Fit Dad Nation

I've been largely absent from social media and this podcast for the last few months and there's a reason. My oldest daughter has been having some health issues for almost two years now and things seem to be getting worse instead of better. What started out as a herniated disc in her back and the surgery to repair it has now turned into something much more. And because of the physical and mental pain she's in and having to watch her helplessly, I've started to crack. I've withdrawn from my business and most social things and struggle day to day to keep positive. I've always taught the members of our community that if we can't take care of ourselves first, how can we take care of our families the best way possibe and I'm failing at this. I've let my diet go to sh*t. I've let my exercise go to sh*t. I've become lazy and weak. And it's taking it's toll on me. I feel lousy all the time and worse yet, I'm not being as strong as I should be for my daughter when she needs me most. So I made the decision to do something I really don't want to do and that's taking on the 75 Hard Challenge. It's named that way for a reason and it's designed to be a mental toughness challenge, not just a weight loss challenge. It's the push that I need given where I'm at and I'm committing to seeing it through. I've also opened it up to members of the Fit Dad Nation and to those who need a serious change as well. If that's you, join us. Learn more at fitdadnation.com/75hard and we start January 2.

A few weeks ago I decided that enough was enough. I was tired of feeling like sh*t all the time and it was a direct result of my crappy eating and general laziness. It was a long time coming and it was my time for change. Of course there were many reasons (excuses) why I was avoiding doing the things I knew would make me healthier and I was letting my excuses win. So I decided to commit to 5 small tasks every day in an effort to change it all. There things are: 1. Train daily, even if for 15 minutes. 2. Switched out soda for diet soda. 3. Eat a healthy breakfast at the very least. 4. Walk for 30 minutes a day. 5. Remind myself each morning "why" I'm doing all of this. My point in sharing all of this is that it helps you in some small way. Maybe you're struggling to get moving or feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to do in order to get your fitness back on track. I'll say just focus on a few small changes, instead of worrrying about ALL the things that you ideally want to change. Change wil happen but you have to start somewhere.

I love the gym. I love the feeling I get when I walk into the gym. I love lifting heavy sh*t. I love putting myself out there and pushing my limits. But many guys don't love those things. In fact, I've met many men over the years who hate the gym and gym life. They hate "having" to lift weights in order to get fit. And what I tell them is "don't". If you feel like you have to do something in order to get fit, you'll likely start finding excuses to get out of doing it. It's human nature. Instead, I suggest finding a sport or activity that is healthy and helps you get fitter and use that instead of trying to force yourself into the gym. Personally, I think strength training is at the top of the food chain when it comes to getting fit and healthy for men over 40, but not every man is willing to do it. I can't make you do it, so why try? If you're happy riding your bike up and down the street for two hours, by all means do that. If you like playing pickleball like I do, do that instead. Would it be beneficial to start a strength and conditioning program? Absolutely! But if you're not actually going to stick to it because you hate it, it will never work. Find something that excites you. Find something that makes you want to improve. There are a million and one ways to get fit and healthy from OCR's, to trail runs, to rucking up mountains, to kayaking, to playing ping pong. Do something you don't think you "have" to and instead find something you "get" to do.

We all have stressful lives in some capacity. Whether it's financial, work related, a lousy marriage, or health issues, it's tough. And those stresses take their toll on us, either quickly or slowly. Some of us respond well in the face of these obstacles while others let their problems suck them down into a black hole. Now I'm not a therapist nor can I help you learn how to thrive in the face of adversity. But I can share with you what I've learned about myself, having lived through (and still living with) a sh*tload of personal stress. One thing I've learned is that I cope by shutting down and internalizing my struggles. I stop exercising. I eat more junk food. I waste time. I avoid the real issues and hide behind a fake smile. And this is not a good thing. It's not particularly healthy for me and my family. But it's what I know and what I'm trying to get better at. My point in sharing this is that although I know I'm not responding well to my stress, I never get down on myself. I never consider quitting. I never look at myself as a failure. I know in my heart that I can and will do better. I know that it only takes one (very hard) decision to put my feelings aside and get the f*ck back to work. And I do. I've done it many times in the past and even though right now I'm not in the best mental and physical state, it's something I plan to change very soon. I'm just not ready for it. And you might not be either and that's OK. As long as you don't throw your hands in the air and quit, you'll be just fine. Keep these things in mind if and when you're struggling, because it WILL happen time and time again. Just keep pressing onward and remember that you have it in you to crush whatever it is you want most.

Most guys try to fit their current lifestyle, which is always super packed with things to do, into their newfound diet plan.   This is a mistake and usually ends up in frustration and failure.   Most dads live a tremendously busy life and trying to find the time to shop, prep, cook, and eat foods on a very specific diet is hard. Like, really hard.   Sure a diet can work for you but it has to have three things to be successful long-term. 1. It has to be healthy. Cookie diets, liquid diets, or fasting diets can be very low in calories and nutritional value, which isn't the right way to lose weight. 2. It has to get results. You might be on the world's most popular diet but if you don't see physical results, it's not the diet for you. 3. It has to be sustainable. This is where the vast majority of diets fall short. They are either too strict, too complicated, or too hard to stick to and you quit.   Instead of trying to find the "perfect" diet for you, I suggest focusing on a few of the following principles I use with my own diet and for my clients.   Eat more foods with one ingredient. A potato is a potato. A chicken breast is a chicken breast. A Pop-Tart is a sugar filled piece of sh*t with 27 ingredients.   Don't starve yourself in the name of weight loss. Eating MORE and burning the difference off is a far better option.   Eat in a way that doesn't add more stress to your life. Simple is better.   Eat foods you know are healthy and avoid ones that you know are hurting your progress.   Eat more foods that give you energy.   Recognize that weight loss isn't a sprint. Fill your diet with high quality foods and your body will reward you. It's as simple as that.   Use the 80/20 rule. Eat high quality foods at least 80% of the time consistently and then you can afford to eat the things you really crave the other 20%.   Apply to out free private Facebook group for dads at FitDadNation.com/Community    

Before you write me off as another "get fit quick" scam artist based on the title of this episode, hear me out. On 9/1 we're starting one of our most successful challenges called Project 45. It's 45 days of no cheats, no excuses, and no bullsh*t. Is 45 days enough time to radically overhaul your life and undo all the damage you've done to yourself with eating crap foods and sitting on your butt over the last 30 years? No, of course not. But that's not the goal of this challenge. The goal of this challenge is to help you get insanely consistent with a small handful of fundamentals and become accountable to yourself and to the men doing the challenge along with you. If you stick with this, you will lose fat. You will get stronger. You will drop inches. You will feel so much better. You will create new habits that can last a whole lot longer than 45 days. Will it be easy? Nope. Will you get results putting in just a little work? Nope. Will it require you to live, breathe, and sleep fitness? Nope again. All you need to do is follow the program as it's designed, show up every day and do the work, and refuse to quit when you feel like it's just too hard. I'd love for you to take on this challenge with us and if you're a struggling dad looking to reclaim your mojo, take a look. The challenge details can be found at FitDadNation.com/Project45    

So today I'm not going to tell you how to get and stay fit but rather exactly what to do if you want to stay fat forever. Obviously, I'm not condoning you do any or all of these things, but I'm asking you to look at your current lifestyle and see exactly how many of these you are doing right now. And once you realize that you're doing the wrong things and sabotaging your results, you can get to work on changing them! Here they are: Hopping from diet to diet Not strength training Not being consistent with the basics like sleep, sun, and water Following someone else's diet Self-sabotage Being in the wrong environment Following your program based on your feelings Doing it for the wrong reasons Quitting before results come Being an emotional eater Following the SAD Being weak mentally Being Full of excuses and sh*t Having no plan  Just being lazy and/or apathetic Join the tribe where we get one day better. FitDadNation.com/Inner Circle

I'm a realist. Yes, I coach dads for a living and have to motivate and inspire them to take action, but at the end of the day, I'm still a realist. Specifically, I fully understand that giving a busy father a full on training program and customized diet makes sense on paper, but falls a bit short in reality. Meaning, regardless of how solid a program is, you still have to actually follow it for it to be effective. And since I'm not coaching 22 year olds who have all the time in the world to dedicate to their fitness, I have to account for the fact that the vast majority of dads barely have time for their family obligations let alone trying to follow a rigid program. Does this mean that programs are a waste of time for you? Of course not. But I recognize that there are so many things that are going to come up in your already busy life that adding something as daunting as a full fitness program makes little sense if he's expected to follow it to the letter. Today I share the story of a client of mine who fits this description. A busy dad with two small kids, a business to run, and never enough time to get it all done. Hopefully today's show resonates with you and you can approach your fitness from a slightly different perspective because of it.

Today I talk about two things that come up a lot for me as a fitness coach. The first is when people view exercise as a punishment. I get it, many people don't enjoy throwing around heavy weights and getting all sweaty and nasty. Others can't stand being in a gym with all the meatheads. I've had quite a few clients over the years tell me how much they dreaded going to the gym to train and guess what? I didn't make them. Instead I found alternate ways to get them involved in exercise. Getting into shape doesn't have to revolve around heavy barbell squats and presses. It can be about moving more than you do now and challenging yourself in a way you aren't used to. For those of you who dislike or even hate training, I'll tell you to find some form of exercise that you can tolerate or perferably, enjoy. After all, we are creates of comfort. We gravitate towards things we like and gravitate away from things we don't. It's human nature. So instead of fighting with yourself every time you "have" to exercise, find something you like and "get" to do. In terms of using food as a reward, I think it's a bad idea. I've seen far too many clients/people over the years use the junk foods they gave up in order to get healthy as a reward for eating well. It makes no sense. The goal of any diet or approach to eating should be to find something sustainable long-term. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's healthy, works for you, fits into your lifestyle, and you can stick with it. Don't reward yourself for losing 15 pounds with eating a box of Pop-Tarts and feel like you "earned" it. If you eat healthy foods 80% of the time or more, you can eat those things without worrying about it.  

As fathers, we'd gladly lay down our lives for our children. That's a given. But the bigger question is whether we're living for them right now. And to that point, are we doing the things right now that allow us to be truly and fully present for them? The answer is a resoundding "no". There are many reasons we're falling short, from excuses, lack of motivation, and putting ourselves last. And I've said this many times before and it's as true now as it ever was and that's "if you aren't even taking care of yourself, how can you take care of your family the best way possible?" In today's show, I share some of the reasons we aren't living for our kids in a way that serves them the best and why. This is an important topic and our families deserve the best possible husbands and fathers. Please understand that I'm not judging anyone. I'm not calling anyone a deadbeat. I'm speaking from personal experience when I say we can do better. We can be better. Putting ourselves first isn't selfish. In my opinion, we can't be the best possible fathers if we aren't.

As you know, social media is like the wild west. Anyone can post anything regardless of how true or accurate it is. The idea of social, at least for those in the fitness coaching space, is to get eyeballs and dollars.   And I've seen it all. Bad coaches, lying coaches, scams, blatant rip offs, and misleading information. I'm thoroughly disgusted by the amount of pure bullsh*t that's being taught and sold online and it's causing a lot of frustration and confusion for the general population who is just trying to get heathier.   So today I talk about some things that are getting way too much attention and are highly overrated as well as pointing out some not-so-sexy things that work, but are definitely underrated.   I hope you enjoy the show and feel free to find me trying to fight the good fight on social @TheFitDadNation.

So today's show is a little different than my previos ones in that I'm sharing a specific conversation I had with a member of our private community in the hopes that it helps you in some way.   About a month ago, a dad reached out to me and shared some of his struggles with his weight and health and we ended up in a conversation that ended with him committing to making some healthy changes to his lifestyle.   After a few weeks I got a follow up message and it totally blew me away. The physical and mental changes he made in this short time were astounding and I could hear the positivity and hope in his tone.   I share this conversation today because so many dads are struggling with the things he is and it's an incredibly important topic to cover. As a coach, this is why I do what I do. Hearing the changes and knowing this dad is improving his life and the quality of it inspires the hell out of me and I hope you take something away from this episode.

We all want to be fit, healthy, lean, stong, energetic, and attractive to the opposite (or same) sex. And we want it not just for a week or a month, but for the rest of our lives. But too many of us aren't doing the things needed to get and stay there.   Instead, we procrastinate, make excuses, and do what's comfortable. And it doesn't work.   I don't have any hacks or shortcuts to the above mentioned, but I do have a roadmap for you to follow. And no it's doesn't cost $99.99 or require entry into one of my high ticket coaching program. It just takes the willingness to follow a handful of basic principles over and over.   Here's what to do: Understand that less is more. Simple is better. Keep your fitness as simple as possible and you'll do far better in the long run. Fitness doesn't have to be all or nothing, but it can be if it works for you. Stop chasing scale weight. Consistency beats intensity. Find a strong enough reason to do this. Be accountable to someone or something. Join the FDN Inner Circle if you're lacking it. Recognize that you'll crash sometimes. This doesn not mean failure. I hope this opens your eyes to just how simple this all can be.

I see it all the time; guys who think they're doing the "right" things for their fitness and body, but in actuality it's hurting them. Often times, it's because there is just so much information out there, most of it conflicting, and it's difficult to know if you're on the right track or just falling victim to another fad or scam. Billions of dollars each year are wasted this way and it infuriates me to no end. So today I'm going to share some common things that you might think are moving you towards your fitness goals, but in all reality are moving you further away from them. You're eating healthy, but are overeating healthy foods. Frustrating I know, but it does happen often. Blowing out your calorie deficit by giving yourself a few "cheat" meals or days on the weekends because you've been eating clean all week. Believing all organic foods are healthy. Eating "diet" foods that are actually filed with fake ingredients, preservatives, and chemicals. Relying on "healthy" detoxes or cleanses. Adding butter and/or oil to drinks. Following fad diets that are making things worse for you in the long run. Eating too many protein bars/packaged "health" foods. Relying on flawed calorie counting methods. Following a training program for too long because it worked in the past. Focusing on cardio for weight loss instead of strength training. Following IIFYM thinking it doesn't matter how much you eat as long as you hit your target macros. This list could go on and on, but these are some of the most common issues I see.

It happens to almost all of us at some point. We're kicking butt in the gym, eating clean, feeling great, and seeing results and then it hits; we get sick or injured and are forced to stop our routine that's been working so well.  It sucks because the last thing we want to do when things are working is take a break. But inevitably it happens and we have to stay home to rest and recover. And most times, we fall right back into our old ways and habits, load up on comfort foods, and become lazy pieces of crap again. It's happened to me dozens of times over the years and likely has happended to you as well. Today I talk about why this happens and what you can do about it when it DOES happen.

