I would have made the trip with them, but unfortunately I couldn’t get time off work.  We are planning on taking a vacation in September anyway to attend my wife’s sister’s wedding on the rock.

I must say I certainly miss the two ladies of the house as I really look forward to little Matea running to greet me at the door when I get home from work.

Today, was especially quiet as our area was hit with an unexpected 5 hour power outage from 9am-2pm!

With a couple days off from work and some extra time to myself I was looking forward to starting the day with an early morning workout then running some errands which I normally have little time to do when I am working or home with Matea.

But when the power went out, everything was put on hold.

Any outdoor activities were also out of the picture as it’s been pouring rain all day…

With no internet to distract me I took advantage of this time by using the couple hours of power my Macbook had left to work on some writing projects for Dad Fitness.

I even surprised myself as I got on a creative roll and completed 3 new health and fitness articles which you will be seeing very soon!

Then when my laptop when dead, I did some cleaning up around the house and even got to organizing my home office bookshelf which was being weighed down by all the books I continue to read. I try to read at least 3-4 books a month on health and fitness, self improvement, business and marketing.

When the lights came back on I was charged up to hit the gym for an intense full body workout.

Today’s workout was considered a “Light Push” workout that involved a little more isolation exercises that I usually do but it was fun and refreshing and my legs were like rubber after the first two exercises. Everything was 2 sets of 12 reps except calves.

A Leg Press

B1 Bulgarian Split Squat

B2 Dumbbell Floor Presses (keep elbows tucked to emphasize triceps)

C1 DB Fly’s

C2 Triceps “Concentration” Extensions (lie on a bench with a dumbbell held overhead with one arm and lower the forearm across your chest until the dumbbell touches. Use the other arm to support and/or assist the working arm)

D1. Dumbbell Lateral Raises

D2. Overhead Barbell Shrugs

E. Seated Calf Extensions, 3 sets of 10

To refuel after today’s workout I had a chocolate milk and a banana.

Then  it was “Dinner for 1″ as I made my famous Dad Fitness Quick and Easy Chili for supper with lots of leftovers for healthy meals for the week.

Finished off the meal with a little 90% cocoa dark chocolate.

Looking forward to talking with my wife this evening as I hold down the fort here at home…

The Barker’s will be at full power on Thursday when the girls return!

By “going with your gut” I don’t mean you should accept that beer belly hanging over your belt.

What I mean is that sometimes you have to go by how you feel if you want to stay motivated with your exercise program.

I have no workout scheduled for today so it’s my wife’s turn to hit the gym as I stay home with our baby daughter Matea for the afternoon.

It’s a cool rainy day here so I guess we will have to keep things inside. I hope Hokey Pokey Elmo can keep up!

I am looking forward to tonight though as it’s “date night” with my wife and Matea will spend the night with her nanny and poppy.

Not sure if we will go out or cook dinner at home…

Yesterday I went to the gym for a busy dad workout but when I got there I wasn’t really in the mood to do the workout I had planned.

I just wasn’t up for heavy deadlifts and I wanted to just do whatever I felt like doing for a change so I threw my training journal back in my gym bag and did whatever exercises I felt like doing.

This is something I rarely do so when I have days like this I know it’s time to change up my workout.

So here is what I came up with after my warmup.

Dumbbell Pushups off hexagon dumbbells supersetted with Inverted Barbell Rows.

3 sets each, 12-15 reps

V Bar Weighted Pulllups with a 10lb plate attached to a dip belt.

6 reps, 2 sets, with a 20 sec negative lowering for the last rep

Bulgarian Split Squats

8 reps each leg, 2 sets

Standing Dumbbell Curls/Hammer Curls

I supersetted a set of dumbbell curls with a set of hammer curls

2 sets each

Seated Calf Raises

2 sets of 10 reps

Ab Wheel Rollouts

2 sets of 10 reps

I really enjoyed this workout, I got a great pump, worked up a good sweat and it was mentally refreshing to just “wing it” at the gym for a change.

I have been doing the same Dad Fitness workout routine for the last 4 weeks so I will design a new workout program and start Sunday or Monday.

]]> http://dadfitnessblog.com/go-with-your-gut-536/feed 0 http://dadfitnessblog.com/457-457 http://dadfitnessblog.com/457-457#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:52:33 +0000 Sean Barker http://dadfitnessblog.com/?p=457 I gotta be honest.

It was a hot and sunny day here in Labrador today…27 degrees is as good as we get it here in Northern Canada!

So I took advantage of the nice weather and decided to ditch my scheduled hot and stinky gym workout today and left the house at 9am and took my baby daughter in her cool BOB stroller and headed for a 2 hour hike up our nearest ski hill trails.

Then when we got home I cooked up an omelet outside on the propane burner on my BBQ. Matea loved the fresh watermelon and cantelope I served up for her.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside and I even got the chance to mow the lawn before my wife got home from work, thanks to a visit by my parents.

I was lucky that my father discovered an unexpected visitor in our backyard as I would have never seen this and would have probably mowed right over it!

A mother Crown Sparrow has a nest with her eggs right on our backyard lawn next to our basement window.

Momma Sparrow sitting on her eggs

Just the eggs

Looks like I am starting to pay for going shirtless in all the sun as I am turning a nice red lobster color right about now. Ouch!

My wife and I are planning on renting a movie when the little one goes to sleep.

But one movie/documentary I am really looking forward to seeing is Food Inc.

If you eat food, you must see this film!

Your family’s health depends on it…

Sean Barker

www.DadFitness.com

My wife and baby daughter gave me a cool new pair of Adidas sandals and some cute Father’s Day cards and Matea even reached into her piggy bank to get a new shirt for HERSELF!

What can I say even at 1 year old, my girl has shopping in her DNA!

Well, it sounds like Matea is waking up from her nap… so I will leave you with the hottest new dance video sweeping the nation.

The Spaghetti Dance.

Have a great day guys!

PS. Don’t forget The Dad Fitness Father’s Day Giveaway is still on. Get your free workouts and meal plans before they are gone!
http://www.DadFitness.com

What a great way to start my long weekend off…

I won’t be doing any workouts today as I am using any energy I have to keep up with my baby daughter.

Especially now that is she is WALKING!

A question I get a lot regarding workouts and being sick is “should I workout when I am sick?”

The basic rule I like to go by is if the symptoms are from the neck up like with a head cold, a light workout might actually do you some good.

But if the symptoms are below the neck, (which I have right now, body, aches, fever, congestion, fatigue etc) it’s best to rest up until you are feeling better.

As there is no real cure for the common cold,  the best advice is preventing getting sick in the first place.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride film

Here are some tips to keep your immune system strong and healthy.

Wash your hands frequently- and keep your hands away from your eyes and mouth. Cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow to avoid contaminating your hands which is your direct line of contact. The flu virus is easily picked up by physical contact from handshakes, doorknobs, etc.

Get adequate sleep- studies show sleep deprivation plays havoc on your immune system. If you’re a busy dad like me who works shift work including nightshifts, you need your proper rest. Keep your room as dark as possible and use ear plugs to drown out any noise that may wake you.

Avoid crash diets- drastically reducing your daily caloric intake robs your body of the nutrients it need for optimal metabolic functions. Dropping your calories too low is a surefire way to lose lean muscle mass and slow down your metabolism.

Increase Vitamin C & E intake- these powerful antioxidants work synergistically to boost your immune system. Eat lots of fruits and veggies. Chicken soup really do have proven benefits!

Don’t overtrain- working out too long, too often suppresses immune function. In the hours following an intense workout your immune system is lowered making this the most susceptible time to catch the flu bug. Wash up directly after your workout and get in a nutrient rich meal to refuel your body.

If you are feeling better than me today and would like to try a new workout but don’t want to go to the gym, try this cool new Dad Fitness Home Workout.

I bet you haven’t tried a workout like this, so click the link below to get your FREE home workout and let me know how it goes!

Click Here To Download Your Free Workout

This is a test…

Welcome to my NEW Dad Fitness blog!

You should have no problem remembering the address of this new blog at www.DadFitnessBlog.com

Plus, you can access all of my previous posts from my old blog here as well.

This will be the new go-to resource for you busy dads who want to balance fitness, fatherhood and family.

I will be giving you a glimpse into my daily life as a busy dad who works a full-time job as a heavy equipment operator, runs a business at www.DadFitness.com and still finds the time to stay fit and enjoy all that life has to offer.

I want to make this as interactive as possible so I can hear from all you dads and the challenges you face with family and fitness.

So be sure to leave a comment after every post to let me know what you think or how I can help.

Also if you want to stay updated with Dad Fitness don’t forget to click the orange button to the right that says “My Feed” to subscribe to my RRS feed.

As for my workout for today, here is what I did at the gym.

Dynamic Warmup

Box Squats

Single Leg Press

Single Leg Curl

Hanging Leg Raise

3 sets each, 5-10 reps.

Static Stretching

On the Dad Fitness menu for today, I will be serving up Stuffed Steak.

