Category: Goals

The Physical Activity Snowball Effect

Have you ever seen a cartoon snowball? You know, the type that starts at the top of a snow packed mountain as a little ball, and as it rolls down the mountain the snow begins to accumulate. Eventually the snowball grows into a huge boulder and rolls over some character trying to escape it. Yes, I love cartoons, even now.

Dave Ramsey has made famous the Debt Snowball concept. I present to you the Physical Activity (or Fitness) Snowball EFFECT! How original right? 😊 Well, for those of you not familiar with the Debt version of the snowball, just pretend the Physical Activity Snowball concept is entirely new AND original and allow me to explain. On second thought, because I believe in your success in all aspects of life, including financial responsibility, go check it out for yourself…Debt Snowball.

How do you eat an ELEPHANT?

One bite at a time (at least that’s what they tell me). Some of us heard this time and time again. The concept and approach remain to be true when solving most big problems. One of North America’s biggest epidemics started as two small problems; 1) the consumption of unhealthy food options, and 2) the lack of physical activity.

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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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How To Inspire Others!

When you walk the walk, don’t be surprised when you see others get inspired.

How do you get motivated?

What are your sources of motivation? I rely on many sources of motivation, one of which is David Goggins. If you do not know who David Goggins is, he is known for his no nonsense, no excuse approach in overcoming a weak mindset. About a month ago I was watching a video shot by David Goggins giving pointers on how he builds muscle endurance and how to incorporate it throughout the day. Anyways, this approach in particular was called “Ins-and-Outs”. Basically, upon entering any structure with a doorway, you drop down and complete a set of push-ups. This could be 5 to 10 push-ups, more if you are feeling froggy. This would be the “Ins” portion. The same idea goes for the “Outs”. Before or after you exit a doorway, you drop down and complete a set of push-ups. Simple enough!

This resonated with me because one of my goals for 2019 is to increase the maximum number of push-ups I can complete.  I was inspired to jump right in with the Ins-and-Outs. I did so not knowing how it would impact others.

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Ask An Active-Dad: Expert Edition with Frank Clayton, Jr.

Fitness doesn’t have to be a chore.

Frank Clayton, Jr.

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting this Physical Activity Expert during the INAUGURAL, First Annual Fatherhood Summit hosted by Merritt College in Oakland, CA. Let me just say, as SOON as I got wind of a Fatherhood Summit in my area I was ALL IN! Their tagline “Celebrating and Honoring the Power of Fatherhood” ABSOLUTELY resonated with me.

 There exists a real deficit in Father-On-Father community support for father figures. Dads, Fathers, Stepdads, whichever you identify with, there is an apparent lack of support for US and we feel it every day and see the negative outcomes of a FATHERLESS community. So, we must support each other. But I digress…I was first introduced to Mr. Clayton, Jr. during his Health And Wellness discussion on “Healthy Living On a Budget” during the Fatherhood Summit. Notable to me was his demeanor, his comfort in front of strangers, but even more so, was his F.A.M.I.L.Y. that were also involved. Since I arrived quite a bit early, I was able to witness a well-dressed gentleman with an apparent infant, a wife and toddler. I knew I was in the right place. Once the Workshop started, he took center stage, gained command of the audience and engaged US with wife, toddler and infant in tow. IMPRESSIVE!

Granted, Mrs. Clayton Jr., COMMANDED the offspring as Mr. Clayton, Jr. did what he does best and taught his captivated audience what they can do to take control of their health on a budget. NEVERTHELESS, the workshop was a success and I was happy to invite Mr. Clayton, Jr., to be not only a featured ACITVE-DAD, but our very first EXPERT!

I asked Frank Clayton, Jr., about his experience as an Every Day Active-Dad, with some EXPERT TIPS.

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Ask An Active-Dad: Everyday Dad Edition with Eric Heinze

I had the distinct pleasure of working with this Every Day Active-Dad, Eric Heinze, on my day job. About a year ago our division hosted a week long conference and training in Irvine, CA. Like so often is required of the position we each hold, we were taken away from our families and our personal daily routines.  He and I connected on our commitment to PRIORITIZE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY and how we both were using an online fitness program to keep our activities fresh and versatile while on travel status.

Shortly after checking in my hotel room at the Marriott Irvine Spectrum, I checked out the fitness center and was excited about how well equipped it was. It turns out so did he. We decided to do a workout together. I let him choose the workout program he was currently undertaking. It was good to submit myself to a workout I was not familiar to. I never get to exercise with a partner, unless I am hiking with my wife. I mostly seize moments, often on a whim, and its hard to schedule a session with other people in mind. The upside of training with a good partner is the shared motivation and competitiveness. It was a good session and we even ran a couple miles after. We did this throughout the week. It is good to connect with a fellow Active-Dad.

I asked Eric about his experience as an Every Day Active-Dad.

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But I am NOT A Morning Person!