Just one week into our OFA fat loss challenge in the Inner Circle, the results are already very clear. Now you don't have to be part of this challenge to experience the same benefits as I've seen and it's as simple as following a few very basic principles. This is what we're doing: 1. Training daily. Nothing crazy or too time consuming, just consistent effort. 2. Following a simple, whole food approach to eating. We cut out all the processed junk and fast food and are eating only high quality food. 3. Drinking 90-128 oz. of water daily. Simple right? 4. Daily mobility work. We spend maybe 10 minutes a day stretching and improving range of motion. That's literally it. The men in the challenge are dropping weight, feeling great, and motivated to keep pushing. Personally, I'm sleeping a ton better and my energy is through the roof. Up until the challenge, I was eating pretty crappy and drinking too many Coke's and felt lousy most of the time. Now it's a whole different feeling and I'm not going back. So whether you've been off for a while or just need a swift kick in the butt, just start with these few basics and stick with them and you'll definitely start making some progress quickly.

Well brother, if you've waited this long to start trying to get into shape for summer, I have good and bad news for you. The bad news is that you have a month or so until summer and if you've got a long way to go to get fit, no amount of training and dieting will get you ripped and jacked. The good news however is that you can actually make some significant progress by summer. Maybe not your ideal beach body, but still some solid gains. Here's what you're going to do to get there: 1. Set a worthy short-term goal. 2. Stop wasting time on cardio to burn fat. 3. Have realistic expectations. 4. Get help and/or coaching. 5. Surround yourself with the right peeps. 6. Get uncomfortable. 7. Work harder than you have in a long time. 8. Be insanely consistent with the basics. If you want help getting started and staying on track, check out our upcoming Operation Fat Ass Challenge. We start May 9 and the goal is to help you drop 10-15 pounds in 40 days. Find all the details on social @TheFitDadNation

It's always easier ot find excuses than it is to find the motivation to do the work we know we need to do in order to get fit and healthy. And often times, those excuses turn into lies we tell ourselves and over time, they become our truths. Of course they are all bullsh*t but they can be debilitating and cause us to struggle year after year.  Here are 8 lies that are keeping you fat and unhealthy: 1. I'm too old or it's too late. 2. This is the hand I was dealt. 3. I don't have time. 4. I don't see results no matter what I do. 5. I can't stay consistent enough to get results. 6. I don't have enough motivation. 7. Family comes first and I come second. 8. I've have always been out of shape. These things are literally killing your progress and if you want to change your body, you have to change your beliefs.

Motivation is a funny thing. It comes and goes and often times it's in short supply. At least for us dads.  I recently had a dad join one of our challenges and he was all set to start making some changes to this health. But before too long, he had quit and when I asked him why, he said "I haven't found a strong enough why to keep me motivated." This is a huge issue for us as busy dads and often times, it's the fact that we haven't done the deep self-work that it takes to really understand our deepest emotional reasons for wanting change. It took years and a ton of work on myself for me to figure out my "why" and my hope is that you'll be able to figure yours out before it's too late.

Here we go again, guys. The Internet is litered with so much fitness misinformation and pure garbage that every once in a while I feel the need to go on a crusade. Keep this in mind as you listen. Some of the worst advice comes from people with the best bodies and there are far more “influencers” on social than there are actual experts. Be wary of who you listen to and who you buy from. So today I'll share 10 current fitness myths that are rampant on social media and are costing people their valuable time, energy, and money. 1. Just take this supplement to boost your testosterone naturally. You're not going to boost your testosterone, at least not enough to make a difference, with OTC supplements. 2. You can “reset” your metabolism with a detox. SCAM!! 3. Meal timing is important when it comes to losing weight. Calories are what matters, not the time at which you eat them. 4. Gluten makes you fat. No, no it does not. 5. Lemon water has weight loss benefits. Lemon water doesn't help with anything except the flavor of your water. 6. Diet soda is bad for you and causes weight gain. It has 0 calories so it doesn't add weight. It might not be the best thing for you to drink, but it's 10x bettter than regular soda. 7. There isn't a “best” diet. Just because it works for one person doesn't mean it will work for you 8. Muscle confusion is the best way to get stronger and bigger. 9. Fasting causes weight loss. 10. Weight loss equals healthy. Hope these help!

A lot of guys tend to over complicate things when it comes to getting back in shape. It's an overly confusing world in online fitness and there are far too many “experts” peddling bullsh*t, so it's understandable.   But in all reality, it's a simple thing to get into killer shape. Here's the process I use when I'm coming back from a layoff, epically long junk food binges, or time away spent self-loathing… 1. I stop eating like an a**hole. No more McDonald's, late night cheese and crackers, or gallons of soda. I focus 80-90% of my diet on lean meats, eggs, fruits and veggies. 2. I make strength training my priority. 3-4x per week. Progressively more challenging. This is not optional. 3. I move as much as I can. I bike, walk, hike, and generally make it my goal to be overly active. I also sit far less. 4. I commit to something bigger than just me. I tell my friends and family. I post about it in my groups. I join challenges. I put my a** on the line. It's too easy to crawl back into hiding when you start struggling and this is my way of not allowing it to happen. Public accountability is huge, especially among a tribe of like-minded people. The Inner Circle is this group for me. Check out FDNIC.com if you'd like to learn more about it. There are of course other things that play a part in my day to day but this is the basic template I use and am using currently. No supplements (other than C4 for caffeine), no hacks, no gimmicks, no detoxes, and no excuses. That is all. If you can't follow these few basics, I'd say that in all probability you just don't want to change enough.

So today I share the struggles I've been going through for the past two months and how I finally got out of my head and into action. I've come to realize that there will be times in everyone's lives when we get taken down and it's all about how we choose to respond. Whether it's financial stress, a toxic relationship, failing health, loss of a loved one, or a divorce, there will come a time when the stress of somethig big will make us want to withdraw, shut down, or quit. And we've got to expect these things to happen and then we need to recognize that it's part of life. Once we recognize that, we will understand that just because we sh*t the bed from time to time and let our diets and lifestyle fall apart, doesn't mean we're weak or failures. It's about getting through the hard times and knowing that you'll come away stronger. I've personally been through so many ups and downs, weight fluctuations, health scares, injuries, emotional breakdowns, and more that I realize now that's these things are inevitable. I chose to come back stronger this time and started out with a simple challenge to myself and the men in our Inner Circle. And that's the focus right now. Small steps and just getting one day better.

If you've been struggling with your weight for what seems like forever and you can't seem to make any real progress, listen up. Today I share 10 reasons that are keeping you fat and if you want to change it, I highly recommend you impliment some or all of the strategies I talk about. You're eating too many calories and you don't know it. Not building/maintaining lean muscle. Strength training is a priority for everyone regardless of goals. You're not prepared and making poor choices. Your environment is killing you. Workplace, surroundings, home life, relationships, etc. No plan and just hoping things work out. Guessing at calorie needs, doing random workouts you see on Youtube. Emotional eating is hurting your progress. You're misinformed. Following different diets, yo-yo dieting, and using whatever is trending on social. Get consistent with the basics, that's all you really need. Chasing short term wins. Your lifestyle is broken. Poor sleep, living on sugar and caffeine, high stress, too much sitting, unhappiness, apathy. Comparing yourself to others. Instagram has made this a serious problem. Everyone looks vibrant, fit, happy and makes it look easy. The reality is far different and is a grind day to day.

