I can’t tell you how many diets and workout programs I’ve tried over the years

Despite spending more time researching and trying a new diet or exercise routine - I was hardly making any noticeable progress

Sure, I was relatively fit and healthy, but I was spending 5-6 hours a week (or more) working out

And I was spending even more time reading, researching, and hoping to find the perfect program

AKA procrastinating.

I was obsessed with health and fitness

I love reading about it. I enjoy working out. I found it fun to try new things

Instead of actually doing the things I knew I needed to be doing

But as soon as anything got too challenging or boring, I found it easier to switch to something new instead of addressing the real reason that I wasn’t getting results

After I came to my wife Lindsey with another idea of a diet I wanted to do, she rolled her eyes

Unfortunately it had become a running joke about how she couldn’t keep up with what I was eating, or what she was supposed to (or not supposed to) be getting from the grocery store

This went on for years.

After another ‘failed’ attempt that I chalked up to the wrong program or the wrong diet

And a LOT of internal work over the past few years working with mentors and coaches

It was time I had to face the facts

The single variable across every program, diet, or change I tried to make in my health and fitness only had one common denominator

Myself.

And I was using health and fitness as an escape to avoid facing the real root of the issue and the things in life that actually mattered most

Fast forward to 18 months ago...

I was working with a coach when I was basically forced to cut down the time I was spending on health and fitness

He knew me well enough to know I was using working out as a way to avoid taking responsibility for the things I should have been focusing more on all along

My relationship with God. My wife. Our 1 year old daughter. Our business and our employees.

I was using working out to justify eating whatever I wanted instead of facing the reasons I was using food to numb my emotions

There are lots of things you can use to escape from your real responsibilities in life.

Maybe you’re on the other side of things and you haven’t worked out in years - but your health is clearly declining as you’re ‘focusing on your your career’

One’s not better or worse - anything you use to escape is still an escape.

Health and fitness is sneaky because it’s easy to justify it as a healthy thing.

But for the longest time, it wasn’t a healthy thing for me, beginning at a very young age.

I can say, with a LOT of work, I’m finally at a spot where it’s the healthiest I’ve felt

Probably the healthiest I’ve felt…ever.

I’m not just talking physically.

But more importantly - spiritually, mentally, emotionally.

There are a lot of things that contribute to that beyond the scope of this post - but putting health and fitness in its proper place was a big part of that

Because the scary thing was, that if my wife saw through my attempts to justify why ‘this time was going to be different’ every time I started a new program

My friends and family saw it

My kids would soon pick up on it too - they’re much more observant than we give them credit for

And if left unaddressed it would no longer just be me not keeping my word around health and fitness

How you do anything is how you do everything

And if I compromise my word or get complacent in one area, you can bet it’s happening in other areas as well

That’s not the example I wanted to set for my family

That’s not how I wanted my wife, my kids, and my friends and family to see me

So I took my mentors advice (well he was telling me, not really asking me) and promised I wouldn’t work out more than 3x per week for 45-60 minutes

For context I was currently lifting 6x/week for about 60-75 minutes with 15-30 minutes of walking lunges each day

Funny how easy it is to see a problem from the outside, but when you’re in the middle of it you can be blind to something so obvious

I was convinced that cutting down the time I was working out so dramatically wouldn’t work, but being hard headed I researched like crazy to figure out how to design the best program for 3 days a week

Needless to say, I haven’t looked back. And it was one of the most pivotal changes I’ve made not just for my health, but for other areas of my life

• 18+ months later I’m on the same program
• 18+ months later I’m eating in a way that makes me feel good and doesn’t involve meticulously counting calories, weighing food, and regular binge episodes of food
• 18+ months later I’m also as lean, strong, and fit as I’ve been in a LONG time…despite working out ¼ of the time I was before

Most importantly, 18+ months later I am keeping my word to myself and to my family

I’m not just talking the talk, but choosing to live a disciplined life. I feel the most freedom around fitness and food than I have since I started working out in high school.

I’m far from perfect in this area, but I’m taking continual steps to love my wife and lead my family the way they deserve.

Strength is not optional for men.

Rarely do you have to physically fight for your family.

But if you have to, you better be ready.

It’s too late to prepare if that threat comes knocking at your doorstep.

I’m thankful from all the work I’ve put in that my body is ready and willing for that fight if it were to come knocking.

I pray none of you ever have to physically fight in this way and that your family is protected.

But you better believe there is a daily fight that you’re fighting whether you know it or not that you can’t keep ignoring - emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

The fight to love and lead your family from a place of strength.

The physical transformation is cool, but it’s the mental/emotional/spiritual transformation that surprised me the most - and impacted my family the most.

That’s when I realized what true Dad Strength was.

It’s this transformation I’ve experienced across all these areas of my life that has led me to become so passionate about sharing what’s available to you

As men, we tend to gravitate towards two extremes:

1) You might be like I was. Obsessed and self-absorbed with health and fitness (or a hobby, a sport, or anything taking up excessive time or energy away from your family)

2) You might be like many other people I’ve gotten to help coach. Maybe you pursued the other extreme as life got busy - allowing your body to get soft, weak, and overweight as you escaped to work, alcohol, porn, food, social media, or anything else keeping you from facing reality. Maybe you even used something ‘positive’ like focusing on your faith or your family as you turned a blind eye to your health that is slowly declining. It’s hard to love God the way you’re called to or lead your family if your health and your body is a wreck

If you find yourself on either extreme - I’m excited to share my experience and wisdom around something that’s been instrumental in discovering what real strength looks like.

Yes, it’s certainly physical.

And I’ll be sharing all the physical strategies you need to make that transformation without having to spend countless hours each week to get there.

But it’s also about so much more than that.

Everything that you need to become in order to achieve that result will build the accountability, discipline, integrity, and follow-through that is required to experience true strength across every area of your life.

If you’re into that kind of thing, that’s exactly what I’ll be diving into moving forward.

If you’re not - no offense taken.

But it’s been a while since I’ve updated you on all the inside and outside work that God’s been doing in my life.

And it’s that same journey I’m devoting these platforms to sharing with you to help you achieve the same.

If that resonates at all with you, shoot me a message so I can help support you and cheer you on.