Let’s face it, as we age, it gets harder to keep those extra pounds off, even with decent diet and exercise. So I decided to search for some anti-Dad Bod workout tips.
Ensure you are drinking at least 64 oz of water per day, but sipped slowly throughout the day. For exercise, make sure to balance between cardio and weight training as the weights are essential for boosting testosterone and ramping up metabolism. Lastly, meal portion control is crucial as is getting enough sleep.
But those are just the beginning of the tips to lose that dad-bod.
When we aren’t in shape it affects our self-esteem and overall feeling of well-being. We don’t take pride in ourselves and that can start a dangerous downhill slide in overall appearance.
Plus when we are overweight, we bring on a whole host of possible health risks from diabetes, heart health, high cholesterol, and more.
But we don’t have to accept belly fat.
We can get the body we want, at any age. All it takes is the right combination of good nutrition and exercise.
And it doesn’t mean hours at the gym, starving yourself or fad diets.
But no matter what the reason you may be looking for an anti-Dad Bod workout plan, these tips will get you going quickly on having the body you’ve always wanted!
If you’re like me, you eat pretty good, exercise a few times a week, but still struggle with looking good in the mirror and getting your clothes to fit right.
I get it, and those are my struggles too. But then I heard about Doctor’s Weight Loss.
Doctor’s Weight Loss takes a complete and well-rounded approach to weight loss. They have nutritionists on staff available for free consultations. Meal plans customized for your needs? Yup!
High-quality, medical-grade weight loss supplements too!
Their nutritionists help you pinpoint the best products for your age, body type, and lifestyle. And they create custom meal plans and even grocery lists.
That way you know the exact path to success!
And yes; their system works great for those on a high-protein diet! Did I mention it even comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee if you aren’t happy with your purchases?
You literally have nothing to lose (other than the weight).
Haven’t heard of Doctor’s Weight Loss? They’ve actually been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. So this isn’t some scammy company full of empty promises.
If you’re ready to learn more, check out Doctor’s Weight Loss (just click the link to learn more on their site) and let me know how it works for you!
Use promo code CJ10 to save 10% on your first order!
Co-authored with Peter Minkoff, parenting writer, and fitness buff
1. Calculate (the easy way) how many calories you should consume each day
Put down the nachos.
No, put them down. The first thing you need to do if you want to get rid of that “dad bod” physique is to tidy up your diet. This means cutting back on junk food, sugar, and empty carbs.
You want to start counting your calories, making sure you are eating according to your goals. And your anti-Dad Bod workout goal is to lose one pound of fat per week.
Determine your maintenance calories, and eat 500 calories less than that until the belly is gone. No “buts”, no “ifs”, just do it.
Not sure how to determine your maintenance calories?
There are a million schools of thought, but as a quick-start method, multiply your current weight by 15.5. That will definitely get you in the ball-park.
Monitor heart rate and count calories the modern way with the FitBit Fitness Tracker (click the see the current price on Amazon).
It’s an Amazon Prime Best Seller with 4.5 stars and hundreds of reviews. Wear it just like a watch. Perfect for men, women, and kids.
If you have kids, get the whole family on board with the Best Healthy Eating Habits For Children. In my article, I compile not only ways I get my 3 kids to eat relatively healthy, but also tips that are friendly to your grocery budget.
Just click that link to read them now on my site.
2. The crucial role water plays in your anti-Dad Bod workout plan
The second, but equally important step is looking at what you drink on a daily basis.
Up to 60% of the human body is made of water.
Thus drinking enough water throughout the day is crucial! We need it not only for weight loss but for overall health and well-being in general.
Most of us are chronically dehydrated and we rarely drink the recommended 8 glasses of water per day.
According to Mary Grace Webb, Assistant Director for Clinical Nutrition at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Queens, “Over time, failure to drink enough water can contribute to a wide array of medical complications, from fatigue, joint pain and weight gain to headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.”
One of the best ways to consume water is having a high-quality water filter at home where you can have an endless supply of water, refilling your water bottle and not contributing to the overproduction of plastic water bottles.
The ZIP Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter is one of the best units on the market.
It not only purifies tap water, but it also removes up to 99% of not only chlorine, heavy metals, and other contaminants but also fluoride as well, which most water filters don’t remove. It also alkalizes the water increasing the health benefits for your body.
BPA-free and 4 stars on Amazon Prime but get yours for less by buying directly from the manufacturer, PuricomUSA. Just click the link to learn more on their site.
3. The proven perils of too much soda
You also want to strictly limit soda and other sugary drink consumption.
According to the CDC, more than 50% of children and adults consume at least 1 sugar-sweetened soda every day. Every 12 oz. can contain a whopping 9 teaspoons of sugar!
