In the world of outdoor cooking, pizza ovens have become a must-have for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Two prominent brands, Ooni and Roccbox, have dominated the market with their innovative designs and high-quality performance. But when it comes to choosing the best pizza oven in 2024, which brand reigns supreme? In this article, we’ll compare the top three pizza ovens from each brand and ultimately crown the overall winner!
Top 3 Ooni Pizza Ovens
1.1 Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven
The Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven – Wood and Gas Fired Oven is a powerhouse, boasting a larger cooking surface compared to its predecessors. With a sleek stainless steel design, it reaches temperatures of up to 932°F (500°C) in just 15 minutes, ensuring quick and evenly cooked pizzas. Its versatility allows for wood, charcoal, or gas fuel options, giving users the flexibility they need.
The Ooni Karu’s new full glass oven door design lets you keep a watchful eye on your creations with ViewFlame technology and maintains oven temperatures thanks to improved insulation.
The Ooni Karu 16 oven has a new airflow engineering that regulates temperature control and fuel efficiency, and the carbon steel shell with a high temperature-resistant powder-coated finish offers improved insulation and weather resistance. This and more innovations make this oven the most advanced in its class.
1.2 Ooni Koda 16:
For those seeking simplicity without compromising performance, the Ooni Koda 16 is a top contender. This gas-powered oven heats up rapidly, reaching temperatures of 932°F (500°C) within 20 minutes.
Its compact size and lightweight design make it perfect for outdoor gatherings or impromptu pizza nights.
Best of all the Ooni Koda is o go straight out of the box! Simply unfold the legs, insert the pizza stone baking board, connect up to a gas tank and you’re ready to go.
1.3 Ooni Fyra 12:
The Ooni Fyra 12 is a favorite among pizza purists who prefer the authentic taste of wood-fired pizza. Made from powder-coated carbon steel, it’s durable and efficient, reaching temperatures of 950°F (500°C) in just 15 minutes. Its portable design and chimney clip make it easy to transport, making it ideal for camping trips or picnics.
Roccbox Pizza Ovens
2.1 Roccbox by Gozney:
Unlike Ooni’s numerous versions, Roccbox currently focused on one – the Roccbox by Gozney. It’s renowned for its premium build quality and exceptional performance. With a unique design that combines dense insulation and a stone floor, it retains heat efficiently, resulting in crispy pizzas with perfectly cooked crusts. It offers dual-fuel capability, allowing users to switch between wood and gas effortlessly.
Additionally it’s designed for both home and outdoor use – Roccbox’s compact and low-profile design makes it perfect for any space. Take it on camping trips or set it up in your backyard. This portable kitchen companion is ready to serve up delicious pizzas whenever and wherever you desire.
Finally, it gets super high ratings from users – a whopping 88% 5 stars on Amazon – which beats even Ooni’s top marks!
2.2 Upgrade – Roccbox Wood Burner Attachment:
For enthusiasts who appreciate the traditional flavor imparted by wood-fired cooking, the Roccbox Wood Burner Attachment is a game-changer. Compatible with the Roccbox oven, it elevates the cooking experience by providing an authentic wood-fired taste while maintaining consistent temperatures for even baking.
Who Wins? Ooni or Roccbox?
At the end of the day when we compare the top pizza ovens from Ooni and Roccbox, it’s clear that both brands offer exceptional products tailored to different preferences. Regardless of which one you choose, you’re sure to love it. However, in the battle of the best pizza oven in 2024, if I have to pick just one then the Ooni Karu 16 emerges as the overall winner!
Why is the Ooni Karu 16 the Best Pizza Oven of 2024?
The Ooni Karu 16’s larger cooking surface, versatile fuel options, and rapid heating capabilities make it a standout choice for pizza lovers seeking performance and flexibility. Its sleek design and durable construction ensure years of reliable use, making it a worthy investment for any outdoor cooking enthusiast.
While Roccbox by Gozney offers outstanding quality and innovative features, such as the Wood Burner and Gas Burner attachments, the Ooni Karu 16 edges ahead with its all-around performance and user-friendly design.
Conclusion
Ultimately, whether you choose Ooni or Roccbox, you can’t go wrong with either brand. It ultimately comes down to your personal preferences and cooking style. So, fire up your oven of choice, gather your favorite toppings, and enjoy a slice of homemade perfection right in your backyard. Happy pizza-making!
Pellet grills have become a staple in outdoor cooking, offering convenience, versatility, and exceptional flavor. I’ve personally moved away from my kamado in favor of my pellet grill because of the ease and convenience that pellet grills offer. With advancements in technology and design, selecting the best pellet grill in 2024 requires careful consideration. To simplify your decision-making process, we’ve compiled a list of the top seven pellet grills by using our own personal experience as well as incorporating insights from expert reviews and user feedback.
1. Traeger Ironwood 885 Pellet Grill
Traeger Ironwood 885
The Traeger Ironwood 885 Pellet Grill sets a new standard for outdoor cooking with its innovative features and robust construction. Equipped with WiFIRE technology, it allows you to control and monitor the grill from anywhere using the Traeger app. The Ironwood 885 offers ample cooking space, precise temperature control, and superior smoke production, ensuring consistent and delicious results with every cook. This is the grill that made me fall in love with Traeger and took over the top spot in my BBQ line-up – forcing my beloved Kamado Joe off the king’s chair!
U can check out the other Traeger Models here >>>
2. Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 24 Pellet Grill
Camp Chef Woodwind 24
Camp Chef’s Woodwind WiFi 24 Pellet Grill is renowned for its durability, versatility, and exceptional performance. Featuring Smart Smoke technology, it maintains consistent temperature levels, allowing for effortless smoking of meats, fish, and vegetables. Additionally, the included sear box provides high-temperature grilling capabilities, perfect for achieving restaurant-quality sear marks on your favorite cuts of meat.
3. Weber SmokeFire EX6 Gen 2 Pellet Grill
Weber SmokeFire Ex6
The Weber SmokeFire EX6 Gen 2 Pellet Grill combines superior craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology to deliver exceptional results. With its large cooking area and porcelain-enameled finish, it withstands the rigors of outdoor cooking while imparting delicious smoky flavor to your food. The EX6 Gen 2 offers precise temperature control and customizable cooking presets, ensuring optimal cooking conditions for a variety of dishes.
4. Green Mountain Grills Trek Prime 2.0 WiFi Pellet Grill
GMG Trek Prime 2.0
For those seeking portability without compromising on performance, the Green Mountain Trek Prime 2.0 Wood Pellet Grill is an excellent choice. This grill replaces the GMG beloved “Davy Crockett” model and adds new features. Despite its compact size, it boasts impressive cooking capabilities, including WiFi connectivity for remote control and monitoring. Whether you’re tailgating, camping, or grilling in your backyard, the GMG Trek Prime delivers mouthwatering results on-the-go.
5. Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill Smoker with PID 2.0
Z Grills 10002 B Pro
Rounding out our list is the Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker 10002B Pro, known for its affordability and reliability. With its generous cooking area and digital temperature control, it offers versatility for grilling, smoking, baking, roasting, and more. The 10002B PRO combines value with performance, making it a popular choice among pellet grill enthusiasts – and it looks downright awesome too.
6. Pit Boss PB820FB1 Pellet Grill
Pit Boss PF820FB1 Model
Pit Boss makes a lot of different models and you can find them at a variety of places. The Pit Boss PB820FB1 Pellet Grill is one of the most popular models because it offers a versatile and budget-friendly option for outdoor cooking enthusiasts. With its large cooking surface and dial-in temperature control, it’s capable of grilling, smoking, roasting, baking, and searing with ease. The durable construction and straightforward operation make it a favorite among beginners and experienced grillers alike.
