Innholdsfortegnelse for July - August 2017 i Men's Fitness South Africa

In the thick of it Well, that just sort of came out of nowhere, one day it was warm and then it just wasn’t anymore. Suddenly, those of us who do the morning training session find ourselves heading to our chosen training destination while it’s still dark and for the most part there’s a fully stocked weight rack. It’s way too cliché to use the “summer bodies are built in winter” line, but it is so incredibly true. As much as it sucks to get up and out of bed in the dark, there is no better time to reflect and start your day than that initial training session, especially when you are free from the chatter encountered during the more mainstream months of training. Something else to consider over…

Are you a barbeque virtuoso who lives to man the flames? Or a braai master who gets weak-kneed at the mere thought of holding the tongs? Either way, we’ve got all the ace techniques and easy tricks you need to take your braai skills to the next level. For example, the best way to transform a less-pricey slab of meat so it tastes like a prime cut? Age it. Finish a steak perfectly without overcooking it? Reverse-sear it. Keep a burger delectably juicy? Flip it, flip it, flip it! Yes, with these 16 top tips, a few hours’ practise, and a little patience, you too can enter the Pantheon of braai gods (or, at least not fall flaming from the heavens).…

▪ Deep-fried buffalo wings are a social staple. But at about 100 calories each (not counting blue cheese dressing, which can run 600 calories for little more than a third of a cup!), just a few wings — and who eats just a few? — can wreck your pre-game-day workout. That’s why chefs and tailgaters alike are ditching the fowl and turning fresh, crunchy, nutrient-loaded cauliflower into a healthy, low-cal, vegetarian spin on the classic. Sure, cue the eye rolls — but hear us out. Baked buffalo “bites” like these, a slight variation of the dish served at an American restaurant Mohawk Bend, taste seriously incredible, so crisp and deliciously spicy you can’t just eat one — which is fine, since they rack up only 145 calories per serving. Oh,…

“I train early; How should I eat to get ripped?” BRANDON G, B LOEMFONTEIN ▪ I asked my friend, nutrition genius and Performance Fitness Concepts founder Philip Goglia, PhD, to help me synopsise “eating for rippedness”, so here goes: PRE-WORKOUT: 1 tbsp almond butter; 1 tbsp fruit jam POST-WORKOUT: 3 whole eggs (or 150g chicken breast or a protein shake); 1 piece fruit MIDMORNING: Another fruit LUNCH: 150g protein; vegetable; ½ potato or ½ cup rice MIDAFTERNOON: 1 piece fruit; 1 serving (about 12) raw almonds DINNER: 400g salmon, sea bass, or black cod; 1 cup spinach or asparagus AFTER DINNER: Another fruit or 1 tbsp honey Here’s why: You need a light meal of fat/ carbs for energy for AM. training, then protein/carbs for recovery. At night, fatty…

Firstly we need to define the meaning of Junk Status before we can fully understand its effect. Having consulted the internet, reference material and the good old fashioned dictionary, I discovered that it is barely a “real” term at all, but rather a concept. The meaning of Junk is quite simply, ‘anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible; trash’ and sadly very applicable to the investment and credit rating of our beloved country. With this in mind, we need to understand what this means for the country as a whole. The recent downgrade from BBB- a couple of years ago, to our current rating of “Junk Status” this year essentially means that the Credit Rating of South Africa is really bleak. This translates into the world view that…

DON’T BE AFRAID TO MIX PATTERNS LIKE PLAID AND PAISLEY. JUST MAKE SURE ONE IS MORE SUBDUED THAN THE OTHER. ▪ Seasonal changes are no excuse for you to forget your stylish self. So why not stay as trendy as this Kiton look by staying under budget with selected pieces from some of our favourite easy to find retailers. The Coat A black overcoat is a definite season staple, and this hooded ZARA piece with removable zip and hood, is a great way to remain on trend and practical throughout the season (R1 799) YOU SAVE : R 102 100 The Blazer When it comes to an old-school chic classic, like this plaid blazer jacket, we see no need to reinvent the wheel. This ZARA jacket stays true to its…

