Dad Bod Confessions #2: Finding My Baseline

So, I’ll admit it up front, I’m a day late and a dollar short on this month’s Dad Bod Confessions. Life got away from me. Harrison started preschool, work’s been busy, and, honestly, I just didn’t have the time.

And truthfully? This update feels small. I wish I had more to share, but here we are.

The Gym (Barely) Happened

I managed to make it to the gym once in the last seven days. Just once. That one session was a wake-up call though, I realized how much strength I’ve lost. My shoulders and elbows were stiff and not ready to push any weight. Toward the end things loosened up, but fatigue hit fast.

So yeah, my baseline is lower than I would have liked. But at least now I have a clearer idea of where I’m at.

On top of that, I pushed mowed the yard one day. So if I’m being honest? That’s two real days of effort out of seven. The rest of the time, I was only active in the incidental ways that work forces me to be.

Yoga, Stretching, and Not Re-Injuring Myself

One thing I know for sure; I can’t make this just about weightlifting. I’ve had shoulder problems in the past, and I don’t want to re-aggravate them. Plus, my neck issues sometimes cause problems with my arms and hands.

So yoga and PT exercises have to be part of this. Even if it’s just a couple sessions a week to help loosen everything up and keep me from breaking myself again.

The Scale

I did weigh in yesterday: 266.8 lbs. Not where I hoped to be, but it’s my current reality.

I’ve been back on 16:8 intermittent fasting for about ten days now. I’ve had a start/stop relationship with fasting over the last few years, but this time I’ve stuck with it better. My window runs from 2 pm to 10 pm, which isn’t ideal, I know other setups would probably give me better results, but it’s what works for my schedule and my family.

I slipped once over the weekend with a late-night popcorn snack, but nothing too damaging. I’m not counting calories yet. I know I’ll need to eventually, especially if the scale doesn’t start moving in the next month, but right now I’m just focusing on the eating window.

Energy Drinks, Sleep, and Other Battles

One unexpected side effect of fasting? I’ve cut way back on energy drinks. I used to have at least two a day, now it’s usually just one. Ryse is still my go-to, but it’s hit-or-miss finding it around here.

The bigger issue is sleep. My schedule is atrocious. I don’t hit the gym until after Harrison goes to bed, usually between 10 and 11 pm. And once I’m home, that’s often when I dive into freelance work. If I get into a groove with design or client stuff, I can’t pull myself away, which means the sleep debt keeps piling up.

That’s the next big thing I need to fix.

The Goal Ahead

If you’re looking for a finish line or a specific goal, here it is (the first stop on this journey): I want to be under 260 lbs, ideally in the mid-250s, by the time Harrison has his surgery in November.

More than the number, I just want my clothes to fit better, to feel better physically, and to have a little bit of a buffer heading into a really tough six-week stretch of casting and recovery. I know it’s going to take a lot out of me, and I want to be prepared.

Right now, the clothes are still tight, the XL shirts still hug the gut, and the love handles are still hanging on. But that’s the point of these posts: to be honest about where I’m at, not where I wish I was.

What’s Next

This update turned out longer than I thought it would, even though I felt like I had “nothing” to say. But that’s kind of how it goes, right?

So here’s the plan: keep fasting, get in the gym more than once a week, start mixing in yoga/PT, and work on fixing my sleep.

That’s where I’m at for Dad Bod Confessions #2. Check back the first Tuesday in October for the next one.

Thanks for following along.