Uncategorised Archives - Men's Health Magazine Australia https://menshealth.com.au/category/uncategorised/ Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Sex & Style Thu, 29 Aug 2024 08:08:24 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://menshealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cropped-Mens-Health-32x32.jpeg Uncategorised Archives - Men's Health Magazine Australia https://menshealth.com.au/category/uncategorised/ 32 32 How to hide a big night in 6 easy steps https://menshealth.com.au/how-to-hide-a-big-night-out-in-6-easy-steps/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:57:59 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=63167 Go from looking worse for wear to fresh-faced in a flash using some grooming know-how and the right products

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IT’S AN ALL too familiar scene. On Sunday morning as the sunshine creeps into the bedroom you wake and immediately the telltale signs of last night’s excesses —  pounding head, dry mouth and an all-encompassing ‘groggy’ feeling — hit you. Stumbling to the bathroom mirror to inspect the damage, you recoil at the sallow-skinned, bloodshot-eyed reflection staring back at you. To make matters worse, you’ve got a brunch with your girlfriend and her folks in an hour. What to do? 

Rather than going into panic mode, instead make a beeline for your bathroom cabinet and read on for a few top tips that will take you from dusty to dashing in under an hour. 

DRY SKIN

The Sahara-like condition of your skin is one of the first calling cards of alcoholic excess. Ethanol robs fluid from body, leaving you looking (and feeling) parched. 

TRY: 

Look for hyaluronic acid. A powerful moisturiser, hyaluronic acid holds 1,000 times its weight in water, which means it’s a godsend for restoring moisture, softening fine lines and more. 

Dr. Jart+’s Vital Hydra Solution Hydro Plump Treatment Essence features hyaluronic acid at its core.  Available through skincare one-stop-shop, MECCA the fast-absorbing treatment primes, plumps and helps rebuild skin’s barrier after just one use.

Dr. Jart+’s Vital Hydra Solution Hydro Plump Treatment Essence

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Another great option is Software’s Hyaluronic Complex Serum. A lightweight serum, the ultra-hydrating  product is enriched with four different types of hyaluronic acid to deeply moisturise the skin and target dryness, dullness, and fine lines. 

Software’s Hyaluronic Complex Serum

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OILY T-ZONE

If you’re even more shinier than usual on your nose and forehead, there’s good reason. While oil production is essential for healthy skin, the oil slick on your t-zone could be the result of a late night and alcohol combo. Both of these things stimulate excess oil production and the results ain’t pretty!

 TRY: 

A deep clean. It’s the cornerstone of any skincare regime (as any dermatologist will tell you) and you should be spending at least one minute cleansing the skin to remove all the pollutants and oil from the previous night.  

The Luna 4 Men Smart Facial Cleansing and Firming Device by Foreo is equipped with bristles especially adapted to men’s thicker, oily skin, helping to remove pore impurities, oil, dead skin cells, and everyday pollution in just 30 seconds. It’s also an ideal skin prep ahead of shaving (more of that below) which helps prevent razor burn. 

Luna 4 Men Smart Facial Cleansing and Firming Device by Foreo

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Avoid skin-stripping soap and use a product specifically developed for men’s skin, which is oilier and thicker. Omorfi’s Skin Clearing Salicylic Acid Face Wash is ideal.  Formulated with potent ingredients – including salicylic acid and witch hazel – the lightly foaming gel will clear impurities and tighten enlarged pores. 

Omorfi Skin Clearing Salicylic Acid Face Wash

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Finally, if you need even more of an oil slick mop up, then try a facial masque. NIOD’s Flavanone Mud is one pf the best on the market. Purifying the skin and enhancing natural radiance, its three-phase “dermal decongestion” system helps rid the skin of surface impurities and excess sebum. 

NIOD’s Flavanone Mud

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STUBBLE

While shaving may seem even more of a labour than usual in your hungover state, letting your stubble grow for more than a day can result in ingrown hairs and unsightly razor bumps. Plus, being clean shaven will detract from any lingering signs of a heavy night. 

TRY: 

After cleansing (see above) with the Luna 4 Men Smart Facial Cleansing and Firming Device, lather up with Foreo’s antioxidant-rich LUNA™ Shaving + Cleansing Foaming Cream. This two-in-one wash doubles as a shaving cream and is designed to produce a rich lather to help soften bristles for an extra-smooth shave. 

LUNA™ Shaving + Cleansing Foaming Cream

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Afterwards, splash with a quality toner to close pores and remove residue. The Perfect Toner for Aussie skincare brand, Leitin’s is a great option. Skin-loving ingredients include actives rich in antioxidants and four distinct molecular weight hyaluronic acid compounds. 

Perfect Toner

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DULL AND BLOTCHY SKIN

Most of us know that one of the side affects of alcohol is blood rushing to the surface of the skin. And while some of us are impacted more than others, a night on the tiles will leave most of us with a complexion that’s far less than perfect. Add to this a shortened and interrupted night’s sleep (alcohol also affects the quality of sleep) and the dehydration affects of booze, and you’ll be left with a blotchy, dry and discoloured mug. 

TRY: 

The simplest (and quickest) way to give your skin a post-party wake-up call is to exfoliate and the ELEMIS Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads from MECCA are idea. Harnessing dual-action resurfacing tech, the best-selling facial pads sweep away dead skin and impurities revealing a visibly smoother and more even complexion. 

ELEMIS Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads

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An absolute game-changer in the skincare world was the invention of the LED facial mask and when it comes to the granddaddy of at-home facial masks, the San Lueur LED Light Face Mask is it. Billed as the world’s first LED mask that delivers all three clinically approved wavelengths (that’s blue LED light targeting blemishes and breakouts, red LED light minimising redness, inflammation and hyperpigmentation, and near-infrared light stimulating collagen and elastin) the Australian-owned brand has already made waves in the grooming world internationally. 

Working on a cellular level to stimulate new collagen production and to tackle an A to Z of other skin woes, it is clinically proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, redness, irritation, dark circles, under-eye bags, pigmentation, and overall skin tone — and all in an easy 10-minute session. How’s that for a claim? 

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For extra glow oomph, follow with a top-tier Vitamin C serum, such as E.S.K’s C Forte. Hydrating and brightening, this L-Ascorbic Acid rich serum also helps to actually reverse sun damage. 

E.S.K C Forte

 

Still need a pick-me-up? If you’re feeling seriously pallid then you can even out your complexion with a tinted moisturiser or BB cream. Try O Cosmetics Mineral Pro Spf 30+ Sheer Tint, which gives lacklustre skin a subtle, sun-kissed glow. 

O Cosmedics Mineral Pro SPF 30 Sunscreen Sheer Tint 75g

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DARK CIRCLES AND TIRED EYES

Eyes are said to be the window to the soul — they’re also the window into a heavy night out. In fact, nowhere betrays a booze-fuelled stint of partying more than the delicate eye area. Dark circles are emphasised by a lack of sleep and alcohol, while bloodshot eyes are the result of smoke, pollution and booze. 

TRY:  

Geske’s Warm & Cool Eye Energiser. A game-changing grooming tool from Sweden, this versatile device combines cutting-edge technology to rejuvenate your delicate eye area. The warm mode gently soothes, increasing blood circulation and reduces puffiness, while the cool mode refreshes and tightens the skin. But it doesn’t stop there – built-in micro-current and sonic vibrations stimulate collagen production helping to diminish fine lines and dark circles.

Geske’s Warm & Cool Eye Energise

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The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body, which means that your average moisturiser is far too thick.  Instead, invest in a specially formulated eye product like Clear Skincare’s Moisture+ Plumping Eye Gel. Packed full of antioxidants and vitamins, the gel helps hydrate and nourish the delicate skin around the eyes all while reducing the appearance of fine lines and dark circles. 

To combat red eyes, use brightening eye drops sparingly and regularly. 

Clear Skincare’s Moisture+ Plumping Eye Gel

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LANK AND SMELLY HAIR

Excessive application of hair product the night before can block hair follicles, leaving hair looking fine and dull. Also, hair absorbs odours, so chances are your barnet will have retained some of the nasty night before niffs. 

TRY:  

A good cleansing routine doesn’t end with your skin. Make sure you remove all traces of product and night-club air, and give your hair a thorough clean with a deep-cleansing shampoo. Software’s Hair Growth Shampoo is a triple whammy formulation. Hair is deep cleaned, deeply hydrated, and hair growth is boosted with hair-loving ingredients. Follow with Software’s Hair Thickening Conditioner. 

