How to start a men's lifestyle blog - from the pros
By the end of this article, you’re going to know exactly how and why you should be starting a men’s lifestyle blog. Let’s get into it.
What would you do if you could round up your industry’s leaders? Would you gawp at them or would you pick their brains about how they got to where they are? Luckily, I went for the latter and decided to reach out to some of the top men’s bloggers to quiz them on how they got to where they are and what tips they’d give for starting up your very own men’s lifestyle blog.
MEN’S LIFESTYLE BLOG? WHAT’S THAT?
When I started out my men’s lifestyle blog, there was a wealth of info out there about starting a blog but, a lot of it was focused around female blogging – which seems to be a much larger market than the male equivalent. Don’t get me wrong, that’s fine – if there’s a bigger market for that then fair play.
But my blog was a men’s lifestyle blog.
With this in mind, I decided to get as many of the top brass as I could involved in the creation of this guide so that the men’s lifestyle market could finally have the guide that all of us would have wanted when we were starting out.
This will hopefully be the new blogger’s holy grail, so listen closely and milk these answers for everything they’re worth. All bloggers – both those starting out and those who think of themselves as seasoned veterans, can pick up some fantastic tips along the way.
If you’d like to learn more from any of the guys down below then drop them a line – I’ll link their contacts underneath.
Right, let’s get down to it.
SAM SQUIRE
Imsamsquire.co.uk // Twitter // Instagram
Hello@imsamsquire.co.uk
How and why did you get into blogging?
My sister is a blogger and I saw the cool things she got involved in and when I started 4 years ago there wasn’t a whole tonne of guys doing it. There was loads of girls blogging about fashion and lifestyle, however not a load of guys.
I thought I would give it a try and see if there is a niche out there for male bloggers. Really it was just to fill a bit of time, and I definitely didn’t think that 4 years later I would still be going and people would still be reading!
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
I think it’s gone from being something that I can use to fill a bit of time here and there to being a real hobby! I personally have no intentions to ever become a full time blogger, but it’s become something that is actually recognised within the industry.
When I first started I was always looking for a break, looking to work with people and emailing around to see what opportunities brands had. Unfortunately most weren’t actually interested in working with me, however now brands contact me asking for collaborations, advertising and sponsorship deals and I have had some massive opportunities to work with brands.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Patience
The first is patience, I was so keen to get going and start working with brands at the beginning that when it didn’t happen, I felt like I must’ve been doing something wrong. That’s definitely not the case, it just takes time!
Hard work
The second is hard work, like with anything in life, you don’t get success without a bit of graft. If you’re not in it for the hard work then don’t even try – you need to be prepared to put time into your content to make it the best it could possibly be!
Honesty
My third is honesty, list most honest creators, I am sick of seeing new creators come along and get 50k followers in a month by using bots to grow their followings. It’s important to remain honest and get your growth organically, otherwise you’ve lost the respect of fellow creators before you’ve even started!
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
Honestly, not really! When I first started I felt super inadequate compared to some of the awesome creators out there. I really looked up to creators like John from The Everyday Man, and Matthew Zorpas from The Gentleman Blogger – they were two people that definitely shaped the way I create my content.
I think on the most part though you can reach out to any content creator with any questions or to ask for advice, really we’re a pretty tight community in the male blogging sphere, minus a few that have cheated their way to success – so we’re all pretty happy to give new creators a bit of direction!
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Work hard, engage with as many creators as you can, and make the most of the experience – don’t forget to showcase your personality!
Sam Squire
CURTIS ROSCOE
Curtisluke.com // Instagram
curtisroscoe@gmail.com
Who are you?
Hi! My names Curtis Roscoe, I run the blog CurtisLuke.com where I chat all about fashion, lifestyle and travel. I’m from Wales but currently study in university in London.
How and why did you get into blogging?
I got into blogging through writing for other sites and through internships in the entertainment industry. I decided that this was something I genuinely love so created my blog back in May!
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
My blog has and always will be a personal blog. The name ‘CurtisLuke’ comes from my first and middle name. I’m only ever called Curtis Luke by my closest family members. So having this as an overall theme for my blog made it feel so much more personal.
It’s evolved because now I feel like I’ve become more daring in my writing. I’m not scared to challenge views and express my opinions.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Passion
Write what you are passionate about (the biggest thing).
Authenticity
Don’t pretend, be authentic. Don’t try write a positive review about something you didn’t like.
Time
Take your time. The best bloggers don’t shoot out a 500 word blog post everyday, they take time.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
I looked to some bloggers that I followed before I started people like Em Sheldon. She’s a great example of someone who balances being able to blog effectively and also showcase this through social media. You genuinely feel invested in her life. Ali Gordon is another great example. His work ethic is insane.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Be you, be bold, be brace. Don’t be scared to challenge blogging stereotypes, make your own trend.
Curtis Roscoe
CARL THOMPSON
Carlthompson.co.uk // Twitter // Instagram
Carl@pincollarshirts.co.uk
Who are you?
I’m Carl Thompson, 5 years ago I left a very successful career in IT to pursue a better work/life balance in the menswear industry. In 2013 I launched ‘Hawkins & Shepherd‘ and began selling luxury, hand-crafted shirts, suits, coats and accessories.
Shortly after I launched blog – I now work from home 7 days a week from 7.30am to about 10pm most days, if not later.
How and why did you get into blogging?
To begin with I was looking to drive more traffic to my Menswear label, but it soon came apparent that the blog was developing into something separate and deserved its own platform. More and more people were coming to me for advice and I wanted to provide a place for people that wanted to further themselves.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
Primarily it’s still menswear orientated. Menswear is my wheelhouse and I can write prolifically and importantly; fast, when it comes to menswear. Sometime ago Menswear began to bleed into other areas like Lifestyle, and I wanted to talk about things other than fashion such as travel, cars etc.
And Carl Thompson the blog became an extension of Carl Thompson the person. I love showing off the blog now, although I’ll forever be tweaking it. It has to evolve.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Imagery
Imagery is key and is paramount on my blog. I collaborate with a lot of other talented bloggers and photographers. If you’re looking to get into blogging, then I suggest investing in fair-to-middling camera.
You can pick one up between the £100-200 mark second hand and just experiment. Watch online tutorials and convince your friends or folks to get you some photography classes for Xmas.
Work ethic
You have to be willing to get up before everyone else, work longer than everyone else and turn up to a lot of events for free. You’ll have to write a lot of reviews for free. If you have a laissez faire attitude towards blogging it will forever be a hobby, not a success.
Be an all-rounder
It’s not just enough being a good writer, or a good photographer. You have to be knowledgeable about multiple social media platforms. You have to know how websites and WordPress templates work.
I’ve come to realise that you have to have as many arrows in your quiver as possible. (Even now I’m learning the world of podcasting). If you think you’re going to get by on your good looks then good luck. You won’t be able to ride that gravy train forever.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Rocky Balboa – It ain’t how hard you hit, it’s how hard you get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.
Yoda – Do, or do not. There is no “try”
Rafiki – Oh yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it, or learn from it.
Ferris Bueller – Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
Neil McCauley – You want to be making moves on the street, have no attachments, allow nothing to be in your life that you cannot walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner.
Oh wait… did you mean characters as in… oh boy that’s embarrassing. But phew, 140? I thought I was going to be here all night.
