On the Road Again
Greetings from Cape Cod!

This year, the family has been pretty fortunate as weddings have taken us on some wonderful trips. From Florida, to New York City, to the beauty of Chatham, Massachusetts. These mini-vacations have given us an opportunity to spend time as a family, have a little fun, and hopefully create some lifelong memories for Emilia. In Florida, it was safari's and the beach, in New York it was taxi's and tourism, and in Cape Cod, it is flying in a Cessna Skyhawk and the natural beauty of fall. 

Coming into this wedding Marisa and I were prepared to not really know anyone. After getting our seating arrangement, we went to our table. The bride and groom came over and told us we were sitting at the "Baxter Table". This is referring to her horse who spent years at our house while the bride was attending Lehigh. We then started chatting with others and the realization of how small the world is hit us. One of our tablemates is a teacher at Saucon Valley, where I previously coached and also attended, and others grew up 30 minutes from where Marisa grew up. It was nice meeting everyone at our table so kudos to Baxter (and the bride and groom of course) for bringing us together! 

What I've Been Thinking About...
A day after what would have been my brothers 39th birthday, Emilia and myself drove by a cemetery. She mentioned that people go to that church when they die and I told her that families can visit the graves there to help remember those no longer with us. I mentioned that Uncle Ryan has a place in a cemetery and that I went there the other day to visit. She then said, "I didn't want Uncle Ryan to die". "I said me either sweetie". 

Then, later in the week, a member shared a story about getting the news that someone they knew for years took their own life. They were struggling with it and wished they would have reached out. In hindsight, they realized that some of that individuals behaviors were warning signs or examples of them calling out for help. In their mind, they should have done something. Regret is a terrible emotion to live with. Psychologist Carl Rogers once said that, "it was impossible to convince someone to change for the better. The desire to improve was the precondition for progress." In sum, it means that the individual will never improve unless they want to improve themselves.

Two thoughts came to mind after this conversation. The first is that we should always act. We should always help shoulder whatever burden someone is carrying and try to ease their discomfort. You do this not by enabling their negative behavior but by showing them that life is worth living. The second is to not think that your action will save anyone. Thinking you can save someone who doesn't want to be saved leads to a life of guilt and regret. For more on the topic, check out episode 155 of my podcast: Today, we remember. Today, we shoulder the burden and act!

Fitness Tip of the Week
As I write this, our friend is at our house with their four year old. I am laying down and feeling a bit fatigued but trying to motivate myself to get moving. So I did what any normal adult would do and asked her for some advice. I say to her, "I have to exercise today. Should I run or swim?" She responded neither and I said that is not an option. I have to do something so I can get a little healthier and she laid this gem of a quote on me: "Healthy things are gross". Not helpful little one!

Lets get back to the problem at hand. On this day, I am feeling a little fatigued but have to get something done physically. Finding "work" to do rather than exercising is just a form of procrastination at this point. I am putting off what I should do now for another time but on this day, another time is no longer an option. It is now or never. The point of all this rambling is that everyone has days where they feel like garbage. They don't want to think, they don't want to move, they don't want to do anything! It is on these days that having a plan and sticking to that plan is vital. Call it motivation, call it discipline, call it whatever you want. All I ask is that you follow through.

Every Sunday, look at your schedule and designate what days you are going to do what. You block out the time, you let everyone know about your schedule, and then you follow through. If today calls for you to strength train, you hit the gym and give it all you got. If you plan on doing cardiovascular work, get your shoes on and get to work. I can promise you one thing, 9 times out 10, you will feel much better when you are done with the session then prior to the session. Remember that feeling. One last thing, don't listen to that little voice, whether internal or external, telling you that healthy things are gross.

What I've Been Reading...
All Work and No Play: Why Your Kids are more Anxious, Depressed

I was talking to a Lehigh student recently and she mentioned a project that she was working on. I asked what the topic was and it was basically how college students are stressed, have anxiety, and can't seem to handle life as an adult without mommy or daddy stepping in and helping. This led me to dig into the topic a bit and came across this article. 

Since 1955, free play has been declining for kids. There is a multitude of reasons for this but the main cause is that parents are taking an increased role over their child's activities. They replace free play with more emotionally stressful, structured events. From 1981 to 1997, kids have spent 18% more time in school, 145% more time doing school work, 168% more time shopping with parents. Combine that with the rise of social media, video games, decreased numbers in sport participation and the rise in childhood obesity and we are setting these kids up for a tough life. 

