Ep. 13 - Health is Wealth

Narrator: [: 00:00:00

to the Good Steward Law Wealth Podcast, where host Ledley Jennings explores law and finance to help listeners become better stewards of their wealth. Each episode covers the latest trends and strategies in estate planning, elder law, investment, and wealth management. Tune in for the knowledge and tools for financial success and security.

Ledly Jennings: Welcome to the Good Steward Law Wealth Podcast. I'm excited today to have my guest, Ben Barker. Um, some people know him as the neighborhood alpha dad, um, but it goes by a lot of things on Instagram. And, um, Ben is a kind of fitness health. I don't know what you call yourself, coach, instructor, um, influencer, but I wanted to have him on to talk about, and you're probably thinking, why is this even?

e to kind of talk about that [: 00:01:00

But, um, Ben, thank you for being on and I'll kind of let you introduce yourself and how you describe what you do.

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: Cool. Hey, Ledley. Thanks for having me. Number one, I got to say great podcast name, uh, the good steward. I mean, I love that. And I know we'll touch on this, but you know, you want to be a good steward of your finances.

You also want to be a good steward of the health. He's been, you know, rewarded or awarded. Uh, but man, I'm glad to be a part. And I also got to throw this out there. Uh, Ledley is a real athletic guy. Um, I remember him at F 45, jumping on the highest boxes and lifting the heaviest weights we had. So I just had to throw that out there, give him a nod.

e can just end it right now. [: 00:02:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: Also, I want to throw a nod to you for first calling me a fitness coach rather than an influencer. I prefer that term.

Influencer kind of has a negative connotation nowadays. But essentially, uh, I'm a fitness coach and I'm, I would also, I guess I'm classified as a fitness influencer. I essentially do like affiliate marketing for supplement brands, clothing brands, and fitness equipment on top of coaching people through fitness subscriptions and one on one coaching.

Gotcha.

Ledly Jennings: Yeah. And if you look on his Instagram is where I, how I follow Ben most of the time. And then I subscribed to his, um, home workout plan for a while before I had a gym to go to. So it's great stuff to, um, get involved in. He goes by the neighborhood alpha dad, you know, a lot of, uh, at home type workouts, and there's some entertaining stuff on, um, his, uh, Instagram.

Instagram, [: 00:03:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: man, you view age different when you get in your thirties. And I remember, you know, when I was like 18 or 20, like, you know, once you're 30, it's over.

Um, but what's cool. It's like when you go to a gym, are you a member at the athletic club? Lovely. So the cool thing about going to a gym like the athletic club is when you see guys in their 50s, Who are still incredibly fit, you know, active in their career and just crushing life. And I think it's really cool when you're in your thirties and your forties and you realize you've still got a whole nother life to live.

. And when you start viewing [: 00:04:00

Ledly Jennings: And that's exactly why I wanted to have you on. It was just cause you kind of portray this and. Everything you put out there. Um, but like you said, being a good steward, most people think of your wealth. And when you think wealth, people think finances. And that is a big part of what I do is help people pass on their finances to their kids, uh, essentially.

But really wealth has a, a lot of different tenants. You know, there is finances, there is your family, your faith, um, You, how you have an impact on the world, but also a big one is health. And I've been, I was reading a book here recently and a whole chapter was titled wealth is health. Um, and when you think of that, how, how do you think about that and how you manage your health?

than just, you know, looking [: 00:05:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: man. You, it all ties together. I think you did the nail on the head in regards to you. You can be rich, but not wealthy. I think you can have all of the money in the world, but if you're not making an impact on your community, you're not healthy and you have poor relationships with your family, you're not wealthy.

You might just have money. And I think when you really have wealth is, you know, on my, my podcast, I talk a lot about faith, family, fitness, finances and freedom. And I think when you are well balanced in those five areas, that's when you truly have wealth.

Ledly Jennings: Yeah, I hadn't thought about freedom in a while, but that is a good one.

njury for the health side or [: 00:06:00

Well, I think about that a lot is how do we insulate ourselves so we're not dependent on other things.

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: Correct. And then, you know, on top of that, Ledley, if you're thinking about health, you know, think one day when you're 50 or 60 and you have a kid who's in their prime of their life and they're like, dad, I want to go hike Pike's peak.