Carl Thompson
MICHAEL ADAMS
Michael84.co.uk // Twitter // Instagram
Hola@michael84.co.uk
How and why did you get into blogging?
I have always had an interest in the web and creating things, and have made other web properties such as websites and forums, so moving on to a men’s lifestyle blog was a natural progression for me.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
Michael 84 is about men’s fashion and lifestyle, and combines personal thoughts and reviews, to news and information about what’s going on in menswear and everything guys like.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Work
Putting the work in is definitely the first, you need great content for people to want to come and read it.
Promotion
Being active promoting it is another, this can be by utilising social media.
Perseverance
The last thing is to keep going, so many people start a men’s lifestyle blog because they think it’s a good idea and then it fades away. Most the successful ones are the ones who keep persevering.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
Not really, since this has been more of a passion than anything else and it’s something which I am interested in. The web is always changing so I am always learning, and do a lot of reading and discussing the more technical sides of running a blog.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Start a blog for the right reasons and make sure that you’re prepared to work on it, make sure it’s ready then just put it out there.
Michael Adams
JOHN ROBERTSON
Theeverydayman.com // Twitter // Instagram
mail@theeverydayman.co.uk
Who are you?
I’m John and I’ve been writing The Everyday Man for 5 years now. It’s essentially a men’s lifestyle blog that brings together things that I like with a slight editorial edge. I cover lots of topics so I hope that most people will find at least one strand that they can resonate with.
How and why did you get into blogging?
I started it back in 2012 as a hobby with no vision of it ever becoming anything more than that. Over time the growth came and I started to take it more seriously.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
It’s a lifestyle site so I cover a whole range of topics, everything from cars to art and culture to travel. I love the variety of stuff that it enables me to experience. Over time it has become a lot more structured but I still try to keep my original ethos of only featuring things that I like or would like to try.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Hard work, creativity and commitment I’d say.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
Of course. My friend Paula started a site around the same time (The LDN Diaries) and I took a lot of help from her in the beginning.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Don’t become one of those generic samey sites. By being yourself and not following that mould you will stand out instantly from the crowd.
John Robertson
RORY CARRICK
Eatdrinkrunfun.com // Twitter // Instagram
Rory@eatdrinkrunfun.com
Who are you?
I’m Rory, I’m 40 years of age and my day job is working in the School of Psychology in Trinity College Dublin. I’ve been with them 12 years and am a quadruple graduate of Trinity. This year I’ve returned to study with them for a fifth time and am working through an M.Sc in Digital Marketing Strategy.
How and why did you get into blogging?
I had spent a lot of time studying part time and decided to take a break. I’m a man of many interests and always tied with the idea of doing some writing. I had been reading blogs for years and thought, what better way to try my hand at some writing and at the same time explore my interests which had been put on hold while I studied.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
My men’s lifestyle blog is an eclectic mix of content. I have a strong interest in food and drink so there is an emphasis on that. I’ve also spent time studying wine so you will see some wine reviews scattered throughout it. Movies, travel and running are also passions of mine which feature on the site.
I suppose the blog is a reflection of me. Depending on what is going on in my life the content will change. There may be a burst of travel if I have been away, or a feature on running if I’ve been spending too much time eating and drinking. It’s essentially a diary of my adventures in life.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Success?
First I think you need to decide what success means to you. To me, it’s knowing that people read it. I have a full time job so my focus is not on making it into a monetised platform. I write about my interests and that comes first. If a commercial opportunity comes along, I’d consider it, but its not paramount for me.
Effort
Other factors I would consider are making the effort to put the time into your content. If you want people to read it then content is key. Write with passion and people will read with joy.
Numbers
Lastly, I would say, don’t get caught up with numbers. Sure everyone wants their blog read but 40 engaged readers who give you feedback are worth more than a 100 who never talk/engage with you at all. An audience will grow over time and you will find your voice and your niche.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
Yes, the technical aspects of setting up a blog can be trick. Buying your domain and getting to grips with all the roles a blogger has to play. You are writer, editor, photographer, videographer, marketer and promoter of your work.
I was lucky to have friends in the blogging world who were generous with their time and gave me plenty of set up help. Tips that ranged from, the best way to take photos of food to linking your social media accounts and not being afraid to share your work.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Be you. Be your own voice and write about what excites you. Focus on your own work and don’t copy others and you will find your place.
Rory Carrick
PETER GEMMELL
Thegentlemanselect.com // Twitter // Instagram
info@thegentlemanselect.com
Who are you?
My name is Peter and I’m the founder and editor of the men’s lifestyle blog, The Gentleman Select. Through my passion for blogging and fashion I have expanded into contributing to the Telegraph Men’s Fashion section, worked with brands such as Wax London, Mercedes Benz and Braun all whilst meeting some wonderful people along the way.
How and why did you get into blogging?
I actually got into blogging through a couple of factors. Initially my good friend John who runs The Everyday Man had been doing this for some time and I caught a bit of the bug from him.
Also for as long as I can remember I’ve always had an interest in fashion and various lifestyle aspects so to be able to put in writing what I like and importantly what I feel readers would like to know about was a huge influential factor for me.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
The Gentleman Select has a focus on men’s fashion, lifestyle and motoring. It covers many aspects which are current and also more niche areas which may be slightly more off the radar to many readers but I feel they would love to know about.
The blog has evolved in such an amazing way as originally it focused on Horology (watches), another passion of mine, however as I began to introduce more and more of my other interests it evolved and expanded rapidly.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Content
For me the first has got to be creating great, engaging content. Through doing this, it keeps my regular readers excited and engaged and also grows my new, unique visitors as well.
Consistency
This then nicely leads in to the second important factor and that is posting content regularly. It stops the blog getting stale and keeps my momentum going.
Imagery
For me it is also important to have strong images to compliment the article, this can give the viewers a great insight into what a jacket, for example, may look like on, this in turn also helps the brands you are working with.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
Yes definitely, my friend John of The Everyday Man was a fantastic help to me when starting out. There was certain aspects I was unsure of such as how to respond to various emails and how to lay out and structure my website when building it. Certainly don’t be afraid to ask for help, there’s plenty of people out there ready and willing!
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Simply just keep working away at it. It takes time! Stay true to putting out good content and don’t be drawn into cutting corners to get ahead. You’ll get there!
Peter Gemmell
DAN BARTLE
Ablokeseyeview.co.uk // Instagram
Lifeofdanblog@gmail.com
Who are you?
My name is Dan and I am a part time blogger! I run a men’s lifestyle blog. I have been blogging for a few years now, but recently re-launched my blog due to taking a year out to concentrate on family life as I became a dad last year!
How and why did you get into blogging?
I first got into blogging when my partner started an apprenticeship in PR, she introduced me to blogging as there weren’t many male bloggers around at the time. I thought I would give it a try, I have never had an interest in writing however this totally changed my view on it!
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
I originally started with a specialist blog relating to ethical consumerism, however I quickly realised that as this was such a niche subject that it really limited what I could write about and my reader base. My blog has evolved into a men’s lifestyle blog, I don’t have a specialism like some blogs do I just write about anything and everything that I am interested in.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Original
Keep your blog original and don’t stray away from your writing style. By doing this you will keep your readers coming back, there are so many bloggers producing plastic posts. They are about different products, however the actual content is same blog after blog.
