A DAD who gained weight when his son was born ditched his ‘dad body’ while exercising with his newborn – and has now won a medal at a national bodybuilding competition.
Sion Monty, 35, racked up four stones in just six months after the birth of his son Tedi, as he learned to be a father while running three businesses.
So nearly 16, he vowed to lose weight – and involved his son in his exercise regime by doing daily runs, hill sprints and long walks with Tedi in his pram.
But thanks to a diet overhaul and exercising six days a week, he has lost almost four stone, supported by his boy, now five, and proud partner Kara Williams, 31.
He took it a step further and started weight training, gaining muscle and working on his six-pack.
And in November 2022, he won a silver medal at the National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association UK open.
He said the secret was mindfulness and manifestation – he reads a lot of books about having a positive “growth mindset”, self-confidence and creating things.
Sion is now helping change the lives of other dads who find themselves stuck in a rut with their body image by offering one-on-one coaching and sharing his advice on social media.
Sion trains five times a week and controls her calorie intake, but insists the key to physical transformation is inner peace after battling anxiety.
Sion, a gym owner from Porthmadog, Wales, said: “I gained weight in the first six months of my son’s birth.
“Tedi, my girlfriend, Kara and I took a photo at a photo booth, and saw myself for the first time since Tedi was born.
“I felt ashamed and shocked because I owned a gym and let myself go.
“It gave me the kick to get back into shape.
“Now I’m so happy and a much more active dad for Tedi.
“I just want to inspire him and show him that anything is possible.”
Sion – who weighed in at 16th – shredded the pounds and transformed his physique. He now tips the scales at No. 12 and has a chiseled physique.
He has maintained his fitness and has since bought a new gym, Musclemorph Gym, in Gwynedd, Wales, which he says “showed up”.
Sion said: “I’ve read loads of mindfulness books and I do affirmations in the morning.
“I say what I want to accomplish for the day and set clear goals.
“I used to walk past this building every day and tell my partner it would be an amazing building for a gym and I thought it would be my gym.
“I imagined it as my everyday gym and quite wildly I got a call that the building had become available.”
According to the fitness fanatic, another tenant secured the building but continued to believe he would get the premises and he miraculously got the keys in December 2019.
Unfortunately, a month after opening in February 2020, Sion had to close the gym in March 2020 for closure.
He said: “It was really difficult, but I used that time to help others.
“I gained some weight, so I documented my ‘fat loss’ phase on Instagram for others to see and started doing workouts at home.
“I help a lot of dads and men all over the world come to me for help.
“They just want to be healthy for their children.”
Little Tedi is now following in his dad’s footsteps and loves coming to the gym every Sunday for a mini workout.
Sion makes sure his weekends are spent with his family and fits in his 4:30 a.m. workouts Monday through Friday before waking up.
“Family time is non-negotiable, and I prioritize Kara and Tedi,” he said.
“I eat normally, just make sure to watch my calories so I don’t get cravings – it’s more sustainable.”
When Sion was losing weight for his fitness competition earlier in the month – to weigh in at 12lbs and 13lbs – he limited his diet to 1,800 calories a day.
But now he’s “fattening up” – he’s gaining muscle to eat 2,500 calories a day.
Although he’s in better shape than ever, he must be feeling better than ever in his mind.
He said: “I have suffered from anxiety for many years, but I feel the best I have ever felt – not because of the fitness regiment, but through my mind and my workouts.
“We should work as much on the mind as on the body.”
Diet before:
Breakfast – Four slices of peanut butter on toast
Lunch – Deli takeaways – baguette, pastry, cakes and crisps
Dinner – Chinese takeout, chip shop or Indian. If the food was homemade, there were fries and garlic bread. Magnum ice cream pudding.
Diet now:
5 a.m.: Training
7:00 a.m.: Protein shake with white chocolate, banana and peanut butter
9am: Chocolate protein oats and some fruit (usually berries)
12 p.m.: Chicken Katsu curry & rice, with vegetables
Mid-afternoon: protein bar
5:30 p.m.: Chicken sausages, jacket potatoes and cheese, tender broccoli
8 p.m.: White chocolate & peanut butter protein shake
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