The HOA : Habits Of Abba

Welcome to the HOA: Your Sunday newsletter with 3 recommendations to live the CHA (Call Him Abba) mindset

To be fully able to be called "Abba," we as men have to be obsessed with forming ourselves—not for selfish gain or the admiration and compliments of others. Not forming ourselves so that we can be the fittest, smartest, most well-read, or most successful man in the room. No, rather, we must form ourselves so that we can give ourselves away to others.

We must form ourselves so that others may depend on us. We must be the strong foundation on which others can build a house.

To be physically formed so that we can play with our kids on the floor when they are 5 years old, shoot hoops with them when they are 12, and be a part of their lives when they are 50 or 60.

To be intellectually formed so that we can think through the complex problems of our world, ecosystems, jobs, and families with a sound mind. To be able not to take the opinions and noise of the world at face value but to wrestle with them with a mind strong enough to fight.

To be humanly formed through building good habits so that we have the natural virtue to wake up on time, schedule our priorities, and create a life where we can balance all our responsibilities in the right order.

To be reliable mentally, emotionally, physically, and psychologically so that others—whether a spouse, girlfriend, co-worker, subordinate, or child—can come to us and know they can trust us.

Each Sunday, I will provide my three recommendations for how men can form themselves based off my experience:

• Intellectually

• Physically

• Humanly (Habitually)

Here are this week’s HOA (Habits of Abba) recommendations:

Intellectual Formation

Read “A Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self” written by Michael Easter.

Linked Here → (A Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter).

The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter explores how modern society's obsession with comfort is negatively impacting our physical and mental well-being. Easter embarks on a challenging 33-day expedition in the Arctic, illustrating how embracing discomfort can build resilience, improve health, and lead to a more fulfilling life. He delves into scientific research and interviews experts to show how hardship, boredom, and struggle are essential for growth. The book encourages readers to step outside their comfort zones, engage in physical challenges, and embrace discomfort as a path to personal transformation. Ultimately, The Comfort Crisis serves as a call to reclaim a more adventurous, meaningful existence.

It left me asking myself: “What is the cost of my comfort?” “What areas of my life can I choose to be uncomfortable in?” “What is the role of physical challenges in the life of man?” A question that we must wrestle with as men.

Physical Formation

Reduce Added Sugars from Diet

Last week on COA, I talked about how I am seeking to lower my alcohol consumption and eliminate “Night Caps”, the pre-bedtime alcoholic beverage. This week I want to take about eliminating Added Sugars.

As I have learned recently, Added Sugars are in everything. I have begun to read the packaging labels on food and sauces I am putting into my body, and what I have discovered has blown my mind. Added sugars are literally in everything. Two days ago, I was looking for a high protein snack while traveling. I purchased a bag of almonds, pecans and cashews while on the airplane. As I began to eat what I thought was a high protein snack, I flipped the bag over and discovered that their were as many grams of added sugar as protein in the bag!

“In the American diet, the top sources are soft drinks, fruit drinks, flavored yogurts, cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and most processed foods. But added sugar is also present in items that you may not think of as sweetened, like soups, bread, cured meats, and ketchup.

The result: we consume way too much added sugar. Adult men take in an average of 24 teaspoons of added sugar per day, according to the National Cancer Institute. That's equal to 384 calories”¹

Why is this important? Because being an Abba is about being able to show up for those important to you. Added Sugars are doing just the opposite of that.

From the Harvard Medical Journal “In a study published in 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Hu and his colleagues found an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories as added sugar.

"Basically, the higher the intake of added sugar, the higher the risk for heart disease," says Dr. Hu.

To summarize

Excessive consumption of added sugars can lead to several negative health consequences. Here are some of the most significant:

1. Weight Gain & Obesity – Added sugars, especially in sugary drinks and processed foods, contribute to excess calorie intake without providing essential nutrients, leading to weight gain and obesity.

2. Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes – High sugar consumption leads to insulin resistance, which can result in elevated blood sugar levels and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

3. Heart Disease – Added sugars contribute to high blood pressure, inflammation, and unhealthy cholesterol levels, all of which increase the risk of heart disease.

4. Tooth Decay – Sugar feeds harmful bacteria in the mouth, leading to cavities, tooth decay, and other oral health issues.

5. Mental Health Issues – Diets high in added sugars have been linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and mood swings due to their impact on brain function and neurotransmitter regulation.

6. Fatty Liver Disease – Excess sugar, particularly fructose, is processed in the liver and can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition that impairs liver function.

7. Increased Risk of Cancer – Chronic high sugar intake is associated with increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity, all of which are linked to a higher risk of certain cancers.²

Instead what I have tried to do is carry around with me in my work bag, or suitcase when traveling a few no added sugar options. Apples, Bananas and protein dense snacks are a few of my favorites. I have been loving this Chomps Meat-Sticks recently. A small business made by CrossFit athletes to provide protein dense snacks on the go.

Linked Here → Chomps MeatSticks

Human Formation (Habit Formation)

Forward thinking, Backwards Planning

This is an idea I gained from a Podcast by Army Ranger veteran, entrepreneur and fitness influencer, Nick Bare on this podcast

Linked Here→

The idea centers around the following approach

• Start with the end goal:

  Unlike traditional planning where you might start with the present and work forward, this method begins by clearly defining the desired outcome you want to achieve.

• Reverse engineering:

  Once the goal is established, you systematically identify the critical steps, milestones, and actions that need to be taken in reverse chronological order to reach that goal.

• Focus on critical pathways:

  By working backwards, you can prioritize the most important actions and identify potential roadblocks early on

This could be an effective strategy for scheduling with family, fitness goals, project management at work, personal finance, and simply planning out one’s day the next day.

1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar

2. Rippe JM, Angelopoulos TJ. Relationship between Added Sugars Consumption and Chronic Disease Risk Factors: Current Understanding. Nutrients. 2016 Nov 4;8(11):697. doi: 10.3390/nu8110697. PMID: 27827899; PMCID: PMC5133084.