“Real life is tougher than training for the Olympics.”

Michael Klim says he misses the regularity and routine of life training for high level sport.

You’d never know he’s not still training intensely as Michael Klim walks into About Life Double Bay to celebrate the sale of his skincare range MILK & CO in the holistic health food stores. He looks strong.

Klim is one of the only former Olympians who has managed to exit the high profile sport and move seemingly seamlessly into the real world – and is making a success of it professionally and personally,  and he still looks toned. But he says it is not as easy as he makes it look.

“It wasn’t easy and it took a long time to work out what to do with my life”, he says reflecting on the transition he went through eight years ago when he left swimming.

“Real life is tougher than sport. I was chatting to (former Olympic swimmer) Geoff Huegill the other day and he agreed. When you are training in a high level sport, life is structured. You know when you are training, what you are eating, what you are doing every day. Sport is easy.”

“In the real world, it’s harder. Once you have children, your life is not your own, and it is hectic and more challenging to find that balance.” Klim said he still misses his swimming mates. “The comerarderie is incredible, as you get close. You are training together so much – but I am lucky we all still keep in touch. The key for me was having the right people around me, my family, my wife and my friends.”

Klim and his stunning wife Lindy Rama launched the Australian made natural skincare brand Milk & Co in 2006, initially as a skincare brand for men, but the range has expanded to women and baby’s products, and is now sold in 11 countries, the biggest markets being China, Korea and Denmark.

“I fell into the skincare business after being asked to endorse other brands, and realising I should develop my own,” he says. “Swimmers are quite vain, as the water and chlorine is harsh on the skin and hair, and I have a lot of skin, so I was always aware of products.”

Klim and his wife have attracted significant publicity for their global life, living between a lavish Bali home, and one in Melbourne with their three children. “There are times when I don’t see the kids for 11 days, and that is not ideal,” Klim explains.”But we have a great life.”

The plan is to expand Milk & Co into protein products and sell into more countries, but he says it will still be made in his home town of Melbourne.”It is important to us to be socially, naturally and environmentally friendly and being made in Australia is a part of that branding” he says.

Check out the latest in the Milk & Co Range at About Life.