DURABLE DAD

 #47 11/21/2025 We are living in a war of attention. When I wake up in the morning I can be a consumer or a creator; if I reach for my phone, I'm a consumer. If I go to my journal I'm a creator. Andrew Huberman Fit Tip: Get Better Sleep Keep the same wake time and don't take naps. This will allow your body to have a strong enough sleep signal come bed time to fall asleep without much tossing and turning. I personally hate naps, but am not completely opposed to naps. However, the data I have seen suggests an effective nap is within the 20-30 minute range; shorter than I assume most nappers indulge in.  Have a nightly routine that encourages good sleep. Go to bed around the same time. Sleep in a dark , cool room . Finish dinner several hours before bedtime and don't eat again after dinner . Your sleeping position does not matter that much, unless you snore. Then, you should avoid sleeping on your back and experiment with mouth taping. If it's really bad, or you have...

 #46 11/14/2025 Cardio, nah bro, I prefer to call it heart gains.   Dom Mazzetti Fit Tip: Heart Rate Zones How important are heart rate zones as it pertains to your training? Not as important as the people selling you your smart watch will have you believe. Usually heart rate zones are broken into five zones ranging from rest/recovery to maximal/intense. Even the names different companies or apps use to distinguish between these five zones can be misleading. For example, many will label zone two as the fat burning zone leading many to believe that is where they must stay in order to get leaner when training. All training, in any heart rate zone doing any activity burns calories. There are of course varying rates at which this occurs, but don't be fooled into thinking that since you accidentally popped into zone 3 during your light jog that you missed out on some magical, fat-targeted cardio. Let us quickly go back to weight loss 101 : in order to lose excess fat, one must...

 #45  11/7/2025 Are you tired of being what you have allowed yourself to become?  Fit Tip: Breakfast We have often heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I believe this still holds true. But, I view  what you are eating for breakfast as the area of importance. You are literally 'breaking the fast' from your night of not eating and are ready to fuel yourself for the day. It is not important that you eat right away when you wake up; this should not be a rushed meal. Breakfast should be a quality, high-protein meal . It often does not look this way at all as we grab a piece of toast with peanut butter on our way out the door, or worse, a donut to compliment our sugar filled coffee-adjacent beverage. Even managing to eat an egg or two is not as much protein as you think (12 grams). If you start the day with cheap carbs and sugar you have set yourself up for a poor nutritional day overall as well as manipulated your cravings toward bad choices for the...

  #44  10/31/2025 The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of trick learned while mastering the art of living. Victor Frankyl Reminder: Muscle is not just for the athlete or bodybuilder. You need it. If you just made gaining some muscle your health goal instead of losing fat, you would probably be much more successful in your health journey.  Fit Tip: Stop Shaming Yourself Shame is a short term motivator and a long-term failing strategy. Acknowledge that you messed up and give yourself grace . "Wow, this is hard" is a fair thought that will go through our minds. "I suck" or "why can they do this and I can't?" are the type of thoughts that are not helpful. Giving yourself some grace is crucial to not giving up on the entire process . Instead of shaming yourself after a mistake, use the following 24 hours to reset. Do something healthy for yourself. Not an overcompensation like beating yourself up in the ...

 #42  10/17/2025 You can not make yourself feel something that you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings . - Pearl S. Buck Fit Tip: You Won't Always Enjoy It Those less familiar with regular exercise often think of their fit friends as robotic freaks who love working out. I will dispel that myth. Everyone should learn to enjoy the process and at least have some fun with exercise. Doing the exercise that you enjoy is important in order to keep doing it. Just know that you will not enjoy every workout. Nobody does. What you will always enjoy is completing a workout . Hold on to that feeling. Remember how good you felt having worked out the next time you are dragging your feet. Sauna Benefits If I have not yet mentioned the benefits of sauna use, I have failed you. Of all the 'extra-credit' health and wellness tools, the sauna is the powerhouse. It has real, measurable, significant benefits. Places like Finland have at least one sauna per ho...

 #43 10/24/2025 We don't think ourselves into a new way of acting, we act ourselves into a new way of thinking. -Larry Bossidy Fit Tip: Calories are the Least Important Benefit of Your Workout One benefit of exercise is burning some calories; helpful as we love to stuff our faces with more than is necessary. This calorie burn should not be the main reason for your workout, nor the most desired benefit from your workout. If you are working out with the calorie burn at top of mind, maybe you should just watch your diet closer. Do some fork set-downs instead of extra push-ups . Exercise is done to strengthen the body, to keep all systems working properly. We were built to move, so move it or lose it. Gain or at least keep your muscle mass. Hang on to that bone density as it is harder to keep later in life. Strengthen your heart and lungs. Become a more capable human who can more easily enjoy activities. Look forward to aging well rather than dreading breaking down. That is why we exer...

 #41  10/10/2025 Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't. Jerry Rice Fit Tip: Am I Making Progress? DO’s: Track your strength gains. Did you use a heavier weight? Were you able to do more reps with the same weight?  Pay attention to your form and technique. Maybe your weight and reps are not going up but your squat is deeper and more comfortable. This is still an improvement and a gain in strength. Evaluate your relationship with food. Are you implementing more whole foods and making healthier choices feel more like a natural part of your day? Watch your body composition slowly change in the mirror. Do this instead of watching the scale.  Is your mood and/or energy improving? With each small new healthy change you plan to implement, ask yourself, “Can I keep doing this for the rest of my life?” DONT’s Do not watch the scale too closely. Muscle weighs more than fat and while you may have plenty of weight to lose, the pounds ar...