It’s Time To Move Beyond Comfort! Focus on T.O.P.C.

We get caught in a certain level of comfort. It’s not uncommon for the masses. We find a place where we have comfortable stress and adequate finances. We have friends and family that have accepted us as we are, and those associations are comfortable. They don’t think we are overweight, because the look no different. Besides, 37.9% of men over the age of 20 are obese. So healthy weight is NEVER a topic of discussion.

Something in human nature tempts us to stay where we’re comfortable.

Fred Smith

You do not like what you see in the mirror. Even worse you convinced yourself that you don’t care. But, you do. Deep down you really do care. You want to be better for yourself. You want to be better for your wife. You want to be better for your son. You don’t feel comfortable in your skin anymore and you are afraid that your kids are picking up on your lack of confidence. If this keeps up, he may grow up with the impression that on the Hierarchy of Needs (thanks to Abraham Maslow), Esteem is not really that important. At last, he had no examples of it from you growing up.

You might not have put much thought into it, but the moment your son was born he instinctively sought to fulfill his needs. Be it breathing air, water and food through milk, shelter from the environment, or sleep; everyday of your newborn son’s life revolved around all these Physiological Needs. Ask your mom, and she will tell you that you did the same. As your Physiological Needs were continuously met and you matured, your needs also matured. Your needs developed into the need of Safety. The need of security, resources, employment, safety of your family and of your HEALTH. As you worked to satisfy those needs, somewhere along the way, some of these needs were substituted. Somewhere along the way the need for the Safety of your Health was swapped out for the need for COMFORT.

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Ask An Active-Dad: Everyday Dad Edition with Steve Galvez

Connecting with Dads is one of the main values embedded in Active-Dad. A main proponent of the platform is showcasing Every Day Dads Prioritizing Physical Activity. Distractions and excuses are behind EVERY single corner, but until you learn to not only say “Health is Wealth”, but follow through, put Physical Activity into your daily routine and LIVE IT; all you did was just utter a catchy phrase without merit.

We have plenty of time in the day to make time for what is important to us.

Steve Galvez

As the saying goes, “RockStars Know RockStars”. Equally so, High Performers Gravitate Toward High Performers. When I first interacted with this individual, he was actually interviewing me for a position. Are you fortunate enough to know a person who is just easy to be around, genuinely likeable and can depend on as a person and as a professional? Well, he is that guy. So, when the GREAT NEWS broke that he and his wife were bringing a child into this world, I was overjoyed to welcome him to the club! He has been winning in life, pre-kid. I know he will continue his winning streak, post-kid. Take note, because here is how he is doing it.

I am excited to introduce Steve Galvez for this feature of Ask An Active-Dad: Every Day Dad Edition. I asked Steve about his experience as an Every Day Active Dad.

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3 Reasons Why You Should Join The Weekend Warrior Circle

Our work week is already jammed packed with activities. You wake up, get yourself ready for work, get your kids ready for school, get ready, drop the kids off at school, barely make it to work on time, turn around and pick up the kids, figure out the dinner situation, get the kids ready for bed, get yourself ready for bed…lather, rinse repeat the next day. SHEESH!

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You Know Why You Gave Up, And So Does Everyone Else!

How Did You Get Here?

You look up, and BAM! You are not the same man you were 10 years ago.

Two kids later, you look up and realize you haven’t found a way to PRIORITZE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY daily. You look up and you are carrying way more pounds than any other point in your life. You somehow went from a size 32 in the waist, to a 40. You would have thought you were the one who carried those babies for nine months—no, that was NOT you. You look around, your family, your co-workers, your friends, social media…they ALL look like YOU. Your group of friends told you to “Just embrace it man, it’s normal.”. They all appear to be in the same situation. They all look like they are heavier than they have ever been. That makes it normal, right?

Just because you may be seeing more people in your day-to-day life, living unhealthy lifestyles, does not mean it is normal.

