SHOE-IN WITH ADIDAS AT THE UN !

Recently, I joined my friends at Adidas to witness a unique partnering at the United Nations HQ in New York. Parley For The Oceans, an organisation dedicated to the preservation of our beautiful oceans, hosted a moving and informative session in the UN’s main chamber, at which Adidas board-member Eric Liedtke revealed a beautiful and groundbreaking running shoe created from discarded ocean plastic (of which there’s 40m lbs in the North Pacific alone!). It’s a totally unique production concept, and much of the profit will go towards funding the ocean cleanup yet further. I caught up with Eric afterwards to dig a little deeper into the shoe, along with finding out how one of my favourite sporting companies is evolving into an exciting future! Click MORE to read my update interview…

At the UN event, there were a host of speeches from key partners of Parley, all of which all addressed the increasing issue of global pollution (especially the oceans) of a once-throwaway culture. Speakers ranged from artists, scientists, a Greenpeace founder, businesspeople, to actors… at times the subject matter was truly saddening, but actually I took away a hopeful message. The salvo of statistics was mind-bending, in terms of how humankind has cumulatively tarnished the planet; they painted a picture that we are the victors of this giant sphere yet much of our victory has caused destruction; worms were said to do more good than humanity.

Images seared in many attendees minds are of beautiful birds swept ashore, tortuously dying from ingested plastic waste shredding their insides. Giant man-made plastic islands collect in vast scummy vortices, slap bang in the middle of oceans, posing an existential threat to a critical ecosystem that sustains us all. What is hopeful is that a huge brand like Adidas are paving the way in creating an environmentally friendly solution; not just empty corporate waffle about CSR initiatives that never get implemented, but an actual, practical and sustainable solution. Yes we live in an industrialised world and companies need to generate growing profits, but with innovative clever thinking, both can be achieved. I for one really like that. Here’s my interview with Eric on this matter and far more…

FITNESS ON TOAST: Nice to see you again Eric. Parley for the Oceans is a truly fantastic cause; what attracted you to it, and how does Adidas plan to spread the word?
ERIC LIEDTKE: So first up, Adidas has always prided itself on being a good citizen – not just being a good business or company but also a good citizen of the world. We’ve always taken sustainable measures very seriously. We were announced as the 3rd ranked sustainable company in Davos this year according to Corporate Knights. We source about 20% of our polyester product from recycled polyester, we have a ‘better cotton’ initiative where we want to be 100% ‘better cotton’ sourced, in all instances. That means working with farmers to grow organically, to use less water treatment… we’ve been exclusive developers of dry-dye technology, where we’re making things with less water in dying the products. We have always been at the forefront, whether it be workers rights or environmental rights or what have you. We firmly believe that being good global citizens is just as important as being good businesspeople. Having said that we always look to accelerate, and within our new Strategic Business Plan around creating the new we very clearly pointed out we want to be more open-source, we want to be more collaborative so that leads us to a conversation with different environmental groups one of which was Parley. What we liked about Parley was what you saw last night [at the UN speeches] – Parley is a network of really intelligent thought-leading people, whether it’s based around scientists or filmmakers or producers or explorers. It gives you a very rich dynamic, and just spending the last 48 hours with those individuals has been an inspiration for me personally but also for the company, looking at new connection points. There’s the opportunity for us to do accelerated good, specifically starting with the oceans – but we don’t rest there! One of the things I’ve had in my mind is ‘how do we get to a less of a carbon foot print’. Dare I dream to be a zero carbon footprint DAX 30 company? There’s the kind of moonshot that we’re thinking about; how do we do more, accelerate and lead by example.
FOT: It’s a time of big change for Adidas; new strategy, new competitor challenges, new leadership… how do you keep the team motivated to meet the tough challenge ahead?
EL: We’re on a journey, and the journey is to be the best sports brand in the world. We have a very clear focus on what we are, and what we aren’t; we are really positioning ourselves as ‘the creator brand’. We’re talking about creating the new, making new rules, setting new standards; we’re not just looking for new creators to join us from an internal standpoint – we’re calling all creators to join us to create a movement. People like yourself, people like your readers, people like consumers, athletes, designers – we’re looking to create the new at all times – I think that’s a very powerful message. When we talk about keeping people motivated and engaged we need to celebrate that, celebrate who we are and in turn who we aren’t. As we really focus on being the best sports brand and being the creator brand, it positions us in a really cool place to win and employees than get excited about that. Everyone wants to be part of a movement that’s seeing results, and that’s how I focus on keeping our guys motivated for the future!
FOT: The Adidas shares are at the same level as when the strategy was delivered in March, so I guess people are waiting to see. What should we look for to know that things have genuinely progressed?
EL: That’s a great question; we have responsibilities to our shareholders, but ultimately the share price will start to show results when we start to sell through products at a higher rate so strategies are great, implementation takes a little longer than any of us would like. I would like for it to have happened yesterday, but the reason we came to New York to celebrate our association with Parley is to continue to carry the message to the consumer; let them know what kind of brand we are, let them know who we are from a personal and a positioning standpoint. Ultimately keep making great product that ultimately sells through at higher rates, and I think the share price will take care of itself!
FOT: Nike’s Free shoe platform is in it’s 11th year, and it’s a great product for them – nicely profitable, good momentum, even after all these years. How’s the Ultra Boost launch gone, and how can you make that product family as long-lived?
EL: All credit to the Free franchise, I think they’ve developed something pretty special there. We’ve developed our own franchises, and are more focussed than ever against our new strategy of developing franchise footwear. Within our Strategic Plan, we said we wanted our top ten franchise footwear programs to be 30% of our net sales by 2017, so Ultra Boost is the lead; it’s the best running shoe ever made – we talked about that at the launch event a few months ago and we continue to iterate it. The shoe I’m holding (the Boost with Ocean plastic) is an iteration of the Ultra Boost. The key with franchise management is to have a lifecycle in mind and constantly iterate and try new things, so I think we’ll see many more different silhouettes coming out. We have a collaboration in place right now, we’re looking to an uncaged version in the coming months, and the ocean plastic version is coming out – we continue to work on that and develop a following for it. It’s not a short term strategy it’s a long term strategy. We’ll talk in 11 years and we’ll talk again about the Ultra Boost success.
FOT: How’s the progress from your new US design studio – any promising signs from your recent high-profile hires?
EL: Yes, the guys are coming over from the competition in the near future, the studio in Brooklyn should open up by the end of the year, and from a US-focus standpoint, this is my fifth trip to New York this year and then I’m going to be working out of the Portland office for all of July and August so our commitment to the US is on unparalleled levels I would say. So I’m looking forward to being closer and getting into some of the details, specifically with our design communication community this summer.
FOT: You want to double the size of running by 2020; how do you do that, and what’s held the category back so far?
EL: Well, running is the greatest opportunity that we have so we’re very bullish about the category, we’re very bullish about the innovations, around Boost, around prime knit, we think there’s huge potential. Again we haven’t been batting to our weight yet. We need to continue to hammer that home. There’s a lot of opportunity and I would say doubling our running business is the minimum I’m looking for.
FOT: How do you think about the importance of Social Media as a company; how do you measure its impact, what sort of personalities do you look to enlist, and how do you think it develops in the future? 
EL: I think social media is interesting because you can call it the Citizen Journalist; anybody can publish anything they want, whether it be Tweets or Instagram posts, Facebook, Snapchat – you name it, it’s no longer in the domain of the traditional media. Social media is exciting in that way, because everyone can publish. We look to make sure that we are the most accessible and open brand to allow that. That’s why we’re sat here today talking, and continue to put you on our invitation list, not because you represent The Wall Street Journal or Time Magazine, or Fast Companies but because you represent a reader base who tune in because you’re a great blogger and networker. The question is how do we give you more access, and the fact that we’re sitting here today is a reflection of how we’re trying to be more transparent. So our brand has always been very accessible and what we do in our new Plan, is to make it even more accessible and we call that open-source. How do we invite you in closer? How do we help you co-create, how do we help you not just create your stories but how do we help you with user-generated communications, where you can actually come in and help look for stories, within our brands. For me that’s true open-source. How do we open up our source codes, it’s why we’d bring you in last night to the UN and talk about the story of the gill nets – what are you going to do with that? I don’t want it to be my story, I want it to be your story. You’ve now got the information that can help us create something that maybe we can the publish on our networks as well. So what we provide is a network where we can take something that you like and put it into other channels and then help you have access to our 135 million followers on social media. We want to make that 250 million, but we want to do that by putting our brand in their hands and drawing people in deeper. Getting more people in our CRM database which we can then communicate with more regularly whether it be though sales opportunities or loyalty opportunities and ultimately producing sales results on our digital platforms as well. It’s a very interesting place to be right now.
FOT: Let’s talk about the US. You’re committed to turning it around, you’re doubling down on marketing spend, and you mentioned that giving up isn’t an option. What are you looking for to make sure you don’t end up burning cash year after year?  
EL: I don’t focus on the competition, I’m aware of what the competition is doing, I’m focused on making sure we build the best game plan we can for ourselves and we execute that plan. We’re very clear that we want to win more and we’re going to do that in multiple areas – that means winning market share. Clearly we need to do better than we have been performing – we have a game plan to do that. We’re going to use American insights to drive German engineering decisions, and I think nobody in the industry can match that combination so we’re very bullish on where we can go in the States.
FOT: Nike margins are at 13%+ but Adidas’ seem to be held at 6-7%. What are they doing differently over there and can you match that in time?
EL: I can’t comment on what they’re doing, I can only speak about our drive to build a faster, more agile organisation, that really develops winning brands and takes market share. When you do that, it leads to real world class profitability. And only when you do the first piece – only when you get smaller, faster and more agile, and you start creating new opportunities for consumers to come into your brand – do you start winning with your brands, and therefore get to world-class profitability. You don’t cut your way to profitability, you win your way to profitability.
FOT: What are the biggest innovation trends hitting your products in 2015?
EL: Boost, Boost, Boost and Primeknit – those are the big pieces and then yesterday you saw us introduce another great new thing! We are going to continue to push the edge of innovation, to create the new. We’re going to do that whether it be innovations like Boost, Primeknit or developing new manufacturing techniques, with ocean plastics or whatever we can do to continue to push the envelope and drive innovation.
FOT: What does technology change do to the industry 5 years out?
EL: I would say that it’s not just about the product, I think it’s about how we work together with different partners, different artists, different designers, different consumers to create something that hasn’t been out there before, to continue to drive innovation based upon athletic needs. So how do we continue to make athletes be the best they can be – thats what drives us, that’s why we’re here, that’s why we’re the best sports brand in the world – and how do we help bring those partners to help us realise that future? Again I point to the shoe in front of you – the Boost with the ocean plastic – this manufacturing technique has never been tried; we invented it for this industry based upon the opportunity to bring ocean plastics to a product. We now need to refine this, but this could be a whole new construction that could take over the industry in coming times. That’s how Primeknit came to be, and now look at it today – I’m wearing the Yeezy Boost as we speak. That’s here to stay, and it’s a big part of our business; this could be the next. You can never predict the future, you can only help to craft it!
FOT: Final one – what’s the one change you’d want to make if you were CEO of the company?
EL: If I were CEO? I just want to win more!

