Men’s Health: Built For Life

This week on the Built For Life podcast Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey are joined by  Paul 'The Warrior Walker' Harris, who explains how something as simple as walking became the foundation for rebuilding his life.

After a mental health crisis left him lost and struggling, the former Royal Marine set out to walk the UK coastline with no plan and just £300. He didn’t just finish it – he did it twice, covering over 20,000km.

A powerful conversation on mental health, resilience, and why more of us need to get out and walk.
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On this week's Men’s Health: Built For Life podcast Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey sit down on the with GP, broadcaster and author Dr Jack Mosley to unpack two of the most talked-about ideas in modern nutrition: ‘food noise’ and fat-loss jabs.

Why do some people constantly think about food, while others barely give it a second thought? Is it really a willpower issue – or something deeper?

They dive into the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Tirzepatide, how they act like ‘noise-cancelling headphones’ for your appetite, and why for many people, the noise comes roaring back once they stop. The conversation explores the real benefits, the hidden downsides – including muscle loss and nutrient deficiencies – and what happens when you rely on appetite suppression without fixing the fundamentals.

They also get into the ‘wild west’ of online pharmacies and black-market peptides, the surprising impact these drugs can have on alcohol and addictive behaviours, and why strength training might be the most overlooked piece of the puzzle.

This is a nuanced, no-nonsense look at one of the biggest shifts in health and fat loss right now – separating hype from reality, and giving you practical takeaways you can actually use.

Want more from Men’s Health? Join the Men’s Health SQUAD  for exclusive training plans, expert advice and tools to help you get stronger, faster – we’re with you every rep of the way.
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Your Men's Health: Built For Life Hosts – Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey – sit down to unpack Ben’s road back to the marathon at 51 – after being told post–back surgery he’d never go the distance again. They dig into the reality of ‘minimum effective dose’ training, how to rebuild around injury, and what actually moves the needle when time (and your body) isn’t on your side.

 

AT also breaks down his latest experiment: taking on the brutal 81km TransGranCanaria mountain ultra on just one run per week. What worked, what didn’t, and how a simple timekeeping error left him stranded at the top of a mountain, watching the race slip away.
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Actor James Norton joins Men’s Health and Runner’s World for a special crossover episode.
Ahead of his first London Marathon, Norton breaks down what training actually looks like when you’re not a “natural runner” - and what changes when you’re managing Type 1 diabetes.
From carb strategy and glucose monitoring to injuries, data overload and mental fatigue, this is a candid look at the reality of preparing for 42.2km.
We also get into cold exposure, mindset, and why, for this race, finishing
matters more than hitting a time.
Plus, Norton explains how new diabetes tech is transforming endurance sport and why he’s running for a cause bigger than himself.

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Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey are joined by former Royal Marines Commando and expedition leader Aldo Kane to break down what ‘mental toughness’ actually means – and why most people have it completely wrong. From operating in war zones to leading teams into the world’s most hostile environments, Aldo explains why toughness isn’t about ice baths or suffering for the sake of it, but the ability to keep going when things get uncomfortable – physically, mentally and emotionally.

Along the way, we dig into the realities of extreme performance – including running a marathon from the summit of the world’s highest volcano – why gratitude might be the most powerful mental tool you’re not using, and the simple fitness standard every man should aim for: not being a burden. This is a masterclass in resilience, stripped of ego.
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