All posts by R.C. Liley

I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13 and handsome little boy, Wes, who joined our family on 11/19/17. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, as of 8/17/07. Sorry ladies... :) Fitness and nutrition is of the utmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting. I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout! I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result. I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition. If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!

Commitment Issue and What I’m Doing About It

Don’t we all have at least one commitment issue? Whether they’re something big like getting married, or small like using the exact same bowl for dinner each day, I’m sure you’ve got’em.

Luckily, marriage was never an issue for me, and I have no doubt about my sacred bond to be with my wife till death do us part. But, using the same bowl and spoon is one thing I actually struggle with. I’m just so partial to the dimensions and don’t know how to eat with anything else.

But that’s not the聽issue I’m writing about today. No, this is something I’ve been annoying Going Mom with for years. It’s my goal to gain strength/weight.

The goal sounds simple enough, but is actually quite complex in my mind. All the into part of my high school life, I was a heavy boy and hated how I looked. I was never obese or anything, but if I continued on the path I was on, that’s how I’d end up. Over the years I educated myself on what’s healthy and got into running. Eventually, I was a full blown long distance runner who could easily go out and run 12 miles without giving it a second thought.

Running was cool, and took a lot of dedication in training and nutrition, but after several years of marathons and running for distance, my strength was lacking. I’ve told this story many times before, so I’ll keep it short…..er.

I want to be a strong dad for Avery and for my own well-being. There will always be a place in my heart for long distance running, but for now I have to try and focus on building mass, which means lay off the running! Not completely, I’ll still run a little to get my “fix”, but mostly sprints and maybe one longer run on the weekends.

Getting stronger means lifting heavy and eating more to provide fuel for muscles to grow. Without a surplus of nutrient-dense calories, your body has nothing to work with to grow. I’ve been lifting for a few years now and know the moves, but not eating enough is what keeps me from attaining my said goal; gain strength/weight.

I could go on forever getting more and more in depth on the subject, but the bottom line is find a strength training program, stick with it, and eat. That doesn’t mean scarfing down pizza and burgers, I’ll still make my own meals, just means I need to eat a lot more of it. Nutrient dense foods like peanut butter, or even better, NuttZo, will be a big help here. And then, for my purposes, I need to ease up on how active I am each day. Something most of the world actually needs to do more of, I should do a little less.

If you want to talk with me more on this topic, please comment below or e-mail me at RCrown2@aol.com and we’ll talk. For now, I am putting it out there that one of my goals, starting this June, is to gain weight in the form of mostly muscle over the next year and reassess from there. I’m currently 5’10 and 160 lbs; my goal is to get to 175 lbs, so we’ll see how well I do.

Why June? Well, I don’t think anyone should wait for the New Year to start any of their goals, for one, but it’s because I am turning 31 on the 8th and I want to be a stronger, happier husband/father by 32. Sorry to my wife, who’s heard me say this since before I was even 30, but hopefully by writing it out on my blog, I’ll have something else to hold me accountable.

I never had a problem with discipline or motivation to work out, but when it comes to eating more than I’m used to, and when it’s mostly whole foods, it’s not easy. I fear just gaining pure fat, I’ll admit it, even though I know the basic science behind how our bodies work, and that wouldn’t happen as long as I train smart.

By the end of June, I hope to share my weekly training schedule with the thought that it will keep me from being sidetracked. I’m lucky to have such a wonderful daughter who is usually happy to train with me in the garage, so I should have no excuses.

Stay tuned for what else is happening this month and why you should care. Hint: it’s for a good cause and I’m going to ask for generous donations! 馃檪

Do you struggle with certain commitments?

Do you have a current training plan to gain or lose weight? Despite my own issues, I am actually full of advice I’m happy to share if you ask.

A Special Father’s Day Giveaway from PicturesOnGold.com

This Father’s Day, why not get the Dad in your life something unique and sentimental? Even better, what if you could WIN that special gift for that special guy?

Well, the kind folks at PicturesOnGold.com聽is offering one of my readers (that’s you), such an opportunity.

Instead of a new tie and socks for Dad, the equivalent of flowers from the gas station on Mother’s Day, give him a Sterling Silver Photo Dog Tag Pendant complete with an 18 inch Sterling Silver Chain.

