The March/April issue of healthy is all about body confidence and acceptance. In our themed section we’ve unpacked the whole idea of body positivity, examining what that means for all bodies, inclusive of age, ability and size, along with in-depth advice on how to feel confident at different life and body milestones.
The results speak for themselves – as well as some very encouraging sales figures (+17% vs last issue, +118% on the newsstand), we’ve received an outpouring of positive feedback from readers, both old and new.
Readers particularly loved our unretouched cover model Viviana and connected with our inspirational real-life story on burns survivor Sylvia Mac.
Here’s Art Director Joanna Levitas on the cover strategy:
“We work with an exceptionally talented team on healthy cover shoots, but working with model Viviana was one of my career highlights – her body shape, language and attitude represents everything I wanted to convey with my brief and art direction. We wanted this cover and issue to truly speak to our readers of all shapes and sizes, conveying that having confidence within your own skin is the healthiest body of all. It was a conscious decision in a time of disingenuous filtered posts to leave this cover unretouched – I wanted to show cellulite, blemishes, wobbly bits, a naturally healthy grin as opposed to a Hollywood smile, and a lovely little chin because that is what’s real and what people want to see. If companies like ASOS can leave a model’s stretch marks in all their glory, then as a leader in our sector we should be doing the same.”
Wow!
Picked up a March/April edition at Holland & Barrett – the first time I’ve seen this magazine. Great articles and loved the cover, finally a gorgeous unretouched happy lady I could relate to. Lots of corners folded down to revisit and will pass around my family members too. Ads were relevant and informative. I particularly liked the article about supplements for those on plant based diets.
Thank you
March’s edition really was a super-positive one. I felt inspired by all the articles I read. Your front cover model Viviana was amazing too. Women shown on fashion ramps and advertising are far too slim and people perceive those as perfect and beautiful women. This in turn affects the younger generation – especiallly – to diet and lose as much weight as possible. In doing this, they sometimes adopt unhealthy lifestyles which affects their physical as well as mental health.
Models like Viviana are curvy and don’t portray unrealistic expectations. It is important to eat healthily and have daily exercise but we don’t all have to be a size 6.
Well done to your magazine for teaching us to love ourselves just as we are.
Dear Healthy,
I just wanted to email to let you know how much I enjoyed your March/April issue.
I haven’t been a magazine reader for several years but I picked up this issue at the airport before a flight. It was the only cover with a natural image of a woman (and it had a free moisturiser too)!
Anyway, I found the content really refreshing and very uplifting – I’m a junior writer myself and it’s sometimes hard to find nice reads. Instead of the “empty” content I used to find in mags, there’s a lot more to it. I find myself referring back to skincare tips and recipes. As a young woman new to the stresses of a work/life balance, it really encouraged me to go back and refine my regimes and let go of some habits. I’m a regular flyer and healthy is definitely solidified as my airport read for many moons to come!
Pick up a copy of healthy in Holland & Barrett stores and on selected UK newsstands. Subscribe to the magazine here.