AUGUST 2020
08274
9 771027 687000
R80.00 (VAT INCL) Namibia: N$80.00 Other countries: R82.50
FIT AT ANYAGE BUILD LASTING STRENGTH FUEL YOUR MUSCLES STRETCH YOUR MIND
CLEAN MEALS FOR LEAN GAINS
WAYS TO SWIPE AWAY MONEY STRESS
THIS GUY IS LEE PHILLIPS COVER GUY, FIREFIGHTER & ALL-ROUND GOOD GUY
44
Get This Body p.21
SA’S SEX SECRETS REVEALED
PROMOTION
IT’S TIME FOR...
And The Winner Is... Thabang Glen (@fitnessbangsa) won the overall Men’s Health #BeastMode competition in association with Shower to Shower Men when he flipped a TRX workout on its head. The personal trainer walks away with a R15 000 cash prize. Watch his video at beastmode.mh.co.za
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PHOTO OGRAPHS: MARTIN DE KOCK | SHOT ON LOCATION AT VIRGIN ACTIVE ROOIHUISKRAAL
Real men. Unreal feats of fitness on Instagram!
From the editors of Men’s Health magazine
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CONTENTS COVER STORIES & FEATURES 24 BUILD LASTING STRENGTH
Rust-proof your joints and supercharge your muscle.
32 WORK(OUT) FROM HOME Minimal kit, zero excuses, total-body blast.
41 9 CLEAN MEALS FOR LEAN GAINS Find the work/knife balance.
70 6 WAYS TO SWIPE AWAY MONEY STRESS Fix your money mood forever.
78 POWER UP YOUR BODY AND MIND
21 ways to go from listless to boundless.
79 THE ADVENTURIST Welcome to anti-social distance training.
84 STRETCH YOUR MIND Get the wisdom that only comes from experience.
92 LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN
Find out what the future holds.
98 FUEL YOUR MUSCLES
The dish for every decade.
106 SA’S SEX SECRETS REVEALED We surveyed 932 of you and the results are in!
P.21 THIS GUY IS 44!
Build his body and get fit for duty.
CONTENTS
P.52
CARS FOR LIFE Cruise through every decade.
50 Slice out your risk of infertility.
56 Learn how to say yes
to no.
58 Our Girl Next Door
talks orgasms, sweating and cuckolding.
MH STYLE
60 Time-proof your
wardrobe.
65 Manage your COVID crop. 66 Salute the wristwatch.
MH UPGRADES
73 The best gear to hit MH home HQ this month.
MH MIND
74 Boost your brainpower.
On the Cover COVER GUY
Lee Phillips
PHOTOGRAPHER
Garreth Barclay
UPFRONT
8 Ed’s letter: age is but a number. 10 Get an unfiltered look
at those who are kicking it up a notch.
17 Find out which
matters more: diet or exercise.
18 How to come out of COVID mentally stronger.
MH BODY
34 Here’s how Connor
McCann dropped 34 kg.
36 The best tips to keep your body in one – very good – piece for life.
MH LIFE
28 Power your life-
it down (the scale, that is).
term fitness from the bottom up.
46 Harvest fresh health with the snob’s guide to garden herbs.
16 Be a maestro in the
30 Get ripped with
48 Order a party in a box. 49 Change your life
MH WORLD
14 Learn how to keep
sack and use gravity as your wingman. 6
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
these tips from the Devil’s trainer.
by changing up your bookshelf.
