Is getting the opportunity to interview Fabio Lanzoni — cover star of 466 romance books, international model, utterer of “I can’t believe it’s not butter” — the highlight of my writing career? Yes. Yes, it is.
Known mononymously as Fabio, this is the man who defined the word hunk: Flowing golden hair, a chiselled jawline, a 56-inch chest. If you’re not quite sure who he is, ask your mum. We bet she knows (she may even still have a few of the books he covered squirrelled away!)
Now aged 61, his hair is still as luscious and his physique is still as impressive. Want to know how? Don’t worry, The Latch has you sorted — we got all his best wellness tips for men.
Fabio is one of those people who has always had a very healthy lifestyle — how? — so his physique has “been easier to maintain all year round”. Just like most models you hear about, he does try a bit harder before a big shoot, which includes the romance covers.
His specific training routine? “I’ve always preferred free weights to machines, alternating between legs, arms, chest and back.” How long does that take him? “Around an hour or so.” He’s not afraid of cardio either, but his routine varies slightly from our own. “Running, elliptical, stationary bike.” You might be thinking ‘Wait, that sounds just like my routine?’ Well, do you do dirty bike riding to mix it up? Fabio does.
The main difference in workouts from his romance cover modelling days to now? “I used to concentrate on lifting larger amounts of weights. Now the focus is less weight with way more reps.”
And yes, obviously, we asked Fabio about his renowned head of hair. His response? “The magic question.” Don’t worry, he did give us more than that — he’s always focused on using simple, natural ingredients. Unsurprisingly, he’s recently come out with his own range of hair care and grooming products, Aston James. The real surprise? That it took this long.
As for why he did it? “It just really made sense for me,” explaining that he gets asked for tips about all these things so often (guilty). He was approached by two Australian entrepreneurs, Liam Robinson and Daniel Phillips, and loving their energy (and our country!), it was another partnership that made sense.
Not your typical celebrity line, it took two years to perfect the formula — “I’m very picky with the ingredients I use” — and create the right packaging. “I wanted it to feel as though the man using it was receiving a Rolex, a beautiful item that was an experience to unbox and looks nice in their bathroom.”
He provided a few tips for the hair-obsessed which include: “Condition sparingly or your hair will get greasy and flat; don’t shampoo every day; take supplements and eat well [he suggests Biotin]; get a good nights sleep; don’t get too much sun, and drink lots of water and tea.”
As for mental wellness? “I truly think that the key to mental wellbeing and a healthy life is balance of the mind, body and spirit.” Expanding on this, Fabio explained that for him to feel good, “All must work in harmony.”
Some of his non-negotiables for this is healthy food — “a must for not only your physical appearance but your mental health” — physical exercise, fresh air and he doesn’t drink alcohol. He spends time doing things he loves, which includes hanging out with his dogs every day.
He also aims not to take life too seriously, as “Your heart can’t be truly healthy unless it is happy.” Two quotes Fabio lives by? “Remember: Life is beautiful” and “You need to find a reason to smile every day.” Ain’t that the truth.