True to My Nature: Wolfen Returns to His Roots

[WolfDreamer]

 

If you have followed me for some time, you know the origin of this challenge title. I have decided to reconnect with my wild self and reboot and modify one of my favorite past challenges. Expect lots of wildness and nature.

 

True to My Nature: Wolfen Goes Wild

Get Rest:

 

• Wind down at sunset (limited/no technology), moderate/light physical activity (yoga, stretches, etc.)
• In bed no later than 10:30 pm (unless impossible because of work, etc.).
• Nap in late afternoon if necessary/possible.

Get Fit:

 

Barefoot/shirtless walks and stretches in the morning

Three options:

• MovNat inspired workout (see video above)
• Or: Follow the Primal Blueprint Exercise Plan; below is the simplified version:

Monday – Sprint

Tuesday – Lift Heavy Things/Bodyweight Exercises

Wednesday – Move Slowly, Play or Rest

Thursday – HIIT/WOW

Friday – Move Slowly, Play or Rest

Saturday – Lift Heavy Things/Bodyweight Exercises

Sunday – Move Slowly, Play or Rest

• Or: Get back into Jonathan Mead's Uncaged Body routine
• 10,000-12,000 steps/day
• Cold showers daily
• Meditation/WHM daily

Get Spiritual:

 

• Morning prayer
• Daily Scripture reading/devotional
• Integrate prayer throughout the day

Get Fed:

 

• Eat as close to Paleo/Primal as possible at least one meal/day.
• Avoid processed foods.
• Listen to your body: eat when you're hungry rather than when you "should."
• Intermittent fasting at least 3 days/week; this must be mindful rather than just "skipping breakfast."
• No soda for the entire challenge (none, zero, not even a tiny cup).
• Drink at least 64 ounces of water/day.

 

Get Connected:

 

• Kiss wife and daughters every day before leaving for work
• Call mother daily; visit at least once a week
• Speak to a stranger at least once/day (irl, not online).
• Visit with a friend at least once/week (irl, not online).
• Spend evenings with wife and daughters, unless impossible because of work, etc.

 

Get Smarter:

 

• Read everyday for at least 30 minutes
• Use a brain-training app such as Peak daily.
• Listen to a podcast at least once/week.

 

Get Some Sun, Sand, and Surf: (No beach trip this year, but I really like the title).

 

• Spend at least 30 minutes/day outside.
• Get at least 15 minutes total/day of direct sunlight.
• Get near, in, on, or under water every day.
• At least one hike/week.
• Get in close contact with the earth: walk barefoot, dig in the dirt, rub against a tree. Again, I'll quote Frank Forencich here: "...get out of the house and into the world. Scratch your back up against a tree and bushwack your way up a hill. Climb some rough rocks and plunge your feet into the creek. Give your eyes a rest and massage your body with the biosphere. Your body will love it."

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Following to watch you get in touch with your inner

 

[WolfDreamer]

So day 1 of Zero Week is off to an interesting start:

• Arabella woke us up around 1am crying for my wife, so I conceded and spent the rest of the night on the couch.
• The puppy woke me up at 0400; took her outside while wearing only shorts (34F) then went back to bed
• Alarm went off at 0445; said the Lord's prayer, as well as a personal prayer of gratitude and a for my wife and daughters.
• Reset my alarm for 0515; got up when it went off.
• Snow must have started falling around 0430 because there was about 1/2 inch on the ground; roads were clear, though

• School was canceled for the county in which my wife and I work, but not the county my daughters attend.
• Helped get the girls ready for school, then gave them a ride (which almost never happens).
• Returned and checked on my neighbors' Siberian huskies.
• Breakfast: Not Paleo, but still healthy and delicious. My wife bought be a few of these:

I also have peanut butter and honey flavor, as well as maple and brown sugar.

 

• Took Minnie and Luna outside while shirtless and shoeless; did some stretches in the snow and sank into a deep squat for about two minutes.
• Looking forward to spending the day with my queen.