“ NOTHING’S MORE INTENSE THAN A BOXING WORKOUT”, SAYS SOLOMONOV. “ AND YOU GET TO PUNCH SHIT.” Peter Kim once tested a prototype pair of jeans by wearing them to the Long Beach Grand Prix, where he tried to vault over a barricade from the pit onto the track. Bad idea. “I lifted my leg up to jump, but the fabric was so stiff, my knees smashed into the concrete, I flipped over onto the track, and all I could think was, ‘Oh, crap’.” So, it’s no surprise that Kim — who founded the Los Angeles–based Hudson Jeans in 2002 — is weaving flexibility into his denim. “Stretch is the biggest thing for me right now”, he says. It’s not just the cloth that sets Hudson apart, he insists…

▪ In 2001, Lorenzo Fertitta — co-owner of the Station Casinos in Las Vegas — bought the Ultimate Fighting Championship for R17 million with his brother, Frank. The fledgeling mixed martial arts organisation was facing bankruptcy, a victim of its own aggressive marketing, which promised brutality and aroused American Senator John McCain to call for its dismemberment, branding it “human cockfighting”. The Fertitta brothers, along with high school pal Dana White, whom the brothers installed as President, rebuilt the business of ultimate fighting, changing its image as a bloody spectacle to that of a legitimate sport with top-notch athletes. With Fertitta as the UFC’s Chief Executive and main power, the trio expanded the promotion abroad, and negotiated to get its biggest stars from rival organisations. In July 2016, the Fertittas…

▪ That time a single Oreo tweet owned the Super Bowl XLVII blackout? That was B Bonin Bough’s idea. And when Gatorade launched its real-time “Mission Control?” Yup, Bough again. As Chief Media and E-commerce Officer of food giant Mondelez International, Bough is an advertising titan who’s overseen billions in marketing and ad spend for some of the world’s biggest brands. But in 2016, the tireless, whip-smart marketing whiz outdid even himself by creating a once-in-a-lifetime publicity stunt even most daredevils considered simply insane: He paid professional skydiver Luke Aikins, a grizzled dude with 16 000-plus jumps to his name (and a credit on Iron Man 3) to leap out of a plane at 25 000 feet without a parachute, hoping (and, we’d guess, praying) he’d land on a net…

▪ Back in 2003, Brent Saunders took the biggest risk of his career. Then a young dad with a baby at home and a new house, Saunders walked away from a partnership at PricewaterhouseCoopers, accepted a 66% salary cut, and started over again in the business world. Smart move: Now CEO of Allergan (most famous for Botox), Saunders is following up the pharmaceutical giant’s blockbuster cosmetic drugs by introducing Kybella, the first US FDA-approved injection to destroy double chins (OK, “submental fat”) without surgery. “It’s a stubborn area — even some guys who are quite fit have it”, says Saunders, who, at a fresh-faced 47, is one of the youngest Fortune 500 Chief Executives in the USA. “I think it’s going to be a real door opener for men looking…

1) Oily fish (salmon, anchovies, sardines, mackerel) So-called oily fish has a higher fat content, which means more omega-3 fatty acids, as well as lots of protein and high vitamin D levels. Additionally, some studies have shown oily fish to have beneficial effects on heart disease, prostate cancer, vision loss, and dementia. It’s easy to use in meals: Salmon, for example, works with any cooking technique and seasoning; anchovies dissolve into sauces (making them taste balanced and robust rather than fishy); and high-quality canned sardines and mackerel, which are becoming increasingly available, are great snacks — just drain well and serve with a squeeze of lemon. 2) Chicken High in protein but relatively low in fat and calories, chicken is a dietary staple that is easy to cook and takes…

