Coffee – Habit or Necessity

Coffee, Cuppa, Java, Joe, Liquid Gold, Sip of Heaven, Life Saver, Jet Fuel, Mocha, Wakey Juice, Warmer Upper, Battery Acid, Morning Thunder – No matter what you call it, everyone knows what you are referring to. That steaming hot cup of roasted beans mixed with boiling water and a little bit of milk – or some variation of that.

A lot of us partake of it in some form at least once a day, sometimes more. We drink it to wake up, we drink it to warm up, sometimes to relax. That poses a question, do we drink it daily out of habit? or do we drink it out of necessity.

While I am aware that not everyone drinks coffee (crazy I know), whether you drink it or not you know about it and how big a part it plays in some peoples lives.

How I begin my Day

Being a Parent life changes every day. No Day is ever the exact same as one before it. Does this bode well for our sanity? maybe, maybe not. In an effort to maintain some routine I feel it necessary to have some constants in life. However small they are, just a few predictable things we can rely on to happen every day. One of those would be my morning Coffee.

Everyday as part of our breakfast routine, the kettle is boiled and I make myself a cup of coffee. While the kettle is boiling Ill make the little guy his breakfast along with mine. As soon as his is ready he will go sit at the table and start eating, knowing that Ill be over in a minute with my breakfast (has to be the same thing he is eating or all hell will break loose), along with my Coffee.  Anyone who has raised a toddler knows that getting them to eat can be tricky, but breakfast is always, without fail, eaten in its entirety. Maybe its the routine?

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Necessary as a Parent?

You tell me!

Personally I was drinking coffee to start my day long before I became a Dad. I drank it because I enjoyed the taste, I drank it for a quick energy boost, I drank it to relax, and I drank it because I didn’t give myself enough sleep last night.

Now as a parent, I drink Coffee because I enjoy the taste, I drink it for a quick energy boost, I drink it to relax, and I drink it because I didn’t get enough sleep last night. Yes my almost 2 year old still isn’t sleeping properly Toddler Sleep Regressions

I wouldn’t say its necessary as a parent to drink coffee, Mrs Down Under can’t stand the stuff. Does having some routine that I can count on help maintain my sanity as a parent? Absolutely

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How do you take yours?

Black / White ? Long  / Short ? Sugar  / No Sugar ? Mocha / Caramel ? Chai / Pumpkin Spice?

If its first thing in the morning? Plain old instant coffee with milk, no sugar for me. Other times of day at home see me use a modern ‘capsule’ coffee machine for more of a sophisticated style (its the little things in life). Working in a large workplace means back to the cheap and easy stuff again. One thing about coffee is that it always tastes better when someone else makes it, for that I do occasionally enjoy a ‘fancy’ coffee made by someone else who actually takes pride in their coffee, given I treat it as a special occasion, it just adds to the taste.

So many varieties exist these days its impossible to have tried them all (unless you are really obsessed). So what’s your secret? Whats your regular order that you get without fail that really hits the spot.

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Location Location

As mentioned earlier, one thing that makes a coffee great is having someone else make it for you. I have tried many places, few I would return to. One that delivers consistently without fail is Benchmark – https://www.facebook.com/benchmarknewcastle2300/

With a great owner who knows everyone and their coffee by name and is always open for a chat. Benchmark is one I will always return to.

Got a favorite place? What makes it so special? the people who work there? the setting? the coffee? I’d love to hear it, share it down below.

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Hit for 6 and Out!

There is no better Aussie past time then Backyard Cricket. While every yard is different and everyone skill set varies, the rules always remain the same. Hit the ball, run back and forth, get caught on the full or between the stumps and your out. But there is also 1 more rule, the 6 and out. Hit that amazing shot that clears the fence, breaks a window, goes into the river, or anywhere else generally out of bounds, and its a 6, and out.

Is this a post about cricket? not exactly. After a great long weekend away with the family last week, and a relatively easy start to the week for work, Down Under Dad was struck out!

