Look I haven't gotten fit in the last three years or so. At least not actively trying to improve my health.And it's weird as a sports nutritionist, personal trainer and strength coach to say that.With two kids in the last three years, the reality is I, like many others, don't have the opportunity and no one in the fitness industry wants to tell you that. This episode is for new dads who feel like they've lost their pre-kid fitness and wonder how to get back.The goal isn't a 90-day transformation. The goal is to maintain.In this Time To Grow Up episode I break down 3 things that actually help with a newborn: a low-bar mindset, a realistic nutrition approach (including the 25-30% rule), and movement you actually enjoy.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — Look, I haven't been fit in 3 years00:32 — Why the industry won't tell you the truth01:09 — Two kids under 3: why transformation isn't feasible01:59 — 3 things new dads can do with a newborn02:35 — #1 Mindset: set the bar really, really low03:31 — My bar: 1 workout, protein, 3 litres water04:24 — As kids gain skills, you raise the bar05:08 — When transformation programs actually work06:24 — #2 Be kind to yourself08:30 — Take your mornings back (1-2 hours for you)10:46 — #3 Nutrition: the 25-30% rule14:40 — Pro tip: mise en place , 10-minute hot meals15:51 — Movement: do what you enjoy, don't optimize yet17:44 — Summary: maintain, don't chase big goals21:29 — Your turn: what's your bare minimum?🔗 Resources and links to check out A FREE resource of 150 recipes to help improve your health https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-packA FREE list of 10 books to read this year https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listIf you need some help with your health and fitness coaching check out how I can help you https://go.iamchoong.com/coachingInstagram https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/#newdadfitness #dadfitness #fitnessforbusydads #fatherhood #menshealth

It was 2 AM, I was holding my firstborn, completely exhausted ,and I ‘dropped’ him, audible thud. That moment broke something open for me and I just have not been the same since. This episode is about the identity shift nobody warns you about as you enter the super early stages of fatherhood, some type of conflict internally of trying to hold on to who you might be prior to being a father and what becoming a father would ultimately look like.  0:00 Intro 2AM debacle 0:40 Something needed to change 2:22 Why I created the podcast3:00 Back story5.40 : Performative self 7.35 Post-partum depression for me9.30 F*** you parent energy10.15 : Seeing them lessResources and links to check out A FREE list of 10 books to read this year https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listA FREE resource of 150 recipes to help improve your health https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-packIf you need some help with your health and fitness coaching check out how I can help you  https://go.iamchoong.com/coachingInstagram https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/

I had to record this twice. The first time, I forgot to press record lol. Sat through the entire thing , tears and all only to realise nothing was captured (ahh how tech fails me!) So here it is, take two: 10 things I want my boys to know before they turn four.00:00 Intro01:21 # 1: You need to be reminded more than you need to be taught04:00 #2: Before you fall, know we love you06:17 #3: Time doesn't feel linear , it takes exponential jumps08:30 #4: We don't know everything (we're just guessing)10:30 #5: Time away from you isn't because we don't love you12:00 #6: You mould us into who we really are14:11 #7: I'm jealous of what you both have16:30 #8: I wish I made more money earlier in life19:00 #9: I'm glad I prioritised my health early21:00 #10: You make me a better person , and helped me love my parents moreResources and links to check out Resources and links to check out A FREE list of 10 books to read this year https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listA FREE resource of 150 recipes to help improve your health https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-packIf you need some help with your health and fitness coaching check out how I can help you https://go.iamchoong.com/coachingInstagram https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/

Most parents don't want to be average. But somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we learned to hide the very things that made us special , and now we're teaching our kids to do the same.In this episode of the Time to Grow Up podcast, I break down why authenticity isn't something you force, it's something that emerges through exposure, experience, and the courage to stay weird when the world tells you to fit in.I go through Why kids are natural individualists and how social pressure slowly erases thatMy own story: going from a kid who acted on TV and loved public speaking to a teenager who buried it all just to fit inThe Jiu-Jitsu sideline problem and what it reveals about parents living vicariously through their kidsThe single best thing parents can do (hint: it's exposure, not molding)Why losing your authenticity in your 20s hits hardest in your 30s and what to do about it0:00 Intro0:24 The authenticity paradox 1:00 Kids are natural individualists 2:06 My story3:16 What I want for my kids4:06 The parent's role: exposure, not molding6:35 Don't let the judgments of others dictate what you give up8:32 Being average ≠ being inauthentic11:38 Authenticity cannot be forced 12:28 When repetition becomes a choice, development beginsResources and links to check out A FREE list of 10 books to read this year https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listA FREE resource of 150 recipes to help improve your health https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-packIf you need some help with your health and fitness coaching check out how I can help you https://go.iamchoong.com/coachingInstagram https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/

