What’s up dads!
The dad bod is a very real thing, and you may have one. Isn’t it crazy how one week you’re in the gym every day, meal prepping, pounding protein shakes, and screaming suns out guns out then the next you’re laying in bed exhausted trying to convince yourself that you’ll just wake up an hour earlier tomorrow and actually get a work out in. I’ve been there too or, I am there I should say.
When me and my wife started dating, I was active duty in the Marine Corps, running 4 miles every morning and weight training after work. Eating as much food as I could and drinking protein shakes in between meals to get “the gains”. I was no bodybuilder by any means, but I did ok for myself. Then slowly but surely, she hits you with the “You don’t need to work out just come hang out with me” and we all know what that means. Not too long after, I was out of the Marines and we were getting married. I wasn’t quite in fighting shape, but life was good.
One day I come home from work, ready for some homemade pot roast. I open the oven expecting to see a Dutch oven full of delicious meat, but instead there’s a note about a bun in the oven. It hit me; I was going to be a father. Several months later my beautiful daughter was here and there wasn’t anything in the world I would change.
At the time I weight trained 5-6 days a week, then I was so exhausted I convinced myself 3 days a week was good. Before I knew it, I couldn’t tell you when the last time I set foot in a gym was. The once lean and mean body I had was slowly being replaced and biscuit companies were calling asking me to be the new mascot. It happens to the best of us, I had developed the infamous dad bod. Not exactly fat but not one to turn down tacos and beer either. A couple years later and an absolute bulldozer of little boy was here and calling me daddy.
Between working full time and raising kids I didn’t have the energy to commit to fitness like I used to, and you may not either. I’m here to tell you that’s ok! Trust me, girls are ok with the dad bod, some even like it. I don’t blame them; rock hard muscle isn’t exactly as comfortable to lay on as a little cushion.
Look, I’m not saying we should just give up and let all our hard work go to sh*t, but it’s not the end of the world that your 6 pack slowly turned into a mini keg. And I can tell you from personal experience, your significant other probably doesn’t care that much either.
It’s all about balance guys, go home, play with your kids, eat a good dinner with them, kids are funny they’ll remember that one day. But there’s nothing saying you can’t get a quick home workout in after the kids are down. Or maybe you get up an hour earlier and go for a walk or get a quick weight training session in before work.
It’s ok to not be chiseled anymore and wear a size bigger jeans. But remember, if you let your health go to sh*t, you may not get to see your kids grow old and get a dad bod of their own one day.
-That’s Just Dad Sh*t