1) Parsley Think of parsley as a herb and a salad green. Italian parsley dressed with olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon adds a refreshing contrast to rich grilled salmon or steak. Parsley and garlic form the basis for many easy no-cook all-superfood sauces: Blend with olive oil and oregano to make the Argentinian steak sauce chimichurri; chop with lemon zest for a Milanese gremolata; add anchovies and lemon juice and you’ve got a powerhouse salsa verde for fish; and blitz with walnuts for a twist on a tasty pesto. 2) Turmeric Its earthy, peppery flavour comes from curcumin, a phenol with antibacterial properties. The spice pairs well with scrambled eggs, salad dressings, and even dessert. 3) Cinnamon Cinnamon, with its essential oils full of anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial…

▪ When you’re busy there isn’t always time for a workout. One or two exercises maybe, but not a whole routine. Most of the time you skip it altogether; after all, what good is just a half-hour session? But that’s a mistake. A short workout forces you to perform only the most essential exercises — the ones responsible for most of your gains — with an increased focus and intensity that revs your metabolism harder an How It Works You need only two lifts per session: a main exercise that works multiple muscles, and one that enhances your ability to perform that lift. For example, the front squat works the lower body thoroughly, and the good morning directly strengthens the lower back and hamstrings, allowing you to use more weight…

STRENGTH TRAINING CJ Murphy, M.F.S. Owner, Total Performance Sports, Everett, MA Jim Smith, C.P.P.S. Owner, Diesel Strength & Conditioning Zach Even-Esh Owner, Underground Strength Gym, Edison, NJ WEIGHT LOSS Bob Harper Fitness expert; trainer, NBC’s The Biggest Loser Chris Powell, C.S.C.S. Trainer; author; transformation specialist, ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss Frank G. Bottone Jr., Ph.D., R.D. Author, The Diet Denominator: Fill Your Tank for Less FINANCE Roy Cohen Career counselor; author, The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide; careercoachny.com Chris Bart, Ph.D. Business consultant; author, A Tale of Two Employees !DERMATOLOGY Tina West, M.D. Board-certified dermatologist; founder of the West Institute, westskinlaser.com Annet King, Director of global education, the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica PHYSICAL THERAPY Jay Dicharry, M.P.T., C.S.C.S. Director of biomechanics, Rebound Physical Therapy FOOD Danny Boome Celebrity chef, currently…

Ask why someone’s banned wheat from their diet, and nine times out of 10 they’ll proudly proclaim they’re “gluten intolerant.” But doctors have stayed sceptical, maintaining that the only people who really need to avoid gluten — the protein “glue” that holds wheat grains together — are those actually diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes gluten to attack the small intestine. In fact, reports show that if a person doesn’t have celiac (and less than 1% of people do) yet follows a gluten-free diet, it could raise their risk of obesity and insulin resistance by steering them toward higher-fat, higher-sugar “gluten-free” packaged foods. But a new study out of Columbia University Medical Center in the US may be what the anti-gluten warriors have been waiting for: It…

1) Funkify Your Meat ▪ Dry-ageing a steak gives it such an incredible boost of flavour that restaurants typically sell aged steaks for twice or even three times the price of non-aged. So ageing your own is a sure way to show off your chops. It may seem extreme, but do you want to hit braai highs or not? It’s fairly simple. The goal is to dry out the meat’s exterior — so bacteria forms and imparts flavour — but avoid rot-causing moisture, says The Food Lab author J Kenji Lopez-Alt, of Serious Eats (serious eats.com). Start with a bone-in prime rib (with the fat cap intact), which will make about six rib-eye steaks. While it’s a bit pricey, it has enough fat to protect the interior from bacteria —…

The reason you can’t seem to get stronger or add more muscle is rarely that you’re not training hard enough. More than likely it’s that your form is breaking down when the weight gets heavy. The solution? Use balls to improve your mobility. We like the specially designed mobility balls from Acumobility (acumobility.com), but lacrosse or tennis balls work, too, to help open up every muscle group. For example, here’s how to use them if your bench press is stuck, according to orthopedic acupuncturist and Acumobility CEO Brad Cox. How to Do It 1 Place the balls on the floor so they fit on each side of your spine. 2 Grasp a light kettlebell with both hands and lie on your back, resting against the balls so they dig into…

