Want the Cookie Cookie?

 2/14/2025 Issue #7 Want the cookie cookie?


“[Exercise is] strategic disengagement in order to nurture our souls and our bodies” - David Murray, Reset


Happy Valentine’s Day! I personally can’t think of a more romantic gesture than granting the ones you love access to the Durable Dad Newsletter. Unlike a box of chocolates, you do know what you are gonna get with each newsletter. Want your #1 accountability partner to get the same helpful information and actionable tips and challenges as you do? Simply reply to this email with their email address or email me at: potjer.training@gmail.com 


Fit Tip: Do Not Trust the Scale

While the scale does not lie, (that number is indeed your weight) it should not be trusted as a reliable indicator of your progress. Whether you are working to lose weight or gain, the scale only tells part of the picture. How your body is changing is more important. Is that weight just a result of a more hydrated body? Is it muscle or fat that is being gained or lost? I often give the following example to one who is fixated on getting the number on the scale to go down: “You know a real quick way to lose weight? Chop your leg off. Obviously, that is not helpful and healthy.” So what is really the goal? Changing your body composition. For most, this means losing some body fat and building some muscle. If you are very overweight then most likely you should - and will - lose pounds in the process. However, some people will make great progress and see the scale stay the same or even go up! If weighing yourself messes with your head, just ditch the scale entirely. Get that magic number that you think you need to weigh in order to be successful out of your head; odds are it is wrong anyway. You are not the same person or the same body that you were in in high school, so stop caring what you used to weigh. 

“What IS a good measure of progress then?” you may ask. That is another tangent for another day, but here’s a winner: strength. Are you getting stronger? Yes? You are in the right direction. 



Recipe: The Durable Dad Cookie

Let me be clear. This is no sugar-free, gluten-free monstrosity masquerading as a tasty treat. This is a calorie-dense indulgence that happens to have some protein as well, so at least it is filling and the calories aren’t all pointless. This recipe actually beats the macros for the popular protein cookies on the market and is less gummy and fake-tasting by far. If you have a sweet tooth and gotta have your lil’ treat, this may be for you. 

Durable Dad Cookie Recipe




Challenge for the Week: Test Our Your Grip Strength

Sometime in the next week challenge your grip strength with one of these methods:

  1. Time yourself doing a dead hang from a pullup bar; it will surprise you how hard it is to hang on very long. 

  2. Grip a barbell right in the middle in one hand and lift it at your side like a suitcase. Load some weight on the barbell and see what you can grip for 15-20 seconds. Do both sides, as you might discover a weaker side.

Grip strength has proven to be one of the greatest indicators of health and longevity. It has even shown to be more accurate than blood pressure in predicting mortality. This points to the importance of strength training and keeping some muscle and strength as you age. 




Win the weekend!


Brad


Durable Dad Training

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