We live in a world where everything needs to be done yesterday. Izwe Nkosi believes gardening offers something very different: the chance to slow down and move at the pace of nature.
Izwe is the gardener behind For Plants Sake, where well over 100,000 people follow his garden and allotment. He grew up in South Africa surrounded by his father's mangoes, avocados, grapes and roses, worked in garden centres himself, and eventually started sharing his own gardening journey online. Then a simple video about growing potatoes reached millions of views and everything changed.
But this isn't really an episode about becoming a successful gardening influencer.
James and Izwe explore why gardening can be such a powerful antidote to the speed of modern life: getting us moving, giving the mind somewhere to settle, reconnecting us with nature and creating opportunities for people to connect with one another.
They talk about burnout and our relentless pursuit of productivity, loneliness and the friendships formed on allotments, gardening with children, growing your own food and why Izwe believes we should think less about constant productivity and more about fruitfulness — recognising that, like nature, human beings also need periods of rest.
Izwe also talks about authenticity online, why he sees people as different plants requiring different environments in which to thrive, and how something as ordinary as weeding has become a form of meditation for him.
And there are plenty of practical ideas to take away too, including the three foods Izwe thinks everyone should grow at least once, what to plant as autumn approaches and some simple ways to begin experiencing the garden differently.
Find Izwe:
Search For Plants Sake on Instagram, TikTok and social media.
Fancy getting moving too? Find us at www.jimsgym.fitness
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:01:37 - Meet Izwe Nkosi and For Plants Sake
00:04:17 - How gardening came into Izwe's life
00:05:52 - Gardening at the pace of nature
00:08:30 - Why younger people are rediscovering gardening
00:13:54 - Growing your own food
00:15:39 - Allotments, community and loneliness
00:17:49 - Gardening as movement and exercise
00:20:20 - Productivity versus fruitfulness
00:23:00 - Gardening with children
00:24:57 - The potato video that went viral
00:26:24 - Social media success without chasing influence
00:28:18 - Why Izwe sees people like plants
00:30:13 - Authenticity and staying real online
00:34:38 - Three foods everyone should grow
00:36:44 - What to plant going into autumn
00:39:36 - Kale and eating with the seasons
00:44:29 - Weeding as meditation and how to get started
00:48:01 - Where to find For Plants Sake

Jenny has been dancing in shows since she was 16, spent lockdown making scrubs for nurses with her mum and now runs a crafting business making personalised bunting — alongside the slightly less conventional embroidered toilet roll.

In this member episode, James and Jenny talk about her lifelong connection with dance, her route to Jim's Gym and why finding exercise that works around your life can make such a difference.

Jenny also talks openly about her experience of breast cancer, writing a blog about what she went through, and how her relationship with exercise and staying active has developed through more challenging periods of her life.

Along the way there are stories about fancy dress shops, crafting, Rufus the dog, motorhomes, theatre, costume making and scones — before James puts Jenny through the Inspiring Movement quickfire round.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction: meet Jenny
00:00:58 - Jenny joins James
00:02:07 - Embroidered toilet rolls and Jenny's crafting business
00:06:19 - Running fancy dress shops
00:08:26 - Jenny's history with exercise
00:10:34 - Dance and her favourite Jim's Gym class
00:12:44 - Jenny talks about breast cancer
00:14:22 - Writing a blog about her experience
00:16:55 - Looking back after treatment
00:18:20 - How her relationship with exercise changed
00:20:21 - Rufus, walking and keeping active
00:23:27 - Theatre, baking and costume making
00:26:26 - Quickfire round
00:29:42 - Jenny's advice for getting active
00:31:10 - Outro

Fancy sorting the health side? Find us at www.jimsgym.fitness

Ask a financial planner to name the best investment you can make for later life and you'd expect to hear pensions or ISAs. Dave Southby's answer? Your health. Money buys experiences, time and memories, but only if you're fit enough to enjoy them.

