Do you eat breakfast?…I hope so. But do you eat a HEALTHY breakfast?

Unlike this belly buster breakfast in a box that weighs in with over 1000 calories, 2000mg in sodium and 64 grams of artery-clogging FAT!

I know some mornings as a busy dad just seem too crazy to prepare a healthy breakfast, like this morning when I was trying to get my daughter Matea ready to go to the sitter’s…

When I finally pulled her away from playing Dora Candyland and got her in the car…nothing…not a gig…the car wouldn’t start!

Luckily I had some booster cables in my truck and boosted the car, but took the truck anyway just in case.

…Matea was happy as she loves riding in “Daddy’s BEEG truck”

So for crazy mornings when you seem to run out of minutes before meals try my 1 Minute Busy Man’s Breakfast

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Ditch the high carb, coma inducing pancakes and syrup to start your day and try these Dad Fitness approved Bursting Blueberry Protein Pancakes that are full of high quality protein, complex carbohydrates, anti-aging antioxidants, healthy fat and fiber.

These take only minutes to prepare and will keep you full and fit until lunch without the mid-morning crash…

1/2 cup of oats

1/2 cup of cottage cheese

2 tbsp flax meal

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

3 whole omega 3 eggs

1/4 cup of egg whites

1/2 cup of blueberries

Optional: Sliced banana or natural honey for topping in place of syrup

-Heat grape seed oil at medium temperature in non-stick skillet

-Mix wet and dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix well.

-Pour batter mix into center of pan until your pancake is at desired size

-Brown for a couple minutes on one side and flip to brown the other side.

Makes approx. 3 large pancakes.

Aunt Jemima isn’t the best role model for a busy dad trying to stay fit anyway…

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Well, I am back…

We just returned from our 2 week fun-filled summer vacation in New Brunswick,Canada.

Even though we are currently up to our eyeballs in luggage and laundry we had a wonderful 2 weeks enjoying the hot record setting temperatures in eastern Canada. We never had a day of rain until the day we left to drive home!

I know our 2 year old daughter Matea was enjoying it as well when we were at the Canada Day celebrations in St. John and she looked up at me with her ketchup stained face and said “Daddy I am happy”…

We were so impressed with her behaviour after driving over 2000 kilometres! The in car DVD player was a big help as she watched some of her favourites like Barney and Toy Story or as she calls it “Buzz and Woody”.

Crystal Palace in Moncton is a great spot for families with everything under one room from a built in amusement park and the rooms over look the inside pool. The restaurant there has amazing food serving the largest portions I think I ever seen, and yes I tried it all from ribs,burgers, nachos  to pizza and a delicious angus beef dip sandwich. Hey, it’s vacation after all;-)

After 3 nights there we headed to the most beautiful seaside town with one of the best beaches in Canada, Parlee Beach in Shediac, New Brunswick.

We rented a cottage and were there during their annual Lobster festival and they get tourists from all over the world to come and crack open some of the supersize succulent lobsters…me included. 3 lobster dishes I had was Lobster with Thai Noodles, Lobster roll and 3 1/2 lb fresh Lobsters.

All the outdoor decks of the pubs and restaurants were a-buzz and are located on one main street leading to the ocean. It’s actually called Main Street!

After many fun-filled days at the beaches, waterparks, zoos, and amusements rides it was time to head back home and get back on track after a PERFECT family vacation.

I ate whatever I wanted when I wanted and didn’t workout while on vacation but the minute we got back in the door it was OVER.

Which means, back to eating real unprocessed food that I cook myself AND doing short intense Dad Fitness workouts.

Here is my 3 step quick start guide to getting back to clean living after your vacation.

1. Fitness

Workout, don’t wait! Get that fat burning furnace going again with your workouts. Even though we still weren’t unpacked, the next morning after we got home I pulled some workout clothes out of my luggage and hit the gym for a Dad Fitness workout. If you take up to 2 weeks off from training like I did for summer vacation, ease back into your workouts slowly. Cut your weight and reps in half for the first week or so to avoid debilitating soreness.

2. Food

Shop and Chop. Even before I hit the gym the next morning my wife and I hit the supermarket to restock our house with REAL food. I like to call it Easy Eating. 3 meals and 2 snacks a day and nothing out of a box or can except maybe beans and oatmeal. Lots of lean meats, nuts, fruits and veggies. I was so sick of restaurant food after vacation, so I use that extra motivation to get started right away and not only shop for lots of good healthy food, but chop it to make meals in minutes.

3. Fasting

Fast for Fat Loss. My good friend Brad Pilon and the author of the popular book Eat Stop Eat turned me on to the health benefits of intermittent fasting a few years ago. I was highly IMPRESSED with the physical and mental benefits of fasting for just 24 hours once a week or periodically like after letting your diet go during vacation. So after having my final vacation meal for lunch at a restaurant on the drive home I decided my stomach could use a break from food after the pounding it got on vacation. So I fasted for 24 hours, drank lots of cold clean water and broke the fast after my mid-morning workout starting with a Super Shake of whey protein, mixed berries,spinach, greens powder, plain yogurt, and a banana. Then had a veggie omelette with an orange shortly after.

Remember a weekly caloric reduction through diet and exercise, no matter how you do it is still the only proven way to lose fat.

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Hope you’re having a super summer!

For you folks on this side of the border, Happy Canada Day! …and to my wife, Happy Birthday!

I told her she is that important that our whole country celebrates her birthday;-)

We are in Quispamsis, New Brunswick right now on vacation. It might have a funny name but it’s a beautiful place just outside the main center of St.John. It’ so nice we are actually looking at some of the real estate here;-)

We are staying at my wife’s sisters and Matea is having a ball and was quite the travelling trooper during the drive here.

A lot of people seem to worry about what to do with their healthy living routine when they go on vacation.

So I took the time out of my vacation to share with you 3 tips that I have used over the years to have a guilt-free vacation this summer while not erasing all of your hard work in the gym and in the kitchen
this winter.

1. Forget Food & Fitness

Personally this is the option I prefer, but it  might not be for everybody. Once a year I allow myself to break free from healthy eating and exercise for up to 2 week for our summer vacation.  I basically eat whatever I want when I am hungry and drink whatever I want whenever I am thirsty. Any other intermittent breaks during the year last only a few days or are for unexpected events. Eating REAL food and doing efficient exercise 90% of the time allows me to do this and actually get stronger and leaner year after year. Yeah, you might put on a couple pounds of water as you won’t really gain any fat in 2 weeks but that will leave you even more motivated to get back on track when you get back. So earn this time and enjoy it!

2. Daily Dining

Pick one meal or snack during the day that you will enjoy the most depending on your planned activities for the day and have it guilt-free.
Brunch breakfast with the family, ice cream at the park or wining and dining in the evening. You don’t have to make it pure junk everyday, take the opportunity to try fresh local recipes wherever you are staying. I just had the local Lobster with Thai Noodles and it was amazing! With your activity levels not as high as normal one large meal and small healthy snacks of nuts and fruit during the rest of the day will keep your hunger and calories on track and you on the move without craving the next meal.

3. Relish the Routine

If you feel the guilt from straying from your Dad Fitness workouts are worst than the food itself then stick with it. Living the Dad Fitness lifestyle is super simple to maintain anyway by eating real food most of the time and having a “treat” meal once a week along with 3 short weekly workouts. Sprints on the beach or bodyweight workouts at the park are great ways to add spice into your workouts while combining, family, fitness and fun.

Because those things are something we don’t want a vacation from…

Happy Canada Day!

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