RACING WITH TEAM SPEEDO !

Last weekend, I had the awesome opportunity to meet, interview, train and swim with four elite Team Speedo athletes; Michael Jamieson & James Guy (both pictured above, with me in the blue suit), plus Jazz Carlin and Siobhan O’Connor. It was part of a collaboration with Speedo to promote their #GetSpeedoFit campaign, which is all about inspiring people to swim more in pursuit of their full body workouts and healthy lifestyle; that’s something I fundamentally agree with, and I found the insights from these athletes to be absolutely fascinating. Click MORE to read my interviews along with a brief ‘Benefits of Swimming’, and to see some of our fun/goofy photos from the day at the London Olympic Aquatics Centre!

 

PART 1) BACKGROUND & BENEFITS:

You might have read some of my previous posts about swimming and its many benefits (a full body workout which improves circulation and lung capacity, can consume c. 500 calories per hour, offers natural resistance, is low impact on the joints, is relaxing for the mind and yields a fabulous endorphin release into the bloodstream!). I’ve found amongst my clients a common misperception that swimming isn’t an effective form of exercise, that it’s more for a relaxing paddle; I couldn’t disagree more. Now that summer is properly here, it’s typically the time I’ll swim more than usual – cooling off in the gym pool or splashing around in the holiday waves. If you want to get fit and stay fit for summer and beyond, this is a supreme form of exercise, whether you’re on holiday or at home; it’s incredibly tough to the uninitiated, but improving your swimming technique can make all the difference. When I was training for the Swimathon with Comic Relief, my coaches, a few tweaks here and there (and a lot of help from the BioFuse Power Paddles which are like little motors on your arms) helped me make massive progress. 

As per the above images, this session gave me the opportunity to warm up and train with the athletes, in the same way they do each day ahead of their own training sessions. My taskmasters were the following: Michael Jamieson (Olympic, World & Commonwealth breaststroke Silver medalist), Jazz Carlin (Commonwealth & European Championships Gold medalist), James Guy (Relay Gold and Commonwealth freestyle Bronze medalist), and Siobhan O’Connor (Gold 200m IM, Silver 200m freestyle, youngest swimmer on the London Olympic).

