When I Move, I Love Better: A Dad’s Wake-Up Call to Fitness
When I Move, I Love Better: A Dad’s Wake-Up Call to Fitness
There was a season in my life where I couldn’t get out of bed.
Not because I didn’t want to. But because my body said, You’re done.
And that broke something in me.
Because when you're a dad, your body isn't just yours. It's your ride to the playground. Your piggyback engine. Your after-dinner wrestling machine. It’s how you show up.
And when that body gives out, something deeper gives out too.
The First Time I Realized Something Had to Change
I was in my twenties when the pain came back hard. An old injury from when I was a teenager flared up again.
Tree accident.
I ran one way, my partner ran the other. I was the unlucky one. The tree cracked my skull and fractured my spine. The doctors said, You’re lucky to be alive, let alone to be walking. For years, I carried the pain through school, through marriage, through early fatherhood.
I’d get overheated and couldn’t move my neck. The bed became my only option.
Then we had kids — three of them, all under six. And suddenly, staying sidelined wasn’t an option anymore.
I didn’t want to be the dad always resting. I wanted to be outside. In the living room. On the floor. I wanted to be wherever they were. Fully alive in the memories we were making.
So I started moving again. But this time, I did it with purpose.
My Fitness Is for My Family
When I take care of my body, I love better.
It’s not about looking a certain way or lifting a certain number of pounds. It’s about clarity. Energy. Patience. Presence.
When I don’t move, I don’t love well. I’m short-tempered. I’m mentally foggy. I’m emotionally low. That affects my wife, my kids, my work, my worship — all of it.
That’s why fitness matters.
Not for aesthetics. For mission.
The Routine That Works in Real Life
Here’s what fitness looks like for me right now — no gym, no special gear, just rhythm.
20 minutes of stretching every morning
I do it while listening to the Bible on Daily Audio Bible.10 minutes of cardio
While the kettle heats my morning shower water.15–20 minutes of weights in the evening
Just enough to strengthen my weak spots (hips and shoulders) without over-fatiguing.One massage a week
For maintenance, recovery, and the sanity that comes from knowing I’m caring for my whole self.
It’s not glamorous. It’s repeatable. It’s sustainable.
That’s the goal.
What I Actually Enjoy (But Can’t Always Do)
If I had unlimited time, I’d swim. Every day.
But I don’t. Because I’m in a season of raising little kids, working long days, and trying to be faithful in the responsibilities I’ve been given.
So instead, I do what fits our rhythm — and what works.
Stretching. Targeted weights. Breathing. Hydration. Sustainable movement that strengthens me without stealing energy from what matters most.
And that’s what we as dad’s need to target. Sustainable, on-hand movement and health rhythms over idealistic “if I had the time” rhythms.
Diet: The Quiet Partner of Movement
I’m not here to tell you what diet to follow. I’m here to tell you to pay attention.
How do you feel after you eat?
Does that food give you energy — or make you bloated, foggy, tired, or irritable?
If it gives you life, eat it again. If it doesn’t, slowly stop. You don’t need a trend. You need awareness.
Same with portions. Do you feel good after your meals? Light? Focused? Or heavy and sluggish?
Pay attention. Take mental notes. Make small shifts.
And drink more water. Seriously. If you only take one piece of diet advice from this post — that’s the one. Just drink more water.
Your workouts will improve. Your mood will shift. Your ability to lead with peace will increase. Because your input feeds your output.
This Is About Stewardship
I believe our bodies are gifts from God. Not idols, not meaningless burdens — gifts.
And gifts are meant to be cared for.
That’s why I don’t chase size or image. I chase strength that shows up in the living room, at the dinner table, during bedtime stories. I chase health that lets me hug my wife without wincing. I chase the energy to walk out my calling in full stride.
What I’d Say to the Dad Who “Doesn’t Have Time”
You don’t have the luxury of doing nothing.
You may not have an hour, but I’m willing to bet you’ve got 10–15 minutes somewhere. You’ve got one to three meals a day where you can make better decisions. You’ve got breath in your lungs and people depending on your presence.
So move. Stretch. Walk. Eat with wisdom. Drink water. Start small.
But start.
Fitness and Fatherhood Are Linked
I’ve noticed something: when I move well, I lead better.
When I’m limber, I’m patient. When I’m strong, I’m steady. When I’ve cared for myself, I can care for others without resentment.
And my family feels it. Not because I talk about it. But because I show up differently.
They see me stretch. They see me breathe. They see me choose foods that make me feel good. And slowly, they ask questions. Or they copy. Or they ask to join.
That’s how leadership works.
Not by control. But by consistency.
For the Dad Who Feels Worn Down
If you’re in a season where you’re sore, sluggish, or depressed — I’ve been there.
I’ve been the dad who couldn’t get off the floor. I’ve been the husband who felt like a burden. I’ve been the man who wanted to be present but physically couldn’t.
And I’ll tell you this: the first day you move is the hardest. The second and third are still tough. But by the fourth and fifth? That’s when you start to feel something shift.
Not just in your muscles. In your soul.
Because
When you take care of your physical health, you open the door to love life better.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
And presence starts with strength — the kind you build 10 minutes at a time.
Want more tools for living with presence, clarity, and purpose?
Check out the free Dad on Mission Weekly Checklist or the full Five Pillars Alignment Course — a faith-centered, rhythm-based roadmap to becoming the man your family needs.