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR
Danielle Weakley Editorial Director
Robert Cilliers Editor & Creative Director WANITA NICOL Deputy Editor KELLEIGH KOREVAAR Managing Editor AZEEZ JACOBS Fashion & Grooming Editor NADIM NYKER Digital Editor MARK ARENDSE Art Director MEGAN FLEMMIT Health & Wellness Editor KIERAN LEGG Contributing Editor KIRSTEN CURTIS Contributing Digital Editor THAAQIB DANIELS Content Producer NADIA EKSTEEN Fashion Assistant HOLLY MASANGANYE Design Intern
Age Proof
MEN AREN’T JUST STAYING YOUNGER FOR
Shared services: Kerry Nash (Production Manager) James Garaghty (In-House Photographer) Amina Essop (Office Administrator)
CEO MEDIA24 Ishmet Davidson
CEO PRINT MEDIA Rika Swart longer; in many cases, they’re growing fitter and stronger with GENERAL MANAGER, LIFESTYLE Minette Ferreira age. Take Lee Phillips, this month’s cover guy, for example. Lee CMO MEDIA24 LIFESTYLE Nerisa Coetzee CFO, LIFESTYLE Jameelah Conway first appeared on the cover back in April 2014. This is his third FINANCIAL MANAGER Melanie Leeman Men’s Health SA cover. He has also managed to forge an even better physique than he had in his 20s. At 44, this firefighter is more toned, MEDIA24 LIVE (yumna.rojan@media24.com) HEAD OF SPONSORSHIPS Yelanda Mitchell 074 897 576 more agile, more functionally fit than ever before. Nikki Ruttimann 011 713 9147 (yelanda.mitchell@media24.com) (nikkir@media24.com) DURBAN: Mariska Venter 082 898 4376 As we grow older, our bodies inevitably change – but then, so do COMMERCIAL HEAD OF EVENTS: (mariska.venter@media24.com) Francois Malan 021 406 2376 our priorities. Come your mid-30s, the ability to run a 10K in under (francois.malan@media24.com) CIRCULATION SALES AND SOLUTIONS MARKETING MANAGER Andile Nkosi CIRCULATION MANAGER 021 406 2257 (andile.nkosi@media24.com) Riaan Weyers 021 443 9964 40 minutes could be less important than your sense of financial SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Jenny Marinus COMMERCIAL TEAM (jenny.marinus@media24.com) fitness. On the other hand, keeping yourself in above-average COMMERCIAL MANAGING EDITOR Gerda Engelbrecht 021 406 2217 For any queries, please phone 021 406 2121 physical condition once you’ve breached the big five-oh might (gerda.engelbrecht@media24.com) Subscription enquiries: 087 353 1300 COMMERCIAL MANAGER Lise Coetsee Fax: 086 457 5943; just be the best health investment you make. These things are 021 406 2358 (lise.coetsee@media24.com) Email: subs@media24.com; DIGITAL CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR Lilitha SMS: MensHealthSubs to 32511 (R1 per sms); in constant flux. The key? Maintain balance, momentum and Johnson 021 406 2320 Web: www.mysubs.co.za/magazine/mens-health (lilitha.johnson@media24.com) Call centre operating hours: desire – no matter what your goal. STUDIO CREATIVE DIRECTOR 8am-5pm (Monday to Friday) Michael De Beer - 021 406 3512 (Mike.DeBeer@media24.com) ALL SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS TO: This is our FIT AT ANY AGE issue. It contains a wealth of tools, tips Men’s Health, PO Box 16428, Vlaeberg, 8018 PUBLISHING SALES TEAM and tricks to help you look, feel and perform at your best – whether BUSINESS MANAGER: MEDIA 24 LEISURE REPRODUCTION Media24 SALES Danie Nell 011 322 0799/076 263 9114 PRINTING Novus Print you’re 25 or 55. Mix building muscle and flexibility for true mobility (danie.nell@media24.com) DISTRIBUTION On The Dot 011 402 1205 CAPE TOWN: Hannes Burger 076 152 4605 (p.24) and keep you body fit for life (p.36). Being fit at any age isn’t just (hannes.burger@media24.com) Copyright © 2009 Media24 (Pty) Ltd. All rights Nick Fitzell 071 430 6311 reserved. No part of this publication may be physical – it’s a state of mind. Four living legends offer the kind of (nick.fitzell@media24.com) reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or Daniela Di Giovanni 083 709 7040 be transmitted in any form or by any means, (daniela.digiovanni@media24.com) electronic or mechanical, without prior wisdom that only comes with experience (p.84). Tweaking your JOBURG: Kylee Robertson 076 263 9114 permission by Media24 (Pty) Ltd. (kylee.robertson@media24.com) food plan as you age will chew through your risk of chronic disease, Jeanine Kruger 082 342 2299 Men’s Health does not endorse the use of (jeanine.kruger@media24.com) chemical or related slimming products that muscle loss and obesity. Dig in (p.98). You might be surprised to Lizel Pauw 082 876 8189 promise instant or long-term results. Slimming (lizel.pauw@media24.com) products should not be used as find out men in their 50s don’t just orgasm more, they’re also more Sharlene Smith 083 583 1604 a substitute for a healthy diet and/or exercise. (sharlene.smith@media24.com) All prices recommended retail selling price. likely to experiment and use sex toys. We’ve got the Yumna Rojan 072 399 5789 survey results to prove it (p.106). To end on a high NO GYM note: congrats to Thabang Glen, the winner of this REQUIRED MAGAZINES INTERNATIONAL year’s Shower to Shower Beastmode competition. SVP/EDITORIAL & BRAND DIRECTOR Kim St. Clair Bodden ON SALE NOW DEPUTY BRANDS DIRECTOR Chloe O’Brien Plus, you too could EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CONTENT SERVICES Shelley Meeks feel like a winner by snagging a new set of Global Editions / INTERNATIONAL EDITORS wheels in the Toyota AUSTRALIA Scott Henderson, CHINA Yuqing Feng, CROATIA Krešimir Šego, GERMANY Arndt Ziegler, HUNGARY Zsolt Ribansky, ITALY Piero Bacchetti, JAPAN Kazushige Ogawa, KOREA Fortuner Challenge. Seungkwan Baek, LATIN AMERICA Victor Martinez Ranero, MIDDLE EAST, NETHERLANDS Olivier Heimel, POLAND Piotr Makowski, PORTUGAL Pedro Lucas, RUSSIA Max Semelyak, SERBIA Stefan (D (Details t il on p.20.)) Tosovic, SPAIN Jordi Martinez, UNITED KINGDOM Toby Wiseman, USA Richard Dorment
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Email: tellmh@media24.com Twitter: @MensHealthZA Facebook: MensHealthSA Instagram: @menshealthza Youtube: Men’s Health South Africa 8
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
The world’s most popular freestyle footballing competition, Red Bull Street Style, sees men and women performing tricks with a football that defy the laws of physics. This year, a new online format has made the tournament bigger than ever. / BY THAAQIB DANIELS
Kick It Up A Notch After 11 years of electric finales at packed amphitheatres in exotic destinations – including the 2010 competition held in Cape Town – this year’s Red Bull Street Style tournament looked like it would become another COVID-19 sporting casualty. But instead, the folks at Red Bull and the World Freestyle Football Association saw an opportunity to pivot in a new direction and expand the competition to a larger pool of tricksters with a wider audience by taking the competition online.
A REAL, FILTER-FREE LOOK INTO WHAT MATTERS THIS MONTH.
UNFILTERED “This online season of Red Bull Street Style could not have come at a better time, and it’s unique,” says Steve Elias, president of the WFFA in an interview with Red Bull. “There has never been a freestyle competition on this scale that’s online and open to everyone.” Inclusivity was the name of the game as anyone aged 16 and older could enter, by simply submitting a 30-second video showcasing their skills. A judging panel of 15 expert freestyle ballers then selected 200 men and 60 women to go through to round 2, which ends on 10 August. From stage three in September, through to the World Final on 14 November, the competition will be livestreamed so we can all marvel at the contestants’ skills from a safe social distance. To whet your appetite for the antics to come, here’s an unfiltered look at what went down at last year’s Red Bull Street Style tournament final in Miami, USA.
RED BULL CONTENT POOL
PHOTOGRAPHS
MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA
LOCATION
NOVEMBER 2019
DATE
RED BULL STREET STYLE
2019 Red Bull Street Style Champion Brazilian freestyler Ricardo “Ricardinho” Chahini de Araujo took home the RBSS trophy after a consistent display of stellar technique and flair. Here, the Miami crowd looks on in awe as he performs handstand tricks – some of his trademark moves.
“Ricardinho”
Big Air
Marlet VS Boyka, Quarter Final It was a battle of close control and attitude between Colombia’s Sebastian “Boyka” Ortiz (right) and Jesse Marlet of The Netherlands (left). When the round ended, the judges ruled in favour of the South American, sending him through to the next round.
Hometown Hero
Patrick Shaw, Qualifiers Even though he’s still in high school, 17-yearold Patrick Shaw has already shown that he has the talent to take on the best freestylers in the world. As the US Freestyle Champion, he proudly represented his country in front of the home crowd.
Stay Grounded
Ardhi Andriyadi, Qualifiers Indonesian trickster Ardhi Andriyadi shows his amazing level of balance and concentration. Ground moves are essential to any freestyler’s bag of tricks. But what impresses the judges even more is the ability to swiftly transition between standing tricks and floor tricks.