Social Media
Have a social media “A” game and plan. Social media is the best way to interact with your following, again keep this personal. Show there is an actual human behind your blog and not a robot. So many people make this mistake and schedule post after post, by doing this you can’t always interact to any comments you may receive.
Time
Don’t rush your posts. A lot of people are under the impression you need to post a blog per a day! Some of the bigger bloggers sometimes don’t post once a month! Take time on your posts and always ensure the content you post is relevant. Just remember that if you don’t post in a while to keep on top of your social media.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
To be honest when I first started my grammar was terrible and my writing style was wooden! I turned to my partner and constantly asked her for feedback so I could improve my content.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Interact with your following! Ask them for feedback on your posts. Just remember that there are some really honest people on the internet and you might not always like their comments!
Dan Bartle
KRIS STURMEY
1st-man.com // Instagram
business@krissturmey.com
Who are you?
My name’s Kris founder of 1STMAN, I’m an entrepreneur and director, 25 years old living in London
How and why did you get into blogging?
I started my men’s lifestyle blog because of my own research. I was finding all of this information online in order to improve my own life, and I thought it would be great to share this knowledge and help the male community. I also had a bigger vision of producing high level video content which I knew could begin with a small blog and a loyal following.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
1STMAN focuses on 3 things, showcasing, professionalism and value. We like to combine the best of men’s lifestyles without getting too materialistic. If we were to film a man in a Ferrari with a Rolex on but without any advice/interview content, then it would just be a waste of people’s time.
Therefore we never lose sight of our self-improvement roots which got us to where we are today. In fact that’s how the business has evolved. We’ve increased the professionalism and delivery with each transition without deviating from the original ethos which is so important to us. In short the end vision has remained the same, but the path we took to get there changed multiple times.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Promotion
Don’t get caught in a writing cycle. Make sure you’re promoting the content 90% of the time and only writing it 10%. Too many people are concerned with what to write next, however by promoting your best 10 pieces of content relentlessly, they could bring in 50,000 people per month once they rank on Google.
There’s no point spending hours writing content if only 100 people are going to read it. Once you have a huge audience you can write daily in order to keep them there, but at the start rankings are so important.
Detachment
Be detached from the content. Most people start a men’s lifestyle blog and write about themselves and their own experiences. You’re going to run out of content quickly and people will become bored with the “I, me, in my opinion” vibe. Umbrella blogs that have multiple voices and use a report style rather than a story telling style always grow bigger long term.
Originality
Be original. Write every idea and thought down. A lot of people will say that you should simply write all the time and get everything out there. I believe you should write a lot, but only put a few pieces out there. I start with a huge list of potential projects, documentaries, articles, etc that we could produce.
Then I start slashing the typical, boring and bad ideas off the list. Do this until you only have the finest pieces of content left, it’ll improve the overall quality of your blog and force you to think deeper. Take a fashion blog for example. The obvious and boring choice is to write “How men can dress better” but this is dull, it’s been done before and you’re going to get swallowed in the SEO.
Instead sit and come up with original content or alternative ways of producing the same ideas. This increases SEO rankings and gives people a reason to come back to read your content. If your men’s lifestyle blog is a clone of larger and already established blogs, then why would anyone read yours?
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
Sean Russell of Menprovement and myself would talk a lot via email, so he was like a blogging mentor for me. But my main inspiration has to be the likes of GQ, Esquire, Mr Porter etc. I never saw 1STMAN as a simple blog and therefore always looked at the whales of the men’s lifestyle industry as the benchmark.
I was thinking about hosting and filming fashion shows before I even registered the domain name 3-4 years ago, and now we’ve just started doing this type of content.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Align the brand with the long-term vision and decide upon your entire identity/strategy before you even write a single word.
Kris Sturmey
FRANK CRONIN
fashionablefrank.com // Twitter // Instagram
fashionablefrank@gmail.com
Who are you?
My name is Frank and I am a fashion fanatic! I love sports particularly football and I support Juventus in Italy. In fact I love Italy! It is my favourite country to visit. I love travelling, photography, writing and reading and the gym.
How and why did you get into blogging?
My men’s lifestyle blog is primarily about fashion & lifestyle and recently I have begun to produce fashion and style tip videos. My YouTube channel made the final of the V by Very Blogs Ireland 2017, I was thrilled with this as I have only been shooting video for a short time.
I had no video editing or video shooting experience at all which makes it even more remarkable! fashionablefrank.com has also been as one of the Top 50 UK Men’s Fashion and Style Blogs in 2017, Top 100 Men’s lifestyle Blogs as well as shortlisted for Best Fashion Blog in Ireland in 2016 and 2017.
My aim is for my blog is to become a resource for any man wishing to dress better and feel more confident about their personal style. I believe the better you look, the better you feel! I realise not every guy is interested in fashion so I try to write posts which appeal to every man regardless of his level of interest in fashion.
Looking good to one guy is totally different to what another would consider to be well dressed so I mix up my posts to appeal to most guys. My blog is quite detailed from the point of view it shows easy to understand tips like;
How to wear…the latest trends, white jeans, khaki, a grey blazer etc
What to wear…to different events like a christening, the races, on a date etc
Every man needs…certain pieces in his wardrobe like a grey blazer
Style tips…my sale shopping tips with practical advice and the pieces I have picked for great prices.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
During my short career my blog has evolved through the use of technology. I have discovered some new passions like photography and producing videos, both of which are challenging but rewarding! I get to travel quite a bit too so I want to write more about these experiences too.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
This is a difficult question to answer since success can be defined in a number of ways. For me, the factors I think you need for a successful blog are;
Happiness
Happiness! Blogging is a lonely, sometimes derided hobby/profession but why you started it is what will keep you going! Success means different things to different people.
It might sound absurd but happiness is certainly a crucial factor in the success of a blog. There will be times when running your blog will be tough! We all experience it. Is it worth it? No one reads my stuff? Etc its in these moments of desperation you need to remember why you started your blog.
Recognition
While happiness is important I think recognition of your hard work is amazing to receive and develops hunger for more. Recognition is also a sign your on the right track for the industry you are in. I encourage entering awards and competitions because they give you a glimpse of what others are doing. Its an opportunity to learn too.
Down Time
I think it is important to have some down time with your blog. Yes, it is a passion almost an obsession BUT sometimes taking a break from it can lead to new ideas and recharge the creative batteries. Taking some time off will feed the hunger and passion for your blog again! This is something I have learnt during my short blogging career.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why
This probably sounds bad but no. I had an idea and saw a niche in the market and went for it. My aim is to help guys to look good, dress better and feel more confident about their fashion and style choices. I want to show guys you don’t have to spend a lot of money on big brand names to look good.
You won’t instantly look better because you are rocking a big brand name. Fashion pieces and how you style them will determine how you look, good or bad. Factors like colour flow and how you layer clothes are what creates a great outfit! It is about the synergy of your outfit. The power of looking good cannot be underestimated! If you look good, you feel good!
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Try to spot a niche in the market. The industry can be tough & very competitive but focus on why you started your blog. Believe in yourself!
Frank Cronin
MIKE LYONS
Mklyns.com // Twitter // Instagram
Mklyns1@gmail.com
Who are you?
My name is Mike Lyons and I’m a part time blogger from a small city called Chester in the north west of England.
How and why did you get into blogging?
I’ve always been interested in menswear, lifestyle and interior design and the launch of Instagram only fuelled my interest. This helped me find new blogs and ultimately led to me bite the bullet and launch my own blog last year!
