The 5 Power Practices That Will Rebuild Your Dad Bod
How to wire yourself to not rely on motivation or perfect conditions — execute 5 Power Practices every single day to unlock the physical prowess and performance of the dad that you want to be.
Bottom Line UP Front (BLUF)
Most dads approach fitness like throwing darts blindfolded—random workouts and sporadic diets that never create lasting change.
The 5 Power Practices (Steps, Sleep, Meditation, Weight Training, Protein+Veg Meals) are the daily behaviors that will separate you from everyone else.
Health benefits start to dissipate when you stop trying: SPRINT trial participants lost their 34% cardiovascular death reduction advantage completely when they returned to normal care after the study ended.
Track daily actions that roll up to 6-week sprint goals and annual targets—this connects today's choices to the man you're becoming.
Power Practices create compound effects: better sleep improves workouts, more steps enhance sleep quality, proper nutrition stabilizes energy for meditation and training.
Your health is a long-term investment requiring daily deposits, not sporadic contributions—just like Warren Buffett built wealth through consistent daily principles, not dramatic moves.
Before We Get Started
A quality breakfast is one of the best upgrades that you can make to your day. If you want more breakfast ideas (including smoothies) - check out my last cookbook - 30/10 Breakfast Cookbook: 30 HighPerformance Breakfast Recipes Delivering At least 30g of Protein and 10g of Fiber.
The 5 Power Practices That Will Rebuild Your Dad Bod
You used to be an athlete. Maybe you dominated on the basketball court, crushed it on the soccer field, or struck fear in the hearts of any defensive lineman that would line up across the line of scrimmage across from you. Now? You're winded walking up the stairs and can't remember the last time you felt truly energized.
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf was once overheard telling a West Point mentee
"Character takes practice. Practice brings change. No practice, zero change."
I look at the work that we do on and with our bodies as practice. The reps and effort that we put into proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management is practice. Athletes don't play games each and every day, but they do practice. They practice so that they can be ready for gameday.
Tell Allen Iverson, yes, we’re talking about practice.
This is what we as fathers need to do. We need to put in the work on our health and fitness so that when gameday comes, we're ready. Gameday looks different than it used to. No eye black. No blaring music thumping in the locker room.
Gameday now looks like...
Being able to go out for runs with your child so that they can be in good shape when middle school soccer tryouts happen.
Having the capacity to work all day and show up to throw batting practice to the Little League team that you are coaching.
You can only perform on gameday if you put in the work all of the other days. With simple daily practice, you will be amazed at how your health, energy, appearance, and fitness can change.
But what does putting in the work look like? What does it ACTUALLY look like—not on Instagram but in real life?
I've spent years honing in on the answer to this question. How do you optimize performance for life?
Through my study, research, trial & error, and work with dads on their rebuild missions I have settled on 5 key practices that we should all work to achieve each and every day.
Here's what I know after 25 years of helping dads reclaim their strength: You don't need a complete life overhaul. You need the right practices.
I'm happy to introduce you to the 5 Power Practices — the daily behaviors that separate us from the other dads. These aren't complex protocols or time-consuming routines. They're the foundational practices that, when executed consistently, will rebuild your dad bod from the inside out.
Power Practices: The Foundation to Your Rebuild
"Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good." - Malcolm Gladwell
Most dads approach fitness like they're throwing darts blindfolded. A workout here, a diet there, maybe some supplements (is fish oil in or out this week?) when they remember. But athletes? Athletes practice. Athletes have a daily regimen. Daily behaviors they execute regardless of motivation, weather, or how many times they got up with the kids the night before.
Power Practices are your non-negotiable daily behaviors that rebuild your body and reclaim your energy. They're not workouts you do when you feel like it or diets you start on Monday. They're the fundamental actions that athletic dads execute every single day, creating the foundation for everything else in their lives.
Here's why Power Practices work: they create compound effects. Each practice reinforces your long term health, mental sharpness, and overall aura (your kids will tell you that the last one is the most important). They build momentum that carries you through the dad life's inevitable chaos.