7. REC TEC Deck Boss RT-590 Wood Pellet Smoker Grill
Rec Tec Deck Boss
Rec Tec makes a lot of grills and some are pretty pricey but for the value I’d go with the REC TEC Deck Boss RT-590 Wood Pellet Smoker Grill– a Wi-Fi-Enabled is a premium option known for its durability, precision, and exceptional performance. Featuring smart grill technology and a high-temperature powder coat finish, it delivers consistent heat distribution and superior smoke flavor. With its spacious cooking area and advanced controls, the Deck Boss is ideal for everything from low-and-slow smoking to high-heat grilling.
And there you have it, we believe the best pellet grill in 2024 offers a blend of advanced technology, durable construction, and exceptional cooking performance. Whether you prioritize convenience, versatility, or flavor, there’s a pellet grill available to suit your needs. Consider factors such as cooking area, temperature control, and additional features to find the perfect grill for your outdoor culinary adventures.
For the record, while all the grills on this list are top rated by experts and users alike, the Traeger 885 Ironwood is my current fav and if I had to pick just one from this list, that would be it. I’ve been 100% satisfied with mine and I’d bet you will be too.
There’s nothing quite like the sizzle of a hamburger hitting the grill on a warm summer day. While a great patty is essential, the right seasoning can take your burger from ordinary to extraordinary. If you’re looking to elevate your burger game, look no further. We’ve scoured the web and grilled up the top 5 rubs guaranteed to make your hamburgers a hit at your next cookout.
Classic Burger Rub:
Product: Weber Gourmet Burger Seasoning: A classic blend from a trusted brand, this seasoning offers a perfect combination of kosher salt, garlic, and black pepper to enhance the flavor of your burger patties.
Product: McCormick Grill Mates Garlic, Herb & Wine Marinade: While technically a marinade, this versatile product can also be used as a dry rub. With flavors of garlic, rosemary, and thyme, it’s perfect for adding a touch of herbaceousness to your burgers.
Maple Bacon Rub:
Product: Pork Barrel BBQ All American Seasoning & Rub: While not explicitly labeled for burgers, this rub’s combination of brown sugar, smoked paprika, and bacon flavor adds a unique twist to your burger patties, reminiscent of the classic maple bacon combination.
Mediterranean Lemon Pepper Rub:
Product: Kosmos Q Dry Rub Texas Beef BBQ Dry Rub: This tangy rub offers a unique blend of spices is combined with true Texas BBQ ideals, delivering a mouthwatering explosion of savory flavors.
At the end of the day these rubs and seasoning blends are not only popular among grillmasters but also highly rated and frequently purchased by consumers so whether you’re a seasoned grilling aficionado or just starting out, these top 5 rubs are sure to impress your guests and elevate your burger game to new heights.
No matter which rub you choose, be sure to generously coat your burgers on both sides before grilling for maximum flavor. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or simply craving a delicious homemade burger, these top 5 rubs are sure to impress. So fire up the grill, grab your favorite toppings, and get ready to enjoy the ultimate burger experience!
Today, we’re diving into the world of workout supplements tailored specifically for men over 50 like me. Whether you’re aiming to build muscle, improve endurance, or simply enhance your overall health, incorporating the right supplements into your routine can make all the difference. Let’s explore some top-rated workout supplements that will supercharge your fitness journey and have you feeling stronger and more energized than ever before. I’ll also provide links to find the products on Amazon.
Editor’s Note: Hi, I’m Mike – I founded That Helpful Dad on YouTube back in 2011 because I got tired of not being able to find trustworthy product reviews online. So I started doing my own. My goal was to provide a resource that would help other families know what family products were good and what weren’t so hot. We’ve reviewed tons of products over the years and shared countless helpful tips. We’ll continue to do so because our mission remains the same – be a trusted adviser to our readers and friends – like YOU.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and not telling you what you should/should not put into your body. This article is an example of what *I* do. Every person is different. I trust you will make the best decision for your body and I recommend you consult with your health care professional for additional guidance before using any of of the supplements on this list.
1. Protein Power:
First up, let’s talk protein. As we age, there are many benefits to maintaining muscle mass, and protein is the cornerstone of muscle repair and growth. That’s where Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein comes in. I’ve been using this product for about 20 years now and of all the protein powders I’ve tried over the years “ON” has always been my favorite. With its blend of whey protein isolate and peptides, and a wide variety of flavors to choose from, plus very few carbs, this powerhouse supplement supports muscle recovery and growth, ensuring you stay strong and resilient as you crush your workouts.
2. Multivitamin Magic:
Next on our list is Garden of Life Multivitamin for Men 50 & Over. We all know that a balanced diet is essential for overall health, but sometimes we need a little extra boost to ensure we’re getting all the nutrients we need, especially as we age. This multivitamin is specifically formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of men over 50, providing a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants derived from whole foods. It’s a comprehensive men’s multivitamins formulated to meet the unique needs of men in their 50s & beyond; 100% DV of 18 minerals and vitamins for men like vitamin A, C, D, K, B Complex & Zinc—plus Lycopene, Boron, Vanadium & CoQ10. Say hello to vitality and goodbye to those pesky nutrient deficiencies!
3. Fish Oil Fuel:
Now, let’s talk about heart health and joint support with Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega SoftGels. Omega-3 fatty acids are like fuel for your body, supporting everything from cardiovascular function to brain health. I’m sure you know that research shows that the essential fatty acids EPA & DHA in fish oil support heart, brain, eye & immune health. Omega-3s may also help support a healthy mood. The Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega features high concentration omega-3 fish oil and their formula meets the daily recommended dose suggested by the American Heart Association to support a healthy heart. I like the fact that Nordic’s omega-3 fish oil concentrates are in the triglyceride molecular form (the form naturally found in fish) for optimal absorption. As a bonus, Nordic’s Ultimate Omega has a great lemon taste, it’s non-GMO, gluten- & dairy-free ingredients with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. These softgels deliver high-potency omega-3s sourced from wild-caught fish, ensuring you stay sharp, focused, and agile as you tackle your workouts and conquer your day.
4. Creatine Charge:
Looking to boost your strength, power, and muscle endurance? Look no further than BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate Powder. There’s no need to spend more money on high priced creatine supplements when it’s been shown time and again that good old ‘mono creatine’ works just as well if not better than the fancy versions of creatine. The bottom line is that creatine is a powerhouse supplement that plays a crucial role in energy production during high-intensity exercise. It’s also been shown by research to be one of the safest supplements to use. I’ve been using creatine on and off for over 25 years and it’s been a staple of my program. Bulk Supplements’ version is micronized powder mixes easily into water or shakes, providing pure creatine to fuel your workouts and help you reach new heights of strength and performance.
5. Collagen Connection:
Last but not least, let’s talk about collagen peptides. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides are like the fountain of youth for your joints, skin, and connective tissues. Sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine hides, these peptides provide a convenient way to support joint health and promote skin elasticity as you age gracefully and maintain your active lifestyle. Personally I like the unflavored version best because it’s the most versatile to put into shakes, etc, but the vanilla and chocolate are also great choices if you wanna put some in your morning coffee.
Conclusion:
And there you have it, folks – the top workout supplements for men over 50 in my opinion and all of these are available on Amazon. Whether you’re aiming to build muscle, improve endurance, or simply support your overall health and vitality, these supplements have got you covered. So what are you waiting for? Stock up on your favorites, hit the gym, and unleash your inner beast. Your fittest, strongest self is waiting – let’s make it happen!
When the company Naked Nutrition recently contacted me to review another one of their supplements, I was happy to help. I’ve worked with them in the past and appreciate the company’s focus on using pure ingredients vs marketing hype, so I was excited to try Naked Oats + Whey. What follows is my review and some ideas for how to get the most use out of this versatile product from Naked Nutrition.
