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What I've Been Thinking About...
I just finished listening to Malcolm X's autobiography and I would recommend this book to anyone. I read it or listen to it every couple of years and I feel that it is important because he is a man that was not afraid to admit his shortcomings. For most of his adult life, his teachings with The Nation of Islam spewed hate towards White people. Over time, he realized that some of those people in The Nation were living lives that did not jibe with their teachings and in a word, hypocrites. This did not sit well with him and he decided it was time to disassociate with The Nation. Shortly after leaving he made a trip to Mecca, Islam's holiest city. While there, he saw men and women of all different colors believing in the same things, praying in the same way, and caring for each other. He even told a story about how after a long journey, they all fell asleep and he realized that skin color doesn't matter when it comes to snoring. We all snore in the same way! Malcolm X realized it wasn't the color that defined the person but rather how that person lived their lives. This, I feel, is something that we can all agree on. We must not make blanket statements based off someones color, gender, family, etc. Fitness Tip of the Week I believe there are three factors involved in improving or maintaining our physical fitness. One is strength training, the other is cardiovascular training and the other aspect is non-exercise activity levels. This is how we spend our days outside of the gym. Are we sitting idle for most of the day or are we staying active, moving periodically, etc. I recently came across a study that discussed the effects that walking has on your health. The average American walks between 5100 - 6500 steps per day. When the researchers compared those who walked 6,000 steps a day with those who walked 16,000, they found that the former group had a 126% increase in all cause mortality than the latter. That means that there chances of dying within the next 10 years were 126% greater. It is crazy to think about that when you consider that smoking increases your percentages by 70-80%! You can literally walk your way from an early grave. If you think to yourself that 16,000 steps is not possible, there is still something that you can do to extend your life. The first step is to figure out how many steps you take each day. Then, if you are below 6000 steps, add walking into your routine until you reach that number. Then, when you get there, work to add 1000 steps to your daily routine. If you can do so, you will decrease your all cause mortality by 12%. If you continue repeating this process over and over, you will find yourself to be a much healthier and happier individual! Revolutionary Resolution This weeks focus was on RESOLUTION. As Franklin puts it, "Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve." The definition of resolve is to decide firmly on a course of action and then follow through on it. I think in life, there are always things that can be done but are they the things that really NEED to be done? The distinction between the two is important as we work towards maximizing our time on this earth. How do you do it? In my opinion, a great starting place is to eliminate the rubbish from your daily routine. This will free up time for you to do the things that matter. Then, create a schedule and a plan on how you will accomplish these things. Lastly, and here is the kicker, FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT PLAN! What I've Been Reading... The Road to WIgan Pier by George Orwell A few years ago I found myself going down a rabbit hole involving George Orwell and I am finding myself there once again. His book Animal Farm is one of my all-time favorites and his other writing is incredibly thought provoking. Orwell was one of those guys who lived his profession. In part one of this book, he worked down in the coal mines and visited the homes of the impoverished. He spent time learning about these people and viewing the conditions that they lived in. In part two, he discussed ways to improve their lot and whether or not the socialist movement would benefit them. Keep in mind this was written in 1937. The craziest thing I found out about Orwell was when he decided to write about the Spanish Civil War. In order for him to understand all the circumstances surrounding it, he left England and joined forces with the Spanish Republic. During this time, not only did he live the life of a soldier but he was shot in the neck! A writer with courage is a rarity but no one can denied Orwell of that distinction! Quote of the Week "The machine has got to be accepted, but it is probably better to accept it rather as one accepts a drug- that is, grudgingly and suspiciously. Like a drug, the machine is useful, dangerous and habit forming. The oftener one surrenders to it the tighter its grip becomes" -- George Orwell I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck
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What I've Been Thinking About...
The role of a parent and making tough decisions. Our daughter will be four in March and we are at a point in the year where we have to get registered for next school year. The options are endless: no school, 3 days, 5 days, half days, full days, home school, etc. This year we are doing 3 half days and it seems to be working well. We will be exploring 5 half days in the future to see how Emi responds to it. As we were thinking about our time with her, we realized as she gets older, the hours together will slowly fade. School will occupy most of her day and when you add in extra-curricular activities, that leaves little time to spend together. There is no way to know what the right decision is in advance. You just have to make an educated choice and roll with it. That being said, the more time we spend thinking about it, the more we realize what is most important. It is not about what serves you most as a parent, it is what is going to best serve your child. It is our job to get our child prepared for the world and to be a positive force in it. At some point, we are going to have to "cut her loose" and start experiencing life. It just kind of stinks that it starts at such a young age! Fitness Tip of the Week Last week I broke down how I planned to train in the new year. This week, I will be sharing my Six Week Training Plan for cardiovascular training. Having a fitbit has been a great way to monitor heart rate and I have been using Age Related Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) to decide intensity levels. This number is found by taking 220-Age. It is a crude equation for exercise intensity but one in which I think works for beginners. Here is how I plan on progressing things...