PART 2) THE INTERVIEWS

F.O.T. Which is your favorite piece of equipment for training and why?

Jazz: Probably fins, it’s always feels good to put them on – it balances your stroke out a bit. You can focus on little things then, it makes you forget about your legs! It strengthens your legs a lot, we do a lot of fast training as well; if you’re going faster than you normally do it makes it feel great then when you take them off.
Siobhan: I would say fins as well – I quite enjoy putting my fins on, for a bit of resistance work, it emphasis your under water technique. Then I would say for technical work with your freestyle, paddles are really useful, basically they’re a really big surface area so it makes you properly think about the placement of your arms. If you’re slightly obscure, your paddle comes off or you’re not able to complete a proper stroke. So paddles are great to correct and guide your technique.
James: For me, I’d say the snorkel because it’s great for head position and neck alignment. You can practice keeping your head down, and focusing on that long neck when you’re doing you freestyle stroke. And for me, your goggles as well make all the difference – they’re so comfy and don’t let any water in – that’s why I like them personally.
Michael: It’s got to be the fins. I think they really help with the volume of training we do, as they take the pressure off the upper body, and you consequently swim a little bit faster. I think, for me as well being a little bit older, I need the help with the equipment; it mixes it up a bit as well and makes it a wee bit more exciting. We use our full equipment bag each session so that it really varies the training up as well. We do 10 sessions a week, 5-6kilometers a session and we use every piece of equipment in the bag each session! We usually do sets and reps of anything from 25-400/500meter reps. depending on the type of the session – so for example if it’s a speed session then sets and reps will be a lot shorter so maybe 15-25 meters all out efforts and that’s where we can really bring in the equipment.  

F.O.T: Can you talk a bit about the focus and intensity required to compete at the top level in swimming?
Jazz: I do 10 pool sessions a week, and about 5 or 6 gym sessions a week on top of that – it really is a full-on week! We get Saturday afternoons and Sundays off, so it’s nice to switch off at the weekend, unless you have competitions. That’s a lot of training, so it’s nice to have other things aside from training to take your mind off it as well because it is very intense. We do a lot of hours and a lot of early mornings; ultimately when it come to the competition, you get to race against the best in the world – you can’t really get any feeling like it. It’s a pretty special feeling you get with the adrenaline of that race. That’s why I do all the hours of training!
Siobhan: Jazz and I train with the same trainer – we train together, so I try to do the same amount of sessions as Jazz. I feel like I do loads, and yet Jazz does even more still – it’s pretty intense. I really enjoy swimming and have always enjoyed it ever since I was little – I found the more I did, the more I improved and then when you get to sort of a top level in sports it’s the fine margins that count. You have to put in all the hard hours, and add to that the nutrition and really fine tuning technique and race times – everything like that and those little alterations make all the difference… It’s not just the hard work and training, it’s thinking about every single aspect.
Michael: I’ve done it for so long now it’s kind of second nature now. I’ve been professional for 9/10 years now. It’s a long time to be involved in a sport but I absolutely love it and everyday you’re trying to find a new area that you can make an improvement on – in the water or on land in the gym. We do so many different types of training as well, and everything we do has a purpose – the focus is to try and transfer those improvements into the water – improve your swim speed and to get you ready for your major competition.
F.O.T: What type of training would you do outside the pool?
Michael: My week outside the pool will consist of 3 strength sessions in the gym, doing some Olympic lifts and strength training like that. I’ve got two soft tissue massage sessions weekly, to keep as fresh as possible. I’ll have some physiotherapy sessions which are really specific and are targeting any imbalances or weaknesses you have in the water. Also one or two self-kick sessions as well just for a fitness aspect to try and keep the weight off and try to keep in good condition! I do little bits of Crossfit pre season – September, October each year, as we usually tend to vary the training up a little bit. The volume in the pool is pretty low at that point so we spend a bit more time on land doing some Crossfit exercises, and I love it! It’s something I would actually quite like to get into when I finish swimming so watch this space!

F.O.T: What does the average day look like in the run up to a big competition?
Michael: Just now is a good time actually because I’m about four weeks away from my major competition of the year. This past week has been my last hard week of full training before I start resting. I’m up at about 6:30 – that’s not too bad actually, on the poolside and we do circa 30 minutes of warming up and stretching exercises. Then we swim for two hours, have an hour physio after the swim session, about three of us rest between just to try and take on as much food and refuel as well as possible, and then in the afternoon it’s 90 minutes in the gym – strength based exercises and then two hours in the pool again. So it’s a pretty packed day! When that two-hour window in the morning and afternoon coincide with a real heavy week, I can do up to 8 km a session, and just now it’s down to about 5 / 5.5 km a session. Over the next 3-4weeks that will gradually decrease as we get ready for the biggest race of the year; I’ve got a month to go!

F.O.T: How strict is your nutrition?
Jazz: I enjoy eating healthy really, I like little smoothies and things like that – snacks – but I think you’re allowed a treat here and there – we’re doing a lot of training, so we have to eat a lot. With gym as well, you’re maintaining your muscle mass which is really important so you need enough to fuel your body for each session. Obviously your recovery is really important as well. We constantly have to think about what session you have coming up or what you’ve just done before, and think about the nutrition according to that.
F.O.T: What’s the average calorie consumption a day in order to keep you going?
James: I would say we burn 2000 calories per session, so I tend to consume about 6000 calories a day. You’re constantly snacking because you’re trying to get energy as quickly as you can throughout the day. You’re putting two session in per days so it takes a lot of effort – and it takes a lot out of you! You’re trying to gain as much carbohydrate and protein as you can, in order to recover well after the session, and in order to be ready for the next one! That’s a lot of food.
Jazz: I don’t think I eat quite that much personally, but I obviously still try and eat quit a lot. We have a nutritionist who goes through a plan with us and depending on what phase of training we’re going through, how much protein we should be having, what balance of carbohydrates, because soon we’ll be running in to competition where we’ll be taking everything down, so we’ll have to adjust the meals. It’s very cleverly thought out by someone else, not by me!
 