Why Listen to Me?
Regular readers of my blog know I’m into all things healthy. Being over 50, I strive to live the 50+ Fitness lifestyle and as such not only do I regularly work out, but I also enjoy tracking everything I eat and drink. I hope me sharing my experiences with you will be helpful.
Naked Oats + Whey – What’s inside?
Naked Oats is basically a whey protein powder that’s combined with rolled oats. The oats used here are gluten free and the product itself is GMO Free and Soy Free. With 20 grams of protein and 40 carbs at 270 calories, the product also boasts a high quality Amino Acid profile (17 Amino Acids) – making it a powerful muscle building supplement when combined with your fitness routine.
Why I Like Naked Oats
In my opinion, Naked Oats is a great way to get a super food combo of two of the most common building block foods in your fitness program. Having them combined into one product makes it convenient and easy to get an energizing protein + healthy carb fix to prep you for your day and/or your workout. I find it to be a time saving product that fits in well with my routine.
How am I using Naked Oats?
My teenage son and I are both into working out and eating healthy. He and I have been using Naked Oats for about a month now and we’ve come up with a few ways of using the product.
Simple Protein Oat Drink for Breakfast – as part of his balanced breakfast, my son has taken a liking to mixing a scoop of Naked Oats with 8 oz of milk in the morning. The product mixes easily with just a few stirs of a fork in the milk and it gives him a great boost to his school day.
PreWorkout Boost – Me – I like mixing mine with water to save on the calories and just taking a quick drink of it about an hour before my workout so I have the protein ready for building muscle and the oats for the carb energy for the exercise routine.
A Key Ingredient in your Favorite Shake – if my son or I are making a ‘big shake’ in the Nutribullet, we love to add in a scoop of Naked Oats to the mix. My fav shake is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey + Banana + Naked Oats + Flaxseed + Kirkland Peanut Butter + Almond Milk. Sometimes I’ll add in some frozen coconut, other times I’ll skip the banana and peanut butter and add in frozen mango and/or frozen blueberries. As for Jax, he’s all about bulking at his age so he up’s the calories with two scoops of fun.
Post Workout Meal or Night time snack – my son Jax has come up with a version of a recipe from a fellow YouTuber where he makes a tasty little snack by mixing up 1 scoop of Naked Oats + 1 TB of Maple Syrup + 1 TB of Peanut Butter + 1 TB of Chocolate Chips. It’s addictive!
However you mix it, Naked Oats fits in well and it blends easily – AND IT TASTES GREAT!
How to Buy Naked Oats + Whey
You can find the product most easily by visiting Naked Nutrition’s website and visiting this page:
If you read my blog, you’ve probably read my Trust Guarantee so you know I don’t endorse a company unless I use their products myself. When I recommend Naked Oats to you it’s because I have seen the results for myself – therefore I feel good about telling you to check it out too. I hope you find as much value from the product as my family and I do.
My wife and I recently traded out her Honda Odyssey Elite Minivan for a Ram 1500 Longhorn Limited truck. The Longhorn is part of a new breed of trucks by Ram, Ford, Toyota, GMC, et al that cater to consumers that want to drive a truck that has the higher end features of a luxury vehicle. This was the case for my wife – our boys were out of car seats and she wanted to get back into a truck, but she wanted it to have all the bells and whistles of a luxury crossover – we found all that and more in her new Longhorn. The vehicle is just beautiful inside and out.
My wife and I with our new Ram
Ram 1500 Longhorn Black Saddle Interior
So you got the truck, what about the cover?
Of course the problem with trucks is that the bed needs a cover if you plan to put anything of value in there. We like to travel, and since the boys are in the rear cab, all our suitcases and gear have to go in the truck bed – that means we needed a cover that would provide weather protection and security.
We didn’t want to go with a full topper (in which case we would have just bought a large SUV) and we didn’t want to go with a single piece hard-shell topper (we didn’t like the way it looks). So that left us with the ubiquitous Tonneau Cover option.
What is a Tonneau Cover?
A “tonneau” is an area of a car or truck open at the top – for trucks that’s the bed. It follows then that a ‘tonneau cover’ is the item that covers the opening in order to provide weather protection, stop theft, and even improve aerodynamics/gas mileage.
If you shop for a tonneau cover you’ll learn they’re made out of hard or soft materials including steel, aluminum, canvas, PVC, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. They also come in a variety of styles – some are bi or tri-folds, some roll up or retracts, some tilt open, etc. Some of them can be locked, some just snap shut.
Tonneau Cover Options
How did we decide on a Diamondback Cover?
Once we determined we wanted a tonneau cover for my wife’s truck, we had to decide what style we wanted. This took a bit of time, online research, and visiting some tonneau cover distributors so we could see the product types in person. We also started paying attention to what we saw on other people’s trucks around town.
As I said, weather protection and security were the most important items for us, followed by ease of use and appearance. Since the ‘snap’ covers only provided minimal theft deterrence, we quickly eliminated them. Next we compared the various models that had multiple ‘hard’ panels that could be folded open, retracted, or rolled up.
We found numerous items we liked in this class and we’d actually made the decision to purchase a BakFlip MX4 since that model was known to fit our truck and seemed to offer us everything we wanted.
Then we saw the Diamondback and that changed everything!
Diamondback Cover
One look at a Diamondback cover and you’ll immediately recognize it’s something special. Pick an adjective – Tough, Impressive, Bold, Sturdy, Impenetrable – these and more come to mind when you see a Diamondback. We absolutely loved the look of the Diamondback and thought it would be a perfect looking cover for our bed.
What makes a Diamondback Cover so special?
Weather protection – reviews out the wazoo complain of leaking in most tonneau covers – to include the BakFlip MX4 we considered. But the Diamondback was built with weather protection in mind – a thick EPDM compression gasket runs along the perimeter of the cover to create a barrier to water, snow, or ice, keeping your cargo dry. Win!
Anti-Theft – although nothing is impossible to break in to, it would take a very determined thief to take the time to pry open the fortress that is a Diamondback when far easier fare could be had slicing open soft tonneau covers or picking the kinda flimsy locks offered by most other tonneau covers. The Diamondback cover is made with die-cast zinc lock handles on the access panels that work in conjunction with a 3/8″ deadbolt-style rods directly under the bed rails of your truck. Check it out…
Ease of Access – although the panels on the Diamondback weigh 35-50 pounds each, because the cover uses gas springs, my wife can raise/lower the panels with a single hand. Another Win!
Appearance – well you already know the answer there. We never knew a tonneau cover like this was an option but once we saw it it was exactly what we wanted!
Bonus – Made in America! My wife and I are grateful to be “Make America Great Again” Conservative Christians who love the USA. When we learned the covers are made in the USA that was yet another reason for us to buy a Diamondback and support a quality American business. Additionally, I was born in PA and when I read the story of how the company was formed at Penn State that was the icing on the cake.
We chose the Diamondback SE in the new Smooth Black finish – it looks amazing.
Diamondback SE Smooth Black Finish
The reason why we went with the SE vs the HD or 270 is because we’re not planning to haul anything on the top so we didn’t need the extra heavy duty HD version which can hold up to 1600 pounds of gear/ATV’s/You Name It ON TOP of the cover. The SE version holds up to 400 pounds on top of the cover and that’s plenty more than we’ll ever need.
With the HD eliminated, and not interested in the 180 version, that narrowed it down to the SE and the 270. I was initially leaning towards the 270 with the multi front panel access options, but knowing that I was going to have to do the install myself, I thought it would be best to just go with the easiest model to install (the SE) vs the extra steps of the 270. [Update: after doing the install and realizing it wasn’t really all that hard, I know now we could easily have gone with the 270 model, however the SE has been great and it’s providing everything we want in a tonneau cover].