When you nail your sleep, your workouts improve. When you hit your steps, your sleep quality increases. When you eat protein and vegetables consistently, your energy stabilizes for better meditation and training sessions.
Comeback vs. Standard: Choose Your Starting Point
Each Power Practice has two levels because not every dad is starting from the same place.
Comeback Level is designed for dads who are getting back into the game. Everyone loves a good comeback story. I’m glad that you get to star in yours. Maybe you haven't worked out consistently in months, your sleep schedule is a disaster, or you're living on coffee and whatever the kids didn't finish. Comeback Level gives you achievable targets that build confidence and create momentum without overwhelming your already-stretched schedule.
Standard Level represents the optimal practice for long-term success. This is where you aim to operate consistently. If you've been maintaining some health habits or you're ready to commit fully to your rebuild, Standard Level will accelerate your transformation.
How to choose? Be honest about your current reality, not your ideal self. If you're not currently doing ANY of these practices consistently, start with Comeback Level. You can always progress to Standard Level once you've built the habit.
Remember: consistency at Comeback Level beats sporadic attempts at Standard Level every time.
The Three-Tier Goal System
Power Practices work because they connect your daily actions to your long-term identity through a proven goal structure:
Daily Targets are your non-negotiable daily targets. These are simple yes/no checkboxes that create immediate accountability. Did you hit your steps? Get adequate sleep? Complete your meditation? These daily wins build the neural pathways of success.
6-Week Sprint Goals keep you focused and motivated through medium-term targets. Six weeks is long enough to see real changes in your body and energy, but short enough to maintain focus. Your sprint goals roll up from your daily practices—if you hit Comeback Level daily targets, you'll automatically achieve your sprint goals. While your daily targets are non-negotiable, somedays life forces its will upon you. You get a little less sleep, you were on a long flight and didnt’ get in your steps. These things DO happen. So even if you miss a daily target, you can always do a little more and to ensure that you hit your sprint goals.
Annual Goals transform your identity. These aren't just numbers—they represent the cumulative effect of showing up every day for a full year. When you complete 156 weight training sessions or 7,300 minutes of meditation, you're no longer a dad who "tries to work out." You're a dad who trains. Your identity shifts from someone who wants to be healthy to someone who IS healthy.
This three-tier system works because it gives your brain what it needs: immediate feedback (daily), medium-term motivation (sprint), and long-term vision (annual). Most importantly, it connects today's choices to the man you're becoming.
The 5 Power Practices That Change Everything
Power Practice #1: Steps
Comeback: 7,500 steps daily | Standard: 10,000 steps daily
This isn't about becoming a marathon runner. It's about countering the devastating effects of sitting disease that's stealing your energy and athleticism. When you hit your step target consistently, you're not just burning calories—you're improving insulin sensitivity, boosting mood, and maintaining the cardiovascular base that makes everything else possible.
For dads, steps are the gateway drug to feeling athletic again. They require no gym, no special equipment, and can be accumulated throughout your day. Walk during phone calls. Take the stairs. Park farther away. Make it a family activity on weekends.
Your body responds immediately. Within two weeks of hitting your daily step target, you'll start to have better blood sugar control. Your daily energy expenditure increases without feeling like "exercise." I love to throw on a weighted backpack (rucksack) whenever possible to get even more out of my daily steps.
Your mind sharpens. Regular movement reduces stress hormones, regulates mood, and increases mental clarity. You'll find yourself thinking more clearly during afternoon meetings and having more patience when the kids test your limits.
Your family benefits. When you prioritize movement, you naturally model active living for your children. Weekend family walks become adventures, not obligations. Your kids see a dad who takes care of himself. Being active as a family and passing on a love for physical activity is extremely rewarding.
Power Practice #2: Sleep
Standard: 7-9 hours per night
Sleep isn't rest—it's performance enhancement. Every dad I've worked with who transformed his body prioritized sleep like a professional athlete. When you sleep, your body repairs muscle, regulates hormones, and consolidates the learning from your workouts.
