Top 10 fitness influencers of 2017 - Rachel Brathen
I have been doing a lot of research into health and fitness over the last few months in my quest to start this shiny new blog. As an avid follower of many influencers, who I look to for workout tips and great recipes, I found a brilliant article about some of the top influencers of 2017 by Forbes - so thought I'd put together some info on my favourites from this list!
Coming in at Number 10, but one of my favourites is Rachel Brathen - 'Yoga Girl' http://rachelbrathen.com
An entrepreneur, bohemian and recently new mother. Rachel now lives on the beautiful island of Aruba with her family, she also runs a yoga studio/ retreat - Island Yoga. www.islandyoga.com
She pioneered Sup yoga - which is yoga on a large surf board - it looks so much fun!
Originating from Sweden Rachel began her globetrotting after graduating from school in Stockholm. She traveled to Costa Rica and it was here that she found the joy of incorporating yoga into her everyday life. Deepening her yoga practice and also taking her first steps towards teaching, she ended up moving to Central America where she spent years exploring the intricate studies of yoga and spirituality. She eventually settled in Aruba where she has set up with her husband, Dennis, but continues to travel the world sharing her yoga with the worldwide community she has created.
Being a big fan of Rachel and what she has done as both an entrepreneur and philanthropist, ( she has a non profit organisation www.sgtpeppersfriends.com helping rescues animals) she is also real - she is not afraid to share her feelings through social media and talk about the good, bad and ugly parts of her life. I think that shows her incredible strength and bravery as a woman, but also her vulnerability, and that it is ok to have 'crap' days!!
I read an interview she did a while back to promote her book yoga girl (a New York times bestseller) and think her realness comes across, she openly talks in the below interview with the Telegraph:
Does she ever fall off the wagon? "All the time," she laughs. "I was on a nine-week US book tour and had booked yoga teachers to come to my hotel rooms but after a week I gave up and went to bed."
Staying in shape, she maintains, doesn't have to mean a sweaty class. It could be stretching the parts of your body that ache, meditating or even just taking a bath. "It's more important to practice self love,"
And it's fine to have a beer after work. Being healthy, in Rachel's view, doesn't have to mean avoiding wine or dessert.
"If you're in a good place mentally you can do these things and you won't feel guilty," she says. "You will just get up the next morning and do yoga."
In a nutshell this is why I think she is a great inspiration - she's real, and openly shows that knowone is perfect! But what we should all be doing is looking after ourselves and loving ourselves more.
Thanks for reading x