Revolutionary Resolution This weeks focus was on ORDER. As Franklin writes, "Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time" The hardest thing about working from your property is differentiating between when you are working and when you are not. When things like computer work need to be done, you almost need to remove yourself from the home and go elsewhere to get the time you need. If you don't do that, your child or significant other assumes you are home and are open to questions, play, making food, cleaning, etc. During these times I found that I end up being short with them and not always receptive to conversation. This isn't fair to them so I feel a change is needed. A great goal (and big challenge for me) will be to make a detailed work schedule and a home schedule so everyone knows the difference between the two. Then, once this schedule is made, the hard part begins: actually sticking to it! What I've Been Reading... Kids Must Strength Train - A Call to Action (article in NSCA's Personal Training Quarterly) The state of our country kind of worries me. As each year passes, we tend to get more out of shape and less active. When you look at the numbers, a sedentary lifestyle is the leading cause of preventable death. What makes this worse is that the longer a sedentary lifestyle is predominant, the more serious the comorbidities become. This lack of physical activity in our children will lead to a generation, or generations, of ill adults. The past two years of lockdowns and school closures has led to a huge increase in BMI and weight gain in children. We are at a critical point in time where this needs to be reversed. The only way I believe we can do this is to live this lifestyle ourselves. We need to be a good example for our children and show them that physical activity is an important part of life. Conversations and education on the matter is not always enough. We must walk the walk. This goes for coaches, teachers, relatives, or other role models that may be in your childs life. Surround your child with positive role models who will hopefully lead them towards a healthy life. Quote of the Week "Just because the window is open there is no guarantee the breeze will blow in. However, if the window remains shut- there is no possibility the breeze will enter" -- Krishnamurti What I've Been Thinking About...
I was reading a book titled Merchants of Doubt and in it, it shows how a handful of scientists played major roles in decisions regarding things from second hand smoke to global warming. In the book, it brought up a quote from economist John Maynard Keynes that goes, "there's no such thing as a free lunch". I liked the quote initially but had to do some thinking before understanding what he was inferring to. What I believe Keynes was saying is that with new things, unintended consequences happen as a result of something that you did not foresee. For example, an increase in production, which was a good thing for the economy, led to environmental damage. Same idea with other things like the invention of DDT which did a great job removing mosquitoes but it also did harm to other small animals which eventually worked its way up the food chain. Things that were deemed good initially were then criticized for the damage that was occurring as a result. I think about how this concept plays out in our day to day lives. What are we doing today that we will one day deem unwise? These things are hard to prognosticate but as we look back in history, there is always something like "wow, I can't believe they used to do things that way!" I wonder what it will be... Fitness Tip of the Week I have used this post-Covid time to relax a bit and not do much physical training. It has given me some time to think about the type of training that would benefit me most and it led me to shift my intentions a bit. The focus of this program will be on cardiovascular health. The secondary focus will be on flexibility/mobility with strength training mixed in three times a week. Here is how the program looks:
Revolutionary Resolution This weeks focus was on SILENCE. As Franklin describes it, "Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation." This virtue has two components to it. The first focuses on speaking only when things may benefit others or yourself. There is no gossip here. If it doesn't do anyone any good, keep it to yourself. The second portion of this focuses on avoiding trivial conversation. This message is one in which needs more attention, especially with things like social media. In the gym, I hear all kinds of conversations from kids. One thing that constantly gets brought up is how they let trivial matters effect their moods and the friendships they have. Kids spend way too much time worrying about how many likes they get and if so and so saw the post. I think there is nothing more trivial in life than this but yet this is life for middle school and high school aged kids everywhere. We are living in a very strange time. What I've Been Reading... The Longevity Diet by Valter Longo This book takes a look at the role diet plays in disease prevention and quality of life. One thing that we control that directly affects our health is what we consume. In this book, Longo outlines many studies in regards to diet and how to live a long, healthy life. The goal for Longo's clients is to not only add years onto their life but to add life into their years. You want to reach the age of 60, 70, 80 and beyond and function in a way where you are able to enjoy life and have fun. Quote of the Week "We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men" -- George Orwell I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck Covid Update
