Like Sacha Baron Cohen, I transformed my body aged 50. It's anything but ‘repellent'

Telegraph

2 days ago

'Repellent.' That was the word that caught my eye when I saw Judith Woods's column on the newly ripped Sacha Baron Cohen.
She also made the point that, as a middle-aged father of two, the actor was well within his rights to 'rock a dad bod'. It's not that that term in itself is negative – it's probably an accurate description of the body many men have in midlife, dads or not, when your metabolism slows down, you move less and start to take on more weight, typically around the stomach. No, the 'dad bod' itself isn't the issue; it's what it conceals.
The dad bod comes with visceral fat and its impact on vital organs. Five years ago, when I was 50, there was nothing out of the ordinary about my physique. In fact, I was barely even aware of my form, taking it as a joke when my son called me 'Daddy Pig' after the portly father figure from the cartoon Peppa Pig. However, I was burnt out and depressed. I felt low and slow. And, had I not gone to the doctor, I probably wouldn't have realised that I was at risk of diabetes and fatty liver, that I had high cholesterol and hypertension. After all, I wasn't living any differently from most of the other males I knew in my age group.
Those results, rather than a midlife crisis vanity project, provided the springboard for me to begin transforming my body and, more importantly, my fitness.
Being 50, it hit me that I had probably lived more years than I had left. As the realisation dawned that my habits weren't only having an impact on my longevity but also on the quality of my remaining life, I resolved to do something about it. And I remember the day well. It was a Monday morning about six months after that doctor's appointment, and I thought, 'Right, that's it, let's do something about this.' Digging out an old pair of trainers, I set out for a run – well, it was probably more walking than running. But I felt great afterwards – and when I got home, it had an impact on what I ate, too, which would usually have involved some oven chips.
I never made a conscious decision to stop drinking – just to cut down on alcohol – but, in the event, I've not touched it since, simply because within a week I felt so much better without it. Other healthy changes followed – joining a gym, taking swimming improvement lessons, changing my diet. I didn't even tell my wife at first – I suppose out of a fear of failing – but she noticed the difference in me within the first few weeks. It wasn't just the fact that I was losing weight, though; I was happier and more engaged.
Nor is a midlife makeover always a post-breakup revenge move. My wife and I are happily married. But has it improved our relationship? Absolutely. Not only in terms of her finding me more attractive, but also because my increased confidence and presence has done wonders for our connection. Where family life is concerned, it's also had an impact on my relationship with my teenage son, with whom I can go out and do things – climbing, mountain biking, even just kicking a ball around. Those things I wouldn't previously have had the energy to do.
I've not noticed women responding to me any differently since I got fitter and made this my full-time career. But nor have I had any negative feedback from anyone, other than in the early stages of my weight loss (which was rapid), where people thought I was looking gaunt – something I rectified by upping both my calorie intake and resistance training. I've certainly never been likened to biltong (a comparison Woods made about Baron Cohen's new look). Ultimately, my physical changes have also transformed my career and my life, not only getting rid of my budding physical and mental health issues, but also improving my family relationships and enjoyment of things. It doesn't have to be about starring as a superhero, or appearing on the cover of a magazine – although that is, in fact, soon to happen for me with the September issue of Men's Fitness. It's about living and feeling your best in the years you have left.
As told to Sarah Rodrigues