So, why is play important? The unstructured environment associated with play offers children the opportunity to control their own actions, to solve problems, to work with others, to laugh, to deal with emotions and ultimately, the feeling that they have control of their own lives and fate. When kids don't feel like they can control their environment and how they respond to it, anxiety and depression are soon to follow. Exposure to play and other similar behaviors at young ages will help build strong, resilient adults.

Quote of the Week
"Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it" -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck

What I've Been Thinking About...
I have a great group of parents that come into the gym to train and we discuss all kinds of topics. At one point during the week, they were explaining to me the registration fees for youth sports and shared a few stories about some parents struggling to pay their dues. Imagine this for a moment...

You are a single parent (roughly 15% of households, or 1 out of 7) and you have three kids that all love sports. Football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring. Registration for each sport has fees associated with them along with snack stand responsibilities and fundraising. You also have to factor in getting everyone to and from practice which, most likely, occurs on different days at different times. A $75-$150 fee to play a sport may not be much on the surface, but when you combine that with the other commitments it gets costly. Add in the fees for the other sport seasons and that family is paying well over $1000 each year for athletics. Keep in mind that this is at a time where, according to the Federal Reserve, 32% of Americans could not afford a $400 emergency if faced with one. That is one out of three families. 

In previous emails I wrote about the decrease in youth sport participation and how those numbers are dropping fast. The oft-cited reasons are things like obesity rates, the role of social media, and sedentary behavior (TV and video games) becoming more entertaining/addicting. This week took me down a different path as I began looking into income levels and the role it plays. It is here that I found something interesting: Youth sport participation is rising among richer families and among the poorest households, it’s trending down. Wealth disparity seems to be a factor in who participates in sport and who does not. Call me naive but I did not expect that this would be a factor especially at the local level. I guess it is pay to play at all levels afterall!

The Gym
Earlier in the week Marisa and I were discussing work and what brings us joy. I spoke to her about having a sense of purpose when there is a good turnout for a program or when the gym is busy. The hustle and bustle adds a little pep into my step and I believe it takes my coaching up another level. I think, and this is speculation, that this was why I always enjoyed coaching sports. You would have anywhere between 20-40 kids showing up and we were all, coaches and kids alike, working on self improvement in one way or another. It was fun, it was energetic, and it is something I am working to replicate at the farm. 

I am slowly, but surely adding more gym offerings for the adult population and wanted to give all you faithful readers an opportunity to stop out for a workout or atleast to say hello. If interested in the offer, click the following link: Weekly Word Special Offer: One Week Free Trial. 

In addition, if you have a child that may be interested, that free trial is valid for them as well. Here is a list of our upcoming programs your child can use it for...

• Strong Girls Intro Program (October 19th to November 16th): Ages 9-12
• Home School Fitness Program: Ages 7 and up 
• Winter Training Program (begins 10/31): 8 week Youth, Middle School & High School Offerings

Fitness Tip of the Week
For years I have been listening to the benefits of sauna use but always talked myself out of buying one or finding a gym that has one. All of that has changed as the YMCA in Quakertown has a great facility with a sauna and it is right down the road from our daughters pre-school. So, a few times per week, I get in there and get a good sweat rolling.

The research on sauna use is quite impressive. It makes me think that regular sauna use can help mediate many of the problems most individuals face over the course of their life with minimal physical effort. If you sauna 2-3 times per week, you are 27% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) then men who don't sauna. Men who used it twice as often, 4-7 times per week, were 50% less likely to die from CVD and 40% less likely to die from all causes of premature death. I really like the sound of this!

So here is what I recommend: 175 degrees or more for atleast 20 minutes seems to do the trick. It might take some time to get to this but it is important that you do so. The research indicates that if you do not exceed 11 minutes, you get little to no result. Once you exceed that 19 minute mark, change begins to occur. For me, 30 minutes seems to be the sweet spot. I end up getting a great sweat in, my muscles feel good afterwards and my mood is always improved. I am really enjoying it so far. 

Side note: I am looking forward to see how I feel in the winter time. Like others, the cold days and early sunsets puts a damper on the mood and I am hoping sauna use can combat this. I don't classify myself as one who has seasonal depression but still intrigued at the potential benefit not only for myself, but for all!

What I've Been Reading...
12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson

Earlier in the week I had a member of the gym ask, "Do you ever listen to Jordan Peterson?" If Marisa heard that question she would have rolled her eyes because for the last 4+ years, I have been sharing his stories and thoughts on the regular. Agree with him or not, this guy makes me think and I have learned more on things like religion and the nature of humanity from him than I ever did in school or church. 