Going into 2022 I had high expectations. High for my business, high for my personal goals and fitness, high for my budding career in pickleball, and high for my family. Unfortunately it hasn't turned out quite as I planned so far. It started with both of my daughters testing positive for COVID, which is scary as hell. Shortly after that I ruptured the plantar ligament in my left foot, putting me in a boot and on crutches for the foreseeable future and severely restricting my movement. FML. My new years challenge didn't generate the excitement and interest I had hoped (and planned) for and I subsequently fell into a dark funk; a funk I'm still trying to work my way out of. I realize you likely don't care about my personal struggles because you're too wrapped up in your own. And this is exactly why I decided to share this with you today. I want you to realize and understand that guys like me, who may seem to have it all put together on social media and live and breathe fitness, are just as susceptible to struggle and emotional breakdowns as anyone else. Just because I coach dads and teach fitness for a living doesn't mean I won't have setbacks and failures. It happens to me a lot. And I share my story today in hopes that you'll hear it and realize you aren't alone. It's easy for the stresses of life to come creeping up and sometimes they're just too much for us to handle at the time and we go down. Like me right now. The key is to recognize that you're there and then make the conscious decision to work on changing it. It's much easier said than done and I've been wallowing in my own sh*t for too long already. Part of me sharing this today is for my benefit, not just yours. I needed to put myself out there, take ownership of where I'm at and why, and then commit publicly to changing it. I hope you'll take a hard look at your own situation and do the same.

OK brothers, it's time to reclaim your body and ultimately, your life. You've waited long enough, maybe even years, and it ends now. For some of you, it's been laziness. For others, it's procrastination. For others, it's not having the support and accountability. There are a million reasons you have been putting your health off and it's never going to get easier. The stars will never magically align and all your ducks will never be in a row. It's time to put your bullsh*t aside and get to work. Whatever you do, I'm with you as long as it's working towards being better. If you need a push, someone to call you out on your excuses, or a swift kick in the a**, I invite you to join our upcoming Project 45 Transformation Challenge. We begin on 1/1 and this is ONLY for those who can commit to all 45 days of clean eating, daily training, and being accountable to the band of brothers beside you. Learn more or join us at fitdadnation.com/project45  

I'm not a big fan of new years resolutions in all honesty.  Mainly because I don't see the point in waiting for a specific date to get started. Life is short and we're making it shorter by eating crap foods, sitting on our butts for too long and it has to change. So I want you to start today with something, anything, that will get you moving in the right direction. And I want you to start 2022 off on a winning streak, not from ground zero. So today's show is for those who want to get stronger, have more energy, look better naked, and live a hell of a lot better and longer AND are ready to work for it. So I'm sharing a few things that you should focus on and I'm keeping it simple. 1. Stop procrastinating, it's affecting more than just your health. 2. Change your environment. 3. Train something daily. 4. Find an activity you actually enjoy and let that help you get fit. 5. Get your significant other on board. 6. Stop eating like an a**hole. Follow these 6 things starting today and you will be way ahead of the curve come January 1.

We're dads. We have extremely busy lives. We usually have many more things to do than we have time. And it's kicking our a**es. We are losing the war on obesity and crappy health and it's because we allow life and all its stresses to take us down. I lived that way for years and know all too well the damage it can cause. So many of us fall into bad habits when life gets hectic, and it always gets hectic at some point. We stop at McDonald's because we run out of time. We binge watch Netflix because we're trying to forget about our soul sucking jobs for a few hours. We make excuses and convince ourselves that we're too busy to go to the gym. And it goes on and on... But it's not working. It's never worked and it's getting worse. I see middle-aged dads every day that are grossly overweight, don't take care of themselves, and are struggling to walk up a flight of stairs. The only way this will change is if you stop using your busy life as an excuse to be mediocre. Some of the busiest people in the world make time for their health and so can you and I. My hope is that you listen to today's show and decide to make a change. This is life or death here, my friend. Yours.

As harsh as it sounds, this is not a judgement. The #1 struggle most men face isn't exercise or training. It's not finding time for fitness. It's food. We want delicious foods and we want to eat as much as we want. And were willing to suffer the consequences, which on the exterior is being fat. On a deeper level, it's being unhealthy and risking a premature death. Training is the easy part. It's controlling the quality AND quantity of what we put into our mouths that presents the most problems. Even with all we know about food as it relates to our health, we still choose to eat fried, fast, junk, and sh*t foods in copious amounts. There are many reasons, some of them deeply emotional, as to why we choose to eat crap when we know for a fact that it's hurting our health and killing our progress. Some of us feel powerless to control it, some of us ride the short-term high of sugar and salt, and some of us use food as stress reliever. Regardless, if we want to change our body composition, have more energy, and feel good about ourselves, we absolutely have to control what we eat. The first step is wanting to change your current approach to eating. If you don't care and are content with eating junk, no problem. This isn't the place for you. You must first possess a deep desire to change your health and be willing to sacrifice some things in order to get there. You certainly don't need to give up all the things you love or avoid carbs forever, that's nuts. But you will have to sacrifice something because what you're doing now isn't working. Eating healthy isn't a complicated thing. It really isn't. It's not an easy thing to do because we've been conditioned to want fast and junk foods and because they're so freely available and taste amazing, it's an easy sell. We have to be stronger than this. We need to commit to eating higher quality foods most of the time. We need to plan ahead and remember why it's important to choose that apple over that muffin. Once you're in the habit of clean eating, it's sooo much easier to stick with because you'll literally feel a huge difference day to day. You'll sleep better. You'll have more energy. You'll have better sex. Every area of your life will get better. You just have to start.

In my opinion, if you're not taking care of your health, you're doing yourself and your family a huge disservice. There is just no way possible you can be the best father and husband you're capable of being if you're fat, tired, weak, and exhausted all the time. I know because I was there for many years and it sucks. Here's the deal; your life will become infinitely better when you put your physical and mental health as your #1 priority. You'll operate at much higher levels in every area of your life and here's how I do it: Create an action plan and execute daily Put your a** on the line Block time for it like any other appointment Find you "why". Like why is this SO important? Stay consistent. Life will get in the way, stay the course when it does Do exercise you actually enjoy Use time efficient training because you're a busy dad Reward yourself for wins, but be careful how you do it Make the decision never to quit Remember that you are the single greatest investment you have I spent many years neglecting myself, putting everyone and everything in front of my own needs, and suffered because of it. Once I committed to improving my health and fitness every single day, my energy, confidence, and quality of life is so much better. Not only that, my relationships, my parenting, and my happiness are at an all-time high as well. Do this for you and do this for them.

So we recently ended our 45 day transformation challenge, called Project 45 and it was an awesome experience. We had 11 men who took part in this and I did it myself as well. I actually needed it badly as I had let myself spiral down into a bunch of sh*tty habits. The premise was simple; do 4 daily tasks and stick to them for all 45 days. Sounds easy right? Well, sticking to anything for 45 days is pretty damn hard and this wasn't any different. The 4 tasks were: Follow a healthy diet with no cheats Follow a strength and conditioning program and train daily Drink half your weight in ounces of water daily Do a short mobility session daily I kept it simple for a reason; simple works. The men who joined had some very powerful reasons for wanting to change and I share them in the episode today. I too was doing this for a specific reason and it kept me consistent throughout. I ended up losing 12 pounds over the 45 days and noticed a huge difference in my strength, stamina, and physical appearance. Plus, I came away feeling really good, having tons of energy, and sleeping way better than I was before. And it was all because I stayed consistent with this for all 45 days. No gimmicks. Nothing fancy. Just work, day in and day out. The same went for the men in the challenge. Our winner lost 24 pounds and his before/after photos are inspiring to say the least. More importantly though, his lifestyle has changed significantly and he's not on a much healthier path. And that's what it's all about. The challenge is just a catalyst to long-term progress and being consistent with the basics of good health and wellness. We'll be running another Project 45 in the near future, so keep your eyes on social.

Excuses. We've all got them. Coaching dads full-time for the last 7 years, I've heard it all. I get it, we're busy. We have more sh*t to do than we have time and there seems to always be a reason not to take care of ourselves. The problem, and what I have been teaching since day one, is that if we don't take of ourselves first, we can't take care of our families the best way possible. I believe that 100% because I've lived on both sides. It's obvious that we all want to be fit, lean, strong, and healthy. Who doesn't? But we aren't those things. Instead, we're overweight, slow, exhausted, and weak. And it's because we've let excuses creep into our vocabularies and we're settling for mediocrity. It has to stop. Here are 10 things I've seen over the years that seem to be the biggest culprits for killing our gains: I have no time I have no energy I don't know what to do I'm not seeing results fast enough and quit I have no motivation I can't cut carbs I can't give up alcohol I can't stick to a routine I don't know where to start I don't want to give up all the foods I love All of these are powerful excuses and some of us are using a number of them on a daily basis. Hopefully this episode helps you break free from them and allows you to get back after it and onto those gains!!!

When you're trying to get fit (or stay there), it can be easy to give up when life starts getting in the way. I know because I've been there many times. There are so many promises of short-term results with all the fad diets and random programs out there, but there's a problem with that; fitness is a long-term game. Today I share how to overcome the short-term game and focus on what's really important; staying fit and healthy for the rest of your life. My philosophy has always been the same; make healthy choices and your body will reward you. It's that simple. The problem lies in the fact that it's too easy to make poor choices with our food, too easy to be lazy, and too easy to slack on healthy lifestyle decisions. Eating fast food and watching Netflix is far more fun than eating chicken and broccoli and hitting the gym. That's just the way it is. It's not an accident that Oreo's taste amazing or that TV shows are so captivating that we feel like we have to binge watch them. But fall victim to those things and you will fail and looking at the obesity numbers in the U.S. alone tells us exactly where our priorities lie. But if you can commit to living a healthier lifestyle, eating like you actually care about your body, and putting in the work with exercise, you will win. And if you stay consistent with it, even through ups and downs, you will keep winning. In that respect, you really can't f*ck this up.

As you know, the fitness industry is chock full of fitness trends, most of them being absolute bullsh*t. Everyone wants to jump on what's "hot", whether it's a new fad diet, a workout program, or some fancy fitness gizmo. Some are useless while others may actually hinder your progress and today I want to share 10 of them that you should avoid. Making your diet all about specific macros (i.e. IIFYM) The Whole 30 Diet Butter in your coffee The Keto Diet and related products Calorie burn calculators Intermittent fasting Meal prepping Counting calories Detoxes 99% of supplements including fat burners, greens powders, and anything claiming to boost your metabolism I will add a caveat here and say that not all of these things are "bad". Some are actually very helpful in certain situations and with certain people, but for the majority of us, just focusing on the basics of good health and wellness is more than enough to stay fit and healthy for the rest of your life.

Just a short show for you today and I want to share my thoughts on why some men feel like they're not making progress when in reality, they are. First off, we have to start with setting your expectations correctly. You have to understand that you didn't gain that 40 pounds of fat in a month or two; it took years of neglect. For you to lose that fat (not just weight), it's going to take hard work, commitment, and time. There is no other way. Too many people are caught up in the "new and shiny" syndrome, which has us jumping from diet to diet or program to program, looking for the next best thing. The issue is that we don't stick with anything long enough to know if it's actually working. And while hitting a plateau is a very real thing and can cause frustrations, most people simply give up too soon because they feel like they aren't making any progress. Often times, the scale is used as the indicator of progress and personally, I think that's a mistake. Too many factors can influence the scale on any given day and drive you crazy thinking you're not making progress. Things like time of day, water retention, and amount of food in your digestive tract can swing your weight, sometimes significantly. Instead, use non-scale indicators like how you feel, how you're sleeping, how your clothes fit, and if others are noticing changes in you. To me those are a much more reliable source of progress. Just remember, if you keep doing the right things for your body, your body WILL reward you. Don't quit just because the scale isn't moving, you ARE making progress. It just may take more time than you want.

There is something to be said for showing up to the gym when you don't want to. There is something to be said for checking off the "I did something healthy" boxes each day too. And once in a while that's fine. But it doesn't work long-term and here's why. Doing the bare minimum in the gym (or anywhere else) is never going to give you great results. If you're fine with that, then OK. If you want amazing results, you have to work hard and work with a purpose. I've seen so many men over the year struggle to make any real progress despite working out, eating sensibly, and taking care of their health. And many times it's nothing more than a lack of real effort in the gym. Sure, food is always going to be #1 when it comes to changing your body, but half-a**ing it in the gym isn't going to build much strength or muscle. It's easy to wander around the gym looking for open machines or to try a random YouTube workout, but it's not going to do much for you. It's also easy to continue to do the same exercises over and over, for months on end even, because you like them or they are familiar. So here are some ideas that are going to help you get focused and start training with intention and purpose, because it does make a BIG difference. Know what you're doing before you set foot in the gym. Have a specific goal you're working towards. Maybe it's an OCR or 5k run, it doesn't matter. Find something that excites you. Have a strong reason to train. It's a very personal thing and you need to figure it out. Use that to inspire you when you don't feel like pushing yourself. Find what type of training motivates you. If you hate going into a gym, don't do it! Go outside, join a class, or figure out what you actually like to do. Enjoyment is very important when it comes to getting fit and staying there. Put your a** on the line. Throw down a challenge. Post publicly that you're going to make a change. Get accountable to someone or a group. Find your tribe and let them motivate you to be better. Use music to get you fired up to train. I put on Slayer when I want to crush it in the gym. It works! Don't be content with being average. Push harder than you did yesterday. One of my favorite quotes is "don't let good enough be good enough" and it fits perfectly for how you train your body. Be better than mediocre, you're worth it.

If getting fit and healthy was easy, we'd all be there right now. But we're bombarded by marketing, advertising, fast food joints on every corner, and new diet books 24/7 and it's almost impossible to figure out what the right things to do are. But with all these mixed messages coming our way, I still find fitness to be very simple. I'm a big believer in the basics of good health and wellness and try not to get caught up in the "new and shiny" object syndrome that's so prevalent in this industry. Our group has recently kicked off a 45-day transformation challenge and the prior few months we're pretty rough for me. I was dealing with a great deal of emotional stress and turned to eating comfort foods and sitting on my a** as my way of coping. Not good I know. And we've all been there at one point and I committed to changing it when we started our challenge. And I recommitted to getting back to the basics and if you're just starting out or getting restarted, these few things will help you as well. First, I stopped eating like an a**hole and started eating foods that I know are healthy. Easy enough. Putting a roasted chicken breast in your mouth is a better choice than a frosted blueberry Pop-Tart, I think we can all agree. I started moving more and sitting less. I got back into the gym and restarted where I was at. And yes, I lost quite a bit of strength and stamina during my short hiatus, but I didn't try to force anything. I keep my workouts short, but it's where I'm at. Same for you. Start where you're currently at, not where you used to be or want to be. Simple stuff. I will also say that one of the keys to keeping this all together, especially in the beginning when it's easiest to quit, is accountability. Find a tribe. Find a partner. Use your spouse. Make sure it someone who cares about your success. One of the reasons our private group, the Fit Dad Nation Inner Circle, is so successful is because it's based on accountability. When people are vested in you and you're invested in yourself, amazing things can happen! Just remember, when all else fails, keep fitness as simple as possible.

I hear " I need to start eating right" a lot and today I want to talk about why there is no such thing. First, I'll say that are plenty of general guidelines for eating a healthy diet. Things like avoiding fast food, soda, and refined sugars and instead eating whole foods like eggs, lean meats, fruits, and veggies. Pretty basic stuff. But following a diet is a very individual thing and success and adherence can depend on many things from social situations, resources, and personal preferences. In my opinion, no diet is right for everyone and low carb works as well as high carb which works as well as no carb. It's all about these 3 things: 1. Is it healthy? 2. Does it give you the results you want? 3. Can you sustain it? Regardless of what approach to eating you choose, if it possesses these 3 things, it will work if you stick with it. While I don't believe there is a "right or wrong" way to eat, there are a few things you should consider when looking at nutrition. These are some rules that I live and teach by and have had a great deal of success with: 1. Keep nutrition as simple as possible 2. Consistency is more important than which diet you follow 3. Don't sacrifice your happiness in the name of losing weight 4. If you're not losing weight and you think you're doing everything right, you're probably not in a calorie deficit for long enough 5. Eat as many single ingredient foods as possible 6. You don't need a meal plan or prep and cook for hours. You need a better relationship with food Most people don't follow a diet because they don't really want to. They like the idea of eating clean more than they like actually doing it. Just remember, there isn't a right way to eat. Make good choices and use your head.

On August 9, we're kicking off our annual Project 45 Transformation Challenge and if you're struggling with consistency, want help with your diet, or need a hard kick in the a**, this is for you. The rules are simple and as you know, I firmly believe in simplicity. Your goal is to train every day, follow a healthy diet with zero cheats, drink half your weight in ounces of water, and do a short mobility session daily. Basic, yes. But it works. When was the last time you stuck with a really healthy habit for 45 days straight? Chances are, it's been a very long time. We've done this challenge twice in the past with some killer results and it's not uncommon to see guys dropping 15-20 pounds, losing 3-4 inches from their waist, or feeling better than they have in decades. You'll have all the tools you need to succeed and this will be accountability based. And of course, you'll have me in your face every day helping you stick with things when you feel like quitting. If you know you need a change and what you're doing isn't working, join us. If you can't commit to all 45 days of this, this isn't for you. Commit to yourself and go all in with us. You won't regret it. Learn more at fitdadnation.com/project45

For some of you, it's been a very long time since you were consistent with eating well and working out. For others, it's brand new.   The good news is that it's never too late to start and today I'm going to walk you through the basics that will set you up for long-term success.   It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the information and misinformation out there and in all honesty, getting fit and healthy isn't complicated. It's actually really simple, but there is a lot more money in trying to confuse you and make you believe that you "need" a certain diet or program.   All you really need is to follow a few basic principles and do them long enough to see results. Make these a part of your day to day life and you'll succeed. Consistency is the key.   1. Make sure you have a reason or WHY to start. That will keep you in the game, especially early on when its not a habit and you feel like quitting 2. Make yourself accountable. The more people that care about you who know, the better. Make an announcement on Facebook. Put yourself out there. When your a** is on the line, you're far more likely to stick with it. 3. Start where you're at, not where you want to be or where you used to be. Chances are, you were in far better shape 15-20 years ago before life and kids happened. Forget all that and check your ego (it's hard, were men) and start slow. It's super easy to overdo it after a long layoff and you'll likely end up getting hurt. 4. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, but it CAN be. Some people are wired that way. I am and for me, if I have one Oreo, I'll have 20. If that's you too, that's OK. Just know it before you start. 5. Simple is better. You don't need a diet plan, a hardcore workout program, track calories, or prep and cook all day. Make things as easy on yourself as possible. The more complicated it becomes, the more likely you are to quit. Doing nothing is your benchmark and you have to reset it. That takes work and time. 6. Pay attention to the small things like stretching, sleeping, walking, stress management, and getting fresh air and sunshine. They aren't particularly exciting, but are hugely important and even more so as you break into your forties and beyond. 7. Focus on strength and mobility. Forget the HIIT sessions or trying to do sprints for now and just start with a basic push/pull workout. Use compound lifts. Use moderate weight. No 1RM for a while.   8. Don't eat like an a**hole. This is as simple as it sounds. Eat foods that help your body and avoid the ones that don't. Follow an 80/20 rule, which is simply eat high quality, whole foods 80% of the time or more and then enjoy the things you really love the other 20%.   Follow these simple rules and you'll be well on your way to living much healthier, leaner, and fitter.

It's been two months since I've published a show and in all honesty, I was very close to shutting it down. There are a number of reasons for this, a few of which I share today, but there is just too much I have to share in this world filled with fitness bullsh*t. I'm publishing this episode two days before my 50th birthday and I'm sharing my "secrets" to staying lean and fit despite my age. I've seen far too many men in their forties and beyond that are in miserable shape and I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to happen that way. Here are the things that have contributed largely to my fitness level remaining solid and my body staying lean and muscular over the years: Consistency. This is the #1 thing! Support. My significant other has been huge as well as the Inner Circle. Daily movement and mobility work. Focusing on strength training. Keeping my workouts simple and effective. Eating a solid diet based on the 80/20 rule. Having a strong "why" for inspiration. I hope this resonates with you and you're able to apply some or all of these into your life. Age is just a number yes, but that doesn't help much when you feel and look like sh*t all the time.  

I've been coaching men and women for the last 24 years and most of my clients have tried dozens of different diets and programs and either quit because they were too restrictive or seen a little success and then once the progress stopped, regained the weight they lost and are back at square one.  That's a sh*tty place to be.  Now if this happens time after time, it's only natural to throw your hands up in the air and say "screw it, nothing works" and that's a reasonable response.  Unfortunately, it's the wrong way to look at it and could be one main reason you're failing to see long-term progress.  I can tell you that barring any serious metabolic or hormonal issue, anyone can lose a significant amount of weight and body fat if following a plan that works. You might not think it's possible because you've tried so many things and none of them seem to work, but I assure you that you can do it.  It all boils down to a handful of basics and if you follow them consistently, you WILL see progress.  1. Eat a high quality diet with whole foods. Avoid processed foods, sugars, refined oils, and anything that comes in a box. 2. Eat fewer calories than you need.  3. Strength train 3-4x per week. Remember, lean muscle is the single most important aspect of fat burning. More muscle tissue = faster metabolism. 4. Sleep 7-8 hours a night. 5. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily. 6. Reduce stress as much as possible. I know it's not easy but stress can keep you fat (and eventually kill you!). 7. Find a support group or some form of accountability. This is HUGE and can't be overstated. If you've tried to get into shape for years and are still stuck, you need help. That's not a bad thing, you just need to be around people who can help you and can share wins and losses with you. I've seen the power of this firsthand for years. I've helped hundreds of men and women with these simple basics for years and following them consistently works.

When it comes to fitness, we are always looking for shortcuts and because of that, millions of dollars are spent each year on scams, worthless products, and fad diets. There are so many reasons why so many of us get caught up in fitness f*ckery and today I'll be talking about a few of them and what you can do to stop it. First off, we desperately want to believe that those Isagenix shakes, the super-duper fat loss accelerator program for $99.99 we saw on Instagram, or no carb diets are our key to success. It's that hope that we will find that one solution to all our weight issues is somewhere out there. It's not. We also tend to believe what others believe and many of us have the sheep mentality. Use your head. Start to think critically whether something makes sense before you just go out an buy it. Listening to experts or influencers whose only qualification is being fit and most have little or no real-world experience helping others do the same. Many of these people are only famous for being famous. Misleading or flat-out fake testimonials are a huge issue as well. Anyone can post incredible transformation photos and there is virtually no due diligence and no governing agency that is going to stop it. People can steal photos, photoshop them, lie about results, and we believe most of it. Listening to friends and family tends to be a terrible idea as well. Just because your friend Kevin is in great shape and said he eats four grapefruits in the morning and puts MCT oil in his coffee, doesn't mean he knows what he's doing or that it will work for you. Getting fit and staying there is a very personal thing. Our environments, social circles, jobs, free time, finances, personal tastes, and emotional health all play a big part in whether of not you succeed. At the end of the day however, it really just comes down to following the basics over and over until they are a true part of your day-to-day life. Strength training Walking Movement/mobility Sleep Stress management Water Sunshine Cardiovascular exercise It's not complicated at all, it just takes effort, commitment, and time.

Today's show is about emotional eating and overeating, why we do it, and how to overcome it. I once read that emotional hunger cannot be satisfied with food and it's spot on. So many of us eat for the sake of eating, eat to deal with different stresses, and eat based on our moods Although you’ve likely heard this on social, food is not just fuel. It’s not just "gas" for your “car”. It’s far more complex than that. It has deep social and emotional roots and is ingrained into almost every aspect of our lives. Much of our lives revolve around eating and drinking; we gather for family dinners and reunions, holidays, BBQ’s, and birthdays. We celebrate promotions and new babies with a party that involves drinking and eating. We invite old friends out and do what? Go for a drink. We go on dates and eat. There always seems to be a reason to eat and drink. One of the main reasons traditional diets fail is because you’re forced to sacrifice and/or deprive yourself of all the things you enjoy and missing out on social events that revolve around food. Food and drinks are also used as a quick pick me up when you’re feeling down, stressed, or lonely. It’s always there for you 24/7. People eat for so many emotionally based reasons including: Bored Tired Stressed Sadness Overwhelmed Weather Social events Time of day As a reward Emotional eating isn’t inherently bad but it usually is. We tend to look for sweet, salty, junk foods or alcohol when we’re going through one of these emotions. And that’s causing a decline in our health and an over consumption of calories. The key is to understand that you are, in fact, overeating because of an emotional response and then take responsibility for it. Then you can start to work towards making changes. Today's show will offer up some ideas and strategies to help.

I was scrolling through Facebook last week and came across an ad for some fitness program and in the comments, I saw something that struck me as incredibly ignorant. The comment said "poor people can't lose weight" and I'm not entirely sure if it was meant to be serious, but it appeared to be. I thought about it for a few days and it really bothered me so I decided to do a show on this very topic. Over the years, I've often heard the excuse "eating healthy is too expensive", or "I can't afford a gym", and it frustrates me to no end to hear these things. So today, you're going to hear why all of this is a bullsh*t excuse and why you CAN afford to get fit and healthy, regardless of your paycheck. I'm also sharing my personal experiences with eating healthy on a super tight budget and what some of my go-to tactics are. I don't want anyone thinking they can't afford to be healthy and I'm here to tell you that 99% of those listening to me right now have more than enough resources to eat clean and train hard.

Back in August 2020, I set a goal for myself. I had added a bunch of fat weight from being a lazy a** and eating far too much and had had enough. So I committed to losing 20 pounds in 30 days and put the wheels in motion. But before you write this off as some get ripped quick scam, I've manipulated my body weight many times over the last 25 years and can do it safely. I do not recommend that anyone else try to drop this much, this quickly. Anywho, I've slowly regained all the weight I lost due to my elbow surgery and being out of commission for two months. Well that and letting my diet go to sh*t. And I've had enough of feeling like crap so I decided to challenge myself. I am giving myself 60 days starting April 1 to get myself back into shape and get back to 180 lbs. from my current weight of 200. Of course you don't care about my goals, so I decided to make this a public challenge. Join me on my journey to getting my beach body back (or at least most of the way there), and I'll show you how it's done. No crash diets, no marathon training session, no running (yay!), and no supplements. Just good ol' fashioned hard work, consistency, and clean living. There are no (legal) shortcuts to losing body fat the right way and over the next 60 days, you'll follow a simple strength and conditioning program, an easy to follow nutrition guide, and be held accountable by me and the other men doing this challenge alongside you. If you want to get in on this challenge and shed some weight before the pool officially opens, join us.  Head to FDNIC.COM where you can join the Fit Dad Nation Inner Circle and get your body back to where you want it. If you don't want to join us, no worries. Today's show will tell you exactly what I did to get my butt back into shape and I'll give you a hint; there isn't a single "hack" involved.

If you've ever exercised for a period longer than a month or two, then you probably understand what it means to hit a plateau. It's basically when your body has adapted to what you've been doing and all those sweet gains you were making suddenly disappear. Plateaus are going to happen, period. Regardless of how hard you're training or how clean you're eating, it WILL happen. It's natural because our bodies are incredibly proficient at creating adaptation. So when this happens, there are a number of things you can do to get past it. In today's show I share my experiences with my own plateaus over the years and how I teach my clients to get past theirs. The bottom line with all of this though is DON'T QUIT when sh*t get hard and progress stalls. It's normal! Just change up a few things and keep rolling forward!!  

In today's show, I share 3 sneaky reasons why you aren't seeing results. And by sneaky I mean you might not even realize these things are sabotaging your progress and gains. First, you need to take an honest look at your habits and what I've found over the years is that people aren't nearly as healthy as they think they are. It's easy to lie to ourselves about what we're eating, how hard and consistently we're training, and how healthy our lifestyle is. Really easy. And unless to can be brutally honest with yourself, you can get caught up in a perpetual lie of believing you're doing far better than you actually are. Second, you are a product of your environment whether you like it or not. You become like the people you spend the most time with, so you have to choose to surround yourself with people who will support you. Likewise for working a job that might not be conducive to living a healthy lifestyle. If your environment isn't working for you, change it. Lastly, and I catch a lot of sh*t for this one, you don't want to change badly enough. I mean, we ALL want to look and feel great but very few are truly prepared to dedicate the time, sweat, and effort to make it happen long-term. Find an emotionally driven to succeed.

