5 Ways to Defeat the Dad Bod and Stay Strong for Life

Tired of the dad bod weighing you down? If you want to burn fat, build muscle, and increase testosterone naturally, you need more than just a few push-ups and a salad.

This guide breaks down 5 powerful ways to get rid of the dad bod—including hill sprints for fat loss, heavy lifting for muscle growth, high-protein nutrition, functional strength training, and outdoor activities to stay active with your kids.

No more excuses. It’s time to get lean, get strong, and be the dad your family deserves.

1. Run Hill Sprints with Your Kids

Jogging is fine. But if you want to torch fat, build muscle, and boost testosterone, hill sprints are the move. The incline makes it lower impact, and the sunlight gives you a dose of Vitamin D (hello, natural test booster).

I like 10x40yd hill sprints.

Sprints are better in my signature short shorts from Barbell Apparel.

2. Carry Your Wife

Every husband should be able to carry his wife over the threshold at any given moment. No exceptions. So stay ready:

Pick her up just because.
Train with zercher carries, heavy cleans, and sandbags to build real-world strength.
Be the guy who doesn’t just say he’d carry his wife in an emergency—but actually can.

3. Lift Heavy

Forget endless cardio. If you want to aid in fat loss while building strength, focus on compound lifts:

✔ Squats (Try 5x3)

✔ RDLs (Try 3x8-12)

✔ Rows (Try 3x8-12)

✔ Shoulder Press (Try 5x5)

✔ Deadlifts (Try 5x1-3)

Track your weights. Aim to lift heavier over time. Be the strongest dad in the school pickup line—because that’s a flex that actually matters.

4. Prioritize Protein

Muscle doesn’t build itself. I like 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. Start with whole foods:

Chicken, beef, fish
Greek yogurt, eggs
Then supplement with a quality whey protein (I recommend SFH’s Pure Whey—use code BENBARKER10 for 10% off).

5. Get Outside & Play with Your Kids

Dads don’t get “old” when they age. They get old when they stop playing.

Your kids aren’t asking you to sit on the couch and scroll. They’re asking: “Dad, will you play with me?”

Never say no.

✔ Play tag

✔ Build treehouses

✔ Hike, sprint, wrestle

✔ Join the nerf battle

✔ Throw the frisbee

The best way to stay fit? Be the dad who plays.

No one hands out trophies for being the tired, out-of-shape dad who “used to be athletic.” Your family doesn’t need excuses—they need you at your best. Strong, capable, and leading by example.

So stop settling. Run hard. Lift heavy. Eat like you mean it. Play like your kids’ childhood depends on it—because it does. The dad bod isn’t your destiny. It’s just the default for men who quit trying.

And you? You’re built different.

Check out the short video version of this post in my latest YouTube: