Innholdsfortegnelse for May/Jun 2023 i Men's Health South Africa

THE BIG QUESTION I ALWAYS EAT JUNK WHEN I DRINK ALCOHOL. HOW DO I PUT A STOP TO IT? AT MEN’S HEALTH, we like to credit our readers with some intelligence. So we’ll assume that the obvious solution—“drink less”—has already occurred to you. But we know in South Africa, the party season (or “gees”) never truly ends—even when the temps begin to dip. First, a science lesson. Denis Burdakov, a neuroscientist at the university ETH Zürich, calls this drunken increase in appetite the “aperitif effect”—a strange phenomenon in which alcohol, despite being a source of calories itself, sends feedback to the brain that heightens rather than dampens our desire to eat. Our brain slides into “evolutionary hunger mode”: a state in which we crave excessive amounts of calorie-dense foods as…

KRISHAN SENGAR OCCUPATION: Telecom Engineer AGE: 35 HEIGHT: 181cm WEIGHT (BEFORE): 87kg WEIGHT (AFTER): 74kg KRISHAN SENGAR had always struggled to resist his cravings. “Being an Indian, I love eating tasty and high-fat foods,” he says. “Deep-fried dishes, curries, sweets, street snacks and cool drinks were all part of my daily meals.” Counting calories? Forget it: Krishan was counting the minutes until his next snack. This wanton path of consumption—backed by the absence of any exercise routine—led to him packing on the pounds and losing his confidence. THE SETBACK When you enter your 30s, you start to lose muscle mass and your metabolism begins to sputter out. (Some estimates suggest that this burn slows down by 10% for every decade after we reach age 20. Rough.) Simply put, Father Time isn’t pulling…

▸ YOUR EXPERT Dr. Christopher Kelly, is the chairman of cardiology at UNC Rex Healthcare. He specialises in the diagnosis and management of heart and vascular disease. THE BASICS EVEN IF YOU THINK you’re healthy, the following tests tell you how proactive you need to be about changing your lifestyle or taking medications. CHOLESTEROL PANEL This blood test measures total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL (“bad” cholesterol), and HDL (“good” cholesterol). Most doctors focus on LDL, which has been most closely tied to the risk of heart attack and stroke. Your specific LDL goal depends on how many risk factors you have for heart disease, but a level greater than 130 mg/dL is considered elevated. Start this check at age 20 at the latest, and get it every three years, at least.…

BETWEEN 1940 AND 1966, the great featherweight boxing champion Willie Pep fought 241 bouts, winning 229. But after earning the title twice, Pep began to slow down. Even long-haulers aren’t immune to ageing. He described it like this, “First your legs go. Then you lose your reflexes. Then you lose your friends.” Another thing to add to that list is muscle mass. On average, we lose as much as 5% of it per decade after hitting 30. As we age, it’s a problem that typically leads to diminished mobility and a heightened risk of falls, not to mention a knock to our ego. To keep muscle decline at arm’s length, it’s important to train consistently—and, it seems, to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, too. The link between gut bacteria and good…

SPICE IT UP Add a few dashes of bitters for extra depth. (Lemongrass or orange bitters really help bring out the bright citrus flavours.) A pple Cinnamon Moscow Mule “The ingredients are number one for this cocktail,” says Becky Schultz, VP of food and beverage at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City. So opt for a full-flavoured vodka (see below), squeeze the lime juice fresh and upgrade your ginger beer (we like Fever-Tree). HOW TO MAKE IT: In a highball glass (or, fine, a copper mug), stir 45ml vodka, 10ml lime juice, 90ml ginger beer and 90ml apple cider with ice. Garnish with a dash of ground cinnamon, a cinnamon stick, an apple slice and/or a lime wheel. VODKA, ON ALL LEVELS You’re on a budget? That’s cool. Celebrating something…

AS YOU AGE, your skin changes—and how you take care of it, that needs to change, too. Whether you’re noticing dry discolouration in new spots, or you’re suddenly breaking out like you’re back in High School (please, not again), this unexpected ambush of skin issues can really start to stress you out. Factor in the daunting prospect of having to overhaul your skincare routine—or embark on your first foray into epidermal R&R—going at it alone is ill-advised. So, why not turn to the experts (aka those fresh-faced dermatologists) to decode the riddle that is skin types? They’re here to break down what they are, and how some smart shopping for tailored products can remedy any issue. Dry Skin ▸ WHAT’S THE DEAL? “Dry skin has a tendency towards redness, scaly…

WANT ACTUAL BONE-RATTLING BASS? Modern tech will provide. While we’ve relied on traditional air conduction headphones to mainline our playlists for decades, there’s a new kid on the block. Instead of sending vibrations through the air down your ear canals, “bone conduction” headphones skip the aural adventure by pulsing those same vibrations straight into your cheek bones. That means sounds are bypassing your eardrums and heading straight for the cochlea, a spiral-shaped bone in your inner ear responsible for your ability to hear. And this jaunt off the beaten track packs more than a few perks. Firstly, as your ear canals are unobstructed, you’ll still be able to hear your surroundings—perfect for those commuting on foot or runners who have to remain alert for wayward taxis. Second, because you’re not…

ONE-PIECE EQUIPMENT WORKOUT PART 9 OF 12: KETTLEBELL VEGETABLE COUNTERWEIGHTS… Kettlebells were first used to measure and weight produce in Russian markets. When sales were slow, the farmers juggled and swung the weights around, and it became the first instance of kettlebell training. Even though they’ve got humble beginnings, don’t make the mistake of disrespecting kettlebells. They’ve tested, tormented and tutored some of the strongest men in history—this isn’t a new-age fad or a gimmick you’ll see on a daytime shopping channel. The International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training notes that kettlebell training was popular among Russian strongmen and weightlifters, known as “gireviks” or “kettlebell men”, at the beginning of the 20th century. Its popularity grew steadily from then: it became the favoured training tool of the Russian military—the…

DIRECTIONS: Do this workout 3 or 4 days a week, resting at least 1 day between sessions. On all rest days, aim to go for a 20-minute walk or run. WARMUP SPIDERMAN LUNGE ■ Start in push-up position. Shift your right foot just outside your right hand; squeeze your left glute as you do this. Reach your right hand toward the ceiling. Reverse the movements to return to the start, then repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep. Do reps for 60 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Do 3 sets. WORKOUT 1 GOBLET SQUAT ■ Stand holding a dumbbell at your chest, abs and glutes tight. Push your butt back and bend at the knees, lowering your torso until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stand and…

If you could sketch out a blueprint for your body, what would it look like? Sleeve-filling arms, rock-solid abs and a back built for the future? These aspirational concepts might just seem like daydreaming, but it pays to remember that world’s most iconic landmarks—the skyscrapers, sculptures, and other lofty constructions—once also had humble beginnings as pencil-drawn plans. The reality is you do have the power to design your body. Every muscle can be sculpted, grown and fortified; it just takes some serious reps to reap the rewards. Fortunately, you can skip the boring planning stages, we’ve already done that for you. This magazine in your hands is the complete manual for peak performance, a guide to get you moving and achieving your goals (whatever they are) in record time. Whether…

AGE: 29 | WEIGHT: 92KG | HEIGHT: 182CM ON THE SURFACE, Ricardo Lategan’s impressive physique looks like the calculated result of clean eating, grueling sessions and always striving for one more rep. While true, his hardest battles weren’t fought under the bar, but in his head. The 29-year-old struggles with constant anxiety, a gnawing stress that—at times—can be debilitating. Sitting at the Bootlegger’s Coffee café on Newlands’ Dean Street, amid tables of animated seniors, he talks candidly about his fears, breakdowns and desperate moments of hitting rock bottom. Outside, trucks and cars canter down one of the main arteries of the leafy green suburb in Cape Town. “It’s been this constant thing,” he admits, taking a sip of his flat white with oat milk (a simple swap out he’s made…

“MY FOCUS IS to be active at age 90, or 110, which means maintaining muscle quality,” says 38-year-old Dr. Andy Galpin. By “quality,” he means functional muscle strength and muscle size. Both keep you on the move, living longer and stronger. Here’s what Galpin does to build and sustain his own. GET ENOUGH PROTEIN One of the biggest drivers of ageing-related health issues—even diabetes—is a loss of muscle quality. To counter that loss, protein is the jam: it provides the building blocks for muscle tissue and increases protein synthesis for muscle growth. Two grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight every day is good. I’ll usually do more than that. As you get into midlife, you become desensitised to the same stimulus. So past age 40, shoot for 2.5 grams or…

ONE NIGHT FOUR YEARS AGO, I inhaled and exhaled on command, like you do in yoga, as my partner inserted a vibrating butt plug into my behind. Anal play requires a lot of prep and attention; we began with fingers, used plenty of lube and practised relaxation techniques. When I came my face off solely from anal penetration, what happened next surprised me. I felt vulnerable. I needed some good old-fashioned cuddling to make up for the intensity of what my body had just experienced. Thankfully, my partner knew that I was having sub drop, a term for the crash that can follow the emotional high of BDSM play. They took out the plug, snuggled with me, told me how pretty I was and how much they appreciated me and…

Back in the mists of 2019, before any of us had heard of Covid or given much thought to the handling of pangolins in Chinese wet markets, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases. Among the additions: a new definition for the term “burnout”. Burnout is a syndrome resulting from “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. The document carefully defines it as an occupational phenomenon—so it’s not caused by human frailty but by inhuman expectations. And it’s characterised by three dimensions: “energy depletion or exhaustion”; “increased mental distance from one’s job”, which manifests as negativity or cynicism; and “a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment”. Put simply, burnout is when you come up against the physical and mathematical…

The principle is simple: stress the maximum muscle fibres in the minimum time to incinerate calories fast. This workout uses compound lifts to hit every muscle group from all angles. Body fat has nowhere to hide. Alternate your arms with each rep and work through as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes, resting only as necessary to maintain good form. Work from the most mechanically and metabolically difficult movement to the least, but increase e the reps as you go to maintain the intensity throughout. Pick a bell you could press overhead at least 15 times, then grit your teeth. 1 / DEVIL’S PRESS 6 Reps, Rest As Required Drop into a plank (A) for a burpee. As you get up and jump your feet forward, grab the bell…

Achieving your life-long six-pack ambitions depends on strengthening your core and burning fat. This session uses quick movements and plenty of reps and holds to deliver the greatest impact in the minimum time. “It keeps the intensity up, burning calories and targeting the key areas,” says fitness model and trainer Alex Beattie. Complete four rounds of the first circuit, resting two minutes between each set, then repeat with the two-move finisher. Go all out. 1A / LYING LEG RAISE 4 sets of 40sec, 20sec rest Lie flat on your back and place your palms down beside your glutes (A). Lift up your legs, keeping them straight. Kick towards the ceiling, lifting your hips (B). Breathe out at the top for the best possible contraction. Lower slowly and repeat. 1B /…

Slay Yard Work Old-school flannels are thick and tough but don’t provide much in the way of breathing room. Go for flannel options with sleek brushed-cotton rayon that are hard-wearing but super easy to move in. Pair with some do-it-all rugged jeans and you’re outfitted for taming the property. RAILS SHIRT RAG & BONE JEANS WOLVERINE BOOTS FILSON GLOVES Keep It Reel Take a look at any clothing-store shelves or online retailer and you’re bound to see fisherman’s sweaters: thick, corded knits that are incredibly warm. Get sweaters that are form-fitting and great for cabin retreat warm-you-ups. BUCK MASON SWEATER POLO RALPH LAUREN T-SHIRT DOCKERS REC UTILITY PANTS SPERRY BOOTS LUMINOX WATCH GET THE LOOK FISHERMAN’S SWEATER Denham Bennett knit, R3 699 denhamsa.co.za This sweater is made from a thick cotton…

1. Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 This has been a surprise hit—not just because of its sleek steel design, but because of how well it has been executed for the price. Yes, the dial calls to mind icons such as Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, but overall, the PRX carves out just enough of its own identity to warrant a spot on your wrist. R16 000, bellaluna.co.za 2. Frederique Constant Classics Carrée Automatic The founding mission of this brand is to make luxury timepieces accessible to as many people as possible, and with every new release they do exactly that. The Carrée is a new take on the classic rectangular dress watch and it’s one guaranteed to stand the test of time; perfect for special occasions. R19 995, picotandmoss.co.za 3. Mondaine Classic…

IF YOU’RE PLANNING for the future, crunching the numbers is just one part of the equation. According to Justin Els, a certified financial planner and the director of TVC Wealth and Health Managers, those reps you smash out for your well-being—both mental and physical—can affect your bottom line, too. “Obviously, good health reduces your healthcare costs, which can save you a lot of money in the long run,” he says. “But also consider that you’ll ensure job security and income stability by steering clear of missed workdays.” (Or the kind of health crisis that could leave you unable to clock in.) However, that’s just scratching the surface of the type of gains you can garner when you start investing holistically: “Good mental health is also vital for making better financial…

You know the type: he’s up at 5.45am, runs a quick 10K before making Instagram-worthy breakfasts for his kids, is working on launching another company and spends his evenings checking on the craft beers he’s brewing in the basement. And yet he’s the opposite of exhausted. Meanwhile, there are too many days when you’re stuck in a rut or unable to get things in gear while watching other people speed by you, and you can’t quite work up the power to do whatever it is you really want to do. No matter where you think your drive is—or isn’t—right now, these simple steps can rev up your motivation. 01/Do Something—Anything! Drive isn’t something that only lucky people have, like good hair or fast feet. In fact, anyone can develop drive…

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY HEY, BIG SPENDER SOY LITES MASSAGE CANDLE, R120: Light it for ambience… and then use the warm wax for foreplay. LUIGI BORMIOLI GLASS PITCHER, R699: Keep it on your bedside table. Hydration is sexy. BELKIN 3-IN-1 WIRELESS CHARGER, R3 299: A tangled mass of wires next to your bed? Not super cute. PHILIPS HUE GO 2.0, R3 899: Perfect your mood lighting with this Bluetooth-controlled table lamp. LG CINEBEAM LED PROJECTOR, R6 600: Turn cuddling into a cinematic experience with this high-powered device.…

APPLE TV 4 K The staple streaming hero, Apple’s does-it-all offering has received a recent upgrade that’s helped it process your media needs at next-level speeds. Under the hood you’ll find the A15 Bionic chip; the same one chugging away inside every iPhone 13. So what does that mean for you? An important jump to HDR10+, a format that enables all-round better visuals. The device also packs 128gb of storage for movies, series, games, you name it. Starting at R2 999, istore.co.za NINTENDO NES CLASSIC And while next-generation titles have shifted us from simple pixels to high-fidelity visuals that are becoming hard to differentiate from real life, nothing can recapture the joy associated with our original baptism into the world of videogames. Fortunately, you can dive headfirst into the past…

There are few phrases that crop up quite so frequently in our workout tutorials as “don’t round your back”. Well, for once, we’re going to ask you to do the opposite. While it goes against traditional lifting cues, you’ll see big rewards from your rebellion. “By avoiding positions, we leave ourselves vulnerable to injury,” explains MH UK fitness editor Andrew Tracey. This move ensures you’re primed. The squat-and-curl action is designed to unlock hip flexors and hamstrings, switch on the glutes and strengthen your posterior chain—invaluable if you plan to shift some serious metal after weeks of slumping on the sofa. “Use a light load to safely explore positions, build strength gradually and future-proof your body against injury,” says Tracey. The move will help to extend your range of motion,…