Dad Bod – Getting Fit After Forty | Santa Monica Personal Training
This is not the kind of dad bod we are talking about. My friend Josh age 44 father of 2
Recently, I was reading an article about the “Dad Bod” and how it’s the latest trend. At first, I was intrigued. But later, when I discovered what it is, I was actually horrified. The article went so far as to say “beer bellies are in, ripped physiques are out.” Is this the latest way to say it’s o.k. not to work out or take care of yourself? Or letting yourself go after a certain age or life stage is acceptable? Let’s hope this dangerous trend disappears quickly.
Here’s what you need to know about “Dad Bods:” There are countless men, over 40 years of age, who have never looked or felt as good as they do TODAY. That’s right. Changing your mindset and focusing on getting in shape, right now, is the best thing you can do for yourself. Take a look at athletes, actors, musicians and celebrities over 40 these days. They’re certainly not following the “Dad Bod” trend. Quite the opposite, actually. They know how important it is to maintain their health and fitness routines well past 40, 50, 60 and even 70. Maybe you won’t be gracing the cover of a magazine, or opening a movie anytime soon, but wouldn’t you rather feel like the best and healthiest version of yourself at any age?
How to Defeat Your Dad Bod
Neal age 57
It’s never too late to start focusing on your nutrition and fitness. It’s certainly easier to get in shape at 20 than it is at 40, but not necessarily for the reasons you think. Your metabolism, muscle fibers and testosterone levels may have decreased slightly, but the absolute best way to get them back to where they can be is by lifting weights. Don’t just take it from me, read any magazine or medical journal and you’ll see the fountain of youth is really no further away than your gym. Lifting weights helps increase your metabolism, builds your muscle fiber and naturally increases your testosterone. Not only that, but you’ll look great with, or without, your clothes on. Who wouldn’t want that for themselves? The real reason guys in their 40’s aren’t making the effort to look and feel great is that the time they would normally spend on themselves, working out, has been taken over by other activities. Once you make the commitment to yourself, you’ll see the difference.
Dick age 73 – grandfather
Another great benefit of getting in shape after 40 is building a pathway to excellent health and fitness as you age. Working out increases cardiovascular health, helps decrease high cholesterol and builds bone strength, which is key to aging gracefully. Add in a healthier diet with a focus on lean protein, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats and you can look forward to many more happy, healthy years. Don’t give yourself the excuse of a “Dad Bod” to get yourself out of taking care of your body. Just as every other fad quickly fades away, this one will as well. And you don’t want to be left holding your beer belly when everyone else is back to having their 6-pack abs.
Free Workout
Now I am a proponent of the gym-based, bodybuilding inspired split routine instead of whole body workouts. But let’s assume the worst: You don’t have a gym membership and you haven’t figured out a way to carve out the time to get to the gym for a complete training routine. So here’s a quick Dad bod defeating workout that you can do at home with little to no equipment:
Dad Bod Workout
- 20 jumping jacks or jumpropes
- 20 push ups
- 10 pull ups (get a perfect pull up for a doorway)
- 20 bodyweight squats
- 20 sit ups
- 20 lunges – walking or in place
- Plank for 1 minute
- 40 yard sprint (2)
Repeat the circuit at least 3 times. Edit the number of reps to your capability. This is essentially what I’ll do on vacation if I have no access to a gym, except I go for 100 reps straight on everything save pull ups (20). If you’re out of shape likely your sprints will be a jog, but’s fine to start with.
Contact me today to create a customized workout and nutrition plan to get you into your ideal shape.
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