland’s Fittest Family and Cork’s former All Ireland winning captain, life is about choices and not being afraid of failure. “I realised I wasn’t fulfilled in my job and career,” she says. “It’s a hard thing to admit when you’re not fulfilled and I started to think more about what was important to me.” W...

It's Volume 3 of your most popular fitness questions answered on this week's show. You've asked and I'm answering! The five questions I answer this week cover: - health supplements - muscle v fat - cardio v weight training - age and exercise - GPS watches and running You'll have to listen to the show to get my thoughts and advice and if you have any questions you want addressed for future episodes...

It’s a topic that seems to be everywhere and it's the fitness industry’s biggest push – fat loss and the magical way to do it. There’s a lot of myths out there and there are practical tips that do work, but the reality is there are no quick fixes. Dietitian Orla Walsh joins me on this week’s show to debunk the common myths around fat loss and gives us her top five tips for actually losing weight....

Are you running in the 2018 Dublin City Marathon? I'm very jealous because it's one of the best marathons in the world and is an absolutely brilliant day. I've run it four times with a PB of 3h39m and although I'm not running it this year, I will be out on the course giving encouragement to you and the 20,000 other runners. And as a special bonus episode for my Real Health listeners, I've put toge...

Anxiety and stress is affecting more and more Irish adults these days and we’re finding it harder to cope with what life throws at us. Did you know that 80% of adults in Ireland have been affected by anxiety, with almost half (44%) reporting that their mental wellbeing is of real concern to them? While fitness and exercise helps greatly, we also need to look after our emotional being as well. Sara...

The dark, cold, rainy nights are coming in and it's easy to sit on the couch and find excuses to not go training. But beat those winter blues by using my ten tips for your Winter Survival Guide. I break it down between gear, exercise and food covering outdoor gear to use, layering, group training, events, new training, stews and soups and the importance of a flask. My 10 tips will help make sure y...

It's a truly inspiring interview on my podcast this week as I speak to Mark Pollock about the inner strength needed to cope with life's toughest challenges. ‘He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how’ is Nietzsche's quote and Mark’s mantra for living. "If you know why you’re doing what you’re doing and it makes sense to you, then you can put up with all the tough stuff. It sits over ev...

Do you know the seven relationships that will define your life for better or worse? Allison Keating has been a psychologist for 18 years and she joins me to talk about her first book, 'The Secret Lives of Adults', in which she explains why, but most importantly how, we need to improve the key relationships in our lives. 'Life is busy and people are finding the constant juggle too much,' she says....

Dublin's All Ireland winner, James McCarthy, joined me on the Irish Independent Talks Stage at the 2018 Ploughing for this week's Real Health bonus episode. I spoke to the Dublin star about the pressure and challenge of the 5-in-a-row and got some insights into what the health and fitness regime is like for the All Ireland champions. For more from the Real Health podcast just visit the show page a...

Trisha Lewis' story is one to inspire and this week I speak to the Cork woman about her weight loss, her health journey and ultimately taking responsibility for her life and her actions. 'I was so sick of trying everything and failing. I was 26 stone and knew if I failed this time there was nowhere else to go for me,' she says. 'I don't look to the future, if I get through today without failing th...

Is the vegan lifestyle for you? It’s not just about food but about how you are living your life and how it’s impacting animals in the process. For journalist and blogger, Holly White, she became vegan four years ago and hasn't looked back since. Holly joins me on this week's podcast to discuss the vegan lifestyle and to give some practical tips and recipe advice for those interested in becoming ve...

Back by popular demand, this week I'm answering more of your most popular fitness questions. These are the most common questions that I get asked by people at the gym, parties or wherever I'm out and about. The same questions pop up time and again and on the Real Health podcast I'll answer these throughout the series. For this week, I'm covering the following: 1. Diet/Fat-free foods 2. Post-pregna...

You start off with good intentions but invariably you find yourself falling short of your health and fitness goals. Here's the thing though: it happens to all of us and the key is to have the tips and tricks to keep yourself motivated and on track when you do fall short. This week's podcast is about the top ten ways you can stay motivated and succeed with your health and fitness goals. Listen to t...

Micheál Ó'Muircheartaigh's life has been a life less ordinary. The legendary GAA commentator retired after 62 years in 2010 but has kept up a busy life and now, aged 88, he tells me about some of the most important life lessons he has learnt along the way. Micheal has always lived a healthy life, but perhaps, most importantly, has never allowed it to be too stressful. Outlook and attitude – as wel...

Healthy eating and cooking healthily is not difficult and this week I'm joined by two of Ireland's leading healthy food bloggers, Roz Purcell and Indy Power with some quick and easy meals to make. Roz and Indy take us through the day from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks with the tools, tricks and simple options to make sure you are eating and living well. I get their three tips for healthy eat...

Every week we get emails, messages, tweets and posts asking for health and fitness advice, so this week, I decided to answer the top five most common questions. So, what are the most common questions I get asked? The five I address on this week’s show are: 1. What’s the quickest way to lose weight? 2. Is it really about 80% diet? 3. What is the best way to measure my progress? 4. I’m too busy, how...

I want you to build your mental strength and mental resilience by working on your own mind gym and this week, clinical psychologist, Dr. Eddie Murphy, has the ten simple and easy exercises that you can do in your own time. If you work on these ten exercises - from dealing with relationships and emotions to mindfulness, getting outside your comfort zone and learning to say no - your mindset will ch...