Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet

I've been a fan of Itzler's since the days when he was known as Jesse Jaymes. As an awkward, hip-hop loving high school freshman living in the Midwest, his album "30 Footer in Your Face" spent a lot of quality time in my Discman. He was the first MC that seemed like a guy I could hang out with, sort of like the Zack Morris of hip-hop. Fast forward to a couple years ago. I was training for a Half Ironman triathlon. On one particularly long run, his jam "College Girls" shuffled into my head. I hadn't heard the song in years and when I got home, the first thing I did was Google Jesse to see what he'd been up to. Turns out he'd been up to quite a bit. And frankly, it was inspirational to see. Way to go, dude. Seriously. Even though I detest running (send me out on a 100 mile bike ride anytime), there's a lot of crossover when it comes to ultra-endurance sports. In "Living with a SEAL," the reader gets a very up close, and often hilarious, look at how the mindset of an endurance athlete is forged. On the surface, Itzler's diary-like account of his month in hell is a breezy and entertaining glad-it's-not-me read but, when you look between the lines, there is a profound motivational quality lurking just under the surface thanks to SEAL's blunt words of wisdom and how Itzler interprets them. So much of the endurance game is mental and getting woken up in the wee hours of the morning by being called a "motherf'er" by one of the baddest motherf'ers on the planet is a swift kick in the motivational pants for both Itzler and the reader. For anyone who's looking for a spark to get out of the rut of routine or a reminder that all it takes to go farther and harder is the will to do so (the 40% rule is a particularly big help), "Living with a SEAL" is a must read.

I read DG book ( can’t hurt me) and saw several podcasts featuring DG and Jesse, and finally got to read the book… This book blended transformation of personality and attitude of the lead character ( Jesse) after spending a month with the discipline of an Ex Navy Seal ( DG). Jesse was able to take the reader through his daily blog of events through his 30 day mixing his experience with humor and trying to honor his promise to the SEAL which he promised he would do anything and everything that is asked of him. Throughout the book, you can feel the various emotions that Jesse expressed and how his attitude started to mould in a way he didn’t expect or thought was possible. The discipline that the SEAL enforced on Jesse and his daily living was so uncomfortable for anyone to continue if it was not for Jesse persistence and desire to prevail with his challenge. Despite many unexpected and sometimes comic situations throughout the book, the writer managed to keep the reader engaged and in suspense to find out what is going to happen next…. For the SEAL, it was a mission that he wanted to complete and move on to the next challenge, but I believe deep inside, I thought the SEAL cared about the family that hosted him for a month. It is also how the SEAL managed to capture the attention of almost everyone who he came across even though that was not his intention, but that speaks much to his character and discipline which many seemed to appreciate and find quite extraordinary. I found humor reading the book, blended with lessons for life and motivation and the importance of setting goals and to have direction in life. The writer transformation seemed to start budding slowly but surely after the first 2 weeks, as it reflected on his tenacity and desire to continue to push despite physical struggles as he started to build what DG calls ( mental calluses )… This book and DG books are great reads and both are extremely valuable to read for someone who feels they need the extra push to achieve the desired mindset ..

I ordered this in the Kindle version and literally read it in a day. The fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants nature of Jesse Itzler is not only entertaining but also cause to reflect on what could be different in my own approach to life. It is well written and easy to follow, save for a few tangential sidebar stories which actually contribute well to the conversational nature of the book. What I enjoy most about it is that anyone, at any level can gain insight and motivation from it. The level of intensity that SEAL and Jesse take workouts to is nuts. Straight up. I'm an ICU nurse and parts of it had me cringing. The key takeaway is that an insanely intense workout, broken into segments is doable. The other key takeaway is that when we feel tired, we are only at 40% of what our body is capable of. I will add, just as some constructive criticism, that if the reader is easily offended by cursing this may not be the book for you. I got sick of the word MFer. Kind of loses it's punch after a while. There is also a story retold by the author where a would be singer he is trying to promote is requested by Howard Stern to show up on his show nude. The whole point of the story is that she may have been talentless and brainless but had a great rack. It didn't contribute to the point of the book and didn't really give me a lot of respect for the author. Those things aside, I did give it 5 stars because it fits its intended purpose of being entertaining and motivational.

Jesse Itzer, entrepreneur and successful businessman wanted to get whipped into shape and he was looking for some mental toughness, so he chose Navy SEAL David Goggins, aka The Toughest Man Alive to train him. Goggins agreed to train Itzler but only on one condition: that Itzler does everything he said. And he meant EVERYTHING. This guy is hardcore. The training makes for a good story, but the way Itzler tells it, it's hilarious. There's no whining. There's no quitting. To emphasize Goggins' no-nonsense approach, Itzer only refers to him as SEAL throughout the book. On the first day, SEAL makes Itzler run 6 miles in 14 degree weather. When Itzler complains about the cold, SEAL tells him that "the temperature is what you think it is, bro, not what your computer thinks it is." After the run, they take a tour of Itzler's home gym, where SEAL has Jesse do 100 pull-ups. Jesse tries to quit and SEAL tells him he has "a shitty ass attitude." And so it goes throughout the book. Each chapter starts with a quote from SEAL and some of them are absolutely hilarious. The funny thing is, SEAL doesn't try to be funny, in fact, I don't recall reading about him ever cracking a smile. The guy is all business. There's one workout where Jesse is running on the treadmill and he starts to feel sick. He has a stomach cramp, which he pushes and releases as gas. He pushes harder and a loud fart ensues. SEAL just looks at him and makes a farting noise in exactly the same tone as the fart. Jesse keeps running but is laughing. SEAL doesn't crack a smile. Completely entertaining and inspirational.

