Fatherhood Factor

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Luke Douglas

5 Easy ways Dads can Get Fit and Stay Fit no Matter their Schedule

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As an active father handling a couple of restless younglings on a daily basis, you’ve sure got your hands full. Add to that the stress of running a household and providing for your family, and you have a pretty hectic schedule with very little leeway when it comes to personal pleasures. That said, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways you can kick-start your fitness journey and become fit, healthy, and happier than ever before.

After all, you’re not the kind of parent to sport that notorious dad-bod, are you? If you want to shape a physique you can be proud of and be an example for your kids, here’s what you need to do to get fit and stay fit no matter how hectic your schedule might be.

List your goals and your reasons for getting fit

Every success story started with a strong battle plan, so it’s important that you identify the why, the how, and the when of your fitness journey in order to find the motivation to start exercising and eating healthy. Make your goals as specific as possible. Start with your long-term goals such as losing weight, putting muscle on your frame, or increasing your cardiovascular endurance.

Next, think of the ways you can achieve this. You can take up running, you can exercise at home, or you can build yourself a gym in the basement – the important thing is to know how you’re going to achieve your goals. And lastly, figure out when you’re going to devote the time to achieve them. Pro tip: early in the morning while everyone’s asleep is probably the best time to get a quick workout in.

Start exercising at home when you have the time

Speaking of, now that you have figured out when you have the time to work out (it can also be late at night when everyone is tucked in), you should figure out the safest way to start. This means easing into a new workout program so that you don’t feel overwhelmed and abandon your fitness goals altogether.

Keep it light and enjoyable, but continue to add the intensity as the weeks progress. You can start working out in your living room with the “equipment” you have, such as the couch and the armchair until you’re ready to take your workouts outside with the rest of the gang.

Take fitness into the outdoors with your family

One of the easiest ways to combine quality time with your kids and work towards achieving your long-term fitness goals is to treat it like a family excursion and take your workouts into the great outdoors. Make sure everyone is warmed up and ready to take on the challenge, and don’t forget to make it fun for the kids by adding interesting exercises aside from running and jumping.

You also need to protect yourself and your kids from the elements, especially if you’re exercising in cold weather. Cold and weather resistant athletic wear such as puffer jackets are excellent at protecting the upper body from moisture and other elements, while insulating bottoms such as leggings are perfect for keeping your knee joints safe and healthy. Bring plenty of fresh water with you and you have everything you need to make your outdoor workouts with the family fun and rewarding.

Tidy up your nutrition and prep meals in advance

Nutrition is an inextricable part of fitness, so you can’t hope to banish your dad-bod and sculpt an enviable physique by just pounding at the weights or running all day long – you need to tidy up your diet as well. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to get your bearings when it comes to nutrition.

Simply calculate your daily caloric expenditure and then increase or decrease your caloric intake depending on your goals. Stick to healthy foods and banish all unhealthy temptations from your fridge and your pantry. Increase your protein intake to maintain and grow muscle mass, and be sure to start preparing your meals several days in advance to ensure your diet is on track.

Stay consistent and accountable by being a role model

So, at the end of the day, how do you stay consistent for the long haul? Simply, by making yourself accountable. The easiest way to do that is to take a look at your children. You are their role model, you are their father, a figure they adore above everything else.

You need to be an example for your children and teach them the values of consistency and persistence in life. Teach them the value of healthy living, and use your fitness journey to motivate them to get off the couch and embrace a life imbued with health, positivity, and day-long zeal.

Final thoughts

Your day-to-day routine might be a bit of a mess, but everyone has 10-15 minutes for a quick workout. Use these tips to kick-start and maintain your fitness lifestyle, and most importantly, instill positive values into developing hearts and minds of your children.

Helping Teenagers Deal with Acne: A Parent’s Guide

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Acne is much more than spots on your child’s skin. It’s a nuisance, often a source of their insecurities and cause of their low self-esteem, especially when combined with all the other challenges teenagers have to deal with. Fortunately, you can help your kid get through this. As a dad, you should find out about the latest advancements in treating acne and be able to advise your child on how to approach this issue. Here are some of the things you can do to help your teenager tackle the problem of acne.

Learn What Causes Acne

There aren’t many teens who don’t struggle with acne, but some have more problems than others. The breakouts can even start when they’re as young as nine for those who enter puberty earlier than most. Acne is most often caused by hormonal changes in teenagers. The hormones influence the sebaceous glands, which then make skin oilier. The oil, bacteria and dead skin cells plug your hair follicles and that’s how acne appear on their face, neck, shoulders, upper back and chest. The follicles that bulge lead to blackheads, while those whose plugs are open to the surface tend to darken, leading to blackheads.

When inflammation of follicles happens, it manifests itself through pimples. It’s essential that you know that your kid didn’t get acne because they ate a hamburger or a candy bar, or that it’s not the lack of hygiene that causes the problem. Once you know the what causes acne and what doesn’t you’ll be able to talk to your child and ensure them that it’s not their fault they have acne and that it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Help Your Child Treat Acne

Although acne isn’t caused by inadequate skin cleansing, good skincare can help in controlling it. The sooner you teach your child how to establish healthy skincare habits and maintain proper hygiene regularly, the better. Choose the best teen acne treatment for your kid, so that they don’t just eliminate acne, but also clean their pores and control the oil and the shine it causes on the skin. The treatments which deliver more oxygen to the pores help kill the bacteria that cause acne sooner, which can help them greatly. Also, you should react as soon as the acne appears.

