- What is a dad bod?
- Why is a dad bod bad?
- 5 ways to lose a dad bod
YOU DON’T WANT IT
The “dad bod” was first introduced to the world in an online essay written by Mackenzie Pearson. According to the student, “The dad bod is a nice balance between a beer gut and working out. The dad bod says, ‘I go to the gym occasionally, but I also drink heavily on the weekends and enjoy eating eight slices of pizza at a time.’ ”
In other words, think of Jason Segel or Leonardo DiCaprio on summer vacation or between movie roles. Strolling around the beach with a gentle paunch and subtle man boobs. These squishy, doughy men look more than content and apparently, women are very into it. Pearsons explained that girls like dad bods because they’re warm, cuddly, and unintimidating. However, to me, the idea that women are attracted to less-flattering bodies because it makes them feel better about their own shape is bogus and makes me furious. The argument that dad bods are better to hug makes more sense to me.
Anyway, forget what studies say about women liking pudgy, squishy men. Okay, Leo may be surrounded by Victoria Secret models but he’s Leo. You are not. Secondly, and most importantly, dad-bods are unhealthy.
LARGE IN BELLY SIZE, LARGE IN HEALTH RISK
The popularization of dad bod is dangerous and can do more harm than good. After all, a protruding belly and saggy pecs don’t scream out ‘health’.
There are many things wrong with the dad bod movement. The biggest problem is the unhealthy amount of visceral fat. Visceral fat that gives you that dad-bod belly is fat that is found in the abdominal cavity. It surrounds important internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and kidneys. Visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of a number of serious health issues, including:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Disrupted hormone function
- High blood pressure
- Colorectal cancer
There is also a strong link between belly fat and early death. A 2008 study followed around 360,000 people who enrolled in one of the largest and longest health studies in the world. Researchers found that people with the most belly fat had about double the risk of dying prematurely as people with the least amount of belly fat. The study shows that death risk increases with waist circumference, even if your weight is normal.
Furthermore, excess fat contributes to a hormone imbalance that can cause chest fat. This makes breasts on a man to become enlarged. Man boobs can signal serious future health risks. High estrogen – one of the contributing factors to man boobs and the dad bod – is linked to prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and type 2 diabetes.
EAT RIGHT, TRAIN, RELAX, SLEEP, REPEAT
So dad bod not only means larger in belly size but also larger in health risk. With that in mind, here are 4 helpful tips to lose the dad bod.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe every man should aspire to have a six-pack. But between the dad bod and the god bod is a middle road of a healthy bod. So don’t be fooled. Dad bod is not something to aspire to as it is dangerous to your health. Follow these 5 tips above to lead a healthier, longer and better life. After all, there is nothing more attractive than being healthy!
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