By Will Duru, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, Award-winning Personal Trainer with over 10 years of experience in strength training and optimising recovery.
Your Best Weapon Against the Dad Bod: Strength Training
Forget what you’ve heard about needing to do hours of boring cardio to lose weight. While a bit of cardio is good for your heart, strength training is the most effective tool for transforming your body. When you lift weights, you build lean muscle. This is crucial because muscle is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even when you’re sitting at your desk or sleeping. The more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolism, and the faster you’ll burn off that stubborn belly fat.
But the benefits for dads go even deeper. Strength training is a powerhouse for your hormones. As men age, testosterone levels naturally decline. Resistance training provides a powerful stimulus to your body, helping to boost both testosterone and growth hormone (GH) [1]. These are the key hormones responsible for building muscle, losing fat, and maintaining your energy and drive. Furthermore, as we carry extra weight, our bodies can become less responsive to insulin, a condition known as insulin resistance, which makes fat loss harder. Building muscle through strength training has been shown to significantly improve insulin sensitivity, making it easier for your body to use food for energy instead of storing it as fat [2].
Making Time: The Busy Dad's Guide to Fitness
I get it. You have 24 hours in a day, and they’re already full. The idea of adding a workout seems impossible. But it’s not about finding time; it’s about making time. You just need to be strategic. Block out your workouts in your calendar like you would any important meeting. The key is consistency, not duration.
This program is designed for maximum efficiency. You only need three sessions a week, and each one will take you 45-60 minutes, warm-up included. Here are some tips that have worked for my clients:
- Go at lunchtime: If you work near a gym, this is the perfect way to break up your day, de-stress, and get your workout in. You’ll come back to your desk feeling refreshed and accomplished.
- Train before heading home: Stop at the gym on your way home from work. This prevents you from getting sucked into the evening routine and putting it off.
- Choose a convenient location: Sign up for a gym that’s either close to your home or your work. The fewer barriers there are, the more likely you are to go.
Fueling the Engine: No-Nonsense Nutrition for Dads
You can’t out-train a bad diet. To lose the dad bod, your nutrition needs to be on point. But this doesn’t mean you have to live on chicken and broccoli. It’s about making smart, sustainable choices.
Focus on a balanced intake of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Protein is vital for building and repairing muscle. Healthy fats (from sources like avocados, nuts, and olive oil) are essential for hormone production, including testosterone. Complex carbs (like oats, brown rice, and sweet potatoes) provide the energy for your workouts.
A Simple Guide to Calorie Counting
To lose fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit, but it doesn’t have to be extreme. Let’s take an example: a 90kg dad who wants to lose 10kg.
To lose about 0.5-1kg per week, a daily deficit of 500-700 calories is a good target. A moderately active 90kg man might need around 2,700 calories to maintain his weight. To kickstart fat loss, he could aim for 2,000 calories per day.
Here’s a sample macro breakdown, prioritising protein and healthy fats:
- Protein (4 cal/g): Aim for 2g of protein per kg of body weight. 2 x 90 = 180g of protein. This equals 720 calories.
- Fats (9 cal/g): Aim for 30% of calories from fats. 0.30 x 2000 = 600 calories. This equals 67g of fat.
- Carbs (4 cal/g): The rest comes from carbs. 2000 – 720 – 600 = 680 calories. This equals 170g of carbs.
Use an app like MyFitnessPal or the tracker in the 12Reps app to log your food. It makes the process much easier.
Supercharge Your Results: Smart Supplementation
Supplements are not magic, but a few key ones can give you a real edge. For busy dads, I recommend two:
- Creatine Monohydrate: This is one of the most researched supplements on the planet. It works by increasing your body’s stores of phosphocreatine, which is a form of stored energy in the cells. This helps you produce more energy during high-intensity exercise, like lifting weights. Studies consistently show that creatine supplementation leads to significant gains in muscle strength and performance when combined with resistance training [3]. Take 5 grams before your workout.
- Clear Whey Protein: Getting enough protein can be tough. A protein shake is a convenient way to hit your target. I often recommend Clear Whey Protein because it’s lighter and more refreshing than traditional milky shakes—it mixes like a juice. It’s a fantastic way to quickly get high-quality protein to your muscles after a workout to kickstart the recovery and growth process, which is essential for building muscle mass [4].
The "Secret Sauce": Progressive Overload
To keep building muscle and getting stronger, you have to continuously challenge your body. This is the principle of “progressive overload.” It simply means gradually increasing the difficulty of your workouts over time. In this 12-week plan, we’ll do this by first building a solid foundation in Phase 1. In Phase 2, we’ll increase the intensity by adding sets and reps, and by introducing supersets—where you perform two exercises back-to-back to push your muscles harder and save time.
Your 12-Week Dad Bod Transformation Plan
This 3-day split is simple, effective, and respects your time. Remember to start each workout with the 20-minute warm-up. You can find the full program with exercise demos in the 12Reps app.