Waiting for the problem to become more severe often means that it will take more time and effort to contain it, whereas if your child starts the treatment the moment you notice the first blemishes, it can save them the stress and even scaring that acne can cause. Plus, it’s much simpler to fight acne when the breakout is mild and at its beginning. And in case that over-the-counter treatments aren’t helping, take your kid to a dermatologist for a more personalized approach to treatment.

Make Sure Their Diet is Balanced

Even though your teenager’s diet isn’t what actually causes acne, it can either help them with controlling it or worsen the problem. The reason for this is that there are some foods that elevate the blood sugar levels faster than others, which causes the body to release insulin. High amounts of insulin in the blood can make the oil glands produce excessive amounts of oil, and that’s what increases the chance of an acne breakout. The foods in question include processed sugar, pasta, bread and white rice, so try avoiding those ingredients when preparing meals for your child.

Furthermore, dairy products and food loaded with saturated or trans fats can cause a similar effect, so limit the use of these foods, too. Instead, base your kid’s diet around legumes, whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables. Leafy greens, blueberries, apricots and carrots are just some of the skin-friendly foods you should offer your teenager, since the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in them can turn to allies in the battle to regulate acne breakouts.

Offer Psychological Support

Understanding the affect of acne on teenagers’ confidence, and providing them with the understanding and support they need can make the world of difference. Talking to your child is one of the steps, while doing what you can to help with the treatment is another. Don’t forget that your child is at an age when they’re trying to fit in and make friends and, unfortunately, their physical appearance often plays an important role in this process.  This is why it’s not uncommon for teenage girls to wear heavy makeup and boys to grow long hair to try and hide their face.

Low self-esteem, social anxiety and even depression are some of the effects that acne can have on your child. Some children even refuse to go to school, because they don’t want to be seen with acne, which can take a toll on their academic success. And let’s not forget that this is the time when they fall in love and want to form meaningful relationships, for which they may not gather the courage because of acne. If you see that your positive attitude and encouragement aren’t enough, seek help from a psychologist and help your kid any way you can. As your teenager struggles with acne, it means a lot that they have you on their side, knowing that they can rely on you for support. So, stay informed and learn how to help your child get through this problem.

5 Essential Tips for Securing Your Family’s Financial Future

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Even though the times of strict patriarchy are long gone and the world has made great strides to make equality an essential element of a modern household, the father still remains a key supporting figure in the lives of his family members. Whether you are the sole provider or are sharing the financial burden of raising a family with your significant other, your top priority should be to secure the financial future of your home, your kids, and your spouse.

Naturally, this is a cumbersome goal that cannot be achieved solely with determination and wishful thinking. Rather, it requires careful planning and meticulous execution in order to come to life. Here are the five essential tips you need to follow in order to secure your family’s financial future.

Leave no debt hanging over their heads

It might sound a bit counterintuitive, but the first thing you need to think about is yourself. You need to resolve all outstanding financial issues in order to reduce debt and prevent it from falling on the shoulders of your loved ones when you’re gone. What’s more, it’s essential that you start planning for your retirement.

Creating a retirement plan will allow you to preserve your financial independence in your silver years, and thus alleviate the financial pressure of caring for your well-being off of your children and other family members. Remember, as a father and a man, you need to be able to take care of yourself in your old age, or at least pay for professional care – don’t expect your children to carry the burden.

Setting goals should be a priority

If you don’t know what you’ve set out to achieve, then you’re never going to achieve it, simple as that. Raising a family and maintaining a solvent household in the process is a difficult task, but it becomes downright insurmountable when you lose track of your finances or if you don’t know what your mid-term and long-term financial goals entail.

With that said, it’s time you set some S.M.A.R.T. financial goals in order ensure your family’s happiness while being able to withstand all financial difficulties in life. From home remodeling to sending your kids off to college, these are all goals you need to plan for well in advance.

Build a financial legacy for your family

One of the most essential elements of a financially-stable household is insurance. Your home needs it, you need it, and your family members need it. There is no way around it – you can never know what tomorrow might bring, and you need to be able to meet all financial challenges head on.

Most importantly for a modern father, you need to make sure your family will be taken care of in the unlikely event that you’re no longer able to. Life insurance is the foundation of family budget planning as it allows you to plan your future without fear, knowing that should you perish, your financial legacy will keep your family solvent for years to come.

Diversify your income stream

Another important thing to remember is that there is no guarantee that you will be able to keep your job over the years, nor that your earnings alone will be enough to support your family through its numerous milestones in life. If you want to establish true financial independence, you will need to diversify your income stream.