 

• My queen and I ran some errands together because that's how married couples with four children do romance. 
• We went to Sam's Club; for those who are not familiar, Sam's Club is kind of like a warehouse where you can buy food and other things in bulk. I bought a big bag of Off the Eaten Path veggie crisps; they have chickpea flour, rice flour, sunflower oil, dried green peas, dried yellow peas, dried black beans, and sea salt. Also bought a bag of organic coconut bites with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Not perfectly Paleo snacks, but better than potato chips.
• Temperatures climbed to 50, so I changed back into shorts and walked barefoot and shirtless to carry some trash to the dumpsters; there was still some snow on the ground, and it felt great on my feet.
• Worked with my mentor and carried fifteen 5 gallon buckets of sand, eight half-filled buckets of water, and loaded/unloaded four 16ft Douglas-fir boards (about 80-100 lbs. each)

[WolfDreamer]

 

[Butternut]

On 3/9/2018 at 11:32 AM, Wolfen said:

Get in close contact with the earth: walk barefoot, dig in the dirt, rub against a tree. Again, I'll quote Frank Forencich here: "...get out of the house and into the world. Scratch your back up against a tree and bushwack your way up a hill. Climb some rough rocks and plunge your feet into the creek. Give your eyes a rest and massage your body with the biosphere. Your body will love it."

 

This is my favorite. I love rubbing dirt in my hands. 

 

Wolfen, your challenge is down right awesome. 

[shoobie]

I am totally excited for this!!! I wanna see you nail all of your goals!

[WolfDreamer]

8 hours ago, Butternut said:

 

This is my favorite. I love rubbing dirt in my hands. 

 

Wolfen, your challenge is down right awesome. 

 

6 hours ago, shoobie said:

I am totally excited for this!!! I wanna see you nail all of your goals!

 

Thank you both. I am glad you are along for the adventure.

[WolfDreamer]

[annyshay]

Wooooo! Into the WILD!

[WolfDreamer]

Just now, annyshay said:

Wooooo! Into the WILD!

 

I'm really glad you're here. SIDE NOTE: Into the Wild is also one of my favorite movies. 

[annyshay]

1 minute ago, Wolfen said:

 

I'm really glad you're here. SIDE NOTE: Into the Wild is also one of my favorite movies. 

I have not seen it, though... *makes notes*

[WolfDreamer]

2 minutes ago, annyshay said:

I have not seen it, though... *makes notes*

 

Sad, but also quite beautiful. The book is excellent, as well (and in some ways, better than the movie).

[WolfDreamer]

@annyshay:

 

 

[WolfDreamer]

A little primer on the roots of "natural" movement:

 

 

[WolfDreamer]

Check this out!

 

DISCLAIMER: If you do not speak French, be sure to enable English closed captioning.

 

 

[lucky fire dragon]

ooooooooooh what a treat to stalk

Here to watch and learn....

 

I've also considered getting back into the Uncage Human training, it's quite fun and very challenging to me. Ended up with the yoga for this time round, but we'll see... good to know you've got it as well. I really enjoy his approach to mindful, healthy movement and the outdoors.

[annyshay]

11 hours ago, Wolfen said:

 

Sad, but also quite beautiful. The book is excellent, as well (and in some ways, better than the movie).

Looks lovely. May have to wait on the sad part though. 

 

Also, both of those movies were awesome!

[Ann of Owlshire]

Love the "do stuff outside" challenge. And, honestly, everything else, but that's the one that really speaks to me. I've been considering something similar for a later spring/summer challenge. 

[WolfDreamer]

This is not really related to my challenge, but I had to share. My cousin found a photo from 30 years ago of my grandpa and his five brothers. As some of you know, my grandpa passed away at the end of September, 2017. He is the third one from the left. The one on the far left, my uncle James, died last year, as well. Beside him is Danny, who lives in New Jersey. In the center is John, the man who let me shoot a shotgun for the first time. The guy with his arms out and thumbs up is my uncle Blackie (not his real name, but that's what everyone calls him). And the one on the end is Carl, who is ill with Alzheimer's and it's only a matter of time.