Poor sleep destroys testosterone, increases cortisol, and makes you crave garbage food. You can't out-train or out-diet chronic sleep deprivation.
There isn’t a Comeback level for sleep - you just have to get it in.
Your body transforms while you rest. Quality sleep optimizes hormone production, enhances recovery from workouts, and directly improves body composition. This is when your muscles repair and your metabolism resets.
Your decision-making improves. Well-rested dads make better choices about food, exercise, and work priorities. You'll have more willpower reserves and experience less anxiety throughout the day.
Your family gets the best version of you. Sleep gives you patience with your children, better emotional regulation during conflicts, and improved relationship quality with your partner. Tired dads are reactive dads.
Power Practice #3: Meditation
Comeback: 12 minutes daily | Standard: 20 minutes daily
Before you roll your eyes, understand this: meditation is mental strength training. It's the practice that gives you the space between stimulus and response—the space where high performance lives.
When your toddler has a meltdown and you're running late for work, the time spent on your meditation practice is what keeps you centered. When you're tempted to skip your workout or grab fast food, meditation gives you the mental clarity to make the choice that serves your goals.
Your stress response transforms. Meditation reduces cortisol production, lowers blood pressure, and strengthens your immune system. Your body literally becomes more resilient to the demands of dad life.
Your mental game strengthens. Regular practice enhances focus during important meetings, improves stress management when deadlines pile up, and increases emotional intelligence when navigating family dynamics.
Your presence becomes powerful. Meditation helps you stay present with your children instead of mentally reviewing your to-do list. Your household becomes calmer, and you handle conflicts with wisdom rather than reactivity.
Power Practice #4: Weight Training
Comeback: 2 sessions per week | Standard: 3 sessions per week
Notice I didn't say "exercise"—I said weight training. Cardiovascular exercise is extremely important but weight training is a must. Weight training is intentional work designed to build strength, power, and muscle mass. It's where you remember what your body is capable of.
Your weight training sessions are non-negotiable because muscle is the foundation of athletic longevity. Strength training builds and maintains the muscle mass that keeps you functional, confident, and metabolically healthy as you age.
Your strength returns. Consistent workouts increase muscle mass, improve bone density, and boost your metabolic rate. You'll rediscover what your body is capable of achieving.
Your confidence rebuilds. Each completed workout reinforces that you're a man who follows through on commitments. The stress relief and achievement satisfaction carry into every area of your life.
Your leadership shows. When your kids see you prioritizing your health and pushing through challenges, they learn what commitment looks like. Your personal workout time also provides crucial mental reset space.
Power Practice #5: Protein + Veg Meals
Comeback: 2 meals per day | Standard: At every meal, every day
This isn't about perfect macros or complicated meal plans. It's about ensuring your targeted meals include quality protein and vegetables. Protein builds and maintains muscle while keeping you satisfied. Vegetables provide micronutrients and fiber that support recovery and health.
When you nail this practice, you automatically crowd out processed foods, stabilize blood sugar, and fuel your body for the demands of dad life.
Your energy stabilizes. Quality protein supports muscle protein synthesis while vegetables provide the micronutrients your body needs for recovery and optimal function. You'll experience steady energy levels throughout the day.
Your mental clarity improves. Stable blood sugar from proper nutrition leads to better mood stability, increased mental sharpness, and reduced food cravings that drain your willpower.
Your family eats better. When you consistently model healthy eating choices, your children naturally adopt similar patterns. Family meals become structured opportunities to connect and nourish together.
The Power of Daily and Weekly Practices
Here's what most dads get wrong: they think about goals in terms of months or years, but they execute in terms of "when I feel like it."
We flip this equation.
Benjamin Franklin understood this principle 250 years ago. He didn't try to master 13 virtues all at once—he focused on one virtue each week, tracking it daily with a simple chart. Warren Buffett built his $100 billion fortune through daily reading and consistent investment principles, not dramatic market moves. Jerry Seinfeld credits his comedy success to his "don't break the chain" method—writing jokes every single day and marking an X on his calendar.