F.O.T: Do you know how many calories your body needs just to tick over? 
James: Not specifically, but my sessions are 6/7km of distance, you’re burning up loads and it’s pretty hard as well – so that’s as little as 15km or as much as 40km a day, and then you’ve got gym sessions as well… and then you’ve got cardio too – it’s a lot of work so you need to put in calories to replace every session so usually protein shakes are quite good as well for after sessions, between sleeps.
F.O.T: So sleeping is part of the daily training? 
James: That’s right, you totally have to focus on your sleep – train in the morning come back, breakfast, sleep 2-3 hours a day for recovery, and then lunch and get ready for training again. That’s just what I’m used to – it’s my daily routine now so it’s seems really normal to me.
Siobhan: It sounds like really good fun and that we’re really lazy, but we wake up really early in the morning and then if you go about regular activities, you wouldn’t be able to just turn up in the evening and deliver a good session. It’s just making sure that every time you can rest and recover, that you do so as best as you can. It is nice to get that recovery but it doesn’t allow for much else during the day!
F.O.T. Do you guys ever go swimming just for fun or a bit of relaxation?
James: Never!
Jazz: Not even on holiday?
James: Usually on holiday, I’ll try to avoid the water! If anyone says ‘James get in the pool’, I just say ‘No, you go in. I’ll just watch you’. I’m  in the water everyday, twice a day so I try to get away from it as much as I can on the weekend as well and just do some fishing or whatever. I’ve been by the pool my entire life so when I get a break I try and stay dry!
Jazz: When I was younger, my mum and dad couldn’t get me out of the water! I was literally always in the water – not necessarily swimming but jumping in or whatever and having fun and that was sort of where it was home to me. It was sort of natural. I wasn’t scared of it as a kid – I loved it! My mum actually can’t swim – she’s just not confident in the water, I think. I’ve got her to do the best she can but my dad used to take me when I was younger, right up until I sort of joined a local swimming club. So I’ve always loved to be in the water, but I think on the weekends I prefer spa pools!
Michael: It’s always work. I think just because of the amount of training we do there really isn’t that much time to swim recreationally anyway. I think we’re doing around 30-35 hours a week of training. Perhaps ten years ago when I was starting to really ramp up my training, I think I would’ve chosen to go swimming recreationally but now it’s just performance in mind and it’s purely for work!
F.O.T: With so many determined competitors out there, how do you get that edge to lift you ahead of the pack and give medal winning performances?
Jazz: Everyone’s obviously got a lot of motivation for Rio next year – that’s a huge drive for everyone within sport right now. Every athlete’s dream is to go to the Olympics and just be part of that. For me personally, I’m just trying to be the best I can possibly be. You can’t control what everyone else is doing. As long as I do everything right, and put myself in the best position, then I can’t really ask anymore of myself. You just have to stick to the right training and diet, work hard then you can’t really do anything more!
F.O.T: Are there ever any days where you think ‘I can’t be bothered today, I don’t want to go to train’… And if so what do you tell yourself to push through?
Siobhan: Yes! I think that’s the case for many swimmers, and it’s similar to what Jazz was saying – there’s that great feeling when you stand up on the block of a big race and think that you can draw upon everything; if you’ve done the very most you can, then you won’t have any regrets. However the race goes, whatever your result, you know you’ve done your best. I read something quite recently which said something along the lines of; ‘everyone has good days in sport, they’re great, and that’s what you do it for, that reward. But the reward is the easy part. The tough part and the part that defines you is when it gets tough; the bad days, and whether you’re able to push through them, think about the long term goal rather than on how you feel on that day. You just have to be really disciplined, and I think that comes up quite a lot of times, especially with swimming because it’s a really grueling sport. It’s one of those sports where I don’t think it has the recognition for how relentless and intense the training is. There are definitely days where everyone must go through that  feeling that you don’t want to get up, or you don’t want to get in the pool – when your body is just screaming. You just have to get in and do another killer session. I think that’s when people are separated; whether you can push through it or you decide not to. That makes every bit of difference.

PART 3) THE RACING!

Unsurprisingly, I didn’t win – even though I slipped off the line slightly earlier than the professionals. But with relentless practice, voracious and balanced diet, multiple gym sessions daily, and little time for much else, I might fare better against these perfectly-tuned semi-aquatic athletic machines! I’ll definitely try harder next time. Thanks to all 4 of them for their patient tuition, honest responses and good fun ?

SKINSPIRATION, PART 2…

It’s my firm belief that the best way to nourish the skin is from the inside out – through exercise, keeping hydrated, enjoying a good amount of sleep and eating plenty of organic and fresh produce in a well-balanced diet. You might remember I recently listed some of my favourite tips to get glowing skin HERE. I know myself that when I’ve been out partying for a few days, (a little alcohol, some late nights, limited sleep, perhaps too many sugary foods etc), I’ll be feeling and looking tired with circles under my eyes and the occasional break out! This post is the second and concluding part to my efforts to eat & live healthily, supported by the Scandinavian skincare company Imedeen, in order to improve the quality of my skin. Click MORE to see some of the data from my scans, and these photos we took at the stunning Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat in France during a recent trip…

As part of an investigation into whether healthy eating combined with natural supplementation can improve my skin, I underwent an initial ‘derma-scan’ with the Scandinavian skincare brand Imedeen for a 90 day trial, where I took 2 tablets of ‘Derma One’ daily. Following the 3 month period, I underwent a ‘results’ scan to compare the original ‘before‘ picture of my epidermal & dermal layers, which helps to ascertain the skin’s progress…

The Derma One daily tablets contain a Marine Complex (protein strings with elements similar to those naturally occuring in the skin) as well as Vitamin C (to help protect cells from oxidative stress and support collagen formation) and Zinc (which helps the body with the maintenance and repair of normal skin cells). Below are the images of both snapshots in time, collected from the same patch of skin on my wrist – the first scan on the left-half, and the latest image on the right-half some 3 months later. The dark green patches are collagen clusterings, and whilst there’s a visibly increased concentration, the mechanised readings recognise a 78-print concentration of collagen now, vs a 56-print in my initial scan; a 39% increase of collagen in the dermis over a 3 month period. Aside from this quantitative increase, I’ve personally noticed an overall improvement in the quality of my skin – it’s less dry, more balanced, and therefore has been left feeling softer and more supple. Objective complete!

If perhaps you were thinking “what exactly is Collagen and what does it do?”: It’s the most abundant protein in the human body, thought to be the substance that holds it all together, and can be located in the skin, muscle, bone and tendon. It’s being used ever more in certain fields of medicine as well as if the body’s natural collagen breaks down, health problems can develop. It’s thought that around 30% of all our body’s proteins are in fact collagenous; it gives our skin that elasticity and strength, and is responsible for replacing our dead skin cells. In the middle strata of our skin (epidermis –> dermis –> subcutaneous) – collagen is the substance that helps to create a fibrous mesh, or network upon which new skin cells can grow. Our bodies naturally start to produce less of it after the age of about 40, and that can be affected by sun exposure, smoking, and eating too many sugary foods too, which is why all circumstances of lifestyle contribute to skin’s visible quality.

I hope this has been informative for you, as much as it was fascinating for me to undertake!

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I WAS WEARING:

PilyQ – Serena Dress from BeachCafe.Com

POWER WALKING IN SANTORINI !

