Get Rid of a Flabby Dadbod or Mushy Muffin Top - No Gym Required
This method gets results, period.
Hello everyone,
I received a request from a reader for a surefire way to get rid of a dadbod. A mid-forties guy, who I’m going to call Dave, is depressed about his dadbod problem.
He’s currently a SAD eater (Standard American Diet) and has no known health problems other than snoring, a bulging middle, and love handles.
“Listen, I’m struggling. None of my clothes fit. I’m having trouble bending down to put my shoes on, and I feel like garbage. I want to get rid of this flabby gut. And I hate to say this, but I’m not performing in the bedroom too well either. Is there a way to do something about this without going on drugs?”
Absolutely, Dave. There is something you can do besides taking more drugs. Read on!
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1. Get Checked Out by a Medical Professional
The first thing Dave should do is get a checkup and bloodwork. If you’re on medications or have undiagnosed conditions, these need to be taken into account. A medical professional is the one to help you figure that part out.
But!
Don’t just blindly trust that your doctor knows what’s best for you. Use your thinking parts and your discernment. Get a second opinion if necessary. Unfortunately, some doctors don’t think you can get better. They’re more interested in what medications you should blindly take for the rest of your miserable life instead of getting you healthy.
2. Find Your Why
Without a well-thought-out why, it’s going to be an uphill battle.
What will give you the strength to do what you need to do? If it’s a sad little goal like “I want to look good” or “I want to fit in these jeans again,” that isn’t enough.
You need to find more. Dig deeper.
“I saw my Dad get diabetes and high blood pressure. I don’t want to go through the heart issues my dad did, and I want to be around a long time for my kids and (eventual) grandkids.”
“I want to be able to go hiking with my son this summer.”
“I want to live without this back pain and heartburn. It’s ruining my life. I want to be able to feel good in my body.”
3. Set a Goal
It’s most effective if you can set a small, measurable goal and work day by day.
“I want to lose weight” isn’t much of a goal. You need to dig deeper.
Read my habit-building article if you need help with goals.
A Surefire Method to Get Rid of a Dad Bod/ Muffin Top
This method has worked with every single guy I’ve seen use it.
Every single guy. Including myself.
I know plenty of men who have used this to change their lives by easily losing weight and getting rid of chronic inflammation that was slowly killing them. They report huge leaps in energy levels, improved memory, and a new lease on life. Most quit snoring so much, a huge bonus for anyone who has to spend nights suffering from their foghorn.
Some of them tell me they feel twenty years younger. And they look younger, too.
I had one client who lost weight, got off of his CPAP machine, and was even able to get rid of his dependency on anxiety meds.
It does work for females, too, although the results aren’t quite as drastic. Ladies will lose inches, and their body composition changes, which leads to drastic changes in appearance. The muffin top will go away.
Modifications need to be made to account for monthly cycles and biological gender. At the end of this article, I’ll share a couple of podcasts with Dr. Mindy Pelz, who explains female-specific modifications for this plan.
Start With the Ketogenic Diet
Keto is a low-carbohydrate eating plan that helps your body enter a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, you become more efficient at burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
The main target is eating less than 50 g of carbohydrates daily.
Carbs can be a little higher if you’re extremely active, but not much. By extremely active, I mean working out like a dog.
That probably isn’t you. Running 10 K and hitting twelve thousand steps a day, shoveling dirt for a living, climbing mountains. Most of us should aim for 50 grams or less for the best results.
Eat protein, fat, and low-carb veggies until you’re full. Don’t restrict food.
“But Tim! What if I run out of carbs? Won’t my body starve? What am I gunna do if I run out! I’ll die!”
No, you won’t.
You’ll start becoming fat-adapted and burning fat for fuel. When you drastically reduce carbohydrate intake, the body is forced to use its alternative energy source, which we are naturally evolved to do. The liver converts fatty acids into ketones, which serve as fuel for the brain and body. This shift can lead to significant fat loss, improved energy levels, and enhanced mental clarity.
And if fat isn’t enough to keep you going, you’ll simply make more sugar. The body can make glucose through gluconeogenesis, where excess protein is transformed into sugar as needed.
Your body is smart, too, so it will break down leftover garbage cells that you don’t want and dietary protein first rather than targeting your muscles. You would have to starve yourself of protein for the body to start chomping on leg muscles or biceps.
This is why it’s important to get in that protein. My recommendation is 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight. This much protein will ensure you maintain lean body mass, feel full, and provide plenty of fuel for gluconeogenesis if needed.
Effective Fat Loss: One benefit of the keto diet is rapid fat loss. Without carbohydrates, insulin levels drop. Insulin is a fat-storing hormone. As long as your insulin is high, you are storing fat! The ketogenic state lowers insulin, leading to increased fat breakdown in the body.
Reduced Hunger and Cravings: Keto can help stabilize blood sugar levels, reducing hunger and cravings for unhealthy snacks. The diet's high protein and fat content keeps you full longer, making it easier to sustain your eating plan.
