The Quick Lazy Man’s Guide to Losing Weight and Building Muscle

Listen up, fellas, we’ve got a problem: Although news outlets and popular media tell us that the “dad bod” is the next best thing since sliced bread, we know better. Today, let’s explore how we can turn our hard-earned innertube into a rippling set of six-pack abs, or at the very least, something that doesn’t cause our collective belts to burst. If you’re tired of falling off the wagon when trying to get back into fighting shape, here’s the quick lazy man’s guide to losing weight and building muscle.

Light Beer

We know, we know: light beer won’t win you any ‘cool points’ at a party, but it definitely helps us keep our calories low while enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Let’s face it, the biggest hurdle we come across when it comes to getting healthy is the false dichotomy about giving up life’s guilty pleasure for crunches, squats and, dare I say it, vegetables — yuck! To keep things simple, here is a list of low-calorie beers to consider while getting in shape:

• Bud Light Lime – 116 calories
• Natural Light (Natty Light, for the bros out there) – 95 calories
• New Belgium, The Purist Clean Lager – 95 calories
• Amstel Light – 95 calories
• Labatt Blue Light – 108 calories
• Busch Light – 91 calories
• Budweiser Select – 55 calories

While drinking beer will never give you a chest like Arnold’s in The Predator, the options listed above won’t pack on the pounds while chilling with your buddies.

BBQ With the Boys

With warmer weather right around the corner, it’s time to get the boys together and throw a BBQ. Not only does this give you the excuse to get out of the house and ditch watching reruns of The Office with your girlfriend, but throwing a BBQ feast fills your body with much-needed protein. In case you’re stuck thinking of what to grill, here are the must-haves for a protein-centric gathering with your buds:

• Turkey breast
• Chicken – literally any part of the body, except the beak!
• Pork
• Lean ground beef
• Ribs
• Battered fish

Also, consider throwing in nuts, salads, finger-foods and protein-packed snacks on the side as appetizers.

Rethink the Gym

Lastly, we know getting in the gym 4-6 days out of the week is unrealistic for 90% of guys these days, so we need to reconsider our approach to fitness. With that said, we need to find alternative methods of burning fat and sculpting our soon-to-be-Brad-Pitt-from-Fight-Club physique. The best way to achieve this is by getting active with friends in a real-world setting, such as a pickup game of basketball, tossing around a football or throwing a baseball. Although these tasks are fun and unassuming, they burn hundreds of calories and strengthing every muscle ground throughout the body, leaving behind a Greek-God body in its wake.