If you're not healthy enough to go attack that with them, you know, you might have money, but you don't truly have freedom because you're not free to go and do something at the drop of a hat. And I like to think when I'm 50, if my kid asked me to go do that, I'm not going to have to train for three or six months in order to prepare.

I'll just be like, yeah, like, when are we doing it?

family, finance, how do you [: 00:07:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: It's tough, and I think at times in our lives, we have to lend a hand more to some than others, and you know, for me, I've never really, I've always had goals in fitness, and I always want to improve, and like, when I look in the mirror at myself, I'm not impressed with myself, I can look and pick out things I want to improve, or in my lifts, you know, but for me, a big focus for me the last couple years has been finances.

I kind of reached a point where I said to myself, I should be ahead of where I'm at. You know, I should be actively investing. I should be, you know, I want to get involved in real estate and things like that. And so I need more liquidity, right? And so I've really been focusing on that. And so I don't want to say my fitness has been an autopilot, but I've been able to put the same amount into my fitness, right?

work on all of them, but at [: 00:08:00

Have you heard of that Ledley? I haven't. It's a really cool group. Uh, you have to have a certain level of net worth in order to be brought into the group. And they have this sheet called the one sheet. And you can download it for free from their website and it's essentially a google sheet and you score yourself Their areas are the same exact as mine, but it's essentially, you know, your your net worth your health markers So like what's your ldl and your hdl your body fat percentage?

where I need to put my focus [: 00:09:00

Ledly Jennings: Yeah, that's really neat. Um, I like that, especially it's more tactical to where you can see the big picture, but then narrow down to how you achieve that. Correct. Um, I love that. Um, And I didn't really plan to go this way, but I got to thinking as you were talking is, um, a big part that I've seen since starting my own law firm is the value of really owning a business, being an entrepreneur and the impact that you can have on your community, family, and that kind of thing.

So like being a good steward is part of it is being a capitalist and, um, growing what you've been given. I'm just curious. How did you go into making that decision? Cause I know at one point you were. I don't know your situation, but maybe salary or had a steady job. And then you made the decision to go out on your own essentially and build something, what went into that train of thought?

Sure.

job, there's honor [: 00:10:00

Uh, there's a book called The Millionaire Fast Track. And it sounds gimmicky. If you haven't read it though, I suggest you, you know, it just talks about, you know, when you're a job, you know, maybe say the ceilings, whatever, 250, 000, let's just say nuts. And that's a wonderful salary. But you know, if you're an entrepreneur, there really is, there is no ceiling necessarily on how much you can earn.

you know, knowing that I can [: 00:11:00

And when you can make that type of impact in your community is huge. And I just saw that if I were able to grow my income, I can make a larger impact.

Ledly Jennings: Yeah, that that's, uh, right on point. Um, and, uh, has the discipline that you've learned in your life from the fitness, like being consistent and all that goes with that, has that applied to your business and just other areas of your life?

Have you seen that translate?

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: 100%. And we're going to, I'm probably going to draw too many comparisons here and I'll just apologize in advance. But, you know, with, with working out, it's very discouraging when you start, you know, say you've got 50 pounds to lose and you work out for six weeks and you lose five pounds.

r that hump and and continue [: 00:12:00

You start watching your calories a little bit tighter. If you can just hang in there and continue working and make it past the point where most people would quit, that's really when the magic starts to happen. And the same thing happens like in marriage, you know, like when marriage gets tough, most people want to quit, but if you can just kind of put your head down.

And continue doing the work. That's when stuff can get really good. And then the same exact thing with your finances, you got to put your head down, let compounding interest do its thing. And that's where the magic happens.

Ledly Jennings: Yeah, that's exactly right. I think when I was working out with, uh, you at the gym and I got to the point where I was the fittest I'd been since, I guess, college.

n't think I'm never going to [: 00:13:00

And yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Um, and, uh, so you mentioned your kids go one to ask, say, I want to go hike this mountain. Um, a lot of what I try to do with my planning is people want to know how to, you know, we pass on our wealth, but when you give it to your kids, you want to make sure they're able to handle it and they're.