Anything else?
During the process of buying our Diamondback we learned that the company has an unrelenting commitment to quality backed by truly OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE. When I installed our cover I noticed two things that weren’t quite perfect.
The weather stripping on one of the corners of the rear panel didn’t quite fully meet with the center panel – it was off by about a 1/2 inch.
Additionally the “Diamondback” logo on the back had a tiny bit of paint overspray on the couple of the letters so the logo wasn’t completely clear to my eye (to the clear the logo was still very legible, just not perfect)..
Both of these were very minor issues but given that we’d just paid about $2k I decided to reach out to Diamondback customer care and let them know.
I assumed they’d just send me a small section of additional weatherstripping for the 1/2 gap and I didn’t really expect much on the minor paint overspray on the logo letters since it wasn’t that big a deal. At most I figured they’d just send me a replacement for the rear panel. Boy was I wrong!
Customer Care Specialist Ben Kramer immediately responded to my concerns and went above and beyond to make it right. Since the issues were minor he offered me two options – a discount to keep the current cover or a full replacement cover.
I never expected they’d want to replace the entire cover just to fix a couple minor issues with the rear panel, but as Ben explained Diamondback as a commitment to quality and additionally, due to the production process of the Diamondback covers the unique fitment of each panel and one of a kind lock handles, you can’t just replace one panel (the locks won’t match up) so Diamondback wanted to replace the entire cover for us.
We chose the replacement option, Diamondback sent us a new cover, we kept the old cover on until the new cover arrived, quickly swapped out the new cover for the old, and then sent back the original in the return box/crate provided by Diamondback – it really couldn’t have been easier. I’d like to recognize Ben and all the good folks at Diamondback for taking care of us in this way!
With customer service like this and a great warranty program we’re confident our Diamondback will be with us for many years to come. That’s peace of mind worth investing in.
So what’s the bottom line?
If you’ve got a high end truck and you’re looking for a high end tonneau cover to complement it, you really need to be looking at the Diamondback Covers. Check out all the Diamondbacks on their site and if you decide to order, let them know That Helpful Dadtold you about ‘em. It’ll be a win-win for all of us.
I’ve been a practitioner of the Intermittent Fasting lifestyle for about 7 years now and I can honestly say that this ‘diet’ has changed my life in many positive ways. I’ve written about the benefits of Intermittent Fasting on this blog numerous times in the past and today I’d like to share more of my Intermittent Fasting Results with you – providing transparency of results for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years and now even 5 Years! After that I stopped counting because it’s just my normal lifestyle now.
(Article originally published 2017, updated Dec 2022 to post 5 years results)
Back in 2017 I realized I had a problem – a ‘growing’ problem: I’m my mid 40’s and for the last few years my waistline has been getting bigger while I’ve been getting tired a lot more. I kind of felt like this…
King of Queens tv show
At first I thought maybe it was Low-T but blood tests confirmed that wasn’t the issue.
Next I turned to my diet – being honest with myself I knew my diet could be improved, so I experimented with various lifestyle changes (vegetarian, paleo, low-carb diet, etc) – unfortunately, nothing felt right.
For my part I just wanted to do the EASIEST kind of intermittent fasting because, to be brutally honest with you, I didn’t really believe that IF would work for me so I was mostly doing it just to say I tried it but not really expecting to stick with it.
Boy am I glad I was wrong!
I chose the 14/10 Intermittent Fasting schedule to get started – basically what that means is that I didn’t eat for 14 hours and then ate all my food in a 10 hour window.
What does that look like in real life?
Basically my plan was to stop eating around 6pm (dinner) and then not eat again until 8am the next day. That boils down to simply skipping late night snacks.
Now while that may not sound that hard to you, I didn’t think I could do it. After all, I love having some snacks and a beer or two while watching a ball game with friends or Netflix with my wife.
Furthermore the idea of not eating anything for 10 hours was really scary!
As someone who’s battled low blood sugar and ‘hanger’ issues all my life, I thought there was absolutely no way I’d be able to go that long without eating.
Late night snacks while watching tv? No!
Breakfast in the morning? No!
Can I at least get an egg or something? How about a power bar? A glass of OJ? No, no, and no!
Although I am a big believer in the power of positive thinking and I love the saying ‘The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can’t are both right’, quite frankly I gave myself little chance of success on making Intermittent Fasting work. My mind quickly thought of all the things that could go wrong…
I’m going to die! Without food I’ll be even more tired. Without my protein I’ll lose muscle.
But in spite of my fears, I decided to give Intermittent Fasting for weight loss a try. After all, if it didn’t work it would just be another failed experiment to throw in the fad pile. No big deal. Been there, done that.
Intermittent Fasting – My Initial Goals
I believe in transparency with my reader so in this article I will clearly describe my goals and results.
My goal was to use Intermittent Fasting for weight loss to get down to 155 lbs and reduce my waist/belly measurements to 32 inches. I gave myself 3 months to accomplish this goal. I knew that was a tall order since I’d been gaining an inch on my waist each year since 2014 but a man can still dream, right?
My Baseline measurements from October, 2017
Height: 5’7
Weight 166
Waist 36.25
Belly 37.5
(Note: all waist/belly measurements in this experiments were using a tape measure loosely – AKA no pulling snug to enhance results).
My First WEEK of Intermittent Fasting
After the first couple days of intermittent fasting back in 2017 I remember thinking…
OMG, I can’t believe it – I’m not dying.
Shockingly Intermittent Fasting was not nearly as hard I thought it would be.
In fact, not only did I NOT have much difficulty fasting 14 hours, but I discovered that by not eating first thing in the morning I was able to avoid a lot of the daily intestinal issues I’d suffered from for so long. Additionally, I was surprised to discover…
I had tons more energy.
I had more clarity of mind in the morning.
I thought I’d be tired, I was anything but.
Combine these unexpected benefits with my SMART Morning Routine and my mornings quickly turned into super productivity sessions!
How I felt with Intermittent Fasting
Things went so well with my 14/10 intermittent fasting experiment that I quickly upped my time to 16-hour fasts using the 16/10 Intermittent Fasting Schedule.
(I gained so much confidence that I honestly felt I could do 24-hours if I wanted to – although to date I haven’t done that yet because well, quite frankly, there’s just too much good food in the world and I love cooking).
After ONE MONTH of Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss using 16/8 IF
Results vs Baseline
Height: 5’7” (FYI unfortunately I learned that IF doesn’t affect your height – too bad, huh?)
Weight: 160 (-6 lbs)
Waist 36 (-.25 inches)
Belly 36.5 (-1 inch)
To say I was satisfied with Intermittent Fasting was an understatement. I felt outstanding.
And remember these results were achieved during the Thanksgiving Holiday period. Wow!
After TWO Months of 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
Thinking I’d discovered the holy grail of weight loss, I got a little cocky.
I tried experimenting with a few variables (skipped days, bad diet days, more beer(!) etc). I wanted to see if I just how well Intermittent Fasting could overcome bad habits.
Reality check – I learned that Intermittent Fasting is NOT a magic cure-all for overcoming bad diet habits – eating a bunch of bad food and drinking more beer is too much for Intermittent Fasting to overcome.
(Thanks, Captain Obvious).
At the end of Month 2 here’s where I was…
Results Vs Prior Month:
Weight 161 (+1 lbs)
Waist 36 (no change)
Belly 36.5 (no change)
Results Vs Baseline:
Weight (-5 lbs)
Waist (-.25 inches)
Belly (-1 inch)
Good News: in spite of the bad habits I tried in Month 2, I didn’t lose a lot of my gains and I was still in good shape vs my baseline. Now that’s a pretty forgiving diet!