As a fitness professional, I am bombarded with questions about everything health related but there is one topic that comes up more than any other; workout supplements. It's an industry that produces tens of billions of dollars annually and there is a good reason for it. No, it's not because they work, but rather because people want to get results as fast as possible and are willing to pay for it. In short, we want shortcuts to those six pack abs and bulging biceps. Unfortunately, the human body doesn't work on those terms and you're probably familiar with someone (or you) that has quit exercising/dieting because the results weren't coming quickly enough. Personally, I don't recommend supplements to most people because they are largely unnecessary. However, I do think many supplements do have a place as part of an overall fitness program, but there are a lot more reasons not to take them. Here are my top 5 reasons why you shouldn't take workout supplements: 1) You aren't covering the basics first. Now I'm going to assume that you're thinking of taking supps or have taken them in order to accomplish one or all of the following: Losing fat Adding more muscle mass Having more energy Performing better at a specific sport And here's what I'll tell you. If you aren't spending time on the basics of good health and fitness, then you have zero business taking supplements, period. Forget the whey protein powders, the creatine, and the post-workouts. First and foremost, make sure you are doing the following consistently before heading to GNC to load up on supps. Strength training 2-4 days per week for lean muscle gain. Doing some form of conditioning/interval/circuit/HIIT training for fat loss and boosting your metabolism. Eating high quality, nutrient dense foods every day. Drinking 80-128 ounces of water daily. Getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep. Reducing your stress levels as much as possible. There are just the very basics and the very first place you need to start when your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, and better health and longevity. No exceptions! 2) You want results right away You and I would both love to get ripped with 8 minute abs or be able to make total body transformations like the people on The Biggest Loser, but we know that those things aren't real. The problem is that companies spend massive amounts of money to make us believe that super fast results are not only possible, but easily attainable. I f*cking hate seeing these shady companies promoting crazy results that have happened overnight and with little to no work. Of course you want fast results and I don't blame you. However, there simply is no workaround for the hard work and commitment necessary in order to achieve real, lasting results in your body and health. 3) You are on a budget Let's be honest here, most of us don't have hundreds (or thousands) of extra dollars to spend of food each month and do our best to shop smart and save money at the same time. And if you're eating high quality foods as you should, you'll be using most or all of your hard-earned cash on it when it comes time to go food shopping. And what I'm saying is that your money is MUCH better spent on whole foods versus the latest and greatest supplement. 4) You don't know why you're taking it This is a big one. Supplement companies are known to try and confuse the ever living sh*t our of the consumer and they do a great job. Everything from deer antler spray to horny goat weed is claimed to have some kind of amazing and groundbreaking effect on our testosterone production or muscle building capabilities, but the vast majority are nothing more than snake oil and you'll get little benefit (or even adverse reactions) from them. When was the last time you had a bad reaction to grilled tuna, a baked sweet potato, and a heap of steamed broccoli? Just because your gym bro tells you that his supp is working doesn't mean you should take it. And just because you read testimonials on the XYZ company website doesn't mean they are legit. The supplement industry is largely unregulated and is much like the Wild West. 5) You don't know what you're doing Listen, the world of health and fitness is confusing as hell and evolving at a speeding pace. There is just soooo much information online that it's hard to know what's legit and what's not. And many of you are relatively new to fitness and/or are inexperienced when it comes to training, dieting, and using supplements. And this is yet another great reason not to use supplements. Your best weapon is knowledge and I'd rather not see you use yourself as a human guinea pig when trying out the latest supp. Not All Supps Are Bad I realize that this episode may have come across of negative towards the supplement industry and although I think there is a lot of shady sh*t out there, there are plenty of reputable companies and plenty of reasons to take workout supplements as well.

Getting fit isn't easy. It's simple, but not easy. Anyone who tells you it is, is trying to sell you something. We have more info and more resources at our disposal than at any other time in history yet we are getting fatter by the year. There are a ton of reasons why this is and I've shared them in other podcast shows, but today I want to talk about something different. I've been in the fitness business for a long time and have seen a recurring theme with people's fitness levels; they rise and fall constantly and it seems there is always a need to "be fitter". Yes, we all want to chase those last 10 pounds, those 6-pack abs, or that lean and tight body and it always seem to elude us. And when we DO get there, it's only a matter of time (usually not very long) before it's gone. Here are 5 reasons why this happens: 1. You aren't fully committed to change. We ALL want to look and feel great. Everyone on the planet does. But we aren't because we find excuses that become more important than our commitments to our health. 2. You aren't consistent with your training. The real "secret" to your success isn't the p90x or the Keto Diet, it's being consistent with healthy habits that yield results. 3. You're eating the wrong foods or eating too much. This is a HUGE topic and an obvious one, but it's still probably the single most important when it comes to losing weight. 4. You don't believe you can change. Maybe it's past failures, yo-yo diets that didn't work, or even being part of a family that is overweight and you don't think you can get fit. If you don't honestly think you can have a fit and healthy body and life, you won't. 5. You're following random programs, jumping from diet to diet, or just throwing darts at a dartboard for your fitness plan. Sure, anything can work for a beginner but following Instagram influencers or YouTube stars programs isn't usually the best way to plan your health.

I'm not a huge fan of resolutions but I am a fan of setting small goals and working your as* off to see them through. And since 2020 was more or less a bust, I'm vowing to make 2021 FAR better in all aspects, with a focus on health and wellness. If you're looking to make changes this year as well, I want to help. And I'm a big believer in keeping things as simple as possible when it comes to the overwhelming and confusing world of diet and exercise. So here are 7 things I want you to focus on this year. No need to complicate things. 1. Recognize that you will experience setbacks and failures this year. It happens to virtually all of us. Don't let it beat you though. Accept it and move on. 2. Find a way to train despite the shutdowns and closures and there is always a way. 3. Eat 50% better than you're used to. No need to go Keto or totally revamp your entire diet. Just eat better than you normally do. It's not hard. 4. Move as much as possible. Enough said. 5. Make your health the priority. You can't take care of your family the best way possible if you can't even take care of yourself. 6. Find your tribe. Stop trying to do it all alone, it doesn't work, Surround yourself with a group of like-minded people and let it be the catalyst for personal growth. 7. Find a coach or professional who cares about your success and is qualified to help you. Put your ego aside and become teachable. This isn't rocket science, guys. This is simple stuff but the simple stuff works!

Now that a new year is here, you might be ready to finally make a change to your health and fitness, millions of men do. And it's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of conflicting advice out there and it seems that every "expert" has the "best" solution to your fat loss goal. I recorded this show with the fitness newbie in mind. Maybe you've taken the last decade or two off from exercise or maybe it's really never been a part of your life. And maybe you've decided that 2021 is going to be your year; the year you reclaim your body and dump the gelatinous mush you've been staring at for far too long. And I'm with you. I want you to make a change. I want you to live a long, healthy life. You have kids. You have family. You have a ton to live for. And in my show today, I share my personal story of how I started with nothing in my business and how I had to make the decision to change direction and start over from scratch. I share this because while I'm not starting fresh with my health and fitness, I understand what it takes to start something with a very long uphill climb ahead of you. My goal is to get you to start where you're at. I don't care if you can't do a single pushup or walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded, I want you to start.