Brian Comly
📍 Philadelphia, PA | Occupational Therapist, Blogger (MindBodyDad), & Podcaster (The Growth Kit)
📝 Editor’s Note
I’ve been working on a travel recommendation excel database + google map for over a year.
Each person I profile on Rambull has the option to provide me with their favorite hotel, hidden gem, restaurant, and/or dive bar in the world. I see this as source of travel inspiration and bucket list hunting. Big thank you to all the people that have contributed.
The database has just shy of 300 global recommendations. But it is not quite ready yet. Soon.
As a tease, below is the list of the top dive bars. Someday I’d love to make a coffee table book out of this list.
I’m excited to check “Room for Improvement” off the list when I visit MacGreagor Stevenson in Portland Maine in June.
Lastly, this is very much a fluid work in progress. Please reply directly to this email if you have dive bars that you think should be on the list!
Without further ado….
Why Brian?
I can relate to Brian on having two young kids and the inability to sit still. I love that he has a passion for teaching others to live healthier through science.
Follow him on Instagram @mindbodydad or twitter
Self-Description
A Philly-born family man working as an OT, blogger, podcaster, and wanna-be athlete. I'm a health-conscious nerdy type who loves to self-experiment, has trouble sitting still, and loves being outside with my wife and 2 young kids. Hilly hikes, a good podcast, and a pale ale go in the plus column. I don't understand people who like winter, bed rotting, or stouts.
Brian’s Recommendations
Written in his own words…
Content
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
One of my favorite books of the last 10 years and one I'll be revisiting. Burkeman reminds you that your limited lifespan (~4,000 weeks) should be less devoted to the mundane and more focused on what truly matters, choosing battles wisely, and creating the meaningful and not the productive life. He seamlessly intertwines personal experiences, a historical take on how people think about time and productivity, and practical wisdom to embrace a better life.
Oliver Burkeman’s 4,000 Weeks: 3 Takeaways
Brand or Product
The older I get the more I respect and value sleep as a tool for health, longevity, mood, and performance. There are plenty of strategies I use to improve my sleep (mouth tape, no eating 3 hours before bed, blue light blockers, etc.) but the one that has made the biggest difference may be the simplest: a sleep mask. I fall asleep faster, wake up less at night, and my percentage of deep sleep (according to my Garmin) tends to be higher.
And it’s backed by science. In a systematic review, researchers found that both sleep masks and earplugs showed significant improvement in reported sleep. And according to Whoop data, wearing a sleep mask improved time asleep by 27 minutes, their REM sleep by 2%, and their recovery by a whopping 9%.
I used to go with the cheap ones which I had to replace every couple of months but now my wife and I use the cotton one by FRESHME which is light, durable, and comfortable. 8 Tools For Better Sleep
Minimalist/Barefoot Shoes
I was recently talking to a patient of mine who called my minimalist shoes "caveman shoes" and asked where she could buy a pair. We discussed the benefits, including better foot strength, stability, posture, gait, less pain, etc. But we also talked about how they're modern and popular in a sense but really how everyone wore shoes with minimal cushions except for the last century or so. My favorite overall kind is the Merrell Vapor Glove which is comfortable and durable. If you're looking for a good casual one to wear out then I recommend Bare Footwear.
Well-Being
After a long day at work, I pull up to the house and my 2 year old is giddy with excitement and banging on the front glass door. She’s excited because we get to go for our 1-on-1 walks. I throw on my rucksack (40-50#) and she leads the way. I got into rucking over the last couple of years and I’m now hooked. I have a small rucksack that I wear during yard work and body weight workouts and another one for longer walks and hikes. It’s an easy way to increase the intensity of a walk while giving a nod to our evolutionary roots and doing what us humans do better than any other species: carry heavy stuff.
GORUCK Rucker 4.0 Review: A Bag Built To Last
My biggest vice: Probably beer (my go-to: Yards Pale Ale). Second place: Eating too much peanut butter.
Amazon
The Theragun is overrated and massages are inconvenient and expensive. I’ve found that the Vertiball provides the best option of a way to hit hard-to-reach areas that tend to be tightest and cause the most pain and discomfort such as the upper mid back, low back, and glute medius.
Open
The minimum effective dose of exercise.
Just like everyone else, I'm busy. Between working as an OT, blogging, podcasting, releasing a book, dadding, etc. there's little time left for one of the most important levers I can pull for my health, mood, and longevity: exercise. As I get older the time shrinks but the importance of fitness looms larger. Instead of large chunks of time dedicated to one type of exercise like I used to do, now I focus on hitting the minimum effective dose of the major types of fitness: strength training, HIIT, Zone 2, walking, and VO2 Max. I dove into the research to discover the least I can do each week to reap the benefits for each of these categories which you can find here.
Plug
Some shameless personal plugs:
MindBodyDad newsletter: Once a week I send updates on podcasts, articles, and products I like but once a month I go nuts and include the best articles, research, podcast, books, quote, and more that I’ve discovered over the course of the month. Sign up here.
The Growth Kit podcast: A podcast that converts articles from MindBodyDad into short, evidence-based, and practical tips to live a better life.
The Non-Toxic Living Guidebook: In my opinion, toxins are one of the least appreciated concerns when it comes to our health. They’re everywhere and, at the same time, we are easily able to manage them if we become a little more aware of them. I see this concern on a daily basis with the patients I work with so I compiled a book and broke it up into what to look for, what to avoid, and personal recommendations for everything from personal care products (e.g. toothpaste, shampoos, deodorant), clothing, food, kids and baby care, and more. Use the code RAMBULL20 for 20% off.
Want to get in touch with Brian? “Go to MindBodyDad.com or email me at contact@mindbodydad.com”
P.S. from Rambull — Huge fan of Costco and huge fan of the Starbucks Egg Bites. 2 minutes in the microwave and you are ready to go. Throw this in the cart next time you brave the crowds and the chaos of your local store.
Don't miss this dive... Florabama.com