I love all of these men. Their impact remains a part of who I am as a man. So I guess maybe it is related to the challenge since the title talks about returning to my roots.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

[Drake Alexander]

1 minute ago, Wolfen said:

This is not really related to my challenge, but I had to share. My cousin found a photo from 30 years ago of my grandpa and his five brothers. As some of you know, my grandpa passed away at the end of September, 2017. He is the third one from the left. The one on the far left, my uncle James, died last year, as well. Beside him is Danny, who lives in New Jersey. In the center is John, the man who let me shoot a shotgun for the first time. The guy with his arms out and thumbs up is my uncle Blackie (not his real name, but that's what everyone calls him). And the one on the end is Carl, who is ill with Alzheimer's and it's only a matter of time.

I love all of these men. Their impact remains a part of who I am as a man.
 

1

Amazing how we are the product of generations of passing knowledge and wisdom from parent to son. The culmination of one life gives meaning to the continuation of another one. 

#AlwaysProud

[WolfDreamer]

2 minutes ago, Drake Alexander said:

Amazing how we are the product of generations of passing knowledge and wisdom from parent to son. The culmination of one life gives meaning to the continuation of another one. 

#AlwaysProud

 

Well said, sir. Thank you.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

That looks like a fine group of men.

[WolfDreamer]

4 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

That looks like a fine group of men.

 

They are a fine group of men. And it warms my heart to see that my Papaw's smile is the biggest. 

[WolfDreamer]

List of books to read during this challenge (not all of them necessarily, just some ideas):

 

Some of these I have read before, and others I meant to read but did not get around to them.

 

12 Rules for Life -- Jordan Peterson

Among the Great Apes: Adventures on the Trail of Our Closest Relatives -- Paul Raffaele

Beautiful Practice & Exuberant Animal -- Frank Forencich

Natural Born Heroes -- Chris McDougall

Movement Matters -- Katy Bowman

The Oxygen Advantage -- Patrick McKeown

The Story of the Human Body -- Daniel Lieberman

Deep -- James Nestor

The Primal Scream -- Arthur Janov

 

List of podcasts to listen to during this challenge:

 

The Primal Blueprint Podcast

Bioneers Radio Series

Ted Radio Hour

The Primal Happiness Show

The Unbeatable Mind Podcast

The Rich Roll Podcast

Spartan Up! Podcast

The Outside Podcast

The Bruce Lee Podcast

NPR: All Things Considered

 

Feel free to make any suggestions. Obviously, I am aiming for a theme similar to my challenge.

[WolfDreamer]

 

Just looked at an article on the MovNat website that could either be discouraging or a call to action. It's titled 15 Natural Movements Most People Should be Able to Do. I say "discouraging" because I know a lot of people who would fail at #1: the deep squat. Additionally, the article lays out the difference between being able to perform these movement effectively and performing them efficiently. Big difference there. What this is suggesting, though, is that we can all learn how to perform efficiently with practice. I encourage you to read the entire article, but I'll list the 15 movements below with links to the videos that demonstrate each:

 

#1: Deep Squat

#2: Knee-Hand Crawl

#3: Rocking

#4: Deadlift

#5: Balancing Walk

#6: Stepping Over

#7: Stepping Under

#8: Leg Swing Jump

#9: Inverted Crawl

#10: Deadhang

#11: Lapping

#12: Chest Throw and Catch

#13: Chest Carry

#14: Split Squat

#15: Deep Knee Bend

 

"The good news is that there’s a simple solution: start practicing at whatever level you can, as best you can, as often as you can – and you will get better. And you’ll get the best results when you practice in a progressive, systematic manner that takes your unique needs into account."