LighterLife Fast survey reveals new dad’s gain more than a stone of weight in the first-year post pregnancy
Post-pregnancy baby weight is a popular topic when it comes to women, whether they are quick to lose it, such as Jacqueline Jossa, or embrace their new bodies, such as Chrissy Teigan. For women, the average weight gain during pregnancy, according to the NHS, is approximately two stone.
However, for new father’s, the topic of male pregnancy weight gain is rarely talked about, despite 22% of new dads putting on more than a stone in the first year after becoming a dad, a new survey from LighterLife Fast has revealed.
In fact, the average weight gain for first-time fathers is 1st 5lbs (8.5kg), this is almost the same as a new mum- despite the fact fathers aren’t the child bearers. In fact, the research shows that 1 in 10 (9%) gain the same amount as new mothers within the first year.
The research, which anonymously polled over 1,500 men from across the UK, also unveiled the moments when this weight gain was realised, with 25% noticing after seeing an unflattering picture of themselves, 27% when clothes became too snug, 15% after getting out of breath playing with their children, but perhaps most worrying, is that 26% realised they had gained weight when other health concerns were flagged.
The exact reason for the weight gain is unknown, but the survey also revealed that men get 74 minutes less free time than their childless counterparts receive, dropping from 178 minutes of free time per day to 104 minutes. Gone are the hours spent slogging at the gym and enjoying meal prep, as those polled attributed the weight gain to doing less exercise (28%) and not having enough time to prepare healthy meals (20%).
The research was commissioned to support the launch of the ‘Dad Bod’ workout – developed for dads by LighterLife Fast and The Dad Network. The free downloadable workout incorporates simple exercise moves for dads, using no equipment apart from items around the house (and their baby!).
The ‘Dad Bod’ workout supports LighterLife Fast’s Fast Philosophy. By fasting two or three days per week, and eating two 300kcal meals along with a meal of choice on the other four or five “smart” days, dads can lose or maintain their weight easily and efficiently – taking the complications out of fasting. For time-strapped dads, this means there is no need for calorie counting, weighing out food or worrying about meal prepping.
Rob Rona, director of new markets, products and services at LighterLife Fast comments, “Female weight gain during, and post, pregnancy is prominent in modern culture, but it’s only when men like Leonardo Di Caprio and Vince Vaughn showcased their “dad bod” with pride that male weight gain was also discussed.
“Gym routines, nights out with friends and healthy eating becomes a second thought, men are happier to “nest” with their new families. We created the dadbod workout to complete at home or in the gym, so if dad’s do decide to get back in shape they can start at home.”
Starting from £2.49 and including everyday meals from Mexican Chilli to Chocolate Mug cake, LighterLife Fast products are available exclusively from Superdrug and Superdrug.com. For more information on the ‘Dad Bod to Rad Bod’ workout and LighterLife Fast, visit www.lighterlifefast.com.