Testimonial: Focus on Health

My Testimony:

I am in my early thirties.   I have been on endless diets since my early twenties.  Some of these diets included the Cabbage Soup, Japanese Diet, Full-Moon diet, Rice-Chicken-Apple diet, Montignac diet, various low-fat diet, low-carb diets, low-protein diets and of course not forgetting the 'not eating' diet.   All of these gave short term success - I usually lost around 6-10lbs (3-5kg).  I was happy for a few weeks but inevitably the weight piled back on and I went on another diet. I was always fairly slim but never toned and not happy with the way I looked.  There was always one area I would seek to try and improve.  Why was this process so difficult?     

I went to the gym 4-5 times a week for 2 hours at a time doing lots of cardio, lifting 1.5kg dumbbells and sometimes starved myself to 'stay in shape'.  I was also a smoker.  I had always said one day I would give up smoking, but in my own time and in my own way.  But deep down I realise I didn't care about the harmful effects of smoking very much as it didn't increase my weight. 

What was the key? 

Nine months ago Darryl told me there was one thing missing from my lifestyle regime.  A focus on my HEALTH.  He told me I did not look full of life and vitality.  He told me my body was deficient in certain nutrients.  My hair, skin and nails were his visual confirmation.  As a very proud individual I questioned this.   I was sure things were not THAT bad.  But he insisted I challenge him and to do my own research.  Did it feel right to feel hungry all the time, to be punishing myself, to suffer from a permanent lack of energy?

One thing that really struck a chord was being told even though I was slim I was still storing a large amount of body fat.  Apparently in his opinion I was a skinny fat individual.  Well 'skinny' sounds ok -  but fat?  As a trainer he was different - he didn't focus on how I looked but on what I could and couldn't do functionally and what my underlying health was and was likely to be in future.

He told me I didn't have to lose weight but that I should focus on healthy fat loss and try to maintain a healthy body composition.  He told me I had body image issues and until I focused on my health I would never be happy. 

I didn't believe his comments about being 'skinny fat' or about the poor quality of my food intake but then I had a body fat measurement test with a result of 32% so something definitely wasn't right.  A few percentage points away from being clinically obese?  Surely not!

Well I decided I needed to get back on track I would give it 30 days to see if there would be any improvements.

First things first:

He told me before anything else the most important thing was to cut out smoking.  I had a medical background.  I knew about all of the dangers of smoking.  But yet the most difficult thing was to give up smoking.   I thought it would be impossible.  A chain-smoker since my mid-teens, how would I manage this?  

Well after talking with you Darryl - one conversation was enough to change my mind. You said so many things, the right things which made me think about what was I doing to myself?      

I gave up smoking in a couple of days.  In a few weeks I noticed that I was able to take stairs to the 6th floor at work without getting breathless - all the exercise I was doing before just couldn't overcome the harmful effects of smoking.

What else did I change?

Food:  

Well I realised the so-called healthy foods I was consuming were not so healthy, those low calorie cereal bars, skimmed milk and other foods that rob the body of nutrients.  Now I eat more real food, eat more fat, drink less alcohol (in fact I now drink once in a blue moon).  I have learnt more about foods that are nutritious rather than counting calories.  I am happy to say 'I am not on a diet' this time.  My eating habits have just changed for the better.  Eating foods we were designed to eat.  I don't feel hungry all the time, my energy levels are better and I feel less guilty about food.  My skin, nails and hair are in better condition.  

I am eating healthy and tasty food and amazingly I don't feel like I am punishing myself.

Exercise: 

From gym workouts 4 to 5 times a week trying different types-from step to pilates, from bodysculpt to yoga.  I didn't get the result I wanted.  I now exercise a fraction of the time that I used to, but I feel much fitter.  Now I can do a proper press-up and squats that go to proper depth (not bar stool in height!).  Doesn't sound like much - but I now perform many more physical challenges then I ever thought possible, (I also realise that lifting heavier than my 1.5kg dumbells won't make me get bulky) :-)  I used to feel lethargic and without energy very often, now I can't remember the last time I didn't have the power to move.  I gave up my gym membership, work out at home and play out in the park.

Movement is now fun.

In terms of health: 

No backache (I suffered from chronic back pain since I was 18), no (almost daily) headache, no digestive system problems, no smoker's cough.

On Darryl's advice I also had cortisol (stress hormone) and other blood tests done.  My cortisol was elevated and he suggested changes to my lifestyle to get this under control.  Life is much better, I am more relaxed, and I can actually get a good night's restful sleep at 10.30pm rather than 1am, I am now down to just under 25% body fat.

