Category: Mindset

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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#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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Why “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet” is FALSE!

You may have heard the saying that “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet”. If you haven’t then you just did. Well I say that is bull crap! HOGWASH I tell you! Two is better than one, but one is better than none!

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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!

But Why Daddy? Because Our Kids Are FATTER Than Ever!

You have heard it called “Finding Your Purpose”, or “Following Your Dreams”! The new catchphrase is “Finding Your Why”. Live long enough and you will have seen old concepts repackaged into new, fresher terms (Emotional Intelligence vs plain ol’ Not Being A Jerk). Call it what you want. The idea remains, if you do not have a passion or something deep down, driving you to justify and validate your decisions, you run that chance of bouncing from one purpose to the next.

It is imperative to note that your “why”, CAN, and most likely, WILL, change with time. Or better yet, your “why” may stay the same, but your path to it will often change. In my case, it has expanded, and the path has become less treacherous.

Kids Ruin Your Life: I know you have heard it. There seems to be a growing negative connotation with having kids these days.

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6 Reasons Why Paternity Leave MUST Be Mandatory

As I am writing this post today, my lil’ man Tiras is on my chest. I am at home. Having been away from my office for three weeks now, with another week of leave planned, I know I am privileged. Recently, I was reminded by this.

Be Flexible With Your Time!

Moment of Realization. A contracted employee at my duty station was expecting his first child within a month of the arrival of Tiras Malachi, my son and second born. We often have discussions on how our families are doing and what we are doing to prepare. For me, I told him I planned on taking the 12-day paternity leave allowed by the service I am a commissioned officer in, followed by using an additional 12 days of annual leave. Basically, about one month of family time. His response was something in the vicinity of: it must be nice. This full-time employee did not such a privilege. This served as a reminder. Since this was my second child, I had not given it much thought this time around. Not every expectant dad is afforded the privilege of taking time off to allow the family to settle in to the new addition and try to get acclimated, somewhat.

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Prioritize Your Time

Welcome to the UP BEFORE THE SUN, dark side.

How to Prioritize Your time.

Do you ever feel like there is never enough time in the day?

In 2016, my beautiful daughter Elliora was born. Physical activity has always been a commonality shared between me and my phenomenally, extraordinary wife, JoAnna. So, we were uneasy with the feeling of not knowing how we would continue to prioritize essential components of our lives, and rightfully so. There is a popular notion around modern day parenthood. It states that you must sacrifice the life you desire to live, for your child(ren). A smart man once said that sacrifice entails giving up things you do not want to give up.

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4 Steps To Being An Active-Dad

Active-Dad laughing during quality time with his daughter.
Active-Dad with Active-Daughter

What does being a dad mean to you?

For some dads, fatherhood is defined by sacrifice. And that’s ok! That is part of the duty and absolute honor of a little human being calling you “Daddy”. In the same breath, some sacrifice is not for the benefit of you, or your family. Your own health should not be at stake! Your family cannot rely on you, if you cannot carry yourself. What if in the end, it is your family that must carry you? Statistically speaking, this may happen eventually any way. Every day that passes, we all grow older. Should we not do whatever we can to maximize our time with our family? Your family needs you to be strong and healthy, to live long and prosper.

Over the next few days I hope to help guide you through how I am able prioritize physical fitness in my life. The adage stands true…If I can do it, so can you!

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