So, with all that being said, I am going to finish reading his books this year. Months ago I read his first book Maps of Meaning and now, I am diving into 12 Rules for Life. Once complete, I will read his third and then wait in anticipation for the next one. Marisa, if you are reading this, you have been warned!  

Quote of the Week
“The pleasures arising from thinking and learning will make us think and learn all the more" -- Aristotle

I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck

What I've Been Thinking About...
I can't believe I am saying this but baseball actually caught my attention this week. As one Yankee slugger (Aaron Judge) passes another (Roger Maris), talk of who the real single season home run king has made its rounds on social media. Is it the juiced up players of the 90's or the non-juiced players? This is, of course, assuming those who never tested positive for a banned substance would never take anything to enhance performance. Wink wink ;)

Because of this story, I was reminded of an interesting book I read back in the day titled Cooperstown Confidential by Zev Chafets. In it, he brought up baseballs checkered past and details some of the shady conduct associated with the league. Eventually, he shares that Major League Baseball has a clause that reads: The Hall of Fame asks voters to decide based on a player's record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and team contributions. This is referred to as the character clause and is often cited as the reason for keeping legendary players like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens (known steroid users) out of the Hall of Fame. If character is cited as the reason for keeping some players out of the Hall, that is fine with me but lets take a look at some of the current Hall of Famers...

Assault somebody so bad they may have died (Ty Cobb), no problem. Members of the Ku Klux Klan (Tris Speaker and others), come on in! Doctor the baseball (Gaylord Perry) to ensure success, aka cheating, fine by me! Dabble with some cocaine (Paul Molitor) or smuggle some drugs (Orlando Cepeda) no problem there. Decades of Amphetamine use in every teams locker room, we will keep the door open for you. Take some performance enhancers or bet on a few games, NEVER! Am I being cyncical or is there some hypocrisy here?

Fitness Tip of the Week
Mike Mentzer, a legendary figure in the bodybuilding community, once said that "Anything you can do to make your training harder is a step in the right direction". Sounds like some solid advice. If you aren't getting results or making progress, it may be time to look at the intensity levels at which you are training. The body will not respond to ordinary behaviors. If there is no change in the stimulus (effort/energy exerted) then there will be no change in the response or adaptation (how you look, feel or improve). 

So here is what I propose...
Pick one thing for the month of October to improve upon. Work hard at this one thing and make it your top priority. It could be sleeping more, lifting heavier weights, doing more cardiovascular work, eating better, or anything else you can come up with. Track your progress each day and see what helps and what does not. Continue this procress for the entire month.

For me, I am trying to accomplish a feat and I am counting how many workouts it takes for me to do so. The goal at the moment is to reach it in 10 workouts or less. If I am able to accomplish that, the next time I try it, I will try to do it in 9 workouts or less. This idea is something I revisit a few times a year and providing this type of challenge makes training a little more interesting!

Brain Disease and Diabetes: What is the Link?
Often times I feel like I forget more things than I remember (I hope this is not a sign of what I plan on writing about) and this topic is one of them. Around a decade ago I began realizing the effect that food has on our overall well-being after reading a book titled Grain Brain by David Perlmutter. This book outlines how sugar, carbs, and wheat can wreak havoc on your brain function. Fast forward to earlier this week and I heard another best-selling author, Max Lugavere, state that 80% of people with Alzeimer's disease have insulin resistance and it has become so prevalent that in some instances, Alzheimer's is refferred to as Type 3 Diabetes. This led me to conclude that if insulin resistance is the driving force behind most cases of Alzheimer's, then I should start thinking about avoiding foods that may lead to me becoming insulin resistant.  

I understand that brain disease is multifactorial but one of the biggest modifiable things under your control is what you put in your mouth. If I can hedge my bets a little and choose to eat a little more "brain healthy", I can (hopefully) stave off some brain deterioration. Finger crossed!

What I've Been Reading...
Why, as a Muslim, I Defend Liberty by Mustafa Akyol

This book will be my third and final in the attempt (for now) to understand some of the more recent wars America has embarked on. How the Weak Win Wars discussed how smaller countries can use strategic maneuvering to succeed against a larger foe. Then, the Afghanistan Papers discussed the 20+ year conflict that occurred in that country and the messiness associated with it. This final book was chosen to try and understand the mindset of those who have been on the other end of the conflict. This book was released in 2021 after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. The author, who is Muslim, acknowledges that human freedoms are being violated in the name of religious tradition.

