The Journey to Lose the Dad Bod

I’m going to be really vulnerable with you. I’ve got a dad bod. I don’t care if it’s trending on Google right now. Even Jimmy Fallon did a bit on his show about it. I’d rather lose a dad bod than learn how to get one. Why? It’s not good for me. For years, learned about fitness, I did occasional cardio, but it hasn’t been enough. Six years ago, before my oldest was born, I weighed 220 lbs./100 kg. That’s not terrible for someone who is 6’2″/190 cm, but not exactly great either. But today, I top the scale at 260 lbs./118 kg (obviously, that’s not muscle because this post is about losing a dad bod). Today, I’m intent on fixing it.

Why I’m Doing This

Losing weight isn’t just a goal to look good. I can’t be in dad mode forever if my health takes a nose dive (dead mode forever?). My kids and my wife deserve to have someone who takes care of himself, watches his diet, exercises, and practices healthy habits. Yes, it’s good for me, but it’s better for them. How would I be able to make new memories with my kids if I’m too unhealthy to keep up with them? I love my family so much and I won’t let my own selfish choices rob us of a happy life together. Demonstrating how to be a healthy person is simply part of raising my kids. If I can show them how to lose a dad bod, I can demonstrate discipline.

Let me tell you a recent story. I was hanging out with a friend the night before we were going on a 50-mile bike ride. Avenger: Endgame was fresh on our minds and I told him I was growing out my hair so I could look like Thor. His response?

“Yeah, but which Thor?”

In my head, I thought I’d start working out so I could bulk up. By the time my hair was Thor length, I figured I ‘d be pretty close to looking like him. But knowing about fitness isn’t enough to facilitate change. That was my mindset for years. I always knew that in order to actually transform my body and lose weight, I’d have to work on it. So thinking about ways to get started was all I could think about. Eventually, I’d be ready to start getting in shape.

“Eventually” was code for “never”.

Identify the Problem

It’s obvious to me I’ve not been to to my body. Currently, my normal goes like this:

• 6:00am: skip breakfast
• 8:00am: feeling peckish, drink a cup of black coffee
• 10:00am: notice donuts in the break room at work resist the urge to eat one
• 10:01am: eat a donut from the break room
• 11:00am: head to Subway and get a veggie sub, no mayonnaise
• 12:45pm: feeling hungry again
• 2:00pm: nearing starvation, apparently
• 3:30pm: leave work and think about how I’m so hungry that grass and tree bark will be satisfying
• 3:45pm: arrive home and “snack” on:
  • three cookies
  • whatever leftovers are in the fridge
  • a tube of Ritz crackers
  • string cheese
  • a cucumber
  • three more cookies
  • a glass of milk
  • a spoonful of peanut butter
  • a can of tuna.
• 4:00pm: feel bad about my life choices and eat ice cream
• 5:00pm: set the table for dinner and eat it
• 9:00pm: eat a snack of Greek yogurt, fruit, and Grape Nuts

Breaking the Dad Bod Cycle

So my typical eating habits in a day is clearly no way to lose a dad bod. So after going though my typical week, here’s where I tend to spend my calories.

• Gas station breakfast sandwiches
• Starbucks drinks with whole milk
• Random deli purchases
• Donuts/baked goods at work
• Basically anything heavily processed

So here’s where I’m going to start: cut out sugar and ultra processed foods from my diet for the next week. On top of that, we’re in for some fantastic weather this week, so I’ll be riding my bike to work. I’ll be looking for some new ways to challenge myself, too and I’ll share with you new tools I’ll use, trackers, and goals I set. Then, I’ll post every week with my results. I can kick this dad bod to the curb for good.