How To Shed 13 Pounds in 30 Days: The Mighty Oak Athletic Way
The 13 Pounds in 30 Days weight loss program from Mighty Oak Athletic will get you looking and feeling your best in just one month!
The program includes a day-by-day training journal that outlines what to do, when to do it, why it works, and how you will drop the weight.
NO special workout equipment
NO fancy foods or tricky cooking techniques
NO increased time working out or excessive training
NO calorie restriction or starvation
What are you waiting for?
This is the unique program you have been trying to find for years!
The proven 13 Pounds in 30 Days weight loss program will make it happen.
Mastering the Art of Hunger: How the Mighty Oak Athletic Challenge Prepares You for the Feast of the Year
Most Americans rarely experience hunger. Sure, people get hangry all the time. But that’s different. What about experiencing the sensations that are triggered when the body is burning more calories in a day than it is taking in? That is not the same as eating lunch an hour late because a Zoom meeting ran long.
Take the Mighty Oak Athletic Turkey Time Challenge in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s simple - skip one meal a day. That’s it!
Eat dinner at 7pm? Then skip breakfast and wait until lunch for the next meal. Need breakfast to jumpstart the day? No problem! Pass on lunch and wait for dinner. Need to eat throughout the day? Cool! Enjoy a healthy breakfast and sensible lunch, then skip dinner.
This does not have to be a forever change. It is a great way to disrupt habitual eating, identify true hunger, and build a small caloric deficit leading up to the gluttonous holiday at the end of November.
Embrace discomfort. Don’t obsess about being hungry and don’t get overly-focused on the next meal. Instead, acknowledge what the body is experiencing and use it as an opportunity to recalibrate and prepare for the Feast of the Year.
Happy Thanksgiving!
How To Break Free from Helicopter Parenting: Embracing Resilience and Independence
Helicopter Parents. Hovering. Watching every move a child makes to ensure the utmost safety. Whenever a child gets remotely close to a less-than-perfect situation, the helicopter parent swoops in and rescues the child from danger. Whew! That was close.
There is a new parenting style that has taken hold in America. Snow Plow Parenting. These well-meaning moms and dads make every effort to eliminate any challenges or friction that a child faces throughout the day, in order to clear a path to success.
It sounds good. It is certainly well-intentioned and comes from a place of love and caring. The challenge is that this approach to child-rearing often has the opposite effect and develops children into adults that are unable to function when faced with the trials and tribulations that life constantly bombards them with.
The Snow Plow Effect has been applied to the health and wellness community as well. At the first signs of a sniffle, ache, or pain, people immediately begin popping pills and downing elixirs. They call their doctors and schedule telemedicine appointments.
The body is not given an opportunity to do what it does best - survive. Sure, there will be some discomfort in the short-term, but that discomfort hardens individuals and makes them more resilient. Then, when something truly scary does challenge their health, the body is stronger and better practiced at recovering from it.
Similarly, the fitness industry has been plowing the path to health for decades. Spacious gyms, shiny equipment, temperature controlled training areas, perfect flooring, and ambient lighting all make the training experience…perfect! The challenge is that life is rarely perfect (unless you live in San Diego! 😎).
A major component of physical training is exposure to the elements. That can be in the form of a hot sun and humid air, or freezing rain and bitter winds. That exposure to the elements hardens humans and builds grit.
Training cannot be viewed simply as a physical endeavor, however. It also needs to be evaluated on its’ effectiveness to build a strong mind and resilient spirit. Training outdoors - year round - develops these characteristics.
Is it always pleasant training outdoors? Absolutely not! Embrace the suck.
By consistently training outdoors, an interesting thing happens. The body adapts. By training across the seasons, the body has the opportunity to acclimate over a longer period of time. Start now and slowly build up an endurance and tolerance for the elements. As the temperature drops or rises, the body and mind will be able to adapt to the changing environment. And the spirit will be stronger for it!
Now get outside and enjoy that weather.
How To Master Nose Breathing for Optimal Health and Performance
Take a moment and notice breathing. What is moving with each inhalation and exhalation? The shoulders? The chest? The belly? Is air coming in through the mouth or in through the nose? What about on the exhale, through the mouth or through the nose? Does it matter? Why?!
Simply put, mouth breathing stimulates the fight-or-flight response in the human body. It excites the sympathetic nervous system. This is great if the body needs a rush of energy and hormones to flee from a dangerous situation. It is damaging to human health, however, if the body is in a constant state of fight-or-flight. The stress it causes breaks the body down and has significant long term effects on both healthspan and longevity.
Inhaling and exhaling through the nose puts the body into the parasympathetic nervous system - the rest-and-digest state. This is where most humans need their body to be most of the time. It is a calm and relaxed state of mind and body.
