Forget Veganuary – Model Lisa Snowdon has instead opted to follow an alternative lifestyle dubbed “Japanuary” to welcome the new decade.
The model and television presenter, who first travelled to Japan in her teens, said she has long been “in love” with elements of the Japanese lifestyle such as “minimalist” living, meditation and being respectful to others.
The 47-year-old model, who has appeared in editorials for Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle, is now the face of the month-long initiative encouraging Londoners to adopt positive elements of the Japanese lifestyle.
The alternative to both “Dry January” and “Veganuary” has been developed and backed by the Japan National Tourism Organisation. It includes a calendar of activities including food recipes, health and leisure ideas like getting out in to natural and other cultural suggestions aimed at giving participants a healthy and productive start to 2020.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Snowdon said meditation had been one of the biggest things she’d reaped benefits from.
“We could all take a little bit of the way they [the Japanese] live,” she said. “Just having some quiet time or meditation time before you start your day – I do that every day. You are so much more able to deal with any stress in your day. You are in a better, calmer headspace.”
Snowdon, who is engaged to her entrepreneur boyfriend George Smart, added: “The minimalist way they live, it is something I try and recreate. I am a bit of a hoarder so it does take a lot for me. They are also very punctual, which goes back to being respectful. The people, the culture, the food. I love everything about Japan.”
Tree of life: The model demonstrates her tree pose in Kensington’s picturesque gardens (Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd)
Since finding fame as a model, Snowdon has gone on to be a television and radio presenter, while also appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and launching a beauty blog You Glow Girl. But she said modelling was still the “favourite” part of her career.
“I love being on a photoshoot,” she said. “It is one of my favourite places. I love the process, the makeup. the lighting. the styling. I love the whole creative process. But all the knowledge I have accumulated over the past 30 years […] It is nice to be about more about the lifestyle on the whole as well.”
To find out more information about Snowdon’s Japanuary, click here.
