“Uy, dad bod ka na!” Most dads have heard this phrase at least once in their life. And yes, not only women experience body shaming. Dads go through it, too.
Guiller Bernardo shared his inspiring fitness and weight loss journey in Dad Bud PH, a community of dads founded by Smart Parenting’s first-ever daddy editor-at-large Joey Ong.
Yes, you read that right. He lost half of his body weight in just six months!
Guiller, a father of three and entrepreneur, started his fitness journey in July 2021. He weighed 122kgs back then, and after six months of rigorous exercise and diet, he achieved his goal of 65kgs.
Smart Parenting got a chance to talk to Guiller and asked him why he decided to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle. He jokingly answered, “Na-bash kasi ako eh, nag-Boracay kami last year tapos ang daming nagsabi na dad bod na daw ako.”
'Yung physical appearance, yung weight, secondary na lang yun. But to stay healthy and live long for my kids, that’s what I want to achieve.'
Even though it was a joke, it’s still an eye-opener that dads also go through body shaming. On a serious note, Guiller shared the main reason why he’s determined and dedicated to be fit and healthy, “I just want to live long for my kids. Gusto ko pa silang makasama ng matagal.”
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At 45 years old, one might think that Guiller’s journey is too hard and impossible, but he stayed focused because of his kids.
“Yung physical appearance, yung weight, secondary na lang yun. But to stay healthy and live long for my kids, that’s what I want to achieve.” he continued to share.
How did he lose weight?
Guiller tried most of the popular weight loss techniques - intermittent fasting, calorie deficit, one-meal-a-day. While doing this, he also went through intense body workouts. His first equipment was a treadmill, gifted to him by his partner.
He shared how his day usually goes: “I drink black coffee, kapeng barako sa umaga. Then treadmill for 10KMs. After that, work naman. And then later on, weightlifting for two hrs, because I’m building up my muscles now. At 4-7 PM, that’s my meal time.”
He said that in staying healthy and fit, one doesn’t need to “eat less”, but eat more of the right foods. He chose foods that are high fiber, high protein, and low to no calories.
Now that he has maintained his weight and he’s building up his muscle tone, he consumes two to three kilos of fruits and vegetables in a day, aside from his other meals with protein.
All of these things may have different effects with each person, but Guiller can attest to what is effective for all - his mantra, “Desire, discipline, dedication and determination.”
His fitness journey online and one of his Tiktok videos has already reached 1.3M views.
A healthy, happy family
Now that he’s physically fit and healthy, Guiller says he is more confident. It’s not strictly about the numbers on the weighing scale, but more on the confidence in knowing that his body is healthier.
As a bonus, his kids, ages 19,15, and 9 also learned how to eat consciously. Kids, no matter how old they are, copy what their parents do. They choose foods that are healthier and started using the treadmill, too.
Because Guiller decided to pursue a healthy lifestyle, his kids also picked up his discipline.
How to Start your Own Fitness Journey
Most parents want to start living a healthy and active lifestyle. But juggling work, raising kids and other responsibilities, it seems impossible.
Guiller shared his secret on how to start being healthy and active: Take baby steps.
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It can be overwhelming to look at Guiller’s work-out schedule and diet, but he didn’t start that way.
He carefully took small, baby steps in order to establish his routine. He mentioned that for those who are not used to strenuous exercise, walking is a good start. It burns calories, it’s a physical activity, and it can also be a bonding time with the family.
For healthy eating, take it one step at a time and make sure to check with your doctors if you have underlying conditions. Conscious eating, choosing the right foods to eat is better than not eating at all.
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Guiller continues on his journey of fitness and health not only for himself, but more for his kids and family, “Your health is one of the best gifts you can give to your kids.”
To know more about Guiller's fitness journey, follow his Tiktok account: @imo_boots
WATCH THIS RELATED VIDEO ON BECOMING A HEALTHIER DAD:
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