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
I think my blog is relatively young in terms of some bloggers but it’s started to gain some good traction recently which has helped me to work with brands I never expected to have the opportunity to! My blog is mainly ramblings about places I visit, products I love and new menswear collections from some of my favourite brands.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
I’d definitely say consistency and quality is a huge factor, stick to a similar theme across your content and actually create content you’d want to read yourself!
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
To be honest I read so many blogs and I’m finding new ones week in week out. All of them have some sort of influence, a lot of them set the bar very high content wise which gives me some great ideas for my own pieces.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Create content you’d want to read yourself, invest in a half decent camera, use light to your advantage & keep your content similar in style if you want to make a successful men’s lifestyle blog.
ANDY LONGLEY
Offthecuffldn.co.uk // Twitter // Instagram
Offthecuffldn@gmail.com
Who are you?
My names Andy Longley, I’m the co-founder at off the cuff / ldn where I spend most of my time but I also work agency and client side in the digital industry with large fashion brands across the UK & Europe and I’m currently based in Amsterdam working on ASICS’ digital strategy.
How and why did you get into blogging?
It was a passion thing really, after struggling to find men’s lifestyle blogs blogs that really represented the brands we were interested in we decided to go out on our own and setup a site covering everything we couldn’t find elsewhere.
We really felt British brands that weren’t on the high street were being overlook and we wanted to change that.
What is your blog and how has it evolved over time?
Our aim is to bring together a unique blend of British heritage & modern minimalism to create a magazine & men’s lifestyle blog that celebrates British style culture and embraces the aesthetics & inspirations behind modern men’s style.
Nowadays we only really work with the brands we love, showcasing accessible premium menswear and lifestyle products to create a blog that we hope you’ll find refreshingly different & inspiring.
What are the 3 most important factors when it comes to making your blog a success?
Passion
You have to have a genuine passion for it, if not you won’t last long as it’s not as easy as people may assume, something other than likes and shares need to keep you motivated.
Design
Not the sexiest topic but it’s crucial to be have the right CMS. We spent the first year of our men’s lifestyle blog constantly fighting against a limited system with a poor design and it distracts you from everything else that matters.
Identity
Have a clear point of view that runs through all your posts. With every generic men’s lifestyle blog out there, the majority pass people by. You need to let people know what your blog stands for that others don’t.
Is there anyone you looked to for help when starting out and why?
I’m a big fan of Mr Porter’s journal and took a lot of inspiration from there, in terms of direct help from people – we had to rely on a few web development colleagues to get us all the functionality and clean design we have now.
What advice would you give to new men’s lifestyle bloggers in 140 characters?
Choose a topic you’ll always enjoy. Find a perspective that’s different to the rest. Put equal effort into sharing content as producing it.
Now you have all the knowledge on starting, evolving & making a success of your men’s lifestyle blog. Obviously it doesn’t have to be a men’s lifestyle blog – it can be any sort of blog you want. But, foundations of a men’s lifestyle blog can be applied to any sort of blog you can think of.
Reckon I could say men’s lifestyle blog any more?
All that’s left to do is apply what all the guys have said and maybe one day you’ll make it into an article like this!
Make sure to follow each of the fantastic interviewees to stay up to date with what they’re doing – I’m sure you’ll pick up a tip or two along the way.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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The 80/20 Rule: Benefits of the Pareto Principle
WHAT IS 80/20?
The Pareto Principle or as it’s more commonly known, the 80/20 rule, was devised by Joseph Juran in 1896. In its most basic terms, it argues that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. This can be observed throughout all walks of life – economics, science, software and even sports & exercise.
One interesting thing I like to focus on is exercise. In exercise 20% of your exercises are going to get you 80% of the gains (think compound movements) and the extra 80% will add in your 20% extra to the gains (think isolation movements and pump training).
This shows us how wasting time with our inefficient high rep, no weight-progression training methods will not be the exercises getting us results, but the constant progressive overload of muscles with lower rep strength-based moves are.
WHAT BENEFITS DOES IT HOLD?
In short, the benefits you can reap from applying the 80/20 rule to every aspect of your life are;
Allows you to funnel your approach and focus your full energy into a task.
Lets you discard pointless fluff in your life that is holding you back unnecessarily.
Gives perspective to your actions and lets you evaluate what’s working and what’s not.
Gives you more free time to address other areas of your life and helps you develop as a person at an accelerated rate.
SITUATIONS YOU CAN APPLY IT TO
If you’re trying to build a business do you know what’s handy? You guessed it, the 80/20 rule. 80% of your results come from 20% of what you do. If you’re starting a blog and you’re on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, RSS, Tumblr – whatever, then you’re going to spread yourself so thinly that you forget to focus on your core content.
You should focus on where your main traffic is coming from (likely Twitter and Instagram) and roll with them. This will be where your 80% is coming from. Once you stop focusing on sharing your content on every platform possible, you can spend more time perfecting that content so it’s worthy to actually be shared with your audience.
BOOKS TO GIVE YOU A COMPLETE OVERVIEW
There’s only really one book that you will need to read on this topic and that’s The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch. This book gives a comprehensive overview of 80/20 and shows you how exactly you can implement it into your daily life.
There’s been lots of 80’s and 20’s in this post but the basic message is cut out the ineffective fluff and focus on what’s really important. Give Richard’s book a read and try to apply the principle fully into your life to reap the benefits.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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Slow cooker stew recipe for boosting testosterone
Today I present to you the ultimate recipe for raising testosterone levels - the best god damn slow cooker stew you ever did see.
This recipe is incredibly tasty and easy to make. It contains less than 10 main ingredients plus spices so hopefully it won't blow your mind.
The recipe is as follows;
Slow cooker stew (serves 5)
1kg White Potatoes
Potatoes are a superior carbohydrate source than conventional man-made grains and provide a steady release of energy to fuel workouts. Not to mention their various testosterone boosting benefits.
500g Grass-fed red meat
Red meat is the go to protein source for those looking to increase testosterone as it contains many essential nutrients required to perfect one's endocrine system like Zinc, L-Carnitine, Iron & b12.
3 types of veg (I usually go for 400g mushrooms, 3 bell peppers and 3 carrots)
Veggies are chock-full of testosterone boosting nutrients like vitamins A, B & C along with magnesium, folic acid and potassium.
1 Tbsp of either Butter or Coconut Oil
Fat, especially saturated fat is crucial to optimal hormonal health. Cholesterol is a precursor to testosterone, meaning a lot of your staple foods should include some degree of this male-friendly nutrient. Just don't overdo your fat intake (Keep it around 30-40%) as you don't want cancer, hypertension or liver failure - do you.
Juice of a Lemon
Citrus fruits have been shown to be extremely testosterone friendly due to extremely high levels of vitamin C and rather high levels of Thiamine per serving.
4 cloves of Garlic
Garlic is an amazing T booster due to its high levels of quercetin. This gives garlic anti-inflammatory properties and is also a very potent nitric oxide booster.
1cm cube of Ginger
Studies have shown ginger to effectively raise serum testicular testosterone levels. It can also help to protect joints and lower bad cholesterol.
2 Tbsp of All spice
This adds flavour and as an added bonus, spices within allspice like cumin have been shown to have positive effects on testosterone - tasty.
