'SURFING KEEPS ME MOTIVATED, FIT AND HEALTHY!'

Surfer, model and former Love Islander, Lucie Donlan tells us how she stays fit to enjoy all her outdoor passions

- Joanna Ebsworth

Think you know Lucie Donlan? Think again. While many of you might recognise her from her six-week stint on the 2019 series of Love Island, or her glossy Instagram feed where she models for top brands and updates her 1.6 million followers on her travels to beautiful destinations around the world, it's her true love for surfing, the environment and all things involving the great outdoors that the WF team has known her for since her teenage years. Now 25, and recently crowned the Best Eco/ Environmental Influencer 2022, Lucie's life might appear to be the height of glamour and luxury, but behind the scenes, the qualified surf coach and judge loves nothing better than working out to keep her body and mind healthy, so she can Icope with her hectic lifestyle and keep doing the things she loves. Here, Lucie talks about her workout regime, the joy she gets from being in nature, and shares her top tips for learning to surf.

How did you get into surfing?

'I used to have a couple of guy friends at school who were really into their surfing. When I visited them at the weekends, I used to just sit on the beach, watch them surf and feel really envious because they looked like they were having so much fun. I couldn't bear to be left out any longer, so I made a promise to myself that one day I'd be joining in and living that lifestyle. I bought my first board secondhand for £100 from the local surf shop and started to take lessons after school. When I first started learning at the age of 13, there were hardly any girls that surfed. Fast forward 12 years later and it's great to see so many more women enjoying the sport.'

Why do you love surfing?