I write this update from sunny and gorgeously warm Amsterdam. Later today, I'll be meeting up with my friend and ex-flatmate, Philipp Kauffmann, who has just started up an eco-conscious company dealing in fine chocolate and coffee from Brazil and other locations. It's called Original Beans. Philipp used to work for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and spent a lot of time in Africa and South America helping to build business systems designed to support and sustain local trade. Last year, he struck out on his own and just closed on his first round of financing for his new company, which is also based here in Amsterdam. Perhaps we might do something together...more later!

Happy Earth Day and welcome to my blog. Perhaps you've arrived here from my new website, http://www.thebrazilianbikinibodyprogram.com. If you haven't, I urge you to check it out. The website and the related book, due out on St. Martins Press on 1 May, 2007, are the first releases around this brand I've developed. My goal is to try to get people thinking about how make a difference in conservation and how to make a positive impact on the world by taking personal responsibility for one's health and fitness. In order to do that, I've attempted to create a fun program that can motivate and inspire. Toning up and getting healthy doesn't have to be drudgery. But there's a lot more to the brand concept of The Brazilian Bikini Body Program, and I intend to use this blog as a bit of a dialogue on many related issues. Upcoming posts will involve discussions on media, fitness, technology and culture, all matters that are directly related to my brand. I hope you come back and look out for all the lively chat I hope this will inspire. And check out the current press: this week, my book is featured in Life&Style Magazine, and next week will be featured in an article in www.forbes.com (my old employer).
More tomorrow...