Software’s Hair Growth Shampoo

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Post-wash, go for a styling product that offers a strong, pliable hold with low-shine to give hair a natural, clean finish. American Crew’s best-selling Classic Fiber is a great option for adding fullness and texture and it’s suitable for both curly and straight hair.

American Crew’s best-selling Classic Fiber

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Related:

These are the best skincare brands for men in 2024

Beat Premature Ageing With These 7 Skincare Products

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Osher Günsberg on coming to grips with what you can actually control in life https://menshealth.com.au/osher-gunsberg-on-coming-to-grips-with-what-you-can-actually-control-in-life/ Wed, 14 Aug 2024 01:46:23 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=62473 The key to managing your mental health in rocky times could be to look at what you have influence over and what you don’t

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I WAS SO glad the Olympics showed up. It gave us a well-needed break from the constant coverage of chaos in the US, the Middle East and Europe.

But now the Games are over, even the upcoming footy finals aren’t enough to keep me from being overwhelmed by the news.

When I consider that we’re still months away from a US election, with our own election right around the corner, I can easily let that feeling of being overwhelmed either shut me down or worse – start to make reactive choices for me.

So, in the interests of being able to cope for the next little while and making sure that I’m not getting played like a useful idiot (a naive or credulous person who can be manipulated or exploited to advance a cause or political agenda, something I have been in the past, much to my regret), I’d like to share a basic plan for keeping your head level and thinking straight when we’re in tumultuous times.

It’s all about control.

Take the US election for example. The saying goes, ‘If the USA sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold’.  The US election is really important to us. There’s so much at stake for our country economically, culturally, and from a national security standpoint.

Yet we have absolutely zero impact when it comes to influencing the outcome of that election. Most of America is in the same boat as us. Is it fair that a few hundred thousand people in places like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin get to decide the national security and economic outcomes for the rest of the world for the next four years? No.

Can I do anything about that? No. And this is what I want to talk about.

After I got divorced, I was in complete upheaval, totally stuck in an emotional mire. My ideas of how to handle things weren’t enough, so I needed ideas that weren’t mine to get me moving. I reached out to a mate, the elite-level executive coach Siimon Reynolds. I must have sounded desperate because he swiftly gifted me three incredibly expensive sessions of his time.

Siimon taught me the concept of having an internal locus of control vs an external locus of control (locus is just a fancy word for location). An internal locus of control is the belief that our actions and our choices directly influence what happens. With a strong internal locus of control, we tend to feel more empowered and more responsible for our lives. An external locus of control is when we believe life happens to us and we have absolutely no power over it.

We believe the reason things happen to us is because of external factors like luck, fate, or what other people choose.

When I called Siimon, I was helpless, passive, and truly believed I had zero influence over what was going on. I had a very strong external locus of control. So, how do we change that? How do we take the power back?

Simply put; if we focus on what we can control and accept what we can’t control, we replace fear and powerlessness with stability and resilience. Given the political polarisation we’re experiencing, economic instability, horrible international conflicts, it’s understandable to feel anxious or powerless sometimes.

But those feelings get in the way of you actually enjoying this day today. They get in the way of connecting with people you care about and who care about you. Your kid who’s asking you to look at this cool thing they made with Lego doesn’t care what some politician is saying about nuclear power. Yet because the politician said that, your kid gets the message that they don’t matter to you as much as your phone, where you’re reading that story.

Managing these feelings is about more than you.  Here’s a way to figure out what’s in your control. It’s pretty simple, all you need is a piece of paper and a pen.

Draw the outline of a soccer ball that takes up the whole page, and in the middle of that, the outline of tennis ball. Inside the tennis ball (the internal locus of control), write down all the things in your life that you can actually influence. Your personal health, your relationships, your work, your daily routines, and crucially – how you think about things. Because you might not be able to control the outcome of elections or wars or whether that nice lady will text you back; but you can control how you respond to the news, how you engage with people around you, and how you take care of your mental and physical heath.

Then in the soccer ball circle, write out all the things you can’t control. Climate change, power prices, traffic, how the sun is in your eyes when you drive home, who wins the AFL grand final, Ryan Papenhuyzen’s ankle, the tone of voice your partner uses when they remind you to take out the bins – whatever it is, if you can’t actually control it, put it in the big circle.

Then take a long hard look at it. Look for what’s missing. What is your ego insisting is in the outer circle but might have more to do with what you think about or what you make it mean? What choices belong in the inner circle that create things in the outer circle? (For example, choosing to stay in a relationship or a job, or choosing to not go and see a psychologist.)

Once you’ve had a few minutes contemplating your lists just go about your day, while still holding these balls in your mind. (I didn’t want you to forget it, so I deliberately made this whole thing into a dick joke.) Every time you get worked up about stuff in the outer circle get in the habit of reminding yourself that you have zero control over it, but you have 100 per cent control over how you think about it.

This is not to say that we have to accept things that are shitty and just suck it up. Things actually start to feel heaps better when we begin to change the things we can change. To do that – set achievable, measurable, realistic goals for things within your control and then make them scheduled daily habits.

With me, if it doesn’t go in the calendar, it doesn’t happen. So, everything goes in the calendar.

I find it quite motivating to remember that we can’t change the world, but we can change the world around us. By focusing on bringing positive change to our home, our work, and our community, soon we can feel like our whole world has changed – mainly because it has.

Like anything, it’s important to treat the cause once the symptoms are under control. It goes without saying that our simple brains can’t ever beat the algorithm – it will hook us every time.

Constant exposure to negative news can increase anxiety and a sense of helplessness. We can take control by limiting how long we’re exposed to it. Actively manage your media consumption. Set boundaries for how much news you consume and seek out positive or neutral sources of information.

If some of the stuff I’m talking about sounds impossible, a psychologist can offer another perspective or help with navigating rigid thinking. Since I’ve learned how to focus on what I can control, actively reframing my thinking, practicing radical acceptance, and getting into action in a problem-solving direction, things feel heaps better. I also get a lot more done because I’m not wasting time and energy lamenting at the state of the political left or Ryan Papenhuyzen’s tibia.

So, as we bob around on our esky in the stormy seas of the news cycle, if we can remember to hold onto our balls, we can accept we can’t control the weather or the waves, but we can build a sail out of our boardshorts and Kon-Tiki that thing all the way to Tahiti.

Related:

Osher Günsberg on why you need a mental map

Osher Günsberg on why vulnerability and resilience are connected

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Steer your own adventure: How Cars4Us delivers Top-Tier rides for the Modern Man’s Lifestyle https://menshealth.com.au/steer-your-own-adventure-how-cars4us-delivers-top-tier-rides-for-the-modern-mans-lifestyle/ Wed, 24 Jul 2024 01:55:00 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=61112 How Cars4Us Delivers Top-Tier Rides for the Modern Man’s Lifestyle

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In today’s fast-paced world, men’s lifestyles are evolving to encompass a dynamic blend of adventure, sophistication, and practicality. This shift reflects broader societal changes, where traditional boundaries are changing, and personal interests are increasingly diverse. From the boardroom to the outback, modern men seek experiences and possessions that complement their multifaceted lives. A significant aspect of this evolution is how men approach car ownership, with a growing trend towards buying used cars. This approach not only aligns with their lifestyle needs but also offers practical and financial benefits.

The contemporary man is no longer confined to a single role or interest. He is equally comfortable navigating urban landscapes, embarking on spontaneous weekend getaways, and indulging in luxury when desired. This blend of interests requires flexibility and efficiency, driving men to seek out products and services that can keep pace with their varied demands. Whether it’s for commuting to work, exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations, or making a stylish statement, the need for a versatile and reliable vehicle is paramount.

Buying a used car is increasingly considered a smart choice for the modern man. This trend is driven by several factors that align well with their desire for adventure, sophistication, and practicality. Purchasing a used car can be financially savvy, provide variety and flexibility, offer a direct-to-consumer experience, and contribute to environmental support.

Used cars offer significant savings compared to new vehicles. According to Carsales, the depreciation of new cars can vary widely, with the best-performing models retaining more than 70 percent of their value over three years, while the worst performers can lose up to 70 percent of their value in the same period. This depreciation makes used cars a more financially prudent option, allowing men to allocate their resources to other lifestyle pursuits, such as travel or investments.