Doing the bare minimum is an advice that sounds wrong, yet it might just be one (of the many) advice I would give my kids.In this episode, I break down why hustle culture is a coping mechanism disguised as ambition, and why the real skill isn't grinding harder , it's knowing when to shift into maintenance mode and do the bare minimum.A lot of the episode draws inspiration from Sahil Bloom's new book "5 Types of Wealth “ among other ideas I have come across in the past. This one's personal. It's also, I think, the conversation most dads in their 30s and 40s need to hear but rarely get.Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome back to the podcast1:30 Bare Minimums 2:40 The 5 Types of Wealth (Sahil Bloom)3:44 Hustle culture is an addiction 7:02 The bare minimum rules for health 9:08 Make a list for your seasons Resources and links to check out A FREE list of 10 books to read this year https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listA FREE resource of 150 recipes to help improve your health https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-packIf you need some help with your health and fitness coaching check out how I can help you https://go.iamchoong.com/coachingInstagram https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/

Purpose and passion have a huge intertwine yet they are not the same. In this episode of the Time To Grow Up podcast I break down why many burn out chasing passion and not true purpose and now how to start to view things differently which helps to put life into perspective. Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Following your passion is bad advice 6:20 Finding purpose can be a lonely journey 9:29 The consistency equation 13:14 Purpose is like the stock market Resources and links to check out A FREE list of 10 books to read this year https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listA FREE resource of 150 recipes to help improve your health https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-packIf you are a young adult check this out and use the code FREEFORGE for a month free https://go.iamchoong.com/theforgeIf you need some help with your health and fitness coaching check out how I can help you  https://go.iamchoong.com/coachingInstagram https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/

So I truly believe the idea of balance is a lie. Its something many would like to achieve yet I dont think its something we can do in this modern world. I wish that I am able to tell my kids that they can find balance, or dad is living a balanced life but in reality its not going to happen, and I doubt it will ever be. In the episode I cover things about how I view balance , why do people like to go hard and find it difficult to slow down (like kids), and why taking time off is so hard to do yet we know its beneficial. Enjoy. Here are 10 books I think you should read especially if you are a young adult trying to make sense of life right now https://go.iamchoong.com/book-listI send out 1 weekly email a week on a Wednesday covering topics from mindset, life, nutrition and training. If you would like to hear more of what I say (or read in fact) the link is down below:https://go.iamchoong.com/weekly-emailsIf you would like 150 free recipes to help with your health goals check them out :here https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-pack

So a lot has happened over the last year since the last episode came out in June. Thankfully while I did , intend to throw in the towel in this podcasting escapade, I came to realise why I started it in the first place, and I would like to share just some quick insights and updates on the last year since I last recorded an episode. I send out 1 weekly email a week on a Wednesday covering topics from mindset, life, nutrition and trianing. If you would like to hear more of what I say (or read in fact) the link is down below: https://go.iamchoong.com/weekly-emailsIf you would like 150 free recipes to help with your health goals check them out :here https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-pack

What a cool chat with Sarah! I could sit back and process my conversation with her after a few days. Hearing it from the point of view of a parent whose kid is on the other side of the world helps to put some things into perspective regarding my situation with my parents and what could be going through their minds. It was also interesting to hear her talk about her experience as a surrogate mother, and something that struck me after the conversation was that not a lot of people would consider that as a way of helping others; many who do tend to view it as a financial gain first but in Sarah's case it was very much a case of trying to be as helpful as possible. I admire her in that regard. You can find Sarah here at https://www.instagram.com/wakeupreadyl.lc/ My is IG https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/ And if you would like 150 free recipes to help with your health goals check them out :here https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe.-pack

Sarah has such a unique story, and I am so glad we cross paths to allow me to gain some insight on what it is like to be ‘on the other side’ of the coin when it comes to being a parent, where you have a child that is studying in a completely different country. I was very much (and still am) that child to my parents, and of course, I have my views, but it was terrific to get a perspective from someone (Sarah) who has her child currently studying in Japan. All this while doing her Masters at the University of Illinois and being a coach. In addition, Sarah also has a fantastic story about being a surrogate mother, and she goes into detail on some of the points to consider before going down the path and how she has decided to still keep in touch with the child and the family till this very day. You can find Sarah here at https://www.instagram.com/wakeupreadyllc/ My IG https://www.instagram.com/i_am_choong/ And if you would like 150 free recipes to help with your health goals check them out here https://go.iamchoong.com/free-recipe-pack