I am EXCITED!

…because first I have a NEW exercise video to share with you that builds strong legs, with a cool new twist on an exercise that I bet you haven’t tried;-)

…and second I am OFFICIALLY on vacation!

My wife and I both finished up work today and we are packing up the Murano with Matea and all her “stuffed” friends and hittin’ the road on Sunday to the beautiful East Coast of New Brunswick here in Canada.

We will be gone for a couple weeks, spending some time at Kathy’s sisters as well as taking Matea to Magic Mountain waterpark and Crystal Palace amusement park.

I am also looking forward to hitting the most beautiful beaches North of Virginia as we have a cottage booked for 3 nights in Shediac during the Lobster Festival.

I hope we have better luck in New Brunswick this time around than we did when we bought the car 2 years ago there and got rear ended at a stop sign by some guy on a motorcycle…

Luckily our accident wasn't this bad!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night and de-stress during the day with short naps or meditation. Sleep one hour for every 2 hours you’re awake.

By following these 7 Habits of Highly Fit Dads 90% of the time and focusing on progress and not perfection you can have some freedom and still be a fit father.

With summer just around the corner, it’s not too late to get started now!

If you want a simple program that tells you what to eat, and how to workout to get maximum results in minimum time – get over
to Dad Fitness, The Ultimate Workout and Nutrition Plan For Busy Dads

Here is a super quick smoothie recipe that is great anytime of the day as either a meal replacement or a healthy snack. Well, the only time it’s not great is when trying to use the blender really early in the morning when your family is still sleeping…trust me on that one!

This super smoothie is packed full of cancer fighting antioxidants, muscle building protein, complex carbs, filling fiber and heart-healthy fats to give you lots of energy to get through work AND your Dad Fitness workouts.

It is also cheap to make and you know it only includes the healthy ingredients YOU add, unlike Joe bodybuilder behind the counter with all the powders and potions making smoothies at your local gym…

Click here to view the embedded video.

DISCLAIMER: This smoothie has a secret muscle building ingredient that will give you huge arms like Popeye!

The anchor tattoos on the other hand is your decision…

Give this one a try and let me know how you like it by posting a comment below!

Personally my interest in basketball fizzled out when Jordan retired and I realized I wouldn’t grow past 5’8…

But March Madness for my family also means trying to balance a little too much not-so-healthy-things like too much Birthday cake, ( as my sister’s birthday is March 6th, a close friends, March 8th and my mother’s March 11th) with some healthier outdoor activities and fresh winter air…

March is also the nicest month of the winter here in Labrador where you can actually get out and enjoy the sun and the snow without losing the feeling in your fingers.  So we try to up our outdoor activity level wether it’s snowshoeing or snowmobiling…

This time of year makes for perfect snowmobiling weather and thankfully I just got my snowmobile repaired…again.

Where else can you get a tan while sitting a top a frozen lake full of 4 feet of ice!

Plus, you will be thankful for doing your Dad Fitness workouts and all those Deadlifts all winter when you’re snowmobile get’s stuck in 5 feet of snow!

With our daughter Matea turning the big 2 in May she is getting to be the perfect age to enjoy more outdoor activities.

So yesterday seemed like a perfect day for the annual Barker’s Boilup.

My wife got off work early and picked up Matea from the sitter’s and along with my parents we headed up on a nearby lake to light a bonfire and roast some wieners and marshmallows.

I decided not to bring my own pot of Chili this year due to last year’s “Chili Incident” which you can read about here…

But I did cook some canned chili directly over the fire. How’s that for a Manly Meal?

That was as healthy as the dining got as we also stuffed our faces with anything else that can be roasted on a stick.

Matea had a blast running around in the snow and feeding the Grey Jays and we all enjoyed the hint of spring that the sun had to offer.

I even came up with a winter workout of my own to burn off all those hot dogs and pushed Matea around the lake in her sleigh.

With the clear blue sky hanging on for that extra hour we packed up and headed home after a great day of SUN, FUN and FAMILY.

How unhealthy can that really be?

Let me know how YOU define healthy by leaving a comment below…

“What do YOUR workout routine look like?