On my Active Escape to the breathtakingly beautiful Greek island of Santorini, I went on a serious 3-hour power walk from the town of Oia to Fira – a 3 hour uphill, downhill, rugged, mountainous, perilous and absolutely breathtaking path. This post, in collaboration with one of my favourite apparel brands (being a patriotic Swede) H&M, lists the many benefits of power walking set alongside the photos from my trek! Click MORE to see it all…

I’ve written extensively about the many benefits of HIIT training, but far less about it’s little sister, a.k.a. slow and steady aerobic power walking. I’m currently power walking first thing in the morning before breakfast 4 times a week. It can be done indoors on a treadmill, or outside whilst taking in the beautiful surroundings of nature. Personally, I aim for a gradient of 7% and speed 7km/h for 60 minutes, but you can vary the parameters as you see fit to challenge you accordingly. At times it can feel boring and repetitive, but an iPad loaded with TV series you might not otherwise get to to see makes light work of it…

Ultimately, why I think it’s a great form of exercise comes down to 9 factors: 1) the fat burn, 2) the relatively low-impact consequences on the body (compared to a harsh run), 3) the toning nature of the exaggerated arm movements, 4) the cumulative benefits to bone density, 5) better blood circulation 6) cholesterol improvements, 7) the exposure to some hard-to-find Vitamin D (i.e. outdoors!), 8) the energised post-walk feeling, and 9) a nicely segregated chunk of time to think about things!

There’s plenty of controversy regarding the ‘power walk’; in my experience it’s a great form of aerobic exercise which targets excess stubborn fat. If you can muster the drive to get up an hour earlier before breakfast, it’s ideal as your glycogen stores are generally depleted, which means fat will be your body’s major source of fuel, rather than carbohydrates. You can of course power walk at any time during the day, but my preference is very early. Check out my post HERE which demystifies the differences between Aerobic and Anaerobic exercise!

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I WAS WEARING:

Shorts: H&M similar HERE
Pink top: H&M similar HERE
Sports Bra: H&M HERE

THE HOUSE OF DHARMA !

I love discovering new fitness brands, especially when their ethos totally strikes a chord with my own. This post sheds light on the enchanting bohemian collections of House of Dharma, a brand of earthy-toned beautifully-designed resort & activewear founded by two sisters (and best friends), Kayleigh and Carrie Curneen. Their operation is based partly in Bali and partly in Ibiza (where I first met Kayleigh years ago), and the clothes have a unique aesthetic which I’ve not encountered elsewhere; it’s a blend of free-spirited ancient silhouettes/shapes, impossibly soft and relaxed floaty materials, tribal patterns and themes, gorgeous natural tones, and ethically sustainable local production values. The result is glamorous, feminine, chic, and effortlessly inspirational! I met up with the founders in London’s Primrose Hill for a full interview on all things Dharma. Click MORE to see the pictures we shot, along with reading their responses!

FITNESS ON TOAST: What drew you to want to start your own clothing brand, and what did you think was missing out there in the market?
KAYLEIGH & CARRIE: We’re best friends and sisters, and share a love for travel and exploring new cultures. We decided we would like to leave London and spend more time in two of our favourite places; Ibiza and Bali. We considered the lifestyle we wanted to live and decided that creating House of Dharma (Dharma meaning purpose, the ‘right’ life choice) was a perfect way to explore our bohemian spirits further whilst tapping into our creative sides. We’ve a love for all things bohemian and a love for different cultures and styles, so creating a clothing and lifestyle label made perfect sense to us. It happened organically as an extension of ourselves and what we love!

F.O.T: Can you characterise the unique aesthetic of your clothes, according to your own vision?
K&C: The label is an extension of our lifestyle – people named us the sun gypsies in jest, as we love to follow the sun! Our clothing and designs are based on this. We take inspiration from all cultures and the label was born out of our passion to travel and explore.

F.O.T: Where do you take inspiration from when designing your pieces?
K&C: Our past travel experiences, latest explorations, new cultures, bohemian lifestyle… We’re very much an Ibiza brand, as we’ve been going there since we were very young. We live there and take a lot of inspiration from the raw nature of the island. The colours we use are very earthy and natural, and the styles are a reflection of mother nature, tribal cultures and bohemian influences.

F.O.T: I love the way your brand is so ethical; can you tell us more about that?
K&C: Ethical production is key to the ethos of our entire brand. We employ local families in Bali, working in the ‘cottage industry’ side of fashion (i.e. small, sustainable family businesses as opposed to large factories and power houses). Some of our ‘factories’ are small Balinese family homes where we sit on the floor and drink tea with the workers while they show us their progress. We believe it’s integral to maintain local customs and traditional methods in order to maintain good, strong and long standing relationships with our workers and to work in a way that is fair to them and us. All our products are hand made. We use natural dyes and fabrics wherever possible. All our packaging is recycled, from our business cards to our shopping bags and wooden swing tags.

F.O.T: What are the logistical and technical difficulties / achievements involved in your design that people don’t see?
K&C: There can be a lot of production issues working in fashion – it’s important to ensure you have a good team around you to deal with this. Quality control must be constantly monitored to ensure high standards are kept. It’s also very taxing living and working in extremely humid 40-degree heat. Being northern-European, this takes some getting used to but while exhausting at times the sunshine and the warm weather make us much happier people! There is also a lot more to do than simply design. We manage our own business relationships, source stockists and do PR, advertising and accounting (etc.) completely in-house. We are a small start-up and believe it’s important to be involved in all aspects of the business ourselves. Achievement-wise, it’s great fun working with your own family, and also much easier when you know someone so well to cut to the chase. Because we have a similar style, we find working together and creating designs together happens rather organically and we feel that these achievements happen very naturally!

F.O.T: What’s your favourite fitness class?
K&C: Yoga without a doubt. We try and practice at least 4 times a week but sometimes its hard to fit it all in. We always feel energised yet relaxed after practice. The benefits are amazing, other than the obvious muscle toning, yoga helps with massaging organs, flushing out toxins, flexibility and joint lubrication in a way other workouts don’t. It’s also a great form of meditation, and very calming.

F.O.T: Do you have a go to healthy snack/meal?
CARRIE: Because I have a bit of a sweet tooth I like to make “Bliss Balls” which are great for energy and sugar craving and taste just delicious. The ingredients are all healthy and they are super easy to make. You just blend up ground nuts of your choice, coconut oil, dates, raw cocao powder or chips, maca powder, roll into balls and dust with coconut shavings! YUMMY! Also, living part of the year in Asia we also have access to fresh young coconuts. Coconuts are just magic! They are a wonder food. The benefits are just unbelievable. They stabilise blood sugar, heal and hydrate. Also, avocado – on ANYTHING!

