Cook is keen on a short-term loan switch away from the club. The 29-year-old has managed just two appearances for QPR in the past 18 months due to injury problems.
Cook recently spent a week on trial with Nottingham with a view to a loan move.
“I can’t really see me coming back to QPR and playing regularly again to be honest because I’m training back there now, but I can’t play any first-team games as I’m not in the 25-man squad,” he told sky Sports.
“If I go back there in January on the back of a good loan spell in the Championship then you never know and they might have to sit up and take notice, but all I need to do is look after my career.
“My contract is up next June, so it is important for me to go out on loan and show people what I can do.
“I have missed playing regular football, but I need to be patient and wait for the right move because I’ve had options to go certain places.
“People often tell me that I should go out and get some football under my belt, but at the same time I want the right move for me and a club like Forest is one that falls into that category.
“It was great to get up there for that week and get a change of scenery and a different training schedule under my belt.
“For the past six months I haven’t really been looked at by QPR in terms of playing in the first team, so to go up there and be a part of everything and be involved was great.
“It was just a shame for me that McClaren walked because it looked like it was going to happen, but I’ll just have to go up there and impress all over again, which is my main target.”
