We've all heard of sympathy weight gain—the pounds dad puts on to make his wife feel better when she’s pregnant. But a recent Duke University study shows that, unlike moms, the dads aren’t shedding the weight after baby arrives. In fact, with each child a couple has, a man's risk of obesity increases by 4 percent, and that number doubles with every consecutive child.

Now there’s help for dads who find themselves more on the “puff” side than the “buff” side. Just in time for Father’s Day—and the summer beach season—comes Buff Dad, which is my June editor’s pick. Why? You’ve got to give credit to a guy who has three children (including a set of twins) with another set of twins due any day now. If anyone knows how to multitask, it’s Mike Levinson.

Buff Dad author Mike Levinson was a nutritionist and trainer to many star athletes, including Charles Oakley and JT Snow. A former bodybuilder, he put on 50 pounds when his wife had their first child. Parlaying his expertise on the training fields and in the kitchen, he put together the Buff Dad program to lose weight, tone up, and regain the energy that had fallen by the wayside.

With his four-week program, Levinson gives harried dads the motivation, the exercise secrets, and the nutrition advice to burn off pounds without burning away precious time. The secret? The Buff Dad four-week workout blitz, which builds muscle in half the time (just 30 minutes a day), combined with foods that boost testosterone levels in the body. By combining these testosterone superfoods with the exercises, men will see and feel a difference in just 28 days. Packed with meal plans, an illustrated workout guide, guy-friendly recipes, and shopping lists, the book shows real men everywhere how to lose the “dad fat” and become buff dads for good. I asked Mike to give me some pointers and tips specifically for dads and the women who love them:

Q. With Father’s Day coming up, what are some fitness-oriented gifts wives could give their husbands that aren’t the equivalent of a man giving his wife a vacuum cleaner—you know, some products that won’t offend your husband but might push him into regular exercise?

A. Besides my book, I think some great fitness-oriented gifts include magazine subscriptions to fitness-related magazines such as Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness; they are the gifts that keep on giving for a whole year. Also a NanoiPod or shuffle is great to help encourage working out to music. New workout clothes always are a great gift idea, as well as new running shoes. The gifts that might get men upset are gym memberships, any home gym equipment, a fat-burner supplement, or an appointment to see a plastic surgeon.

Q. In working with clients, how do most of the men come to realize that they need to shape up? Is it their wives telling them? Or the scale?

A. Most men hear it from their wives or their children—children can be brutally honest without meaning to offend. I’ve had a few men come to me because their doctors told them they could be at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or other medical conditions associated with their weight.

Q. What are some things wives can do to help their husbands slim down?

A. Prepare healthier meals, exercise together, and support their spouses. I believe the husbands have to first want to lose weight, though, and then the wives can learn how to prepare lower-fat and lower-calories meals.

Q. Do you think there is a double-standard with weight loss with men and women?

A. I do believe there’s a double standard: if wives are a bit overweight they are judged harshly and people say, “Oh, she hasn’t lost the baby weight.” But if a father is fat, he is considered “a big guy.” Many men gain weight during their wives’ pregnancies and postpartum; because of cultural expectations, the women try hard to lose the weight but the men usually do not.

Q. From your work with clients, how does being overweight affect a couple’s life and their relationship overall? A man’s ability to be a good parent?

A. Being overweight affects a couple’s life in many ways—sex is not a priority for both parties since the man usually does not feel good about his body and the woman does not want to be intimate with her husband because of his weight. As far as parenting goes, I know plenty of fathers who won’t go swimming with their kids because of their weight or men who can’t keep up with their kids at the park—it’s sad. The good news is, in four weeks, men can see a noticeable difference in not only their weight but their overall tone and energy levels.

Q. Do you think it’s gotten harder for fathers to keep in shape than the fathers of prior generations?

A. Yes. Men today take a more active role in parenting along with working. Also, our computers, cell phones, TV shows, and larger portion sizes all contribute to obesity in this country.

Q. You mention testosterone in your book—what would you like men to know about this?

A. Testosterone is the key to weight loss and increased lean muscle mass, which will increase your metabolism so you burn more fat. Testosterone levels have been falling in men today; but by exercising and adding a few testosterone “power foods” to your diet in the right portions, you can increase them naturally—to improve your appearance and health. All of us men need testosterone to life healthy and active lives. It’s never too late to improve your health. The key is to take the first step.

The Butterfly Garden

While this bombshell would consume most people with uncertainty, bitterness, or resentment, for Chip St. Clair it sparked a journey to find the truth. In so doing, Chip reconstructed a new life for himself—a life filled with happiness, love, and a meaningful career as a child advocate who keeps kids safe from abusers. This is why I chose this book as my Editor’s Pick. The moment I read the manuscript, there were three reasons I felt HCI had to publish The Butterfly Garden:

The writing. Part true crime, part inspirational memoir, The Butterfly Garden is a mesmerizing account of coming of age under the wrath of a sadistic father and a dysfunctional mother. Chip St. Clair has a way of describing events so vividly that you feel like you’re watching a movie—I could actually “see” young Chip hiding behind the La-Z-Boy to escape his father’s wrath, and I could “feel” him struggling to swim when his father threw him into icy Lake Michigan. Chip’s gift for writing and his passion to educate and empower others enabled him to frame the narrative so it married the best of the true crime elements with inspirational memoir; he also uses metaphorical threads, recurring themes, and poetry throughout the book, which gives a multidimensional read that delves deeper into the storyline.

The transformative self-help aspect. If readers have suffered any sort of pain or abuse in their lives, this book is useful as a way to help them heal.Chip’s epiphany, which took place in a butterfly garden, freed him to look at his haunted past in a very different way. Using the butterfly garden metaphor, he was able to transform his horrible past to create a healthy future full of promise and purpose. He shows readers that one’s path in life isn’t determined by past demons, but by what he or she holds in their hearts. Unlike some other memoirs, The Butterfly Garden empowers, inspires, and instills hope.

The author. Chip St. Clair is the real deal. He has received a Congressional Record for his work helping children stay safe from child predators. He has helped to pass Jessica’s Law in three states and has been instrumental in helping authorities catch several child predators in sting operations. The world is truly a better place because of him. (Incidentally, he is working on another book, which I can’t wait to read.)