While reading this book I was reminded of a story Malcom X shared in his autobiography. As Malcolm wrote, "I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept on the same rug - while praying to the same God - with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white...We were truly all the same (brothers)". Malcolm X found a moment of clarity with his beliefs and realized judgment shouldn't be based upon what someone looks like, where they are from or even what they believe. Akyol agrees and warns his fellow Muslims that what they are doing now is not being true to their religious principles. 

I finished this book a few days ago and it opened my eyes to the importance of freedom of thought that I recorded a podcast on the matter. You can find that episode here: Malicious Reflections

Quote of the Week
"Hypocrisy is a tribute that vice pays to virtue" -- Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld
I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck

​What I've Been Thinking About...
Last weekend, we were at a family party and while there, we had a great time catching up with everyone. At this point in our lives, everyone seems to have a child of their own and are feeling a bit stressed. We all needed some kid free time or even a few moments talking with other parents or adults. A simple conversation without having a kid hanging on your back or calling your name every 3 seconds is all we were looking for. That is not too much to ask for, is it? Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between!

During the party, when we did have a free moment or two, the chatter typically involved the struggles we are all facing raising a child. For some, it could be mood disturbances, for others it was their child's lack of sleep and having to get a sleep test conducted, or even the ever so common food allergy that afflicts more people than you would think. These conversations oftentimes resemble a therapy session or an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. Instead of stating, "My name is Chris, I am an Alcoholic" it becomes "My name is Chris, I am a struggling parent". You share your trials and tribulations, they share theirs, and in the end, you all feel a little bit better. The tricky part is actually finding the time to have these conversations!

Fitness Tip of the Week
I ran into a guy this week who experienced a huge weight gain during the lockdowns. This man had a slight frame and went from 130-something to over 180 pounds. Packing on 50 pounds (roughly 40% of his initial bodyweight) during a 1-2 year period is quite alarming. He described his body as "looking like the letter D" and decided it was time for a change.

During this time, he visited Europe (I forget where to be exact) and came to the realization that food tastes better over there and as a result, he felt better. He decided he was going to come home and change his diet. The first thing he did was he went vegan. He saw a decrease in weight but didn't feel quite right. He introduced meat back into his diet and although it tasted great, it made his stomach feel awful. He came to realize that the vegan diet wasn't sustainable long term for him and the traditional diet he was eating was not going to improve his weight issue. So he thought about it and decided he would go vegan for a month, and then switch back to a more traditional diet and continue alternating back and forth each month. For him, this style of eating was something he could adhere to and his body responded well by dropping 20+ pounds. 

The point of sharing this story is not to encourage a vegan diet, a meat diet, or any specific diet for that matter. The point is that when you embark on making a big lifestyle change, it is important to keep a few things in mind. The first is the experimentation process. You have to do a little research, test drive a few things, see how you respond, and continue gathering information in this manner. This takes time so patience is required. The second part is that just because something works, doesn't mean it will be sustainable. Most diets work if you adhere to the guidelines. Adherence rate will either make you or break you. If something is not sustainable long term, then I would advise you to look elsewhere and continue the experimentation process.

Social Media & A Childs Well-Being
As I was researching and preparing to write an article (Is Social Media Killing Youth Sports), I came across some interesting, albeit unfortunate, statistics conducted by The American Journal of Public Health. In 2015, they reported that screen based media is associated with low self-esteem, poor academic performance, obesity and a decrease in fitness. Heavy users of screen based media were less likely to be happy and more likely to have socioemotional difficulties. Young people who chatted on social web sites between 1-3 hours per day were half as likely to be happy than those who chatted for less than an hour per day. 

This was seven years ago. Since that report, social media sites have become more addicting, "binge watching" Netflix or Amazon shows has become a thing, and Youtube is upgrading their user experience to grab your attention and never let go. This type of stimulation has some serious side effects. The more a child uses, the more a child craves. In addition to the mental effect, these services encourage sedentary behavior which is  probably the last thing kids need in their lives. 

What I've Been Reading...
The Afghanistan Papers by Craig Whitlock

During the occupation of Afghanistan, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction conducted interviews with soldiers and high ranking officials to compile a "Lessons Learned" information gathering project. The interviewees were very candid as they shared their thoughts and opinion on the conflict. They did not think that these interviews would get leaked in any way or released to the public. As it turns out, they were wrong. After a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was made and a three year battle in the courts, the details of these interviews were released. This book is a breakdown of what was discovered. 

