Baby's arrival can add weight to dad, too

The warning came about six months before my son was born.

"You better exercise as much as you can now, because you won't have time after the baby comes," an experienced father told me.

I nodded politely, but inside I scoffed. Of course I would be able to work out after the baby is born! Babies aren't that hard. I would find the time. I would make the time.

Three months after the blessed event, I noticed with some horror that my body had started to assume the shape of a bowling pin. What was happening?

In a phrase -- postpartum weight gain.

I'd always associated that phenomenon with new mothers, but a 2004 Duke University study, reported in The Journal of Women's Health, showed that it occurs in most new dads, also.

In fact, for every child the mother has, dad's risk of obesity jumps by about 4 percent, the study found.

When I thought about it, it made sense. For three months, I hadn't been able to work out even once; "making time" was more difficult than I thought. Add sleep deprivation to this, as well as my new "I'll-eat-whatever's-fast-and-easy" diet, and it's no surprise my clothes didn't fit like they used to.

Postpartum weight gain in fathers doesn't get much press, though, because the medical and fitness establishments are more concerned, rightfully, with the health of the mother.

"Yeah, we sometimes forget about fathers," said Aurora resident Lisa Farley, a certified personal trainer with Westmont-based Home Bodies. "There's so much focus on getting moms back into shape after a baby's born, but we don't talk much about what fathers need."

The good news is that while weight gain in fathers is common, it's not inevitable. Local experts say that some common-sense planning can ward off the Fatherhood 15.

"It's impossible to prepare yourself totally for having a baby," Farley said. "But there are things you can do, small things, that will keep you from really falling behind during those first months."

Why the weight?

Most experts agree that basic lifestyle changes are the biggest contributor to weight gain in new fathers.

For starters, newborns rarely sleep for more than two hours at a clip, so getting a decent night's sleep is almost impossible. Your energy will sink to near-nonexistent levels.

At the same time, your life will get insanely busy. Even the most organized parents have a tough time handling basic household tasks -- cooking, laundry, grocery shopping -- while also taking care of their baby.

So when energy levels and free time drop, what usually gets lost? The regular exercise routine.

"I don't think men who haven't been through it before realize just how busy those first few months are," said Tony Bruno, a certified trainer with personaltrainernetwork.com and father of a 10-month-old girl. "People who used to work out every day now find themselves just struggling to stay awake past dinnertime."

Then there's diet. When people are tired, busy and hungry, they tend to reach for the quickest, easiest foods, said Cathy Leman, a registered dietitian and owner of Glen Ellyn-based Nutrifit, a nutrition counseling and consulting company.

"You have that bone-numbing exhaustion, you're not getting exercise, so you turn to things like sugar and fast food because they're easy," Leman said. "But of course those are the worst things to be eating."

How to fight it

Fitness and nutrition experts agree that planning is the key to staying fit after a baby arrives.

The first thing a new father should do is recognize that he simply won't be able to devote as much time to fitness as he did before the baby came, Farley said.

"You have to redefine your goals," Farley said. "If you expect to do as much (exercise) as you used to, you'll get frustrated and probably quit trying altogether."

Farley suggests committing initially to 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day -- walking, running, lifting weights, whatever you like to do -- three days a week. Doing that much will allow most dads to maintain their current level of fitness.

"You might have to break it up throughout the day, taking 15 minutes here, and another 15 there," she said. "But as long as it adds up to 20 or 30 minutes, you'll be doing the minimum you need."

But what if you want to do more than the minimum? Can you actually improve your fitness level in less than an hour? Bruno says yes.

"We're seeing that 'short-burst' exercise is actually more beneficial in the long run," Bruno said. "That's great news for fathers who don't have time to spend a couple hours in the gym. If you stick to the 30- to 40-minute time frame, but increase the intensity of the exercises you do during that time, you'll improve your health."

Bruno adds that taking a short nap whenever possible will do wonders for a father's overall energy level.

"Grabbing even just 15 or 20 minutes of sleep during the day will make you feel so much better," he said.

No doughnuts

On the nutrition side of things, Leman suggests that fathers-to-be compile a list (with their wives) of 10 healthy entrees they like that are easy to prepare. Then, right before the baby comes, they should stock their freezers, refrigerators and pantries with the basic ingredients that go into those entrees.

"By rotating through the list every few weeks or so, you're eating meals that are easy, healthy and that you like," she said.

Skim milk, low-fat cheese and eggs are key basics that should be in the fridge, Leman said. The freezer should be stocked with frozen fruit and vegetables. And the pantry should have plenty of canned tuna, pasta, whole-grain cereals and peanut butter, she said.

Implied in her suggestions are foods that fathers should keep out of their kitchens: doughnuts, candy, soft drinks and salty fried snacks.

"People develop stronger cravings for sugar and caffeine when they're tired," Leman said. "If you keep those things out of your kitchen, you'll find healthier ways to satisfy your cravings."

Whole-family health

Gaining weight is never fun, but Farley, Bruno and Leman all point to a silver lining behind postpartum weight gain in fathers.

"What's good about it is that it gets the entire family thinking about health and fitness," Bruno said. "If you as the dad decide to keep yourself fit after the baby comes, it can be a source of support and inspiration for mom as she tries to get back in shape.

"And if both of you are on the same page, it makes it much more likely that the baby will grow up in a healthy environment, too," he said.

Leman and Farley agreed, and both suggested that the best way for fathers to stay healthy is to make fitness a family activity.

"Invest in a baby jogger; they are awesome," said Farley, who's a mom herself. "Pick a time when all three of you can get out for a run. It's a great way to establish healthy habits for the entire family."