Nose breathing is also highly effective during sports and physical activity. By breathing through the nose, an athlete or weekend warrior can maintain a lower heart rate, as well as lower it more quickly after intense bursts of movement. Breathing heavily through the nose will feel forced at first, but with practice, it will become second nature and ultimately lead to improved physical performance.
The next factor to focus on in healthy breathing is expanding and contracting the belly by using the muscles of the diaphragm. Many people inhale by raising the shoulders or expanding the chest. They then exhale by lowering the shoulders or collapsing the chest. This is a mistake. Watch a dog or cat breathe - either at rest or when being active - their bellies expand and contract. This is where a breath should occur in humans as well.
Take a moment to practice this motion. Start by gently placing the hand against the bellybutton. Take a deep inhalation and press the belly into the hand. Next, exhale and feel the hand move in towards the spine. Repeat for 5-10 slow and controlled breaths.
How one breathes matters. Make an effort to be more aware of breathing techniques both at rest and at play. Focus on inhaling and exhaling through the nose, as well as expanding and contracting the belly with each inhalation and exhalation. The mind and body will be healthier for it!
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How To Live a Death-Resistant Life: A Comprehensive Guide to Longevity and Vitality
The pillars to a long, healthy life are Recovery, Movement, and Nutrition. While this isn't exactly a revelation, the majority of us inherently understand its truth. The real difficulty lies in delineating the specifics of what constitutes "healthy" rest, activity, and diet. 'Death Resistant' simplifies the concept of "healthy" into comprehensible components that can be easily implemented.
Adopting a healthy, active lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. Embrace the long-term perspective. Begin envisioning a life span extending to 120 years, and consider the necessary measures to arrive there with mental acuity and physical functionality.
The Surprising Reason Why Isometric Training Should be a Part of Your Fitness Routine
A quick search of the keywords isometric exerciseonline returns over 22 million results. While isometric training (ISOs) has been popular lately, it is a training concept that has been around for ever. So what is it?
Muscles move in three basic ways: concentric, eccentric, and static. The concentric phase is the shortening of the muscle, like flexing the biceps muscle when showing off “The Guns.”💪🏾 The eccentric phase is the lengthening of the muscle, like extending the biceps muscle when giving some one five ✋🏽 (does anybody do that any more?). The static phase is when a muscle is flexed, but motion is paused 🛑. Contracting a muscle and holding it in that flexed, static position is isometric training.
Why is isometric training useful? It is a great way to challenge muscles when other resistance is unavailable. Trapped seated in a mind-numbing meeting? Lift the feet by flexing the legs at the knee joint and squeeze into the muscles of the thigh. Hold that position for 5-10 seconds. Release and repeat. That is isometric training!
Another great way to include ISOs is to add a pause to a movement. One of the best ways to improve strength in the pull up is to pull the chin over the bar, pause for 3-5 seconds at the top, then lower slowly under control. Or add ISOs to push ups by pausing at the top or the bottom. Make bodyweight squats more challenging by lowering slowly, then pausing with the hips just below the knees…for 30 seconds! This can also be done against a wall - the wall sit. Or when deadlifting, pause at the top to build up strength in the hands, forearms, and shoulders.
Isometrics are just one more tool that can be included in a training program to add variety. Try adding ISOs to the next movement session and see how it challenges not only the physical aspects of the workout, but the mental aspect as well. When holding that contracted position, every neuron in the brain will be firing and screaming to dump the resistance. Hold strong and work those ISOs!
Healthy Eating on a Budget: How to Prioritize Quality and Traceability in Your Food Choices
Author Michael Pollan has a great line in his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. He encourages readers to think about their food and ask themselves the fundamental question, “What is it and where does it come from?”
Yes, it is a Cool Ranch Dorito from Walmart - and its delicious! But can it be traced back to flora and fauna? And more importantly, what is the journey of the food?
Is meat healthy? Depends. Lean cuts from a healthy, humanely raised animal can be part of a nutritious diet. Heavily marbled cuts of meat from animals force-fed grain, antibiotics, and growth hormones are bad news.
Choose organic fruits and vegetables. This limits the amount of nasty chemicals that are ingested. An apple a day keeps the doctor away - unless that apple is drenched in pesticides.
Eating quality food can be done on a limited budget. And cooking homemade meals is always less expensive than eating out. To get the best return on investment, focus on buying grass fed meat, eggs from free range chickens, dairy from grass fed animals, and always organic when buying the heavily sprayed Dirty Dozen: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries.
Be a discerning connoisseur of food. Make an effort to understand the journey that food takes from earth, to store, to plate.
Be a healthy human!
Cure for the Common COVID: The Surprising Reason Why Exercise and Nutrition Are Key in the Battle Against COVID
Kaiser Permanente recently published research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that studied 48,400 adults with COVID. The researchers categorized the patients into one of three groups: consistently inactive, somewhat active, and consistently active. Activity levels were measured based upon self-reported activity levels from the patients and were then compared with the U.S. physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
The results were eye opening.
