We recently sat down with Mancunian model making waves in the industry, Taryl Boothe, to get the low-down on everything going on his life lately, from food, to fitness, to looking to the future.
Hey Taryl! So what does health and fitness means to you?
I've always been inspired by fitness. When my dad was younger, he was a gymnast and part of a breakdancing group called Broken Glass. Seeing old images of my dad in the gym and dancing inspired me, and I wanted a body like that. I first started training when I was in college at the age of 17. I lied that I was 18 to get my membership and then I would go with a group of friends for about a year. I was consistent with it, but was still a very slim teenager with no muscle at all!
I kept at it and then I moved down to London to study Design for Art Direction at University of the Arts. London was a big move for me at the age of 18 and it was a lot to take in. So the gym became my best friend. It was a place for me to clear my head. It also went hand-in-hand with my uni work as it helped keep me focused.
Focusing on health and fitness has allowed me to be consistent, and to me, consistency is the key to success. Being in the modelling and influencer industry where it's quite cut-throat comes with a lot of setbacks, so I try and treat it like I’m training.
What's your training philosophy?
My philosophy for training is (as cliché as it sounds) to always keep going no matter how unmotivated you are. It can be tough at times. But once it becomes an everyday routine, you know you're on your way to success.
I also follow multiple Instagram account dedicated to fitness that I find inspiring. My favourites are: Mike Thurston (@mikethurston), Joe Delaney (@shredbundy), Devon Lévesque (@devonlevesque), and Simeon Panda (@simeonpanda). All these guys have incorporated fitness into their life and made a huge living off the back of it. In the digital age, they've found a way to draw in huge audiences and utilise their fitness lifestyle to influence other people.
So what's your hustle?
Right now my favourite hustle is Instagram. It's allowed me to connect with people from all around the world. It can be difficult to get a job with a creative degree, but Instagram has allowed me to keep going, and create content for different brands such as JD Sports, The North Face, and Reebok.
What does #liveinnermost mean to you?
To me, it means that everything starts from within. In terms of fitness, it’s what you put into your body that fuels you and keeps you going. So living 'Innermost' you're conscious about what you're putting into your body and you want the right things that you know will benefit you.
Favourite Innermost products?
The Strong Protein and The Power Booster. They go hand-in-hand with each other. The protein is crafted to maximise muscle and strength gains and designed to support energy and power. The Power Booster supports power output and endurance - great for an intense training session. The chocolate protein flavour also taste seriously good!
Where do you see yourself in three years?
In three years I hope to see myself on the cover of Men’s Health, with multiple brand deals as a successful businessman (not quite sure what in yet, I have too many ideas in my head).
What are you reading right now?
I currently have three books on my bedside table. The Motivation Manifesto (by Brendon Burchard), Money: Know More, Make More, Give More (by Rob Moore) and Good Vibes, Good Life (by Vex King).
Best quote to live by?
"I want freedom for the full expression of my personality" - Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite place you've visited?
My favourite city is definitely Paris. I was able to experience Paris Fashion Week Men’s SS20 with my modelling agency. We stayed right by the Arc de Triomphe - it was a dream.
What does confidence mean to you?
Confidence to me is someone who is effortless and doesn’t let things get to them.
Latest obsession?
Binge-watching Dexter. This is my second time watching it and I just finished it again after eight seasons! I've also been sitting for hours watching YouTube videos from channels like TED-Ed, Vox, The B1M, Forbes, Kai Bent-Lee and Levi Bent-Lee. It's a mixture of factual, everyday goings-on in the world and fashion/lifestyle.
Who or what motivates you?
My family and friends motivate me. To have such a supportive network around me means a lot.
One thing that would make the world a better place?
One thing that would make the world a better place is if everyone in the world had freedom without any constraints, to a certain extent. I mean more on a level of when you're at school, for example. Growing up, I felt like things seemed quite limited in terms of what you could do. I only realised the possibilities in the world when I got to university. I knew things could happen for me but it seemed so far out of reach. Now I know the sky is the limit and anything is possible. They don’t tell you that stuff at school.
To keep up with everything Taryl's doing, don't forget to follow him @tarylboothe. And to read more Q&As with Innermost Insiders, click here.