Happy Father’s Day everyone. I imagine those of you who can are getting together with your dad today. My parents are coming over shortly after this drops, so I’ll likely catch you during Glibs After Dark™. Dad is getting up there in age so I’m trying to make the most of every time we get together.

To say this year has been uneven for me would be an understatement. My fitness goals seem to be getting further away and my motivation has been inconsistent. So, let’s talk about dad bod.

Wikipedia defines dad bod as “a slang term in popular culture referring to a body shape particular to middle-aged men. The phrase has been adopted in U.S. culture to refer to a male who was once particularly lean or fit, but over time has gained an excessive amount of body fat, typically around the waist, leading to a “beer belly”. The arms, legs, and chest are usually still toned.” I wouldn’t know anything about that. *rolls eyes far enough back to look at brain*

Hilariously, Planet Fitness has five good things to say about dad bod:

 

1. IT IS JUST AS CAPABLE

Having a dad bod does not mean you’re unhealthy or weak. It means you’re strong and able to meet the challenging (and ever-changing) demands of a father, which include everything from coaching Little League to assembling strollers.

Whereas some athletes might need a whole day to rest and recover after a lengthy exercise routine, dads have the amazing ability to squeeze in a quick workout and then power through an afternoon of fatherly duties. The demands of a modern dad are high — so it makes sense that, with everything you have to balance, you might have an extra few pounds. And that’s totally OK!

 

2. THE DAD BOD PUTS FAMILY FIRST

The sexiest dads are the ones who think of their family before themselves. Before kids entered the picture, spouses may have admired their partners’ chiseled muscles and bachelor-style bods — but as soon as children arrived, priorities (and attractions) tend to shift. What makes a mother’s heart race? Seeing her husband unload the dishwasher and then drive the kids to soccer practice.

Sure, you might have to sacrifice a gym session to get it all done, but putting your family first means you value building family memories more than building the biggest bicep among your buddies.

 

3. IT IS (MOSTLY) HEALTHY

If you want to maintain perfect health, it’s no secret that foods like French fries, chicken nuggets, and ice cream are best avoided (most of the time). But balancing the schedules of every family member is no small feat. Sometimes fast food is your only option if you want to make it to all of your family’s obligations on time. And when your daughter scores her first goal in a soccer match, that calls for a celebratory ice cream.

 

4. THE DAD BOD IS SEXY

Our Planet Fitness survey found that more than half of women think dad bods are sexy and even prefer the dad bod over muscular men. Wondering why? For starters, the dad bod is associated with attractive personality traits — like a strong sense of humor, a down-to-earth mentality, and a healthy respect for work/life balance. Additionally, the dad bod is refreshingly real; built not solely of muscle, but heart, as well.

Of course, this isn’t to say men who enjoy sporting dad bods don’t have plenty of muscle to prove their manliness — they just also have the right number of imperfections to prove their authenticity. And both of those things are really sexy.

 

5. IT IS REALISTIC AND FAMILIAR

Simply put, people love the dad bod because it’s real. A dad bod is not the result of long hours at the gym, a crazy-strict diet, or any performance-enhancing supplements. It’s the result of a balanced, healthy lifestyle that includes broccoli and bicep curls but also welcomes burgers and birthday parties. It’s all about balance!

 

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This Father’s Day I’m wondering if my dad sung this song to woo my mom.