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There’s new evidence to suggest sporting a dad bod may lead to less healthy children. A study conducted at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center says kids with dads who exercise prior to conception are healthier. Regardless if you want healthy children, it’s a good idea to take care of yourself before you turn into a giant blob.
If that’s not a good enough reason to incorporate light exercise into your routine check this out: even moderate workouts will make your transition into middle age and even old age easier. You don’t even have to join a gym to pull this off. You simply need to get moving. The easiest way to fight a dad bod is by making light exercise part of your daily routine until it becomes a habit.
Here are some surefire exercises to get you up and running in no time.
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Step Right Up
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Smart watches and pedometers can feel like geek gear until you realize how much more active they can make you. Human beings were designed for movement, so make sure you move! If you’re pretty sedentary during your workday, make a goal to hit 10,000 steps. You don’t have to do an insane amount of mileage or even run to reap the benefits.
Simply go for a walk during your lunch break and then do another at the end of the day. After a while, you may notice that you need to up your step goal, but don’t worry about that until you get there. It’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish it.
Squat Low
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Squats are one of the best, cheapest exercises that can be done literally anywhere. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and your back and neck straight. Then dip your booty down like you’re going to sit in a chair. Do three reps of 12 while you’re brushing your teeth in the morning and you can get part of your workout in before you even leave the house.
Plank Yourself
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No one loves planks. Not even the people who make them look easy. And for good reason. Planks are torturous exercises that strengthen your core and tighten your back muscles. This makes them a must for anyone trying to manage low back pain. However, hard as they can be, they’re pretty simple to do, making them a perfect dad bod workout.
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Place your forearms on the ground at a 90-degree angle. Next, make your entire body flat as a board, resting your feet on your tiptoes. Then hold it like that for a minute. Do three sets of these for 6o seconds each. If you have a particularly bad back, get on your knees instead to take the pressure off your back.
Are there any exercises you think we missed? Let us know in the comments?