Responsible with it and hopefully grow it because everything we've had is a gift. So when you're giving them a gift, you want them to, but so some people ask, how do you pass on the values that built what you built to your kids and in the lines of fitness and health, how do you hope? And I know your kids are younger, but how do you hope to pass on those values to your kids?

ch: Man, I, I think it's the [: 00:14:00

I think, and you know, you know how it goes, Ledley, and you see parents who do everything right and their kids still mess up, there's always a chance for that. But I think if you are doing things right, and you're teaching them these things while also living it out, they're much more likely to pick up those habits and carry on that legacy.

, I don't know. Five or your [: 00:15:00

Um, so something we do is, uh, kind of write down a list of values, maybe some books to read that you want them to read throughout their life. Just different things. Um, is there any book that really comes to mind or it could be a, I guess, a podcast, anything that, um, you consider kind of a core book or something that you want to make sure your kids read.

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: Ooh, that's good. And it's going to come to me later, the specific book, but something I'll tell you, that's really cool that I could think. potentially could make a bigger impact than my family and I did recently. Um, at my church, uh, where you also go as well, one time the pastor mentioned, uh, that he and his family sat down and made core values for their family.

know, like valor, honor, you [: 00:16:00

And so we sat down and we came up with six family values that we're going to live by. And so I think it's pretty cool. I also did a podcast on it And i've also wrote a blog post on it and said stuff's going to live forever And so I think it'd be really cool if you could sit down with your family Even if they're too young to remember it and write down a list of core values for your family You know and that and that can also address how you you know, use your finances How you're going to approach physical health mental health and how you're going to serve your community Do a list of that for your family.

And that's something pretty cool that could live on forever for your kids. And I'm sure if you know, uh, a good estate guy, he can help you put that somewhere, you know, in, in your will or whatever you do that.

Ledly Jennings: Yeah. And I'll be sure to link to some of that stuff in the show notes. Cause I bet that's very interesting.

And [: 00:17:00

This is how I envision you managing it and how I earned it. Um, so yeah, that's a good point. Um, and so I guess I'll ask some actual fitness questions now so, um, that people can get some kind of takeaway and. Well, I guess what would you say maybe it's, um, favorite type of workout if you had to pick a one or two workout movements, what would you say is most valuable for you,

barbell lifts or any type of [: 00:18:00

And I think men, we want to go all in on stuff. And sometimes when we can't go all in and invest what we want, we just do nothing at all. So I would say one, something is better than nothing. Getting a habit of getting in two or three days a week, and we can always increase frequency as we get more consistent, but the squat pull ups and push ups are really tough to beat.

You could base an entire workout plan, you know, three days a week on those three movements and see a lot of results doing them bodyweight plyometric versions and weighted versions. And that could be a beautiful program with just three exercises alone.

Ledly Jennings: Yeah. One thing I remember you saying too, is you're big on sprints.

What's the benefit of that?

now ultra marathons are kind [: 00:19:00

And in order to run, you know, at a slow pace for a long time, you have to go really crazy long distances in order to get the result that you're looking for. Whereas with sprints, which are high intensity, you can do much less volume, jack up your metabolism a little bit and get a lot more effect basically in less amount of time.

Ledly Jennings: That makes sense.

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: And if you're, if you haven't been sprinting recently, I'll just throw this out there real quick. Getting on grass is huge because it's less impact and doing hill sprints. It is a great place to start. It's a little bit easier on your knees and Achilles and a great place to start build muscle and kind of ease into that without hurting yourself.

at heights taco a few times, [: 00:20:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: So I kind of take the same approach to both nutrition and working out. If 80 percent of the time, you know, everybody's heard the 80, 20 rule.

If 80 percent of the time you can be on the money. You can afford yourself, you know, 20 percent of the time to live a little. And I have kids, Ledley, you know, you're in Little Rock, you know, that they just put in a DeLuca's pizza here. I love DeLuca's pizza and you better believe I'm going to be there periodically.

If you get, it can get in the habit of where the majority of the time you're prioritizing, you know, lean protein, things like chicken breast, lean beef and fish, vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds. And that's kind of what you base the majority of your diet on. 80 percent of the time you're going to win.

pizza or cheese dip. So, um, [: 00:21:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: I haven't yet, but I'm very interested because they've made it so easy. Now I am not affiliated in any way whatsoever.

But there's two brands currently, there's one called Hone, H O N E, and there's another one called Blokes, B L O K E S, and they literally mail you a little kit, and I assume you just prick your finger, send them in a blood sample, and they tell you what to do. All this incredible stuff about your health and things you can do to improve it, you know, testosterone level, all of that.

