Fat Loss for the New Dad

Becoming a dad is a very exciting time in your life, however unfortunately it can mean less time for yourself. Working a 9-5 job then coming home from work and running around after the kids, eating dinner then being too exhausted to do anything else for the evening let alone think about exercise is your new typical day.

Slowly over time, you find yourself putting on excessive weight, feeling sluggish and tired with no energy to play with the kids and your sex drive has hit an all time low.

This is not the way is should be and it does not have to be this way. There is an answer. Follow these 7 tips to a new energised you.

Short, Intense Workoutsr
Over my years of working as a personal trainer there have been many different trends in exercise and many different methods to result in weight loss. What I have found most effective for fat loss is short (20-40 minute) workouts at a high intensity performed 3 times per week. This can be in the comfort of your own home or in a park, so no need to buy a gym membership and waste time travelling to and from the gym.

What Equipment should you use?
Buying the latest in house gym kit is not necessary for losing maximum fat. There are two pieces I would suggest you purchase and they will not dent your bank account. Kettlebells (12kg is a great weight to start with) and a pull up bar. Pull up bars are great as they do not take up a lot of room and they can be put up and taken down really easily. These two pieces will be very effective for your fat loss goal.

What Exercises should you do?
Performing compound exercises ie squats, lunges, pull ups, press ups etc are the best for fat loss. They will increase your heart rate in minimal time. Here is an example workout for you to try:

A1 Kettlebell Squats
A2 Bodyweight Press Ups
A3 Kettlebell Forward Lunges
A4 Kettlebell Shoulder Press
A5 Bodyweight Burpees

Perform exercises A1 – A5 with no rest, then rest for 45 seconds between setsr
Repeat circuit x3/4

Clean up your nutritionr
Eating plenty of fresh organic vegetables, limiting your fruit intake to 3 pieces per day (due to the high sugar content), increasing your protein to at least 3 meals per day (a variety of organic meat and fish) and cutting out ALL processed foods will ensure your body naturally sheds off its unwanted fat and builds lean muscle tissue. Remember if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Time is a limiting factor, so order your food online and get it delivered. Make bulk meals and store them in the fridge. You will always tend to eat foods that are convenient so ensure you have a bag of natural nuts, beef jerky and a piece of fruit in your bag or car so if you are hungry, you have healthy snacks on hand.

Eat Breakfastr
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Be sure to make time every morning, whether you have to set your alarm 20 minutes earlier, prepare it the night before or eat on the go, make sure you have something to eat first thing. As soon as you eat food in the morning, your metabolism is cranked up a notch and the fat burning process starts. A good breakfast would be an omelette with spinach and cheese or steak and eggs. If you have limited time, a protein shake would be ideal with a piece of fruit and nuts. Stay clear of the sugary cereals as they will assist with fat gain.

If you follow the tips above and eat breakfast daily, perform 20 minutes of intense exercise 3 times per week and clean up your diet, not only will your fat melt away, your energy levels and sex drive will increase and you will feel like a new man.