First, only 6.4% of patients in the study were consistently active. That means over 93% were not meeting the weekly physical activity requirements on a consistent basis! That statistic is staggering on its’ own.
The news gets worse, however.
For the patients in the consistently inactive group, the health outcomes were sobering. That group had a 2.26 greater chance of hospitalization than the consistently active group. They also had a 73% greater chance of landing in the intensive care unit, and a 2.5 greater chance of death!
The study controlled for factors like age, race, previous medical conditions, obesity, and smoking. Even after those factors were taken into account, the results were still staggering.
So what does it all mean?
Simple.
Eat healthy, exercise regularly, sleep consistently.
Yes, vaccines, masks, and hand washing are all important and can be included as part of a plan for the prevention of the transmission of COVID. But those efforts will not eliminate the virus from spreading. Expecting to avoid COVID forever is a poor plan.
The better option is to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Here’s how…
Load the plate up with fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. And eat a variety of colors. Experiment with root vegetables, tropical fruits, and bitter greens. Cook meals at home more than ordering out. Opt for clean protein like wild caught salmon or grass fed beef. Enjoy high-fiber carbohydrates like roasted sweet potatoes or wild rice. And drink plenty of water - look for lemonade-color urine.
Walk everyday, regardless of the weather. Walk indoors if necessary, but get moving. Spend some time each week lifting things that are heavy and increasing the heart rate by participating in enjoyable activities like running, biking, swimming, or playing sports.
Finally, turn off the electronics and go to bed early. Stop binge watching the Squid Games or Cobra Kai. Quit scrolling through Facebook and Instagram feeds. Close the Tik Tok videos, read a book, and allow the brain to decompress. Nothing is healthier than restorative sleep that allows the body to repair.
COVID is coming for each and every person on the planet. It currently cannot be avoided. By investing in a healthy and active lifestyle, the effects from the virus will be less punishing and deadly.
Now close this post and go for a walk!
Doers vs. GonnaButts: The Power of Taking Action for Health and Fitness
There are a lot of cheesy sayings that encapsulate the concept: “Do or do not, there is no try;” “Just do it;” “You don’t have to be in shape to get started, but you have to get started to get in shape.” The list goes on and on… The point is that there is no time like the present (there’s another one!) to start living a healthy and active lifestyle.
All too often, people are waiting for a better time or scenario to make improvements to their health or change their bad habits. Why? Will there ever truly be an ideal time? Or is it just procrastination rearing its’ ugly head?
The phrase people utter a lot is “gonnabut.” “I’m gonna start working out, but I want to wait until my kids go back to school.” “I’m gonna start eating healthy, but I want to wait until we get back from our summer vacation.” I’m gonna start going to bed earlier, but I’m waiting until the family is into a routine for fall.” This is stinkin’ thinkin’.
Make the change now. Stop waiting for some theoretical ‘ideal situation’ that facilitates improving habits and eliminates friction from the process. It doesn’t exist! Sure, some times and places are better than others for introducing healthy habits or eliminating unhealthy ones, but the reality is that starting now is the best option.
Using the Mighty Oak Athletic analogy of the Health Savings Account, these healthy deposits are not all that different from financial deposits into a retirement account. Yes, some people are lucky and can time the stock market fluctuations to buy low and sell high, but trying to time that is usually an exercise in futility. The smarter play is to invest now and let that money compound and grow over the longest period of time possible. The same goes for the proverbial Health Savings Account. Make deposits early and often.
Be a doer, not a gonnabutt. Doers get out and make things happen. They are not afraid to embrace change and take on new challenges. They refuse to rationalize why tomorrow would be better, and instead take action in the moment. The next time an opportunity arises to embrace a change that will have a positive impact in life, say “I’ll do it!” Not, “I’m gonna, but…”
Carpe diem! Or whatever cheesy saying gets you motivated. Now make that change!
The Surprising Reason Why Preparation Beats Discipline: Unlocking Success
Retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink has a great book titled Discipline Equals Freedom. It is highly motivating! Need inspiration for the 6:00am run? Read this book before bed. The basic premise is that maintaining a standard of discipline in certain areas creates immense freedom in others. The lessons that Jocko presents are right on target. So are the actionable items that he recommends - commands! - readers put to work.
The challenge is that discipline is a finite resource. While it can be applied to numerous areas of life throughout the day, it cannot be applied infinitely. This leads to a dichotomy in decision making (for more on dichotomies, check out Jocko’s book Dichotomy of Leadership).
What happens when all of the daily discipline has been applied and used up? Sure, there are some great results that come from those disciplined decisions, but what about the choices that need to be made at the end of the day?