The used car market provides a vast array of choices, from rugged SUVs to sleek sedans and luxury models. This diversity enables men to select a vehicle that precisely matches their lifestyle needs. For instance, a reliable used SUV might be perfect for outdoor adventures, while a pre-owned luxury sedan could cater to professional and social engagements.

The rise of online businesses have revolutionized the used car buying process. Many companies today offer seamless, direct-to-consumer experiences, where buyers can browse, purchase, and even finance cars from the comfort of their homes. These companies often provide detailed vehicle histories, comprehensive inspections, and return policies, adding layers of trust and convenience to the transaction.

Choosing a used car can also reflect a commitment to sustainability. By extending the life cycle of a vehicle, buyers contribute to reducing the demand for new car production and the associated environmental impact. This aspect appeals to the eco-conscious man who wants to minimize his carbon footprint while enjoying the benefits of car ownership.

One company that is bringing a fresh way for Australians to buy used cars is Cars4Us. By offering a direct-to-consumer car buying and selling experience, Cars4Us caters to the diverse needs of the modern man. Whether it’s navigating urban streets, embarking on weekend escapes, or indulging in luxury rides, Cars4Us provides a wide range of options to match every lifestyle.

Cars4Us has redefined the used car buying process with its streamlined, customer-centric approach. Their direct-to-consumer model eliminates the traditional hassles associated with car dealerships, such as lengthy negotiations and limited selection, ensuring a more efficient and enjoyable buying experience.

One of the key strengths of Cars4Us is its diverse inventory, which caters to the multifaceted lives of modern men. For those seeking adventure, rugged off-roaders like the Ford Ranger offer the perfect blend of durability and performance, capable of handling Australia’s varied terrains. The Ranger is ideal for weekend escapes, providing ample space and advanced features to ensure a comfortable and safe journey.

For the urban commuter who values efficiency and style, sporty rides like the Ford Mustang stand out. Known for its agility and sleek design, the Mustang provides an exhilarating driving experience while maintaining practicality for daily use. It combines the thrill of a sports car with the reliability needed for everyday commutes.

For those occasions where sophistication and luxury are paramount, Cars4Us offers high-end models that exude class and elegance. These vehicles are perfect for making a statement, whether at business meetings or social events, without the hefty price tag of new luxury cars.

As men’s lifestyles continue to evolve, Cars4Us stands out as a key facilitator in meeting these diverse needs. By offering a seamless car buying and selling experience, along with a wide range of vehicles to match any lifestyle, Cars4Us makes it easier and more financially savvy for Australians to access the car that perfectly suits their way of life. Whether it’s for urban commuting, weekend escapes, or luxury indulgence, Cars4Us ensures that the modern man can drive with confidence and style.

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Osher Günsberg on why vulnerability and resilience are connected https://menshealth.com.au/osher-gunsberg-on-why-vulnerability-and-resilience-are-two-sides-of-the-same-coin/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 01:52:32 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60971 In order to live life to the fullest, you need to be prepared to expose yourself to potential pain and discomfort, while equipping yourself with the tools to handle that hardship. No, it’s not easy. Yes, it’s worth it

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SINCE 2013 I’VE been speaking publicly about mental health on my podcast, openly discussing my experience with addiction, psychosis and even suicidality. Then and now, either in my inbox or when I’m doing the groceries, people will come up to me and say: “It’s just so nice to see a man being vulnerable.” And while that is lovely, I’ve always wondered: vulnerability by itself doesn’t sound like a good thing.

There’s got to be more to it. This question floated around the back of my head for years, until the other day taking out the compost an idea popped out of my subconscious like a computer punch card from a ’50s sci-fi film. Vulnerability and resilience are two halves of the same whole. They can only exist if both are present. Think about it. Without Big Boi, André 3000 is just making an instrumental flute album. And while it’s a great record, it’s not OutKast. Vulnerability and resilience are two sides of the same piece of toast. There’s a sweet spot where it’s just right.

Too high on the dial and your bread hardens so much that it is at the same time impenetrable to melting butter yet so fragile if you pick it up incorrectly it will disintegrate. (Side note: that is the best toast-related mental health metaphor you’ll read today.)

Vulnerability is how susceptible you are to danger, harm, stress, and damage. Resilience is the capacity to recover from or deal with that harm, danger, stress or damage. They can only exist together.

One without the other leaves you with a suit of brittle armour masquerading as a false sense of safety. It’s almost like you become a plate-glass window. You’re so hard that the nastiest weather can’t touch you, yet when life sends a Mitchell Starc bouncer hurtling towards you at 160km/h, it’s inevitable that the whole facade will shatter and now a thousand razor-sharp slivers are raining down on you.

So many of us go through life far too fragile. In perilous danger of financial or emotional calamity at any moment because we have no resilience. Things might feel secure, but it we aren’t able to form relationships, express our personality, our creativity, or engage with others without thinking everyone’s trying to steal our stuff. From there it’s a slippery slope that can lead to hours of YouTube rabbit-holing, which starts out looking for footage of ’70s piano bars on the upper deck of a 747, yet ends at 3am texting all your friends about the terrible dangers of contrails.

We need to be vulnerable to feel anything worth feeling. We need to be resilient to deal with the full scope of feelings that show up, so we can keep going for ourselves and for others. Usually, we don’t get to choose when vulnerability comes for us. Resilience, however, is something that we can develop. To build within us the knowledge that we will be able to handle whatever comes.

And that’s really, important. How much are we limiting ourselves because our choices are coming from a place that fears negative outcomes? If we actively work on our resilience, that allows us to be vulnerable when needed. We contribute to a super fund so we’ll have financial resilience. We train so we’ll have physical resilience. Yet what about emotional resilience? Without it we can’t be emotionally vulnerable.

How can we enjoy the full spectrum of what it means to be a human if we aren’t emotionally vulnerable? When our youngest child was born, I cradled him to my bare chest for the first time with two equal ideas in my head – “My wife has harnessed the power of the universe to create this pure and perfect manifestation of love in human form. I no longer matter. Everything is now about you” and “HOLY SHIT YOU COULD DIE AT ANY MOMENT, HOW CAN I LIVE ANOTHER SECOND KNOWING THIS?”

We feel the first thing because of the second thing. We can deal with the second thing because of the first thing. That’s the deal. That’s what it means to be equally vulnerable and resilient.

It’s the same with falling in love. It takes vulnerability to fully be in love with someone. If you’re worried about what will happen to you if they ever leave you, are you ever going to fully commit?

In my experience the other person starts to pick up on this, resentments start to creep in, and soon enough that relationship falls apart quicker than a flatpack cupboard on a rainy hard rubbish day. You know, the one you built together when you moved in?

If you’re prepared to be vulnerable, all the joy and growth and experiences that you can only have when you fully put your heart into someone else’s hands, all of those things can be yours.

Yet to do that, you need the resilience to deal with whatever that vulnerability might bring into your life. Including that relationship ending. If you’re vulnerable enough to tell another person that you’re really into them and they say, “Yeah, nah, I don’t feel the same way.” You need resilience to handle that, to be with the hurt and the heartbreak and yet also know you’ll be okay. It might take a little time, you might need to figure out your part of what happened so it doesn’t happen again, but it’ll be okay.

Yet what if someone has no emotional resilience and hears, “It’s been lovely yet, this isn’t for me. Thanks for the pancakes, good night.” We all know what it can look like. You could head off on a week-long drinking binge, set about writing horrible things from fake accounts 72 weeks deep into a new partner’s Instagram, spreading lies, acting out, possibly hurting themselves or hurting someone else, showing up outside their work . . . Those are not the actions of an emotionally resilient person, and none of us want to be in a situation where any of those things feel like a really good idea.

The long-term consequences of making choices like that can cause way bigger problems than someone you’re sweet on not being into you. Vulnerability is imperative in having a deep and loving relationship with another human being, and being okay if it ends. So, what’s the couch to 5K equivalent of emotional resilience? How do you build emotional resilience like a muscle? It’s the simple stuff. It starts with getting decent sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, moving your body, having something to do that’s not about you, and having a small but strong circle of relationships.

If you’re alone, your problems are yours alone to hold. If there’s someone to talk to, it’s immediately half as bad.

