Why Dad’s Need to Prioritise Exercise : Luke’s Story

Longevity Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Castle Hill, Randwick, Pymble, Kingsgrove,Neutral Bay and Coburg ask Luke Dorzias, Longevity Exercise Physiologist, how and why he has continued to make exercise a priority since the birth of his Daughter, Lily.

Becoming a Dad changes a lot of things in your life, but one thing you should make sure it doesn’t change is your fitness.

When Lily arrived, finding time to exercise, something that has always been a priority for me, became increasingly difficult. It was a classic conundrum, any extra time I had, I felt like I should be spending this time with my new family. Shifting my mindset to no longer feeling guilty when making time to prioritise  my own health was initially a challenge. However, I now understand this is not only the best thing for myself, but also for my Daughter.

One of the biggest things I noticed about becoming a Dad is the energy it takes caring for a child. More than ever, it was essential I had the strength and stamina to take on a never ending list of new tasks. Having a great exercise routine before I became a parent definitely helped, but maintaining this after Lily was born certainly had its obstacles.

Once becoming a parent, I knew I had to continue with my regular routine, with some adjustments. I was able to continue strength training twice a week, as well as walking or running daily (often as little as ten minutes at the start) I knew even if it was just 10 minutes, something was certainly better than nothing, and it was essential for my physical and mental health. Early on, the pram or carrier made the walks easy, so no excuses!

I knew that being fitter and stronger would give me more energy and strength to play and spend more time with our girl.

Although I was technically taking time away from Lily to exercise, I knew it would greatly enhance our quality time together. Remember the airplane analogy, put your own oxygen mask on first before assisting others. Help yourself to help your family – when you’re a healthier Dad, you can give more energy and time to your children.

For many new parents, the challenge is finding the time to exercise. Our Longevity Exercise Physiologists are here to help. Having one or multiple Exercise Physiology sessions booked in each week will help you stay accountable. Our Exercise Physiologists will also help you plan your whole weeks exercise around your family commitments. No session with your Exercise Physiologist will be the same, with our expertise, we can adjust and modify sessions on the day based on your energy levels. In your Exercise Physiology session, your Exercise Physiologist will take you through a warm up, series of mobility exercises, cardiovascular and resistance training protocols. Everything you need to be able to have the capacity and energy to keep up with your kids.

As your journey goes on as a parent, the need for improved fitness actually becomes more important. Now Lily is 2, she is heavier than before and loves being picked up (I need to keep increasing my deadlifts and overhead presses!). She is constantly on the move, so those short sprints come in handy too.

As a Dad, I implore all other Dads to maintain their exercise as a weekly priority for not only their health, but as role models for their children and family.

Give your Dad the gift of Longevity! Call  Longevity Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Castle Hill, Randwick, Pymble, Kingsgrove,Neutral Bay and Coburgon 1300 964 002 to speak with one of our Exercise Physiologists.

Written By Luke Dorzias