7 Tips To Help You Lose The “Dad Bod”

The term ‘dad bod’ has become incredibly popular this year, with many claiming it to be an attractive shape for a male.

However, this paunchy body may not be the healthiest and most definitely is not one that many men will aspire towards.

What Does Dad Bod Mean?

https://youtu.be/boKcfX5AMl0

So what is a dad bod? Well, basically it is the body shape of a man who will occasionally visit the gym, but also likes to go out and enjoy themselves while enjoying all the junk food they want.

These men are not overweight but are not athletic either. They are just average.

Do you want to just be average though? If you want to lose your dad bod then read on. Here are some tips to help change your shape and regain your lost body-confidence.

#1: Cut Back On The Junk Food

Junk food makes you fat, that is a fact. Especially if you eat it regularly.

No one is saying that you need to cut it out of your diet completely, but more than once a week and you will be putting your chances of losing the dad bod at risk.

I would suggest eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a good amount of protein to help build and repair your muscle, which will be damaged during the next tip.

It is during the process of repairing the muscles that they become bigger and stronger.

#2: Lift More Often

The occasional trip to the gym is certainly not enough to sculpt that new body. You really should think about going at least twice a week.

While cardio will help burn off that fat it won’t help to build muscle, therefore I would suggest limiting the amount of cardio you do.

Instead focus on compound movements like the deadlift, squat and bench press. A good workout to try is the Stronglifts 5×5 Program.

Focussing on these compound exercises will be better for you as you will be involving more than 1 or 2 muscles. You will also see a huge surge in hormone production that will only help you to gain more muscle.

#3: Drink More Water

Soft drinks and alcohol are second to junk food for reasons why you have gained fat, which is why you should cut them out of your diet entirely, or at the very least cut back on your intake.

The best thing for you to be drinking is water, it has zero calories, fat and sugar so will hydrate you without any guilt.

Water can also aid digestion and can help relieve stomach-bloating, which can go a long way to helping reduce the size of your belly.

#4: Get More Sleep

There are numerous reasons why you need to get more sleep (a minimum of 7 hours per night).

One reason is that a lack of sleep can affect the hormones that control your hunger, causing you to splurge on junk food that causes fat gain.

Sleep is also important as this helps your muscles to repair and grow as this is when the majority of the hormones such as testosterone are produced and released.

#5: Cut Back On Liquid Calories

If you want to lose your dad bod you will also need to look at what you are drinking as well as the food you are eating.

Often people will cut back on junk food but continue to drink sugary drinks or alcohol, this is a mistake.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [1], more than 50% of all children and adults will consume more than 1 sugar-laden drink every day.

You also need to be aware of the dangers of artificially sweetened drinks too. While they contain zero calories, if you drink them it has been shown that the aspartame and artificial sweeteners will cause you to eat more [2].

Instead of reaching for a coke, or even a diet coke, I would instead recommend grabbing a glass of water instead. It is a much better option for you.

#6: Try To Reduce Stress

This tip may seem impossible, but if you want to lose the dad bod then you need to take steps to eliminate stress from your life.

If you are stressed then you are more likely to suffer from weight gain, which can cause obesity and health problems down the line.

When stressed are you more likely to reach for a doughnut or a healthy salad? I know which one I would be picking.

Cortisol, the stress hormone that is released when you are stressed will also cause your body to retain body fat.

This hormone can also cause a spike in your insulin levels, your blood sugar will also drop, and you will start to crave sugary, fatty foods.

You need to find a way to manage your stress levels. Some people will find that exercise, meditation and yoga can all help to reduce stress.

Research has also found that fish oil can also help to alleviate stress [3].

#7: Eat More Protein At Breakfast

As you should know by now, protein is incredibly important for muscle building, fat loss and for your general health.

You really should make sure you are consuming plenty of protein throughout the day, but research has found that it is especially important at breakfast time.

In a study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology [4], it was found that those who consumed a protein-rich breakfast and had consumed 22-55% of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over the course of 4 years.

The participants of the study who skipped breakfast entirely, or only consumed 11% of their total calories in the morning gained 3 times as much.

I would recommend consuming eggs at breakfast. This is because they are full of protein and choline, a B vitamin that has been shown to prevent the accumulation of belly fat.

Final Words

The dad bod is probably here to stay, but that does not mean that you have to accept that this is how your body will look.

There are certainly ways that you can lose the dad bod. If you are willing to put in the effort and make a few sacrifices then it will be possible for you too.

Save