After THREE MONTHS of 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
Things were still going well for my intermittent fasting for weight loss experiment, and during this time period I tried experimenting with a few Fasting Cardio routines — basically doing 8-20 minutes of HITT (High-Intensity Interval Training) just before breaking my fast.
I found that I had more energy when I did Fasting Cardio, but it was a fine line because if I pushed too hard I ended up with intense pounding headaches (something I’ve never had trouble with before) and I also couldn’t’ go very long on the cardio routine (15-20 minutes tops) before getting those headaches, so that limited my ability to burn a lot of calories over a longer session. As a result, I’m still not sure how much more effective (if at all) Fasting Cardio is vs longer HITT later in the day (after I’ve had something to eat for energy).
I also added in some CrossFit workouts for my alternate cardio and muscle building options during the day and I felt like this worked well.
I still kept my bad diet/cheat days (read: chicken wings) and even a few beers as a reward for a good week and this seemed like a good balance for long-term lifestyle change success.
My Results at the end of THREE months of Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss:
Results Vs Prior Month:
Weight 157 (-4 lbs)
Waist 35.25 (-.75 inches)
Belly 35.75(-.75 inches)
Results Vs Baseline:
Weight (-9 lbs)
Waist (-1 inch)
Belly (-1.75 inches)
So basically, by the end of the 3-months…
I’d taken off almost 10 lbs, shaved an inch off my waist, and nearly 2 inches off my belly by simply not eating late night snacks and delaying my breakfast. This was a couple pounds shy my weight goal (155) and a far cry from my belly/waist goals (still 3+ inches away!!), however…
I learned that Intermittent Fasting for weight loss wasn’t hard, I felt great from an energy standpoint, and it’s a lifestyle change that seemed to be doable for the long term for me.
It’s true that at the end of my initial 3 month experiment I didn’t achieve my goal (155 lbs and a 32-inch waist) but I also didn’t kill myself to get there either. I put Intermittent Fasting for weight loss into my “Average Joe” lifestyle and was able to get some real positives from it (especially in terms of how much more energy I had).
Therefore I decided to keep going…
Thanks for the encouragement, Stiffler!
After SIX MONTHS of Intermittent Fasting
Here’s where I was at the end of 6 months with Intermittent Fasting for weight loss…
My Results:
Weight: 156 (10 lbs below baseline)
Waist: 34.2 (2.05 inches below baseline)
Belly: 34.5 (3 inches below baseline!)
A note on weight – during this time period I started doing more workouts and my muscle mass increased so I was fine with still being over 155 lbs goal.
A note on measurements – I used a loose tape measure and let my stomach out as naturally as possible in order to know my ‘real’ results. (Kind of like not moving the ball in golf and playing it where it lies). Although my belly measured 34.5 incheas with a loose tape measure I could finally comfortably wear 32-inch waist pants again. Woo Hoo!
For me Intermittent Fasting proved to be been a grand success – but after 6 months I wasn’t about to give up…
After ONE YEAR of Intermittent Fasting
I didn’t stop at just 6 months. I couldn’t.
By now I was addicted to Intermittent Fasting.
Most every day I used 16/8 Intermittent Fasting but a few times a week I also used 18/6 Intermittent Fasting and sometimes even 20/4 Intermittent Fasting. Why? Because I just wasn’t hungry and I really liked being able to save time by not worrying about food.
You’ll be surprised how much extra time you get when you use intermittent fasting.
In any case, after a full year of Intermittent Fasting for weight loss and here’s where I stood vs baseline…
My Results in Oct, 2018 vs Baseline Oct, 2017
Weight: 149 (-17 lbs)
Waist: 32.9 (-3.35 inches)
Belly: 33.1 (-4.4 inches)
Well it took me a year, but I made it well beyond my goal weight of 155 lbs and at this point I made a new goal to get to 145 lbs.
I still had a bit of work to do on my belly measurement (I wanted to drop another inch) but that was proving a bit more challenging.
I want to stress again that I was able to achieve these results WITHOUT extreme dieting, calorie counting, or doing anything beyond tweaking a few of my normal eating habits.
I say that because I realized that, at my age (47 at the time), if I wanted to get my belly measurement under 32 inches I was coming to grips with either paying more attention to what I ate (in addition to Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss) or else giving up on that goal.
After TWO YEARS of Intermittent Fasting
I reached the two year mark for Intermittent Fasting in October 2018, and while I continued to love the IF lifestyle, it should be noted that I adjusted my goals a bit vs the 1 year mark.
My goals for year 2 (and beyond) were changed to focused on maintain a weight between 150-155 with well-defined muscles and a waistline of 32 inches. A few notes about this:
I made these changes because I realized that 145 lbs was a bit too low for my target weight given that I still wanted to have well-defined muscle architecture.
The ‘well-defined muscle’ component may sound like a new goal from the IF standpoint but actually it’s not new to my overall life goals since the maintenance of muscle structure has long been a goal for me.
The definition of well-defined muscles is likely to be different for everybody. For me it’s basically an upper-body goal focus on chest, arms, and abs. Briefly, for my size at 5’7″, my goals are a 40-inch chest, 13.5-inch arms (not flexed), 15-inch arms (flexed), and a belly < 32 inches — all of which boils down to having a clear muscle definition when I look in the mirror – in short a body that makes me feel good about myself.
More importantly for our discussion is this…
After 2 years, I can honestly say that my intermittent fasting routine is such an easy part of my lifestyle that I don’t really pay a lot of attention to it.
16/8 Intermittent Fasting is simply my normal daily routine and on the days I didn’t do it (for travel or other miscellaneous reasons), I feel out of balance. Therefore I live the Intermittent Fasting lifestyle as often as I can.
HOWEVER that doesn’t mean it’s been all roses — during the past year there have been multiple months where I:
got a bit lax and got into the habit of eating late night snacks (I tried making up for this by not eating until lunch the next day but this shifting calorie thing didn’t work well).
enjoyed too many beers with friends too often (which leads to eating too many snacks).
didn’t eat enough protein.
got lax on my workouts.
I point these things out because this is real life. I’m nearly 50 and not the spring chicken I once was. As I say on this blog all the time, I’m must an Average Joe, and as such I have Average Joe style problems too.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t keep trying.
In any case, here are my current results…
At 2-years, My results from October 2019 vs Baseline Oct 2017
Weight: 152 (-14 lbs) – goal achieved
Belly: 34 (-3.5 inches) – goal not achieved
Chest: 40 inches – goal maintained
Arms: 13.8/14.9 – goal not quite achieved (not enough definition)
In terms of Intermittent Fasting for weight loss I was able to achieve AND maintain my goal weight (150-155), however I did not achieve my belly/waistline goal (32 inches) and I haven’t yet got the definition I want on my arms.
I attribute these delays vs my goals to the following:
In spite of Intermittent Fasting, I often ate too many calories this past year.
There was a period of time where I was on a bit of a ‘dessert’ kick.
Summertime chicken wings + beer don NOT add up to washboard abs even with Intermittent Fasting – who knew? 😦
Even when I did watch calories (or at least pay attention to them), when I consistently shifted more eating to later in the day (when I didn’t need the calories for fuel), I felt like I still gained weight. (In fact I know this to be true because it was one of the many things about IF that I religiously tracked on my daily spreadsheets – yes I keep spreadsheets on IF (and lots of other things) – but that’s another story.)
And yet, in spite of all these real life challenges where I let myself fall off the wagon in terms of proper eating, when I ate too many wings and had too many beers, when I did so many things wrong, I firmly believe that it was Intermittent Fasting that played a big role in keeping me relatively healthy and in shape.
Now you might say – duh – this isn’t rocket science, Mike – when you use Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss and you consistently do NOT eat for 16 hours per day, it’s only natural that you’ll tend to consume less calories overall then if you DO eat during the 16 hours you’re up each day.
