Men's Health Australia May 2021

WAIT TRAINING ★ They say good things come to those who wait. But in 2021, you have to ask yourself if this is still the case? We can get food delivered to our door in minutes, watch any movie or TV show on demand and order a new wardrobe while scrolling through social media. Surely, it’s widely accepted that good things come to those who own a smartphone. Patience, these days, is rarely required. It’s no wonder, then, that when it comes to our health, relationships and careers, we often become overwhelmed and frustrated with slow progress. In this world of instant gratification, we wonder why our larger goals can’t also be achieved overnight? Where’s ‘Netflex’ when I need it? ‘Insta-family?’ ‘Amazon Promotion?’ Patience is something we’ve all been forced to become reacquainted…

So, Seriously, What’s the Best Breakfast?- AK ★ Show of hands if you’ve inhaled an all-butter croissant on the way to work and called it “breakfast”? While science has posited that our first meal of the day is the most important, a mouthful of pastry isn’t what those researchers had in mind. The good news is that assembling the true, perfect breakfast is a cakewalk. To make the most of your morning meal, fill a third of your plate with high-quality protein. According to Sarah Coe, nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, two large poached eggs should do the trick – delivering 14g of muscle-building amino acids, plus essential micronutrients such as vitamin B12, selenium, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. By prioritising satiating protein over nutritionally flaky baked goods, you’ll also end…

MY MUSCLES ARE STILL SORE FROM YESTERDAY. SHOULD I TRAIN? – WB Yesterday, I went so hard at the gym I couldn’t get dressed this morning. But I don’t want to miss a session. What should I do? What type of pain are we talking? DOMS will cause a tight feeling in your muscles, whereas an injury will feel like a sharp, stabbing pain. It’s definitely DOMS. So, is it safe to work out? Only if you warm up and cool down properly and lower the intensity. More stress triggers degeneration – muscle disappears and is replaced by fat and connective tissue. Hmm, okay. I might as well stay at home and watch Netflix. Not necessarily. Light activity will ease the pain. Whole-body exercise, like swimming or yoga, will even the load and keep you at…

What age difference is okay and when does a guy become a creep just by talking to you? Harriet For me, it’s an age gap of up to 10 years older or one year younger. Having said that, you could be one year older than me and still be creepy. It all depends how you make the approach. Lucy When we were 23, one of my girlfriends was dating a dude who said he was 27. After a couple of months, it came out he was 37. I feel that if you have to lie about your age, it’s no deal. Harriet It’s not even necessarily about the age. It’s more about life stage – being on the same page in terms of where you are. Lizza So wise. I remember when I was…

BREW UP AN EXTRA SHOT OF STAMINA You don’t need to train on a mountain top to build game-changing endurance. Push your limits by combining your cup of coffee with an L-carnitine supp PUT THE KETTLE ON, fill your mug and settle in for some good news: researchers at Chonbuk National University have found a foolproof method for hacking your cardio endurance, one that will help you hit a PB without the need for newfangled breath trainers or a flight (eventually) to an Ethiopian training camp. It’s already well known that a shot of espresso will give your performance a jolt. Caffeine not only counteracts the metabolism-slowing effects of adenosine – an organic compound that naturally builds up in your body to create feelings of tiredness – but it also makes your cells…

07:00 QUIET TIME Meditating regularly reduces levels of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, warding off low moods. NIPER 07:15 CHASE THE BUZZ Two to four cups of coffee each day cuts your suicide risk by half. Caffeine appears to act as a mild antidepressant. Harvard University 07:30 PEEL SESSION Vitamin B6 in bananas helps your brain to make the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin. Northumbria University 07:45 POUND THE PAVEMENT Ditch the car and hotfoot it to the gym. Just 15 minutes of steady-state running can keep the blues at bay. JAMA Psychiatry 08:45 COLD COMFORT Cool down in the shower. Two to three minutes at 20°C can relieve depression symptoms. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine WORDS: LOUEE DESSENT-JACKSON; PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON…