Welcome to Sunday Tall Sisters,
Our contributor Molly tagged me in one of Zanna’s posts on Instagram and after a few minutes of browsing I quickly moved to contacting Zanna. What an inspirational Tall Sister and we are both Dutch! I had to learn more about her.
Zanna prides herself in becoming completely self-sufficient and independent. She studied for four years to be a speech and language therapist, specializing in stroke rehab. However she decided to chase her fitness dreams! Zanna is all about women being their own boss, setting up their own businesses, and just doing it for themselves which is 100% in line with what we believe here at The Tall Society.
Lets meet our Tall Sister!
What is your full name?
Zanna van Dijk
How tall are you?
6 foot 2
Where are you from and where do you currently live?
I am originally from Yorkshire, but I currently live in central London for work. I am half Dutch and half English.
What is your current occupation and tell us a bit about how you got where you are now.
I am a full-time fitness, food, lifestyle, and travel blogger. I am also an Adidas global ambassador and the author of the book, Strong.
My book is the biggest project I have ever worked on. It took 18 months of grind. It is my pride and joy. It launched on Amazon, Waterstones, and WHSmith, where it is still selling well even 6 months after launch. It is all about finding balance and body positivity as well as establishing a fitness routine that has longevity.
I became the first UK adidas ambassador back in November. I have worked with adidas for almost two years, so it felt amazing to solidify our relationship and take it to the next level. They have given me opportunities I would never have imagined I could have like going to the Rio Olympics and visiting New York just last week.
Another highlight is having the #girlgains community spread across the world with ambassadors in countries from Australia to Canada and America. It feels amazing to bring together women across the globe for female empowerment and to share positive vibes.
Finally, some big brand deals I am so proud to have worked on include Pandora, Nissan, and Fitness First.
Tell when you decided to write a book and why.
I started writing my book over 18 months ago. It was well over a year in the making. I decided to write it because I felt like there wasn’t a book on the market which touched on lifting weights in great depth, or which focused on actually achieving balance instead of going on a short term “plan.” I wanted to write a book that had sustainability and longevity at its core.
What inspires you in being a health guru?
I am constantly inspired by women around me. Women who are strong, fit, healthy, and positive. Women who are pushing themselves to be the best they can be and women who absolutely unapologetically own who they are. I love it!
Do you have any health tips specifically for us Tall Sisters?
Make sure that you properly warm up and cool down before and after your workouts. Do not neglect mobility and flexibility, as these can be tough areas for tall gals. And most importantly, work on your core strength so it can support your amazing body.
What do you like to do for yourself?
It varies every single day. I always wake up at 5 or 6 am and start off with a short meditation and looking over my intentions for the day. Then I will probably work out! The rest is a mystery. I could be on a shoot, I could be at home all day working and writing, I could be working in the gym teaching classes, I could be traveling!
Tell us about your journey to self-acceptance and embracing your height.
I have always accepted my height. Honestly, I have never ever hated it or wished I could be smaller. I think I am lucky, as my parents are tall and never made a fuss about my height, and at school nobody ever really spoke about it except passing comments from teachers, so I never really thought about it. I actually get more comments now, in adult life, than ever before. However it doesn’t get to me. I just own it.
Do you have any parting words of advice for our Tall Sisters who might be struggling with their confidence?
In my opinion, our height is part of who we are. I wouldn’t be me if I were petite. I bloody love being tall and so should you. Ultimately, we can’t get any smaller, so we might as well work with what we’ve got, ladies. Preconceptions about height are just stereotypes and I love breaking them. My boyfriend is much shorter than me. I wear heels on a regular basis. I don’t want to conform. I want to just be me, myself, and I.
Thank you Zanna for sharing your story with us!
Keep up with Zanna on her Website, Facebook or Instagram
Happy holidays Tall Sisters!
Xoxo