Preservation of Muscle Mass: Just dropping weight by restricting calories can lead to muscle loss. However, we aren’t restricting anything; increasing your protein intake will help maintain lean muscle.
Improved Energy Levels: Most report increased energy levels and reduced fatigue after a few days to a couple of weeks of a ketogenic diet. As your brain adapts to ketones for some of its fuel, you get mental clarity, too.
Ketogenic Diet Tips
Grains are Unnecessary. You don’t need grains! They are not a requirement for human life. I want to pound this into everyone’s heads somehow: GRAINS ARE UNNECESSARY. People can live super-healthy, long lives eating veggies, proteins, and fats. So, what is the easiest way to lose weight and get into ketosis? Stop eating grains such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, quinoa, buckwheat, and rye. We didn’t evolve to live off of grains.
Avoid Ultra-processed Food. And don’t rely on “keto” bars, pre-mixed shakes, or any other gimmicky fads designed to trick you into eating sugar and giving away your money. Eat whole food as much as possible, where the ingredient list is three or less.
Don’t Worry About Calories. Stay below the carbohydrate target of 50 grams, eat enough protein, and top up with fat. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF.
Get Enough Protein. If your body needs sugars because you aren’t entirely adapted to burning fat yet, it can just make some through an automatic, natural, and safe process that you already use daily. This will help you maintain muscle mass, too. The side benefit of enough protein is that you won’t have sugar cravings or need willpower to stop snacking.
Choose Healthy Fats: Avoid unhealthy seed oils like margarine and “vegetable” oil (sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, rapeseed, canola, peanut oil). Instead, choose healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, animal fats like butter, nuts, and fatty fish. These foods not only provide the necessary fats but also come with numerous health benefits.
Limit Carbohydrates: Eliminate added sugar and starchy vegetables like potatoes. Focus Instead, eat low-carb vegetables like leafy greens, zucchini, and broccoli. Aim for a daily carbohydrate intake of about 20-50 grams.
Stay Hydrated: Your body will shed water weight as it transitions into ketosis. Drink enough water to stay hydrated and avoid the "keto flu." Make sure to get enough salt because as the extra water leaves your body, it strips the electrolytes from your body. Your brain and other organs can then get dehydrated, causing you to feel “hung over” and like you are sick. Extra salt and plenty of water will stop most of these symptoms.
Meal Prep: Planning ahead is the easiest way to stay on track. Avoid the temptation of high-carb convenience foods by having pre-cooked or ready-to-go high-protein meals.
Intermittent Fasting: Almost anyone sees amazing results when combining the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting. But don’t start fasting right away! Let your body adjust to low-carb for a couple of weeks first, and then gradually increase the amount of time between the last meal of one day and the time you have breakfast the next.
Get Enough Sleep. Your body needs plenty of sleep to adapt and kick the healing process into high gear. During sleep is when weight loss actually occurs. You might not see the desired results if you aren’t laid out flat and resting long enough. Also, not getting enough sleep increases cravings and food intake.
Exercise. Walking is a great place to start. Increase your NEAT (Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis) or take up weight training. Ten NEAT Ways to Boost Your Metabolism.
Monitor Your Progress: Track your weight, body measurements, and how you feel during this journey. Adjust your food choices and exercise routine based on what works best for your body.
Every Single Guy That Follows This Plan Transforms His Life
This is a no-fail solution to having a dad bod. It worked for me and all the guys I know who tried it.
The only people that I’m aware of that this didn’t help:
They were already super healthy, at a good weight, and didn’t really need it, so the results weren’t drastic or obvious.
They weren’t following the plan because they didn’t eliminate sneaky sources of carbs like sugary drinks, juice, fruit, etc. They might not have read food labels well enough and were tricked by the food giants who put sugar and wheat in almost everything packaged.
They kept closet-eating takeout or processed food loaded with carbs, potato chips, and other junk and weren’t reporting it.
They were on certain medications or had very, very specific health conditions that made it difficult for their bodies. This is why you need to talk to a medical professional before beginning.
Can I Do Keto as a Vegan/ Vegetarian?
Yes. It would be best to avoid grains and legumes like beans since they are high in carbohydrates. Check the book in the Resources below.
Try to hit these targets, and you can succeed:
60% fat (avocados, coconut oil, olives, olive oil)
30% protein (nuts, seeds, tempeh, leafy greens)
10% carbs (veggies like broccoli, brussels sprouts, low-carb fruits like berries)
Resources
Books:
End Your Carb Confusion, by Eric Westman and Amy Berger
The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss, by Dr. Jason Fung
For plant-based eaters - Ketotarian, by Will Cole
Podcasts:
Join my coaching community chat!
There’s a chat for paid subscribers to support you in healthy habits, goal setting and accountability. We can get down to your specific issues and answer questions. I can even help you with keto!
It’s an opportunity to make positive changes in your life. Let me help you come up with a plan! Then, we can set up milestones and check-ins to keep you on track.
Great 🤗🤗
ahh, the image of that doggie is soo relatable