Bio-Synergy ambassador Mark Matthews explains how to overcome the dreaded "Dad Bod" image. So if you are a father or you want to give your dad some advice on how to get in shape, this is the perfect article for your.
The hotly debated “Dad Bod” conversations have been storming the Web. There is no real dictionary definition as yet but loosely the term refers to a male physique which is a cross between someone who works out and someone who has a beer belly. The original article which started the fitness industries number 1 topic was raised by an American University student named Mackenzie Pearson.
The outlook of the article pits the “dad bods” popularity down to the look of the balanced lifestyle that it supposedly represents. Regardless of whether a beer belly is attractive or not, the question should be is it healthy!? To me, a beer gut represents an excessive indulgence in one aspect of a person’s life – be it food or alcohol, one thing it certainly doesn’t represent is a balanced lifestyle as the title suggests. Don’t get me wrong, it is more than achievable to stay in healthy shape while affording the occasional (weekly) beer or pizza. One of the bonuses about the “dad bod” craze is the raised awareness that not everyone has to have a six pack all year round.
In light of this I would like to offer a few tips on overcoming the dad bod - not from a vanity point of view but from maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of maintaining a wholesome nutritious diet 80 % of the time.
Fit with the kids….pet…….neighbours' pet……er pint
If you have kids get out and get active with them, biking, skiing, swimming or even just walking – plan more activities into your time together. Don’t have any children!? How about a pet – schedule in more time for walking fido, if you don’t have a dog just borrow the neighbors (note – I highly suggest you ask first or this might lead to the unplanned activity of running for police pursuit: D). Finally if you do like to have a sociable pint then perhaps look at performing some exercise or activity first and have a drink as the reward. Football, going for a run and game of tennis – all can help achieve the balance that will help you lose the gut but retain the title of dad bod.
Measure your macros
Pay more attention to the details of your diet, start counting your macro nutrition (protein, carbohydrates and fats) and measure if you have enough space left for that slice of pizza or bottle of beer. There are plenty of online websites that can help calculate your daily allowance or if you are more a stickler for accuracy then contact a nutrition advisor or coach that can work them out for you. You can also discover your protein number with Bio-Synergy's protein calculator. A good balance is having a lower calorie intake throughout the week, in turn saving a good portion of calories for later in the week, especially handy if you are partial to the odd Friday night beer and burger! As long as you have a balance nutritional intake 85% of the time then you can afford the odd little treat within reason. Managing your macros on the go can be made easier by taking Bio-Synergy supplements too. Particularly, I find the grab and go Whey Better ready to drink protein shakes amazing. Over 25g of protein and virtually no sugar per bottle? Yes please!
Set a goal or target
When you are working towards achieving a goal you have set you will ultimately be more dedicated. Whether it’s a race for charity, a work group challenge to cycle the length of the country or even just to fit into a pair of jeans that you liked the look of. A target will keep you on track and answerable to yourself. The key is to also set a date, knowing that you have a countdown will also make you more likely to stick to your chosen goals.
The title reflects the struggles of the modern day dad - a busy working and family lifestyle that can make it hard to find time for exercise and sometimes force you to have unplanned take away food. The best advice I can offer is to make whatever your goal/activity/diet part of your daily life, i.e. turning it into a habit, something that won’t feel out of place in your lifestyle and definitely something you can enjoy. Taking all this on board will perhaps enable us to shift the image of the beer bellies to a more healthier, achievable and confident physique.
Thanks for reading folks, I am of to the return the neighbours' chiwawa.