Well ever since I created The Dad Fitness System I would just point them to www.DadFitness.com where they can get their own copy of The Ultimate Fitness Plan For Busy Dads downloaded instantly to their computer.

It works for me and it’s working for other busy dads all around the world.

But this year I have been improving the Dad Fitness workouts to better fit MY busy lifestyle and for all of YOU living the Dad Fitness lifestyle as well.

You see, being a busy dad and husband working a full-time job and running a business on the side doesn’t allow me to spend 5-6 days a week working out at the gym to stay fit.

I will be honest though, I LOVE working out at the gym, especially our little dungeon of a gym here in town. No lineups, no machines, just torn up benches with some rusty barbells and dumbbells. I guess you can call me “old school”.

But as much as I would like to I can’t always get there as often as I wish as I spend most of my days off from working shift work staying home with my 19 month old daughter while my wife is at work.

Some weeks I find it hard to get to the gym even 3 days a week so I had to adapt and tweak the Dad Fitness workouts.

So I designed a workout routine that focuses on 2 gym workouts a week and one bodyweight workout a week, totaling 3 short but intense workouts a week. …Which is all most of us really need to get in great shape anyway.

I have been loving this routine as I can get in 2 intense gym workouts a week and have no problem getting in the 3rd bodyweight workout as it can be done at home with minimal equipment, at the gym or even at my local playground when the weather permits.

Now that’s the way workouts should be, they should fit around YOUR lifestyle, not the other way around like most programs you might find in the magazines.

I am building muscle, gaining strength and staying lean like never before and it’s all because of the intricate design of these workouts.

Every exercise, Every rep and Every set is specifically selected and has a scientific reason for being in the program.

This gives you the complete “Training Triangle” to build muscle, gain strength and burn fat all in minimum time and in one simple 3 day a week workout routine.

So here is the breakdown of what I like to call Dad Fitness 2.0

• 3 workouts a week consisting of 2 gym workouts and 1 bodyweight workout.

• The workouts rotate on a 2 week cycle meaning there is a Week 1 of workouts and a Week 2, before you repeat the same workouts.
• Each routine is followed for 8 weeks allowing each weekly workout to be completed 4 times.

This keeps my motivation high and prevents the dreaded training plateau by rotating exercises every 2 weeks instead of every week like most programs.

So here is an example of just of ONE of the weekly workout routines in the upcoming yet to be released Dad Fitness 2.0 Fitness Plan.

Day 1, Week 1, Gym

Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

Decline Barbell Bench Press, 2 sets of 4-6 reps.

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, 2 sets of 6-8 reps

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press, 2 sets of 4-6 reps

Standing Triple Threat Dumbbell Lateral Raise Superset, (side, front and rear) 2 sets of 6-8 reps each

Lying Flat Ez Bar Tricep Extensions, 2 sets of 4-6 reps

Tricep Cable Pushdowns, 2 sets of 6-8 reps

Cable Crunch, 2 sets of 8-10 reps

Day 2, Week 1, Gym

Legs, Back and Biceps

Barbell Squats, 2 sets of 4-6 reps

Dumbbell Lunges, 2 sets of 6-8 reps

Weighted Pullups, 2 sets of 4-6 reps

Bent Over Barbell Rows, 2 sets of 6-8 reps

Standing Barbell Curls, 2 sets of 4-6 reps

Standing Dumbbell Curls, 2 sets of 6-8 reps

Standing Calf Raise, 2 set of 8-10 reps

Day 3, Week 1, Bodyweight

One Leg Squats, 3 sets of max reps

Medicine Ball Pushups, 3 sets of max reps

Inverted Pullups, 3 sets of max reps

Dips, 3 sets of max reps

Parallel Grip Pullups, 3 sets of max reps

Front Plank, 2 set of 60 secs

Side Plank, 2 sets of 45 secs

I don’t have an exact date yet for the release of Dad Fitness 2.0 but I am working hard to get it complete so it can be YOUR favorite workout of 2010!

and let me know your favorite workout of 2009 by posting a comment below…

I hope you have been having an awesome holiday season with your family!

Christmas morning was so fun as our 19 month old daughter Matea is finally old enough this year to open her gifts and dig into all the goodies from Santa.