That’s probably true.
And maybe it’s just common sense.
But you know what? Sometimes common sense wisdom is the best kind there is. Maybe that’s what Intermittent Fasting is – just common sense.
After THREE Years of Intermittent Fasting
I reached the 3 year mark for Intermittent Fasting in October 2020 and honestly I wasn’t even paying attention. I have completed a 14/10 or 16/8 fast almost every day since October 2017 and it’s just a normal part of my lifestyle – I really don’t even think much about it anymore. Fasting is simply as much of an everyday occurrence for me as brushing my teeth, sleeping, or just breathing.
That being said, because I haven’t actually focused on my fasting or my diet, I let myself dip a bit in 2020 – although the Covid-19 lab leak that spawned lockdown life and quarantines and the resulting depression it caused me had a lot to do with that!
In any case, here were my 3-year results from October 2020 vs Baseline October 2017
Weight: 154 – which is within my 150-155 target
Belly: 34.8 – no where near my goal of 32
Chest: 40 inches – goal maintained
Arms: 13.5/14.9 – goal not quite achieved
A few notes on my waist/belly and muscle goals – if you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know that I am always transparent with you, therefore I will be here too. For most of 2020 I have been depressed about how the world has suddenly changed as a result of Covid-19 and the #Fear that we’ve allowed to control our lives. For most of 2020 I didn’t work out much, I’ve drank way too much beer, and I ate a lot of crap food. Most of my fasting was only 14/10 instead of 16/8. As a result, my efforts to reach my body image goals failed for most of 2020 – and this only added to my depression.
And yet, once again, in spite of everything that I did WRONG, Intermittent Fasting helped me maintain my weight within my target range! That’s pretty freakin’ incredible in my book!
Furthermore, in spite of all the negative events at home and abroad, I decided to listen to my wife’s advice and focus on our inner circle and cherish the Now Moments of our family. I’m also taking my own advice and seeing The Beauty That is All Around Me.
Additionally, my wife and I were able to overcome our fears about Covid-19 and take advantage of the fact that Florida is NOT a lockdown state, therefore we are able to venture out and live a little. As a result, in mid-Nov, 2020, I joined a gym again and rededicated myself to a 16/8 fast, along with consistently exercising and was able to trim some fat…
After 5 Years of Intermittent Fasting
It’s now December, 2022, I’m 51 1/2 years old, and it’s been over five years since I started Intermittent Fasting. This will probably be the last update I make because if you’re still reading this I’m sure you’ve realized by now that Intermittent Fasting has a LOT of benefits. It’s not really something I even think about, it’s just part of my normal everyday lifestyle.
At the 2 year mark, you’ll recall that I updated my body-goals to include a focus on adding some muscle vs just weight loss and I joined a gym at the 3-year mark. At the time I started that process my body goals were to build a 40-inch chest, 13.5-inch arms (not flexed), 15-inch arms (flexed), with a belly < 32 inches, and in the 150-155 range. Things were going good for me at the 2-year mark…and then Covid was unleashed and threw my world and yours upside down. I went through a period of depression, stopped blogging, and lost focus on my body goals.
However I never stopped the Intermittent Fasting – at least getting in a 14/10 fast on most days. As a result, even though everything else in the world was going badly, the Intermittent Fasting lifestyle was something I could count on to help me feel better. And it worked!
At the 3-year mark (towards the end of 2020), I was feeling better – Florida was free from Covid madness and my family was enjoying that freedom. With things looking up, I decided to get back in the gym and I’ve been a regular at the gym now for over 2 years. Like the Apostle Paul, I keep running the race God has given me – and I continue to hope for the best.
Because I’ve now been focused more on muscle building than weight loss, my body goals changed again. My new goals were to be in the 155-160 lb range with 40+ inch chest, 14 inch arms (not flexed), 16-inch arms (flexed), and with a waist in the 34 inch range. I wanted to have defined muscles. Additionally I wanted to reduce my alcohol consumption and clean up my diet.
So how did I do? Where am I now after 5 years?
Weight: 163 lbs: Yes muscle weighs more than fat but regardless my goal was not achieved because this is 3 lbs above my upper limit goal. I’ve been below 160 this year but not consistently. I know I can get back consistently under 160 with a little more focus – I’ve had too many times where I engage in mindless eating of late snacks watching Netflix at night – that’s not what I want.
Waist: 34 inches: Goal achieved and I have defined abs when I flex them but I’d still like to further flatten my belly over time.
Heck, I’ve even started doing some leg workouts too and I never did that in the past!
My muscles are somewhat defined but there’s more work to do. As always, it’s a journey over time, right?
Alcohol consumption: In 2017 I had 148 days with a drink and 253 total drinks; in 2020 it was 147 days and 267 total drinks. In 2022 it was down to 109 days and 211 total. I did reduce my consumption so I achieved that goal but I’d love to see this get under 50 days and 100 total drinks so there’s still work to do here too and I know if I can reduce this I’ll increase my chances of achieving my overall body goals.
Diet Overall: Intermittent Fasting, my body-goals, and some lingering depression related to how America and the world are changing for the worse have completely altered my diet. Recall in the beginning that I used to love to eat chicken wings and drink beer and the effects of that was creating a big belly for me which is why I turned to intermittent fasting in the first place. As it stands now, while I still drink beer sometimes, but I rarely eat wings anymore. Not because I don’t like them but because I hardly ever grill out anymore (that’s the depression piece) and because I don’t want to pay the price of eating poorly (that’s the body-goal piece). I can’t say I am happier as a result of not eating wings, it’s just a different lifestyle now, I guess.
On the plus side my daily diet usually starts off with a healthy smoothie around 10am and a high protein + healthy carb lunch. I’m also pretty good about getting to the gym (4-5 days/week). And 99% of the days I get in at least a 14 hour fast, if not 16-18. On the negative side I’m up/down with dinners and I sometimes struggle with late night mindless eating + beer (especially when I’m depressed). I’d love to clean up my diet further and I believe I can do that.
In December 2022 I started using MyFitnessPal to keep track of what I’m eating because I discovered that I was eating a lot of extra calories I didn’t know about. I don’t necessarily want to be a calorie counter every day, but I do want to be educated on where some of my ‘hidden’ calories might be so that I can clean that up and make it easier to achieve my body-goals.
In the end, Intermittent Fasting has given me so many benefits and it’s made me feel so great that I hope I never have to stop doing it. I want to live to be 100+ years old full of vitality and energy and I’m half way there. How about I check in with you at the 100 year mark and give you another update at that time? 🙂
Until then, God bless and Good Luck with your own Intermittent Fasting Journey.
Intermittent Fasting Results – The Bottom Line
I started using Intermittent Fasting for weight loss and I did achieve my weight loss goal with it relatively quickly, but what I discovered were a host of other benefits that I did not anticipate.
And it is those extra benefits that keeps me going with Intermittent Fasting.
I have another article about the full benefits of Intermittent Fasting, but to summarize they are:
With 16/8 Intermittent Fasting I have more energy;
I love the extra time I have (especially in the morning) with 16/8 Intermittent Fasting;
I have less intestinal problems with 16/8 Intermittent Fasting (especially in the morning);
I am more conscious about what I eat (well, most of the the time);
I have more mental clarity throughout the day;
I just feel better overall.
I realize there is something called the Placebo Effect that might account for some of this, however I’d argue that after 5 years that mental trickery is not likely to continue and that instead the real life physiological effect of Intermittent Fasting shows through. Maybe that’s true, maybe not, but for me, Intermittent Fasting is the way to go.
What about YOU?
