To accepting the old and embracing the new with an open heart, steadfast determination and of course, a bit of humor.

by Fatima Cook

What pushes you that extra mile (foot or even inch)?  Just when you feel like you have given it your absolute all...I mean dug up mojo on a cellular level...a spark is ignited...a trigger is pulled, and you are able to persevere, even transcend.  What is that “thing” that enkindles your brain to fire it up when you had, just a split second ago, felt like you had burned up every match in your matchbook...like you couldn’t possibly go any harder or any longer?  

Gregg does this thing in his classes where in the last 10-30 seconds he asks you to consider doing more....going faster, harder, stronger.  He gives you about 15 seconds to decide whether you will maintain your current level of exertion or elevate it.  I have to say that in most cases, I feel like I am already struggling uncomfortably, on the brink of ceasing and desisting.  Yet I make the split second decision to find more.  Oftentimes I look around the room once the effort is over and see that many others have done the same.  Where does that last burst come from?  Before he says whatever it is he says, you were ready to kick it.  Somehow you are able to launch yourself to the next level for those last 10 seconds.  Again I ask, what is that?  It works every single time.  A great coach/trainer can do this for you.  This is why we pay exuberant amounts of money for our trainers, classes and gym memberships.  This is why we work out with others or compete in events.  Motivation.  I mean really good motivation.  The kind that feels like we did it ourselves.  The kind that feels unforced, not guilt-driven.  Can we bottle that, please?

Anyway, the bottom line is that we have...we are, so much more then we first can see.  Once we are able to get past that belief, or block, we can achieve so much more.  There are ways we can do this for ourselves (ultimately, we must meet Gregg’s motivation with our own, but that is the topic for another day).  Here are my humble few thoughts on the matter, most taken from Gregg.

 Find a word that signifies something to you.  It doesn’t even need to be one word.  It can be a phrase.  It can even be the name of someone you either love to death and would do anything for, or someone you are insanely competitive with.  When you find yourself looking for an excuse to back off, repeat that word to yourself over and over again or see that person in front of you.  Let it motivate you to go a bit further....3 seconds longer, 2 mph faster, 1% harder...

Timing is everything.  As the saying goes, the enemy you know is much better then the one you don’t.  You can’t push yourself harder endlessly.  You just can’t.  Can you most likely do it for 10 seconds, maybe 15, maybe even 30?  Yes.  Give yourself time slots to work within.

Timing is everything.  Gregg only allows us 10-15 seconds to “decide” to go for it or not.  He doesn’t go on and on about it for hours, even minutes.  Don’t give yourself the time to back out of it.  As Nike so succinctly puts it, “Just do it”.

Believe and let go.  Change your mind into actually believing you can and “just do it”(great tagline, Nike).  Your mind is your greatest friend and your biggest enemy, depending on how you use it.  Don’t entertain the idea that you may not, cannot.  Know that you are going to try and try.  Just that, is already success.

The reality of it all is that this translates with perfection to all things in life.  Your physical training can be life training.  In anything you do, your work, your children, your husband/wife, family, etc...believe you are limitless, and you will break barriers you never thought possible.

I hope last month’s sleep protocol has helped you feel more rested and focused.  The next topic of discussion in the “what are we leaving out” series is recovery.  This is something I talk tirelessly about at the end of class...and with good reason.  Many of us believe that the more we train, the greater the intensity, the better our results.  Ask yourself this...have you ever felt that after 3 consecutive days of vigorous training you are feeling more listless then energtic?  Or that how your body feels after your training hinders your every day activities?   Has simply climbing the stairs become so draining that a very important meeting on the 3rd floor must be cancelled simply because the only elevator in the building is on the fritz?  If so, is our training really working for us?  May I suggest the preposterous notion of training to feel better...the idea of not to wear ourselves down to the bone.  Sounds simple and logical, no?  Well, it is.

It all boils down to your ultimate goals.  Why are we doing what we are doing?  Pretty simply, there is no need to do more then we need to do.  After 1-2 intense training days, please. welcome yourself to an easy training day, or (you better sit down for this one) take a day off.  The amount of rest really depends on exactly what you are doing.  Of course, not challenging your body enough may result in nothing as well, so talk to a trainer about creating a balanced training schedule.

The body needs time to repair tissue damaged during training and replenish energy stores after a tough workout.  Without it, the body will continue to break down, both physically and psychologically.  Your risk for injury increases.  You may experience lackluster feelings and even depression.  With adequate recovery time, you allow your body to perform optimally.

So...sleep well and train hard with requisite recovery.  Stay tuned for more...

I am off again this weekend.  This time to Boston for a fitness convention.  This is the second to last time I will be going away on a weekend for the year.  While I am passionate about my work, I am even more passionate about my family and am thrilled just knowing I'll be home with them until 2012 (can you believe the new year is so close???).  I suppose that is quite a fortunate situation to be in. 

It is finally the end of the week.  I'll be heading out East to teach at B-East in Amagansett on Saturday morning.  Come by and take a class if you are out there (www.eastfit.com).

Get up early.  Get your workout it.  Workout as hard as your tired body can.  Weigh your food.  Count your calories.  Work harder.  Don’t forget, make money, raise a perfect family and recycle.    When does it end?  When are we doing too much and getting too little out of it?

We work tirelessly towards our self-defined wannabe-beings.  When is less better?  What are we not doing..what is missing that may actually help us move in the direction of our goals?  I’d like to introduce a series of “blogicles”, if you will, addressing this.  What are we not doing and should be doing to survive, thrive an live happier lives.  Isn’t that exactly what it is all about in the end?  If not, what else?  That old saying, “Ignorance is bliss”, is really only half true, if that.  If you have never experienced an outstanding glass of wine - a melting massage - blissful sex, mediocrity is just fine.  It is a step above poor.  If you knew that you could open the door to a happier existence, wouldn’t you?  You may be afraid of the unknown...of trying something new, of rocking the proverbial boat because if you discover a better self, it becomes also true that you’ve been living a sub-par life.  Well, get over it.  Better is better.  At least peak through that door.  Whatever.  You can always turn back around if you’re not satisfied.

So, in my own personal quest for this so-called happier existence, I’ve recently made some belated changes to my life.  In the coming months, I’ll expand in detail...

First and foremost, SLEEP.  

I’ve been mentioning this in my classes lately.  Plan on getting AT LEAST 8 uninterrupted hours a night.  I know, things happen.   Sometimes the darn phone rings just as you feel the reigns of slumber pulling you in, or your kid wakes up screaming for you at 2am.  It’s tough especially in a noisy, street-lit, rude-ass neighbor ridden city like NY - Brooklyn included.  Here are my strategies.

1. Sleep in a completely dark room.  As cave-like as possible.  Invest in blackout window coverings.  Turn off all cell phones to avoid blinking lights (and possible phone calls).  Put watches, ticking every waking moment (quite literally), in drawers or other rooms.

2. Don’t drink too close to bed time.  By this I mean any liquid.  Inevitably, you will need to get up to pee in the middle of the night and that means sleep interrupted.  Regarding alcohol, yes, a glass of wine with dinner, even two, is just fine if you fancy that.  But, I’ve read that too much alcohol before bedtime leads to less overall sleep.  Yes, your buzzing head may help you fall asleep upon pillow-impact, but your sleep may be shorter-lived then it could be otherwise. 

3. Need some help?  Try Natural Calm.  This is a magnesium supplement in powder form.  Mix it into some warm water and drink.  See the shop section of my site. 

4. Melatonin, a natural hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles and is found at any drugstore can be helpful.  Usually 3mg is enough.  I’ve read that increasing the dosage does not necessarily translate into increased effects.  As a side note, beware if it is the first time taking this stuff.  It may cause nightmares.  It doesn't for me, but does for my wife.  Needless to say, she sticks with the aforementioned Natural Calm.

5. Turn off computers, phones and all such electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime.  All such things will allegedly delay the onset of sleep.

6. Plan your sleep.  Get to bed at a certain time so that you at least have a fighting chance at 8 hours.  If you get to bed at midnight and have the alarm clock set to 6am, you’re basically planning self-sabotage.

Need a few extra tips?  Chamomile tea, a hot bath, listening to calming music...

Having a 3 year old, my wife and I have read our fair share of sleep books.  Though they all differ in technique and philosophy, they all say the same basic thing and that same truth exists for both children and adults.  Sleep begets sleep.  Once you learn to sleep, you’ll be better at it.  

Happy Sleeping!

Welcome to my blog!  Here I will share a bit more about me and my life.  I’ll be posting training and eating tips, armor you with motivation and encouragement, divulge recipes, and share some general life inspirations (as I see it, if you will).  Some of the posts will come directly from me, while others will be come from my wife, Fatima.  She too, is a lifelong health connoisseur.  Also be on the lookout for interviews with others that I admire and am influenced by.  Check in often!

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