Don’t worry we aren’t trying to recreate an Iron Age village here. Yet if you try to cultivate and nurture just two close relationships in your life that aren’t your partner, you’re golden.

How close? Close enough that if you couldn’t make school pick-up in an emergency, this person would drop everything, make sure your kids got home safely, got fed and got to bed okay.

You can never have too many people to call on a bad day, and to make sure that happens, put the work in to start having great days with those same people.

Because that’s the stuff that builds resilience.

Related:

Osher Günsberg on reframing your reaction to bad news

Osher Günsberg on the mental burpee everyone needs to do

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10 meal prep ideas for muscle gain https://menshealth.com.au/meal-preps-for-muscle-gain/ Mon, 01 Jul 2024 02:15:52 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60841 Every training goal ultimately starts with nutrition. Meal prep is your greatest ally

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IF YOU’VE MADE it your mission to reap the full benefits of those hours in the pain cave, dialling in your nutrition is the most effective way to go about it. But you know that already.

You’ve read Men’s Health before. That a breakfast of scrambled eggs will fuel your muscles better than a chocolate-filled croissant will come as no surprise. And when fat loss is your focus, it would probably help to swerve the biscuit tin every now and again. It’s hardly rocket science.

CHABERKUS//GETTY IMAGES

The problem is, knowing doesn’t always equate to ‘doing’. You snack when you’re not supposed to. You eat out because you don’t have time to cook a healthy meal. The good news is, you might not be entirely to blame – turns out, your empty stomach isn’t the only thing compelling you to grab a slice of pizza from the work canteen.

It’s a psychological phenomenon called ‘decision fatigue’. You make around 35,000 decisions every day on average – hit snooze or get up? Toast or porridge? White shirt or blue? And the more you make, the more taxing each one becomes until eventually, your exhausted brain looks for shortcuts and it starts acting impulsively.

Willpower isn’t something you either have or you don’t – it’s a form of mental energy that gets depleted every time you make a decision, a series of experiments conducted by Florida State University found. And that’s not all.

Your brain is the most energy-demanding organ in your body, and it uses glucose as its primary fuel source. As your mental energy drains with each fleeting decision, your body looks for a quick way to replenish its dwindling stocks: sugar. Such is the fat-loss paradox. You need willpower to stop yourself from grazing – but in order to fuel willpower, you need to eat.

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This is why meal prep is your greatest muscle-building, fat-torching ally. By pre-batching breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks ahead of time, you deal with a decision-making double-whammy: not just what to eat and when, but also how much.

“When our schedules are packed, meal times can go to the wayside,” says Kevin Curry, founder of food blog Fit Men Cook. “We eat mindlessly, paying little attention to the caloric and nutritional value of the food, and we skip meals, which leads to overeating at the next meal in order to satisfy our intense hunger.

“Having healthy meals and snacks ‘at arm’s length’ enables us to continue our hectic and busy lifestyles but with more nutritious food so we can accomplish our fitness and wellness goals at the same time.”

Here, you’ll find everything you need to meal prep like a pro, freeing up brain space for other, more pressing decisions: chest day or leg day?

The pros and cons of meal prep

Granted, it’s not all plain sailing. If you don’t like your lunch, you’re stuck with it for another day or two. You’re forced to dedicate a chunk of your Sunday afternoon to cooking. Your weekly shopping list requires meticulous planning, because one missed ingredient could throw off a week’s worth of meals. You have to carry containers everywhere. And if your plans change, the food goes to waste.

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But as they say – if it was easy, everyone would do it. By giving an hour or two of your weekend to meal prep, you’ll free up your weekday evenings. The only thing you’ll have to wash up is the plastic containers. Not only will your scales be lighter without those high street sandwich lunches; your wallet will be thankful too. And if you’re the macro-counting kind and have a specific training goal in your sights, you can map out a week’s worth of meals down to the very last gram.

“Preparing our meals in advance gives us a better estimate of monthly food costs while reducing miscellaneous food purchases,” says Curry. “Knowing what you’re going to eat on a daily basis will make the difference in both your health and your wallet.” Plus, it gets results. “I don’t just preach the importance of meal prep,” he adds, “I practice it, because it enabled me to obtain the results that I so desperately wanted.” Sounds like all that chopping might be worth it.

Meal Prep Ideas

The first step is to map out recipes for the meals you’re prepping i.e. breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. In its most stripped-back form, the foundation of a muscle-building meal contains approximately “two handfuls of vegetables, one fist-size portion of carbs, and a palm-size portion of protein,” Jo Travers, registered dietitian and author of The Low Fad Diet.

Protein-wise, stick to lean options like chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef, eggs, tofu, and greek yoghurt. Keep carbs complex where possible, and don’t forget healthy fats – olive oil, avocado and nuts will keep you fuller for longer.

The best breakfasts for every fitness goal

Feed your gains first thing with these fab five foods.

That said, man cannot get jacked on turkey, broccoli, and sweet potato alone. Well, he can, but his taste buds won’t thank him. Focus on cooking foods “that you love to eat and are easy to prepare,” suggests James Long, co-founder of health food blog When Harry Met Salad, particularly dishes you enjoy both hot and cold, in case you can’t access a microwave.

Batch cooking is the name of the game. To keep things interesting, try having a culinary theme for each week, Long suggests, such as ‘Mexican’ and ‘Indian’. Cooking and pre-portioning chilli or curry, for example, is far more practical than juggling multiple recipes. Once you have your meals mapped out, make a list of all the ingredients you need – along with quantities – and hit the shops.

Easy hacks to take the hassle out of meal prep for muscle gain

To keep your meals as fresh as possible, let them cool down completely before you refrigerate them, says Long. You’ll avoid the condensation that makes food go soggy. That said, don’t leave your food at room temperature for more than two hours.

If you’ve seen the ‘ripe avocado’ memes, you know how temperamental veg can be. To reduce food waste, make frozen and tinned foods your best friend. “I’ve been buying way more frozen vegetables such as chopped peppers, onions, peas and sweetcorn because I was getting fed up of binning bags of spinach and other vegetables that kept going off,” says Long.

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If frozen really isn’t an option, consider buying an ethylene-absorbing gadget for your fridge. They can really extend the shelf life of your veg, says Travers, particularly the crunchy kind such as bell peppers, carrots and celery. “A coleslaw mix – without the mayo dressing; add that at the last minute – will keep better than chopped tomatoes and cucumbers,” she says.

Think of meal prepping as a high-intensity gym workout, says Curry. “Keep going until the routine is finished – while your food is cooking, clean up the kitchen. When the food is nearly complete, prep your food containers and spread them out on the counter or table.”

You could even blast your favourite gym playlist while you’re cooking. “Not only does the music energise me, but also it’s also subtle reminder of why I’m doing this: to get lean and mean,” he adds.

Use meal prep to pimp your protein

When you’re prepping meat or fish, don’t slice it until you’re ready to eat to prevent it from drying out. About 30g of protein per meal is ideal for fat loss – that’s roughly a palm-sized portion.

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Steak

Griddle

Season a 1in-thick steak with salt and pepper and grill on medium-high to your desired doneness – about three minutes per side for medium rare. Let it rest for five minutes, then transfer.

Roast

Heat some oil in an ovenproof pan on medium-high. Season and cook until brown, two to three minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and roast at 200°C; five minutes for medium rare.

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Tofu

Sauté

Place some extra-firm tofu on a cutting board between paper towels. Top with a baking sheet and heavy cans to weigh it down. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then slice. Heat oil in a pan on medium-high. Fry until golden brown, two minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel and season.

Roast

Break firm tofu into large pieces on a baking sheet. Toss with oil, season and roast at 200°C, flipping once. Cook until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

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Chicken breast

Griddle

Rub with oil, then season and grill on medium-high, four to six minutes per side. Use a griddle pan to add some smoky char.

Roast

Heat some oil in an ovenproof pan on a medium heat. Season the chicken and cook until golden brown, about three minutes per side. Transfer to an oven and roast at 200°C until cooked through – about 10 minutes.

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Salmon

Sauté

Heat some oil in a frying pan on medium-high. Season and cook the fish until it’s golden brown and opaque throughout – roughly five minutes per side.

Roast

Place the salmon on a baking sheet. Season and roast at 200°C until it’s opaque – this will take roughly 10-12 minutes.

