The following is the transcript from this weeks "War on DAD BLOG" episode available at the link below. Please consider SUBSCRIBING to the Channel and visiting the links provided. Thank you for your support.
The WAR ON DAD BLOG has been an idea of mine for a number of years now that I’ve been wanting to focus on for pretty much the most selfish reason possible - To help me track the progress I’m making (or NOT making), to keep myself honest about my physical and nutritional efforts, and frankly to have something to write and talk about every day on my platforms that I’m interested in and that others can relate to.
As such, my WAR ON DAD BLOG has evolved over time. From my earliest “workout Reviews” that used to annoy Dalton and Mecca on MYSPACE - well before the thought of being a Dad was in existence. That evolved into workout and fitness articles on the now defunct “HELIUM” website. A few separate Google BlogSpot sites that received middling effort as my schedule and interest waned. But with the most regularity (and even THAT is iffy) with my separate “War on Dad Blog” Instagram account. Though that mostly remains focused on meals i’ve made, walks i’ve taken with my dog and more recently some cute videos I’ve shot and edited about my summertime adventures.
In any event, I’ve been wanting to do something like I’ve seen other creators do online for ages now. Create a platform to talk about my personal health and fitness journey, not from the perspective of an Expert (which clearly I am not) or a personal trainer (again, clearly not me). But as a way to - once again - be accountable, show some vulnerability and have some fun, I’ve wanted to record workouts. Show progress. Make meals on camera. Have chats with other fitness types (like I did a few months back with my buddy Jordan Cieciwa). Basically just do some kind of “this is MY Fitness Journey” series and throw it up online for all to see, laugh at, criticize and hopefully enjoy.
At the end of the day, I’ve always bailed out. Sure, the occasional PR or “Back Day” highlight reel notwithstanding. But a consistent series? I can’t keep up with the effort. Sure, I could blame scheduling, life commitments and more. But the truest reason I’ve not done this is… well … I fail. I relapse. I completely fall off the nutritional wagon and return my natural “Doughboy Roots.”
Obviously, I have NO Excuse. It would be different if I were still the ignorant, skinny-fat 333 pound 24 year old kid who was a few years into his wrestling journey and trying desperately to make some headway in that industry. Back then when I was just starting to learn what benefits Protein had on the body, how important monitoring my macros was, making my mistakes with Keto trends, stimulants and terrible, useless supplements of all kinds.
But I’ve been in the fitness space for half my life now. I know what the pitfalls are. I know what needs to be done.
With that said, having to accept the fact that I simply CAN NOT TRAIN as hard or as consistently or for as long as I used to is an ongoing struggle for me.
Back in the early 2000s? Doing a 2 hour, 2 A Day set of workouts for weeks at a time was relatively No Big Deal. I had energy seeping out of my pores, along with all of the sweat and sodium. While I didn’t know it at the time - Body Dysmorphia and comparing myself to fitter, more natural (and oftentimes UN- Natural) athletes in the wrestling scene skewed my perspective - I can now look back on old footage and see just how damned Fit and Athletic I was. I had POWER. COORDINATION. BALANCE and FLEXIBILITY that a guy my size just normally does not have.
Given how hard I worked back then, it meant that if I let my Nutrition slip a bit - If I allowed myself a few beers and burgers with my weekly meals - that it usually wasn’t that big of a deal. My OUTPUT was regularly greater than my INPUT on the average.
However, Father Time is Undefeated. Now as I stare the half century mark in the eye, I am fully aware that trying to train the way I used to simply isn’t possible anymore.
And that’s a harder pill to swallow than any Blood Pressure medication.
Now, that’s not to say I’m not making any progress. Even with my recently sporadic training sessions and gym workouts I’m learning that “Old Man Strength” really IS a thing. My base numbers there are more or less the same as they were at my peak fitness which is a testament to how well I’ve trained in the past up to this point.
However, I am really noticing that I do not RECOVER as well anymore. The arthritis in my knee is spreading. My shoulder hasn’t been right since January and there are days that I am grateful to not be yanked off my feet when my loving dog spies a squirrel during our neighborhood walks.
Let me be clear, Admitting this out loud while also proclaiming myself to be “The Best Goddamned Heavyweight Champion in Canada” is humbling.
So realizing that I’ve had to make adjustments to my training has been a challenge. Since I can’t train any harder, I have to do more work to prepare. My stretching and warm ups take almost as long as my lifts do. I try to fit in more stretching, dynamic core and body movements. My cardio is generally gentler - more cross-trainers than high incline treadmill walks.
This is a process. Because no matter what any “TRUST ME BRO” peddler is saying online: there is NO Magic Pill, no influencer peddled Peptide or Super Food that is going to make this better. This is about being consistent. Being considerate to yourself. And by putting in the right kind of work so you can get the right kind of recovery.
Which brings me to the hardest truth I face.
I HAVE to be more disciplined with my diet.
Yes, obviously this is something I've said at least 10,000 times before. Wait for it, I’ll likely say it 10,000 more times in the coming years - should I be so lucky.
But this week as I was absentmindedly stuffing some TimBits and a medium Iced Capp into my piehole, I was listening to Ethan Suplee’s conversation with filmmaker Kevin Smith over on his podcast LIFELONG about their mutual friendship and similar weight loss journeys and the struggles they’ve faced in their individual processes. As a part of that conversation, Mr Smith relayed a parable I’d never heard before that I will paraphrase now.
One day, the Zen Monk was walking from temple to town and fell into a deep pit. The monk laughed at his foolishness, dusted himself off and climbed out.
On the Next day, the Zen Monk was making the same journey and once again fell into the same pit. Less mused this time, the monk dusted himself off, climbed out and continued on his way.
On the third day, the Zen Monk was making the same Journey and fell into the same deep pit. This time, the Zen Monk lost his cool, cursed his fate and raged to the heavens.
After calming himself, the Zen Monk Realized the Truth he was missing : The Deep Pit is Never Going to Move. It is Up to HIM to CHANGE HIS PATH.
And that really struck me. I’ve followed similar patterns in my life for the MAJORITY of my life. Not just with my health and fitness. But with my careers. My creative pursuits. My relationships with others.
If I keep running into the Same Obstacles, I’m the One that Needs to Change my path.
Now to keep things focused here on my WAR ON DAD BOD BLOG, the path I need to change is by thinking the way I used to do things is the only way. For a while, I’ve seen success living by an 80 / 20 RULE - If I eat well 80% of the time, the other 20% isn’t too shabby. But considering the number of snacks I regularly find in my kitchen these days, its safe to say that this has been more of a suggestion than a rule lately.
So let’s try this Again, hopefully without SHAME or Fear of too much Self Flaggelation.
I KNOW what to eat, and what I should try to avoid. I know the substitutions I need to make on top of the ones I already have made. I can do this without getting obsessed with weighing every gram of every meal and adding unnecessary stress and anxiety to my mental health.
I have the knowledge. Now I need to find the discipline.
One final admission?
This is my true addiction. Not drugs. Not really alcohol. It’s food.
So the only way for me to actually WIN MY WAR ON DAD BOD is to realize that this war never ends. I will be faced with temptations every day. Without re-establishing a better nutritional foundation for myself I won’t be able to enjoy the treats and snacks we’re all allowed to have, especially when we’re spending our time with the people who matter the most.
And since that little girl needs her Daddy to live a long and healthy life, I’m hoping I actually HAVE the discipline I need to be here for her.
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