▪ You never finish learning. Nobody wants to learn anymore because it takes a long time. I started when I was 10 years old in my hometown of Nicastro, Italy. I used to go to the tailor shop after school to stay away from the streets. When I finished eighth grade, I went to work in the tailor shop to learn. I’m still learning after 63 years. ▪ You feel good when you create something yourself — like a sculptor or a painter. I made my first suit in 1959. I was 19. First, you learned how to make the suit, then you learned how to cut. It was a grey and black suit with pin dots for my sister-in-law’s brother. I’ll have to ask him if he still has…

Automatic vs manual gearbox: Which is better? BRYA N S , P R E T O R I A ▪ I do enjoy the feel of a walnut knob in my hand as my feet perform the three-pedal ballet Henry Ford intended every driver to master. But in stop-and-go traffic during Friday rush hour, I won’t deny I’d give my kingdom for horsepower connected to an automatic tranny. For the average driver who wants only to get from Point A to Point B with the least amount of angst, an auto trans is the way to go. Today’s automatic features a lockup clutch, which eliminates transmission slippage and offers better fuel economy. Plus, it’s more environmentally friendly. But if you want the feel of a manual minus the complications,…

When did your fitness journey begin and what got you into competing? I started at the age of 20 with weight training after I had picked up a serious injury playing soccer. The injury ended my soccer career which led me to weight training. I needed to do something to keep my health and fitness going. In 2011 I did my first show, completely off the books and not planned. I walked into the gym the one day and one of the guys in the gym, Juan Botha, approached me and asked me if I’d be standing in three weeks. I had no idea what he was talking about, so he explained it all and asked me if I was keen on a challenge, and I accepted. I successfully won…

IF YOU ASKED ME what my favorite moment in a Will Smith movie was (because, why wouldn’t you?), my answer wouldn’t be the time he flashed his inner bad guy in the hit Suicide Squad. It wouldn’t be when he played a certain pugilist named Ali, either. No, it would be a forgettable scene from the forgettable 1998 thriller Enemy of the State. When his house gets ransacked by government agents, Smith is incensed. “They took my blender!” he gasps, before explaining his attachment to the kitchen appliance: “Some people meditate. Some get massages. I blend.” It’s like he was speaking directly to me. I swear by my blender, regardless of whether I’m making margaritas, banana smoothies, or tomato soup. But the big problem with blenders? Choosing one. There are…

“TO BE IN THE BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE AT 38 — IT FEELS amazing”, says star Philadelphia-via-Israel chef and restaurateur Michael Solomonov, who credits his un-chefly physique to boxing workouts, year-round surfing, and hotel stairwell laps, not just his vegetable-forward diet. And having a career peak after a decade-plus in the fickle restaurant world probably doesn’t feel so bad either. In May 2015, Solomonov’s first cookbook — titled Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking, for the flagship restaurant he started with partner and co-author Steven Cook — won the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award, establishing him as the key player in bringing the eatery’s lesser-known cuisine, a Mediterranean diet heavy on fruits and vegetables, to mainstream mouths. In 2016 he also opened a restaurant outside Philly in the USA,…

“ EVERYBODY I WORK WITH, I LEARN FROM”, SAYS DIPLO, “ THEN TRY TO DO WHAT THEY DO, BETTER.” WHEN I TALK TO DIPLO (AKA Thomas Wesley Pentz) in LA, USA, the electronic-music trailblazer and one of today’s most influential producers, he’s just finished helping his 6-year-old son build a Millennium Falcon. It’s a rare domestic moment for the music mogul, who’s had a monster year and shows no signs of slowing down. The previous week, he’d spent time in the studio, then was flown out to do shows in Las Vegas, Surrey, BC, and Alaska — where he played the state’s largest outdoor electronic-music show ever (dubbed “Diplaska”) — then back to Vegas again. He’s then headed to Europe to play 17 shows in 14 days, sometimes doing…

WHEN THE JORDAN COMPARISONS STOP being a thing of fanboy fantasy and move into the realm of plausible argument, you know you’ve become one of a handful of basketball players touched by the hand of God. When you start to beat the greatest player ever at his own game — like, say, leading your team to the best single-season NBA record ever — you know God is now using that hand to shake yours, with an added pat on the back for a job well done. Steph Curry, the three-point sharpshooter who’s racked up back-to-back MVP nods, All-Star games, and All-NBA first-team honours these past two seasons, also became the regular-season scoring champ in 2016, all the while leading his Golden State Warriors to that unprecedented 73 wins. And all…

IT ’S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR , MAN,” SAYS Riz Ahmed. “Bowie, Prince, Brexit, the American presidential election, Iraq…” Frankly, I’d expected the 34-year-old actor and rapper to instead list the many blessings 2016 had conferred on him: roles in two major franchise films (Jason Bourne and last December’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) a critically admired album (“Englistan”, about the complexities of being a British Muslim), and a smash-hit HBO series, The Night Of. But not that he doesn’t appreciate how transformational last year — particularly The Night Of — has been, both for his career and for his body. To grow from a scrawny, naive Queens kid into a Rikers-hardened badass over the course of the eight-episode season, Ahmed worked with trainer Ben Glassman of The Lab…

1) Cruciferous greens (Chinese cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, collards) If anything deserves the term superfoods, it’s cruciferous vegetables. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and sulphuric compounds called glucosinolates, which have shown promise in reducing lung and colorectal cancer risk. They can be eaten raw or cooked; try using Chinese cabbage (aka napa cabbage and bok choy) or brussels sprouts in place of regular cabbage in coleslaw. 2) Leafy greens (chard, spinach, watercress) Always choose darker greens like spinach, chard, and especially watercress, which is high in vitamin K, beta-carotene, and the cancer-fighting compound PEITC. 3) Seaweed Seaweed is full of iron and vitamin C. Get premade seaweed salads, add spirulina powder to offset smoothies’ sweetness, and shred toasted nori sheets over eggs and salads. 4) Winter squash…

1) Barley You love it in beer — but make it one of your whole-grain staples, too. Barley has a nutty flavour and is packed with nutrients like manganese, selenium, vitamin B1, and a type of fibre that digests slowly to help stabilise glucose levels — and keep you feeling full longer. Eating it regularly can also lower blood cholesterol, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported. 2) Oats Oats are tops for manganese (crucial for bone health and glucose control) and fibre. Swap steel-cut oats for risotto. 3) Quinoa The rare grain with all nine essential aminos, quinoa’s also packed with antioxidants. 4) Navy and Black Beans Navy beans are high in omega-3s; black are a rich protein source. BTW, canned beans are as nutritious as fresh. 5) Lentils…

Send your questions to ask@mensfitness.co.za Q Can I eat cheese and still be fit? Man, I do not want to give it up! LES F.CAPETOWN ▪ Yes, you can have your cheese and stay fit, too. According to sports dietitian Christina Strudwick, CSSD, founder of The Fueled Athlete, “Cheese can be part of a healthy lifestyle when it’s unprocessed and eaten in moderation”. Just think natural (like everything from our favourite family of cheesemakers — Simonsberg). That’s not all. “Cheese has lots of nutrients, like filling protein and bone-building calcium”, says dietitian Amy Gorin, RDN. Its biggest plus is by far its protein content. Swiss, cheddar, and mozzarella have 7–8 grams per 30g serving, which can help pack on muscle. Hard cheeses can also lower blood pressure — especially Grana Padano,…

