TACKLING THE DAD BOD
Attention, dads! If the notorious “Dad Bod” has caught up with you, it’s time to act! Yes, I’m talking to you—you there with the remote in hand. Go ahead and put it aside. Now that I have your full attention, let’s dive in. Life gets hectic with family commitments and work demands, and one fine day, you catch a glimpse of your midsection resembling Half Dome in the mirror. Hey, it happens, not only to you but to millions of dads around the world. But now, it’s time to tackle it head-on.
Attention, dads! If the notorious “Dad Bod” has caught up with you, it’s time to act! Yes, I’m talking to you—you there with the remote in hand. Go ahead and put it aside. Now that I have your full attention, let’s dive in. Life gets hectic with family commitments and work demands, and one fine day, you catch a glimpse of your midsection resembling Half Dome in the mirror. Hey, it happens, not only to you but to millions of dads around the world. But now, it’s time to tackle it head-on.
First off, let’s think about how we ended up here. Back in college, our metabolism was in high gear, and hitting the gym was almost a daily ritual. But then, with life piling on responsibilities, our metabolism decided to take a break. What was once an hour of sweating it out at the gym has now morphed into passively unwinding before the TV with a beer or glass of wine. But here’s the silver lining: that drive is still there, and your inner powerhouse is waiting to be unleashed. No matter where you are, it’s time to get started!
Before rushing out to sign up for a gym membership, there’s a crucial step for you to take. If this isn’t committed to from the start, everything else could fall apart. Ready? Health and fitness need to be made a priority in our lives—they deserve an equal spot on the list with family and work. Don’t shove them to the back burner—take it from me. I repeat, health and fitness need to be a priority. Now, with this commitment in place, let’s start carving out time from our schedules.
Here’s my golden rule: 5 hours of exercise a week. That’s all it takes. With 168 hours in a week, carving out just 5 for exercise should be a breeze. No excuses! But let’s say your schedule is truly tight—almost impossibly so. My fitness mantra then becomes, join the early morning workout crew. If you normally wake up at 6:00AM to prepare for work, make it 5:00AM at the gym, or even 4:30AM. It might sound tough at first, but once you start an early morning routine, your body will adapt. Plus, working out first thing in the morning brings fantastic benefits, like increased energy, reduced fatigue, better focus, decreased stress, and improved sleep.
Having outlined a workout schedule, it’s crucial to overhaul eating habits. Thankfully, a wealth of meal-planning resources is available online. Steer clear of fad diets like keto, paleo, and Atkins, as they aren’t sustainable for the long haul and may pose health risks. Instead, focus on balancing the key food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. This ensures that your body receives the vitamins and minerals it needs, particularly for your workouts. You need not delve deep into nutrition science—here are the key takeaways:
Try to eat every 2-3 hours, depending on when you feel hungry.
Organize your daily intake into three smaller meals and 1-3 snacks.
Plan for meals consisting of 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fats. This balance ensures that your body uses the whole meal for energy, rather than hoarding it as fat.
Reserve the bulk of your carbohydrates for breakfast.
Reduce your carbohydrate intake after 5:00PM.
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Embrace greens like kale, spinach, and broccoli.
Be sure to include protein with every meal, especially right after your workout.
Limit alcohol to 1-2 glasses a week.
Eating a diverse range of nutritious foods is vital to a successful diet. Try incorporating a variety of recipes and meals so you don’t get bored. Planning and meal prepping are crucial. Look up some simple recipes online and use your day off for grocery shopping. Divide your meals into containers for the next day to stick to your plan and reduce the temptation to stray from your diet. Importantly, don’t indulge “cheat binges” in the fond hope of compensating for them later—you never will. I usually prepare two or three types of meals, so I’m not eating the same monotonous thing all day. Life is short, and we should enjoy our food and drink, but moderation is key. Once we establish a dedicated workout routine and improve our eating habits, you’ll find that the pot belly starts shrinking in no time. I promise!
With a revamped diet and schedule tailored to include regular exercise, it’s time to focus on the type of training you need. The decision between cardiovascular exercises and strength training hinges on our goals. If we aim to shed body fat and build lean muscle, incorporating both is essential. Cardio is fantastic for quickly burning calories, but its effects on metabolism are short-lived, once you step off the treadmill. Strength training, on the other hand, not only burns calories but also boosts your metabolism long after you finish, as your body works to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. So, when we hit the sack after a good strength session, our bodies continue to work, repairing the muscle damage, and thereby enhancing our metabolism.
I suggest a weekly workout routine that includes about 80% strength training and 20% cardiovascular exercise. For strength training, target two major muscle groups in each session. For instance, one day could be dedicated to your back and shoulders, another to your chest and abdominals, and another to your arms and legs. It’s crucial to allow at least 48 hours of rest between workouts for these muscle groups to fully recover. Why is this rest so important? Our bodies grow stronger during recovery, not while we’re actively working out. Think of it like a lizard regrowing a lost tail—it needs time to rest so its tissues can regenerate.
Concerning strength training, I recommend performing three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each. A set consists of the total number of repetitions, and a repetition is one complete movement of an exercise. It’s crucial to maintain full control of the weight throughout, and the last few reps should be challenging but doable. If you find yourself struggling to complete more than half of your reps, it’s a sign to lighten the weight. A great way to structure your workout is to create a circuit of 3 to 4 different exercises and complete three rounds of this circuit. This can be a bit confusing at first, so the example tables here show how it might look in a typical workout routine that can be performed at most local gyms.
Consistency is key. Results don’t appear overnight—it takes weeks or months of dedicated effort. This isn’t just about exercising; it’s about embracing a lifestyle change. Everything worthwhile in life takes time and effort. Start small by making incremental adjustments to your routine, easing gradually into this new healthful habit. Remember to commit to at least 5 hours of exercise each week, eat from all the major food groups daily, and combine strength training with cardiovascular exercises in your fitness regimen. Once you begin to see and feel the results, your motivation will naturally increase. That’s when the real enjoyment of working out takes hold. And remember dads, your kids are watching and learning from you. This is your chance to set a positive, healthy example and teach them the importance of self-care from a young age. Now that you know how to achieve your fitness goals, the next step—the all-important one—is to act. Let’s hit the gym and work off that Dad Bod. You’ve got this!
Health & Fitness Contributor Austin Naes
Photographer Roy Vissers
Austin Naes
Health & Fitness Contributor
Austin is a Navy veteran, personal trainer, and ultra-marathon runner, as well as the owner of BODY Fitness & Spa, a private boutique gymin North Fresno. His career in fitness started in the Navy, where he served as a Command Fitness Leader. Following Austin’s military service, he earned a BS in Business Entrepreneurship from Fresno State. He remains dedicated to his community, participating in charity initiatives, and assisting individuals in achieving their fitness objectives through nutrition and physical exercise.
