That's Fit

Obesity Rates Continue to Rise: This Week on AOL Health

Alyssa Sparacino — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Healthy Habits, Men's Health

James Day, Getty Images

We aren't getting any younger, and we certainly aren't getting any skinnier. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that the U.S. obesity rate is "still disturbingly high" and could actually be rising in men.

Another economic organization also estimates that three of four Americans will be overweight by 2020, which will, in turn, increase health care costs.

The government's goal of reducing obesity by 15 percent by 2010 seems to have turned into an unattainable goal, as more than 30 percent of the country's population is now obese.

"It's difficult to lose weight and even more difficult to keep it off," said Lisa Cimperman, a clinical dietitian and nutritionist with University Hospitals. "People don't maintain their new habits."

Visit AOL Health for the complete story and Cimperman's easy and effective tips on losing weight.

Eating out is a major culprit for weight gain. Ashley, That's Fit reader and blogger, talks about her inner struggles with the restaurant menu.

More on Obesity:
Is Obesity a Form of Malnutrition?
Childhood Obesity Is on the Rise
Childhood Obesity Equals a Lifetime of Problems

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Three Workout Tweaks That Build More Size and Strength!

Myatt Murphy — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Men's Health, Guys' Guide, All Workouts, Men's Fitness

It's pretty easy to see why weight training gets boring for most guys. After all, it can be pretty challenging to make things exciting when you're stuck doing the same exercises over and over again. That's when a little strategic creativity can help reap more results from the same muscle-building exercises you're already doing. These three tried-and-true tactics -- fresh from my bestselling book, the "Ultimate Dumbbell Guide" -- can accelerate your muscle potential, without having to make major changes to the exercises you're already doing.

The Run/Rack Approach
This exercise technique lets you blast your muscles more thoroughly in the same set. Although you can do it with a weight stack machine, it's called 'run the rack' because it works easiest while standing in front of the rack of various-sized dumbbells in your gym.

To Do It: Stand in front of the dumbbell rack with a light weight in each hand that's approximately 40 percent of the amount you would normally lift for eight repetitions. Lift the weight eight times, then quickly return the dumbbells to the rack and grab the next heaviest dumbbell (On average, the increase will be either 2.5 or 5 pounds, depending on the selection of dumbbells at your gym.) Repeat the exercise again for another eight repetitions, grab the next heaviest pair and continue for another eight repetitions. Keep increasing the weight with each set until you can barely eke out eight repetitions.

The Rest/Pause Approach
This technique lets you do more repetitions with heavier weight than you can normally lift, which will force them to grow stronger and larger.

To Do It: Choose a weight you can only lift for a total of four to five repetitions. Do a set of four or five reps, then lower the weight and rest for five to six seconds. Lift the weight for another repetition, then rest again for another five to six seconds. Keep repeating the process until you've completed a total of eight full repetitions.

The Nine Angles Approach
Most guys fall into the trap of doing three sets of three exercises to work each muscle group, but instead, you can perform one set each of nine different exercises. This helps conditions each muscle through nine different angles in one workout instead of three, so a higher percentage of muscle fiber gets trained for better results.

To Do It: For the easiest set-up, the method is best performed using a mix of free weight and machine exercises. For example, to work your chest, try doing one set each of these exercises: Bench Press, Incline Bench Press, Decline Bench Press, Dumbbell Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Decline Dumbbell Press, Pec Dec, Incline Dumbbell Fly and Dips.

Think these three tips are effective? Then check out three more tips that you can use (and even combine with these three) to double and triple your overall muscle growth!

Fitness expert Myatt Murphy is the author of the best-selling books, The Body You Want in the Time You Have,Ultimate Dumbbell Guide and co-author of The Men's Health Gym Bible and Face It & Fix It: A Three-Step Plan to Break Free from Denial and Discover the Life You Deserve.

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What Should I Eat to Put on Lean Muscle Mass?

Joe Dowdell — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Men's Health, Your Personal Trainer: Joe Dowdell

I'm 5-foot, 10-inches and 155 pounds and my biggest problem has always been gaining weight. I'm a picky eater, but I've always been right around that weight whether I eat tons of protein, healthy meals or fast food. I work out five days a week alternating major muscle groups every workout. How can I get more cut and put on lean muscle mass? -- Greg

To answer your question about calories, I had my co-author of our upcoming book "Ultimate You" (Rodale, May 11, 2010), naturopathic doctor and fat loss specialist Brooke Kalanick, weigh in. Until you are eating properly, it can be difficult to put on weight, and so I think you should focus on your diet first.

Here is what Brooke recommends:

Although you often eat healthy, everyone of us including you would benefit from a lot more whole foods diet, instead of relying on processed foods even if it feels like it doesn't make a difference -- it does! And we all should be avoiding junk food -- such as fried foods and sugary cereal as much as possible.

You may also want to try smaller meals more frequently, i.e. every two to three hours (which is a shorter window than what I usually recommend, but if you're looking for bulk -- this would keep insulin high). This way you'll probably get in more calories without feeling overly full at each meal.

Try meals consisting of protein and carbs -- say 50 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbs to start -- if you can eat that much. I would recommend two grams of protein per pound of body weight. Since you weigh 155 pounds, eat 310 grams of protein per day spread throughout five to six smaller meals. That's 50 grams per meal, which in real food terms might mean 6 ounces of chicken breast. You would also want to put 20-25 grams of carbs with that, such as one cup of oatmeal made with water. One more thing to try is taking 33 grams branched-chain amino acids about 30 minutes before a workout, and another 33 grams post-workout as well to enhance recovery and put on lean mass (this is based on a weight of 155 pounds).

In general, to put on mass you have to have enough protein coming in and you must be able to utilize that protein. The combo of frequent meals of protein and carbs will raise the storage hormone insulin to drive amino acids from protein and sugar from carbs into the cells. Consider a protein/carb blend shake post workout: 1.5 scoops whey protein with half a cup of berries and one teaspoon of honey. This will enhance recovery and bring down stress hormones from the workout (which puts you in a fat burning -- muscle building state).

Another variable could be that your body composition may be fatter than you think -- which is often the case, unfortunately. Rather than relying on the scale, get your body fat measured (although there are issues with each method of testing, pick on and stick with it to monitor your body fat and lean mass changes). Also, if you are eating junk food without gaining any weight and feeling overly full when you eat, it raises the concern that something might be up with your digestion. The first thing that comes to mind is low stomach acid or low digestive enzyme output. If you feel really bloated from even small amounts of protein or smaller meals, see a nutritional medicine practitioner to have your digestion evaluated and addressed. I would also recommend that you see a doctor about possible food allergies if you find you're not getting results from the nutrition recommendations above.

Now that you know how to put on lean muscle mass, find out which weights -- light or heavy -- are best for toning up. If you discover that you are allergic to certain foods, learn how to eat at any event without having a reaction.

Whether you're looking to bulk up, slim down, or get fit for a particular match or race, That's Fit has you covered. Joe Dowdell, personal trainer, strength coach and co-owner of one of Men's Health's top 10 gyms in America, is available to answer all of your training questions. Please send your questions to personaltrainer [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.

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Manly Lunches That Won't Make You Fat

Myatt Murphy — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss, Men's Health, Guys' Guide

It's already the middle of March, which means two things if you're a man: You're only a few weeks away from losing in your NCAA Championships pool at work, and, you're only a few weeks away from wishing you lost the extra weight you've been packing around your middle throughout the winter. That's why if you haven't already started to trim the fat and calories you've been binging on all season long, it's time to start.

One area most men find impossible to keep in check is their lunches, which is why we've come up with a few easy-to-handle nutritional tips that don't require foraging like a bird, or, feeling emasculated by how little you're allowed to eat. Instead, these 'manly' tweaks let you feast more like a man-without losing your dignity.

Guiltless Grilled Cheese: Instead of cooking one in the traditional way, try toasting two slices of bread, place one slice of reduced-fat cheddar cheese between them, sprinkle a little powdered butter substitute on the cheese, then stick the sandwich on a paper towel in the microwave. Nuke it for 20-25 seconds - just enough to melt the cheese -- and you're done.

Fat-friendly Fried Chicken: Buy yourself a bucket the day before you plan on eating it, wrap each piece in a paper towel, place the chicken into a different container, then toss it in your fridge. The towels will soak up some of the fat, plus, eating it cold will let you peel away even more congealed fat and make you eat less since fried foods tend to be less appetizing when served cold (so you'll be likely to eat less).

A Pain-Free Peanut Butter Sandwich: Skip the traditional peanut butter and switch it up with an all-natural brand (the type where the oil rises to the top of the jar.) Dump out the oil -- which is a large portion of the fat -- then spread away.