And you should completely avoid any artificially sweetened soft drinks. According to the National Institutes of Health, “artificial sweeteners . . . was associated with higher risks for depression”. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg with concerns about aspartame (the #1 artificial sweetener used, typically sold under the NutraSweet name).
In fact, many studies have suggested that aspartame and other artificial sweeteners actually can cause us to eat more!
4. The fat-burning power of cardio
Next, exercising will be crucial in making your transformation dreams a reality.
While you should hit the gym more often (more on that in a bit) you should focus at least of your anti-Dad Bod workout efforts on cardio, high-intensity interval training, and explosive movements. You can do this in many different ways.
While your regular cardio routines such as running, jogging, bicycling, and walking are effective at burning calories, you want to maximize your weight loss by taking up a more vigorous sport, such as martial arts.
This can be anything from kickboxing, Camp Gladiator to Krav Maga and everything in between.
Hitting the dojo a few times a week will not only teach you numerous lifelong skills, but it will also help you shed fat faster.
Martial arts is also great for your kids, so if you’re confused about finding a great martial arts school, check out How to Choose a Martial Arts School For Your Child.
In that article, I walk you through every step to take in figuring out the difference between a great school and a terrible one. There’s even a free cheat sheet you can print off. Since I run a martial arts school with upwards of 500 kids, it’s something I know a lot about.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
5. How weight training is essential in your anti-Dad Bod workout
To really lose that Dad Bod, however, you can’t only focus on cardio.
Losing fat is essential in battling in your anti-Dad Bod workout. But expanding your frame and putting on some much-needed muscle is equally important.
How to BURN FAT with Weight Training for WEIGHT LOSS | How to lose fat with weights | Lifting – https://t.co/92q2ndtt3k
— Healthy Life Hack (@Healthy_Hackss) November 26, 2018
Make sure you follow a strict weightlifting routine entailing weight training numerous times per week.
The main ways that lifting weights impacts your anti-dad bod workout plan are:
- We burn calories faster as we gain lean muscle mass
- It increases our metabolism
- Improves sleep quality (more on how that affects weight loss below)
- Decreases visceral fat (belly fat) which sits in the abdominal cavity in and around the body’s internal organs, including the heart.
- Weight lifting or resistance training can lower the risk of osteoporosis and loss of bone mass (according to a recent study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine).
In addition to all that, according to a recent study as we do more strength training, we can improve overall heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
For even more tips, I highly recommend you take a moment and review all 27 of my Flat Belly After 40 tips in one of my most shared health posts.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
6. The terrible ways stress packs on the pounds
Now, this one might seem next to impossible, but eliminating stress from your life is essential.
Stress is a common cause of unwanted weight gain. It can regularly lead to obesity and numerous health conditions down the road.
According to WebMD, “Levels of “the stress hormone,” cortisol, rise during tension-filled times. This can turn your overeating into a habit. Because increased levels of the hormone also help cause higher insulin levels, your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods.”
So not only can eliminating stress help you prevent numerous illnesses but it is also an essential part of your anti-Dad Bod workout.
According to a recent study by the National Institutes of Health, fish oil is one of the best natural supplements to help manage stress levels.
Interested in the #1 rated fish oil supplement on Amazon Prime to help manage healthy stress levels?
Check out SmarterVitamins OMEGA-3 FISH OIL (click to see the current price on Amazon).
No fishy burps, no fishy taste, no citrus flavors that turn fish oil rancid such as lemon or orange. 100% sourced from Wild Alaskan Fish from the Bering Sea.
7. Get more rest sleepyhead!
Cramming in a few more hours of sleep can do wonders for your dad bod physique and general well-being. Especially if that’s in conjunction with proper training and nutrition.
According to another recent study by the National Institutes of Health, “Sleep is the ‘most sedentary activity’, yet may be the only one that protects from weight gain”.
Mattress and pillow quality are essential for great sleep.
Bear Mattress has been named the “Best Mattress for Athletes” by Sports Illustrated, Business Insider rated it the “Best Mattress for Back Pain” and Esquire named it the “Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers”.
Come see what the fuss is all about. 100-night sleep trial – if your sleep-deprived teen doesn’t love it, they’ll come and pick it up for a full refund.
Great prices all year, but they often have jaw-dropping sales throughout the year too.
Check out all the options at Bear Mattress (just click the link to learn more on their site).
8. Drink up! Alcohol may help with weight loss
While some so-called experts suggest cutting back on alcohol to aid with weight loss, some studies have found just the opposite to be true.
According to another recent study by the National Institutes of Health, “decreasing weight gain with increasing total alcohol intake was consistently observed among women aged 50-60 years old”.
