The Natural Lifestyle Philosophy
Humans. Technically the most advanced species on the planet, yet many of us are far from functioning at our best. Stressed. Overworked. Tired. Anxious. Injured. Addicted. Ill.
All things that many of us have come to accept as ‘normal’ aspects of modern life.
But the thing is, these afflictions are not normal – nor do we need to just put up with them. They’re a result of us losing something, as a species, that is critically important for our wellbeing, and that of future generations: our connection with nature.
Though it can be easy to forget in our technologically advanced age, at our root, we’re wild beings that, over time, have become domesticated. But while we’re no longer living in caves, our inner wild human is still there – and it has needs.
And it’s only when those needs are met that we can experience true health and happiness.
It’s been my life’s work to identify these needs, drawing on research and literature across the worlds of western and eastern science and spirituality, as well as my own expertise in disciplines ranging from pilates to natural movement to breathwork and cold water immersion therapy. Observing and learning from indigenous cultures and ancestral behaviours. Studying how humans were intended to behave in nature – and the things we all require to live optimal lives..
The result is a system that I call the Natural Lifestyle Philosophy: retraining ourselves to reconnect with some of our natural, ‘wild’ human behaviours, in ways that harmonise with modern life.
The beauty of the Natural Lifestyle Philosophy is its simplicity – rather than a long list of things to incorporate into your busy life, it’s all about stripping back and simplifying. Removing what’s not serving us in order to get back to a natural state of wellbeing.
I like to think that I’m living proof of the benefits of the Natural Lifestyle Philosophy – and countless people I’ve coached would say the same (and they do!). At the age of 44, I became an endurance athlete, breaking records no-one thought possible for a supposedly ‘middle aged’ man. I feel the best I’ve ever felt. And I want as many people as possible to experience this too, and to truly thrive, rather than just survive.
Because when your essential needs are met as they would be in nature, you’re liberated. When you’re functioning as nature intended, in touch with your inner being and experiencing real physical and emotional wellness, you’re free to discover your true purpose in life, and genuinely be your best and most authentic self.
A better person, partner, mother, father, athlete, friend… you name it.
In 2022 Tony released his first book, the bestselling ‘Be More Human: How to transform your lifestyle for optimum health, happiness and vitality’ which help us all to reassess our habits and tap back into our natural rhythms and ways of being to optimise our mental and physical wellbeing, reduce stress, sit correctly, breathe better and improve our quality of sleep.
The barefoot philosophy
Movement is the place most of my clients begin their own lifestyle evolutions. Being able to move well and freely directly impacts your level of wellbeing and happiness – it’s that big a deal!
It’s not enough just to ‘think happy’. When your body is starved of movement, your joints aren’t working well, your inner systems are stagnant and your muscles are tense or in pain.
The journey towards better movement begins by helping people reground themselves with natural foot protocols, natural foot-shaped footwear and natural ground sitting positions.
The reason I place such importance on foot health is because our feet are our ultimate foundation; the place from which all other movement and positioning comes. Naturally wide, bare feet offer strong yet flexible foundations upon which to build extraordinary shapes and movements.
Healthy feet are vital for healthy, natural movement. Naturally wide feet and footwear are wide in the toe pads, providing a stable foundation for movements including standing, squatting, lifting, balancing, jumping, walking and running.
In 2019 Dr Kris D’Aout, Senior Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Biol- ogy at the University of Liverpool, together with a PhD student, conducted a phenomenal piece of research where they measured the increase in foot strength wearing Vivobarefoot shoes, showing that there was a 60% improvement in foot strength after just six months of reconnecting to the function of their feet through wear- ing barefoot shoes.
In another study, titled ‘Preventing falls in older people by an innovative connected shoe: development and biomechanics study’, D’Aout discovered that balance in Vivobarefoot shoes is improved by up to 40% compared to regular padded shoes. Both these studies should leave us questioning where all the scientific research and innovations of billion-dollar aesthetic/athletic shoe brands has got us, if, by going back to foot-shaped shoes with as little protection as possible, feet get stronger, and our balance, mobility and capacity to move efficiently and effectively improves.
From a parenting perspective the most important take home from these studies is that grown-ups need to transition and adapt to get their foot strength and ability back. So as grown-ups, if we are to improve foot strength by 60% and balance by 40% by returning feet to a naturally functioning footwear, we have to have a pretty solid reason as to why we would place natural feet in such unnatural foot- wear in the first place . . . by wearing compromising footwear we lose 60% of foot strength and 40% of our balance. Imagine raising a whole generation of kids whose feet DONT NEED FIXING. Remember, kids don’t need rebooting, reconnecting, rewilding and empowering, they just need us to create environments that enable their wild innate abilities to thrive, and the shoe is an environment for the foot, is it not?
Here’s my ‘TONYVIVO15’ discount code to help you and your feet to stay wild, connected and empowered.