The Right Kind of Reuben: Switch the corned beef (which is loaded in fat) for turkey ham instead, then add some low-fat mozzarella, spicy shredded cabbage, mustard and pickles on two slices of whole-grain rye bread. Broil it until the cheese melts and you're done, minus about 12 grams of fat.

A Sub That Won't Sink You: Instead of eating a meat sub like veal Parmesan or a meatball hoagie, try this trick instead. Cut some eggplant into a few cubed pieces, spread on some olive oil, then lightly brown them under the broiler. Mix them in with a little fat-free tomato sauce and capers, spread them into a whole-wheat Kaiser roll, then top it with grated Parmesan.

A Guy's Gyro: Strip the fat and calories from this favorite lunchtime dish by mixing up a dollop of nonfat yogurt, chopped cucumbers and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spread it inside a whole-wheat pita lined with fat-trimmed grilled chicken strips, roll and eat.

For even more amazing guy-friendly foods that can help you curb your calories and get yourself summer slim, check out this piece on skinny Super Bowl snacks that will also taste great during March Madness.

Fitness expert Myatt Murphy is the author of the best-selling books, The Body You Want in the Time You Have, Ultimate Dumbbell Guide and co-author of The Men's Health Gym Bible and Face It & Fix It: A Three-Step Plan to Break Free from Denial and Discover the Life You Deserve.

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The Swine Flu Free Workout - 4 Ways to Dodge H1N1 At the Gym!

Myatt Murphy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Men's Health, Weight Loss, Guys' Guide, Men's Fitness

Working out at home may lower your risks of catching swine flu or H1N1, but when that's not always easy to do, there are still a few clever tricks you can try to lower your odds besides the more obvious ways to avoid getting sick. Here are four new, unique and useful ways to steer clear of the swine flu-or any cold or flu virus for that matter-when you're stuck exercising in the gym.

Go when it's super slow. Instead of going at your usual time (and if you have the flexibility to do so), pick a time when there's less people in the gym. That may seem obvious (less people equals less germs, right?), but one celeb trainer I spoke with hinted that picking a time that's the most difficult time to go (extremely early in the morning or late at night) could help keep you safer by weeding out people who may feel sick.

You'll always have diehards that will exercise no matter how they feel, but by going at these two times of the day, you're exercising closer to when most people sleep. Because some sick people (even exercise addicts who aren't smart enough to let the flu stop their workouts) might end up crashing earlier at night, or, sleeping in later when they feel rundown, scheduling your workouts at these key times could help you avoid bumping into them.

Continue reading The Swine Flu Free Workout - 4 Ways to Dodge H1N1 At the Gym!

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Man Loses 260 Pounds: Now He's an Ironman!

Myatt Murphy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation, Men's Health, Success Stories, Guys' Guide, Men's Fitness

Imagine being so overweight that when you tried and failed with a diet, you would gain back between 75 and 120 pounds. Imagine being so encumbered by your own body weight that you suffered from everything imaginable, from hypertension and gastroesophageal reflux disease to high blood pressure, depression and sleep apnea. Finally, imagine being so helpless in your own skin that it cost you your career in the military.

That 'was' the life of Chad Soileau, who in March 2006 weighed in at 464 pounds. But after his obesity prevented him from accepting a promotion to 1st Lieutenant in the Army and drastically threatened his health, Soileau underwent the procedure of RNY gastric bypass surgery to initially shed some pounds. Afterwards, he vowed to change his eating habits and exercise regularly to eventually hit his target weight of 205 pounds.

Along the way, his mini-goals were simple, realistic ones, including driving his truck without having his belly touch the steering wheel, riding a roller coaster again, to fly in an airplane without having to wear an extender belt, and, eventually be able to walk one mile.

Continue reading Man Loses 260 Pounds: Now He's an Ironman!

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Men's Over-40 Holiday Workout

Holly St. Lifer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Men's Health, Fit After 40

If nothing else, the holidays are fraught with stay-in-shape obstacles. All those days off, family dinners and work parties can make it close to impossible to maintain your post-40 battle against belly fat and man boobs. The solution: This quick, do anywhere, high-intensity circuit exclusively created for That's Fit by Mark Stallman, a personal trainer at Chelsea Sportscenter in New York City. "Do it at the gym, in your den, on the road in your hotel room - just do it," said Stallman. Aim for three times a week to help you maintain testosterone levels, build muscle and bone density, stay loose and keep your engine humming at high all season long.

You'll need: A pair of 10-25-pound dumbbells and a jump rope.

The goal is to complete the circuit with no rests in between. Except for the planks, do 12-15 reps of each move. If you need to take a breather, try to keep it to no more than 30 seconds so your heart rate stays elevated. Then do it two or three more times; whatever you can finish in 30 minutes. Take no more than one minute in between rounds.

Continue reading Men's Over-40 Holiday Workout

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The Truth: How to Grow Big Biceps

Myatt Murphy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Men's Health, Guys' Guide, Men's Fitness

Welcome to Part One of an on-going series where I'll reveal some of the most popular 'muscle misconceptions' that may be holding your body back -- so you can get bigger, stronger and faster in less time. To get things started, we'll start with the most popular muscle for men: the biceps. Bigger, fuller biceps may be the prize trophy every guy wishes they had hiding under their sleeves, but most guys go about earning them the wrong way (which is why so few men have a pair to be proud of). Here's what you need to know in order to get them to grow

Continue reading The Truth: How to Grow Big Biceps

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Build Muscle Even Faster!

Myatt Murphy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health, Guys' Guide, Men's Fitness

Eating plenty of protein may be the key to building bigger and stronger muscles, but even if you're gobbling your fair share, you still might be guilty of making a few classic mistakes along the way. Mistakes that could be preventing you from seeing the kind of results you deserve.

For close to fifteen years now, I've had the pleasure of working with some of the world's top sports nutritionists, exercise physiologists and strength and conditioning coaches. In that time, nearly all of them seem to adhere to the same three basic rules when it comes to getting enough of this essential muscle-building nutrient. It's these three simple principles that keep their clients -- many of them professional athletes and celebrities -- in the best shape possible. Now, it's your turn. Here's how to always pick the perfect portions when it comes to your protein so your muscles never have to stop growing.

Continue reading Build Muscle Even Faster!

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Slim Down With Sandbags

Deborah Dunham — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Men's Health

Photo: Rodale

They have been referred to as "the world's simplest workout." They are incorporated into outdoor boot camp classes featuring unconventional exercises. And for as little as 50 cents, you can burn some serious calories with them.

Sandbags are hitting the fitness circuit by storm. When it comes to slimming down, getting stronger and toning up, this small item has big potential. Sandbags are simple and easy to use, easily adjustable to your level and the shifting weight of the sand challenges your body to expend more calories with each move.

Flexible enough for everyday athletes to professionals, some NFL players reportedly spend their off-season training with sandbags. "The ever-shifting shape of a sandbag makes it nearly impossible to settle into a lifting groove like you do with free weights or machines," head strength coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers told Men's Health. "So every workout is unique and challenging."

Continue reading Slim Down With Sandbags

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Tailor Your Workout to Your Favorite Sport

Nicole Dorsey-Straff — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Motivation, Men's Health

Photo: Howard Wise

Playing sports and hitting the gym can be totally separate activities, but it doesn't have to be that way. Whether you're just starting out with a new sport or have been hitting the field since your school days -- you'll go further and faster if your gym routine compliments your inner athlete.

"You'll feel more body confident, prevent injuries, and improve your overall athletic performance if you use sports-specific resistance training two to three days a week in addition to regular workouts," says Tom Williams, former U.S. Olympic swimmer and owner of Burn Fitness health club in Santa Monica, Calif.

Here, Williams offers simple training tweaks for four of the most common hobbies and fit pastimes: Swimming, running, cycling and playing golf or tennis. After two to four weeks of incorporating these specific moves into your regimen and practicing your sport, you'll have a stronger core, a leaner lower body, faster reflexes and the ability to play better with more stamina.

Swimming
Swim a minimum of twice a week, but train not only with your favorite stroke (free-style, for instance), alternate it with other strokes, including a backstroke and the butterfly because each specific movement really zeroes in on different muscle groups and works your body in new ways.

Moves: Yoga side planks, ab crunches and push-ups also boost your swimming muscles and core strength. Williams recommends using a resistance band or dumbbells to strengthen the muscles all around your upper and outer back. In addition to a gym lat pull-down machine or a chest bench press, stand upright and tie a tube or band handle around a bed post or use dumbbells to row back with arms straight until hands reach hips. Return arms to full extension and repeat 10 times.

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Can Exercise Protect You From Cancer?

AOL Health Editors — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Men's Health

Get out there and run. And put some energy into it!

Men who exercise vigorously for at least 30 minutes a day are far less likely to ever develop cancer, according to a study from researchers at the universities of Kuopio and Oulu in Finland. Why? The key factor in lowering the risk of cancer is a higher rate of oxygen consumption, reports Agence France Presse.

The study: For one year, the researchers studied the leisure time activity of 2,560 men between the ages of 41 and 61 years old, none of whom had a history of cancer. Sixteen years later, 181 of the men had died from cancer, primarily from cancer of the stomach, intestines, lungs, prostate and brain.

The results: Using an intensity scale for physical exercise that measured "metabolic units" of oxygen consumption, the scientists found that the men who exercised for at least 30 minutes a day were half as likely to get cancer as those who did not, reports AFP.

Exercise appears to offer the greatest protection from gastrointenstinal and lung cancers, and this held true even when other factors, such as age, alcohol consumption, smoking and weight, were considered. "The intensity of leisure-time physical activity should be at least moderate so that beneficial effect ... for reducing overall cancer mortality can be achieved," the researchers conclude.

The study findings were reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

--From the Editors at Netscape

Diet can help too. Click here to see which superfoods have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.

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Are Potbellies In Style For Summer?

That's Fit Editors — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Men's Health

It's suddenly cool to sport a tummy; Photo: Matt Carr, Getty Images

Potbellies are back for men, according to The New York Times. Or perhaps they never went away?

Theories abound in the article as to the cause. David Zinczenko, the editor of "Men's Health," told The New York Times, that with so many women in the workplace, it's been more important for men to market themselves to the ladies in terms of both financial and physical prowess.

"I sort of think the six-pack abs obsession got so prissy it stopped being masculine," is how Aaron Hicklin, the editor of "Out," explains the emergence of the Ralph Kramden, as it's been coined.

Metrosexuality out, moderate beer belly in. But where is that line? It's true that women never get that sort of pass if they're sporting a bulge in the midsection. Are more young men actually letting themselves go, or is this just a trend being noted around the streets of Brooklyn?

Continue reading Are Potbellies In Style For Summer?

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Yoga Men - Are You There?

Bev Sklar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fitness, Motivation, Men's Health

Most Mondays you'll find me in Bodyflow class (a Tai Chi/Pilates/Yoga combo) with a bunch of ... women. In all the weeks I've been attending, never a guy. All the testosterone sits below in the free weight room. I have one question for fitness guys everywhere -- why aren't you there? My husband can't be the only one in town willing to commit to a Triangle Pose.

According to this article in Yoga Journal, 77 percent of U.S. yoga practitioners are female. Seems the number should be higher based on my personal observation over the years, coupled with the fact that only one in 10 Yoga Journal subscribers is a dude. The author offers a few reasons why men and yoga don't date in this country, here are three I found interesting:

Yoga is simply foreign territory -- It takes a brave man to enter that room full of calm women, likely led by a woman or if the instructor is a man, not likely the towel-snapping-let's-go-for-a-beer-after-the-game type of guy's guy.
Yoga hurts -- Scientists don't know why, but men are less flexible, with boys losing flexibility faster than girls by adolescence. Weight-training tends to take priority over flexibility-training in male sports programs.
It's a brain thing -- namely, mirror neurons. These brain cells receive signals from another person and trigger similar reactions in the observer. Mirror neurons are firing when you're watching and imitating a yoga instructor. It's unknown if women have more of these cells or they're simply more active, but women definitely mimic better than men. Guys, don't lose hope. Your mirror neurons will improve if you keep returning to the yoga mat.

OK, guys. Have you tried yoga? Will you try yoga? Let us know in the poll below. The world needs more than a few good Yoga Men.

View Poll

Gallery: Body by yoga

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Grab your whisks and spatulas, guys - today is National Men Make Dinner Day

Jacki Donaldson — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health

Hurry, guys, start thinking of something healthy you can whip up for a meal tonight, because today is National Men Make Dinner Day. This great day is not intended for all you men out there who already cook. It's for those who never do, those who might be afraid of the kitchen, those who typically enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor.

I know I haven't given you much notice to plan your attack but sometimes, it's best to work under pressure. So here's your mission: Hunt down a recipe (if you're stuck on this one, ask a friend, a trusted colleague, your mom), jot down what you need to make your meal come together, pick up your ingredients at the supermarket on your way home from work (if you're already home, head out now), and go straight home and start preparing your masterpiece.

Here's my advice: Make it simple, and make it healthy. Perhaps a recipe isn't even necessary. How about grilling some chicken and serving with a side of steamed veggies, some whole grain bread, and maybe a salad with no dressing but some juicy fruit, like pineapple or grapes? Pour some sparkling water, finish with a small piece of dark chocolate, and a healthy meal you'll have. Give it whirl, why don't you? And let us know how it goes. And hey, if things don't work out for today, there's always tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.

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Women do this better than men

Maggie Vink — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health

Did you know that women tend to eat more healthfully than men? And that women are more likely to choose foods to benefit their overall health and/or select foods for a specific health purpose (e.g. digestive health)? After the somewhat frustrating news Martha gave us about the difference between men and women when it comes to fitness, I'm glad to hear women have an edge somewhere.

According to a recent research study, both genders believe that nutrition plays an important role in health, but women came out on top in all categories studied. For example, 53% of women choose foods to benefit overall wellness, compared to 46% of men.

So c'mon guys ... consider it a challenge. Maybe by the next time this subject is studied, you'll have closed the gap.

[via Vital Juice Daily]

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Check out this 80-year-old bodybuilder

Martha Edwards — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:26:00 EST

Filed under: Healthy Aging, Fitness, Men's Health

At nearly 80, Ray Moon has suffered through polio, open heart surgery, financial ruin and two minor strokes. And he has a pacemaker. So you might be surprised to know what Mr. Moon's claim to fame is: He's a bodybuilding champ in his native Australia.

He recently took home the top prize in the Victorian Bodybuilding Championships in Melbourne in the 'over 60' category, which is quite a feat considering he is well over 60 -- by nearly 20 years! What's even more amazing? He only started working out four years ago. For more of this story, click here.

Mr. Moon works out six days a week for 2.5 hours and walks 4 km every day. Feel lazy yet? I sure do.

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Don't be an asterisk

Chris Sparling — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health

"I learned it by watching you," the young man explains to his father after it's learned that he's using drugs. That's how the now famous commercial from the 1980s unfolds, reminding parents of the influence their behaviors have on their children. Fast forward 20 years or so, and kids now have constant access to information that extends far past the walls of their home, yet in some circumstances they remain utterly deprived of knowledge.

A case can certainly made these days that professional athletes, Hollywood celebrities, and rock stars have an obligation, a duty, to the youth in this country to be role models. Kids today not only turn to their parents for answers or guidance, but they rely on what they see and hear on YouTube and MySpace. And, if part what they're hearing and seeing is the concept of a physical ideal, some young people will do what they mistakenly feel is necessary to achieve it -- even it if means taking the same dangerous steps those athletes or celebrities have taken.

In efforts to raise awareness of the growing trend of teenage steroid use, and to dispel the notion that a physical ideal actually even exists, the Ad Council has launched a campaign called "Don't Be an Asterisk," referring to the asterisk that has been placed in the record books after the names of athletes who reportedly used performance-enhancing drugs. Parents and kids alike can visit the interactive website www.dontbeanasterisk.com to learn more about the negative effects of steroids, in addition to finding a surfeit of information on how to live a healthy, drug-free life.

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Dark beer and 5 other healthy man foods

Jacki Donaldson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health

Feel free to borrow these tips, ladies, but men -- these are mostly for you. Well, those of you who just can't part with goodies like cookies, beer, bacon, and chips. This list offers you options for satisfying your cravings but without the ill-effects. Don't delay -- click on the thumbnails to read on!

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Pumping up changes laws of attraction

Laura Lewis — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Motivation, Men's Health

When you work out with weights, you naturally elevate your testosterone levels (check out this recent post about boosting testosterone). Naturally, raising testosterone levels via weight resistance training can be a very good thing for both men and women unless it causes you to be less attracted to your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend!

A recent journal publication reveals that women who have higher testosterone levels are attracted to men who have more masculine, "manly," high testosterone-like features -- such as the physical facial qualities that Russel Crowe or Dwayne"The Rock" Johnson possess. Men with elevated levels of the same hormone are more likely to be attracted to more feminine faces like Natalie Portman or Jessica Biel.

This fascinating study was conducted at the University of Aberdeen's Face Research Laboratory. Researchers had male and female volunteers view pairs of photographs of the opposite sex and asked them to choose who they found the most attractive. Each volunteer gave saliva samples to measure testosterone levels during their photo viewing sessions. This process was conducted four times in four weeks with each session one week apart. Face preferences changed as testosterone levels changed. For women, if testosterone was found to be lower, they would choose a less masculine face and conversely, if the hormone was higher, they selected the image of one who had more chiseled, macho features! Men selected more feminine faces when their testosterone was higher. What does all this mean?

Continue reading Pumping up changes laws of attraction

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