Jesse Itzler is a serial entrepreneur. He was on Yo! MTV Raps back in the day, created the NY Knicks song/chant that played at their games, co-founded Marquis Jet, is a partner in Zico Coconut Water, founded the 100 Mile Group, and is a part owner in the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. Jesse is about pushing the boundaries and doing things "outside-the-box." He's all about fitness, eating healthy, (only fruit until noon) running marathons, and staying in tip-top shape. Oh, and he's also a husband and father to four children. This book tells the tale of when he hired a Navy SEAL to live with him and his family for 31 days to get him in the best shape of his life. The SEAL, who is only referred to as SEAL throughout the book, is a simple, no nonsense, tough as nails, light on words, bad-ass. The SEAL is known as "the toughest athlete on the planet" and when you read the book you understand why. We follow these two over the 31 days while Jesse still works flying back and forth between New York and Atlanta, Boston, and to their getaway home in Connecticut. Jesse is put through a torturous routine of running, push-ups, pull-ups, weight-lifting, sit-ups, box jumps, burpees, and other exercises that push the human body to the limit. It's a fantastic book and Jesse has an incredible sense of humor. There were a handful of times where I was literally laughing out loud. Dianne and I ran our first marathon last year so this book was relatable in many ways with regards to the training necessary to prepare the body for a 26.2 mile race but these guys run races of 100 miles and more. We learn some valuable lessons in this book about living in the moment and just how much our bodies and minds are capable of if we just push through. This book was published in 2015, five years after the actual 31 days. It receives a 4.7 rating on Amazon with 717 reviews and Goodread reviewers give it a 4.23 after 2,305 ratings and 285 reviews. I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down. Anyone who enjoys running, fitness, and eating healthy will enjoy it as well. I give this one 5 stars.

When I first downloaded this book I wasn’t really sure what to expect. So I thought what the heck if it isn’t any good I’ll ditch it and read something else. Man am I happy I read it. This book is such a good read. It’s truly something no sane person would attempt to undertake. Jesse is always finding new things to push himself but doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing when he decides to ask “Seal” a true life Navy Seal he has seen in action on the ultra marathon circuit to come train him for 30 days. This is a true testament of how a human can endure and power through pain and become stronger. This book is also a look into a person who has overcome his own physical limitations to do something for his own goals. It is not until the end of this true story anyone finds who “Seal” actually is and what his motives are for pushing himself to compete in these ultra marathons, but it sure humbles us. I recommend everyone read this book, then read the books written by the real to life “Seal”. That’s next on my hold list. Not only am I in awe of this author and his family, they are very smart and have built fortunes with their incredible ability to think for themselves, but they seem like the sort of people I’d want to live next door to.

This book is hilarious. I read it in one day. I just couldn't stop reading. Living with a SEAL is the perfect combination of a self-help book and a comedy. SEAL is the ideal motivation coach, period. He is able to push Jesse from 100 to 1000 push-ups in less than 4 weeks! On the other side, Jesse tells his training story with Seal in a funny and entertaining way and adds witty anecdotes of himself (co-founder of Marquis Jet and Zico, former rapper), his companies and his wife Sara Blakely (founder of Spanx). After reading Living with a Seal I started to work out much more and applied Seal's 40% rule: when you think you’re done and have reached your limit, you’re only 40 percent done. You can still tap into your reserve tank. SEAL believes our limits are self-imposed. The book offers many motivating quotes from SEAL, like: If you want to be pushed to your limits, you have to train to your limits. If you want to push your performance limits with natural foods, I also recommend the book Plant Victorious: How Athletes Can Push Their Performance Limits With Plants I'm looking forward to reading David Goggins (the SEAL in Jesse's book) own book Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds This man is a true hero and superhuman.

This book is very good and appreciated

Jesse and the "Seal" turned pain into joy. My glasses fogged up from laughing so much. Moreover, I read the book in 24hrs. As David Goggins says, "we don't realise how much we're leaving on the table." Take care of you and your primairies.

felfeci

I have read this many times and it really gets me going. I have read (too) many self help books in my days. (Often only one third of the book). The self helps books usully make me follow my plans for a month or less. This book however made me work out like insane person for five years and still going. It’s also a very funnt book. I must recommend David goggins two books. They are amazing for motivation med drive !!

Brutal, yet incredibly funny and insightful. It shows just how powerful the mind can be, even against all odds. The couple is fantastic. Enjoy

One of my favorite book. It's an easy read and it teaches so many valuable lessons.