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The Dad Edge Podcast

Reclaiming Fatherhood Energy by Leading Yourself First featuring Joel Staley

The Dad Edge Podcast

Larry Hagner

Health & Fitness, Education, Self-improvement

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this Dad Edge Podcast episode, I'm joined by Joel Staley, husband, father, and fasting expert—but the real story here isn't about weight loss. It's about the emotional and relational weight men carry and how mastering the physical body can help men show up more powerfully for their families.

 

We unpack Joel's transformation from feeling "fluffy" and distracted to leading his wife and kids with presence and purpose. Joel doesn't hold back when talking about how his physical condition was limiting his energy, sex drive, self-respect, and ultimately his connection at home. This isn't a gimmicky fitness episode—it's a raw look at what happens when a man decides he's no longer okay with coasting.

 

 

 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

 

[0:00] – Joel's wake-up call and early struggles with self-image

[4:18] – Feeling physically present but emotionally absent as a dad

[8:20] – Why getting shredded wasn't the real goal

[12:03] – How fasting gave him structure, confidence, and clarity

[16:55] – Leading your family starts with leading yourself

[20:41] – Joel's marriage breakthrough through vulnerability

[24:18] – Sex drive, shame, and physical transformation

[28:36] – Teaching his kids about delayed gratification and purpose

[33:02] – The real impact of watching your dad take care of himself

[37:14] – Daily disciplines that keep him grounded and focused

[40:57] – Joel's final challenge for every dad listening

 

 

 

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS

 

1. When You Lead Yourself, You Lead Better at Home

Joel discovered that when he took full ownership of his physical health, it cascaded into better decisions, emotional presence, and connection with his family.

2. Your Body is a Spiritual and Emotional Instrument

Getting fit wasn't just about looking good—it gave Joel the energy and confidence to show up for his wife and kids like never before.

3. Fasting Is a Discipline That Builds Mental Toughness

Joel explains how structured fasting helped him reclaim control and break unhealthy patterns that were sabotaging his time and attention at home.

4. Physical Change Can Spark Relational Breakthroughs

As Joel got healthier, his marriage improved—not because of appearance, but because of how he began showing up with integrity and consistency.

5. Your Kids Notice Everything

Joel shares how his daughters now see him as someone who takes care of himself and others—and how that's creating a new generational standard.

 

 

 

 

LINKS & RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

If this episode pushed you to confront your own health or leadership gaps, rate, review, follow, and share. Let's live legendary, in every way that matters.

 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to the Dad Edge podcast. The Dad Edge movement creates leaders of men, leaders of families, and leaders of communities. We will not only impact this generation of fathers, but the next generation as well. The kids we are raising will have better chances and odds stacked in their favor because of the amazing example

0:21.2

that their fathers emulated for them. We are here to change the world. We are here to change

0:27.6

relationships. We are here to positively disrupt this generation of fathers so no man goes to their

0:33.6

grave with regret. We disrupt the drift of busyness and replace it with razor-focused intention,

0:40.3

passion, purpose, and direction.

0:43.7

We are the Dad Edge,

0:45.7

and we're here to change the game.

0:47.8

We're here to change the game.

1:04.3

I don't know. I have a question for you guys as we start out today.

1:13.8

And that is, what if you were going along, just your normal life, you know, not even really having you, have barely breached your 40s.

1:21.4

Physically, you're a picture of health. You're an absolute specimen of health. And we've got daughters, we got three kids, we have a wife, been married for over a decade, and then suddenly we just get hit right

1:29.9

in the face with some really shocking news and some really bad news. And it's the C word. It's cancer.

1:37.5

And no matter what is going on in our life, that word, that diagnosis will stop us in our tracks. Gentlemen, what's going on? My name

1:47.2

is Larry Hagner. I'm the host and founder of this podcast, this show, and movement. And I just want to

1:51.9

take a moment here and welcome you to the Dad Edge. If you're new, got plenty of content for you

1:57.9

guys just to keep you busy. I've been doing this now for over a decade,

2:02.0

and we are knocking on the doorstep of 1,400 episodes. Just judging by what I started with this

2:08.1

podcast with, this is a heavy one today. But I encourage you guys to listen all the way to the end,

2:13.9

because the message that comes from my guest today, Joel Staley, who's been on the

2:18.9

podcast before, is something that you've never heard. You probably have heard of Joel, or you

2:23.4

probably heard him on the podcast before. He's the founder of the Shed Fat Fast program. He's been

2:29.5

a good friend of mine. He's also been a client, and I've been a client of his. He actually helped me three years ago

...

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