Covid symptoms appeared last Sunday in the form of body aches, fatigue and a fever. The fever broke around 8:30 pm that night and the next morning, my temperature was normal. I was hopeful that the virus came and went but in the afternoon, things began to change. The fever reappeared for a few hours and then in the evening it broke. Tuesday morning I felt much better and as the afternoon approached, I was worried the fever would return like the previous days but it did not. Since Tuesday, I have been feeling much better. I still have a lingering cough and get tired pretty quickly. After shoveling and playing in the snow for a few hours on Friday, I was totally wiped out. My capacity to exercise is not close to being back to normal so we will see how this plays out. In addition, my capacity to do mental work is not ideal either. This newsletter took awhile as I was having trouble putting coherent thoughts together! What I've Been Thinking About The new year brings on discussions of all types of fancy training programs and gadgets. The quick fix is most desirable and unfortunately we are in a state that needs much more than that. From 1999 –2000 through 2017 –2018, US obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% to 42.4%. Shortly, we will be at 50%. Our children are also becoming more obese and I am worried about what our future looks like if there is not a change soon. To me, the root of this issue stems from how we view ourselves. We don't always see ourselves as someone who can be better. We put others first and we rationalize our way out of situations that would benefit us. We rarely put ourselves first and this leads to trouble. I think if we want to reverse some of those statistics mentioned above, we have to view ourselves in a more positive light. We have to view ourselves as someone who can make the necessary changes to live a healthier lifestyle. It starts with us. Changing behavior is tough but so are a lot of things you will experience in life. You have overcome so much already in life, what is one more thing? Set a goal, work on the goal, and keep trying. Don't give up on the idea and keep pressing forward. The great Sam Cooke said it best when he wrote, "A change is gonna is come." You have to believe that. What I've Been Reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Every so often we all need a little kick in the rear end. This book typically does it for me. It is 165 pages of motivational doctrine that gets you off your butt and encourages you to start working towards whatever your calling is. He identifies all types of Resistance that we face in life and offers encouragement on how to overcome. Pressfield believes that if you show up everyday, your effort will be rewarded. In his mind, if you show respect to the work, the work will reward you. He compares it to the Muses of ancient times. If you honor the Muse, the Muse will grant you ideas or inspiration. I really like this idea! A Revolutionary Resolution Back in the day, Benjamin Franklin identified 13 virtues that he deemed were necessary for self improvement (To view his list, click here... Ben Franklin: The Thirteen Necessary Virtues). Each week, he would focus on one of those virtues. After thirteen weeks, round one was done and he would start from the beginning. He would cycle through the 13 four times over the course of the year. So this year, I am going to take a page out of his book as my "resolution" for this year is to follow Franklins plan and attack one virtue a week. The focus of week one is TEMPERANCE which Franklin defined as, "eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation." If I was not coming off Covid, this one would be more difficult for me. I don't always indulge but when I do, it is usually to overindulgence. One sweet treat easily becomes six. If/when the flood gates open, I will work towards avoiding those indulgent temptations. Next week, we will be working on SILENCE. I look forward to practicing this one! Quote of the Week "I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp" -- Somerset Maugham I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck What I've Been Thinking About...
I randomly came across a podcast interview with an American man who trained as a Buddhist monk. For some, this may not sound too interesting but for me in that moment, it got my attention. It was almost as if this episode sought me out as it was something I needed to hear in that moment. As I was listening, this man shared a story told to him about the Dalai Lama. In short, the Dalai Lama was exiled from his country in 1959. He has asylum in India and an interviewer asked him about that and he replied that they can take my country but they cannot take my happiness. Life is going to throw some crap your way but remember, you control how you respond. In hindsight, hardships will be viewed as a learning tool. Remember that and have the foresight to say to yourself that one day, you will look back and be thankful that it happened to you. Fitness Tip of the Week The Covid bug may have made its way into our house this week. On Monday we visited some friends to drop off clothes for their daughter and to exchange gifts. A short stay became a long one as the kids were having fun and we were all just catching up. The next day, the father and son were sick. The day after that, they notified us they tested positive. We started having symptoms toward the end of the week. Exposure plus symptoms sounds like a recipe for a positive test result but for now, we wait. Once we were notified, I started using a nasal rinse, a mouth rinse, tons of vitamins and rest. No intense physical training. The only "workout" I am getting is 10,000 steps a day and spending 40-60 minutes in an Infrared Sauna Blanket. Revolutionary Principles Poet Edward Young on George Washington: "Affliction is the good man's shining time". Have you guys ever met someone who just has something about them that when things go haywire, this person is always there to right the ship? Looking back on some of the books I have read this year, I have a new appreciation for George Washington. Hardship after hardship, criticism after criticism, conflict after conflict, the man who continually came to the rescue for America was Washington. It was almost as if times needed to be dire for the best of his abilities to come out. His stoic like demeanor kept hubris at bay and there was no flamboyant self-aggrandizing behavior. There was only his work and the full trust of those who put him in a position of power. A true leader and because of the timing of the Revolution and his rise to power, something we may never see again. What I've Been Watching Don't Look Up (link to trailer) Last week I was thinking to myself, there has got to be a somewhat new movie out there that is good. I feel like I haven't sat around to watch movies since things like Birdman, Manchester by the Sea, and The Imitation Game were in theaters. Fast forward a few days and we came across a movie with an all-star cast (di Caprio, Streep, Lawrence, etc.) so we decided to give it a go. I love satire and this movie is exactly that. It is nothing special but good for a few laughs and it is entertaining. Quote of the Week "In anything at all, perfection is fully attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away" Antoine de Saint Exupery Chris Fluck |
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