PicturesOnGold.com

The winner will receive the Photo Dog Tag Pendant shown above, along with a permanently engraved photo that can be in color or black & white, and a personalized message on the reverse side. The item is valued at $134.95, but for you, it can be free!

Don’t worry, I won’t tell you won it so you can say you had to pull all kinds of strings to get it. 馃槈

I’m a sentimental guy, just ask my wife and she’ll roll her eyes at all the “junk” I keep, and having something like this dog tag with a favorite photo and heartfelt message would be perfect. It’s not massive so I can have it with me everywhere to remind me I am loved. That can be the difference from a bad day staying bad to turning good after a quick look at the picture and message.

To enter for your chance to win, simply follow the required steps below and you’re good to go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will announce the winner soon after the giveaway ends on Sunday, June 21.

I have more exciting news to announce very soon, so hope you come back. Have a great Monday and Good Luck!

Coffee or Beer: What Would You Give Up?

Does the thought of having to choose either coffee or beer and give up the other make you cringe? Or maybe it gives you the shakes…..or it’s sobering to think about!

It’s a question that enters my thoughts frequently, usually as I’m enjoying one or the other and wonder what others would choose.

For me, I will happily give up beer to keep that precious black liquid flowing, but beer would still be missed. I have been alcohol-free since before getting on antibiotics for my butt issue聽and haven’t found myself missing it that much. But coffee, oh man, coffee, would be dearly missed if I had to lay off.

Luckily, that’s not the case and I’m a happy camper drinking it daily. Knowing where I stand, I took to asking my fellow Dad Bloggers what they would choose. Now I see these guys posting their drinks of choice all the time and figured most of them would give up coffee in lieu of beer, but turns out, it’s about 50/50.

Beer vs Coffee-Dad Bloggers Poll

Well, from the 100+ that answered.

I gathered all of the comments, removed the names and time stamps, censored one, and left the rest as-is and figured I’d share them here. I meant to ask if they would give up alcohol in general, and I quickly realized my mistake. Without further adieu, here are the replies:

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 My first instinct was to keep beer, but sharing a cup of coffee with my wife in the quiet before the kids wake up is always something I look forward to.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I really enjoy beer but I enjoy coffee more. In saying that, I drink beer like once a month. Coffee is weekly.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I gave up coffee and haven’t had it in 15 years

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I enjoy beer, but I really appreciate coffee. So, I’d give up beer.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don’t drink aside from special occasions (christmas, etc) but I cannot function without coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’d keep coffee and give up beer because I don’t drink it. I must have coffee in my life.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’m not a huge beer drinker. Now, if it were between whiskey and coffee, you’d have to pry them from my cold, dead hands.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I would keep coffee because I drink it more. But if we are going great for most beneficial, I probably should give up coffee because I drink it more. I have 1-2 beers every now and then, but I drink 4-6 cups of coffee a day.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 See I enjoy fresh roasted properly brewed coffee so that happens for me once a week or once every two weeks when I get time. The only thing I take out of moderation is soda. I need to give up soda.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I still get Whiskey, right? Then beer. Beer for sure.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don’t need beer to function…

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I need to cut soda out again. Last time I did I lost 12lbs of water weight in 20 days.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I gave up soda for New Year’s and am glad I did. I’ve lost weight and feel better drinking water or the occasional glass of sweet tea.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I work nights and get up early with the kids, I need the coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Since cutting out everything but coffee and water, I can’t hardly finish a beer anymore. Every time I want one I stop myself because I don’t want to waste half of it. haha

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This was tough, but I suppose wine will always be there for me.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I couldn’t give up soda (primarily sugar-free Cola) I know its bad for me, but I have an addiction and its got me bad! Its the only substance that I’ve actually been properly addicted to

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’d give up beer before coffee. There are other ways to relax, but coffee聽 gets me functional

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I have mostly given up soda. I have a 1L Nalgene bottle with me everywhere

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Beer makes me happy. Coffee keeps me sane. I’ll take sanity over happiness. And I will still drink bourbon.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Never had either. So, neither.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’m a specialty coffee drinker and part of traveling is visiting specially coffee shops. So coffee is very intertwined into everyday life but also part of experiencing and understanding the different cities.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although I love beer it’s the coffee atmosphere that I prefer.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 What kind of question is this? Nobody wants to live in your $@#@% up world RC.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 “Does whiskey count as beer?”

