Your habits determine your kids' health.

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them” — James Baldwin

You are the creator of your kids' normality. That’s scary. That’s empowering. That’s a big responsibility. That’s your responsibility.

Clients send me videos doing press-ups and squats with their little ones either climbing on them or copying them. This happens weekly.

Half of my clients didn’t train before working with me.

This alone demonstrates the power of role modeling.

Beau and I run to the park almost daily. You’d assume that’s because I encourage him to, and have done so for a long time…you’d be wrong. 

It’s a recent activity. 

The running seed was planted only two months ago after my first park run. Beau came to watch me. Before this, “I was not a runner”.  

The harsh reality

My goal is to show you what’s possible. My perspective is shaped from my parenting journey, and from the clients I work with one-to-one and in The Father Fit Community.

You may have a negative reaction and close your mind to the incoming information. I challenge you to refute that feeling. You’re capable of change. Thinking you’re “not the type of person who can be healthy” is a limiting belief. That can change.

My intention and purpose is to give you the tools to be the best parent you can be. Through improving your health, you model health to your kids.

Our influence over our little ones diminishes over time. We spend less time with them as they age. They have more inputs that affect their decision making. School. Peers. Teachers. Coaches. Social media. 

A parent should focus on modeling healthy habits from an early age. 

Our actions shape our kids' normality.

If your kids are older, it’s not too late. If you think it is, that’s an excuse. 

Imagine watching your parents transform their health through focused effort. Imagine watching them have the self-respect and determination to do that. Imagine watching them change their nutrition and start to exercise. That’s inspiring. 

There are no quick fixes

Meal replacement shakes. Supplements. Detoxes. Extreme diets. 

They are fads. They are not sustainable. They are not healthy.

The foundations of your healthy habits will cover nutrition, exercise, daily movement, having a purpose, self reflection and high quality sleep.

Your habits shape your physical health, energy, productivity and mental health.

Which morning will set you up for a productive day?

• Alarm goes off and you hit snooze on the alarm because you watched 2 extra episodes of a netflix series last night.

• You’re late for work, the kids are late for school.

• You rush the kids' breakfast. Cereal, because it’s quick.

• You scroll social media with a coffee whilst they’re eating.

• You grab your bag, usher the kids into the car (with ANOTHER meltdown. Why does it always happen when you’re in a rush?!)

• You get to work and start your day.

Sounds stressful. My cortisol is rising just thinking about it.

An alternative?

• You wake up before your alarm. You spent an hour reading before bed. You slept through and feel rested.

• You get a glass of water and drink it whilst setting your intentions for the day in your journal.

• The alarm goes off. You gently wake your kids up.

• You’ve already made their eggs on toast. You sit with them. Asking them how they slept. What they’ve got on today.

• Your bags are packed. You kiss your wife goodbye, you get in the car.

• You drop the kids off. Get to work. You’ve not even checked your phone.

Ok, it’s not always going to be perfect.

But good habits set the foundation for good mornings, good days and good evenings.

Life is difficult sometimes. It’s more difficult in a tired, lethargic and unmotivated state.

That. Can. Change.

It changes by executing healthy habits every day over an extended period of time.

You will thrive. 

You will question why you didn’t focus on healthy habits earlier.

Your kids will copy you. 

They will thrive.

A parent should provide structure to their kids' environment, then show them how they should act. 

Kids learn through their experience. They model what they see.

The true power of this lies in the butterfly effect.

"The butterfly effect is the scientific phenomenon by which small changes create big impact. 

If a butterfly's wings have the power to change the weather on the other side of the world, imagine what a child can do when given a healthy role model to thrive."

If you want your kid to thrive, focus on you first. 

Start building healthy habits that 10x your energy, your productivity, your health and your life.

Then, watch your kids fly.

6 habits I want Beau and Poppy to learn

1. Families eat home cooked dinners together. With no phones.

   • We eat at the table, together with focus on our food and no distractions.

   • Meals are based around protein and vegetables.

     • The importance of protein for growth and staving off sarcopenia and osteopenia are well documented. A lack of protein leads to cravings, weak bones and muscle and a lack of satiety.

     • Vegetables provide micronutrients 

2. Bright light exposure in the morning helps mood, energy and positive wellbeing. It’s served up perfectly with a morning walk.

3. It’s normal to go on family walks and spend time outdoors. 

   • We feed ducks in the park, we drop sticks into a local river, we walk instead of driving where we can.

   • Nature is a natural calming agent. It brings peace to the mind which helps us all manage stress and emotions. Put your bare feet on grass and feel your body calm.

4. We do resistance training 2-3x a week. 

   • It keeps us strong and our bodies robust.

   • It’s not just for looking better.

   • Lifting weights is fun. It releases endorphins. It protects you from injury. It improves the quality of your life. It means they’re not going to get pushed around.

5. Our bedtime routines are sacred. Without good sleep, life is less colourful. It’s always a priority.

   • We read before bed.

   • Screens have no place near bedtime.

   • We talk about our day.

   • We go to bed at a reasonable time.

6. Our mornings are an opportunity to set our day up for success.

   • Waking up and opening your phone is a recipe for reacting through the day.

   • Prioritise bright light, collecting your thoughts, breakfast and easing into the day.

   • If you get the bedtime routine right, you’ll wake up rested and ready.