Walking & Talking with Helen

Helen M. Ryan lost over 80 pounds through walking, and she turned that transformation into a podcast that actually makes you want to get moving. Walking & Talking with Helen splits episodes into three flavors: "Get Steps In" walks loaded with quick tips and interval cues, story walks where Helen entertains you with anecdotes while you cruise, and trivia walks that keep your brain as busy as your legs. She's a former personal trainer who's open about living with ADHD and hypothyroidism, which gives her advice a grounded, real-world quality instead of that glossy influencer energy. Episodes run anywhere from 10 to 30-plus minutes, so you can pick one that fits your route. There's a bell that rings at the halfway mark on outdoor walks to remind you to turn around — a small touch that listeners absolutely love. Helen has a knack for going on tangents that somehow circle back to something genuinely useful, and her humor keeps things light even when she's talking about mental health or motivation struggles. The show holds a 4.9-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and reviewers keep saying the same thing: it feels like walking with a friend who happens to know what she's talking about. She addresses the exact barriers that stop people from exercising — fatigue, stress, feeling overwhelmed — and does it with warmth instead of guilt. For anyone who's tried and failed to build a walking habit, Helen makes the process feel doable and even fun.