Hey Darrell. Really glad you found us here at the FFP. Based on what you’ve shared, I’m very confident we can help you get the weight down and get the energy back UP.
That’s all 100% possible with the right eating and exercise plan. We help thousands of guys in similar shoes to yours every year.
Here is the program I recommend you start with… it’s called Fit Father 30X. That will help get the weight off and get you moving in the right direction fast.
https://www.fitfatherproject.com/ff30x-letter/

Hey brother,
I appreciate the comment. Your points do make me question if you read the article fully though, so I want to take a minute to clear up some confusion you may be having…
1) Yes, tightening up your diet is THE BEST WAY to burn fat/lose weight. Trust me when I say we don’t discount how important exercise is. We professionally help 20,000+ guys with their workouts every year. That said, a lot of guys think that they have to “exercise off” calories with cardio, which is completely false.
2) If you read Point #3… we discuss how important weight lifting is to increase muscle mass, which (in turn) will increase your basal metabolic rate. Again, we love exercise – particularly weight training.
3) Nutrition is also ESSENTIAL for muscular repair from exercise. By saying “skip breakfast” we are NOT saying eat a nutrient (or calorie) deficient diet. In fact, a large part of our work in our programs is helping guys eat the ideal macronutrients (proteins, carbs, and fats) – while also understanding that the timing of those macros can be far more flexible than we previously thought.
On that note…
4) Skipping breakfast IS NOT bad. This is a huge myth that will continue to (slowly) die over the next few years.
Your point about skipping breakfast “messing with blood sugar” …
If you’re familiar with basic biochemistry/physiology, you’ll know that our human bodies are fantastically good at maintaining blood sugar levels – especially in the morning when levels of glucose releasing hormones (cortisol and glucagon namely) are naturally higher in the body’s circadian rhythms.
While skipping breakfast, a healthy body can still completely maintain stable blood sugar.
What “messes” with morning blood sugar is high sugar crap breakfasts (breads, bagels, most cereals, fruit smoothies, etc). A lower carb breakfast is best. Skipping is a great option too.
Read this: https://www.fitfatherproject.com/the-worlds-best-breakfast-for-energy-and-weight-loss/
5) Your point about breakfast bring necessary for “keeping your metabolism going”…
…is again false.
This is based on the idea that not eating every few hours will “decrease your metabolism.” In fact, over a 24-hour fast your body’s metabolic rate INCREASES as calories from food provide heat to the body. Without food, your mitochondria upregulate a compound called UCP1, which INCREASES metabolic rate. Fasting for longer than 48 hours can slow metabolism…. yet, “skipping breakfast” is pretty far from that mark I’d say..
I’m not trying to be mean. I just need you to know that all of the info on this site is extremely well researched by our staff of trainers and doctors. We CARE A TON about debunking some of the myths that are harming guys’ ability to see results from diet and exercise (some of which you seem to still be clinging to).
Please feel free to delve into the science yourself. I think you’ll learn a ton. I’d suggest starting with debunking the breakfast myth by learning more about “intermittent fasting.”
I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
Sincerely,
-The doctor “fraud” who runs this site 😉

Hey Dane,
I have a few suggestions for you:
1) Look into Prolotherapy & Platelet Rich Plasma for your knee. It’s a new regenerative injection therapy that can help completely heal torn meniscus / regenerate cartilage – without requiring surgery.
2) A healthy diet plan will be the #1 most important part of dropping your BP. We have guys who are using our Fit Father Meal Plan drop their BP 40+ points without vigorous exercise. Getting the weight off and lowering the inflammation in your body (from a cleaner diet) will be the best way to approach your Hypertension.
3) Exercise IS helpful. That said, I would personally recommend against any exercise that directly causes you knee pain. We would want to get creative in how we work around the knee pain wit your workouts. You could do some upper body strength training, which would be very beneficial for weight loss/muscle building/fat loss.
In fact, there is a lot of very strong evidence that strength training is MORE effective for fat loss than traditional cardio.
I hope those suggestions help. If you’re interested in some structured support on the eating, exercise, and accountability front, you may want to learn more about our 30-day program.
Here’s a link to the program overview letter -> http://www.fitfatherproject.com/ff30x-letter/

AMEN! Glad to see another professional who understand this stuff on a deep level too. Sleep and mindset are the preliminary fundamentals that lay the foundation for eating + exercise to actually “work” … long-term.
Thanks for dropping a line, Jim.

Hi Carlos. That was indeed an error on my part, which I have now updated. It should be 1/2 Vegetables, 1/4 Protein and 1/4 Starch/Carbs as per the picture. I appreciate you letting me know. Thanks. 🙂

Willpower is a super important topic (as you know Anthony).
The latest research supports the idea that willpower is a lot like a muscle… it gets strengthened through “smart training” over time… and it can get weakened/fatigue from over-use, life stressors, lack of sleep, etc.
Just wrote this up on a similar thought. Check this article below:
https://www.fitfatherproject.com/lack-of-discipline/

Thanks for replying Dr B….I know you’re busy. In a nut shell my schedule is all over the place. No month is ever the same. If I was home regularly, I’d be able to stick to the FF30 program no problem. Once I get into the summer, it’s more stable, but waiting until then feels like yet another excuse not to start, and I’m ready to get going!
Here’s an example of what I’m trying to bend my head around, and how I can best stick to reaching my goals. I leave tomorrow morning to go on the road for 4 days. It’s a combination of morning and afternoon flights, so my days are never the same. Then I’m home for 1 day, and gone again for 6, with the same switching around between morning and afternoon flights.
I drink loads of water on a flight, but that’s just to fight the dryness on the plane. I think I’m going to have to increase the amount to meet what you suggest. What is really difficult is the combination of airplane meals we get (I actually only eat breakfast if I can, the rest of the meals are really not good), and the eating out all the time. I find portions way too big, and being someone who enjoys food too much, it’s hard to leave it on the plate. But that’s a resolve issue.
I guess I’m not sure how to meet the food plan guidelines when eating in restaurants and on the airplane, when going to the grocery store is usually not an option. If I stick to the 50/25/25 ratio as best I can, will that keep things rolling? I’m also getting the idea that not only what we eat is important, but also how much. If I try to eyeball what my intake would be here at home, and keep close to that at work, even if my meal choices are limited, will that work? How critical is the timing as well? Are the times for breakfast and then the subsequent meals the important part, or is the eating about every 4 hours the important part?
I’m also wondering about the working out. I’ve bought the barbells for here at home. I’ve been walking the past few days to get myself in the mind frame to really go for it, but some of the hotels we stay in just don’t have the equipment you suggest. Are there any alternative exercises I can work into the pyramid if there isn’t the right equipment?
I want to start my 30 days, but I want to do it right. Any suggestions you could send would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Geoff

Geoff. Tell me a bit more about your schedule. What are the challenges with travel, your work, etc?
I’m happy to help.

Hey Gitari, really glad you liked the article. We definitely keep things 100% real and actually DOABLE here at the FFP.
As you mentioned, I’d definitely recommend our 30-day Fit Father Program to every guy 40+ with 20kg to lose because of how realistic and effective it is. We actually have several pilots on the program with similar schedules to yours. We simply need to make a simple few tweaks to your sleep & eating patterns.
Can you tell me a bit more about your flight & sleep schedule so that I can propose some more tailored advice?
Just write me here or anthony@fitfatherproject.com and I’ll get you taken care of 🙂

I’d be interested in reading your response. I’m in the exact same boat.