Handful of Parsley
Due to its high levels of apigening, parsley can be classed as one of the best garnishes about when it comes to the big T.
250ml veg stock
Veg stock is used here to improve the taste and sauce of the entire meal. Veg stock is also very healthy due to its high concentration of vegetable nutrients like vitamins A, B & C and folic acid.
6 blended vine tomatoes
Tomatoes are actually a very healthy food which can aid in healthy hormonal function due to their high levels of vitamin A & B and fibre. By blending up natural loose tomatoes you avoid the BPA's in tinned tomatoes which is a huge bonus for optimising hormonal output.
Avocado (Optional)
These fat bombs are amazing for testosterone production. They contain lots of Vitamin E, which is great but they are also full of Saturated and Monounsaturated fats which have been correlated with higher testosterone production.
Cooking
Chop up the potatoes, meat and your chosen veg - set aside.
Finely chop the ginger, garlic and parsley - set aside.
Boil 250ml water and stir in veg stock.
Blend up your 6 vine tomatoes.
Line your slow cooker with your chosen fat source.
Make a base of flavour by placing in the all spice, ginger, garlic, lemon juice and parsley.
Add in potatoes, meat and veg.
Pour over the veg stock and blended tomatoes.
Set your slow cooker to cook for 8 hours on a low heat.
If you would like to bump up the fat and calorie content of this dish then add an avocado in.
Conclusion
As you can see, there's a bit of wiggle room for ingredients so you can change the tastes to your liking and keep it fresh so you don't get bored.By using the slow cooker you tenderise the meat and let all the flavours really come through - not to mention the fact that you can just throw everything in there and let it cook for 8 hours with no effort at all.Below is the macro-nutrient breakdown for a serving of slow cooker stew - feel free to play about with the amount of servings you break it in to.
| Nutrition Facts | % Daily Value* |
| Servings 5.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| Calories 519 | |
| Total Fat 22 g | 33 % |
| Saturated Fat 10 g | 49 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 8 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 6 mg | 2 % |
| Sodium 103 mg | 4 % |
| Potassium 630 mg | 18 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 51 g | 17 % |
| Dietary Fiber 8 g | 31 % |
| Sugars 11 g | |
| Protein 29 g | 58 % |
| Vitamin A | 26 % |
| Vitamin C | 94 % |
| Calcium | 12 % |
| Iron | 52 % |
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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Testosterone Boosting Carnivore Slow Cooker Chilli Recipe
Today I present to you a recipe that is not only easy to make, it’s incredibly tasty to boot. This is a slow cooker chilli with a twist, it is choc-full of testosterone boosting ingredients that lend themselves perfectly to muscle growth.
You’ll need a slow cooker, chopping board, knife, a tin opener and big ol’ spoon. The recipe yields 6 servings. Serve with rice to boost the calories and carb content if you wish. Sometimes I’ll add in tortilla chips as a treat that also takes the calories up way past 1,000 which is great if you’re looking to bulk up.
THE SLOW COOKER CHILLI
2kg lean mince (Beef, pork, turkey)
I tend to use beef here as the base for my slow cooker chilli as it has been shown on countless occasions to raise testosterone levels due its high levels of Zinc, Iron and vitamin b12. It also packs a serious punch when it comes to protein and healthy fats – both fantastic for T production.
4 cloves of garlic
Garlic is an amazing T booster due to its high levels of quercetin. This gives garlic anti-inflamatory properties and is also a very potent nitric oxide booster.
1 onion
Onions also contain quercetin which is fantastic for T production. This together with garlic may give you stinky breath but it’ll certainly put a little bit more hair on your chest so I’d say it’s worth it.
3 bell peppers
Bell peppers have got great T boosting vitamins and minerals including folate, vitamin C and potassium.
2 tins of kidney beans
All types of beans are great for health in general and pack a high amount of protein per gram. Just be sure to wash them before cooking or face the windy consequences.
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
This is mainly for the taste and a saucy base for the recipe. However tomatoes are actually a very healthy food which can aid in healthy hormonal function due to their high levels of vitamin A & B and fibre.
1 pack of chilli spice mix
This is mainly to add lots of taste to the dish BUT spices have been shown to aid in digestive health, hormonal health and brain function in the past, so load up on spices if you want to experience some great benefits.
3 large avocados
These fat bombs are amazing for testosterone production. They contain lots of Vitamin E, which is great but they are also full of Saturate and Mono-unsaturated fats which have been correlated with higher testosterone production and are without a doubt my favourite way of increasing my fat intake.
250g spinach
Spinach has got lots of magnesium, iron and vitamin b6 which all help to boost testosterone, increase nitric oxide and can also help protect against cancer.
250g rice (optional)
Rice is a fantastic way of getting in some much needed calories if you’re bulking, it also tastes brilliant with chilli.
50g tortilla chips (optional)
I love tortilla chips, they give that full-on mexican vibe to the meal and taste brilliant. If you can afford the extra couple of hundred calories then treat yourself. Nothing tops off a slow cooker chilli like some tortilla chip goodness.
COOKING
Cut up your veg & garlic & empty into the slow cooker.
Add in half the pack of spice mix & half the tin of chopped tomatoes.
Drain kidney beans & add into the slow cooker.
Add in the mince and the rest of the spice mix. Mix everything up.
Cook on low for 6-8hrs.
Whilst everything is cooking, evenly distribute spinach and avocado into 6 containers.
When it’s all cooked, divide into the 6 containers.
This recipe freezes well so put portions in the freezer if they’re not going to be consumed within the next couple of days.
Below is the macronutrient and micronutrient breakdown of the slow cooker chilli without rice or tortilla chips;
| Nutrition Facts | % Daily Value* |
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| Calories 734 | |
| Total Fat 36 g | 55 % |
| Saturated Fat 8 g | 39 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 361 mg | 15 % |
| Potassium 232 mg | 7 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 25 g | 8 % |
| Dietary Fiber 9 g | 37 % |
| Sugars 9 g | |
| Protein 72 g | 143 % |
| Vitamin A | 4 % |
| Vitamin C | 288 % |
| Calcium | 1 % |
| Iron | 3 % |
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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Entrepreneur daily schedule example: My morning routine
Entrepreneur Daily Schedule Example
As mentioned in one of my previous posts, every great morning starts with a great nighttime routine. However, every great day starts with a great morning routine. This blog covers an entrepreneur daily schedule example, starting with my morning routine.
Great…
WHY A MORNING ROUTINE? entrepreneur daily schedule example
Because why not?
Basically every single successful person to have ever lived has had some form of morning routine that they swear by. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Spongebob…the list goes on.
Seriously though, there are too many benefits to list when it comes to just how effective a morning routine can be.
I have tried my very best though and racked my brains in order to deliver ones of the finest morning routine guides out there.
Below, I have compiled a list of what you should be including in your morning routine and why if you want to start your day right and set yourself up for success – enjoy.
WAKE UP AT 5AM
Setting your alarm clock and waking up at 5am gives you a head start on the rest of the world. Whilst everyone else is still asleep, you are preparing for the day, getting ahead of the pack every morning. This two or three hour window that you open up between your rising time and everyone else’s adds up over the course of the year.
Just think how much more ahead of the game you’ll be with those extra 1,095 hours each year to get ready and start work on building yourself into the most optimal you possible.