As an example, someone finishes up a long day of work, comes home and the kids need help with their homework, the dog needs to be walked, the towels need to be put into the dryer, and everyone is getting hangry for dinner. Open the refrigerator and…nothing is ready to eat. If there is some discipline left in the tank, it is easy to chop and sauté some veggies and chicken and serve over rice. Then rotate the laundry and walk the dog while discussing social studies with the kids.
If the tank is running on fumes, however, this is where the poor decisions start to get made. There might be enough discipline to get through the chores and homework, but cook dinner from scratch? Meh. A frozen pizza sounds good.
This is where preparation comes into play. Dan John and Josh Hillis, in their book Fat Loss Happens on Monday, make the case that preparation beats discipline. In the previous example, what if over the weekend, time was dedicated to chopping vegetables, marinating chicken, and making a pot of chili. Then at the end of those long weekdays, when the discipline is fading, it is easier to make healthy decisions. Forget that frozen fat, salt, and sugar bomb - fire up the grill!
This becomes a virtuous cycle of good decisions leading to more good decisions. All it takes is a little bit of planning and discipline to be properly prepared. This is a concept that Jocko surely supports. Having served in elite units in the U.S. military, he is keenly aware of the importance that preparation has in being disciplined and making decisions that lead to good outcomes.
Commit to being prepared. Do not look at it as a chore. Reframe it as an investment. The hours of time and effort dedicated to setting the week up for success will have a huge return on investment. Do not depend on disciple alone to get through life’s labyrinth of decision making. Be prepared and everything else will be easier as a result.
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The Ultimate Guide to Mindful Health Choices: Building Your Health Savings Account
There is a prevailing mindset that people can sit on the couch, order McDonalds delivered by Uber Eats, binge watch Netflix, drink Coors by the six pack, smoke Marlboros, pop Leafs’ edibles, and remain COVID-free if they simply put on a mask and get a booster shot. Conversely, many people also believe that not wearing masks and avoiding the vaccine - regardless of healthy lifestyle choices - is a certain path to The VID. The truth most likely lies somewhere in the middle.
What is important is to be mindful and not to get lulled into a false sense of security. It is easy to think that a mask or vaccine, since they are easy to see and identify, are silver bullets for warding off viruses and disease. And while they may be effective as part of an overall health and wellness approach, they are far from silver bullets. In fact, the positive contribution that those measures will have on one’s health are significantly lower than the impact of eating healthy, moving regularly, and sleeping consistently.
Keep the health savings account analogy top of mind when making choices. It is not something to be obsessed about, but rather, to be mindful of. Do not get into the habit of eating, moving, and sleeping without thinking. Be aware of the choices that are being made and acknowledge that there is freedom of choice, but not freedom from consequence.
Health Savings Account
When making a food, beverage, activity, or sleep choice, ask the fundamental question: is this going to be a deposit into the health savings account, or a withdrawal. Not all choices need to be a deposit, but the ledger needs to stay in the positive.
The adverse effects on health start to arise when the account balance is consistently in the negative - too many withdrawals and too few deposits. That does not mean that the goal is to only make deposits and live a life void of enjoyment. It cannot, however, be strictly focused on hedonistic choices that keep making withdrawals long after the account balance has gone negative. When this happens, the body will impose penalties in the forms of mental fatigue, physical discomfort, joint inflammation, weight gain, muscle loss, weakening in the bones, wrinkles in the face…the list goes on and on.
By consistently making healthy choices that will add to the balance in the health savings account, the ledger will steadily grow, allowing plenty of positive accumulation that can be withdrawn against to enjoy life’s less-than-healthy pleasures.
The Unexpected Benefits of Walking to the School Bus: Unleashing Creativity and Community Connections
Change is difficult. Most people like the certainty that a routine can provide in structuring the day. Sometimes these routine activities that were once productive and beneficial, become mundane or even counterproductive. While many of us sense that a change is in the best interest, making the shift can feel daunting or overwhelming - even for the most subtle changes! Disagree? Commit to using the non-dominant hand to brush the teeth. Or taking a new route to the grocery store. Try is for a week and see how it goes. For many people, the mere thought of changing something that has become habitual makes the skin crawl.
The local school district recently enacted a small change that has been criticized by some of the neighborhood parents - moving the bus stop. Prior to this school year, the bus stopped at each students house to pick up and drop off. This was hugely inefficient. So the school board voted to have the students walk (gasp!) to a specific location in their neighborhoods to meet up with the bus. Some students only had to walk out their front door to get to the appropriate location, while others had to walk a few blocks (gasp!) to meet up with the bus.
At first, when the days were warm and sunny, this was not a problem. most parents were so overjoyed to get their kids back into school that they didn’t mind the change to the routine. Then the rains came. Now parents began to grumble about what an inconvenience it was to have the kids get on weather-appropriate gear, carry umbrellas, pack gym shoes to change into at school, etc. And what was going to happen when the temperatures dropped and the sunlight faded into winter? And were kids expected to walk in the snow and stand in the frigid winds waiting for the bus?