Daily practices create the rhythm of excellence. They're small enough to be non-negotiable, significant enough to create momentum. When you wake up knowing exactly what you need to accomplish—10,000 steps, protein at every meal, 20 minutes of meditation—decision fatigue starts to disappear.
But here's the crucial part most people miss: your health is a long-term investment that requires persistent daily action, not short-term bursts of perfection. The landmark SPRINT trial followed participants who achieved intensive blood pressure control during the study period. During the trial, those with intensive treatment had a 34% lower risk of cardiovascular death. But here's what happened next: when the study ended and participants returned to routine care, their blood pressure crept back up and the mortality benefits completely disappeared. The health gains evaporated when the intensive practices ended.
This is why consistency trumps intensity every time. The dad who does 20 minutes of strength training three times a week for five years will completely transform his physique and health. The dad who goes hard for six weeks and then stops? He'll be right back where he started, probably more frustrated than before.
Your body doesn't care about your New Year's resolutions or Monday morning motivation. It responds to what you do day after day, week after week, year after year. This is both the challenge and the opportunity—small, consistent actions compound into extraordinary results, but only if you maintain them.
Weekly practices provide the framework for consistency. Three workouts per week. Weekly planning sessions. Sunday meal prep. These create the structure that makes daily execution possible while giving you flexibility within that structure.
The magic happens when daily actions compound into weekly rhythms, weekly rhythms build into 6-week sprints, and 6-week sprints accumulate into annual transformation.
The Tracking System That Changes Everything
Athletes track what matters. Period. But most dads either track nothing or track everything, creating analysis paralysis that kills momentum.
The Power Practices tracking system works on three levels:
Daily Tracking: Simple yes/no checkboxes for each practice. Did you hit your steps? Get adequate sleep? Eat protein and vegetables at every meal? Complete your meditation? Finish your workout? This creates immediate accountability and builds the habit of execution.
6-Week Sprint Goals: These are your medium-term targets that keep you focused and motivated:
420,000 steps (10k daily × 42 days)
330 hours of sleep (7-9 hours × 42 nights)
800 minutes of meditation (20 minutes × 42 days)
18 workouts (3 per week × 6 weeks)
115 protein + veg meals (3 daily × 42 days)
Annual Targets: The big picture that transforms your identity:
3,650,000 steps
3,000 hours of sleep
7,000 minutes of meditation
150 workouts
1,000 protein + veg meals
This system works because it connects your daily choices to your annual identity. Every step matters. Every meal counts. Every workout builds toward the man you're becoming.
Why These 5 Practices Work for Dads
I chose these practices specifically for dads in their late 30s and 40s because they address the three biggest challenges you face:
Time Constraints: Each practice can be adapted to your available time. No practice requires more than an hour, and most can be done in 20 minutes or less.
Energy Depletion: These practices work synergistically to boost energy rather than drain it. Better sleep improves workout performance. Regular movement enhances sleep quality. Proper nutrition fuels everything.
Sustainable Execution: These aren't extreme measures that require perfect conditions. They're robust practices that work whether you're traveling, stressed, or dealing with sick kids.
The Man You're Becoming Starts Today
You have a choice. You can continue hoping that someday you'll have more time, energy, or motivation to transform your health. Or you can start executing the practices that athletic dads use to reclaim their strength, energy, and confidence.
The 5 Power Practices aren't suggestions—they're the standards that separate the dads who feel like athletes from those who feel defeated by dad life.
Track your practices daily. Build toward your 6-week sprint goals. Trust the process for a full year.
This is how you rebuild your dad bod. This is how you reclaim your athletic identity. This is how you become the father your children deserve and the man you know you can be.
Over the coming weeks, I'll be diving deep into each Power Practice, showing you exactly how to implement them in your life and overcome the specific challenges that derail most dads.
But it starts with a decision. Today. Right now.