9 months later - I look and feel better and most importantly I am healthier.

-Adele

Testimonial: Primality 1 Day Workshop Experience

My Primality 1 Day Workshop Experience

I attended the Fitness Explorer's one day Primality seminar to discover new ways to complement my current training regime. I am a Crossfit Certified Trainer and Personal Trainer and like to work outdoors so saw this as a good fit. In the introduction his Primality philosophy had good definitions and was well thought out so I was intrigued to learn more.

The talks were relaxed and informal with plenty of opportunity to ask questions. Of particular interest were of being more mindful and having an awareness of our body in it's physical but also social environment, this opened my mind to a more holistic approach to not just fitness but to lifestyle.

We also covered some paleo nutrition topics, here Darryl demonstrated indepth knowledge and was comfortable with any questions fielded on this topic.

The sessions were freeflowing, fun, social and became more challenging as the day progressed.  We ventured outside as well as doing some work indoors.  I especially thought that the balance work, animal-like natural movement, precision jumping and primal imaginative play all added a new dimension.  At the time I thought that physically it wasn't as challenging as I thought it would be, but at the end of the day I really felt my body telling me that it had been worked hard!

The seminar was really enjoyable, I felt as though I made loads of friends and I remember laughing a lot. Great day!! 

Jerry

Testimonial: 8 One-To-One's And a Few Groups Sessions Later

A New Life Resolution

Even though my office is directly above a gym containing a treadmill, a concept II rowing machine, a bike, fixed resistance machines and free weights, I have struggled in recent years to find the motivation to exercise in this kind of environment.  Even though I would be able to access this facility free of charge, I knew I needed something different than pounding a treadmill day after day to get me back into regular exercise.

 At 38 years old and after almost 2 years of non-activity, I contacted Darryl to discuss my situation and to see if he would be prepared to coach me back into a fitter/healthier lifestyle.  Thankfully he agreed and following a thorough fitness assessment we began a 4 week plan that would take us up to Christmas 2011.

 This 4 week plan consisted of 2 one-to-one sessions each week plus a group session in the local park on Saturday mornings.  The results of this plan are as follows:

• ·                     Body Fat % reduced from 24.3% to 19.4%
• ·                     Bodyweight down from 71.4kg to 69.1kg
• ·                     Hydration levels up from 55% to 58.3%

I also managed to lose 1.5 inches from my waist, an inch from my hips and my stomach looks as it did when I was 22 years old :-)

I can remember a few years ago, attending the gym on 5 days each week, using all sorts of equipment, but I have never achieved these kinds of results and in such a short period of time.  I am stronger, fitter have more stamina and look better too.

Don’t get me wrong, at no point were Darryl’s sessions easy, infact he has me training harder now than at any point in my life, but the results speak for themselves. 

The sessions have consisted of primarily bodyweight exercises, using an intensity that is higher than any cardio workout I have ever taken part in.  Many of the exercises mimic the movements of a variety of animals which is one of the reasons why Darryl’s sessions are so interesting.

As we begin 2012, I may not be ready for the Olympics, but I trust Darryl to continue to push me and get me into the best shape possible as I approach the big 4……….0!

Nick

Testimonial: Primal Playout

“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.”
Lance Armstrong

It’s Monday and I am walking like an old man. My gait is stiff, uncertain and slow. Colleagues in the office offer comments of sympathy and concern. They wonder why I am nearly always limping on a Monday. Sometime on Tuesdays too. They don’t know I spend Saturdays crawling around on all fours in an attempt to get fit.

Primal Boot Camp is unlike any other fitness class I have taken. Crab walking across a wobbly bridge in a playground is not exactly what I expected when I signed up. But it is great fun. Our trainer, Darryl Edwards, is very inventive. He runs a class that is physically challenging, and far from boring.

I have attended the class once a week for two months now, and I have seen progress in all areas of my fitness. Strength, stamina, agility, flexibility and balance are all improved. So I have decided I want more of it. I will be starting personal sessions with Darryl soon. My wife and I have also decided to have regular family sessions with him. We tried one before Christmas and our 7-year old son loved it!

If you happen to live in or around West London and you are interested in giving Primal Boot Camp a go, check out Darryl’s website and blog. The class is very affordable and open to people of all ages and abilities.

The Guardian newspaper recently pronounced this kind of class the latest trend in fitness. Hopefully, this is a sign that primal living is becoming more mainstream. I for one prefer this kind of outdoor exercise to stuffy indoor gym sessions.  Even on cold rainy winter days.

Reprinted with permission from www.primalpeter.com