This definitely sounds like the set up for the “When I was your age we used to walk to school in the snow, uphill, both ways!” cliché, and maybe it is. The reality is that a lot of children have turned into soft suburban kids. Moms loading them into Honda Odyssey’s, backing up to the end of the driveway, keeping the car at a perfect 72 degrees, and waiting diligently until the bus arrived…at their house!
Having kids get up and take a walk outside to start the day has numerous benefits. First, being outdoors is a big win to start the day. Most Americans spend 97 percent of their time indoors!That is a staggering statistic. The 10 minutes spent walking and being is the fresh air can have a significant positive impact on a child’s mental well-being.
Next, being exposed to Mother Nature, and the sometimes harsh elements that she can dole out, makes kids hearty. It build resilience and and the ability to persevere through challenging situations. The perseverance is a key component in developing grit - passion and perseverance for long-term goals.
Finally, meeting up with other children fosters a community connection and spontaneous interaction. This leads to unstructured play and creativity that growing children need to develop into successful, well-adjusted adults. Sitting in a car with dad, staring at a phone, oblivious to the outside world, is a terrible way to begin the day. Playing tag or stomping puddles - even if getting pants wet before school makes dad crazy - could possibly be the most productive part of the child’s day!
Embrace challenge. Stop trying to find the path of least resistance. While it is done with a loving heart in an attempt to build a great life for children, it is often times counterproductive to achieving the goal of raising a happy and healthy child.
Yes, change can be unnerving. The next time a change is forced upon the current routine, do not see it as a negative disruption. Rather, identify what is good about it and how that change can add to improvements in what might be a stagnant routine.
Now bundle up those kiddos and take a walk to the bus!
From Frumpy to Fit: The Ultimate Guide to Overcoming the Soft Suburban Dad Lifestyle
I was a fat and frumpy. In 2006, approximately 10 months after the birth of my first son, Nathan, my health had spiraled out of control. I was eating way too much (all that comfort food with my wife during the pregnancy months), drinking too frequently, and doing the same workouts, session after session. I was stuck in a rut. My 5’ 10” frame was at 198 pounds—and not a good 198.
I had become a soft suburban dad.
This was a critical moment in my life’s journey. I could either succumb to the soft suburban dad lifestyle, or double down on my health and make serious changes. I doubled down.
By committing to what is now the 13 Pounds in 30 Days Weight Loss Program, I dropped 13 pounds of fat and transformed my life. I went from being the typical frumpy dad on the sidelines, to the athletic looking young man I was 15 years earlier.
This transformation radically changed my confidence, temperament, and energy levels. My happiness has improved. I wake up with a smile, feeling rested and energetic—ready to tackle the day. I am active at work and with the family for 16 solid hours without needing caffeine or other performance enhancing drugs.
My productivity has skyrocketed and my brain feels clear and calm. My sex life has improved. And my relationship with my wife has flourished, despite the many challenges that a growing family faces.
I truly feel great!
Now I want to share this proven program with you and your audience!
Stop being frustrated with wasted workouts in the gym that never seem to make a difference on the waistline. Stop starving yourself and feeling hungry and irritable. Mighty Oak Athletic will get you and your audience looking and feeling their best in just one month!
Our approach does not require any special workout equipment.
No fancy foods or tricky cooking techniques.
No increased time working out or excessive training.
No calorie restriction or starvation.
All it takes is a commitment to take a walk every day, eat wholesome foods, and get plenty of sleep.
Simple, right?
That’s the point.
The MOA approach is an easy to understand plan that is accessible to most people. It outlines a simple way to think about what it means to be healthy, and more importantly, the steps required to achieve a healthy and active lifestyle.
You are in need of interesting, entertaining, and educated guests.
Mighty Oak Athletic can deliver a fun and engaging segment that will educate your audience on a topic that is universally important to most people - health and longevity.
Connect with us using the contact information below to discuss how Mighty Oak Athletic can add value to your next production.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Learn to live healthy.
BOOK MICHAEL OCKRIM AND MIGHTY OAK ATHLETIC FOR AN UPCOMING PODCAST, TV, OR RADIO INTERVIEW. 630-464-9498 OR COACH@MIGHTYOAKATHLETIC.COM
The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Immunity in the Age of COVID Variants
Reports out of Columbia in South America state that the highly contagious COVID-19 Mu variant (B.1.621) is resistant to immunity provided by vaccines and antibodies. The Delta variant is running rampant across the United States. People - vaccinated and unvaccinated - are getting sick at an increasing rate. This is happening in summer when most people are at their healthiest from more vitamin D exposure (sunshine) and outdoor activity (social distancing). So what’s the problem?