Q I have a long, full beard. But, really — how much beard is too much? HARRY H . C A P E TOWN ▪ If you get out of the shower and can’t figure out where your beard ends and your pubes start, it’s too long. If people start asking you for your autograph, thinking you’re someone from Duck Dynasty, it’s too long. Longer beards — lumberjack beards — are out of fashion. Yeah, there are still guys who carry on with it, but supertrendy it’s not. But if that doesn’t bother you, and you don’t have really thin facial hair that makes you look like Che Guevara, grow it as long as you want. Join one of those beard competitions. Have fun with it. Just take good…

Women want to have sex. Like to have sex. May even crave sex more than we do, a new study says. So why does it seem like they couldn’t care less? Because we’re morons. The study, in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, asked 229 hetero couples (average time together: six years) how often they want to have sex, as opposed to actually having it. The startling conclusion: Women want sex just as much as men — but men consistently misinterpret their signals, taking any turn-down as disinterest in sex in general, when it’s really just disinterest right then. Remember that the next time. Workaholics need their heads examined The term workaholic generally has a fairly positive connotation, describing someone who’s driven to achieve, always wants the work to…

▪ Arnold did them. Physique models do them. You’ve done them, too, whether you realised it or not at the time. Yes, if there’s one skill likely to be found in most gym-goers’ repertoires — besides posing their biceps in the mirror afterward — it’s pyramiding. Undoubtedly the most intuitive way to train, pyramiding usually means starting with light weight and doing high reps (usually 12–15), then increasing the load and reducing the reps. Sets usually total four or five, and reps typically descend from 12 to 10, 8, 6, then 4. As the weight goes up, the reps go down — which, if you visualise it, makes a pyramid shape. The advantage of the classic pyramid is that the warm-up is built in. The first, higher-rep set The Problem…

The more vegetables you eat, the less weight you gain over time, a recent US-based Harvard study found — so there’s no healthier diet hack than “eat a veggie at every meal”. Not a huge fan? There’s a painless way to do it: Hide frozen spinach in a smoothie. The operative word here is hide: Into a powerful blender, toss a package of frozen spinach (kale and Swiss chard also work well), a banana, 2 tbsp peanut or almond butter, ½ cup water or almond milk, and a scoop of protein powder, and pulverise. Believe it or not, you’ll barely even taste the spinach. We thought our group Training Director, Sean Hyson, was nuts when he gave us this tip, but damned if it doesn’t work. Cut Rice Calories in…

“ Nice always works better.” What’s the best decision you ever made? S I P H O M , J O H A N N ESBURG Careerwise, it was learning how to sell, which meant I could always find a job. It also meant that any company I ever started would always have a chance of survival. What’s the smartest thing you ever spent money on? The dumbest? DA N S , P R E T O R I A Smartest? A plane. It is obviously brutally expensive, but time is the one asset we simply don’t own. It saves me hours and hours. And the dumbest? Let’s see… if I could remember them, I could list you a couple hundred bar tabs with my buddies. How much…

MICHAEL “FLAMESWORD” CHAVES How do you sleep after staring at the screen for so long? BEN S, JOHANNESBURG ▪ When I first started gaming, I had trouble falling asleep. I’d been given all sorts of advice — one guy told me that he sleeps six hours a night, then takes an hour-long nap during the day. But naps make me groggy, so I developed a ritual: I attack my body during the day, working out in the morning and pushing to tire myself out. Then I set a deadline to fall asleep exactly two hours later. So if my team finishes our practise session at 10pm, I’m in bed by 12. In those two hours I relax and try to slow my thoughts. By the time I get to the…

Take us back to the beginning. Tell us where you grew up and what sparked your love for fitness? I am, and have always been a Pretoria girl. Since my school days I have been active and grew up in a house where we always had home cooked meals. Since the age of 16 I was tearing exercise pages out of magazines and making my own workouts. The book even had a dancing Timone from The Lion King with flowers around its neck, coconut cups and a dress to motivate me for summer. How would you advise someone on maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout the year is a choice; it’s the best I have made so far. It is not just about choosing to live healthy…