Griddle

Season the salmon to taste and grill it on a medium-high heat for around four minutes per side.

Use meal prep to revamp your veg

This is where most meal prep for muscle gain falls short. Cucumber slices and carrot batons might make you feel virtuous, but an unsatisfying lunch will only set you up for mid-afternoon snacking. Many vegetables are made more nutritious by cooking – and doing so will extend their shelf life, too.

Extra sizzle

Rapeseed, sesame and olive oils are all good options for sautéing, though extra-virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point (save that for your dressings). Heat a large pan on medium-high. Add a dash of oil, then the veg, and season. Toss well and then cook until tender.

  • Peppers: 6min
  • Green beans: 5min
  • Cherry tomatoes: 4min
  • Mushrooms: 11min

Roast to your health

On a baking tray, toss your veg with oil and season with salt and pepper. Throw in a few garlic cloves, too. Roast at 200°C until golden brown. Applying heat to veg makes it easier for your body to absorb nutrients such as beta-carotene and certain minerals.

  • Broccoli florets: 20min
  • Asparagus: 15min
  • Mushrooms: 25min
  • Cauliflower: 20min
  • Peppers: 15min
  • Cherry tomatoes: 15min

Blanch Out

Boiling vegetables causes nutrients to bleed into the water. Blanching preserves them – as well as keeping the veg crisp. Bring a pot of water to the boil with a pinch of salt. Throw your veg in and cook until just tender, then immediately transfer to ice water. Drain and pat dry.

  • Broccoli florets: 4min
  • Asparagus: 4min
  • Cauliflower florets: 5min
  • Green beans: 5min

Best meal prep equipment

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You don’t need a Michelin star-worthy kitchen to whip up a few meals ahead of time, but there are a few fundamental pieces of kit that will make the process a whole lot more efficient – particularly if your culinary skills currently amount to beans on toast (no judgements here).

  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring jug
  • Slotted turner
  • Food scale
  • Set of mixing bowls
  • Colander
  • Baking dishes, or at the very least, a baking tray
  • Non-stick frying pan
  • Casserole dish
  • Steaming basket
  • Chopping board
  • Kitchen knives
  • Set of saucepans

Best meal prep equipment


Best meal prep containers

A word on meal prep containers, because you’ve got to store and transport all those meals somehow. There are a few options available, from glass to multi-compartment plastic, with benefits and drawbacks to each style depending on what you’re making. Plastic containers are light and durable, while glass varieties are less likely to stain and keep food fresher for longer. Mason jars are ideal for keeping salads fresh, and Bento boxes make packing snacks and lunches super simple. Stainless steel containers look great, but they tend to be pricy and aren’t microwave-friendly.

How to meal prep on a budget

Unless you’re serving up lobster thermidor every day, meal prep is going to save you money. However, there are easy ways to make your pounds stretch even further – they just require a little bit more thought.

Keep recipes simple with easy-to-source, affordable ingredients, Long suggests. Think: potatoes, rice, pasta, lean protein and vegetables. Where possible, buy in bulk, and stick to supermarket own brands for oats, nut milks, and so on.

Focus on frozen and tinned foods, and if you must buy fresh, “stick to vegetables and produce that is in season,” Long says. Oh, and buy foods you need to prep yourself, adds Travers. “You will pay a premium for ready chopped carrots, for example.”


10 meal prep recipes for muscle gain

Now, finding the right recipe is easier said than done. You think you’ve hit the meal prep for muscle gain recipe jackpot, but six paragraphs later the author is still banging on about their most recent holiday. Forget self-indulgent multi-paragraph manifestos – these easy-to-follow recipes from Curry are waffle-free.

15-minute prawn chipotle bowl

FITMENCOOK

You’ll get three meals from this recipe. You can substitute the shrimp for chicken, tofu, or beef, says Curry, and the brown rice for cauliflower rice.

Calories: 410
Protein: 40g
Fat: 3g
Carbs: 56g

Ingredients:

560g raw jumbo shrimp, 1 1/2 tablespoons taco or fajita seasoning packet, 1 small white onion, chopped, 1 red capsicum, chopped, 1 green capsicum, chopped, juice from 1 lime, 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed, 425g can black beans (no salt added), 225g instant brown rice, freshly mashed avocado, chopped coriander, lime wedge

Directions:

  1. Heat up brown rice in the microwave according to the package instructions. Empty black beans into a microwavable safe bowl and warm those too.
  2. Rub the shrimp with taco or fajita seasoning.
  3. Set a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, spray with olive oil. Toss in the bell peppers and onions and sear for 3 to 5 minutes. As it cooks, squeeze in fresh lime to help caramelise and soften the veggies. Once the onion is translucent and the edges are seared, remove from the skillet.
  4. Increase the heat of the skillet to high, then add the frozen corn. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, enough to thaw and sear the outside of the corn, then set aside.
  5. Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium, and if needed, spray with a little more olive oil, then toss in the shrimp. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the shrimp is white and plump with seared edges.
  6. Assemble the bowl by evenly dividing up the ingredients into your meal prep containers.

Sesame tuna steak burger

FITMENCOOK

This recipe will make at least two patties. Macros below represent patties without the burger.

Calories: 267
Protein: 44g
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 3g

Ingredients for the patties:

340g raw tuna steak, 40g chopped green onion, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1.5 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, pinches of sea salt and pepper

Ingredients for the burger:

1 sprouted wheat bun, tomato slices, avocado slices, red onion slices, 1 teaspoon safflower mayonnaise, 15g goats cheese

Directions:

  1. Set a grill to 180 degrees celsius.
  2. Chop the tuna steak into cubes and place all the ingredients for the patties into a food processor. Pulse blend until there’s a consistent texture of ground tuna.
  3. Form patties of equal size, then place them in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes so they can become more firm.
  4. Place the patties on the grill and cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Look for the pink areas of the tuna to turn white; however, provided the tuna is fresh and good quality, you can leave some parts of the tuna pink i.e. raw. You can also cook the patties in a non-stick skillet on medium high heat.

Ultimate low-carb deep-dish lasagne

FITMENCOOK

You’ll get nine hearty servings from this dish.

Calories: 319
Protein: 33g
Fat: 16g
Carbs: 16g

Ingredients for the sauce:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon garlic minced, 150g chopped onion, 900g lean beef, 1 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning, pinch of sea salt and pepper, 1 1/2 jars low-calorie marinara sauce

Ingredients for the layers:

550g part-skim ricotta cheese, 2 egg whites, 40g shredded parmesan (optional), 2 medium squash, 2 medium eggplants, 2 medium zucchini

Ingredients for the topping:

150g shredded mozzarella

Directions:

  1. Set oven to 220 degrees celsius.
  2. Set a nonstick skillet on medium high heat, add olive oil, garlic and chopped onion. Sauté and brown the onions, being careful not to burn the garlic.
  3. Increase the heat of the skillet and add the ground beef. Chop up as it cooks with the onions. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper, and continue cooking until the meat is well chopped in the skillet (note: it’s ok if there are still pink pieces).
  4. Add the marinara and fold everything together. Reduce the heat to low, then simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta and egg whites. Set aside.
  6. Using a kitchen mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the veggies vertically into strips, around the thickness of a pound coin. Pat them dry on a paper towel and allow them to rest on the paper towels for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of water in the lasagna.
  7. Build the lasagna – in a baking pan, add a layer of squash, followed by the meat sauce, then half of the ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of parmesan. Then, add a layer of eggplant, followed by meat sauce, the remainder of the ricotta mix, and a sprinkle of parmesan. Then, layer zucchini, top with the remaining meat sauce, and garnish with mozzarella.
  8. Cover with foil, and then bake for 35 to 40 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, remove the top foil and allow the top to brown.

Caribbean-inspired chicken & plantain curry meal prep

4 servings

Calories: 480g

Protein: 46G

Fat: 16G

Carbs: 42G

Ingredients for cauliflower rice:

1 1/2 large head of cauliflower, just florets and no leaves, 1 teaspoon bouillon season, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, 2 medium plantains peeled and sliced on a bias

Ingredients for chicken sauce:

1 225g chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 green onion stalks, finely chopped green parts only, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon cayenne, pinch of sea salt & pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder, 2 cups canned lite coconut milk (about 1.5 cans) alternate: 1 can + 150ml water, sea salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients for garnish:

Red pepper, red onion, fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley

Directions:

  1. Add chicken to a mixing bowl and add the seasonings and oil as a binder. Toss together then cover and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
    To prepare the cauliflower rice, follow the steps here. Once the rice is created, simply mix in the seasoning and set aside.
  2. Set a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Once hot, add oil and the plantain pieces. Lay the pieces flat in the skillet and allow them to cook undisturbed until sear marks appear, about 3 minutes, then flip to sear the other side, about another 3 minutes. Then remove from the skillet.
  3. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until the outside is seared, about 4 – 6 minutes, do not worry if the chicken is not cooked throuhg. Add the plantains back to the skillet and sprinkle in the curry powder and gently fold everything together.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium, then pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir to combine and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 12 – 15 minutes. Then remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken. PRO-TIP: if you prefer a creamier texture but do not want to add full fat coconut milk, then simply mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, then pour into the skillet along with the coconut milk.
  5. Evenly divide the rice among the meal containers, then top with chicken & plantain mixture. Garnish and enjoy! Meals should last for 4 – 5 days in the fridge but for best results, freeze any meal you will not eat within 2 days.

Tex-mex style burrito

2 servings

Calories: 490

Protein: 33G

Fat: 18G

Carbs: 52G

Ingredients for Meat Mix:

1 red bell pepper chopped, 1/2 (white) onion sliced, 225g 93% lean ground turkey, 5 tablespoons pimientos (plus juice), 1 tablespoon chilli powder (or paprika), 2 teaspoons cumin, 1/4 cup (or 4 tablespoons) salsa or enchilada sauce

Remaining ingredients:

Two 8-inch tortillas, 5 tablespoons (~1/3 cup) black beans, 2 tablespoons jasmine rice, 1 cup shredded romaine (or leafy green of choice), 2 tablespoons cotija queso (optional), 2 tablespoons avocado mash

Directions:

  1. Set a nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Once hot, lightly spray with avocado oil then add onion and bell pepper. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes until the veggies are softer with dark edges.
  2. Add the cooked turkey and rehydrate with the salsa, then add in seasonings.
  3. Warm a tortilla in the microwave for 30 seconds to help soften it.
  4. Add the turkey and veggies mix, add beans and rice, pour in the sauce and top with romaine and cotija queso.
  5. Set a nonstick skillet on medium high. Once hot, spray with oil then toast in the skillet on all sides of the burrito to make it crispy and seal it closed.

West african inspired peanut stew

6 servings

Calories: 580

Protein: 42G

Fat: 31G

Carbs: 38G

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ lbs thick-cut whole skinless chicken breasts, 1 medium yellow onion, chopped, 1 thumb-piece ginger peeled and minced, 5 cloves garlic minced, 2-3 medium sweet potatoes (4 cups worth) peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, 1 can  diced tomatoes, 6 – 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (begin with 6 cups and add more as needed throughout cooking), 2 bay leaves, 1 bunch kale or chard, ribs removed and coarsely chopped or torn

Ingredients for garnish:

1 large handful fresh coriander + more for serving finely chopped, Juice of 1 lemon, Salt & pepper to taste, 1/3 cup (5 tablespoons) roasted peanuts finely chopped

Directions:

  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season with salt & pepper.
  2. Place a large dutch oven pot on medium heat and add in half of the oil and the chicken breast. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, and then remove and set aside.
  3. Add in the remaining oil, onions, ginger, and garlic and saute until translucent, or about 4-5 minutes. Next, add in the sweet potatoes and seasonings cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add in the peanut butter, tomatoes, chicken broth, chicken breasts and bay leaves.
    Once it reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook until the chicken is fork tender, or about one hour, and then remove and shred using two forks.
  5. Add the chicken, along with the kale, back into the pot, and cook for another 10-15 minutes. If the stew becomes too thick, add a splash of water or leftover broth.
  6. Adjust for seasoning and stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Serve up with more cilantro and peanuts and enjoy!
  7. For an even heartier meal, serve over top of jasmine rice or cauliflower rice. TIP: Store any extras in the fridge for up to 5 days but I recommend freezing anything you will not eat in 3 days.

Black rice grain bowl

Calories: 500

Protein: 21g

Fat: 11g

Carbs: 89g

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked black rice, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 large red bell pepper chopped, 3 garlic cloves minced, 3 large portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed and sliced into strips, 3 tablespoons low sodium teriyaki sauce OR low sodium tamari (or soy sauce), 2 cups frozen shelled edamame thawed, 1 cup spinach (optional), 1 cup matchstick carrots, Juice from 1/2 lime

Directions:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add black rice and cook until desired softness, generally about 20 minutes. Note: Black rice is also chewier so please be aware that it does not automatically mean the rice is not cooked through. Then drain, rinse and set aside.
  2. Set a carbon steel wok or large pan on medium high heat. Add avocado oil and bell pepper and cook until sear marks appear on the edges, about 2 minutes. Then add in garlic and toss.
  3. Add sliced portobello mushroom caps and a few tablespoons of water to create steam to help them wilt a bit if needed. Then add 1 (one) tablespoon of the teriyaki sauce and toss everything together.
  4. Add the edamame, spinach and carrots and toss together. Squeeze in fresh lime and the remaining teriyaki sauce and cook/toss for another 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat and serve! You can enjoy this meal either hot or cold. Season each serving to taste using red chili garlic sauce, Sriracha and/or low sodium soy.

Chicken & broccoli stir-fry over sweet potato

3 servings

Calories: 460

Protein: 37G

Fat: 15G

Carbs: 44G

Ingredients:

450g lean chicken thigh diced into ½-inch pieces, 1 red capsicum  chopped, 5 cup broccoli, chopped into pieces, 3 medium sized sweet potatoes

Ingredients for sauce:

5 tablespoons low sodium soy, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon sriracha, 1 tablespoon arrowroot + water, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons water, sesame seed garnish – 3 tablespoons

Directions:

  1. Set oven to 200C. Poke a few holes in the sweet potato using a fork or knife. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potato is cooked through and can be sliced open.
  2. Add the ingredients for the sauce to a bowl or cup and stir. Set aside.
  3. Set a large wok on medium-high heat. Once hot, spray with avocado oil and add chicken. Let the chicken rest in the wok untouched for about 2 -3 minutes or until sear marks appear. Toss the chicken in the skillet then add the bel pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Toss in the broccoli and toss everything together. Reduce the heat of the pan to low, then make a hole in the middle of the skillet. Pour the sauce in the hole and stir immediately to prevent the sauce from getting slimy. You may also need to remove from the wok from the heat completely during this step if it is too hot.
  5. Slice open the sweet potato and flake the flesh with a fork. Evenly divide the stir-fry among the sweet potatoes and garnish with sesame seeds.

Chicken & couscous meal prep in 30 minutes

3 servings

Calories: 560

Protein: 44G

Fat: 14G

Carbs: 63G

Ingredients:

450g chicken thighs fat trimmed, generous pinches of sea salt & pepper, spray (avocado) oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium onion diced, 2 garlic cloves minced, pinch of sea salt, 1 cup dry couscous, 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons ginger, 9 sun-dried tomato pieces, chopped into smaller bits, 1 medium zucchini grated, 5 cups low sodium chicken broth or water, 3/4 cup frozen peas, sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Generously season chicken thighs with sea salt & pepper. Set a pan on medium high heat and once hot, spray with oil. Add the chicken and sear for 6 – 8 minutes per side, or until deep sear marks appear and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, then reduce the heat to medium.
  2. Add butter and onion and saute for 1 – 2 minutes before adding the garlic. Add a pinch of salt to the onions while they sear to draw out some of the sweetness.
  3. Add the dry couscous, cumin, ginger and sundried tomatoes and cook everything together for about 3 minutes, ensuring the couscous is toasting and being covered in the seasonings. Add the zucchini and the chicken broth. Pro-tip: warm up the chicken broth in the microwave or on the stovetop before adding to help speed up the cooking process. Stir, turn off the heat, then cover the pan and let it rest for about 5 – 7 minutes or until the couscous has absorbed the liquid.
  4. Flake with a fork, then evenly divide the couscous among meal containers and add a serving of chicken to each container. Freeze any portion you are not going to eat within 2 days in order to maximise freshness at meal time.

High protein abundance bowl meal prep

3 servings

Calories: 670

Protein: 32G

Fat: 28G

Carbs: 78G

Ingredients for salad:

3 cups cooked (red) quinoa, 1 1/2 cups (frozen) shelled edamame thawed, 1/2 cup raw or toasted pepitas, 1 large red capsicum diced, 1 medium red onion diced, 1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots, 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped and torn, 1 cup pineapple diced

Ingredients for dressing:

3 tablespoons raw tahini, 1/3 medium avocado, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup water (more as needed for thinning), juice from 1 lemon (or lime), 2 teaspoons cumin (or cumin seed), 1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional)sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, toss together the ingredients for the salad.
  2. For the dressing, add all the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Add water to adjust consistency to your liking and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
  3. Evenly divide the salad between your meal containers.
  4. Then evenly divide the dressing. If desired you can keep the dressing separate until you are going to enjoy it.
  5. Enjoy the abundance bowl meal prep recipe.

All recipes courtesy of Fit Men Cook.


This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

Related:

I outsourced my meal prep for a week; here’s what I learned

A Beginner’s guide to meal prep

The post 10 meal prep ideas for muscle gain appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

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5 mistakes holding back your bench press gains you should fix https://menshealth.com.au/5-mistakes-holding-back-your-bench-press-gains-you-should-fix/ Mon, 24 Jun 2024 05:47:06 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60520 These form snafus can prevent you from a big max—or could lead to injury. Make sure you're pressing the right way.

The post 5 mistakes holding back your bench press gains you should fix appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

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SOMEDAY, MAYBE WE can ditch the outdated gym icebreaker, “How much do you bench?” and replace it with the more appropriate “How good is your bench press form?”

To this day, the barbell bench press remains the de facto measuring stick for meatheads to gauge the overall strength of gym-goers of all sizes and skills—from elite athletes to world-class powerlifters to the mass monsters on the bodybuilding stage. It’s also the exercise that normally kicks off international chest day.

But before you bounce a barbell loaded with 45s off your chest pushing as hard as possible for a 1RM, there are some major mistakes that may be not only preventing you from any regular strength progression, but also setting you up for injury, according to says Men’s Health U.S. fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.

“If we’re not [bench pressing] correctly, and if we’re making a couple of mistakes, we’re not going to get the most out of this for our chest,” Samuel says. “And we’re also going to open ourselves up to injuries at the shoulder joint, the elbow, and at the wrist. And that’s something we don’t want to do.”

Here are some of the key mistakes you might be making that are holding back your bench press gains—and what you can do to fix them for better pressing.

5 bench press mistakes to avoid

You skip your warm-up sets

Yes, it’s actually beneficial to “go through the motions” prior to piling poundage onto the barbell. In addition to your normal dynamic warmup routine, going through some initial empty-bar sets or even utilising light dumbbells for a few reps will not only help warm up your muscles, it will also give you a quick form check to ensure all systems are good to go for chest day. This can set the stage for your upcoming powerful heavy lifts.

Try to warm up like this:

  • Start with five pound dumbbells or the unloaded bar. Push out five reps, focusing on an explosive concentric (the press) and gauging how you feel.
  • Grab a weight halfway between your warmup weight and your working weight. Bang out five reps, keeping your focus on how you feel.
  • Progress to your first working set.

Your feet aren’t on the floor

One of the first cues for a proper bench press setup is to make sure your feet are firmly on the floor. To get that big press, your initial energy force needs to begin the moment you drive your heels into the floor, then transferring that force up the chain all the way to the top of each rep. Having your feet lazy or even off the ground (which is a different exercise—the Larsen press) reduces any chance of generating full force throughout your bench press. “When I’m driving that bar up and really struggling to drive that bar up, I want to be able to ground my feet and drive it into the ground and try to transfer a little bit of force from my lower body to my upper body—and that can’t happen [with your feet in the air],” Samuel says.

You don’t squeeze your glutes

A longstanding muscle myth holds that the key that powering through a tough bench press rep is lifting your hips and glutes off the bench to help generate more power. In reality, that’s not going to help you much.

By keeping your glutes squeezed and glued to the bench, you’re continuing the force transfer that began with your heel drive. And plus, lifting your glutes from the bench won’t count as a complete rep if you’re competing, or you have any ambition for nailing a big lift among powerlifters. “If we’re digging our feet into the ground, but we’re not squeezing our glutes we have this big energy leak that we’re not going to be able to transfer force into your lower back,” Samuel says. “So we want to make sure our feet are flat on the ground, and we’re squeezing our glutes.”

You don’t squeeze your shoulder blades

Now that you have your lower body tight and secure, the last thing you want to do is lose any muscle momentum you created. Unfortunately, oftentimes benchers allow their shoulder blades to loosen up on the bench, thereby losing tension—and eventually maximum explosiveness on the bench press.

By keeping your shoulder blades squeezed tight to the bench, you’ll protect your shoulders, while also creating a natural “arch” in the back. Now, you can drive the bar with more force and at a shorter distance—like a powerlifter. Otherwise, having loose shoulder blades will take the emphasis off our chest and right back to our shoulders—not what we want for chest gains.

“Whenever we bring that bar down, our shoulder blades need to be able to squeeze together,” Samuel says. “As we drive that bar up. Our shoulder blades need a little bit of room to open up … we want to be able to have that freedom and we can’t do that if we’re not driving our shoulders part into the bench.”

You don’t break the bar

Don’t take the term literally. Not even The Rock would be able to snap a standard barbell in half (at least we don’t think he can)—but by simulating the bar-bending motion, you’re actually including more muscle engagement from a host of muscle groups, thereby creating more explosive pressing power. Skipping this cue is both a common and complicated mistake, but instead of thinking about actually “breaking” the bar, try to imagine trying to twist the bar apart as you begin turning the pits of your elbows toward your feet, thereby eliminating the chance that they flare out. By doing this you’re not only protecting your shoulders, you’re also activating your lats into the bench press. “You want to get those feet driving into the ground, you want to squeeze through those glutes, and then shoulder blades,” Samuel says. “Then you’re gonna break the bar—that all sets you up for the perfect bench press reps that you need.”

This story originally appeared on Men’s Health U.S.

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Why top executives are turning to weight training to manage stress https://menshealth.com.au/why-executives-are-turning-to-weigh-training-to-manage-stress/ Mon, 17 Jun 2024 01:20:43 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60407 While a degree of stress can be beneficial, if cortisol is elevated long term it can lead to burnout. Here's how weight training can help

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WHILE HIGHLY STRESSFUL C-suite roles and business ownership can leave many fantasising of a life devoid of stress, it’s interesting to know that as humans we need a certain amount of pressure to thrive.

It’s about levels and management. Where ‘good’ stress can in fact energise, invigorate and prolong life, the heightened levels too many suffer in their day-to-day can shorten life expectancy.

Ultimately, it’s a highly delicate balance. Too much without an outlet can manifest in physical symptoms – headaches, sleep issues and dull pain from muscular tension are early warning signs a body is breaking under stress.

But beyond quitting a given job – and waving farewell to those annual Euro summer holidays, what can you do?

Well, you can start by manage stress through exercise. Specifically, let’s look at the science to see how lifting weights directly aids in regulating stress in the body.

Endorphin release. Lifting weights intensely releases neurochemicals in our body called ‘endorphins’, aka, the ‘feel good’ hormones. The euphoric sensation that washes over you after a hard workout is your body rewarding you with chemicals that relieve stress. It’s why regular exercise can become so addictive.

Reduction in cortisol. This is a hormone our body needs, but only in small doses. Chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated, resulting in poor physical health outcomes. Lifting weights initially spikes cortisol but over time can help modulate your stress response, preventing it from becoming chronically elevated.

Deeper sleep. Hard exercise helps to increase ‘sleep pressure’ and ‘sleep demand’. In other words, the harder we train the better we sleep. And sleep is one the most critical components in managing stress.

Distraction. Rumination is one of the hallmarks of anxiety. It can sometimes seem impossible to shake the repetitive thoughts of the deal you just lost, the unhappy client or the manager you need to let go. Exercise can provide the necessary interruption, quelling such thoughts and distracting your brain from overthinking and fixating – providing essential time to de-stress.

Increased immunity. The data tells us chronically stressed individuals get sick more often. By intensely lifting weights (in manageable doses) we improve our body’s ability to tolerate stress. The downstream effect of this over time is a stronger immune system – cue fewer sick days and greater productivity.

These five reasons are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the positive health benefits associated with lifting weights. Improved body composition, higher testosterone levels and increased confidence also have a net benefit on our wellbeing and stress tolerance.

Meet the man behind Australia’s most exclusive gym

The top 5 daily health habits of high performing execs

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Honouring Dr Michael Mosley’s contribution to public health https://menshealth.com.au/intermittent-fasting-benefits-michael-mosley/ https://menshealth.com.au/intermittent-fasting-benefits-michael-mosley/#respond Tue, 11 Jun 2024 01:15:17 +0000 With news of Dr Michael Mosley's tragic death this weekend, we are recognising the British broadcaster's significant contribution to health and nutrition. Below is an interview Dr Mosley gave to Men's Health back in 2019, on his personal journey toward embracing intermittent fasting

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WHAT IF STAVING off the big killers entailed not cocktails of drugs but simply eating a little less? Michael Mosley, the force behind the 5/2 phenomenon, reveals why you should buy in to going without.

For those of us keen to live long and well, few topics tantalise more than intermittent fasting (IF). Clearly, the evidence is strengthening that eating less than you normally would – not always, just sometimes – does wondrous things to your body, raising the likelihood you’ll be kicking a ball with your great-grandkids shortly after humans colonise Mars.

At the pointy end of the IF debate is British physician and science journalist Michael Mosley, the personable populariser of its most celebrated version: the 5/2 diet. For Mosley, the adventure started in 2012 when a BBC project nudged him into the orbit of Mark Mattson, an American neuroscientist who’d been researching fasting for more than a decade. Mattson believed you could slow ageing by slashing food consumption by roughly 75 per cent on two days per week while eating normally on the other five. Mosley, who’d recently been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and was seeking alternatives to life-long medication dependence, put himself on the plan.

“After eight or nine weeks I’d lost nine kilograms,” he recalls. “I lost 11 inches [28cm] from around my waist, my cholesterol came down, I reversed my diabetes and I stopped snoring.”

Within a year, Mosley had co-authored his first book, The Fast Diet, which suggested that men who were overweight or had issues with their blood sugars restrict themselves to 600 calories (2510 kilojoules) on two nonconsecutive days each week. The Fast Diet became a bestseller. Active in the field ever since, Mosley spoke with Men’s Health in a Sydney hotel lobby on the eve of his “Wonders of the Human Body” tour of Australia.

“I do want to change the world,” he says. “I hear the stories of people who say [IF] has changed their life, as well as the stories of other people who say they’d rather die than eat this way. That’s how it is. But it’s unbelievably exciting feeling you’re part of this thing.”

 

benefits of intermittent fasting

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Six years after The Fast Diet caught fire, how have your views on fasting evolved?

Everything in that book I stand by. It has stood the test of time. But one of the things that’s changed is that I’ve moved up the calories on fasting days to 800. The original 600 for men was based mainly on rat work – there hadn’t been many human trials at that point. Since then, a lot of the science points to 800 calories as being low enough to trigger desirable metabolic changes but high enough for people to stick to.

There’s also a new 5/2 variant where you restrict yourself to 800 calories everyday. Is that shock therapy for the very overweight guy?

The main reason you would do it that way is because it’s more motivating. In studies of 800 calories done by Professor Roy Taylor at Newcastle University [in the UK], participants, on average, sustained a 10-kilogram weight loss for a year. The results were so impressive that the British Health Service is going to roll out a program testing it on 5000 people. It’s gone from crazy stuff to mainstream. As well as Roy Taylor there’s Professor Susan Jebb at the University of Oxford: she’s just done a big clinical trial looking at rapid weight loss and says [the results were] phenomenal. Yes, you have to make sure you’re getting all the necessary nutrients. It’s not suitable for everyone. My advice is to give it a go for two weeks. If you feel dreadful, stop. If you feel good, [persist]. I do recommend you don’t go on it for more than 10-12 weeks because we don’t really know what happens beyond that. You want to be conservative with this stuff.

Do you know how fasting fixed you back in 2012?

I asked Roy Taylor in 2014 why my diabetes had gone away. He basically said, “Look it’s all about rapid weight loss: you lost about 10 per cent of your body weight, you drained the fat out of your liver and pancreas, and they came back to life”.

Have you stayed on 5:2 for the past seven years?

No. I always saw it as an initial phase that would help people lose weight. I still try to do it but it’s more like 6/1. Except when I put on weight on a holiday or something like that, then I’ll go back to it. Some people stay on it because of the potential brain benefits. The data on that is not all there yet but Mattson is doing a trial and hopefully we will see the results on that sometime soon.

But your diabetes has never come back?

Gone. If it ever did return I’d do something aggressive about it again.

What do we know about the benefits of 5/2 for the fit, normal-weight guy?

To be honest, all the studies have been done on people who are either overweight or obese, or have a metabolic disorder. But there have been two small randomised controlled studies done on time restricted eating [specifically, the 16-8 protocol, in which all eating for a 24-hour period occurs within an eight-hour window] involving fit men, and these showed participants lost fat without losing muscle. But I wouldn’t put my hand on my heart and tell you that if you’re already fit and lean you should be doing 5/2 or anything like it because we don’t have the data.

In front of everybody, though, many fasting advocates dangle this carrot of autophagy – or cell renewal. Does that excite you?

It does. It’s a lovely notion, isn’t it? The body gobbling up all the bad cells. It’s a real phenomenon. There was a Swedish study published where they put people on 5/2 and it did indeed trigger autophagy. Basically, when you’re in a negative energy balance your body stops trying to produce more and more new cells, and instead tries to get rid of the garbagy old cells. The first person who told me about this was Valter Longo [a biogerontologist at the University of Southern California and author of The Longevity Diet]. We need periods of time without food. Valter Longo has shown that, particularly for things like your immune system, an initial effect of going on a fasting diet is that your white blood cells reduce. That doesn’t sound good. But what’s actually happening is you’re getting rid of the rubbishy ones, and when you eat again you get a lot of new ones that have been generated by stem cells. This may happen in the brain as well. Early days, but I do think that is one of the more exciting things. You strip the house in effect and then start fitting it out with new furniture.

Have you dabbled in 16/8?

Yes, though I prefer 14/10. This is based on the work of Professor Satchin Panda, who’s based at the Salk Institute and has written a brilliant book recently all about it (The Circadian Code). He’s a guy I spoke to back in 2012 when he just had rat work. Out of this spun all sorts of things, including 16/8. I saw him just before Christmas at the first ever intermittent fasting conference and he reckons 14/10 is more realistic and that’s where he is focusing his research. He says what happens is that after about 8-10 hours without eating your fat-burning starts to soar but, realistically, most people aren’t going to stick to 16/8. What he recommends is that you start by moving to 12/12. Just go 12 hours overnight without eating, then try shifting to 14/10 and see if you can stick with that. What I would love is to do a trial with Dr Panda where we combine time-restricted eating with 5/2, because he reckons they would work brilliantly together.

Would you say that any guy who doesn’t at least dabble in fasting is missing a trick?

I’m a great believer in self experimentation. I think if you’re at all curious, you might want to give it a go. You may find you keep all that lovely muscle and shed all that fat.

We’ve talked about the “when” of eating. What’s your approach to the “what”? I saw a clip of you tucking into a plate of pulled pork and fried calamari. Are you a fan of the meat-only diet?

No, that was for an Horizon episode called “The Truth About Meat”. I put myself on a heavy meat diet. I put on quite a lot of weight, my blood pressure went up and my cholesterol went crazy. I’m utterly sympathetic with the vegans, but the truth is I just don’t think I could do it. I’m more of a flexitarian. I like red meat. I’ll have it occasionally.

Why do it, Michael – commit to a lot of fuss and denial around food? Is it to squeeze out extra years at the end in a nursing home?

I think it’s to be happier. We’re all going to live a long time. Statistically, we’re likely to hit 84 and we’re probably going to hit 90. No male member of my family has hit 74 but I’m pretty confident I’m going to do it. But I don’t want to live my later years in declining health – miserable, impotent, diabetic, blind. I don’t want to deal with those things. What would be the point of being alive? I want to hit the age of 84, be super healthy and then die hang gliding or something like that. So that’s why you do it: you want to feel young and vibrant for as long as possible.

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