Today on the blog we’re welcoming a friend and fellow wellness rebel to our page. Pixie is a London based blogger and foodie, and we hope that Pixie’s tips for starting a blog can inspire you to start your own!
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We have been great fans of your blog for a long time now. We love taking inspiration from your recipes and are also very much wellness rebels ourselves. What was the motivation for becoming a wellness rebel?
It actually happened when I was in Australia last year. I was getting acquainted and involved with the wellness scene there, which meant I came into contact with a variety of Instagrammers and bloggers. One day one of them said they would never dream of vaccinating their kids, which led to a whole group discussion about alternative therapies and conspiracy theories (chemtrails?! Really?!) that left me completely stunned. It flipped a switch in me and made me realise that as a scientist I couldn’t stand for this, and led me to become the proud skeptic I am today!
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Blogging can often be a full-time job in itself. How do you find the time? And do you have days where you can’t be bothered?
At the moment it’s quite difficult as I’m also a full-time Masters student, so it feels like I’m juggling two full-time jobs! Sometimes I don’t know how I find the time, but I prioritise the things that matter most. I definitely have days where I can’t be bothered, and I just accept it and do something else instead. Sometimes later on I then feel more like working and the result ends up better simply because I didn’t force it.
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What was your initial reason for starting your blog?
My flatmate at the time persuaded me simply because he saw the potential in my Instagram and recipes, and I’m very grateful he did.
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What’s the best thing to have come from Plantbased_Pixie?
Definitely the wonderful people I’ve met, including one of my best friends. I also love that I’m given the opportunity to try new foods, restaurants, or workouts that I wouldn’t otherwise necessarily come across.
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We know you’ve been studying really hard lately, can you tell us more about your degree?
I’m currently doing an MSc in Nutrition at UCL. It was really important for me to have an official qualification (and no I don’t believe online courses count) which is recognised by the Association for Nutrition here in the UK, is evidence-based, run by top researchers and professionals in the country, and as a bonus also at one of the best universities in the world!
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Do you see yourself using your degree to turn your blog into something more comprehensive?
Oh absolutely! I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge on my course, and I’m planning on sharing this when I finish, whether in the form of consultations or talks, along with plenty more nutrition articles on the blog!
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Have you always been into photography?
Not at all really. On family holidays my sister was always the one with the camera. It took Instagram for me to get into photography funnily enough, but now I love it and I end up being the resident photographer wherever I go.
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To someone starting their own blog, what advice would you give them?
Don’t worry about views or followers, and don’t compare yourself to others. Focus on writing about what you love, and always fact-check everything. Please don’t be one of those bloggers who copies and pastes press releases or believes everything they’re told.
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Where would you spend your ideal weekend?
Probably at my parents’ house, in my PJs, with a Disney marathon, all my cats, and a nice bottle of wine in the evening!
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Do you have any hobbies, aside from in the kitchen?
If I’m not in the kitchen I’m usually at the gym! Otherwise I don’t really have time for much else sadly.
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Tell us a secret about you.
I used to have really uncool taste in music. I was a massive boyband fan in my mid-teens and would spend pretty much all my money following them around the country haha!
Also I swear quite a lot. I try and keep it in check on social media but in person my rants are definitely not suitable for small children!
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City or countryside?
City, as long as I have access to a garden. I grew up in the countryside so I crave open green spaces sometimes.
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Cats or dogs?
Oh cats, 100%. I’ve grown up with cats all my life, and my parents currently have 3. They’re my favourite part about visiting (sorry mum!)
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Chocolate or bread?
Oh that is hard…but in general I would have to say a freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread wins.
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If you could turn back 10 years, would you make the same decisions that have lead you to where you are today?
Probably yes, although I would have had more confidence in myself and my abilities.
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What do you hope the future holds for Plantbased_Pixie?
Oh there are several things I would love to say here but sadly have to keep secret! Mainly I want people to see me as a respected authority in food and nutrition because of my knowledge and training rather than because I have x number of followers. If I can help create a paradigm shift in the wellness industry to remove a lot of the fearmongering, lack of regulation, and pseudoscience BS that would be amazing. I’m working on it one rant at a time 😉
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Thanks for joining us Pixie! We hope that your secret plans turn into something amazing and that 2016 sees us cross paths!
To keep in the loop with Pixie, check out her blog or follow her on instagram!