That’s the real joy of being a dad during Christmas is seeing your child’s face light up when they tip toe out to see what Santa left under the tree Christmas morning.

…and of course she had just as much fun with some of the boxes than the gifts themselves!

I know you are probably feeling bad about all the eating and drinking you have been doing over the holidays.

But guess what…It’s OK.

Trust me I know how you feel. I ate and drank too much as well. But I am not worried and I don’t want you to worry either.

What I want you to do is turn these feelings into ACTION. Today is the last day of the year! Let’s put 2009 behind us…

I know you still have New Years Eve to contend with but you don’t have to wait until the clock strikes 12 to make a commitment.

Start TODAY and ask yourself.

“What are my goals? What are my behaviors?

Do my behaviors match my goals?”

What you did in 2009 doesn’t matter – the year is GONE. Just be aware of how effective your behaviors were in reaching your goals.

The real question you should ask yourself is what will the next year hold for you?

So lets get to work on making this your best year ever!

Want to know what workout routine has been working better for me as a busy dad than anything I have been doing all year?

With a new year upon us we all try to start off with a sense of renewal regarding our health and happiness.

Regarding the Dad Fitness System, I have been experimenting with a new approach to being a strong and fit dad.

With feedback from you living the Dad Fitness lifestyle and my personal experience I have been tweaking the program to give you even faster results.

Let’s just call it Dad Fitness 2.0…

The biggest mistake you can make with your workout routine is to keep doing what you’re doing.

You are right in thinking that consistency is the key to long term results, but preventing that dreaded plateau where your body shaping results come to a screeching halt is the real key to life long fitness.

Workouts are all about pushing your body a little harder than it’s is comfortable with so it can adapt by burning fat and building stronger muscles.

But none of this means anything if you can’t adapt your workouts to your lifestyle.

Do you want to know how to stay consistent with your workouts while getting results week after week, month after month?

Be like water!

I will let the great Bruce Lee explain…

“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water.

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash.

Be water, my friend.”

This is what the NEW Dad Fitness workouts is all about in 2010, being like water and adapting the workouts to our evolving role as busy dads.

So stay tuned in the new year as I help you lose your gut and build lean muscle and share with you the New Way To Workout from Dad Fitness,
The Ultimate Fitness Plan For Busy Dads.

Happy New Year!

Share your GOALS and BEHAVIORS to become a fitter dad in 2010 by posting a comment below!

I even have a touch of it myself but I am a big boy so I can handle it…

Thankfully she is now on a stronger antibiotic that is doing the trick as she is feeling better already.

So when family and life gets in the way, eating well don’t have to take a back seat if you have some tasty tricks up your sleeve.

Here is another nutrient dense meal that is great for dinner or refueling after your Dad Fitness workouts.

It’s also easy to prepare and tastes even better the next day when it soaks up all the flavors.

Trust me, you will be looking forward to the leftovers!

Multigrain Fusilli with Sausage

1 box of multigrain fusilli pasta

6tsp of olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 cloved of garlic

1 bell pepper chopped

6 sundried tomatoes chopped

4 Italian sausages diced

a sprinkle of salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and chili flakes

grated romano cheese

Boil pasta for 10 mins and drain

Heat oil in skillet and saute garlic and onions for 5 minutes

Add peppers, tomatoes and sausage and cook through

Add cooked pasta to mixture and stir

Top with Romano cheese

ENJOY!

Got any easy recipes to share?  Leave a comment below…

Hiking up around a mountain in a couples inches of snow with my 32lb 16 month old daughter on my back!

Yep, that’s what us crazy Canadians do for a workout this time of year.

So try not to let the cooler days keep you from getting out and staying active with your family.

The seasons may change but your healthy habits should stay the same…

To keep you on track with your workouts I am giving you one of the famous Dad Fitness workouts straight from The Dad Fitness System

Enjoy!