F.O.T: Have you discovered any healthy exciting dishes in Bali?
K&C: The Balinese style of cooking can actually be fairly healthy. They use a lot of fresh ingredients; chopped coconut, garlic and chilli, using an incredible variety of fresh vegetables and spices blended with meat or fish. Gado Gado is a favourite dish, which you can pick up at a local street stall or warung (local eating place). It’s a raw salad, served with cooked tofu and a ground roasted peanut sauce; delicious!

F.O.T: What’s your fitness ethos?
K&C: Moderation for sure! We both organically have very active lifestyles so we’re actually quite fit without having to over-think things too much. We’re always on our feet and dashing about the place. Since being in Bali we’ve also taken up surfing as a hobby; getting beaten up by waves is actually oddly rewarding a great form of exercise ! Catching some sunrise surf can really energise you and set you up positively for the day ahead. We also love walking / hiking, diving, yoga and dancing until the early hours; you don’t even notice you’re exercising when it’s fun. Food wise, again moderation is key. We’re lucky that we love healthy foods and tend to make delicious yummy and nutritious smoothies most mornings with whatever we can find to throw in the blender. We also strongly believe that if you want a naughty cake or some ice cream, don’t deny yourself, eat the delicious food. Enjoy! and don’t beat yourself up about it afterwards. Balance, balance, balance!

F.O.T: I love travelling and frequently feature active travel on the blog. You obviously also love travelling… what does it represent to you?
K&C: Travel has always been important to us. It opens the eyes, helps you discover who you really are, as you’re exposed to new challenges and adventures on the open road. Situations you otherwise may never discover, meet people you may never get the chance to meet… Discover colourful cultures, new traditions and of course, sample delicious and exciting foreign foods.

F.O.T: Fave adventure destination?
K&C: Oooh there are so many! We love to be adventurous and go off the beaten track whenever possible. We recently took a trip travelling through Central America which was certainly full of adventure. We went backpacking and took night buses from country to country. Highlights were hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, through the majestic Lost Cities hidden in the dense Amazonian jungle in Peru. Immersing in the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, hiking, snorkelling, camping, kayaking, diving and cycling. Taking the terrifying “Death Road” mountain bike tour in La Paz Bolivia with sheer drops, which has been dubbed the most dangerous road in the world!

F.O.T: The place you love to visit again and again?
K&C: Ibiza, it’s our second home and we spend at least 4 months a year on the island, having been visiting annually since we were children. Its free-spirited, bohemian-chic vibe has been a huge influence on the House of Dharma label. We love how varied the tiny sun kissed island can be; from yoga, meditation and chilling in the rural north with its pine clad treetops, secret beaches and secluded coves, to the all night raving, bustling old-town and chic, bohemian beach clubs in the south.

F.O.T: Unforgettable destination?
K&C: This is a tough one as there are so many unforgettable destinations where the memories will live on forever! A few that really stick out are Palawan – an island in the Philippines. It truly was unspoiled paradise with stretches of tropical beach without another soul around. Also, safari in Kenya with the family was magical!

You can buy Kayleigh & Carrie’s beautiful creations on their website HERE, with free worldwide shipping! Plus, 20% of profits go to charity.

10 KEY BENEFITS OF REFLEXOLOGY!

I recently wrote a post on the multiple benefits of Sports Massage; it’s a topic about which I still receive regular emails, so I thought I’d extend the series into this post looking at reflexology – how it works, along with its many advantages. That’s because in training, we rely on our feet far more than we perhaps realise; for stability in stance, springing up / off, gaining traction, sprinting, climbing, propulsive kicking in the pool… yet for all their relentless use, they’re generally neglected and often in need of some serious TLC. Reflexology is a holistic, ancient Chinese practice, which like a sports massage isn’t a cosmetic skin-level treatment but instead aims to bring relief to a wide range of conditions (including stress, muscle tension, hormonal imbalances, back pain, poor circulation, toxin cleansing, digestive problems, menopause, sleep difficulties, and migraines). My personal experience has been of extreme relaxation and refreshment, which really helped to invigorate my workouts. Read my top 10 benefits of reflexology HERE, along with these pictures we shot with Havaianas on my recent active trip to Santorini …

How does Reflexology work?

It’s a complementary therapy that targets specific reflex points we all have on our feet (as well as lower legs, face, hands, and ears). By massaging and applying manipulative pressure on the feet, practitioners can stimulate the central nervous system in quite precise ways. Specific points on the feet are shown to correspond to functions carried out by other parts of the body, and the pressure applied to them sends signals to release tension to internal organs and/or specific muscles (there’s a great ‘foot map’ HERE, at the Association of Reflexologists online). Importantly, reflexologists never claim to ‘cure’, ‘treat’ or ‘prescribe’; it’s a holistic practice.

Reflexology is believed to release ‘trapped energy’ – a build up of emotional stress or feeling unwell, enabling energy to flow more freely through relaxation. Sounds perhaps a little more whimsical than deconstructing the mechanical science of a deadlift, but there is a science to this too and plenty of educational study which goes into the practice of this discipline. Also, the post-treatment stories from staunch cynics are enough to suggest there’s genuine value here.

Anyone can effectively call themselves a reflexologist, so as with most ‘treatments’ make sure you ask where the person has been trained as it makes all the difference. On my recent trip to Katikes, Santorini (Active Escape coming soon), I spent some relaxing time in the space.

Below is my take on the 10 key benefits of Reflexology:

1) Improved blood circulation – reflexology can stimulate oxygen and nutrient transmission to the organs as well as helping with waste removal. Tension can have a restrictive effect on blood flow which could lead to under-oxygenated muscles, and adverse effects such as the dreaded cramp! This treatment keeps the blood flowing and the tissue fresh!
2) Improved respiratory function – There’s been a swathe of research written to address the way that Reflexology can help those suffering from respiratory disorders. For the asthmatic, the discipline encourages calm, enabling the sufferer to reach the end of the episode more readily – certain reflexology techniques, relating to pressure points in the hand, can help to relax the diaphragm, stimulate our lungs and boost an immune response.
3) Improved endocrine flow – the strongest practicing reflexologists believe they’re able to detect if an endocrine reflex is under/overactive, and can manipulate the reflexes accordingly until such time as they feel a balance returning.
4) Improved immune activity – some people experience healing reactions to reflexology sessions, whereby they’ll have a runny nose for example (I didn’t, personally). It’s thought to be a manifestation of the ‘detoxifying’ process, which is why many recommend that you drink plenty of fluid before and after the session, in order to facilitate the flushing out.
5) Reduce stress – a session of reflexology, from personal experience, promotes relaxation. There’s something surprising about having the feet manipulated in a manner which counteracts the usual toughness they require; this sensation of relaxation is a great combatant to the accumulated stresses.

