Last updated on September 11th, 2020 at 11:46 am
Health Is Everything
My health impacts my life every day. My confidence, self-esteem, and performance (at work, at home, and anywhere else I go) are all shaped by my health. ‘Health is everything’ is not just a catch-line. I firmly believe that your health is everything.
In 2019, I read Drew Manning’s book called Fit2Fat2Fit: The Unexpected Lessons from Gaining and Losing 75 lbs on Purpose. In his book, Drew (a personal trainer) talks about how he gained 75 pounds on purpose in an attempt to better understand the weight-loss struggles of his clients. Though this was an obvious physical struggle, it is amazing to read about Drew’s mental and emotional challenge with the drastic transformation. My biggest takeaway from the book is that my physical health is not isolated. Rather, the way I feel physically also has an impact on my mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Jim Rohn, one of my favorite motivational speakers, once said: “Remember, everything matters! Sure, some things matter more than others, but everything amounts to something.” The reason I write about being a Rad Dad, an Affluent Dad, and a Fit Dad is because each of these areas is interconnected. Being a Fit Dad is not just about the way I look (although that really does matter), but it is about the way it makes me feel. When I feel great I am more confident and I spend my time (Rad Dad) and resources (Affluent Dad) differently. Let me share four motives for why I strive to be a ‘Fit Dad.’
Fit Dad Motives #1 and #2
First, my physical body and my spirit are gifts from God. 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 states: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I strive to care for my physical body and my spirit because I desire to treat them as God wants me to treat them. God has blessed each of us with a physical body and a spirit. Now He is watching us to see how we treat His gifts.
Second, there are other people counting on me to be physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fit. No matter your situation in life, there are parents, friends, and others whose lives are better because of who you are. As a dad, my wife and children are dependent on me to be at my best. However, let me take a stroll into my past. I found ample time to stay active and healthy before marriage. Then, once I tied the knot, I added a few pounds – after all, I already won my spouse over. Then children came along, and all of a sudden with mouths to feed, more intense responsibilities at work, and an unending supply of distractions, I was lucky to find time to exercise and maintain a balanced diet while keeping up with everything else on my to-do list. Have you experienced something similar?
Fit Dad Motives #3 and #4
Third, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness impact all aspects of my life. A Fit Dad strives to be at the top of his game in every arena – professionally, scholastically, physically, etc. When I don’t feel good physically, when I’m not mentally sharp, when I’m stressed out, and when I’m perpetually tired, is it any wonder that I won’t perform well in life? I know that you want to be the best dad that you can be, but if you aren’t feeling well, you won’t have the energy and the stamina to keep up. If you don’t have the energy to get down on the ground and play with your kids, or run around the house, or have impromptu dance parties (highly entertaining I might add), then these Fit Dad posts are for you.
Fourth, the United States is facing a health crisis, and this will only be perpetuated if we don’t take action now. My children are watching me… if I choose not to take care of my body, what do you think the likelihood will be of them doing the same? Actions speak louder than words. But, as I like to say: ‘It matters not where you’ve been or what you’ve done… what matters now is what you do and become until you’ve finished your work and won.’
Data
I hope that by writing about Fit Dads I can reverse the trends outlined below… However, I’m honest when I say that it seems like a monumental task. But I have been silent long enough – my life experiences can change your life; and if it’s just one life changed, it will be worth the effort.
Physical activity: 28% of Americans (i.e., 80.2 million people) aged six and older are physically inactive.
Nutrition: Typical American diets exceed the recommended intake levels or limits in four categories: calories from solid fats and added sugars; refined grains; sodium; and saturated fat.
Obesity: Data from 2009-2010 indicates that over 78 million U.S. adults and about 12.5 million (16.9%) children and adolescents are obese. Recent reports project that by 2030, half of all adults (115 million adults) in the United States will be obese.
Financial Costs of Obesity: Those who are obese have medical costs that are $1,429 more than those of normal weight on average (roughly 42% higher). (That sets my Affluent Dad mind racing…)
Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail
Do you have a plan? With proper planning, anyone, no matter their situation, can live a healthy life. To become a Fit Dad, or a Rad Dad or Affluent Dad for that matter, you’re going to need a plan. The information age has trained our minds to see “overnight” success stories. Anyone can post anything on social media, true or false, and this affects our minds. We begin to think: “I’ll never be enough, make enough, do enough, etc.” This is not true. “Overnight” success is not a thing – and if someone is claiming it exists, I would question their integrity.
I take my health seriously. Each night I try not to retire until I’ve made a plan for the next day. For example:
- I know exactly what and when I will be eating the next day. (This is the case for Monday – Friday, I am still working on the weekends).
- My alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m. every day. I wake up immediately, turn off the alarm, and I don’t lie back down.
- Monday – Saturday I exercise 30 – 45 minutes first thing in the morning. Sundays are my rest day, but I do casually stretch for 5 – 10 minutes.
- For years my dentist urged me to floss my teeth… For some reason, I couldn’t ever spare one minute per day. Now, though, in addition to brushing my teeth for two minutes each morning and each evening, I floss my teeth and use mouthwash each evening.
- I consume a Costco multivitamin and a fish oil tablet each morning with my first meal of the day.
- Water consumption has been an important part of my health journey – I drink at least 180 ounces of water every day.
Take Action on One Thing
In September 2018 I decided to take back my health, and it’s been an incredible process to see what I have achieved through the development of some ‘atomic habits.’ As a student of healthy living and now a health coach, my aim is to help others experience the remarkable blessings of healthy living. In September 2018, I took action by making one change… I limited my carbohydrate consumption. Over the next few months I saw the pounds drop off, but I also came to understand how a carbohydrate restriction impacted my health. Now, please understand that I’m not condemning Keto diets. On the contrary, my experience helped me understand firsthand that there is not one way of living a healthy life. There are a number of plans and approaches that lead to healthy living. I will focus on these approaches in my Fit Dad series.
Eat That Frog!
Just like I took action in September 2018, I urge you to take action today. Brian Tracy, the author of Eat That Frog!, has a practical approach for setting goals. Follow Brian’s process today, and then let me know in the comments how this exercise changes your life:
“Take a clean sheet of paper right now and make a list of ten [health] goals you want to accomplish in the next year. Write your goals as though a year has already passed and they are now a reality. Use the present tense, positive voice, and first person so that they are immediately accepted by your subconscious mind. For example, you could write: ‘I exercise x number of minutes per day’ or ‘I weigh x number of pounds’ or ‘I sleep x number of hours each night.’ Review your list of ten [health] goals and select the one goal that, if you achieved it, would have the greatest positive impact on your life. Whatever that goal is, write it on a separate sheet of paper, set a deadline, make a plan, take action on your plan, and then do something every single day that moves you toward that goal. This exercise alone could change your life!”