For more on Intermittent Fasting, check out these articles…
If you want to make Intermittent Fasting easy, take advantage of this awesome intermittent fasting calculator from our friends at FITNESSVOLT.com. Click the pic above or use this link to see their calculator in action – best of all, it’s FREE to use!
What Else to Read?
There’s more to life than Intermittent Fasting. For something else interesting to read check out…
Manti Te’o – when you hear the name you think of one thing – ‘he’s that football player fool who got catfished by another dude.’ But if that’s all you know about him, then you don’t really know Manti Te’o and you’re missing the chance to discover a hero that can inspire us all.
Manti Te’o ’s life is the story of What Might Have Been versus What Is. As an All-American football player, Manti might have led Notre Dame to the 2013 National Championship. As a Can’t Miss prospect, Manti might have been a 1st draft draft pick in the NFL. Given his off the chart talent Manti might have gone on to become an NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and enjoyed a lifetime of rabid fans forever shouting his name. All this and more might have become Manti’s life’s story, yet none of them ended up being Manti’s reality.
As it turned out, Notre Dame got destroyed by Alabama in the 2013 College Football Championship game. While Manti did get drafted by the NFL, it wasn’t until the second round — as a result he lost millions of dollars by his draft status fall. And although he did play in the NFL for eight seasons, his chances of making the Hall of Fame are the same as mine and yours – zero.
And yet, for all the things Manti Te’o might have become but failed to achieve, there is something that he is – and always has been – a HERO that should inspire us.
Everyone knows the catfish story about how another guy duped Manti into an online relationship with a fake female persona back when Manti was at Notre Dame. The story is so outlandish that you probably concluded that either Manti was an evil prick who was part of the hoax or else he was an incredibly stupid fool to let himself get catfished so publically. Either way that story is now old news, so you’ve probably long since written Manti Te’o off as just another loser whose ten minutes of fame have thankfully long since gone away.
But then you watch the Netflix documentary Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist and you realize that you were the fool to think you knew what Manti Te’o was all about, because by dismissing him without a second thought, you’re missing the best part of the story – the part that matters the most – you’re missing the fact that Manti Te’o did become a hero – a hero who can inspire more than just football fans, a hero who can inspire us all.
What makes someone a Hero? We could argue about what the word Hero means, but in the time before words got changed to drive political agendas, most people would probably agree that a hero is someone who faced incredible adversity, who fought through it with persistence instead of giving up, and who ultimately overcame their challenge in a way that inspires others. If that hero can display bravery and a selfless compassion for others all the better. I believe that if you take the time to learn the rest of his story, you will see that Manti Te’o IS a hero – he’s always been a hero – and we can all learn something from him.
That Mant Te’o was a hero growing up in Hawaii and later at Notre Dame is without question – his laundry list of accomplishments on the football field and volunteer work in the community would make any parent proud to call him ‘son.’ By his senior year at Notre Dame he was beloved by fans everywhere, and with his entire adult life still before him it appeared that the world was his oyster – fortune and glory was within reach – but then he got catfished and everything changed. .
What really happened with the catfish situation? When you examine the facts, it seems likely that Manti Te’o was a naive kid with a good heart who got caught up in a web of lies by another person that Manti should never have trusted. Had Manti not been famous, the catfish scenario probably would not have devolved into the mess it became, but unfortunately for him, Manti’s success at the time attracted a media circus that propelled the story into everyone’s daily news feed. When Manti finally realized there was a problem with the girlfriend who never was, it was too late – he was too young and ill equipped to stop the media machine that was actively feeding off his never-before-seen story.
Manti describes the events of that time like a ‘Tidal Wave that swept his life away’ – he became trapped into riding that wave, hoping it would end, yet powerless to stop it. Events spiraled out of control despite his best efforts. Manti’s life was just getting started and he was on the verge of superstardom when the catfish incident derailed not just his NFL career, but his entire life, and that of those around him. The amazing life story that might have been for Manti, and probably should have been — suddenly never was.
Manti tried to pursue his football dreams – yet he couldn’t escape his public shame. Playing in the NFL kept him in the spotlight, and with the power of 24/7 social media, Manti remained the butt of countless cruel memes, the punchline of comedians’ jokes, and he suffered constant abuse from former fans whenever he took the field. Even when the rest of us eventually laughed the story away, Manti was forced to deal with the aftereffects of it in the years that followed – not just what it did to him personally, but also how it affected his family. The abuse was surely crushing.
By all accounts Manti Te’o should have been destroyed by the public ridicule he took – a lesser man would have killed himself many times over during that long ordeal. Watching the documentary and seeing the classy way Manti Te’o carries himself is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I see Manti’s tears and I want to cry for him – for all the pain he had to endure and for all that he lost in life. The process should have torn him apart. I’m sure it did. Yet like any true hero, Manti Te’o did not give up – facing adversity beyond his strength, Manti says he fell back to what he knew was his foundation – his family and his faith.
That he was able to survive such a tidal wave of adversity is perhaps a one in a million chance. That he was able to eventually thrive is a testament to his courage and character. Manti not only weathered the storms but became stronger for it. Perhaps this is because Manti didn’t seek revenge against his abuser, but instead Manti’s faith gave him the strength to somehow forgive the person who so cruelly took advantage of him.
The Netflix documentary delves deep into the alleged motives of the person behind the catfishing incident – a (now) transgender individual named Roniah. Regardless of Roniah’s reasons for stringing Manti along, the fact is that Roniah ruined Manti Te’o’s life – or at least the life that ‘might have been.’ As described in the documentary, Roniah preyed upon Manti Te’o’s innocence and his catfishing of Manti led to Manti’s NFL draft status fall – costing Manti and his family untold millions of dollars in lost contract money (and possibly even more in lost endorsement deals). And yet, somehow, Manti still had the compassion to forgive his abuser for his/her sins. It takes a true hero to display that kind of compassion.
Like Manti, all of us live through the ‘seasons’ of life – the carefree spring, the joyful summer, the rest period of fall, and the sadness of winter. Manti was in the springtime of his life when he got catfished – he was young, healthy, and had unlimited potential. Manti’s summer season should have been one of money, fame, and the easy life of a surefire NFL star. Given his magnetic personality, Manti’s ‘autumn’ of life would probably have seen his post-NFL career move into broadcasting and/or church leadership. But that’s not what happened – Roniah’s cruel catfishing propelled the young Manti from that wonderful spring directly into a dark winter – a winter that should have destroyed him – and that should have been the end of Manti Te’o.
Yet wisdom tells us ‘There is no winter that lasts forever; the spring will always come’ and that’s true for Manti Te’o too. Fot it seems the end of our story is instead a new beginning – as it turns out Manti finally found the summer of life he missed out on so long ago. Oh, he never did become a football superstar – instead Manti became something more: a happily married husband, a loving father, and someone who showed us that, no matter how big the storm, there is always a path back to happiness. By forgiving his abuser and persevering, Manti Te’o has become a hero not just in the NFL, but for the world.
Today I’d like to share with you one of the tips my wife and I have used to improve our parenting skills – it’s called the Family Bedtime Chat. The concept is simple – before we all go to bed, we meet as a group in one of the bedrooms and everyone gets a chance to tell about their day (what they liked and perhaps what they didn’t). It takes less than 5 minutes to do and yet those 5 minutes are often some of the best ‘family time’ of the day. Perhaps you might give it a try with YOUR family too?
How our Family Bedtime Chats Started
We’ve been doing Family Bedtime Chats for about 6 years now. They’ve developed over time, but the concept has remained the same. My wife, my kids, and I all take turns briefly talking about our day. I started the idea when my sons were 2 and 7 respectively and the original idea was for each person to tell the group 1 thing they liked about the day.