6) Improved pain relief – in 2010, Dr. Carol Samuel (then of the University of Portsmouth) discovered that following reflexology for pain relief, patients experienced  c.40% less pain, and could tolerate pain for 45% more time. That’s compelling.
7) Eases digestive problems – the likes of indigestion, heartburn, IBS etc are thought to be addressed by acupressure. Certain pressure points around the body are said to help in opening up the digestive channel and in so doing, calm the system.
8) Fatigue – many of us wake up drained of energy, stumbling zombie-like into our daily churn. Direct acupressure on the adrenal, thyroid and kidney points are said to help counteract the fatiguing effects of cortisol and adrenaline, which pervade the troubles of a difficult day.
9) Muscle tension – many of us are sat at desks in one position for too long, we lift heavy objects with poor form, we suffer from emotional bouts… all of which lead to stress and thus muscle tension which congests pathways linking muscles to the rest of the body and only goes to build stress further, along with possible knotted pain. A session of reflexology can help to stimulate the nerve-endings in your feet to release this tension, and in so doing, to render the muscles relaxed.
10) Detoxifying – cleansing the lymphatic, urinary or intestinal systems. Reflexology can counteract the effects of bloating and lethargy, releasing blockage and flushing toxins / waste. The result is a natural balance.

A huge thanks to Havaianas who generously supplied my well-treated feet with a selection of wonderful products, ranging from deliciously summer pale-canary espadrilles, to a fun snoopy-themed pair, and even a show-stopping Swarovski-embellished version of their iconic white flip-flop. All photos were shot on location at the exquisite Katikies Hotel in Santorini, which will be the subject of an upcoming post! Stay tuned x

MEN’S + WOMEN’S HEALTH FEATURES!

A super quick post to say how thrilled I am to have featured in two of my ultimate ‘wellness bibles’ this month – Women’s and Men’s Health. I’m a massive fan of both magazines, and routinely flick through them to access fresh inspiration, so it’s an absolute dream to be a part of them! In Men’s Health I’m wearing a gorgeous blue and white striped ‘Leda body suit‘ by Lucas Hugh (the founder of which I interviewed HERE) paired with some white high wedged Converse trainers. In the Women’s Health shoot I went all autumnal, with an asymmetric top from NikeLab, Casablanca Active capris from We Are Handsome, and a mean pair of Y3 shoes! The magazines are out now, so feel free to pick up a copy and let me know what you think

OLYMPIC PARK RUN WITH BPAY !

I’m super excited to announce that I’ve partnered with bPay to help promote a fitness-friendly way of paying for sustenance whilst you’re training! To demonstrate what I mean, I went for a little run around the stunning London 2012 Olympic Park, fed and watered myself along the way – but purposely left my wallet and cards at home! I wanted to be involved in this project because I think it solves a genuine problem I’ve encountered in the pursuit of a healthy, active lifestyle; minimising clutter when I’m training – I simply wore my bPay wristband and hit the road! Click MORE to get my photos from the campus, discover my picturesque [if slightly overcast] running route, and see what I got up to before and after ? !

I was at the Olympic Park for a training session with some Olympic athletes in the London Aquatics Centre, which is now a leisure centre and fully open to the public. There’s the epic 50-meter 8-lane pool, and a 25-metre diving pool with multiple platforms, along with a world-class gym on-premise too! The broader Olympic Park has way more to offer than I’d imagined, and is well worth a visit if you’ve not been since it entered life in “public service”. But aside from the Aquatics Centre (where you can learn to swim, dive, play water polo etc – n.b. my bPay band isn’t waterproof, just splash proof!), you can also cycle in the Velodrome, play a spot of tennis or handball, practice fencing, badminton, train in the myriad gyms – and much more…

After my swim session, I went for a 2 mile run to explore the beautiful surrounding parkland grounds – you can click HERE to access my route. My start point was the Velodrome (pictured below), which is the iconic, award-winning 6,000-seat venue of the UK’s overwhelming performance which resulted in 7 gold medals in 2012! These days it’s open for schools, clubs and community groups. There’s also the option to ‘pay and ride’ for visitors. Using my bPay wristband, I grabbed a water, fuelled up with a banana, whilst watching people hypnotically cycle round, then set off on my run!

I worked my way around and then stopped off at the UK’s tallest sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit. At the top you can grab a bite to eat and adore the breathtaking views. However since it was overcast I admired the building from below and jogged on by! Next door you’ll find the huge Olympic Stadium, where those spectacular 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies were held. It’s now the home for West Ham United FC and is the National Competition Centre for athletics in the UK, as well as a major venue for many other sporting events. It’s open to the public all year round for visits!

A lot of the fields surrounding the park are planted with wildflowers and you’ll find lots of exotic wildlife – well, exotic for the UK at least! It’s the perfect spot for a little picnic, or indeed an outdoor workout!

You can jog along the canal (or jump on one of the boats) for a tour along the water. You’ll pass the International Quarter, the Copper Box Arena, timber Lodge Arena and then stop off and like me, be a tourist and pretend you’re an athlete whilst striking a pose next to the Olympic rings.

At the end of my swim-and-jog I was ravished and needed a healthy refuel. Luckily, Westfield Stratford is just across the way from the Aquatic Centre, so after finishing my run, I stopped in for a gorgeous tuna steak with quinoa and  potato and green tea.

I’ve found that the bPay products remove the traditional bulky constraints of a wallet (& bag in which to carry it), replacing it with a pretty innovative and convenient cash solution. When I run, I often won’t have space in my compression pants for even a credit card; I might only have my phone with me, or it could be just my keys in my hand, not even a phone! The idea behind bPay is that you’ve always got a contactless way of paying for anything costing £20 and under – that emergency bottle of water, a banana for energy, a post-workout meal or juice etc. You simply set it up online, fund your bPay device (sticker / key fob / wristband) with an amount from your usual bank card (anyone with a UK-registered Visa or MasterCard can use them), set it to auto top-up if you want, and you’re good to pay wherever there’s a contactless symbol – without lugging your wallet around! You can pick yours up from Runner’s Need, HERE!

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This is a sponsored piece of content, and a paid collaboration with bPay.

MONREAL IN EZE

A quick little post featuring the new ‘Queens Collection‘ from one of my all time favourite Fitness Fashion houses, Monreal London. I live in fitness clothes (mostly because it’s my daily ‘uniform’ to train clients), and as such, I’m always on the lookout for revolutionary design which straddles fitness and fashion. In this latest collection from Monreal, I’ve noticed a serious advancement from tennis-wear to genuine crossover attire; pieces that are smart enough to wear for anything short of a wedding, yet still casual enough to train in, thanks to a neat, purposefully minimal aesthetic. I shot this look on my recent active escape to France, in the grounds of Chateau De La Chèvre D’Or, as well as a couple of shots in my studio.