There's plenty of money talk on the way to that answer. James and Dave cover the questions that come up again and again: where to save for the grandchildren, whether to bring old pensions together, coping with the cost of living on a fixed income, how to spot a financial scam, and the inheritance tax allowance that took James completely by surprise. Dave also explains why so many people reach retirement afraid to spend the pot they spent a lifetime building, and why you don't need to be wealthy to sit down with an adviser.

Please note: this episode is general information, not financial advice. Everyone's circumstances are different, so please speak to a qualified financial adviser before making any financial decisions.

Find Dave: www.southbyfp.co.uk

Dave and the Southby & Co team are walking 26 miles from Stonehenge to Avebury and running the Swindon Half Marathon this September for Wiltshire Treehouse, a charity supporting bereaved children and young people. Support them here: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/southby-co-s-summer-of-fundraising

Fancy sorting the health side? Find us at www.jimsgym.fitness

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:35 - From Land Rover to financial planning
00:06:07 - Is it ever too late to start planning?
00:09:26 - ISAs and saving for the grandchildren
00:13:17 - Pensions: consolidating and where to start
00:17:51 - The cost of living and the fear of spending
00:20:53 - Inheritance tax and the million pound allowance
00:23:07 - The 2027 pension inheritance tax change
00:29:13 - Financial scams and staying safe
00:31:46 - Why health is the best investment you can make
00:35:26 - Dave's charity challenges

Why wait to do something you have always wanted to do?

In this episode of Inspiring Movement, host James Hilton introduces a new kind of conversation for the podcast: the first in a series of real-life stories featuring members of Jim’s Gym.

James is joined by Jayne, who shares the experiences, interests and adventures that have shaped her life, as well as the role movement now plays in helping her continue doing the things she enjoys.

Now retired and living in Wales, Jayne has no intention of slowing down. Her life includes volunteering, travelling, roller skating, motorcycling and planning future adventures in her campervan. She talks to James about returning to activities she enjoyed when she was younger, trying new experiences and refusing to assume that age should prevent her from doing something she wants to do.

A keen motorbike rider, Jayne explains how strength, mobility and flexibility all contribute to her ability to continue riding. Activities within her Jim’s Gym classes—including exercises involving hurdles—have helped her practise movements that translate into everyday life, such as getting on and off her bike.

The conversation also explores Jayne’s journey into online exercise. James and Jayne first trained together through an earlier online platform before she became part of the Jim’s Gym community. She reflects on what made online classes work for her and why enjoyment, humour and connection can be just as important as the exercises themselves.

James explains that most people already understand that exercise is good for their physical and mental health. The real challenge is finding a form of movement that people genuinely want to keep doing. By making sessions fun, welcoming and light-hearted, exercise can become something to look forward to rather than another obligation.

They also discuss the importance of inclusive fitness. Not everyone feels comfortable attending a traditional gym, exercising on the floor or taking part in fast-paced classes. Jim’s Gym sessions are designed so that exercises can be adapted, allowing more people to join in at a level that works for them.

Jayne has embraced that adaptable approach. She regularly uses her own barbell—affectionately known as “Betty”—during classes and has continued to increase the weights she uses. James and Jayne discuss why lifting weights can feel empowering, particularly for women who may have grown up being told that something was too heavy or that somebody else should carry it for them.

For Jayne, exercise is not simply about completing a workout. It supports the wider life she wants to lead. It helps her stay strong enough to travel, ride her motorbike, enjoy her hobbies and remain active and independent.

The episode ends with a quick-fire round covering Jayne’s favourite classes, preferred time of day to exercise, favourite equipment, workout location and whether she continues exercising while travelling in the campervan.

When James asks Jayne to offer one piece of actionable advice to listeners, her answer captures the spirit of the entire conversation:

Why wait?

Whether you are considering starting exercise, returning to an old hobby, travelling somewhere new or attempting something you have always wanted to try, Jayne’s story is a reminder that it is never too late to begin.

