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My name is Darryl Edwards, owner of Fitness Explorer Training & Nutrition based in London, England.

Darryl Edwards, MSc. Founder of HEALTH Unplugged and owner of Fitness Explorer Training, is an international speaker, coach, nutritionist and author of Paleo Fitness and Paleo from A to Z.  He has been published in titles such as Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Elle, Men's Fitness and featured on the BBC, ABC in Australia and the international documentary We Love Paleo.

After almost two decades working as a technologist in investment banking, Darryl transformed his health after adopting an ancestral model to well-being.  Darryl now advises people on maintaining a healthy lifestyle – amidst the epidemic of obesity and other chronic lifestyle diseases.

As the founder of the PRIMAL PLAY methodology, he makes activity fun, effective and engaging while getting individuals healthier, fitter and stronger in the process. He specialises in working with children from 4 to 94 - fitness for those who hate to exercise - as well as for those who love it but relish a new challenge.

Public Speaker / Movement Coach - includes: (UAL) University of the Arts London, Imperial College, Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Paleo FX, (AHS) Ancestral Health Symposium (US and NZ), Paleo Convention (Germany), Thr1ve.Me (Australia), PrimalCon (US and Mexico) and hosting Primal Play sessions worldwide.

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I teach groups, conduct one-to-one training sessions and host seminars, focussing on Paleo/Primal/ancestral nutrition/fitness, bodyweight exercises, strength/conditioning and play.

The Modern Age

With the use of current forms of transport, communication, labour/time-saving devices (and even conventional gym equipment) - these restrict or reduce our requirement to move.  We often feel we have no choice, many people have to work and live in the real-world of time constraints, motivational challenges and to explore or question the options available at their disposal.

We are bombarded with artificial foods, toxic substances and marketing budgets telling us what is healthy on a daily basis.  Food has become a derivative by-product of itself rather than the wholesome goodness that naturally exists.  Refined, modified and artificially enhanced to the detriment of replenishing and re-fuelling the body.

Philosophy:

In terms of my philosophy - several years ago I watched the movie 300 and was fascinated by the training programme these guys undertook and the Spartan 300 challenge.

At the time their trainer Mark Twight, from the legendary GymJones remarked that the actors worked as if they were preparing for battle.  Not just training in the arts of handling a sword and shield, but general preparedness for anything.  

From that moment on I viewed my training requirements, as being prepared for anything - and looked to vary training as much as possible with suitable rest, nutrition, recovery and stress management.

I now believe that fitness is a journey, not a destination.  The process is equally if not more important than the result.  

Fitness is not a type of gym class, quick-fix supplement, elitist regime or a prescribed list of activities.  These may help us to get 'fitter' but not fit.  Fitness is not about form, i.e. how good one looks.  It's about function: meaning the ability to perform everyday and occasional extraordinary tasks efficiently and effectively.  It includes being fit in the mind and body, and is ultimately about health and well-being. 

But there is something else that I want to focus on - I was like most children prior to the playstation generation.  I played outdoors a lot and enjoyed being active when it was fun and enjoyable.  Then onto adulthood, I sat behind a desk as a computer programmer and everything slowed down.  A lot of exercise is boring! 

Several years ago I decided that was going to change, my increase in activity would work around modern constraints.  Primal Play became my focus.

"Movement is Medicine" -- anon.

The Antidote

However there are things we can do to minimise the negative impacts of the modern age.  This is what I intend to investigate.  

This blog is about me sharing my journey, what I think works and what I think doesn't.  This doesn’t mean MY lifestyle will work for you.  But that it will hopefully trigger enough curiosity for you to explore the type of lifestyle that leads to better activity choices and healthier decisions.

Sometimes we want to make this more complicated then they need to be.  Where as in most cases the answer is simple.  Eat real food, be strong, move with brief intermittent periods of high intensity, integrate moderate activity into daily life and maintain long-term enjoyment of physical activity through play...

The Scope

My terms of reference are vast.  I will experiment and play with different types of movement.  Variety is the spice of life and I am happy being a generalist when it comes to movement.  I want to share the happiness and health benefits that derive from this exploration.  Not using movement as a form of indirect punishment or as a specialism to the detriment of other areas of fitness or life.

I aim to teach as much as I am willing to learn.  I recognise the collaborative efforts of many to make this venture possible and I wish to find my own path.  It is unlikely my views won't change in future.  But I am having fun with this exploration.  As Einstein once said:

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."
-- Albert Einstein