Busy married man or couch potato dad? How to be a fit man
Married men have been accused of being more likely to let themselves go after being tied down.
The research, set to soon be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Spain in May, was carried out on couples in Poland and found that being married triples the risk of obesity in men.
Researchers found both men and women tend to be heavier when married, with marriage increasing the risk of being overweight by 62 per cent in men and 39 per cent in women, compared with those who are unmarried.
However, married men were also 3.2 times more likely to be obese than unmarried men, while no such link was found for married women when compared with unmarried women.
The lack of such a finding in women may be due to cultural differences in attitudes towards obesity in men and women, the researchers suggested.
But what happens if you wish to change the narrative.
Being busy and run off your feet can be a recipe for indulging in self care, but here are some quick, easy and simple tips you can do to help you get back to feeling your best and improving your health long term:
Busy parents will know that it often feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Between work, looking after the kids, looking after themselves, and fitting in family and friends time, finding time in a busy schedule to fit in regular workouts can be a challenge.
But men are advised to not be their own worst enemy.
Juggling all of the plates consumes a lot of energy in itself, but experts say it is better to do something rather than nothing – no matter how small it could seem to you.
Whether it is walking to the shops for that pint of milk you missed off the food shop, parking slightly further away from the park, or even taking the stairs rather than the lift when out, any way of keeping more active is a positive.
Doni Thomson, PT and GM at PureGym Aberdeen said: “If that means grabbing 10 minutes during nap time to fit in some bodyweight squats, core work, and just get a little sweat on at home, that is great!”
2. Get the family involved
Whether that be a family walk or hike, a bike ride, or even a little exercise class at home where the kids can join in often, if you get more people involved, it can hold you accountable.
Getting in more steps each day can not only help with your fitness levels, but it can also help with your mental health, with sunlight and getting some fresh air known to be beneficial.
This could be trickier if your little ones are very little but you could always chuck them in a sling. Weighted cardio, anyone?
Experts say that prioritising short bursts of exercise whenever you can is an effective workout in itself.
Being time smart is the way forward so, if you only have very few breaks in your schedule, you should use them wisely.
River Fitness, and expert website claims that, when time is tight, you should “focus on short, high-intensity workouts. Classes like HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) or circuits can give you a full-body workout in a shorter period. Even a 30-minute session can make a big difference”.
Another way to stay one step ahead is to try to carve out time for you. Scheduling your workouts like any other appointment can help you stay committed and planning ahead ensures you fit fitness into your busy day, no matter what other curveballs may swing your way.
Want to add some muscle? Lose fat? Improve heart heart? Then make sure you are clear on what your specific goal is before you start.
River Fitness suggests picking exercises that work best for your fitness goals, so you can pick between lifting weights, or doing some cardio.
They said: “Staying fit as a busy parent is possible with a little planning and the right approach.”
5. Check out your options
Some gyms and leisure centres even offer childcare or crèche options, so make sure you are doing your research when picking the optimal place to get a workout in.
You may not even know it is on your doorstep, so it is worth shopping around and checking what options you have local to you.