In essence, you need a side hustle that won’t take up too much of your time, preferably something you can establish as passive revenue that requires minimal daily effort on your part. Consider online freelancing jobs, something close to your primary skillset and knowledge base that you can monetize in a short timeframe.

Establish a financial fund for every goal

On a final note, consider creating a financial fund for every major milestone in your life and the lives of your family members. Allocating a certain amount of financial resources every month towards a goal is an excellent way to keep yourself accountable and actually reach it, no matter if you’re saving up for your kids’ tuition fees, an emergency fund, or your retirement. Make a fund, and make it a priority to contribute every single month.

Conclusion

Creating a financially-stable future for your family is not something you can achieve overnight. This is a cumbersome project that will require a sound battle plan and a determined mindset, so follow these essential tips in order to pave the road to long-term solvency for yourself and your loved ones.

Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Include in Your Kids’ Diet

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Inflammation is a natural process that our bodies require in order to function properly. It’s perfectly normal, and necessary for our immune system to flare up when we’re under attack by a virus or a bacterial infection, and inflammation is a normal immune response to vigorous workouts.

However, those are samples of acute inflammation, while the chronic, perpetual kind is the one we need to nip in the bud. It’s this chronic sort that wreaks havoc on our and our kids’ health and is considered one of the key culprits of numerous diseases, from diabetes, Alzheimer’s, to heart disease, to name a few. By teaching your kids to eat well, you’ll help them develop healthy habits that will protect their health and wellbeing for the rest of their lives. Among many foods, the following ten are favorites among nutritionists and experts when it comes to tackling inflammation.

1. Strawberries

In all likelihood, this will not be a difficult task to inspire your little ones to munch on strawberries, especially if you dip them in a bit of dark chocolate. Fun fact: strawberries are not fruit, but a kind of a rose, so perhaps this might make them even more interesting for your youngsters. Packed with vitamin C and K, and they are a great source of antioxidants, which are vital in fighting inflammation.

2. Garlic

Definitely not as tasty as the previous entry, garlic is a tough sell for youngsters, even though it’s loaded with compounds that have proven medical properties, one of which is warding off inflammation. Add it to their omelet, a green smoothie, or your spaghetti sauce, if they won’t eat it raw with an occasional meal.

3. Salmon

Or any other fish that’s rich in healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are an excellent addition to any diet that focuses on reducing and preventing inflammation. A perfect way to introduce them into your kids’ diet is to make salmon cakes or fish sticks, they’ll love them!

4. Turmeric

A sumptuous, earthy spice used in many Indian dishes, turmeric contains an anti-inflammatory ingredient called curcumin, which is a marvelous choice to spice up your kids’ morning omelet as well as smoothies. It’s known for its healing properties and used both in the form of a spice and as a healthy supplement. It might be a taste they’ll need to get used to, but their health will be all the better for it!

5. Whole grains

As wonderful sources of fiber, whole grains such as rice, oats, and quinoa are easy to prepare, incredibly versatile, and they keep your kids’ bellies full for longer. Their fiber and mineral content makes them a great choice for healing inflammation, so don’t be shy when it comes to enriching your youngsters’ meals with whole grains. Oatmeal is a great start as a breakfast loaded with healthy ingredients.

6. Cinnamon

A winter favorite and a perfect spice for desserts for your little ones, cinnamon is actually rich in inflammation-fighting molecules. Pick the Ceylon variety for its healing properties, add it to your apple desserts, and let this delicious spice improve their immune systems one tasty treat at a time.

7. Beans

Packed with protein, fiber, as well as various minerals, beans are a true power-house of anti-inflammatory ingredients for your little ones. They are surprisingly versatile, you can use them to cook hearty lunches with meat, or prep delicious, yet healthy desserts such as brownies. Talk about all the ways you can infuse this healthful ingredient into their diets!

8. Greens

Kids may not be crazy about broccoli or kale, but all green veggies are their best allies when it comes to preventing and treating inflammation. Brimming with vitamins and antioxidants, green vegetables are your absolute best choice, and you can infuse your smoothies with spinach, for instance, without your little ones figuring it out. However, try to vary between steamed veggies, mashes, and smoothies, to hopefully let your kids develop a taste for these greens.

9. Apples

The old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away rings true when it comes to inflammation, so you can use it as a healthy, yet sweet treat for your kids that will double as an anti-inflammatory agent. However, make sure to serve your kids apples with skin, as it contains the highest portion of the fiber of the entire fruit. Pair it with some cinnamon, and you have a dream team that will keep your kids healthy and their immune systems strong!

10. Tomatoes

Another great veggie choice that comes with a slew of ways to be prepared, tomatoes are tasty, juicy, and easy to serve in salads, cooked in sauces, and added to meaty meals. In addition to fiber and vitamins, tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant which is a known inflammation-buster. Add it to your kid’s pizza, or a summer salad, and they’ll reap the health rewards in no time.

While it may be a challenge to get your kids to eat absolutely every healthy grocery on the list, your goal should be to teach them to eat diverse foods. Show them how they can make delicious, yet healthy treats, and replace processed sweets with these home-made nutritious goodies, and they’ll be on the right track to develop strong, healthy habits for the rest of their lives.