Light weight baby!
If you don’t know Ronnie Coleman do yourself a favor and google him. Ronnie Coleman was a lot of things but most importantly he had the best sayings. My favorite that my son connected with was the phrase, “Light weight baby!” Ronnie used to say that when the weight was anything but ligtht. I am reluctant to claim a motto or a north star but the idea of telling yourself you can do something that is hard to do is important. My son for one of the first times carried three bags of groceries in from the car, the whole time saying, “Light weight baby!” It’s light if you think it is light, you can do it or at least endure it if you have to endure it. Also LWB should make you laugh. So before you do a workout or get on your 10th ZOOM call of the day or unload the dishwasher, say to yourself “Light weight baby!” and I promise it will be more fun and hopefully a little lighter.
Takeaway: Try the “Light weight baby” for one day at a high dosage. Before you eat, in the bathroom, brushing your teeth, sending emails, packing lunches. Share with your kids and remind them that challenges are all in how we see them.
Dad Curriculum: Rites of Passage
I have probably mentioned the book the Intentional Father before. Give it a try if you haven’t already. I am in the process of creating my dad curriculum as I have mentioned. My goal here is collect stories, books, articles and ideas as I go so that I am ready to guide my kids into into and through their Rite of passage to adulthood. This is not just for son’s even though that is where I am starting. To start I am building out a few things to work on with them right now. This is intended to start when they are 13 but there is no time like the present. Work on these things right now:
Greeting others
Saying thank you - especially at Costco for snacks
Being encourging to younger siblings - saying good job to your little brother goes a long way
Fly balls - goes without saying
Remember don’t expect your kids to do anything in public that they have not practiced in private.
Cook This: 4 ingredient bread
I just made this bread and my son asked me to save the recipe. He is 7 and has never said that before. Give it a try.
Ingredients Needed
Bread Flour: 3⅓ cups (430g) for a chewy texture (all-purpose works too).
Instant Yeast: 2 teaspoons for a fast and easy rise.
Coarse Salt: 2 teaspoons for proper flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix: Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in water and stir with a spatula until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
Rise: Cover the bowl tightly and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours, or refrigerate for 12 hours up to 3 days for the best flavor.
Shape: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently shape it into a round loaf.
Score & Bake: Score the top with a sharp knife or razor. Bake on a floured baking sheet or in a hot Dutch oven at 475°F (246°C) for about 45 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
Dad Fun - Couch to 5K
There is a program online that goes by this name. Unfortunately now I believe it is a paid program. Don’t pay for it. You can google of ChatGPT a O to 5K running program. Start super slow and be consistent. Find a race that you can push a stroller in or get a friend or your partner to join. Movement is medicine dad and we can’t wait for the perfect time or place, that is right now - early morning, late night, at lunch time. Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.
Program Structure and Schedule
Frequency: 3 runs per week, with at least one rest day between sessions.
Session Format: 5-minute brisk walking warm-up, alternating run/walk intervals, and a 5-minute walking cool-down.
Week 1 Example: Alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking, repeated for 20 minutes.
Top Free Options & Apps
NHS Couch to 5K: The official, highly rated audio-guided app available on iOS and Android.
C25K Free App: A popular interval-training app providing audio coaching and GPS tracking.
Printable PDFs: You can download flexible text schedules directly from resources like Marathon Handbook or HWPO Training.
Dad Magic: Fish traps
This trap is not a magic trick but it is dang close. You can find these on Amazon and get them in pairs (check these out). The fish trap can serve a lot of purposes. Catch some bait to fish, catch some fish to pet, catch literally anything that will walk into this thing and pull it up. It is always a surprise. Bait it up with something smelly and let the good times roll. Ideal bait are shrimp, cut bait, or chicken wings.
This newsletter is not professional in nature but intended to be real things to try. They won’t all work but this is a process and I’d love for you to join me on the way. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you next week.
Send this to a dad that needs to get his Sh&# together.
Send me a note or your best dad joke @ [email protected]