That’s right! The Down Under household had been hit with the flu. While we aren’t under strict quarantine yet it has already spread from one family member to another with the 3rd on high alert to try and avoid getting sick.

Last week our little guy paid a visit to the doctor as he wasn’t well. Now I am going to start this off by saying he used to hate going in for a Dr visit. While he would be OK in the waiting room, as soon as we were called into the exam room, a tantrum in one form or another would reel its head.

This time I am happy to say was quite the opposite. While there was a small cry, by the end of the exam there was ‘high fives’ and ‘fist bumps’ all around. Sure this was helped along by the offering of a free balloon by the DR which Dad continually inflated and let go, and the stamp on the hand for being a good boy (although this almost caused a tantrum as well). But as with most parenting moments, the best advice is often to do whatever works.

Turns out our instincts were right and he needed a dose of antibiotics to get back to his usual healthy happy self. If its one thing you learn as a parent, its to trust your instincts. Despite what anyone else around you says, and sorry Dad’s in this situation often Mum knows best. If you think your child’s health warrants a trip to the GP, then take them. Remember they often don’t know they are sick and even more often can’t tell you.

This week the illness my son got, had mutated not only into the fabled Man Flu, but all the way into the Dreaded DAD FLU!

How is the Dad flu different to the Man flu? well how do you normally cope with the flu? Do you wrap yourself in blankets, lie on the couch, and watch reruns of your favorite TV Show?  well that sounds like a great coping mechanism, but as a Dad its not that simple.

Parenting doesn’t switch off just because you are sick.

I am going to take this opportunity to call out the amazing job Mrs Down Under is doing at supporting me while I am sick. She is constantly going out of her way to take as much of my part of the parenting load off me so I can recover. I also know she reads this blog so Thanks Again!

So is it time I stopped relying on my age and health to push me through the winter season without getting sick? Should I be getting the yearly ‘flu shot’? Hard to say. But given Dad’s can be stubborn and I (hopefully) won’t get sick again this year once this passes. Who knows what next year will bring.

Got any hints or tips for beating the Flu? or how to avoid it all together? I’d love to hear them

Choose your workout buddy

Sometimes its not about what you do to keep active its about who its with. We all have something that motivates us to workout and keep Active (see ‘Why be an Active Dad‘), but sometimes that’s not enough.

We need someone to keep us accountable, not just to be active every day, but to give it 100% each time. That’s where its important to choose your workout partners carefully.

Today’s Experience

Being a day off from work, my son was down for a nap and my wife was at home, it was a perfect time to get my daily dose of sweat. While it wasn’t planned, when I got to the gym there was two other guys there I know, who both happen to be Dads. We were all there for the same reason so we worked out together.

It was a hour of High Intensity training, pushing each other to lift heavier weights and get more out of the workout.

What I Learnt from it

One thing I’ve learnt about working out is it is a great stress reliever. Whether its stress from Work, Home, or anything else. Pushing yourself hard will take your mind off it.

Working out with other Dads gave us the opportunity to talk about being a dad and the different challenges we were going through. Hearing their challenges and realising that they were still able to find an hour most days to get away puts it all in perspective. If they can do it, anyone can.

Choosing your Workout Partner

Everyone has their own routine when it comes to being active and working out. Some will only go it Solo, Some need motivation that you can only get from a personal trainer, others prefer to do it as a group. Find what works for you.

As a Dad I suggest finding other Dad’s to workout with. There are a number of benefits in doing so. Firstly you will have someone to push you harder and really get 100% from every workout. Secondly there lives are going to be somewhat similar to yours, they will understand when you pull out at the last minute due to your family, they will understand if finding free time is challenging. Finally it will give you an opportunity to talk Dad Stuff to other Dads.

Why be an Active Dad

Why do I workout? Why spend some of your free time at the gym? Why spend your hand earned money on a membership? Why get up early everyday instead of sleeping in? Why push your body so it’s sore the next day? Why Workout?