That study went on to note that “light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with smaller weight gain and a lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese compared to abstention. (not drinking)”
Of course, too much alcohol is not healthy, can easily add empty calories & carbs, and you should always drink responsibly. After all, they don’t call it a “beer belly” for nothing.
But light to moderate drinking could positively impact your anti-dad workout plan!
9. Eat more and watch the pounds drop off!
Ok, so that was admittedly a little incorrect.
Overall weight loss isn’t rocket science. While aging, hormones, sleep, stress and other factors do impact body fat, it’s mostly about calories coming in and calories burned.
Want to lose weight? Reduce the calories coming in or burn more out.
But, studies have shown that eating as many as 6 smaller meals throughout the day can be an integral part of your anti-dad bod plan. So while I don’t, necessarily want you to consume more calories, do consider spreading those calories out over a series of smaller meals instead of just 3 big ones.
Registered Dietitian Amy Jamieson-Petonic finds that:
“After about 3 hours without food, blood sugar begins to fall. And after 4 hours, your body has already digested whatever you sent down earlier. Once you’ve crossed the 5-hour mark, your blood sugar begins to plummet, and you grab whatever you can to refuel.”
Thus eating more meals throughout the day can help prevent binging and drops in blood sugar.
The proven power of adding supplements to your anti-dad body workout plan
Changing what you eat and how you exercise are huge parts of your overall weight loss plan. But to see real success with your anti-dad bod workout plan you need to also consider at least a few basic supplements.
In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need supplements.
We would eat perfectly and get all the vitamins and nutrients from the food we eat. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that perfect world. Even the best of us compromise on food quality, freshness, and processing for the sake of convenience. All that adds up to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Those deficiencies only get worse as we age.
While there are some fads to be avoided and some definitely scams out there, there are a few key supplements you should add to your routine.
There are a lot of bogus studies out there created by manufacturers, so the 2 best supplements to add to your anti-dad bod workout routine that has clear track records of being part of a healthy weight support program are:
Green Tea Extract
Green tea extract is an extremely popular weight loss supplement.
Green tea contains an antioxidant called EGCG. which has been shown in studies to aid in fat burning and in decreasing appetite; a double win!
The Zhou Nutrition Green Tea Extract (click to see the current price on Amazon Prime) has 4.5 stars, over 1500 reviews and is the #1 Best Seller in this category. At well under $20, this one is a no-brainer!
Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a kind of fiber found in roots of the certain types of yams.
Glucomannan absorbs water in your body and turns into a gel. The gel has a net effect of making you feel fuller and thus prone to eating less by curbing your appetite.
Glucomannan also feeds the good bacteria in the gut so it can also promote healthy gut bacteria and overall wellness. It has also been shown in studies to lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
The Now Glucomannan Pure Powder (click to see the current price on Amazon Prime) is an Amazon’s Choice product with 4 stars well over 700 reviews. At just over $10, this one too is a no-brainer!
Make sure to take glucomannan about 30 minutes before a meal with water.
Confused about how to lose your Dad Bod or start an anti-Dad Bod workout?
In this post, we took a look at some simple tips to help Dads (and Moms) shed those extra pounds that tend to come on when life gets busy in our 30’s, 40’s and beyond.
Getting rid of that belly fat and having the body of your dreams (or at least not of your nightmares) isn’t impossible.
You don’t have to spend all day at the gym or sacrifice everything you love to eat. It just takes some small, yet sensible, changes to our habits.
These anti-Dad Bod workout tips will help to create a body you will love for the rest of your life.
What has been your biggest challenge losing your Dad bod?
If you’re like me, you eat pretty good, exercise a few times a week, but still struggle with looking good in the mirror and getting your clothes to fit right.
I get it, and those are my struggles too. But then I heard about Doctor’s Weight Loss.
Doctor’s Weight Loss takes a complete and well-rounded approach to weight loss. They have nutritionists on staff available for free consultations. Meal plans customized for your needs? Yup!
High-quality, medical-grade weight loss supplements too!
Their nutritionists help you pinpoint the best products for your age, body type, and lifestyle. And they create custom meal plans and even grocery lists.
That way you know the exact path to success!
And yes; their system works great for those on a high-protein diet! Did I mention it even comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee if you aren’t happy with your purchases?
You literally have nothing to lose (other than the weight).
Haven’t heard of Doctor’s Weight Loss? They’ve actually been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. So this isn’t some scammy company full of empty promises.
If you’re ready to learn more, check out Doctor’s Weight Loss (just click the link to learn more on their site) and let me know how it works for you!
Use promo code CJ10 to save 10% on your first order!
The co-author of this post on the Dad Bod, Peter Minkoff, is a parenting writer for Voice Boks magazine. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.
Want to write for Middle Class Dad? Get all the info you need here: Guest Blog for Middle Class Dad!
