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It’s the first Thursday after Labor Day. Two weeks ago I told you September is the real New Year. Today is New Year’s Day.
From now to Thanksgiving: almost 12 clean weeks. No holidays, no vacations, no cookouts. The dads who look different in the Christmas photos are the ones who start this week — so here’s the entire program. Not a 40-page PDF. A sticky note.
Most fall plans fail the way most home renovations do: too ambitious, abandoned by week three. This one is deliberately small. Small finishes.
Move 1: Body — Three strength sessions a week. Five moves. Thirty minutes.
Squat, push, pull, hinge, carry — three sets each, short rest, a little harder each week. That’s 36 sessions between now and Thanksgiving. Garage, gym, hotel — doesn’t matter. The slots are already in your calendar if you ran the land-grab. Now you just show up to your own meetings.
Move 2: Fuel — Anchor every meal with 40 grams of protein.
Same math as June: 1 gram per pound of goal weight, built 40 grams at a time. Three anchored meals gets you most of the way; a shake and Greek yogurt close the gap. You don’t need a diet. You need protein showing up on time, every day, like a shift worker.
Move 3: Mind — Measure your waist every Sunday. Log every session. Never miss twice.
One number, same spot, same morning, every week. That number tells you it’s working. The log tells you you’re showing up. And the only rule that matters on hard weeks: missing one session is life, missing two in a row is a new habit forming. Never miss twice.
The takeaway: 12 weeks. 36 sessions. 40 grams at a time. One waist measurement a week. That’s the whole program, and the sticky note beats the 40-page plan you’ll never open again.
What’s the lift you crushed in your 20s that you’re scared to do now?
Forward this to a dad who says he’ll start in January. He’s spotting you a 16-week head start.
Rootin’ for ya,
Jason from Dad OS
Smart starts here.
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