DO THIS STRETCHING ROUTINE WHILST STILL IN BED
I found this routine on The Art of Manliness a while back and have felt so much more awake in the morning, which has had a knock-on effect for the rest of the day – do this.
CARDIO
During my morning routine I like to do a bit of fasted cardio. Nothing too strenuous as higher intensity or long bouts of steady-state cardio can stimulate hunger which isn’t what you want if you are beginning a fast for that day.
I recommend doing some skipping with a weighted jump rope. Do 10 reps on both feet, 10 on the right foot and 10 on the left foot. Work your way down through, 9,8,7…until you get to 1 and you should feel your heart pumping a bit faster as a result. I find this is a great way to get the blood pumping and wake me up in the morning.
DISLOCATIONS
As stated in my night time routine post, doing shoulder dislocations with a resistance band can really help increase your shoulder flexibility and decrease your risk of pain and injury, definitely do this every morning and night.
INVERSION
Inversion has been shown to increase blood flow to the head and stimulate hair follicle growth whilst having a myriad of health benefits for the brain, heart and vital organs. I know the chances are you don’t have any sort of suspension systems lying about in your house (unless you’re into that sort of thing).
So, a simple way of getting blood flowing to your head via inversion is to simply lie on the end of the bed and let as much of your torso hang upside down as possible. After 5 minutes, you should feel a bit weird – but refreshed. You’ll come to enjoy this sensation and once you realise the health benefits you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.
JOURNAL
Writing your thoughts down as soon as you rise helps to empty your mind of stresses and helps you to focus on the day at hand. Write for 5 minutes on your worries and goals and refer back to them in the night when you journal again to see if any of these issues have been resolved. Click here for a more in depth discussion on keeping a journal.
For me, time spent on blog posts in the early morning can also help, as it develops the daily habits of adding to my small business, without taking time out of the middle of the day.
EXFOLIATE & WASH FACE
Fellas, there’s no shame in doing a little bit of exfoliating in the morning. We don’t live in the 50’s anymore so men are allowed to take care of their skin. I have a scrub that I picked up for like £3 which is great.
You don’t need the fanciest products – just go for something that’s got natural ingredients that are proven to uplift skin like cucumber, charcoal, vitamin e, raw honey, sea salt, aloe vera or any essential oils. As long as it has any of these and contains no chemicals then you’re set.
SHOWER
Getting showered and clean after all of this feels like you’re really gearing up for the day ahead and washing all the sweat and worries of the night before away ready to start anew. Plus, nobody wants to start the day with stinky balls, make sure to start your day feeling good – get a shower. One thing I like to do is turn the temperature of my showers right down to wake me up. See the top benefits of cold showers here.
In many entrepreneur morning routine examples across the internet, you will see having a cold shower - this can be a great way to start the working day and get you ready to smash your life as an entrepreneur.
GET CLOTHED AND GET OUT
Always make an effort before you head out the door. Even if you’re just going out in joggers and a t-shirt, make sure you’re rocking it like it’s a catwalk. If you don’t leave your house feeling as dapper as you possibly can then something’s gone wrong.
Also, get out into the fresh air as soon as possible – once you’re dressed and ready, don’t sit around watching TV or playing with your phone. Go and suck some real air into your lungs and embrace the day. Those who spend longest outdoors are happiest – join them.
BONUS TIP
DO NOT check your phone whilst doing all of this, avoid your phone for as long as you can during your morning. How many times do you switch your alarm off of a morning and then sit on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc for 20 minutes then end up rushing round trying to get ready, feeling awful and unsuccessful when you stumble out the door.
Getting phone calls within specific times can be a big distraction - many successful entrepreneurs (such as Jack Dorsey, Founder and CEO of Twitter) ensure to block out calls in their daily routine to stay focused.
Phones and social media sap energy and motivation. Be optimal and ditch them for as long as possible in the morning and you’ll see you will become happier, more motivated and more engaged with the real world. You’d be surprised how many entrepreneur daily schedule examples miss this out, but it’s so important!
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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Does Journaling Help With Mental Health? My Experience
I believe journaling to be a great tool for improving your thought processes over time. Writing your thoughts down every morning can be an extremely cathartic experience. This blog is going to answer the question “does journaling help with mental health?” and cover my experience.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH JOURNALING
I’ve been using journals as a means to improve my cognition for the past few weeks and have definitely noticed a big difference in that time.
Below, I have listed a few benefits you can expect from journaling and given some evidence for you to have a look at if you’re still not convinced.
Does Journaling Help With Mental Health?
Keeping a diary as a teenager is really common and relieves the pressure that comes with coping with difficult thoughts and feelings. It can be a good thing to plough through some of the uncertainty and confusion you’re going through.
You may have stopped writing in a diary once you became an adult, but journaling is a great way to recollect your thoughts and understand them better. Staying connected with your thoughts through a journal can be a great thing. It can offer you an outlet for your emotions and help improve your mental health.
One way to feel better in any emotional situation is by finding an outlet where you can express yourself. A journal is a great way to manage your mental health by helping you with these things:
Deal with and overcome anxiety
Descrease stress
Overcome depression
Journaling helps control symptoms and improve mood by:
Helping you put concerns and worries into context to the bigger picture
Tracking symptoms and habits over weeks, allowing you to identify patterns
Providing opportunities to review your progress and self-monitor.
does journaling help with mental health? From my experience, journalling is a fantastic way to deal with mental health (as identified in this study), it can provide a way to express your emotions, track your progress and communicate to yourself, and others about how you're feeling.
IMPROVES IQ
The constant writing and use of your brain associated with journaling every day can improve your IQ according to some sources. This is great news if you’re looking to keep your brain on its toes and improve your vocabulary whilst improving other areas of your mental state.
Journaling benefits for mental health: EXPANDS YOUR MEMORY
According to some research, there is a relationship between the hand and the brain. As words are technically physical representations of ideas, getting these down on paper on a regular basis allows you to boost your ability to re-compose ideas whilst writing and improve cognitive recall over time.
Benefits of journaling: ALLOWS YOU TO EMPTY YOUR MIND
This is a subjective benefit that I have noticed since taking up journaling. It allows me to empty my thoughts onto the page every morning and start the day off with a clear mind, meaning I can concentrate on what is important to me on that particular day. This has been proven in research which has shown those who write journals regularly suffer far less stress than those who don’t.
So these are some of the amazing benefits on offer if you start journaling, how exactly can you get started?
I recommend buying a cheap notebook and writing for 5 minutes every morning, aiming to fill at least half a page each time. Write anything that comes into your mind, aiming to empty all of your thoughts and cognitions onto the page and let them out of your mind.
Try to keep it to a certain structure – things that are stressing you out, things you are thankful for, things you are looking forward to and goals you are working towards. This way you will always have a structure to prompt you when you get stuck and this will also organises your entries conveniently.
Emptying your mind is also really useful if you want to get rid of negative thoughts or negative emotions, forget a traumatic event or traumatic experience and even realist physical health benefits.
Improves Progress In Your Business
If you're a business owner, you may often find that you do your best work when you have a clear, direct mindset. Journaling can be a great way to empty your mind (as covered above) and better align your day-to-day activities towards your long-term goals.
In my routine, I journal every day and make sure that I write down three things I'm grateful for (some people may call this a gratitude journal), three things I want to achieve that day and something I could have improved on the day before, all using pen and paper - this keeps me present and helps my business, as it keeps me focussed on what matters!