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Why you making us think so hard in the AM?

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 You can have the beer.. I like my Jameson and my coffee..

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I drink so little beer, and don’t really even like it that much much of the time. So, I’d keep my daily flavored creamer with a dash of coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I like beer, and will have 1 or two a week… But coffee is something I drink 2 cups of daily. I can give up beer and only drink scotch as long as you keep the coffee flowing! I mention other great uses for the “mug of the week” which I should be posting later today if I can figure out how to post an audio file.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I can replace coffee with other caffeine sources and I can drink a coffee stout if I get to missing the taste.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I feel like I could find a suitable replacement for beer, but not for coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Keep the coffee (and cannoli), leave the beer.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Beer is a much less common feature in my life than coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don’t drink coffee. I do drink beer.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I love beer, but coffee is necessary to function.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Coffee… because there is always other forms of alcohol.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don’t drink either. I’m sure that’s gonna get me kicked out of Portland eventually.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As much as I love Beer… I can not give up coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’ll gladly give up coffee. And bacon. And Star Wars.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I went from drinking over a gallon of soda every day to none over the course of the last two weeks. I’ve been soda-free for four days. I may still have it when we go to a movie, but other than that it’s been plain water or flavored water.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don’t drink coffee at all, a rarity for someone who works th r overnight shift, but I never developed a taste for it, and really don’t even like the smell if it.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I drink gallons of coffee so I would choose to keep it.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don’t drink coffee at all, so if I gave up beer I’d get dehydrated

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I wouldn’t have to give up anything. Beer is my savior.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The choice was kind of made for me since I needed to go gluten free. I’ve rarely had a gluten free beer in 3 years. Wine, on the other hand…

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I like both, naturally, but I’d sooner give up on beer than I would give up on coffee. I can always have wine, whiskey, etc. etc.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I would give up beer in a heart beat. Not coffee.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I drink a good amount of both. Would give up coffee before beer. Tastes better and costs just as much or more.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Having been on coffee bans twice in my life, both times for a month, and knowing how I came close to killing everyone around me, I would struggle to give up coffee for good. It’s my only vice.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Coffee. But then I never drink the stuff.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I would give up beer.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 LOL easy enough to do, I havent had any alcohol in over 10 years.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If you really want to polarize the group, offer giving up cocaine or hookers.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’d keep hookers. Oh, wrong question. I would keep coffee because there is no substitute for it. I LOVE beer, but I love JD even more, so that would drown my sorrows re: beer.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Need coffee or can’t even wake up in the morning. Without beer, well at least there’s whiskey and wine.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Beer would go. There’s always whiskey.

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I’d keep beer. Not a big coffee fan nor a fan of hot drinks. Only coffee I drink is iced coffee if it has some kind of flavoring in it, so it wouldn’t be that big a loss. For beer i’m a quality guy not a quantity guy. Also, how the hell does Tom aka Mr Tom’s House of Beer choose to keep coffee over beer?

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tom I know, I know. There are a lot of fantastic beers. I guess I could get my caffeine from elsewhere. I do love my beer

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 RC Liley Soooo, nice to see where so many of you stand. I wrote this question and then had a full day of not being on FB until now!

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I should’ve said alcohol in general as scotch/other liquor is an obvious loophole, so-to-speak. I’m with the coffee keepers though

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 RC Liley One last thing, thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts! Love the coffee stout idea, that’s the way to go too!

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If the question was rephrased to ask coffee or alcohol, then coffee is out. Gotta have my scotch!

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 RC Liley It would be a harder decision, but i’d stick with coffee still

路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Pierre Calzadilla Priority of food: Water -> Coffee -> All other things that enter mouth

I get that these are all dads/men, but figure the same holds true for the general population. Just a hunch.

What side of the fence are you on? Think about it as you’re most likely enjoying your weekend cup (or 3) of coffee today or as you’re gearing up for some good beer this evening.

I’ll leave you with this infographic depicting the effects of beer vs coffee聽to see if it helps you in your decision.

Have a great weekend and enjoy your coffee…..or beer…….or both!!