Beating the dad bod.

My eyes open. I shut off the alarm on my phone that has woken me up. How did I get here?

Not physically how. I know that. I drove through most of the night so that I could be at a NY conference early this morning.  I mean how did I get to this place. I haven’t run in 2 weeks, mostly because my back has hurt but also because I have been lazy.

I have also been afraid to step on a scale in about a month. I know it will be bad news when I do. I can feel it.

It’s easy to skip running. My son (who is 3) is a great excuse for not running. Work and travel are another. Add that to nightly chips, ice cream or Halloween candy are it’s easy to see they are beginning to take their toll.

It’s possible that I have fallen into the category of “dad bod”.

Still very tired I close my eyes. I tell myself that I should sleep another hour and that “it’s raining outside and that I can get in a good run in a few days”. That I can nip this dad bod thing no problem. I poke into my stomach. “Yep, see there are abs in there somewhere; the 6-pack is in the fridge.”

Before I drift back off I think about how men get into this dad-bod mess in the first place. Then I think ahead. There is enough Halloween candy in the house to last until the Thanksgiving-leftover sandwiches. After that it will be sweets, family gatherings, chocolates and Christmas ham. That’s followed by a few Birthday cakes and before I know if Valentines chocolates. Throw Easter candy in there somewhere and it’s easy to see how temptation will be present from now until spring. (All these things are great but I’m not so hot with moderation)

Add to that the infrequency of exercise in Maine’s never-ending winter and it’s pretty easy to see how I could potentially get much more “dad-bod like”. Do I want to be that guy next summer on the beach, or do I want to feel good about myself, exuding the self-confidence and healthy-body image example I hope to set for my son.

I open my eyes, sigh, mutter a few F-words and grab my running shoes. A run in the rain will feel good before I sit in a conference all day. There are losses on both sides in this war, but at least today I am winning the battle.

 

Pat Lemieux

About Pat Lemieux

Pat has it all, family, big old house, dogs, a young son and a quarter-life crisis. He blogs about trying to be who he has always been and be who he now needs to be. He enjoys 90's grunge metal, tasty local brews and the outdoors.