The collection, as the name may suggest, is inspired by Queens – not as you Brits may think the epic Queens Club in Barons Court, London, which hosts the annual pre-Wimbledon grass championship (as per my recent visit). Instead, designer Stefani Grosse (who I interviewed recently HERE) draws upon the creative energy from the Manhattan neighbourhood of TriBeCa, so called for being an acronym of TRIangle BElow CAnal (Street), and one of my absolute favourite parts of that magical island. The reference to triangular geometry is clearly perceptible in the graphic lines of these leggings, and not by accident!

The palate of the broader TriBeCa collection (of which Queens forms a ‘capsule-esque’ part) is unlike the colours you might have come to expect from Tennis styling; of course there’s white, but it’s punctuated by more bold, brightly blocked colours, mirroring the punchy colouring of a Roy Lichtenstein pop art masterpiece. The result is something that’s clearly meant for purposes other than just a court, which is what appeals to me, as 99% of the time, I’m not on court!

Key highlights of the collection for me, are contrasting insert panels on the tees, heat transfer detailing, beautiful pop-art prints by Malika LeFavre, preppy cable-knit detailing, some ultra-versatile zip-up jackets which are a bit of a mainstay in my wardrobe, and of course the development on their signature sporty dress worn by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Pippa Middleton. All underpinned by beautiful quality of production, and aspirational subtle gold and silver details here and there.

I’ve been wearing the gorgeous signature jacket with a pair of white skinny jeans all summer, but it’s versatile enough to go with most training clothes! I think this sort of development is great news for those of us who’d like to see activewear look more chic than merely a pair of thoughtless black leggings, and the fashion world is clearly responding to our demands – long may it continue!

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I WAS WEARING:

Jacket: Signature Jacket – Monreal Queens Collection
Top: Racerback Top similar product here – Monreal Queens Collection
Leggings: Booty Boost Leggings – Blue – Monreal Queens Collection

BLOGGING 101 ???

Since I started blogging, I’ve repeatedly been questioned about how it all comes together to form a blog post. One of the most regular emails that lands in the Fitness On Toast inbox is from people who are setting off on their own exciting blog journeys, and are seeking ‘tips & tricks’. I can’t answer all of those, so this post is supposed to tackle exactly that; It’s 2.5 years worth of blogging experience distilled into a behind-the-scenes slither of insight, packaged as a ‘top-7’ post!

Blogging isn’t all creamy lattes and pastel macaroons (yum!); far from it! You’re basically a mini media empire, condensed into one small body. Running a blog will practically expose you to some awesome skills; photography, videography, graphic design, copywriting, creative thinking, brand development, corporate communication, trend analysis, administration, accountancy etc. It can be overwhelming, but here are my top 7 observations about how to approach the discipline!

1. EXPRESS THE PASSION!

I only ever write on topics I’m truly passionate about; something on which I have a genuine and differentiated view. I think it’s important to be yourself, use your own voice when writing, because occasionally we encounter a blog where everything feels a bit ‘forced’, and there’s a distinct impression that what’s being written isn’t genuine. At that point, the fight is lost, and readers very quickly lose interest. Yes, much has been said before in the history of existence, but your own unique view, couched in your own authentic style of expression, can meaningfully advance the debate!

2. PICTURES – A THOUSAND WORDS!

In 99.9% of my blog posts, I use my own imagery, and indeed across Instagram / Twitter too. My photographer and I each use a Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera, usually equipped with a 50mm f 1.2 lens, which gives a fantastically versatile user experience, and a super high-quality result, every time. The reason I go to some lengths over the photographic component (often doubling the amount of time it takes to put a post together) is because I think that original imagery can really transform and lift the written content I’ve taken time to craft; it gives the opportunity to develop and create a unique ‘look and feel’ that represents your own blog, and complements your message. That aesthetic is hopefully identifiable for the reader, and it’s part of who I am!

3. WORKSPACE IS EVERYTHING!

My blogging space is super important to me – it’s the one you see in the images throughout this post! I think that your ‘office’ has a huge, unconscious impact on the content you produce; if you’re surrounded by disorderly clutter, your posts may inadvertently feel the same! I use a dedicated room that’s got whitewashed walls, high ceilings, is bathed in plenty of natural light, has a huge whiteboard to help me manage workflow and ideas, has the right photographic and computer equipment to enable me to create the necessary content when I need it (which is really important, as you’re never waiting on someone else to deliver something that way!) – plus it has a good sound system which is crucial to while away long stints of writing! I discuss my blogging workspace in more detail HERE.

4. LASER FOCUS!

Having a clear direction with your blog is super important, in my view. Even if it’s a ‘lifestyle blog’, which encompasses pretty much everything in the world, your reader should feel as though it’s your voice and indenting it as your style. Is it aspirational/inspirational/bohemian/vintage, and so forth. Not everyone will like it, but those who do will keep checking back in, as they might somehow relate to your content!

5. WRITE LIKE A PRO

Whilst I’m not the grammar police and admittedly make mistakes left write & scenter (lol? no) – repeated, sloppy spelling mistakes are a turn-off. Even though it’s just me working on my content, I like to go over it time and again to ensure it can stand up to a robust challenge! It means that people should be happy to take your work seriously, to consider it professional, and it stops anything coming between your message and the reader’s unbiased consideration! THIS is a great free service which should act as a watchful eye over everything you scribble!

6. ENGAGE & NETWORK!

Whether you’re left with 1 or 50 comments, try to reply and engage, because someone has taken the time not only to read the post, but was also moved enough by it to make a comment (unless it’s a bot, but you can spot them pretty quickly!). Similarly, it’s great to know those who are doing the same thing as you! I don’t think of my fellow bloggers as competition – the internet’s big enough for everyone, and all opinions can add value! I’m happy to share content, encourage and support other bloggers. Everyone has his/her unique style, and sharing opportunities means sharing readers and a chance to grow and engage the readership more!

7. HONE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS

There are so many social media platforms these days – to stay on top of them all is a full time job in itself. Having said that, I think it’s totally worth dedicating some regular time towards a few specific channels to start (as many as you can manage to do well), as it will help to broaden the reach of your message so that more people feel inclined to get involved! I joined Instagram fairly late but now find I love it – it’s intimidating at the start, but you soon lose that once you get into it! Your blog is all about sharing a message; to go so far as to write the blog, but then not to share it properly is like wrapping up presents and then never giving them to anyone…

Good luck with your own blog journey!! x

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THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY SIMPLY BUSINESS