Evening, brothers! These bad boys are my Lowa Uplander GTX TF’s. They are old and well worn, but there’s life in them yet. They’re my go-to boots for long walks, climbing and rucking. They were actually the last pair of boots I used whilst working in prison. I always paid a decent bit of money on boots as I could be wearing them for 24 hours and needed to be comfortable. Many a good swift kick to the bollocks was delivered by these! Recently I’ve found they’ve given me the occasional blister, and I’m thinking of replacing the insoles as they’re also old. Do you think that’ll do the trick? Or is it time to put these beauties in to retirement? 🥲

This is a common goal, and the good news is that it’s entirely achievable. The idea that lifting weights automatically makes you “bulky” is a myth. That bulky look you might be thinking of is the result of a very specific type of training combined with a significant calorie surplus (eating more calories than you burn). For most dads who want to be strong, athletic, and capable, that’s not the goal. Here’s the approach: - Focus on strength, not just size. Train in a lower rep range. Instead of the classic 8-12 reps for muscle growth (hypertrophy), focus on the 4-6 rep range. This will primarily develop your neural strength – your brain’s ability to recruit your muscle fibres – making you much stronger without necessarily adding a lot of size. - Prioritise compound lifts. As we’ve said before, squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses are your best friends. They give you the most bang for your buck, building functional, real-world strength. - Control your calories. To avoid gaining unwanted weight (and therefore “bulk”), you need to be mindful of your nutrition. Eat at maintenance or in a very slight calorie deficit. This will allow you to build strength and even build some muscle (especially if you’re new to training) without adding excess body fat. - Don’t neglect cardio. A good level of cardiovascular fitness is essential for a strong and healthy heart. It also helps with recovery and overall work capacity. A couple of sessions a week is a great addition. Strength is about what your body can do, not just how it looks. Focus on performance, fuel your body well, and you’ll build a lean, athletic, and powerful physique that’s ready for anything.

The world of nutrition is incredibly noisy, and it’s easy to get lost in the latest trends and fads. The truth is, almost any “diet” can work in the short term if it helps you to control your calorie intake. But for long-term, sustainable results – the kind that allow you to be a strong, energetic dad for years to come – we need to look beyond the labels. Instead of getting caught up in whether you should be keto, paleo, or anything else, let’s focus on the principles that underpin all successful nutrition plans: - Protein is king. Aim to have a good source of protein with every meal. It helps to build and repair muscle, it keeps you feeling full and satisfied, and it requires more energy to digest than fats or carbs. Think meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and good quality protein supplements. - Eat the rainbow. Fill your plate with a variety of colourful vegetables. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre, which are essential for your health, energy, and digestion. - Don’t fear carbs. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for your brain and your muscles. The key is to choose the right ones. Slow-digesting carbs like oats, potatoes, and brown rice will give you sustained energy. Save the sugary, processed carbs for occasional treats. - Healthy fats are your friend. Fats are crucial for hormone production (including testosterone). Get them from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. - Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do for your health and performance. Aim for at least 2-3 litres a day. Forget the fancy names and the restrictive rules. Build your diet around these core principles. Focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods most of the time. This isn’t about a 12-week diet; it’s about building a way of eating that you can sustain for life. That’s the real secret to long-term success.

This is the classic challenge for dads, and it’s a real one. The demands on your time and energy are immense. The first thing to do is to shift your mindset. Exercise isn’t another thing to take from you; it’s the thing that will give you more. More energy, more patience, more resilience. It’s an investment, not an expense. Here’s how to make it work: > Go for maximum “bang for your buck”. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym. Three 45-60 minute, full-body strength training sessions a week can be incredibly effective. Focus on compound movements that work multiple muscle groups at once – squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows. This is about efficiency and effectiveness. >Schedule it like a meeting. Don’t just hope you’ll “find time”. Look at your week and block out your training sessions in your calendar. Treat them as non-negotiable appointments with yourself. It could be an early morning session before the kids wake up, during your lunch break, or in the evening. The best time is the time you can be consistent with. >Redefine what a “workout” is. Can’t make it to the gym? A 20-minute kettlebell session in the garage is a win. A long walk with the family and the dog is a win. Carrying the shopping in from the car in one go? That’s a win. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. All movement counts. >Fuel the machine. You can’t run a car on an empty tank. If you’re feeling drained, look at your nutrition. Are you eating enough protein? Are you hydrated? Are you eating mostly whole, unprocessed foods? Your energy levels are a direct reflection of what you’re putting in your body. Being a dad is the most important job in the world. To do it well, you need to be strong and healthy. Looking after yourself isn’t selfish; it’s a duty to your family. Start small, be consistent, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.

First off, well done for getting to a point where you’re seeing changes. Hitting a plateau is a completely normal part of the journey, and almost everyone experiences it. It’s not a sign that you’ve failed; it’s a sign that your body has adapted. Think of it as your body being efficient – it’s learned to operate on the new, lower calorie intake you’ve been giving it. This is called metabolic adaptation. So, what’s next? We don’t just keep cutting calories – that’s a race to the bottom. Instead, we get a bit smarter. Here are a few things to consider: > Are you tracking as accurately as you think? Sometimes, little extras can creep back into our diet without us noticing – a handful of nuts here, a bigger portion there. A quick audit of your food diary for a few days can often reveal the culprit. > Introduce a ‘refeed’ day. This isn’t a cheat day. It’s a structured increase in calories (mostly from carbohydrates) for one day a week. This can help to gently nudge your metabolism back up, replenish your glycogen stores for better performance in the gym, and give you a psychological boost. > Increase your ‘NEAT’ (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). This is all the movement you do that isn’t formal exercise. Walk to the shops, take the stairs, have a walking meeting, play with the kids in the garden. This is a massively underrated tool for increasing your daily energy expenditure without adding more stress to your body. > Change your training. If you’ve been doing the same routine for months, your body is likely very efficient at it. Try changing your exercises, the rep ranges, or the intensity. If you’ve been doing lots of cardio, try adding in more strength training, which builds muscle and is the engine of your metabolism. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. The key is to make small, sustainable adjustments. Your body is smart, but we can be smarter. You’ve got this.