The Weekly Word: September 25, 2022

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