If you follow this blog, you know why I’m writing this post. I’ve been a dad for a little more than a month now, and I’ve come to realize two things:

1. I love my son unconditionally even though he pees on me.

2. I’m kinda tired all the time.

The first thing is absolutely wonderful if somewhat messy. The second can slow you down a bit–especially when trying to maintain your fitness for martial arts and for overall health.

Here are a few things I’ve learned from others on my position.

1. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This is challenging with a newborn. If you don’t have a partner to cover feeding shifts then forget it. But, if you can keep some sort of sleep schedule for yourself, it will help. Don’t be tempted to stay up late if Junior konks out early. Facebook will be waiting for you during your lunch break.

2. Eat as clean as possible. No matter what diet you follow, eating well will help maintain your energy levels despite a lack of sleep. No energy, no training, right? I’ve had good results with The Paleo Diet lately, but any plan that focuses on protein, veggies, and fruits will help. Carbs and sugars will help you fight fatigue in the short term, but the imminent crash isn’t worth it.

3. Keep workouts brief but intense. This is a good tip for training in general, but it’s vital for post-baby, sleep-deprived fitness. Not only will a fast, hard workout save you time and burn more calories, but it’ll boost mood, improve energy, and normalize sleep (as much as possible, anyway).

Here’s a Ross Enamait workout that shows what I mean.

Be sure to read the accompanying article to learn more about this traing modality.

That’s it for now. I think these tips are helpful even if you’re completing a big work project, taking grad classes, or if you’re just rocking some insomnia. If you have additional advice, please share. Here’s wishing you some . . . zzzzzzzzzz