Journaling can take much less that 20 minutes - journaling prompts benefits that are 100% work journaling practice on a daily basis.
Once you’ve started you’ll be able to check back in a month or so’s time and check whether things that were stressing you have been resolved or something you’d been looking forward to had gone to plan. I find this is a great way of tracking progress and making sure that stressors don’t hang around for longer than they have to, making you a much happier person in the long run.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done.
Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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Why cold showers are your new best friend
I love cold showers and try to pluck up the courage to do them every day. Here are some of the best benefits of turning up the cold and how it can apply to you.
BUILDS SERIOUS WILLPOWER
Over the past few years of doing cold showers, I’ve found that my willpower has skyrocketed. Knowing you are capable of doing something that you perceived to be hard can have a carry-over effect into the real world. It gives you a real sense of control and can definitely increase your overall confidence.
BOOSTS TESTOSTERONE
Cold showers have been shown to increase testosterone which is one of the most promising benefits for men looking to optimise their hormonal environments. This increase in test may be responsible for boosts in fertility and recovery that have been found recently.
STRENGTHENS IMMUNITY
Taking a cold shower has been shown to boost immunity in those who consistently stick with it over time. This can be linked to the improved circulation that cold temperatures elicited by the showers can create.
DECREASES STRESS
One interesting benefit that cold showers can give you is the reduction of stress. This may be down to the improvements in sleep that can also be observed from this. Reducing stress is one thing that you should be striving for constantly due to its links with many of the western world’s biggest problems such as heart attacks, heightened blood pressure and lowered libido.
STIMULATES THE LYMPHATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
Turning down the temperature of your showers has been shown to boost the lymphatic nervous system which I have written about in previous articles. Boosting the LNS has been shown to improve a myriad of health markers which is why you should definitely give it some thought.
A FINAL WORD ON COLD SHOWERS
So there are the top benefits of cold showers and why they’re your new best friend. Give cold showers a try for the next week or so and see if you feel any of these. You may even feel some other benefits not listed. You never know until you try.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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Dry brushing may hold the key to longevity. Here's why
I use dry brushing every morning. What exactly is dry brushing? You can find a more detailed explanation on what it is and how to do it here but basically, you scrub your skin with a brush or a loofah to get rid of the dead skin cells. I would recommend it to anyone. Below are some of the reasons you should start doing it.
DRY BRUSHING INCREASES BLOOD FLOW AND CIRCULATION
The act of brushing in circular motions can have a positive effect on blood circulation around your body and increase the disposal of metabolic waste from your body which is vitally important for a clean bill of health.
HELPS SKIN TO BREATHE
Brushing removes excess oils and any dirt that clogs up pores. This leaves your skin much softer and clearer which is not only great aesthetically but also great for your overall skin health as it has less pollutants to fight off on a daily basis.
STIMULATES THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
This is one of the most beneficial advantages of dry brushing. The lymphatic system is your body’s biggest player when it comes to immunity. It allows your body to remove interstitial fluid from various tissues amongst other cleansing functions. Dry brushing stimulates this which is hugely beneficial to your health.
THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS
Brushing on a regular basis has been said to be almost meditative in nature. The constant and repetitive act of brushing can sooth the mind and muscle simultaneously and be a way to effectively stress bust before the start of the day.
CAN AID IN RELIEVING DIGESTIVE STRESS
By stimulating the lymphatic system, it helps your body get rid of many negative toxins. This can indirectly lead to much improved kidney function and increased digestion efficiency.
You can pick up body brushes cheap anywhere so it’s worth giving it a go and judging whether these benefits are of any use to you and whether it’s something you want to add into your daily routine.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.
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5 Harmful Effects Of Plastic
Nowadays, plastics are part and parcel of every day life. Everyone vaguely knows the dangers of plastic and that it isn’t great but we plod along buying plastic water bottles every day, drinking out of plastic cups, wrapping our food up in plastic packaging, brushing our teeth with plastic toothbrushes, carrying shopping in plastic bags. The list goes on and on.
Everything is plastic and we don’t even realise. There are however, some things you can do to combat the issues that plastic presents. Below is a list of risks plastics pose and a few simple changes you can implement to improve your health and your environmental footprint. This blog is going to cover 5 harmful effects of plastics and what you can do to stop them.
THE 5 DANGERS and Harmful Effects OF PLASTIC
The amount of food and water that we consume that is wrapped in plastic and thrown away has led to a large amount of toxic chemicals, plastic pollution and harmful chemicals released into the environment.
The 5 harmful effects of plastic below are just some of the reasons that we need to reduce plastic waste (i.e. single use plastic and plastic items) that gets released into marine environments.
#1 GENDER BENDING
This has been shown to be prevalent in young males who drink from plastic bottles. If you want to avoid becoming a biologically feminised male I’d suggest keeping away from drinking out of your plastic water bottle from now on.
#2 Harmful Effects of Plastic - CANCER
Cancer has actually been shown to be associated with continual exposure to plastics. Keep away from consuming things from plastic containers and putting plastic in your mouth if you want a lower risk of cancer.
#3 LOWERED LIBIDO
A loss of sex drive is a common side effect of repeated exposure to plastic. Each generation has had significantly lower testosterone than the last, which coincides perfectly with the rise in plastic consumption. If you want to keep up your drive to procreate then limit your plastics brother.
The 4th Harmful Effect of Plastic - INCREASED FAT GAIN
An increase in fat mass has been shown time and time again to be associated with the increased plastic use of today. If you don’t want a spare tyre then ditch the plastic, simple.
#5 ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION
Last but certainly not least is environmental destruction. Most plastic produced in the world today is used just once (think bottled water, food packaging, cellophane & disposable cutlery). This contributes to polluted oceans, overflowing landfills and a dying Earth. Limit your consumption of plastic, in particular disposable plastic, if you want to be the difference.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Doing something to save the environment isn't about marine animals and sea turtles - it is about removing the many million tons of plastic that is impacting the health of humanity too.
CHANGE YOUR EVERYDAY WATER BOTTLE
Your first step towards reducing the dangers of plastic should be changing your bottle to a stainless steel or glass bottle you are reducing the amount of plastic water bottles you buy and dispose of every day and you are also minimising plastic contact with your mouth. I use The Corkcicle, which keeps your drink ice cold for over a day and looks sleek as well. You can get them relatively cheap here.
GET A BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSH
I use this toothbrush which is bio-degradable and so can be recycled once you’ve finished using it. They are extremely cheap and using them minimises plastic contact with the mouth.
Get a bag for life
If you get yourself a bag for life you stop yourself from constantly getting new plastic bags which just end up getting shoved under your kitchen sink, thus saving yourself money with every shop and also doing your bit to reduce plastic production and consumption. I picked this bag for life up from my local store but you can get any old tat as long as it’s not made of plastic.
UPGRADE YOUR COOKING UTENSILS
This is one of the biggest dangers of plastic, get rid of your horrible Teflon pans and plastic spatulas. These are the worst offenders when it comes to carcinogen release. Plus who wants melted spatula bits in their dinner? Get wooden or stainless steel utensils like a wooden spoon, steel ladle and a steel spatula. On top of that, get yourself a cast iron skillet to cook your meals in and these basics should see you through the majority of the time.