For the past 18 months, the prevailing discussions have centered around the vaccination rates and the mask/no mask debate. In other words, prevention protocol. Is it possible that the focus has been on the wrong details? Clearly Mother Nature is not deterred the prevention options. It is highly likely that most people are going to get COVID eventually. What if vaccines and masks were removed from the discussion? What if the discussion focused on what can be done to put people in the best position to fight off the virus when it is contracted?
Healthy people get sick. The difference is in the Frequency, Intensity, and Time (F.I.T.). If the average person gets sick with a cold, flu, or infection three times a year; the healthy person might get sick once a year. The average person may may get sick and be bed-ridden for three days; the health person might be in bed for one day. The average person may get sick and feel unwell for 7-10 days; the healthy person might feel miserable for 3-5 days.
Is the healthy person going to avoid COVID and its’ numerous variants? No! The difference is that the healthy person will be better equipped physically to fight off a virus and recover quickly. The question that needs to be discussed is: what can be done to build a healthy body? The answer is recovery, movement, and nutrition.
Mighty Oak Athletic calls this The Circles of Life. Recovery, movement, and nutrition, that is what it takes to live a long and healthy life. This is not groundbreaking information. Most people intuitively know this to be true. The challenge arises in defining how often, how much, when, where, and what“healthy” rest, activity, and food look like.
RECOVERY
On the health underrated list is the power of consistent, deep sleep. Many people spend an inordinate amount of time obsessing about the overrated components of health like exercise and supplements. Meanwhile, the facets of health that truly move the needle in an impactful way - proper nutrition from real food and sleeping habits - are often an after thought.
An overwhelming amount of current research shows that sleep is essential to physical and mental health. The harsh reality is that most people are sabotaging their sleep and missing out on all of the health benefits a sound night of zzz’s has to offer.
Here are a few ways to improve sleep quality and overall health. Do not try to implement all of these improvements at once. Choose a single habit to change, and make that the keystone habit (the small change that carries over into other aspects of health) to build upon. This incremental progress is less-challenging to maintain for longer periods of time.
No screens before bed
That means turn down the harsh LED house lights and power off cell phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, backlit eReaders, and the TV one hour before bed.
LED screens and lights emit blue wavelengths that mess with the body’s internal clock and natural rhythms - the circadian rhythm. Screen time and exposure to the now ubiquitous LED lights makes it difficult for the body to begin shutting down after sunset.
Opt for a traditional, non-backlit eReader or print books and magazines when reading for bed.
Be consistent
Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. It is best to allow the body to dictate this, as opposed to an alarm clock.
Following a consistent sleep pattern will set the body’s internal clock and condition the mind to expect sleep at the same times each night. A key success factor in achieving this is maintaining the same sleep routine on weekends, as well as during the week. While most people cannot go to sleep and wake up at exactly the same time everyday, the goal is to stick to the routine most days.
Trust the body
How many hours should someone sleep each night? It depends. Some people can thrive on 5-1/2 hours of sound sleep. Others need a solid 9 hours of shut eye. Listen to the body and acknowledge the feedback it provides.
While it is easy with a quick internet search to find data that will support a range of required sleep anywhere from 4 to 12 hours per night, 8 hours seems to be the most agreed upon middle ground. Allowing the body and mind to recharge for one third of the day is a reasonable and attainable number for most people. Think of hours of sleep as deposits into a proverbial Health Savings Account.
Dark and cool
It’s not just screens and LED lights that disrupt sound sleep. Light pollution coming in through windows, or lights from clocks and lamps can have similar negative effects.
Invest in quality blinds or drapes for the bedroom that will block out street lights, passing car lights, and early morning sunlight. On a budget? Block external light with tinfoil “blinds” and cover with inexpensive window dressing.
Have the bedroom comfortably cold before sleep. The external body temperature will adjust under the covers and the internal temperature will set to become comfortably cool - not hot and sweaty.
Keep it clean
Eliminate clutter in the bed. Sleeping in minimal clothing and blankets will limit tangles and subsequent tossing and turning. Minimize the number of pillows to create space to move freely. And NO PETS IN BED! The true magic is in deep, undisturbed sleep - not how many hours are spent in bed. Uncertain about the quality of sleep? Check out one of the dozens of sleep tools available to track sleep quality. The results might be eye opening!
Sex and rest
Only use the bedroom for sex, sleep, and light reading. That means no digging into textbooks or work decks - keep the desk outside of the bedroom. Do not chat or text on the phone in bed. Avoid the bedroom when arguing with a partner. Keep the bedroom sacred!
Some people have smaller living spaces or studio apartments. The confined spaces make this maxim challenging to achieve. Make an effort to address these non-sex/rest activities at an alternative location. For anyone with a larger living space - no excuses! - make an effort to compartmentalize activities into the appropriate rooms in the house.