Inspiring Movement is hosted by James Hilton and explores the people, experiences and ideas that help us move more, live well and keep doing the things that matter to us.

About Jim's Gym
Jim's Gym is an online fitness and wellbeing membership for adults aged 55 and over. With 15+ live classes every week via Zoom, 800+ on-demand workout videos, and a warm, welcoming community, it's everything a gym should be without any of the things that put people off.

Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi, Strength, Balance and more, all led by specialist instructors, all from home.

Monthly membership from just £12.99. No joining fees. No contracts. Cancel anytime. 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.
👉 Join Jim's Gym: www.jimsgym.fitness
👉 Join the free Facebook community: Friends of Jim's Gym
🎧 Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Jim's Gym Podcast: Inspiring Movement is produced by Jim's Gym and hosted by James Hilton.

This week I'm joined by Virginia Walker, Jim's Gym's resident yoga instructor, and this one goes far deeper than you might expect.

Virginia is a 500-hour trained yoga teacher, a birth doula and a Reiki practitioner. We talk about what yoga actually is, why flexibility is probably the least important thing about it, and how the philosophy behind the practice can change the way you live your life.

We also get into the surprising link between postnatal yoga and yoga for the over 60s, what a birth doula actually does, and what Reiki is and how it works.

Oh, and Virginia shares one simple thing you can do first thing tomorrow morning that gets you out of your head and into your body in about 30 seconds.

Virginia teaches live every Wednesday at 9am at Jim's Gym. After listening to this, you'll understand exactly why our members love her.

In this episode:
•⁠ ⁠Why you don't need to touch your toes to do yoga
•⁠ ⁠The ancient philosophy behind yoga and why it still matters
•⁠ ⁠How the breath is the quickest route to the present moment
•⁠ ⁠The connection between birth doula work and later life yoga
•⁠ ⁠What Reiki actually is, explained simply
•⁠ ⁠Virginia's one actionable tip to try tomorrow morning

Find Jim's Gym at www.jimsgym.fitness
Free Fitness MOT: www.jimsgym.fitness/free-fitness-mot

🎧 Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

*Chapters:*
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:00 - How Virginia found yoga through injury
00:04:00 - Yoga vs Pilates
00:07:00 - Living the yoga off the mat
00:13:00 - The breath and being present
00:18:00 - Yoga at Jim's Gym
00:22:00 - Making yoga accessible after hip replacements, strokes and cancer
00:25:00 - The link between postnatal and later life yoga
00:28:00 - What is a birth doula?
00:33:00 - The dedication of Jim's Gym members
00:38:00 - What is Reiki?
00:43:00 - Virginia's one actionable tip

It's the conversation most of us avoid. This episode might just change your mind about that.

Jim sits down with Jane Diamond, a death doula and funeral director based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Jane runs Family Tree Funeral Company and has spent years helping people and families navigate the end of life with dignity and openness. She's also a Jim's Gym member.

This isn't a heavy or morbid conversation. It's warm, honest, and surprisingly uplifting. Jane explains why we've lost our way when it comes to talking about death, why children are often far better at it than adults, and why putting a simple plan in place now is one of the kindest things you can do for the people you love.

👉 Find Jane and Family Tree Funeral Company: https://www.familytreefunerals.co.uk/

In this episode:

• How Jane went from training as a psychotherapist to becoming a funeral director and death doula
• What an end-of-life doula actually does, and how it compares to a birth doula
• Why we've become disconnected from death as a society, and how that's slowly changing
• Why children talk about death far more naturally than adults, and what we can learn from that
• What "Death Cafe" actually is, and why people leave feeling uplifted rather than upset
• The practical side of end of life planning: wills, lasting power of attorney, and a simple document that holds your whole life in one place
• Why doing this now means you can relax and just enjoy life
• One simple way to start a difficult conversation with a parent or loved one

