Top 5 Tips For Keeping Active As A Dad

My name is Adam and I'm a father of five cool kids. Their ages are 9,8,6,5 and 3! So in a nutshell life is pretty full on! I often get asked how I keep the balance and maintain an active lifestyle along with the craziness of raising a big family.

I'm no expert but here are my top 5 tips for keeping active and owning Dadlife!

Tip 1.

Hydration, the first thing I do every morning is drink water. I don't drink ice cold water, it's always room temperature so it's easier on the stomach. Two good size glasses does the trick. Hydration is so important and easily overlooked. Feeling tired? Drink some water. Feeling foggy and can't concentrate? Drink some water. That and a couple of deep breaths can work wonders and it's something I do often to keep myself in check.

Tip 2.

Taking time to workout. I like to get up at 5-5:30am 60% of the time haha! Lets face it, sometimes I just can't get out of bed like everyone else but I will never miss a workout. I know the body works better like this. This can be done at any part of the day. When sorting the kids I usually have some dumbbells lying around and will do sets of squats, push ups etc in-between. The kids tend to get involved which is pretty cool. We often think it has to be one full hour of a sweaty workout session, but little bits here and there still make a big difference.

Tip 3.

Getting out of the house as much as you can. Fresh air and sunlight is not only good for you but for your kids as well. I find having a really good stroller helps with the barriers of having young children who at times tell me 'their legs are broken'. We use the Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle and it basically kicks ass! Super durable and smooth, even on the toughest of terrain. I remember when we were first researching what stroller to get. It's a great idea for both parents to have input on this as I believe having a stroller that works for both of you is super important. Getting that balance between aesthetics and function (which I think MB does really well) is super important. It makes me want to get out and take the kids with me each time I go for a walk or run. It has helped remove limitations and excuses. So it's win for me and a win for mum as she gets 30min downtime while I'm out of the house with the kids.

Tip 4.

Being a dad of five, at times it can be really hard to find space to breath. We like to get all the kids in the car and just drive with no set destination in mind. Although they do at times scream and argue, we just enjoy sitting still and listening to music. We also like to stop at the beach and let the tribe run free. That sea breeze is a great energy zapper.

Tip 5.

Keep in touch with your own interests but not at the expense of your family connection. For example I played rugby last season at 39 years old. I'm not interested in the drinking and big nights. I've been there and done that. I'm interested in keeping fit and we make a family day of it. I play one weekend and Nikki will play hockey the next. The kids get really excited for super sports Saturday and it gives me the chance to do what I enjoy.

So I guess to summarize my key tips and the main takeaways from this is having the right equipment!! A few simple items like some 10-15kg dumbbells and a good durable stroller make all the difference. They have enabled me on a day to day basis to have no restrictions and give me the ability to look after myself while keeping active with my children following along. Win, win!

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Adam is the co-founder of New Zealand brand Cadenshae - a global leader in active maternity wear - learn more about the Mountain Buggy® X Cadenshae partnership here

all images courtesy of: Cadenshae