Real and unfiltered

Rachel Dobson shares her latest podcast obsessions, which explore the trap of fake perfection online, Instamums with bills to pay, understanding Gen Z and thriving in life

SHE’S A PERFECT 10

THERE’S a fitness trainer at my bootcamp who always urges us to go faster, jump higher and do more burpees. I’ve stopped going to his class. If there’s one thing I do not need, it’s to be reminded that I’m not an overachiever. And that is the problem with some podcasts – it’s one overachiever interviewing another, berating themselves for their perceived underachievement at times! Refreshingly honest and debunking false perfection on social media is the funny and informative ‘Under The Influence’ podcast. Presenter Jo Piazza is a journalist and author, ticking the overachiever box, but her attempt to emulate the mum influencers racking up Instagram followers is quite hilarious. Also interesting is her frustrated attempt to make money from online content. She even admits to finding it hard to drum up paid advertising for her great podcast, never mind profiting from relentlessly posting snaps of her family on Instagram. Her research into the original mumstagrammers and the origins of women aiming for perfection thanks to ‘Vogue’ in the 1800s is insightful. She asks when motherhood become a lifestyle from which to profit and, if society makes life so tough for working mums, is trying to do so inevitable? I only hope she finds a way to make cash that doesn’t involved wrestling partners, offspring and pets into matching PJS!

The aptly named doctor,

Fiona Lovely, is at the ‘here comes the science’ end of the menopause. With experts including a vaginacologist, Lovely explains what’s happening to us as we approach and go through the menopause and reassures anyone who thinks they’re just going mad. Open, brave and light-hearted, this podcast inspires you to take control of your health and ask for help when you need it.