I can GUARANTEE these words have been uttered by you, or someone you know! I have even seen the “I Hate Morning People” posts or memes on social media (which are pretty harsh). The reality is, we ALL cannot be morning people. Rest assured, we ALL do not have to be! The most opportune time is when every soul in the house is asleep, and you can get up, sneak about like a Ninja Turtle, get a prayer and stretch session in (a different type of FLEXIBILITY) and get ready to head to the Fitness Center or go for a run. That time usually starts at 0430 HOURS to 05000 HOURS. That was my weekday routine that I had on autopilot when I was not on travel status and we were just a family of THREE. Me and my wife had a grip on things fairly well.

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4 Reasons Why You MUST Promote Physical Activity On FATHER’S DAY!

Prevention Through Physical Activity Starts With DAD!

As fathers, we are called to lead your households. As parents, we are, or should be, the number one influence in our children’s lives. Nothing reminds me of this fact more than having my toddler straight up emulate my actions (I know it gets trickier the older they get, at least I am told). If there is a time for you as a man to look yourself in the mirror and evaluate what kind of impact you are having on your child, Father’s Day is that time! Maybe this Father’s Day is the perfect time to join the #LetUSBeGreat Challenge, sit down and have that tough conversation with you wife on how prioritizing physical activity is important to you and the FAMILY. Frankly, this type of self-reflection should occur more often, but if you need a built-in calendar reminder, FATHER’S DAY, says it ALL. There are many aspects of your child’s life you can endeavor to leave a positive impression but allow me to state the case for physical activity (I mean, this is Active-Dad.com after all).

Inadequate Physical Activity comes at a GREAT COST!

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#LetUSBeGreat! CHALLENGE – How To Gain Support from your Significant Other

Why Did I Get Married?

We get married for different reasons and have kids during different times in our lives. Some of you may have married your high school sweet heart. Others may have settled down later in life and gotten married in your mid-30s. It is just as common to have been divorced, with or without kids, and remarried with a blended family. Whatever your familial composition, the common interests that brought you and your wife together may not have included PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.  

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4 Simple Ways to WOOT (Work Out On Travel)

When consistency is the key in prioritizing physical activity, breaking from your routine can be stressful and detrimental to forward momentum. When you’re at home, you already have prepared healthy foods or know where to find them. Finding healthy food choices in a new location takes extra effort, making fast food found on every corner even more tempting. Sleeping in a different bed is not always the most restful. Most of the time, I am lucky if I can get a good five hours of rest (Despite what my wife thinks, it is not ALL fun and games). I make it my mission to continue to prioritize physical activity, even when on work travel, and SO CAN YOU!

How does that look?

  1. Travel Bag: You will have to substitute some of your leisure clothes for ones you can get SWEATY-N-STANK in, but it is all worth it. Previously, I would pack more leisure clothes than I ever got around to wearing. Even then, 9 times out of 10, I end up wearing the same pair of shorts or pants and rotate the tops. It is work travel, so most of my off-duty trips are to the grocery store or restaurant to grab a bit to eat before turning in. *Laundry Hack: toss your workout clothes in the shower with you afterwards, wring excess water and hang dry. If you sweat like me, this will keep it from setting in to PERMAFUNK.
  2. Wake Up Call: Waking up a minimum of 2.5 hours before I must depart. This allows an hour for morning preparation (empty stomach + empty bowels = LET’S GET IT!). Energy drink, coffee or pre-workout, depending on the activity and what I have access to. One hour for the physical activity and 30 minutes to get ready! I wear a uniform, so…
  3. Fitness Center: We have all seen what some lodging places try to pass as a “Fitness Center”. An empty hotel room with a treadmill, elliptical and a bicycle IS NOT A FITNESS CENTER! Pisses me off. If possible, I try and look ahead at the facility with the most fully equipped, legitimate Fitness Center. GAME CHANGER: I recently stayed at a Hampton Inn that offered something that BLEW MY MIND! While this Hampton Inn did have a “Fitness Center”, I opted out. About 100 yards away was a 24 Hour Fitness facility that I decided to utilize instead. After getting a day pass, the 24 Hour Fitness desk clerk mentioned that some hotels will reimburse the cost of the day pass. I mentioned this to the Hampton Inn Front Desk employee, and sure enough, $15 back in my hand! The received some great reviews from me!
  4. Get Running: One of the least expensive ways to get active is to put feet to pavement or trail. Living on the west coast, there are tons of cities and towns that have a network of trails. And why not, it’s beautiful out here! In the more remote areas there is less chance of trails, but you can always rely on sidewalks. So, I default to running outdoors. If all else fails, there is always that stuffy “Fitness Center” treadmill you can utilize. Just get up early enough that you’re not competing for it or left with breathing in anyone else’s morning breath or worse (some people ain’t got no “fitness center” etiquette).

So, less excuses and more moving y’all! Feed the FEEDBACK MONSTER and comment below if you have some other tips, tricks or hacks you utilize to make physical activity a priority away from home. Let me know how I can help you GET START!

How to “Keep That Same Energy”!

Excuse Me, What’s YOUR Motivation?

One of the few things left that cannot be outsourced to China or India, yet. You cannot transplant it. You cannot siphon it off someone else. It is ALL yours. So find it!

M.O.T.I.V.A.T.I.O.N.

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