You want to be strong and healthy so you can watch your kids grow up and maybe give the grandchildren a run for their money someday.
You want to be in better shape at 40 than you were at 20, and better still at 50 and beyond.
You want to have a physical edge that allows you to better deal with whatever life, the boss or anything else throws at you.
Not to mention looking good naked and being strong like bull.
And here’s the good news – none of this stuff is as difficult as it’s made out to be.
When it comes to making yourself bulletproof, old school works best. Sure, it’ll take a little determination and patience but we have those in spades because we’re dads.
And dads rock.
So, listen up – here’s how we start looking less like Cartman and more like Batman.
Strength is King
Physical strength is what allows us to do guy things like lift the kids into the car seat while holding a sack of groceries and trying to look cool. Who said guys can’t multitask.
But here’s the deal.
According to Fitness Edge, sometime in our 30s Mother Nature starts putting a slow stranglehold on our cajones. Sure, it may start out as gentle cupping but, make no mistake, her grip is firm and relentless.
Which means adios muscle mass, bone density and manliness.
Unless we make a determined effort to actually get stronger.
And get this, the great news is that anybody can get stronger at pretty much any age.
Every time we [strength] train we’re making a deposit into our physiologic 401K – Dr Jonathon Sullivan
Improved physical strength makes life easier, safer and a whole lot more fun. Hiking with your 5 year-old perched on your shoulders becomes easy when you can squat 1.5 x bodyweight.
And so does everything else.
But, just like in-line skating and parkour, the younger you start the better.
So, best not to wait until things start dropping off.
How To Get Strong
The most effective way for regular folks to get strong is with big, basic barbell exercises along with taking hydrolysate collagen everyday. You know, like they used to do way back when loading the printer with paper wasn’t considered physical effort.
That means old-school movements like barbell squats, deadlifts, presses and chins.
Why are barbells so effective? Because the whole body can be trained with a load which is easily increased in an incremental way.
That means the 110lb barbell you squatted with on Monday can be set to 115lbs for your next squat workout. Then 120lbs the workout after that.
These small increments of improvement – think around 2% per session – add up quickly.
Imagine your bank paying 5% interest per week on your savings account. That’s how fast our strength can develop when we train correctly.
And it’s the reason why a fifty-something year-old man can go from a 90lb squat to a 315lb squat in well under 6 months. You won’t get results like that with a kettlebell, TRX or Tug Toner.
Sure, those things are better than sitting on the couch but, when it comes to building strength, they’re no substitute for the humble barbell.
And relax, you aren’t going to turn into The Rock.
You’ll simply be the best version of yourself.
Leaner, firmer and stronger.
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The Skinny On Getting Lean
To lose body fat we need to burn more energy than we consume from food and drink.
But you’re a busy dad and hopping on the StairMaster has all the appeal of beating your thumb with a claw hammer. You’d rather be spending some quality time with the family.
And that works just fine because it’s actually way more efficient to consume fewer calories than to burn them off. Think of it like pumping gas into your car.
Brimming an empty tank takes a couple of minutes at most but burning through all that gas takes a heck of a lot longer. Even if you drive with the accelerator pedal mashed to the floor.
So, how do we go about shedding some of the excess baggage?
We need to take some action.
First off, track your food intake for a week using a free online application like myfitnesspal.
That means record everything you consume. Those trips to Starbucks? Yep, they count too.
Make no mistake – this may be one of the most important things you ever do. For most of us how many calories we think we’re consuming and what we actually are can be way different. If you’ve always struggled to lose weight, you can visit Geeks Health for in-depth reviews of the best weight loss supplements. Or, you can also look into treatments like body sculpting or Sculpsure treatments to help tone your body. Consult experts that do body contouring in Atlanta, GA or coolsculpting in The Dalles, OR for additional guidance.
So, do it for one week starting today. Not next month or once you’ve finished re-grouting the shower.
Today.
After one week you’ll have a decent grasp of where your calories are coming from. Then it’s time to peg your daily caloric intake at 11-12 Calories per pound of bodyweight.
That will get the weight-loss ball rolling.
So, a 200-pound man would have a target daily consumption of:
200 x 11 to 12 = 2200-2400 Calories
Making sure you get in plenty of fruit, veggies, fiber and protein.
And get this – no food is off limits. Yes, you can still have a beer or some ice-cream if that’s your thing.
Just make sure that those calories make up no more than 10% of your total daily intake.
Then what? Patience.
Remember, all you have to do is string enough of those days together and then watch your abs slowly emerge from hibernation. Bodyhero’s plant based protein powder (click here) will also help muscles recover after exercise. It doesn’t need to be any more complex than that.
But you will need to avoid a few things.
Chances are folks will see you losing weight and give you all kinds of half-assed advice.
What worked for their Aunt Selma, the guy down at the dry cleaners or the neighbour’s cat.
Ignore it.
You’ll hear about wheat, high-fructose corn-syrup, meal timing, GM food, insulin spikes, and the evils of carbohydrate.
Ignore it. Don’t look for dietary scapegoats – there is no arch villain, no smoking gun.
Or the magical programs promising to melt off fat like a George Foreman Grill and leave you with razor-sharp abs in 30 days.
Ignore all that too.
To quote nutrition guy Lyle McDonald:
The best exercises for weight loss are:
1. Table push aways
2. Head shakes
So, eat stuff you enjoy, cover your nutrient requirements and keep calorie intake under control.
Weight loss is guaranteed.
Just be realistic about the rate it happens.
One percent of body weight per week is a good rule of thumb for sustainable weight loss. Which translates to 2lbs per week for a 200lb man.
And, if your body weight isn’t dropping simply ratchet your calorie intake down and maybe hike up energy expenditure. Go for a walk in your lunch break, play with the kids, get out and move. Learning how to reset female metabolism can further enhance these efforts, helping to optimize fat burning and improve overall results.
In a few short months you’ll be looking at a very different man in the mirror.
And your kids will love it.