Bodyweight Warm-up (this should take you no more than 5 minutes)

• Prisoner-Squat – 12 reps
• Arm Circles – 8 reps per side
• Pushups – 8 reps
• Walking Lunge – 8 reps per side

Dad Fitness Strength Workout

1) DB Step-Up (10-12 reps) 2 sets: Rest 90sec between each set
2A) Flat DB Bench Press (10-12 reps) 2 sets: no rest – go directly to:
2B) Standing Hammer Curl (10-12 reps) 2 sets: Rest 90sec between each set
3A) One Arm Elbow In DB Row (10-12 reps) 2 sets: no rest – go directly to:
3B) One Arm DB Shoulder Press (10-12 reps) 2 sets: 90sec between each set.
4) Lying Reverse Crunch (10-12 reps) 2 sets: 90sec between each set

Who needs bottled water?

Fat Burning Interval Cardio

Interval consisting of 14 minutes on stationary bike or regular bike,
Low intensity pedaling for 2 min, high intensity pedaling for 1 min until 12 min, then low intensity pedaling for remaining 2 min

Cooldown Stretches

Do you have a “crazy” workout? Let me know by posting a comment below!

One of the most common requests I get from busy dads is for short bodyweight workouts that they can do anywhere at anytime.

So I dug into my training “tickle truck” and created Muscles In Minutes, 15 Minute Bodyweight Workouts For Busy Dads.

The envy of every Canadian kid growing up: Mr. Dress Up's "Tickle Trunk"

Finally you have no more excuses for skipping workouts and getting in great shape!

With The Dad Fitness Muscles In Minutes workouts you can lose that gut and build rock hard muscle anywhere at anytime.

Whether it’s before work, after work or even during work! (it’s better than coffee and donuts during your break)

You can always find 15 minutes to squeeze in a quick workout so you can start looking better and feeling better.

•    You don’t need an expensive gym membership.
•    You don’t need crappy home workout equipment.
•    You don’t need a lot of time.

Thanks to a marvel of science we call gravity all you need is your bodyweight to get fitter and stronger despite being a time-crunched dad.

Here is a sneak peak at Day 1 of Muscles In Minutes.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Muscles In Minutes is now available and is included for FREE when you get the Dad Fitness System.

Click Here To Get Started TODAY!==>http://www.DadFitness.com

But I will be doing my Dad Fitness Workouts on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday of this week due to my work schedule.

So I thought I would share with you an interesting new study reported in the The Telegraph Newspaper in the UK that shows the continued benefits of weight training workouts.

Men with big muscles cut cancer risk by 40 per cent

Dirty Dancing release

“The findings, by an international team of researchers, suggest muscular strength is as important as staying slim and eating healthily when it comes to protecting the body against deadly tumours.

The scientists who came up with the findings are recommending men weight train at least twice a week, exercising muscle groups in both the upper and lower body.

In recent years, experts have recommended a healthy diet and lifestyle – including regular aerobic exercise such as jogging or cycling to reduce the risks of the disease.

But the latest study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, suggests it may be just as important to build up muscle strength.

A team of experts, led by scientists from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, tracked the lifestyles of 8,677 men aged between 20 and 82 for more than two decades.

Each volunteer had regular medical check ups that included tests of their muscular strength.

Between 1980 and 2003, researchers monitored how many developed cancer and subsequently died from it.

The results showed men who regularly worked out with weights and had the highest muscle strength were between 30 and 40 per cent less likely to lose their life to a deadly tumour.

Even among volunteers who had excess tummy fat or a high body mass index, regular weight training seemed to have a protective effect.

In a report on their findings the researchers stressed keeping a healthy weight was still crucial for avoiding premature death.

But they added: “In the light of these results, it is equally important t to maintain healthy muscular strength levels.

“It’s possible to reduce cancer mortality rates in men by promoting resistance training involving the major muscle groups at least two days a week.”

A spokesman for Cancer Research UK said resistance exercise might have some benefit but it was more important to regularly do some cardiac exercise.

Health information officer Jessica Harris said: “There’s no need to become a body builder. Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week that leaves you warm and slightly out of breath can have a positive effect.”

Those recommendations sound a lot like The Dad Fitness System where I recommend 3 intense weight training workouts a week combined with interval fat burning cardio then staying active and doing fun stuff with your family on your non-workout days.

Coincidence?…I think not.

Just another reason for you to get started TODAY to become the strong and fit dad you need to be.