This season sees the serious urban overhaul of some of your favourite staple outerwear pieces. See our pick of classic pieces that we think are ready to make a comeback, and stay – a definite must for your closet this season. From detachable hoods, a classic trench and the streetwise bomber, this season’s protectors should see you through for many years to come. MMA and fighting champion Boyd Allen is our athlete to know this month. We’ve got some serious info on how he rose to become an EFC champion. T H E T A I L O R E D B L A Z E R Buy bespoke We love a suit jacket made to measure, but it’s time to leave your favourite designer black tailored blazer behind this…

BORN STRAIGHT OUTTA Durban, South Africa Jordy Smith began surfing at the age of 3. Smith is a professional surfer, competing on the World Championship Tour (WCT). In 2007 he won surfing’s World Qualifying Series - the second-tier tour, which qualified him to compete in the WCT. In both 2010 and 2011 Jordy Smith won the Billabong J-Bay Pro in South Africa. He has also won the 2014 and 2016 Hurley Pro at Trestles California and in 2013 he won the Rio Pro in Brazil. After a year of hard work and sheer determination, Jordy Smith became the first South African to ring the bell at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia. The win saw the surfer jump up in world rankings to the number two spot…

▪ When Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, 44, created his first form-fitting performance undershirt back in 1995, he couldn’t believe how obvious the opportunity was. “I was like, why has no one else done this? It makes so much sense!” he says. Recently, the former US University of Maryland football player had another one of those moments. As everyone was obsessing about fitness-tracking wearables and apps, he says, he realised no one was doing much to help users understand and act on all their data. “I thought, imagine if I could actually solve people’s health and fitness problems.” So the self-made billionaire went out and bought three of the leading fitness and diet-tracking apps — MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, and the Copenhagen-based Endomondo; integrated them into Under Armour; and this year started…

AH, TOM HIDDLESTON. N O T S I N C E B E N E D I CT Cumberbatch has a British actor with a name that sounds like a Hogwarts House had such a massive year. Best known as Loki, Thor’s Norse nemesis (you know, with the greasy Van Helsing hair), Hiddleston, 36, also turned heads through the years in bit parts as a kindly soldier in War Horse and the dandy F Scott Fitzgerald in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. But in 2016, he went from smarmy villain to bona fide badass. In the addictive AMC mini-series The Night Manager, he played the title soldier-turned-spy tapped to crack an evil arms dealer’s inner circle. The performance proved why Hiddleston is in the running to succeed Daniel Craig as…

▪ The man who literally transformed the South African medical insurance industry. When he launched Discovery Health in 1992 his goal was simple, to help keep people healthy, and after 25 years, Discovery has grown to become a household name, pioneering the healthy living rewards program: Vitality – which encompasses the ideals that living healthy is the key to overall wellness and longe After listing on the JSE in 1997 Discovery has grown exponentially, expanding its reach internationally and serving satisfied customers across the United States, China and the United Kingdom. Discovery is home to over 8000 employees and serves over six million customers across the world. Gore is an actuary by profession and graduated from Wits University in 1986. In 1998, Gore was recognised as South Africa’s best entrepreneur…

ON NEW YEAR’S EVE, SCOOTER Braun made the same promise to himself we all make: The 93-kilogram businessman behind Justin Bieber, Kanye West, and many other artists swore he’d hit the gym and get his body right. Except he actually did it. Now clocking in at 80 kilograms, the former college basketball player finally recognises himself when he looks in the mirror. “For 10 years, I let myself go because all I was focusing on was my career”, he says. And what a career: The party promoter–turned–record label owner was the steady tether during Bieber’s spiralling out, guiding him back to his comeback tour, he also joined forces with West in 2016 to orchestrate the hip-hop megastar’s groundbreaking Adidas Yeezy deal. Scooter recently took part in the One Love Manchester…

