Reset: Cookie Monster vs. Dad Fuel
How protein keeps me out of the pantry and off the Tasmanian Devil track.
I’ve always loved a challenge.
Whole30. Paleo. Keto. Carnivore. Vegetarian.
If it had a set of rules, I tried it. And most of them worked, for a while.
I’d lose weight,
feel good,
then crash.
None of them stuck. And none of them were practical while raising four kids and trying to keep family meals sane.
Without a framework, I turned into Cookie Monster. Pretty good when sweets were out of sight. But bake cookies with the boys, and Kellie would look up to find half the tray mysteriously gone.
(Pro tip: if you eat one cookie every time you walk into the kitchen, it adds up fast.)
I’d also justify it with workouts. “Long run today. I earned this.”
But when I didn’t “earn” it, the cookie came with guilt.
Shame. Like I’d failed a test no one else was grading.
The Science
Here’s what I’ve learned: the cookie wasn’t the real problem.
The lack of protein was.
When I don’t get enough protein, my blood sugar crashes, my energy tanks, and my mood goes full Tasmanian Devil. Short-term sugar helps… for about 20 minutes.
Then I’m angry,
irritable,
and snapping at people I actually love.
When I do hit my protein goal (about 1 gram per pound of bodyweight), everything shifts:
My energy is steady-no spikes, no crashes.
My mood is stable-Tasmanian Devil stays locked up.
My cravings shrink-fewer trips to the pantry “just to check.”
Think of protein like dad fuel. Without it, you’re running on fumes, coasting downhill until you hit the crash. With it, you’re topped off, steady, and way less likely to roar through the kitchen like the Cookie Monster looking for sugar.
Science calls it satiety and metabolic stability.
I just call it keeping the growl out of my stomach and my attitude.
The Reflection
When I eat enough protein, I feel:
Clearer in my head.
More patient with my boys.
Less likely to hide cookies in my pocket “for later.”
And here’s the surprise: I can still enjoy cookies. Not as a reward. Not as a punishment. Just as food I like, sometimes.
That balance has made me healthier than any strict diet ever did.
The Scripture
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
—1 Corinthians 10:31
Turns out, balance can be worship too. Not obsessing. Not crashing.
Just fueling well so I can show up as the
dad,
husband,
and man God’s called me to be.
The Reset Reminder
Protein first.
Cookies sometimes.
Tasmanian Devil… never.
Because fueling yourself well isn’t just about muscles or macros.
It’s about showing up steady with enough energy (and patience) to be the dad your kids actually remember.
This is my hubby to a "T" - my triggers are a little different (coffee vs water vs ...)
If he doesn't get enough "real food" and resorts to cheap snacking he's snappy and angry and then gets mad at himself when he realizes he just needed to reset and eat something proper.
We reflect on it alot and try to buy or make "good snacks" and only treat ourselves a little.
My daughter's birthday was yesterday and there were SO MANY cookies in the house lol ... but it was better (he did better) because we had a good dose of heavy "real food" to offset his snacking :P
I'm proud of you for recognizing this - being a parent present enough to make good memories with our kids is the ultimate litmus test. Accountability and discipline and planning so we get the best of what we actually want - good times with our family ^_^
I liked this one.
I’ve been that Tasmanian Devil dad too, and you’re right, it usually ties back to fuel. In the jet, if you short the tanks you know you’re asking for trouble later. At home, protein seems to be the same safeguard. When I hit the mark, I can actually coast through the day without raiding the “cookie galley.” Love how you framed this as balance rather than restriction. It feels like a checklist I can actually stick to.