The reason I came up with the idea was because I was trying to help my boys understand the concept of “Now Moments” – those treasured moments of life that make life better and which occur every day if we simply take the time to recognize them. I had no idea the little life lesson I was trying to teach would turn into a family tradition that’s lasted so long, but it turned out my family really loves them and they’ve become such a habit that it’s something we try to do every day – even I’m travelling for work or a couple of us are camping for scouts, we’ll spend some time on the phone together to do our bedtime chat. It’s just part of who are are as a family now and that’s something I’m so grateful for.
The Roadblock that almost killed our Chats in the very beginning.
This tradition wasn’t always roses. While our older son (Jax) was happy to participate along with my wife and I, our youngest son (JeeHo) has always been a bit of a tough nut and at first he didn’t want to talk at all. We didn’t force him to talk if didn’t want to, but we still made him sit and listen to the rest of us so he could hear about our day. He was ok with that. After a couple weeks he was willing to talk a bit – however JeeHo preferred to tell us something he did NOT like about his day!
That was a bit of a twist but we let JeeHo run with his idea and to encourage him further all modified our routine by having everyone tell 1 thing they like and 1 thing they didn’t. JeeHo then 1-upped us again by happily telling us all about the many things he did NOT like about his day (he didn’t like dinner, his older brother Jax teased him, he fell and hurt himself, etc) and sometimes we’d get a tiny thing he maybe liked (playing with Jax, Daddy reading to him, swimming, etc). Over time, JeeHo has grown out of ONLY talking about the bad things and now he happily shares the many things he likes about his day – although to this day his daily chat almost always includes something he didn’t like. (Hey, you can’t win evey parenting battle right?)
What our Family Bedtime Chats are like today
Over the years our chats have morphed – we no longer have the ‘structure’ we had in the early days. Instead it’s just a matter of getting together as a group and each sharing something – it could be about what happened that day, or maybe something they are looking forward to the next day, or maybe it’s about a problem they’re having, or in JeeHo’s case some idea for a new invention he has cooking. Very often I’ll talk about something I’m grateful (for example: “I’m thankful that God has blessed us by letting us all be here together, that we’re all happy, that we love each other, and that we’re healthy.”
All told the entire chat takes 3-5 minutes then we give everyone a quick kiss and it’s off to bed.
The Priceless Aspect of our Family Bedtime Chats
Let me share with you perhaps my favorite thing about our bedtime chats – it’s a tradition within a tradition so to speak. Our oldest son Jax had to overcome verbal apraxia and sometimes it takes him a bit of time to think of what he wants to say. The bedtime ritual was a bit challenging for him at first and so to give himself time he would often say “I like right now” before telling us something else he liked about his day. That phrase “I like right now” always touched my heart because Jax is a sincere person and I knew when he said that – even though it was giving his mind time to think of something else – it was 100% true.
For my oldest son to tell us that one of his favorite parts of the day was to be sitting with his family chatting before bed was incredible to me.
To this day, he still says “I like right now” every time we do a bedtime chat – and very often one 1 or more of the rest of us will say it too. It’s truly priceless.
Who has time for a Bedtime Chat?
I get it – life is hard and it often pulls us in many different directions. Especially as the kids have gotten older and have gotten involved in after school activities (sports, homework, friends, etc, etc), time flies each day. Throw in trying to have a family dinner, get cleaned up, and maybe have a bit of time to watch some Netflix before bed and there’s not a lot of time before bed. I’m sure it’s the same for you. But, like I’ve mentioned, a bedtime chat doesn’t have to take an hour – invest just a few minutes (literally 3, 4, or 5 minutes) and you’ll build a family lifeline that will pay you massive dividends by keeping a regular line of communication open with your kids.
Make Family Bedtime Chats part of your Evening Routine.
Regular readers know I’ve professed the benefits of the Morning Routine for years – getting a jump start on your day with a bit of structured habits sets you up for success – but what about your EVENING Routine? You probably have a lot of things you do nightly before you go to bed, right? Why not add a bedtime chat with your family into the mix?
Spending a few minutes with your kids talking about your day can yield tremendous benefits and is a great ROI for your time so give it a try and start your first Family Bedtime Chat tonight. You’ll be glad you did!
Wanted to share my new favorite preworkout supplement with you – Nitro Surge. If you follow my blog you’ll know I’m a big fan of living a health lifestyle – I’ve been doing Intermittent Fasting for 5 years, I meditate daily, and I try to exercise 5-6 days a week. I’m over 50 and so far God has blessed me with great health (and I pray that continues). I’ve written about workout supplements in the past and today I want to tell you about Nitro Surge – a product I’ve been using for nearly a year now.
If you’re looking for a great preworkout supplement to add to your routine that will give you results consider giving Nitro Surge a try.
Disclaimer – please make sure you are healthy enough to workout, you use the product per the directions, and of course you check with your doctor first to ensure you can tolerate the ingredients of Nitro Surge. My recommendation is based on my own personal experience and your results or tolerance for the product may be different than mine so, as always, exercise caution with this or any supplement.
What is a PREWorkout Supplement and why might you want one?
If you want an in-depth discussion of a preworkout supplement, there’s a great article about this on Masterclass.com and I recommend you check it out, but the basic gist is that a “pre-workout is a supplement that can increase energy levels, improve exercise performance, and stimulate muscle growth. The ingredients and effects of pre-workout supplements vary by product, but most products use ingredients like caffeine to provide an energy boost or creatine to help increase muscle mass. Athletes typically consume pre-workout supplements as pills or as powders mixed into drinks and you can also mix pre-workout supplements with protein powders, which can help stimulate protein synthesis and build muscle.”
Now that I’m over 50 the energy level is not what it was when I was 25. I need a bit of a jump start to get going. This is the reason why I take a preworkout supplement.
I’ve tried a bunch of preworkout supplements and there are other good ones (C4 is another preworkout supplement I like), but the best of the bunch, the one that consistently gives me a great workout time and again is Nitro Surge.
What is Nitro Surge?
Nitro surge is a pre-workout for men and women that “delivers everything you need for explosive workouts laser-sharp focus, endless endurance, and powerful pumps.” I put that in quotes because that’s the company’s marketing message, however I can personally attest that these claims are all true.
Although the ingredients are different, Nitro Surge reminds me of my all-time fav preworkout supplement – Jacked3D from back in the day. Sadly the original form of Jacked3D is no longer available and I’ve had a devil of a time trying to find a preworkout supplement that gives me what Jacked3D did – specifically focus, energy, endurance, and a pump. Thankfully I discovered that Nitro Surge does all of that for me.
What are the main ingredients of Nitro Surge?
The formula for Nitro Surge contains L-Citrulline, Betaine Anhydrous, Beta Alanine, Caffeine, L Theanine, and it’s creatine-free. That last part is important in case you take a separate creatine powder – in which case you may NOT want more creatine in your preworkout supplement – that’s another reason why I like Nitro Surge.
Boosting nitric oxide (NO) levels is believed to improve your blood-flow to the muscle to maximize pumps, endurance, strength, and fuel muscle growth. NO boosters are a common ingredient in preworkout supplements and I personally believe in this theory because when I use a NO Booster I can ‘feel’ the pump when I’m working out and my muscles look bigger.
Nitro Surge is Made in the USA
According to the company, Nitro Surge is made in a USA cGMP-Certified Manufacturing Facility. This preworkout powder drink is made in a cGMP-certified facility using high-quality raw materials. Each bottle of Nitro Surge is tested for potency, authenticity, and purity.
My Favorite Workout Supplements
Make sure your ad-blocker is off in order to see the products that follow.
What’s YOUR Take?
Do you use Nitro Surge or another preworkout supplement? If so, let me know in the comments below.
Practical Wisdom YOU can use today to make a difference in YOUR Life
That Helpful Dad 