ACTIVE-DAD

But it isn’t just you and those around you. Thirty-seven-point nine percent (37.9%) of men over the age of 20 are obese. Do you know what age group of men are the fattest? Men aged 40 to 59 are 40.8% tubby tubbies!

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Why You Should SHUT UP About Leadership, If You Fail To Lead Yourself!

Have you ever gotten advice (often unsolicited) from someone who you knew with 100% certainty, they didn’t heed their own advice? I hear about it ALL the time. I have heard the complaints from colleagues and acquaintances of how a healthcare professional — particularly overweight or obese — proceeded to recommend that they lose weight to avoid health issues. They tell me how they thought to themselves (or maybe you even say it), “Excuse me, but shouldn’t you be practicing what you preach?” While this is sound advice and the healthcare professional was doing their job, their “body of work” spoke for itself. There are other elements that we consciously be considered.

A leader without followers is simply a man taking a walk.

John Boehner
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You Can Take Your Gym Membership and SHOVE IT!

Two and a half months into my first gym membership, the gym decided to close, for good! I moved from Alameda, California, to the east coast and left behind all the things I have grown comfortable with.

What were those things? Oh, let me count the ways!

  1. The San Francisco Bay Trail, with sections of paved trail along the Crown Memorial State Beach
  2. Bike/Walk Friendly with lanes throughout the City  
  3. Perfect weather!
  4. Places to go poop along the trail!
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How To Burn 2,000 calories in 99 minutes!

The second week of December, I set a personal goal of burning 2,000 calories in one cardio training session (we will call them “seshs” from here on out) in less than two hours. The first question that may pop into your head is, why? This was exactly my wife’s, JoAnna, response. My answer to that question would be, I do not know. The only reason I could think of is that over the past several months I have been consistently achieving the “1,000  Calorie Burn Club” (if one does not exist, I am starting one as you read!) in less than or equal to one hour of cardio (≤ for those who paid attention in math class), and I would follow with some weight lifting for about 30 minutes.

Maybe I was growing impatient with my results or I was inspired to take it up a notch, whatever it was, I decided to double up. Last week, I made some progress, but all in all, I FAILED.

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Confront Your Body Issues! #BeThe1To

In preparation for National Suicide Prevention Month (September), National Suicide Prevention Week (September 8 – 14, 2019) and WORLD Suicide Prevention Day (September 10th), it is LONG overdue to address some issues of Body Image that may dwell in the hearts and minds of men.

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What Is The Most Important Thing To You In Your Life?

What Is Most Important To YOU?

Have you asked yourself this question lately? What is the most important thing to you in your life? If you answered, “My Family”, then you are like most family men out there. We get married and have children, not to neglect them, but to grow and nurture that them.

“If you are travelling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask on first, and then assist the other person.”

Flight Attendant

As fathers, we lose sleep at night on how we are going to provide for the needs of our families. As you established those needs and progress out of the stages of self-preservation, providing food and shelter, we then focus on security. By security, I do not mean physical security. Having shelter for your family provides a certain type of security. Additionally, there are inexpensive ways to provide physical security these days. However, what I mean here is long term security, which may include financial or security through health and well-being. These types of security afford our offspring future OPPORTUNITIES and OPTIONS.

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4 Reasons You MUST Go Hiking With Your Family To Save Your Marriage!

You know the story all too well. One day you are focused and consumed by a woman.  You are sending text messages on the regular. Talking hours on end to her at night and spending every waking free second available with her. The next thing you know… you are one of two working professionals with two kids that depend on each of you to provide their every need.  Most of all, they depend on you to provide your full, undivided ATTENTION. Everything else probably would not be so draining if it were not for the last part. THE ATTENTION! The “Hey dad, watch this!” from your toddler demanding to be seen. The “this” being the most unimpressive, insignificant, least complicated action you can think of (like biting a Cheerio, a freaking CHEERIO!) for the THOUSANDTH time, all for the ATTENTION. I make no qualms about letting that toddler know that I was “NOT IMPRESSED”, but that’s just me and my parenting style leads with honesty 😊.

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