And I'm actually really intrigued. And I think, especially as we age, a really smart thing to look into.

more of a medical provider. [: 00:22:00

And that was really interesting. But another one is my genetic side. It told me that I had one certain gene that was predisposition for dementia or Alzheimer's. So at first it was kind of scary, but then they go on to tell you, well, if you do these type of supplements, it helps. And even like sitting in the sauna or cold plunge has been proven to help with that stuff.

So, um, I'm with you. I think that's part of the way the future is going now that it's so easily accessible to just know. What your genetics and your blood makeup is. Um, yeah, I wasn't going to mention that, but I did that last week and I've been thinking about it ever since. It was just really cool.

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: I think that's so neat and what would be unwise, especially it's so affordable not to look into stuff like that.

Now, if you don't, probably [: 00:23:00

Again, don't quote me on this. I don't have this specific study. But, when you force yourself to do things that you don't want to do that are good for you, that is one of the best ways to ward off dementia. And so he specifically mentioned, like, he was like, I love taking ice baths. So I obviously still get all of the, you know, immediate benefits, but that's not necessarily gonna ward off dementia for him specifically because he loves taking ice baths.

hat could ward off dementia. [: 00:24:00

Ledly Jennings: That's really good because yeah, I was happy when they said sit in the sauna cause I love sitting in the sauna, but now cold plunge, not so much running.

Maybe not. So that's interesting. Um, and I, yeah, so I was going to, what I ask. All my, uh, guests is what would you say is the biggest myth of your industry or misunderstanding it could be?

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: Ooh, the biggest I, okay. Don't, don't shoot the messenger. Um, they say a lot of people say you cannot out train a bad diet.

But stay, stay with me here. So I think when a lot of people hear that they're, they just say to themselves, well, I, I guess I just won't work out. Right? , you know, 'cause they're gonna eat bad no matter what. I think it's easiest for most people to start working out first. Dieting is the worst. It it is. It is not fun.

And when we need to lose [: 00:25:00

And it's one of those things where discipline begets discipline. And if you get consistent in your working out, eventually you're going to want to improve other things as well. So can you necessarily out train a bad diet? No, but I would encourage you to start with something. And usually, you know, Dave Ramsey style, you know, you get the debt snowball rolling, it's kind of the same effect, just gets any type of momentum going.

And it's going to help you win in the long run. If you can stay consistent.

o say, what the biggest myth [: 00:26:00

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: This is a regular topic of debate when I go to my parents and my in laws, cause they both drink Folgers, right? And I always bring my own coffee grinder kettle and all my pour over equipment. And I think they're slightly offended.

Um, I think quality coffee matters and it tastes good. And also there's all of this stuff you hear about like mold and like the low quality coffees. And if you get a higher quality coffee, that's not going to happen. So I'm just throwing it out there.

Ledly Jennings: Gotcha. Um, yeah, and I won't take a much more of your time just so appreciate this.

tenant of wealth. Um, I feel [: 00:27:00

Um, But where would you direct people to find your information? Where would you think they should start on your website? What kind of, how do they connect with

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: so Ben Barker fitness. com and on the top of the website has links to all of my socials. And I also have a really cool free four week workout plan.

There's literally a tab called free workout. You click on that and you can obviously I capture your email. So full disclosure, you'll end up on my email list, uh, but you get a free four week workout plan and I always tell people, you know, my program's not the best, but any program is better than no program.

So if you haven't started, find something that works with you and get consistent with it.

but also it scales with your [: 00:28:00

Like you mentioned that blog on values and just different things. Um, you get more than just. Fitness or you trying to sell a product. So it's, I've found it interesting. Oh, I appreciate

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: that. Well,

Ledly Jennings: I mean, that's all we've got here. I just wanted to show you that health is a part of your wealth and it integrates in your life because we've been given a body, it's not ours and it's our job to manage it and do the best we have with.

Um, so I appreciate you coming on, man.

Ben Barker, Alpha Dad - Fitness Coach: Hey, thanks for having me. I enjoyed it. You did a great job. Yeah.

Ledly Jennings: Thank you. Oh, and check out his podcast. Uh, it's really good. Listen, sorry. And that's it. Thanks guys.

meeting and sign up for our [: 00:29:00