Fitness Philosopher

Training, Fatherhood & Blog Writing

Do the three mix?  Apparently so, because I've got ideas flowing in from everywhere.

Then again, as I sit here in the hospital next to my newborn daughter who's laying in an incubator (all is well, she just needed to get a few days of quality "sunning" in to bring her bilirubin levels down) -- I wonder when I'm ever going to find the time to write again.  Actually, I wonder if I'm ever going to be awake enough to write again -- the words sure don't come easily when the brain waves are hazy.

I am in complete awe of my daughter.  She's amazing.  My wife?  Ditto.  And I have a growing respect for all parents out there, especially my own, who have figured out how to balance work, play and child rearing.  Parents who displayed consistent dedication for years. . . . when I'm learning the ropes and wondering how to do this after one week.

I'm guessing that there's a huge learning curve, and I'm going to get this parenting, working, playing thing down eventually -- with some amount of perceived success, nonetheless.

I've got to.  My child needs me to.  My wife needs me to.  My clients need me to.  And my 10 readers need me to . . . . don't they?  (*smile*)

Thanks for checking back to my blog and sticking with me as I learn to practice all that I preach.

Speaking of Progression

My wife, Sara, is 30 today.

Talk about progression.  I've known Sara since late 2003.  We began dating in September 2004.
That's three birthdays that I've had the privilege of celebrating with her -- here's how my life has unfolded over the course of these birthdays:

May 10, 2005 -- Sara is 28 and we've been engaged for almost two months.  We celebrate the day with stories, laughter, a great dinner at Monster Sushi and Sara catching Famke Janssen checking me out as we walk to the subway on 23rd Street in Chelsea.  (Admittedly, that may have been more thrilling for me than Sara.)

May 10, 2006 -- Still happily together and 10 days away from our wedding at the Siena Golf Club in Summerlin, NV.  The birthday celebration includes a Palm TX with music-playing capabilities for the long flight and a Mexican-themed dinner at Salsa Y Salsa.  Birthday 29 was fun, but I'm thinking my bride was focused on the events to follow 10 days later. . . .

May 10, 2007-- We're married almost a year, my wife finally hits 30 -- though she's got the energy of a 20 year old -- and she's carrying our first child, due in September.  More celebrating, reflecting and a romantic dinner at Regional, on the Upper West Side.

How's that for steadily advancing in life?  (All marriage jokes from the guys set aside. . . )  I go from barely knowing Sara, to engagement, to wedded bliss, to impending fatherhood in a nice, linear 3 year progression.  I don't know if I could've made things happen this well if I had written this plan out in advance.

All kidding and progression talk aside, this entry is dedicated to the love of my life -- who has the strength to put up with my intense and stubborn personality, who constantly encourages me to chase my dreams. . . who shows me every day how much she loves me (this girl is definitely not an example of "all talk, no action.")

Happy 30th Birthday Sara Elizabeth!  Thanks for your love and support.  I love you.

My Journey to Fitness Blogdom (Part II of III)

Lesson II -- Take the time to discover the real you; FIND YOUR PURPOSE.

Setting goals is analogous to finding your purpose and it is a crucial function in any fitness endeavor.  You need to be open to your intuitions and let them assist in defining your purpose in life; let them map out a path so that you can fulfill that purpose.  In much the same way, specific goals have to be set for your fitness regimen.  It's not enough to say, "I want to be in shape" or "I want to eat better" -- not because those statements aren't meaningful, but because they're not specific enough.  Clearly specifying your goals will allow you to more effectively design a course of action that will make your journey easier and increase your chances for success.

"Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." 

                                                                            -- Confucius

I was a little behind schedule.  While many college students spread their wings and explore all that life has to offer, I more closely resembled a hermit.  I rarely took time to heed the wise advice of my professors and friends who suggested that I "smell the roses" and enjoy life.  Apparently, I was hell bent on doing that after I'd earned my degree -- when I was supposed to begin my career.

As I left the world of research behind, my thoughts essentially were, "I don't want to be laying in my bed when I'm 95 wondering 'what would have happened if . . .' so I'm going to try every occupation that's ever intrigued me."  My experiences included:

-- Dealing blackjack at Mystic Lake Casino/Hotel
-- Temping for Lab Support (trying science in the corporate setting)
-- Bartending
-- Modeling
-- Bouncing

Throughout this adventure, I also focused on improving my level of fitness.  I'd always been around sports and competition, but weight training hadn't ever become a consistent habit . . . and developing that habit proved difficult.  I'd start for 1-3 months and fall off schedule.  Then, when consistent training wasn't an issue, I limited my progress with substandard nutrition and inadequate rest.  Frankly, I dealt with many of the same obstacles that my clients and countless others have faced. . . until my mindset changed and I matured enough to clearly define my goals and follow through with them.

And with this improved mindset, my expedition lead to the discovery of my soul's purpose -- during a workout, none-the-less.  My self-esteem had greatly improved as my body transformed and started to function better than it ever had.  I felt great, like I was becoming the person I'd always wanted to be, and realized that I could take this newfound love for training and use it to better the lives of others. 
"This is it," I thought, "I'm going to be a fitness professional."

I overcame my fears and took a risk to explore my deepest desires;  leaving me open to find my purpose.  I embarked on a career that perfectly blended my educational background with my desire to help people.  Not only that, but it pushed me to live to my highest ideals, to lead by example and practice the lifestyle that I teach . . . to be the same person publicly and privately.  This decision gave me plenty of opportunity for self-improvement while enabling me to bring people health and keep them OUT of hospitals.  As far as I was concerned, I'd found the perfect career; and from here, the future would only get brighter. 

My Journey to Fitness Blogdom (Part I of III)

Lesson I.  Self-Esteem and Courage -- they're important qualities, so cultivate them.

It's common for somebody embarking on a new fitness program to view it in terms of strength training and nutrition -- obviously, two extremely important components to consider.  You have to train smart and train with intensity.  You absolutely must have a balanced nutrition plan.  But taking on this, or any other lifestyle also requires the presence of intangibles -- work ethic, self-esteem, courage, fortitude, persistence.  These qualities often provide the difference between fizzling out and long term success in any venture.  Cultivate your inner strength so that you can capitalize on your limitless potential.

I remember the moment as if it happened 5 minutes ago.  May 1998.  A crisp, clear Thursday morning and I opened my eyes to the sun's rays, warmly shining directly onto my face.  The room was silent and still, and that radiant light . . . it felt like a messenger delivering me an epiphany.  And suddenly, in that moment everything became clear, a wave of calm washed over me and I felt a tremendous burden lift from my shoulders.  I'd made my decision.

Let's backtrack a bit.  I graduated from St. Cloud State University in May of 1996 and with that came a big decision -- MD, PhD or both?  I'd wanted to be an MD at a very early age, but that career choice wavered on and off during my undergraduate studies -- research was something I'd really gotten into.  Of course, I wasn't sure if I wanted to jump right into 5+ more years of school to earn the doctorate either.  So I did the next best thing -- I applied for a research position at the University of Minnesota and worked for two years in the fields of membrane biochemistry (with W.G. Wood, PhD) and immunology (with Y. Shimizu, PhD).  It was my way of treading water;  I could stay active with my science education and explore career possibilities without prematurely committing to a long term program.

Of course, time moved on and further choices had to be made.  I couldn't "tread water" forever!  So, I took a PhD course as an extension student.  I formally applied to the U of Minnesota's graduate program in Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology.  Research continued.  And then I got accepted into the PhD program.  All I had to do was say "yes."  To the outside observer, everything was going my way as I pursued my childhood career ambitions in the sciences.  On the inside, I was agonizing over my choices and couldn't make a firm decision.  Although working in the lab had been fulfilling, I wasn't completely convinced that a lifetime of doing it was for me.  And I still wasn't sold on pursuing medical school either.  The problem was that I'd told people all my life that I was going to be a doctor. . .  and now I was hung up on the notion that I'd be "letting everybody down" if I didn't follow through on my lifelong declarations.

That May morning, with the sun shining down on me, became a major turning point in my life. . . a defining moment when I recognized the need to live my life on my terms, to believe in myself and to face life's path with courage.

I finally acknowledged that, while my love for science was genuine, I was pursuing a professional degree more because I felt like I owed it to others -- I didn't want to go back on my word.  Furthermore, I was going after the titles associated with my studies because I felt they would bring me recognition and respect; i.e. they would validate me.  Instead of making life choices based on my own internal demands, I was doing it for everybody else and for all the wrong reasons.  No more.

I took ownership of my life.  I made a commitment to improving my self-esteem.  I recognized that nobody else was going to walk in my shoes, so it was most important that I find what I wanted -- because I had to live with it for the rest of my life.  I also recognized that I didn't need titles for people to see my worth.  If I was intelligent, talented and a good person, people would see that, titles or not.

And my decision was made.  I thanked the University of Minnesota for their offer and respectfully declined.  I stepped away from the "comfort" of my original path with the decision to explore other options.  Scary, exciting and requiring a lot of courage.

It's easy to get caught in life.  Caught in an unrewarding job, an unsatisfying relationship, an unhealthy, unfit body -- and then keep yourself in neutral because it feels more comfortable than testing your inner strength and taking on the fear of failure or the challenge of hard work.  I say to you, take the challenge.  Believe in yourself and push your limits even when you're uncertain of the outcome.  Living with self-esteem and courage will ensure that you end up truly living.