Let’s face it: The term superfood is as manipulative as all natural, detoxifying, and the “fat-burning zone” setting on an elliptical machine. That said, certain foods’ concentrations of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other nutrients mean they pack more health benefits into each serving than other foods you might think are healthier. With the help of some of the world’s top nutritionists and the most recent research, we put together lists of the most nutrient-dense foods—that is, those that give you the most nutritional bang for your caloric buck — in six categories, and show you how to combine them into delicious, nutrient-packed meals every single day.…

1) Blueberries Blueberries have it all: mega antioxidants (organically grown berries have even higher levels), anthocyanins, resveratrol, quercetin. They’re also super low maintenance: You can eat them by the handful fresh from the farmers’ market, add them to oatmeal and smoothies, or freeze them for later use — they’ll retain virtually all their nutrients. 2) Strawberries Strawberries have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Tart green strawberries have also become a trendy addition to salads and savoury dishes. 3) Watermelon This high-fibre, low-cal staple has more lycopene than tomatoes. Swap watermelon cubes for tomato in green and grain salads, toss minced watermelon into any salsa, and serve grilled watermelon slices topped with watercress. 4) Tomatoes Tomatoes (yes, they’re really a fruit) are high in dozens of phytonutri ents and are perhaps the…

1) Cacao nibs and dark chocolate (the darker, the better) Yep, chocolate. Cacao nibs, the unsweetened, plant-based source of prepared chocolate, have a high flavonoid content — comparable to that of tea, grapes, and berries — as well as fibre, iron, and copper. They’re subtly bitter but contrast well in sweets and even on pasta (in place of bread crumbs) or in salads for a nice crunch. With prepared chocolate, the key is finding the darkest chocolate you can still enjoy, then eating it daily in moderation as a snack or dessert. 2) Pistachios A very low-calorie nut (30 pistachios have only 100 calories), pistachios are one of the only nuts to contain the antioxidant carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (also found in winter squash). 3) Chia Seeds An Aztec staple,…

I’d love to try a threesome with two women. But how can I bring up the idea so it won’t upset my girlfriend? And if she does agree, are there certain ground rules we should stick to? JACO B M . J O H A N N ESBURG ▪ Sex with a third person is tricky because it brings a potentially destabilising element into the relationship. So when you discuss it with her, I’d focus on 1) creating a new fantasy experience with her and 2) her needs and pleasure. That is, be sure it’s about bringing you closer, not providing a guilt-free way for you to have sex with another woman. DR AARON To avoid jealousy, tell her you think a threesome could be really hot for her,…

While you can’t choose your own genetics, you can determine how much “blood, sweat and tears” you’re prepared to put into your workout routine. Real gains aren’t about the first 10 reps, but rather about pushing through the last 2. Here, we lay out and follow the ideals of an iconic Stormers and Springbok player who knows how to push the body to new physical limits. In this edition, Men’s Fitness will show you how to train like a Test match Veteran and outgrow your dumbbells by training harder, longer, and more efficiently so you can ultimately become bigger, stronger, and faster, all while maintaining your current strength and mobility. The goal is to go hard (not home) and to keep yourself as motivated as a Super Rugby champion as…

▪ If you follow a lean, high-protein diet, or at least try to, the idea of a drippy, delicious burger that can also help you build muscle and burn fat probably sounds like a myth, or, at best, a bunch of marketing hype. So we decided to take matters — along with a diverse array of meats, seasonings, and other physique-friendly ingredients — into our own hands and do some experime PEPPERONI PIZZA BURGER INGREDIENTS • 170g 99% lean ground chicken 2 tbsp plus ¼ cup low-fat marinara sauce, heated in microwave Olive oil spray ½ cup green bell pepper strips • 30g low-fat mozzarella, shredded 6 slices pepperoni 1 whole-wheat hamburger bun (10cm in diameter) DIRECTIONS 1) In a medium bowl, mix chicken and 2 tbsp marinara until well…