Stewart Powell
Married. 2 Young Children.
1. Why is being active so important to you?
The most holistic answer is I am ready to go anywhere and do anything even when it seems like I might not be able to do this? I know and understand my body, how hard I can push and how long for. Outside of this there are then many specific reasons that I have only become clear on, after 3 years of Crossfit training. This is my time and I get to hang out with an amazing group of men and women who genuinely care about me and want to see me succeed, this is rare and not easy to find. I do this because I want my children to understand that diet and exercise are a critical part of life and for that you need to work hard and put the effort in. Every night my kids ask me to carry them both upstairs to bed, they say “c’mon dad you can do it you do Crossfit” and you know what… I can.
2. You’re a busy guy, kids, full time job, so how do you make time to get into the gym with so much going on?
This is the constant conflict that is there every single day. There have been many times that I have de-prioritised my training because work is busy or the kids are sick or whatever the mitigating circumstance is. My mindset is now abundantly clear, “Ruthless Prioritisation”, if it is important then you make the time. I only have so many hours in the day and I need to be willing to flex on when I do things to ensure I can train. It may mean leaving work a little earlier, doing a class, spend some time with the kids and do bed time then have dinner and work through to 10.30 – 11.00pm.
The reason training is a priority is because it makes me a better version of myself, physically obviously, but mentally and emotionally I need this. I am a better husband, dad, friend and employee when I am eating well and training hard. Importantly to make this work for me I need an understanding partner who is willing to give me the space and several nights a week see me out the door at 7am, home at 8.30pm and then doing an hour or so more work once I get home.
3. Do you wish you had started earlier?
In relation to my general health I am in the best shape of my life, I made a conscious decision 5 years ago when my first daughter was born to get fit and stay that way. So, as a parent, no. But as a man, absolutely yes! I dare say my 20’s and early 30’s would have been fundamentally different. Some nights when I am slogging it out against guys 15 years younger than me I do wonder how I would have performed against them if we were the same age. But this does not concern me because I only look at training and my physical state with a present and future focus.
4. What advice would you give to dad’s that are on the fence about becoming active, now?
Take a deep breath and jump in! I guarantee that it will at times feel hard, but you will be a different person in 6 months. If you won’t do it for yourself initially, then do it for your partner, kids and family. Then you will understand what it means to you and then it becomes real, the progress, the work, the friendships.