The Dad Bod: How to get rid of a beer belly

Did you look in the mirror this morning and a dad bod looked back? Perhaps you’re wondering how this crept up on you… perhaps you’re not even a dad!

As for how it happened, it may have involved;

• Friday night beers with mates turned into Monday through Sunday beers;
• A few too many burgers with chips, kebabs or pizza;
• Breaking off a Kit Kat (or three) for afternoon tea;
• Skipping the gym again in favour of working late or sleeping off that hangover from above-mentioned beers;

Or simply too busy, can’t be bothered to shop or cook, or can't cook!

No matter how you got here the important question to ask is, how do you get back to your pre-dad bod figure? How do you effectively trim down, shape up and lose that gut, once and for always?

The right type of food is the clue – and you need to make it your number one friend when it comes to losing weight. It’s more important than exercise.  Physical activity, of course, will help expedite matters and get you closer to that six-pack you’ve always imagined.

We believe that in the world of weight loss, what you eat counts for 80% of the outcome and exercise counts for the other 20%. You need to put most of your effort into eating right.  Once you do, your body will begin to rebalance itself and the excess weight should start to melt away. If you’re an over-achieving kind of guy, then absolutely go hard-core on the workouts and you’ll be looking fine in no time.

6 steps to eating your gut away

1. Don’t skip breakfast – you need a good base to get you through til lunch without straying so go for gold on breakie.
   Tip: Spinach and eggs on wholemeal toast or muesli with Greek yoghurt and blueberries.
2. Protein, Protein, Protein - try to get a good dose of protein with every meal as protein helps you feel fuller for longer and suppresses hunger.  
   Tip: Check out these High Protein meal options if you’re stuck for ideas.
3. Eat real food – we’re talking about wholefood ingredients just like mum’s cooking. A pizza, hot chips, vending machine snack or liquid lunch offers no nutritional value and will only further expand your belly-line and send your blood sugars up. What goes up must come down, crashing down.
   Tip: Look for food with the least amount of ingredients or better yet no label at all! Learn more about reading labels here.
4. Snack wisely – skip the Kit Kat completely and opt for whole fruit, veges and high protein options such as the ones from Dietlicious.
   Tip: If you are eating high protein wholefood meals you'll feel more satisfied and won’t have the urge to snack as much.
5. Fill up on veg – vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories. Always aim to get the recommended 5 serves a day of veg (plus 2 serves of fruit). You’ll definitely notice a difference in your energy levels, your digestion and your skin when you meet this guideline.
   Tip: Celery and all natural nut butter will get your protein and veg count up plus it is easy to eat at the job site or desk.
6. Don’t let kitchen inexperience or time undermine you – if you’re lacking culinary flair or are time-poor, don’t use this as an excuse for under-performing on nutrition.  These days supermarkets offer so many convenience options, like pre-cut and washed vege and salad packs.  
   Tip: Add a tin of tuna or a barbequed steak and voila, a healthy meal in minutes! Just be mindful of tip #3 and make sure your selections aren’t ready-made foods filled with artificial ingredients.  

If even the simplest meal feels beyond your gastronomic grasp, then consider a Meal Plan from Dietlicious where a whole week’s worth of healthy meals are supplied to you in one go, or stock your freezer with healthy individual meals for carefree lunches and dinners.

Follow these tips on how to get rid of a beer belly and you’ll be well on your way to swapping out the beer belly for a six pack. Dad bod, be gone, for good. Good luck. 

And with our gourmet range of healthy prepared meals you can look forward to each day knowing that no matter what happens (or doesn’t), at least your diet is delicious.