What’s In Store For The #FitDadNation In 2016?

If you don’t already know this, I’m a single dad with two young daughters and went through a divorce in 2014. I spent the better part of a year after my separation being a complete mess, both emotionally and physically.

And it wasn’t until a fateful conversation with a friend that I woke up to the fact that I was drowning my sorrows in Big Mac’s and self loathing and my life was spinning out of control.

So I changed.

Starting that very night, I decided to turn my life around and stop living as a shell of the man I knew I was capable of being. And it took time, but over the course of a year, I had completely recreated my life and was happier and healthier that I had been in the previous two decades.

And I decided that it wasn’t enough to just change my life, I wanted to change the lives of other single dads who were in the same position I was in and I knew I could help.

Thus, SingleDadFitDad.com was born.

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working with a lot of struggling single dads and watched as our community has really become like a real band of brothers.

And because I constantly want to help you in the areas you most need, I am always looking for feedback.

Your Feedback is Critical

On December 29th, I sent out a link asking you to complete a short survey in hopes of helping me create the type of content you want to see in 2016.

The sheer number of responses blew me away and showed me really how engaged and interested in our community you are! I’ve been running surveys for several websites for the past 5 years and this one brought in the most responses, so I’m really fired up at all your feedback!

Instead of keeping the information to myself and creating content based on it, I wanted to do something different; share it with you all.

The Results

Question 1: Relationship status

Question 2: Fitness level

Question 3: Which do you struggle with most?

Question 4: What would you like to see more of on SDFD?

Question 5: Which of these are you most interested in?

Question 6: Which of the following products would you find most helpful?

Question 7: On a scale from 1-10, how motivated are you right now?

I won’t list all the individual responses, but the average score was 7.8. Yep, you all are pretty motivated and ready to hit it!

Question 8: What is your single biggest struggle with getting fit right now?

Again, I won’t list out all the responses but there are some common themes. Here are the top 10 most given responses.

1. Eating habits/eating healthy
2. Motivation/discipline
3. Time
4. No support
5. Consistency
6. Portion control
7. On a budget
8. No energy
9. Not seeing results and quitting
10. Meal planning

Question 9: What is the best way for me to help you with your fitness goals in 2016?

There was quite a bit of overlap here too, so here are some of the most given responses:

• Keeping me accountable
• Motivation
• Ways to find more energy
• Doing a Q&A
• Tips to avoid workout boredom
• Having a private group
• Help with meal planning
• Beginner workout plans
• Keeping me inspired
• Meal ideas and recipes
• Being positive
• Checking in through email
• Coaching
• New workout ideas
• Helping find action triggers

Question 10: Other questions or comments

This is where you were given an option to share whatever was on your mind and although only about half of you answered it, I got some great feedback. Here are a few of them:

• “How can I get my wife to help/join rather than be absent and/or part of the problem? My wife is non motivating, at times discouraging, doesn’t see the part she plays in my difficulties. She’s not encouraging and at times a bad influence. Her bad eating habits are effecting my children now since she is around them more than I, do to work. What advice do you have that may help me continue with my goals amongst the bad influence, poor choices and lack of support.”

• “Please keep up the awesome work. I often find when I’m feeling low one of your posts show up in my feed and helps me feel better.”

• “Don’t ever stop sending out Facebook posts even if you lose your audience, all of it’s good stuff, and at the very least, it will reach 1 person with every post.”

• “How do I stay motivated when I don’t see results as quick as I’d like?”

• “I just need a push.. someone to help with a simple to follow workout routine for the week.. and kind of a meal plan that I can use as an example.”

• “I am a dad that has wrestled my whole life and have always been in peak shape. I am in the process of joining the marine corps but my weight is at an all time high of 200lbs. I am ashamed and disgusted with my physical appearance right now. I really need your help because I have to better myself for my daughter and get back to loving myself. I don’t know what has happened to me, but I have to fix it. I know you are the guy for the job. Please help me get my life back.”

• “I owe you an apology. Strike that. I owe myself an apology. I let myself get sidetracked by a job loss and social changes. Staying healthy is just going to improve the situations that sidetracked me in the first place.”

What’s Coming in 2016?

As of right now, here are some of the things I’m working on for the #FitDadNation:

• A detailed diet and exercise guide for men looking to lost their man boobs. I’ve been working on this for a while and am getting close to finishing it.

• Since eating healthy is the #1 issue many of you face, I am creating a comprehensive guide to eating for busy dads. I’m going to make shopping, prepping, cooking, organizing, and eating as simple and as time efficient as possible. If you want to be the first to hear about it, just join the list at the bottom of this post.

• Starting a private Facebook group for 30 single dads starting on 1/15. It will go hand in hand with the challenge we’ll be doing for the next month. More on that shortly.

• More video content based on what you’re asking for.

• Doing random Facebook giveaways.

• Monthly challenges.

• Beginner, intermediate, and advanced workout videos.

• Holding webinars and Q&A’s.

• Small group coaching. This will take some time to set up, but will be a great (and cost effective) way for you to get coached personally.

• Weekly recipes and meal planning tips. To be honest, I’ve been putting this of because I find it boring, but it’s clear that it’s something that is needed, so I’m in!

• There a lot more too, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself..

You Guys Rock!

I am honestly blown away at the support you’ve given me and the dedication you have to this community and to yourselves.

It’s clear that most of you have a deep interest in becoming a healthier, happier person and a better man and father as well. It inspires me every day to continue doing what I do.

Thank you all and I look forward to an amazing and life changing 2016.