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction
00:00:54 - Meet Jane Diamond: Funeral Director and Death Doula
00:03:09 - How Jane Found Herself Working in This Sector
00:04:34 - What an End of Life Doula Actually Does
00:07:02 - Why We've Lost Our Way Talking About Death
00:08:50 - How to Reframe Death and Talk About It More Easily
00:11:03 - Why Children Are More Comfortable With Death Than Adults
00:13:46 - What Is a Death Cafe?
00:15:09 - The History of the Death Cafe Movement
00:17:13 - Why People Leave Death Cafe Feeling Uplifted
00:19:00 - Jane's Own Early Experience With Loss
00:19:40 - The Practical Side: Wills, Power of Attorney and Planning Ahead
00:22:29 - How to Get Started Without It Feeling Overwhelming
00:27:23 - Jane's Advice: Start the Conversation Today

About Jane Diamond
Jane is a death doula and funeral director based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. She owns Family Tree Funeral Company alongside her husband and also co-hosts the Nailsworth Death Cafe, a community conversation group that meets every other month at the Canteen in Nailsworth. Jane is a Jim's Gym member.

About Jim's Gym
Jim's Gym is an online fitness and wellbeing membership for adults aged 55 and over. With 15+ live classes every week via Zoom, 800+ on-demand workout videos, and a warm, welcoming community, it's everything a gym should be without any of the things that put people off. Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi, Strength, Balance and more, all led by specialist instructors, all from home.

Monthly membership from just £12.99. No joining fees. No contracts. Cancel anytime. 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

👉 Join Jim's Gym: www.jimsgym.fitness
👉 Join the free Facebook community: Friends of Jim's Gym

🎧 Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Jim's Gym Podcast: Inspiring Movement is produced by Jim's Gym and hosted by James Hilton.

So many people say they've always wanted to try tai chi. This episode is your sign to finally do it.

Jim sits down with Andy Yau, Jim's Gym's tai chi instructor, who grew up in Hong Kong where a passion for martial arts took hold at a young age. In his 20s he discovered tai chi and it changed everything. These days he brings all of that experience to the Jim's Gym community every Monday morning.

This is a brilliant conversation about movement, mindfulness, community and why tai chi might be exactly what your body has been asking for.

👉 Try Andy's class at Jim's Gym: www.jimsgym.fitness

In this episode:

• How Andy discovered tai chi in a Hong Kong park almost 20 years ago
• The difference between tai chi and qigong, explained simply
• Why tai chi is suitable for absolutely anyone, regardless of fitness level
• How the 24, 37 and 48 move forms work and where beginners should start
• Why you don't need any equipment and only need a yoga mat's worth of space
• The physical benefits: balance, coordination, body awareness and joint mobility
• Why tai chi is ideal if you have arthritis, a bad knee or bad hip
• The meditative side: why the whole class is essentially moving mindfulness
• A member who watched from a hospital bed and still felt the benefit
• Andy's simple actionable tip you can start today, no class required

About Andy Yau Andy grew up in Hong Kong where a passion for martial arts and kung fu took hold at a young age. In his 20s he discovered tai chi and it changed everything. He now teaches tai chi and movement at Jim's Gym every Monday at 10am, bringing almost 20 years of experience to the community.

About Jim's Gym Jim's Gym is an online fitness and wellbeing membership for adults aged 55 and over. With 15+ live classes every week via Zoom, 800+ on-demand videos, and a warm, welcoming community, it's everything a gym should be without any of the things that put people off. Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi, Strength, Balance and more, all led by specialist instructors, all from home.

Monthly membership from just £12.99. No joining fees. No contracts. Cancel anytime. 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

👉 Join Jim's Gym: www.jimsgym.fitness 👉 Join the free Facebook community: Friends of Jim's Gym

🎧 Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Jim's Gym Podcast: Inspiring Movement is produced by Jim's Gym and hosted by James Hilton.