UPGRADE YOUR FOOD CONTAINERS
Who doesn’t love Tupperware? If you’re in to prepping your meals, you’ll be familiar with these little gems. However, most of the time they absorb colour and smell from your meals and over time they go grotty, meaning you’ll probably throw them out, contributing to the plastic graveyards we see today.
When people microwave their meals in these plastic containers, the carcinogens in the Tupperware leak into your food and you ingest this – yum. To combat this, I recommend having a complete overhaul of your Tupperware. Either buy glass Pyrex lunch boxes or if you’ve got a bit extra, go for stainless steel.
The only real option I have found here in the UK is a company called Elephant Box, their containers are amazing and I own a fair few. Whilst on the pricey side, they are very good quality and will last you. Just beware, you can’t microwave stainless steel, but you can put it in the oven. If none of these seem like a possibility to you then just put your food in the plastic containers but don’t heat up the meals whilst inside.
STORAGE BOXES
Instead of storing your things in big cheap, easily breakable plastic boxes, why not try and source a couple of wooden ones? They look much cooler and constant interaction with them won’t harm your hormonal health. These are less likely to crack as well, meaning you won’t be throwing them out on the regular like you would with plastic ones.
PENS
Get yourself a quality pen. Not only does it make you appear more professional than using a cracked little biro, it stops you holding (and maybe chewing?) a toxic plastic tube all day. I bought myself a Parker pen online and I believe it to be one of my better investments.
RAZORS
How many people do you know that use disposable, awful quality razors they bought from a pound shop? I would wager most of the people you know. Either invest in a quality straight or safety razor if you’ve got the stones.
If not, like myself, then go for a cornerstone razor. They offer a stainless steel handle with your initials engraved and some heads to get you started. Best shave I’ve ever had, hands down and it’s pretty cheap as well.
COAT HANGERS
If you still have flimsy plastic hangers that don’t really fit the shoulders of your clothes then you need to grow up. You don’t have to be fancy here, I bought 25 wooden hangers for £10, they fit the shoulders on my clothes so my stuff isn’t misshapen and creased.
It also stops the constant throwing out of hangers that contribute to our waste problem – the biggest offender when it comes to dangers of plastic. Not to mention, it looks much better than having 38 different types of yellow, blue and red plastic hangers in your wardrobe.
These are just some of the dangers of plastic, there are many many more which I suggest you look at and make up your own mind. I do believe however, that these are easily implemented steps that will help you in every day life and I urge you to give them a try at least once.
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Night time routine? What is it and why you need one.
A great day starts with a great night…or more specifically, with a great night time routine.
Let me explain.
If you wake up and before you do work of any kind you have to pack your bag, pick what clothes you’re going to wear, make lunch for the day, respond to emails from the night before…you see where this is going.
Basically you’re rushing around and the chances are you’re going to forget something, get to work/school/wherever, realise you’ve left something you shouldn’t have and your day is off to an almighty stinker.
Compare this to if the night before, you had a solid night time routine in place. You had gotten an outfit ready and hung it on the back of your door, made your lunch for the following day, responded to all your emails, got to bed before midnight to ensure a rejuvenating sleep and all you have to do when you wake up is roll out of bed, shower, brush your teeth, throw your clothes on and head out the door.
Which situation sounds like a better start to the day?
Sleep is the most fundamental step you should be addressing in your quest towards increasing your testosterone levels with studies showing that every hour of seep lost results in a corresponding decrease in testosterone.
If this isn’t reason enough to take your sleep seriously then how about this study that has shown those who regularly get less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night tend to have a higher mortality rate than their Zzz-collecting counterparts.
ENTER, THE MAN BLUEPRINT NIGHT TIME ROUTINE
Enough of the studies and more of what you should be doing. Below is the ideal night time routine that will see you dozing off in no time and being completely prepared for the day ahead, ready to seize whatever comes your way.
NO SCREENS FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE BED
The blue light emitted from electrical screens such as phones and laptops messes up your body’s natural clock and decreases melatonin secretion which is imperative to a good night’s sleep – so just switch off an hour before you plan to go to bed and you’re good to go. This is the best way to start a night time routine as it allows you to concentrate on everything else with no distractions from your phone.
READ A BOOK FOR AROUND 30 MINUTES
This helps to relax your mind and gives you a chance to practice learning new ideas whilst maybe giving you some inspiration (especially if you opt for non-fiction).
DO SOME YOGA OR WORK ON YOUR POSTURE
This is another way of relaxing your mind (see a theme here?) and your body. I suggest this a yoga routine as a way of limbering up and getting ready for sleep. You can also work on posture – here is my favourite routine for a much more powerful stance.
The importance of powerful posture has been identified in much research but Amy Cuddy and her now world-famous TED talk puts it perfectly, highlighting how simply appearing more powerful can skyrocket your testosterone in minutes (yes, minutes). See below for her explanation.
SHOULDER DISLOCATIONS AND FOAM ROLLING
I use a resistance band to do 15 dislocations every night and every morning to keep my shoulders mobile and flexible and since doing them, I have noticed a marked improvement in my posture and reduction in any aches in my rotator cuff or shoulder area in general.
As for foam rolling, we all know how much it hurts but using them is a fantastic way to relax the body and increase your performance.
PLAN AHEAD
This links to the example given at the beginning of this article. Get your lunch cooked, get your bag packed, do whatever you need to do to be ready for the day ahead and you’ll thank yourself when 7am comes knocking.
JOURNAL
This could be done morning or night (or both) but basically, write down whatever is on your mind – What are you grateful for? What are your worries? What do you want to accomplish in the near and distant future?
Anything on your mind, get it down. The only rule is keep it to under 5 minutes, then close it and forget about it, this helps keep your mind clear and happy. Click here to see why and how to keep a journal in more depth.
MAKE A TO-DO LIST
Is there anything better than ticking something off a to-do list? The answer to that is obviously no. Make a list of what needs to be done the following day and this will give your day a sense of purpose and keep you focused. If you take anything from this list – this is it.
COLD (OR AS COLD AS YOU CAN HANDLE) SHOWER
All your thoughts have now been spilled on to pages, get in the shower and forget about everything. Having a hot shower before bed is actually detrimental to sleep as your body has to cool itself back down to optimal sleeping temperature and this will keep you awake unnecessarily. Take it down a few degrees and you’ll feel fresh but ready for sleep.
MEDITATE
If you are really serious about being able to empty your mind and want to increase your productivity, self-control and overall well-being then meditate for at least 5 minutes every night. Meditating can decrease cortisol and increase testosterone while lowering stress and a whole host of other mental issues – do it. Here is a video on how to meditate, give it a go for 2 weeks and see the difference.
GET INTO BED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR BREATHING
This follows on from meditation, lie down and concentrate on deep breathing. This will allow you to control unnecessary thoughts and help you drift off seamlessly, ready to attack the next day feeling refreshed.
BONUS TIP
Keep your room cold. Many studies have proven that a lower room temperature is optimal for sleep as being too hot will make you uncomfortable and disturbs sleep, possibly messing up your circadian rhythm. Just keep your window ajar and you’re probably in the ball park for the ideal temperature – plus, this lets in fresh air which is ideal for relieving a stuffy atmosphere.
BONUS TIP #2
Sleep naked. Being naked in bed has been shown to much more beneficial to increased sperm count and testicular health than sleeping in heat-inducing tight boxers or pyjamas. If that isn’t reason enough to ditch the Spongebob PJ’s then I don’t know what is.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.