These are all questions everyone has asked themselves in some form or another. Whether you don’t workout at all or whether you go for a run everyday, you have asked yourself these questions. So Why do we do it? that answer is different for everyone, everyone has their own ‘Why?’. It’s what drives them to allocate a part of their day to pushing themselves to the limit.

My Why has definitely evolved over the years, but since becoming a Dad I feel like its stronger then ever. I’m not saying I don’t go through ‘off’ stages

So Why do I Workout?

Simply put, So I can keep up with my kids. My kid is very active and I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. As he gets older chasing him around is going to require more effort on my behalf. I Don’t want to be exhausted every time he wants to play backyard footy. Not only that I want to actually be able to do these kinds of activities with him. I Don’t want to be stuck on the lounge because I’m too tired, I want to continue to live my life without needing support in day to day activities because I can’t lift objects I used to be able to.

So What Works for Me?

The best part of my why is that its not so much about me but about my family. Its a life-long challenge that will require ongoing commitment, which sounds scary but 1 or 2 weeks missed here and there isn’t going to impact it overall. In fact its good to give your body a break every so often.

I try to participate in some form of High Intensity activity multiple times a week along with strength work on all muscle groups. Push myself to the point I’m huffing and puffing and sweat is rolling off me to build and maintain healthy lung capacity. Utilise Whole Body strength movements which we use in day to day activity such as squats and deadlifts to work all muscles in my body

Benefits of Being an Active Dad

All you have to do is a quick google search to find a wealth of information about the benefits of working out regularly. Do these all apply to being a Dad, probably not but there are still plenty of good reasons to stay active such as

• Less Likely to be worn out chasing your kids. This starts from as soon as they can walk. As they grow older they will become more active and wouldn’t you rather be the Dad that can keep up with them rather then being worn out on the sideline?
• More chance of living a longer and healthier life. Its not just about living to old age anymore. Don’t you want to see your kids grow up, live their lives, maybe have grandchildren one day? I know when I get older I don’t want to be someone who becomes a burden on their family because they can’t look after themselves.
• Being proud of your Dad Bod. Everyone has a different idea of what the ideal ‘DadBod’ looks like. The fact is if your a Dad and you have a body, you have a DadBod. Wouldn’t you rather be comfortable and happy in your body then ashamed?

Whether your a parent or not, living an active lifestyle will do wonders for your health and well-being, its just up to you to commit to it. Find out what works for you and maintain it. Most Importantly find your Why

 

Eating Healthy or rather trying to. . .

Eating Healthy comes in many different forms. What works for some doesn’t work for others. What you can’t argue with is the benefits. As a working Dad it can be hard to stick to any sort of meal plan.

Everyone you ask will give you a different description of what healthy eating is. Here’s a few that come to mind

• Eating from the 5 food groups
• Getting all your serves of fruit and vegetables.
• Apple a day keeps the doctor away

When you think about what people say there are a lot of common themes and some not so common.

I don’t have any grand plans about loosing weight or getting a 6 pack, I just want to live a long and healthy life so I can keep up with my kids. So what do I do? I focus on trying to eat as healthy as possible when I can so it outweighs the times I can’t. Not as easy as it sounds.

Planning is a key part of this. You can’t eat healthy if your pantry is full of junk. So next time your doing a grocery shop. Take a bit more time and think before you buy. Once you have the food. Set aside the time to prepare it. I am by no means a chef but i’ve found healthier meals take longer to prepare (if you know of any shortcuts definately let me know). If you can tick those two boxes the hard work is done, you just need to make it habit.

What do I do while working? Again plan ahead. Every day I make a smoothie with a combination of blueberries, strawberries, banana apple, kiwi, spinach, and honey. Doesn’t sound that appetising but tastes alright and I know its good for me. Bonus it helps keep me full and stops me snacking on junk food.

Now I’m no dietician and will never claim to be. There is a wealth of information available if you look for it. I know what works for me. That’s the most important part, find what works for you, and maintain it as best you can.