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.