The weight gain among new daddies is being blamed on the struggle to manage a busy work and family life leading to shortcuts in diet and exercise.
Parenting on Female First
Ciaran Burns is 30 years old, he has a little girl named Orla (3 ¾ yrs) and Aidan (15 months). Before becoming a dad Ciaran was 15st 9lb which rose to 17st 3lb after becoming a dad. He’s done really well recently getting his weight down to 16st 8lb by using an online men’s health service, www.weloveourhealth.co.uk.
Ciaran says: “Having a new baby meant an end to ‘spare’ time and therefore opportunity to exercise. My daughter Orla was up hourly for the first six weeks of her life, so I existed off caffeine and sugar to get me through the days at work, which often required a lot of travel abroad at the time.
"It was easy for a few extra pounds to slip on over the course of a few months. Prior to becoming a dad, I was a professional basketball player and when I noticed my clothes were getting tight, I knew I had to take action to keep my weight under some control.
"I never had to worry about weight growing up as I was really active and could pretty much eat what I wanted. I didn’t want to be a dad with a ‘middle-age’ spread at 26 years, so I joined forces with my wife and together we embarked on a healthy eating plan - as she wanted to shed the baby weight - and I knew that if we worked together we’d both reap the rewards.
"It is a struggle to remember your health when you’re a parent. We’re so focussed on making sure our children eat the right food but get lazy when it comes to ourselves," said Ciaran.
It’s not just your average dad who sees an increase in their muffin top either, even Orlando Bloom seems to have piled on the pounds since little Flynn was born. But, aside from healthy eating plans what else can new dads do keep the stresses of parenthood at bay and their body in shape?
After months of planning, preparation and excitement, your baby will eventually arrive and your life will change beyond all recognition as you adjust to being a parent. Rather than only having to consider yourself and your partner, you now have to factor in the needs of another vulnerable and totally dependent infant.
Dr Sarah Brewer, GP, Nutritionist and Medical Editor of a new men’s health website, www.weloveourhealth.co.uk, which allows men to quickly and easily track everything from their weight to their cholesterol and blood pressure, shares the following top tips for new fathers and dads-to-be:
1. Accept all the help that’s offered, particularly during the few weeks after the birth when you and your baby are getting to know each other. And if adequate help is not offered, do your level best to find some.
2. Take it in turns to have time out to go for a walk or go together and take baby in a sling (extra weight for your work out!) – 30 mins on most days is ideal to help maintain fitness.
3. Choose one evening a week when you don’t watch TV – go to the gym, kick a ball around or go cycling/swimming with family, friends and your partner to get you both out and about.
4. Take up an active hobby such as swimming, golf, rambling, cycling, horse-riding, rowing. This will get you out of the house and help you make new friends. Find another new dad from your ante-natal classes to go with and swap baby stories too.
5. From now on, decide to walk or cycle reasonable distances rather than taking the car. How about a walk around the block in your lunch hour? Eat in the park rather than at your desk.
6. Dig out that old skipping rope, pogo stick, trampoline, static bike or other exercise equipment you once bought to gather dust. Use it while watching the evening news.
7. The weekend’s ideal for walking or cycling. Visit a local park or even a country pub with your partner and baby.
8. Put more effort into DIY, gardening, decorating the new nursery or – dare I say it – cleaning the house to help your partner.
9. Follow a healthy diet – your partner is probably trying to lose a few pounds after the baby, and this is best done slowly and gradually (and after she’s stopped breastfeeding). Prepare healthy meals/snacks for both her and yourself.