Winston Churchill once said that, "In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies". It seems the Bush and Obama administration (and eventually Trump & Biden) took that advice to heart in regards to the conflict in Afghanistan. Everything about this 20+ year conflict seems messy and I am having a hard time understanding the rationale behind some of the things that were done, especially after reading these interviews. Either way, it is something I didn't know much about and it is worth the read!

Quote of the Week
"Only the dead have seen the end of war" -- George Santayana, 1922
I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck

What I've Been Thinking About...
There is something special about spending time with lifelong friends. Last weekend we were in New York City to celebrate the marriage of one of my long time friends and his wonderful wife. This celebration provided the opportunity to spend some time relaxing with friends at a great hotel in the big apple. When the wedding began festivities began, I took a look around and noticed old friends reunited after years (or decades) sharing stories with one another, cracking up at jokes and just having a blast. It made me smile to see this and appreciate each and every one of them. No matter where life has taken them, their is still that connection from growing up that never seems to fade. 

As I look back and think about why these bonds are so strong, I was a reminded of a quote from author and priest Richard Rohr when he wrote "deep communion and dear compassion is formed much more by shared pain than by shared pleasure". Over the years, these friends and families have been through just about everything with you right by your side. The good, the bad, the loss, the happiness, and every other emotion possible. The best part about it all? They are still there for you and probably always will be. These friendships can never be replicated. Some of these guys and gals are like family to me.

A Moment of Deja Vu
On Friday, we arrived in New York City around 10:30 pm. As we pull up to the hotel, I was exhausted and didn't realize where we were. We got our sleeping child out of the car, checked in, grabbed the rest of our stuff and went up to the room. I then came down to the lobby, said hello to a few familiar faces and went off to find a place to park for the weekend. As I left the building, I saw a sign that read parking with an arrow pointing down. I thought, that was convenient as it was literally one block away. I drop the car off and as I leave the building I was hit with a moment of deja vu...

Roughly 6 or 7 years ago Marisa and I were walking around NYC and came to the area where the Twin Towers once stood. While sightseeing and taking in everything around us, we noticed a small church was open and decided to check it out. Once inside, we were in awe with the story. This small church, literally a one minute walk from the towers, suffered no physical damage. Amidst all the debris and rubble, there wasn't even a broken window! It was a crazy story, one in which is worth the read: Saint Paul's Chapel, The Little Church that Stood. The hotel we were staying at was right in the heart of where one of the worst moments in American history occurred.   

Fitness Tip of the Week
I spent a few hours this week with my old gym comrade, Frank Donley, at what used to be Brickhouse Strength. While there we talked about all kinds of stuff and it was nice catching up with him. During the conversation he brought up how he changed his eating schedule and really saw some huge improvements with his sleep. This approach to eating has been what I have been following for the last 4-5 years and it really fits with my schedule. Let me explain how it works...

The origins of this approach comes from Rhonda Patrick and what she calls Time Restricted Eating (click here for more information). I would say the only rule for this style of eating is that you need to keep your calorie consumption to an 8-12 hour eating window and my personal recommendation is to consume these calories in the first half of the day. I like this for two reasons: one, your glycemic response to the same foods is lower in the mornings and highest in the evenings. So, if you do slip up and eat something not so healthy, consuming it earlier in the day has less of a negative effect than if you were to consume it later in the day. The second reason is that I did not want to eat a meal within a few hours of bed time. While laying down to rest, if your body is digesting food it will impact your ability to get into a deep restful state. Also, for me, a late meal usual equates to me feeling a negative effect in the mornings and sometimes have a heart burn or bloat-like feeling. Either of those things are never desirable! 

If you want more on this topic, check out this video of the Chris Fluck Podcast EP144 (click here to watch)

What I've Been Listening To...
Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, The Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King

I read this book a few years ago while at the beach and found myself speechless multiple times and even today, knowing the story, I am still shocked about how crooked the criminal justice system could be in America. This book tells the story of attorney Thurgood Marshall's defense of four young black men in Lake County, Florida, who were accused in 1949 of raping a white woman. 

Quote of the Week
"I don't want you to be safe ideologically. I don't want you to be safe emotionally. I want you to be strong. That's different. I'm not going to pave the jungle for you. Put on some boots, and learn how to deal with adversity. I'm not going to take all the weights out of the gym; that's the whole point of the gym. This is the gym" -- Van Jones
I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck