Blog

By: Michael Beiter

Every now and then my timing is good. I finished Wintering by Katherine May as we were blanketed with snow during a blizzard warning in my native Iowa. 

I sat by the window of my apartment on the end cushion of my couch and watched out the window as snow started falling calmly. Then the wind picked up and made it into the aforementioned blizzard. 

First the gray sidewalks and streets disappeared under a blanket of white. 

Then the trees and siding of...

By: Michael Beiter

Maybe I'll stop saying it. Because my clients have to be tired of hearing it. I hope it doesn't come off as a jockeying of sorts - a kind of way to establish that I'm higher up on the fake hierarchy of books read. But this woman was holding back tears as she said "I don't know how to handle boredom. I don't now how to not do something." 

My response: "I read a book on that." 

Followed by advice to 'Be a human being, not a human doing.'

The opportunity was almost too...

By: Michael Beiter

"The average North American adult now sleeps approximately 6.5 hours per night. Which is an erosion from 8 hours a generation ago and 10 hours in the early 20th century" says Jonathan Crary in his book 24/7. 

This is a startling find. I will use this quote to support my stance that sleep is sacred and valuing it places you in the upper echelon of intelligence in what is otherwise an increasingly ignorant 'hustle' culture. 

Much like the statistics for obesity...

By: Michael Beiter

I've been asked a lot lately what books people should read. The self/help type are what they inquire about. 

I'm reminded of a quote from Nassim Taleb whenever I'm asked these questions because it's true. Taleb says "My top 10 books of all time changes every summer." 

The more I read the more I find hidden gems or value in the not so openly marketed stuff. 

Here are my top 5 books I think you should read to help you live a better life. You might find one of them...

By: Michael Beiter

How much work is enough? 

It is true people work for more than money, but money is the primary reason. Knowing how much you need to make to fuel your lifestyle is critical so that you can answer the question above. 

In the United States a safety net exists in the form of welfare. Beyond that there is a dollar amount associated with living well. Abraham Maslow is famous for creating his chart of what all humans need to be well off. It is called the hierarchy of needs....

By: Michael Beiter

What is the end goal of a fitness and nutrition program? 

Goals get talked about a lot. From setting SMART goals to trying to lose a certain amount of fat or lift a certain amount of weight, there is no shortage of opinions on what goal is right for fitness and nutrition adherence. 

There's nothing wrong with setting your sights on something like fat loss or strength gain. But there is a problem when the goal is reached and it is simply replaced with another one....