Warm-Up (All Days) – 20 minutes
- 15 minutes light cardio (incline walk on treadmill or steady cycle)
- 5 minutes mobility stretches (cat-cow, world’s greatest stretch, arm rotations)
PHASE 1 (Weeks 1-6) – Foundation Building
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) – 25-30 minutes
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Machine Chest Press | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60-90 sec |
Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60-90 sec |
Cable Chest Fly or Dumbbell chest fly | 3 | 12-15 | Light | 60 sec |
Cable Lateral Raise or Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 15-20 | Light | 60 sec |
Tricep Rope Pushdown | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps) – 25-30 minutes
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Lat Pulldown ( Machine) | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60-90 sec |
Seated Cable Row | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60-90 sec |
Machine-Assisted Pull-Up | 3 | 10-12 | Assisted | 60 sec |
Cable Rope Face Pull | 3 | 15-20 | Light | 60 sec |
Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Day 3: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes) + Core – 25-30 minutes
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Goblet Squat (Kettlebell) | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 90 sec |
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 90 sec |
Machine Leg Press | 3 | 15-20 | Moderate | 90 sec |
Dumbbell Glute Bridge | 3 | 15-20 each | Light | 60 sec |
Machine Leg Curl | 3 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Core Circuit (3 rounds):
Exercise | Reps/Time | Rest |
Plank Hold | 20-30 sec | 30 sec |
Russian Twist (Medicine Ball) | 15-20 total | 30 sec |
Dead Bug | 10-12 | 30 sec |
PHASE 2 (Weeks 7-12) – Intensity Boost with Supersets
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) – 30-35 minutes
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Machine Chest Press | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 60-90 sec |
SUPERSET: Knee Push-Ups | 4 | 10-15 | Bodyweight | 60-90 sec |
Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 60-90 sec |
SUPERSET: Plank Shoulder Taps | 4 | 12-15 | Bodyweight | 60-90 sec |
Cable Chest Fly | 4 | 10-12 | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Cable Lateral Raise | 4 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Tricep Rope Pushdown | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 60 sec |
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps) – 30-35 minutes
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Cable Lat Pulldown | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 60-90 sec |
SUPERSET: TRX Row or Dumbbell Reverse flys | 4 | 10-15 | Bodyweight | 60-90 sec |
Seated Cable Row | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 60-90 sec |
SUPERSET: Inverted Rows | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60-90 sec |
Machine-Assisted Pull-Up | 4 | 8-10 | Assisted | 60 sec |
Cable Rope Face Pull | 4 | 12-15 | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 60 sec |
Day 3: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes) + Core – 30-35 minutes
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Goblet Squat (Kettlebell) | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 90 sec |
SUPERSET: Bodyweight Squats | 4 | 15-20 | Bodyweight | 90 sec |
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 10-12 | Moderate | 90 sec |
Machine Leg Press | 4 | 12-15 | Moderate-Heavy | 90 sec |
SUPERSET: Walking Lunges | 4 | 12-15 each | Bodyweight | 90 sec |
Cable Glute Kickback | 4 | 12-15 each | Light-Moderate | 60 sec |
Sled Push | 3 | 20-30 meters | Light-Moderate | 90 sec |
Core Circuit (4 rounds):
Exercise | Reps/Time | Rest |
Plank Hold | 30-45 sec | 30 sec |
Russian Twist (Medicine Ball) | 20-25 total | 30 sec |
Dead Bug | 12-15 | 30 sec |
Glute Bridge | 15-20 | 30 sec |
Zone 3 Cardio (Optional – 2-3x per week on rest days)
- 20-30 minutes steady-state cardio
- Heart rate: 70-80% of max
- Options: Incline walking, cycling, rowing
Total Time Per Session: 45-60 minutes (including warm-up)
Get Started with the 12Reps App
This program gives you the what, but the 12Reps app gives you the how. It’s the perfect tool to keep you on track. You can:
- Build and log these exact workouts.
- Watch over 1,500 exercise demos to ensure your form is perfect.
- Use the stopwatch to time your rest periods.
- Track your progress and share your personal bests.
Ready to ditch the dad bod for good? Download the 12Reps app for a free trial and let’s get to work!
References
[1] Craig, B. W., Brown, R., & Everhart, J. (1989). Effects of progressive resistance training on growth hormone and testosterone levels in young and elderly subjects. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 49(2), 159-169. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2796409/
[2] Niemann, M. K. J., et al. (2020). Strength Training and Insulin Resistance: The Mediating Role of Body Composition. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7235686/
[3] Rawson, E. S., & Volek, J. S. (2003). Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17(4), 822-831. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14636102/
[4] Kim, C. B., et al. (2023). Effects of Whey Protein Supplement on 4-Week Resistance Training. Nutrients, 15(4), 1003. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/4/1003