Say no to drugs
Alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine destroy a good night sleep. While it may seem like passing out is a deep sleep, it is not restorative. This lack of restorative sleep leads to physical and mental fatigue the next day. This begins the sleep-sapping cycle of caffeine to “wake up”, not being able to sleep well from ingesting stimulants throughout the day, waking up groggy, and taking more stimulants. Break the cycle!
Make it a ritual
Have a bedtime routine that signals to the brain it is time to start shutting down. This might be taking a warm shower or bath, brushing the hair and teeth, applying lotions and potions, and then reading non-work or non-school related books. Find the individual habits that work best and make them a ritual.
Say sayonara to siestas
Avoid naps during the day. If a nap is necessary, keep it short - 20 minutes - and in the early part of the day.
Postpone pee pee
Stop consuming fluids at least one hour before bed time. This will reduce or eliminate night time trips to the bathroom.
No sweat sesh
Keep strenuous physical activity in the evening - including vigorous sex! - to a minimum. An elevated heart rate and excessive hormones that make the body energetic can make it challenging to relax and fall asleep.
MOVEMENT
An inability to move is one of the biggest indicators of poor health and leads to a shortened health span and lifespan. The less someone moves, the quicker the body and mind deteriorate. Make movement throughout the day - mostly walking - a priority.
Be strong to be useful; and to be able to move the body through the various activities of daily living. Strong legs can get the body in and out of chairs (and off toilets!). A strong core will keep the body stable and free from falls. Strong muscles in the chest and shoulders can place bags in the airplane’s overhead storage compartment. A strong back and rump can lift grocery bags and laundry baskets with ease. Make strength a priority.
Walk
Take a walk. Around the house, around the block, or around the park. Walking is one of the most basic of all human movements. A person’s overall health can often be predicted simply by looking at how freely and easily they are able to walk.
Walking is an activity that should be done throughout the day, everyday, without exception. Humans are built to walk. The current trend is to track steps. This can be a great way to bring awareness to movement, but a walking practice does not need to be that complicated. Just stand up and walk around!
Be consistent, not constant. Walking a little bit everyday will have a larger return on overall health than walking for longer stretches in more sporadic bursts throughout the month.
In addition to the physical benefits of walking, getting up and moving is a great way to clear the mind and give the brain the space it needs to relax and solve complex problems.
Walking in nature also serves to calm the mind and alleviate stress in the brain by eliminating many of the man-made distractions that act as stressors for the head. Leave the phone at home, take out the ear buds, and get immersed in the sights and sounds of the natural world.
Lift
Be strong to be useful. Strength is achieved by moving progressively heavier resistance. This can be bodyweight or an object. The weight is generally lifted by pushing or pulling. Pushing and pulling can take on various forms.
Pulling with the upper body can be as simple as opening a door, or as challenging as a pull up. Pushing can be closing a door, or pressing the body up off of the ground.
Lower body pulls are basic toe touches or lifting an object like a laundry basket off the ground. Lower body pushing motions get the body off of the toilet when moving from seated to standing, or when squatting down and up to grab something on the floor.
These are the basic human movements required for the activities of daily living. When these basic movements deteriorate, people become dependent on others or assistance tools (grab bars, automatic doors). This leads to even less movement and a downward health spiral. It also erodes a person’s independence and self-reliance.
Take time everyday to do some basic push and pull lifts. Start gradual and build up to more advanced movements and heavier weights as the body builds strength and coordination. The future person in the mirror will be thankful!
NUTRITION
Eat more fruits and vegetables. If there is one message to take away from this post, that is it. Most people eat too few fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. By simply increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed, and subsequently decreasing the amount of other foods eaten, a person can make significant improvements to their health.
Fruits and vegetables fall into the macronutrient category of carbohydrates. This does not mean that they have the same nutritional properties as pasta, bread, grains, and rice. These foods are also carbohydrates, but have a different effect on the body due to processing that strips out the dietary fiber and nutrients. What is left is a starchy food that spikes blood sugar levels and lacks any sort of nutritional punch.
Eat carbohydrates. Just make sure they are in the form of whole fruits, vegetables, and minimally processed grains. Choose foods that are high in fiber (4-5 grams per serving), have not been significantly altered from their natural state, and consume them in appropriate portions (enough to fill one cupped hand).
Eat fat. Fat is not the enemy. Unhealthy fat is what causes negative effects in the body. Fats occurring naturally in plants and animals are healthy in appropriate portions (healthy = meat from grass-fed or pasture-raised animals and fatty fruit like avocado; portions should be about the size of the palm). Avoid fatty foods that are highly processed; they often have added fat or fat made in a lab.
Protein is the building block of muscle, bones, cartilage, skin and blood. Protein is also used by the body to make hormones and and other body chemicals. It comes from a variety of sources. Consume protein from a variety of sources, including meat, poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, nuts and seeds.
BEAT COVID
Stop living in fear of COVID and trying to out smart Mother Nature. Most people will get COVID. Uncertainty and fear come from not knowing how the body will respond to an illness. Build a body that is strong and resilient. Do that through proper recovery, movement, and nutrition. A healthy body can handle COVID, regardless of the variant Mother Nature throws at it!
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The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Setbacks into Strength: Insights from The Mighty Oak Standard
The Mighty Oak Strength Standard
Before attempting to lift heavy weights, it is important to build relative strength - the ability to move one’s body with ease and efficiency. Just like not all oak trees look identical with the same number of branches or leaves, becoming a Mighty Oak will vary from person-to-person. Below is an example of a Mighty Oak Athletic bodyweight workout. Complete the sequence without having to break the reps up to be a true Mighty Oak!
From Acorn to Mighty Oak
What does it take to develop from a Mighty Acorn into a Mighty Oak? It takes consistent growth over a long period of time. This is the same process that a tiny acorn uses to grow into a hearty sapling and then into a robust tree. The process cannot be rushed. Be patient and take a long view. Do not focus on being healthy and active just for an upcoming vacation, rather, think about what it takes to be healthy and active over the age of 100.
How long until a healthy and active life is achieved? This will vary for each person. This is because everyone will be starting at a different level of health, have a different level of commitment, and a different definition of healthy. It is important to remember that health is not a destination - it is a way of life. Once a desired level of wellness is attained, it is necessary to continually maintain that level of wellness through consistent nutrition, movement, and recovery.
Seriously, how long? Ok, here is a general template. Most new healthy behaviors will get positive results for most people for about one month. Through proper nutrition movement and recovery, by day 6, the face will be less puffy and the body less sweaty. On day 12, pants will be less tight and the belly less bloated. Day 18 will have joints less creaky and shirts fitting less tight. By day 24, energy levels will be high throughout the day and friends will start to take notice and ask for the “secret.”
Then what? That is when it will become more challenging. After the first month, making small changes will no longer yield large improvements. The health improvements will become more incremental. Be patient and stay the course.
After approximately six months of consistent dedication to nutrition, movement, and sleep, there will be noticeable, sustainable changes. The body will have reset. The brain will be more clear, energy will be consistently high all day, sleep will be deep and rejuvenating, body fat will be replaced by lean muscle, and mobility will be significantly improved. This is where many people think that the work is done and begin to coast. Just like the slow process to achieving health, the reverse is also true. People at this stage begin to slowly erode the healthy habits and slide back into doing the things that got them unhealthy in the first place. Do not get complacent! Remember: lifetime commitment, not a destination.
After approximately 2-3 years of being committed to a healthy and active lifestyle, most people will have broken through and are in for the long haul. If that sounds like a long time, again, widen the view. Start thinking in terms of decades, not months.
Do not get overwhelmed! While it is a long, slow process, stay focused on the immediate tasks. Do not get discouraged by small setbacks or unforeseen challenges. Again, take the long view. There will be moments of weakness at a breakfast buffet, or injuries from over-enthusiastic activities - that is ok! Maintain the long view and see the setbacks for what they are - a small blip on the journey to leading a healthy and active lifestyle.
The Surprising Reason Why Making Life Harder Can Boost Your Health
For most of human history, life was hard. Really hard. Even the most basic tasks that we take for granted today were a struggle.
Water wasn’t available on demand with the flick of a finger, it required hiking to a fresh water source and slogging heavy receptacles back home. Food wasn’t delivered upon request using a few thumb taps, it required hunting and foraging, lugging that food home, then preparing it over a fire. And that fire wasn’t instant either! There was hiking to find wood, cutting it up, then carrying it back to the tribe.
Enjoying the meal wasn’t done in a temperature controlled room while seated in a comfy chair. Humans sat on the ground and constantly fidgeted to find a comfortable position.
In other words, life sucked.
This version of life seems like it was eons ago. When put into the big picture of human existence, however, it is much closer than many people realize. What is astounding is the rate at which science and technology have evolved and taken humans from wild to domesticated to fragile. Many people are soft suburbanites that rarely do anything remotely challenging or even break a sweat.
It is time to embrace the suck.
Find ways to make life a little more challenging everyday. Avoid being comfortable all of the time. Skip the escalator and take the stairs. Stop waiting with the blinker on for the parking spot closest to the entrance and park in the back of the lot. Better yet, take a backpack and walk or bike to the store! Skip the gym and train outdoors in the elements. Experience the heat, cold, wind, and rain. Don’t hire someone to spread the mulch in the garden, grab a shovel and embrace the suck!
A recent study found that a staggering 98% of people take the escalator instead of the stairs when given the option. Ninety eight percent!
Take the stairs. Be a 2 percenter. Make life a little harder. That approach will strengthen the body and the mind. Avoid always taking the path of least resistance. Instead, find ways to pepper more resistance into daily activities and reap the health benefits for a lifetime.