Don’t forget to have a look around, get your FREE Fat Loss Report, “The Truth About Fat Loss”,  check out my workout and cooking videos on my YouTube channel on the right as well as friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

Stay tuned for more great stuff to stay fit for life with Dad Fitness.

Celebrating Matea's 1st Birthday Last Week

Wishing you Health and Happiness!

Sean Barker,C.P.T.
Author, Dad Fitness
Contributor, Inside Fitness Magazine
Contributor, Fit Parent Magazine

www.DadFitness.com

Our baby daughter Matea turned the big #1 on Saturday and celebrated her 1st Birthday!

Days later…I am still cleaning up cake

Used Cars move I can’t believe a whole year has gone by since I became a dad.

Serving Sara trailer

I have to say it’s been the most challenging AND the most rewarding year of my life.

Looking back I don’t know how I survived on such little sleep!

But when you are suddenly responsible for another little life, you find a way to do what you have to do to be the best damn dad you can be.

Which also involves not forgetting to take care of myself…. I don’t want to be huffing and puffing and out of breath when I am running around the backyard playing with my daughter because I neglected to take time for myself and stay fit with just 3 short workouts a week.

Despite being a busy dad working full-time up to 60 hours a week and running a business on the side , with my Dad Fitness workouts the only weight I gained during the past year has been my 25lb beautiful baby daughter.

I am actually down a few pounds to about 175lbs and a little leaner, compared to this time last year. But I am feeling healthier and stronger than I have ever been thanks to paying extra attention to my warm ups, mobility and my flexibility during my workouts.

I keep things pretty simple with short intense workouts and eating REAL food most of the time.

I work hard in the gym but more importantly work hard at home being a dad, a husband and a man.

That weight on my shoulders is something that I never want to lose…

Happy Birthday Matea.

Enjoy the ride…I will be there every step of the way;-)

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose Your Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

After sleeping at our in-laws most of the week because we have been renovating our bedroom, I am glad to be able to sleep in our own bed tonight.

and I must say…we did a good job. Thanks for all the help dad!

• buy New Jersey Drive

How not to use a hammer!

So this week was also a good time to take a week off from the gym as it has been another 8 week run with my workout routine.

By taking a week off from the gym every 8-10 weeks it not only gives me a mental and physical break from my intense workouts but it also frees up some time I can devote to other projects like this renovation for example.

You can time your rest week from your Dad Fitness workouts for other things that might come up as well like vacations, an unexpected injury, or just to spend some extra time with your family with the long summer days ahead.

That’s what I love about my Dad Fitness 3 day a week workout program, it gives me the flexibility to do all the other things I need to do as a busy dad without having to stress over trying to get in a workout every day.

So after my wife getting her “new” bedroom, she has to head out of town for the weekend on business.

…Oh the thanks us guys get!

This weekend will also be the last weekend I spend at home as a full time stay-at-home dad with my baby daughter as I will be returning to work on Monday after 4 months parental leave.

With my wife and I back to work we reluctantly will have to leave Matea with a babysitter for the first time on Tuesday. Luckily it is a friend of ours so we are hoping the transition will be OK.

It’s been a privilege to play such a hands on roll as a dad and I look forward to coming home from work and seeing her beautiful 3 teeth smile greeting me at the door…

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose Your Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

Forrest Gump dvd As for me, I had a great workout this afternoon. I got to the gym at 11am instead of my usual 12pm this morning as my wife came home for lunch early so she let me out early, lol

Thanks to my properly designed Dad Fitness workouts I can get to the gym, warm up, workout, stretch and drive home, all within an hour to be back home to resume my daily duties as a stay at home dad with my baby daughter so my wife can head back to work.

…and I only need to do this workout 3 times a week so I don’t have to worry about fitting in a workout everyday!

Here is Day 1 of the new workout routine I started today that I will do for the next 3 weeks.

Day 1-Max Effort Upper Body

Weighted Dips, 1 max set of 3-5 reps
Flat DB Bench Press, 4 sets of 6-10 reps
Bent Over BB Row, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
Bent Over Cable Raise, 3 sets of 10-12
BB Side Bends, 3 sets of 8-12 reps

I have been feeling really good lately with my workouts and I am thankful that I have found the proper balance between family, fitness and fun by following the Dad Fitness Lifestyle.

If YOU find yourself feeling stressed about your health, wealth and happiness during these tough economic times you need to watch this video!

There is nothing like a little perspective to show you that if you take a minute to just look around, EVERYTHING IS AMAZING…

Let me know what you do to keep things in perspective by posting a comment below.

I would love to hear your opinion!

Sean Barker, CPT

Learn the “The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose Your Beer Belly” in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com

• The 13th Warrior