Men's Health UK September 2021

MITCHELL S JACKSON AUTHOR In his Pulitzer Prize-winning account, the New York novelist explores race and the culture of running p50 SINEAD ROBERTS NUTRITIONIST Navigate the maze of conflicting nutrition advice with Roberts, who sifts the facts from the fiction in our guide to modern food myths p70 JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME ACTION MOVIE LEGEND The undisputed icon of martial arts cinema opens up about his rise, fall and late-career resurrection p76 GILES YEO OBESITY RESEARCHER The Cambridge genetic scientist Yeo explains why most diets fail – and why counting calories in the pursuit of weight loss is a fallacy p68 GUSTAVO VAZ TOSTES ELITE TRAINER The CrossFit guru and head of training at WIT shares his selection of top gear for both the home and the gym p116 JOANNA HELLMUTH NEUROLOGIST Many nootropics make promises they can’t keep. Swerve them with Hellmuth’s scientifically sound tips for aspiring…

The more perceptive among you may have noticed that this month’s cover model represents a slight departure from the norm. Certainly, as specimens go, the subject is well built, of handsome proportions and easy on the eye – though this is where the similarities to, say, Jason Momoa or Marcus Rashford end. Look closely enough and you will realise that September’s pin-up is, in fact, a sandwich. “What on earth were you thinking?” I hear you ask. (Actually, that might be my boss.) The answer is, well, many things. But let’s take them one at a time. First, why not? Men’s Health has been published in the UK for some 26 years. Over that time, we have always featured male figures on our cover: sometimes T-shirted, though mainly topless; more recently in…

The return to the office might be good news when it comes to watercooler gossip and post-work pints, but settling back into your (hot) desk has a few unexpected downsides. While our homes might be full of domestic distractions – dishes that need washing, dogs that need walking – long periods of uninterrupted work aren’t inherently more conducive to getting things done. Not only is sitting down for hours at a time bad for your body, it’s bad for your mind, too. Scientists have long suspected that sedentary habits negatively impact cognitive function. Now, they know how. An experiment at the University of Illinois tracked the activity levels of 89 overweight adults over the course of a week. During the study, researchers assessed participants’ ability to multitask when faced with distractions.…

KEEP YOUR HANDS BUSY Mindless doodling has been linked to better memory retention when engaged with a dull work task. University of Plymouth WATCH THAT VIRAL CLIP In a study, those who watched a funny video tried harder to finish a problem. Journal of Business and Psychology STRATEGIC DAYDREAMING Allowing your mind to wander when wading through admin can help your brain conserve energy for harder tasks. Harvard University WORDS: LOUEE DESSENT-JACKSON I PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC I ILLUSTRATIONS: ANDREA MANZATI AT SYNERGY ART…

The jury is out on exactly how many steps we need to take per day – after all, 10,000 is just an arbitrary number – but if you bring a kettlebell along for some of them, you’ll feel the benefits with every stride. “I absolutely love this move,” says MH fitness editor Andrew Tracey. “It sits between isometric and dynamic loading: you’re hitting your biceps with a static move, while building your core stability and working your traps, scapula and upper back.” It’s also an “anti-flexion” exercise, which is essential for those of us hunched over a desk all day. “Because you’re holding a weight in front of you, every step will try to collapse your core,” says Tracey. “To prevent this, your scapula retracts and your upper back, rhomboids and erectors…

01 CHOP IT LIKE IT’S HOT “The hallmark flavours of West African cuisine are fire, umami and heat,” explains Aji Akokomi, founder of Akoko in London (akoko.co.uk). From Senegal’s warming, rich yassa to Nigeria’s vibrant, peppery ata dindin, root veggies and leafy greens are mainstays and tomatoes, peppers and onions form the basis of most sauces and stews. Get acquainted with these West African staples – and don’t hold the hot sauce. A BLACK-EYED PEAS As well as fibre and protein, these under-used legumes are packed with polyphenols, which prevent cell damage, protect against disease and extend your life expectancy. Boom boom pow. B FONIO For granular gains, look to Africa’s oldest cultivated cereal. It contains an impressive amount of the amino acid methionine, which plays a role in the growth and repair of muscle…