The blog
Health and fitness, from the stage and the gym floor.
I'm a health and fitness speaker and I coach men over forty. The articles and plain answers live on DadBody, my free writing home, and every one is listed on this page.
Book Dai to speak
Health and fitness talks for companies and conferences: four topics your audience will actually use, delivered with thirty years of coaching behind them.
The 2% Solution
Small daily work that survives real life, not heroic plans that do not. How thirty minutes a day, kept for good, beats every thirty-day shred ever sold.
Men's health after 40
Strength, sleep, food, stress and the midlife drift. What actually moves the needle for men with kids, jobs and knees that have opinions.
Habits that stick
Why routines die after two weeks and how to build ones that survive a bad week. The behaviour change side of health, from thirty years of coaching.
From 250 pounds at fourteen
Dai's own story: the biggest kid in the room, the decision that changed it, and what twice rebuilding his health taught him about change that lasts.
For event planners
Ten practical starting points for choosing the right talk, format and next step for your audience.
How to Choose a Health Speaker for Your Event
What separates a talk people forget by lunch from one they still use a year later.
Speaking detailsBooking a Fitness Speaker for a Corporate Event
Formats, fees and the follow-up that makes a wellness talk worth the budget.
Speaking detailsMen's Health Speaker: Talking to Men Who Don't Want a Lecture
Men over forty tune out lectures. Here's what they actually listen to.
Speaking detailsThe 2% Solution Keynote: Small Daily Work That Survives Real Life
The signature talk: thirty minutes a day, kept for good.
Speaking detailsMen's Health After 40: A Talk for Men Who Hate Health Talks
Energy, weight, sleep and the check-up worth booking, without the lecture.
Speaking detailsHabits That Stick: A Talk on Behaviour Change That Lasts
Why change fails by February, and how to build habits that survive bad weeks.
Speaking detailsFrom 250 Pounds at Fourteen: Dai Manuel's Story Talk
The personal story: 250 pounds at fourteen, and what changing for good takes.
Speaking detailsCorporate Wellness Speaker: What to Book and What It Should Change
What a wellness talk should change for your team, and the formats that fit.
Speaking detailsBurnout and Resilience Keynote for Teams That Are Running on Empty
A resilience talk that starts by lowering the load, not adding to it.
Speaking detailsVirtual Wellness Workshop: Building Habits With a Remote Team
What works on a screen for remote teams, and how to book it.
Virtual workshop details
Plain answers
The answer first, in under a minute. On DadBody.
- How much protein should I eat in a day?
- Why do I keep starting a routine and quitting?
- How do I train when I have no time?
- How do I fix my sleep?
- Why am I so tired in my 40s?
- What does the archive say about low testosterone?
- How do I lose belly fat after 40?
- How do I build a habit that actually sticks?
- How do I manage stress as a dad?
- What does the archive say about men's mental health?
- How does alcohol affect fitness?
- What does the archive say about intermittent fasting?
- How do I get back in shape after years off?
- Why does strength training matter for longevity?
- How many days a week should I train?
- How do I work out at home with no equipment?
- What is the Power 30?
- What are the five Fs?
- How do I find my why?
- What is the Whole Life Fitness Manifesto?
- What should I eat for breakfast?
- How much water should I drink?
- How do I stay fit while travelling?
- How do I get going when I do not feel like it?
- How do I start running again?
- Are supplements worth it?
- How do I stop sugar cravings?
- How do I be a more present dad?
- What morning routine actually works?
- How do I train around an injury?
- How long until I see results?
- How do I set goals I actually keep?
- How do I stay accountable?
- How do I fix stiffness and poor mobility?
- How much protein should I eat per meal?
- What are the best protein sources for a busy dad?
- Do I need protein powder?
- How much protein do I need to keep muscle while losing fat?
- How do I hit my protein target without cooking?
- What is a dad bod?
- Is a dad bod unhealthy?
- How fast can a man over 40 safely lose fat?
- Why do men gain belly fat after 40?
- What is the best workout for belly fat for men over 40?
- How long does it take to form a habit?
- What is habit stacking?
- How do I lose weight after 40?
- Why am I not losing weight?
- What is cortisol, and why does it matter?
- How does stress cause belly fat?
- Do hormones affect weight loss after 40?
- How do I boost testosterone naturally?
From the podcast
The 2% Solution, 149 episodes and counting. Every episode page on DadBody carries the show notes and the full timestamped transcript.
September 13, 2024
Debunking the Protein Myths: The Truth About How Much and What Type of Proteins are Best for You
Dai Manuel covers protein, explaining its importance for body function, the difference between complete and incomplete types, and daily requirements based on activity levels. He also discusses protein supplements, noting their convenience and benefits for recovery, while advising they complement whole foods rather than replace them.
Show notes and transcriptSeptember 11, 2024 · Guest: Greg Elliott
Decoding Heart Rate Variability: The Future of Health with Greg Elliott
Dai Manuel and Greg Elliott discuss heart rate variability, a key biometric that reveals physiological changes before symptoms appear. Elliott believes understanding and using personal health data is essential for extending one's health span.
Show notes and transcriptSeptember 9, 2024
The Shocking Reason You're Not Seeing Results in Life (and what you can do about it today!)
Dai Manuel covers why people might not see desired results in life, emphasizing that outcomes reflect one's actions, mindset, and choices. He details steps for self-awareness, accountability, and taking small, consistent actions to achieve personal growth.
Show notes and transcriptSeptember 6, 2024
Unlocking Your Best Self: How Facing Fears and Embracing F-U-N Can Transform Your Life
Dai Manuel covers how creating opportunities for "Fueling Unstoppable Nerve" can improve life satisfaction and overall well-being. He explains that engaging in enjoyable, challenging activities releases feel-good chemicals, builds a growth mindset, and reduces stress.
Show notes and transcriptSeptember 4, 2024 · Guest: Rachel Lavin
Diet Culture Exposed: Why Rachel Lavin Says It's Time to Ditch the Scale
Dai Manuel and Rachel Lavin talk about diet culture, defining it as constant societal pressure to feel inadequate about one's body. Lavin shares how her 40th birthday was a turning point where she realized being a size zero did not bring her happiness.
Show notes and transcriptSeptember 2, 2024
Reefer Madness 2.0: Is THC Nature's Miracle Medicine or Society's Latest Addiction?
Dai Manuel covers the world of cannabis, exploring THC's potential health benefits for chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. He details different THC types, like Delta 9 and Delta 8, and their effects, also discussing THCA, THC-V, and CBD-THC ratios.
Show notes and transcript
Articles by topic
Strength after 40
Sleep and recovery
Eating for fat loss
- Eating for fat loss after 40: a plain plan
- Why you're hungry at 9pm
- Eating well when the kids eat chicken nuggets
- Weekend eating: why Monday to Friday isn't enough
- The weight loss plateau after 40: why it happens and what to do
- Why diets fail after 40 (and what works instead)
- Eating fat does not make you fat
Men's health basics
Mobility and back pain
Drinking less
Heart and cardio
Hormones and stress
Mental health and resilience
Busy dad life
Restarting and goals
Mindset
- What do you actually want?
- Why starting over keeps failing
- The DadBody project: what it is, who it is for, and why it works
- The Whole Life Fitness Manifesto
- Dancing with Mom
- Four simple phrases for thriving relationships
- Five life lessons from Ted Lasso
- One year of putting my mental health first
- Someone is knocking at the door. Open it.
- Do we hate the words, we need to talk?
- I was scared, but I did it anyway
- Are you over 40 and a father? Then the #DadBodyProject is for you
- The Monday morning challenge