Welcome back everyone. Today I’m going to explore a topic that has been important to me for a very long time, but that hasn’t been explored much on this show so far. I’m talking about personal health and fitness. 

Now of course this is a very multifaceted subject, and everyone will have their own ideas of what diets, exercise plans, mobility routines, as well as mental and spiritual practices are essential, and that’s great. This interview is going to focus on physical fitness and what it means to integrate exercise and strength training into a holistic health plan that suits your own unique needs and goals. 

Those of you who’ve been following this podcast since it was called Abundant Edge will likely remember me talking about my own struggles with digestive health and how I’ve had trouble for most of my adult life due to gut dysbiosis and related symptoms. In the past when I’ve felt hopeless and that my nutritional health was beyond my control, I would focus on the areas that I could still influence. 

Since I was constantly traveling for most of the last 15 years, I focused on calisthenics and bodyweight exercises that I didn’t need any equipment for. As I began researching how to train my body without gym equipment or weights I quickly found the inspirational work of Anthony Arvantakis, the founder of Bodyweight Muscle and the author of many bodyweight training books. I was immediately drawn to his focus on whole body fitness and functional strength above aesthetics, and his own personal journey of transformation is truly heartwarming. 

Over the years Anthony’s exercise programs and online community have helped me to get out of various depressive funks which have had transformative effects on my life beyond just my physical fitness. The routines have helped me to manage my time better, gain motivation for other goals in my life, and focus on holistic fitness. These qualities, while not unique to any one health program, have served as the spark to recommit myself to many of the virtues that I hope to continue to improve upon and one day even exemplify. Together they all tie into a much more complete and robust concept of holistic health as a lifestyle rather than an end goal. 

In this interview Anthony shares his story of the accident that had him bed ridden and immoble for years, and the mind and body transformation that helped him regain control of his life. We talk about the mindset and discipline necessary for a holistically healthy life, and how to look beyond your physical fitness to strive for optimal health in many aspects. 

I’m hoping that this will be the first of many conversations on these topics and I welcome you to suggest other experts and perspectives for future interviews on the discord channel, but for now, I’m pleased to get this discussion started with Anthony.

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Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdnGq7_Y2r8&t=2797s

https://www.bodyweightmuscle.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bodyweightmuscle/

https://www.youtube.com/c/BodyweightMuscle