12
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
DON’T MISS OUT This year’s Red Bull Street Style World Final will be streamed live on November 14th. For more info, head to redbullstreetstyle.com
All In Your Head
Sebastian “Boyka” Ortiz, Qualifiers With eight Colombian National Championships to his name, Boyka is well-respected by his peers and is always a fan favourite when he enters the competition. The 25-year-old made it all the way to the final round of the 2019 RBSS tournament.
The High Flyer
Ricardinho vs Shaw Last year’s champion Ricardinho showcased his athleticism and creativity in each of his battle rounds. Here he nails a backflip catch while facing off against teenage freestyle sensation Patrick Shaw (USA) in the qualifying rounds.
Breaking Point
Jesse Marlet, Qualifiers Freestyle football is very similar to breakdancing. Besides the high-level athletics and airborne tricks, there’s a rhythm that each contestant follows, and missing a beat can throw them off their game. Dutchman Jesse Marlet shows deomstrates the strong connection between the two worlds.
A New Champ
The Top 3, Finals Ricardinho was crowned 2019 RBSS World Champion after defeating Boyka in an all South American final. Third place went to the previous year’s champion, Erlend Fagerli of Norway. Posing with the trio is Portuguese football legend and one of the judges on the day, Luis ‘Nani’ da Cunha.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 13
Be A Maestro In The Sack Skewer Fat For Life Stress Less, Sleep More
COMPILED BY THAAQIB DANIELS
Keep It Down Staying home doesn’t have to be synonymous with picking up weight – the kind you don’t want, that is. Take advice from some of the guys whose transformations we’ve featured in the past to keep that scale in check.
Give Your Chair A Break
“Keep moving. Get up every 30 minutes and walk around, go outside and get some fresh air. Another important thing is posture. Don’t slouch! Stretching is crucial during this time as our movements are more limited than usual.” – Tyson Brinkley, sales exec Featured in September 2018
Get An Early Start
Allow Yourself To BounceBack
“I could say it’s been easy during lockdown, but I’d be lying. Having to adapt from weighted training to bodyweight training has been a struggle. Not having the atmosphere, fellow gym buddies and essential equipment has also been a hurdle. But it’s all about discipline and I had to check myself and remind myself of my goals.” – Jody Williams, model Featured in September 2019
14
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Bust AMove
“Even though people who’ve seen me dance say I can’t dance, I figured out that I can use dancing to trick myself to start working out. The movements are not limited to a specific genre of dance. As long as you’re moving, it’s perfect.” – Musa Langa, group fitness trainer Featured in November 2018
“Most of us become lazy in the afternoon. We chill on the couch, and think of all the excuses not to train. Before we know it, the day is over. So I decided to train first thing in the morning. I’ve found that a resistance band is also very useful when working out at home.” – Jaco Smit, primary school teacher Featured in January 2020
Make It Personal
“Set goals that are based on you as an individual – your fitness level, body fat and training history – instead of just clicking on a random online programme. You need to follow a plan that suits you, instead of one that might be better for someone else. If it’s possible, get a trainer to guide you, even in lockdown.” – Tshepo Nyathi, personal trainer Featured in September 2019
WORLD
AUGUST
M E N ’ S H E A LT H B E Y O N D T H E P A G E
Download your digital copy at zinio.com Works on iPad, Mac or PC.
“I’ve started dating again in my 50s after a divorce. How do I make sure I can perform in the bedroom?”
QUESTION: We asked which of the following acts you consider to be cheating. While 22% of you feel it’s impossible to say because every couple should make their own ground rules, here’s what the rest of you consider crossing the line…
If your concern is around erectile dysfunction, you’re certainly not alone. According to a study from the University of Chicago, a third of men aged 50-64 experience ED. Of course, the last thing you want on your mind when your new partner suggests you get it on is whether you’ll be able to get it up. Set yourself up for success by choosing a position where you’ll be on top. With gravity as your wingman, you’ll have better blood flow to the penis, sending your chances of a strong erection, erm, way up. For the best sex positions at any age, check out MH.CO.ZA/SEX-WOMEN
65%
Penetrative sex
61.6%
Oral
61.3%
A romantic hangout
47%
60%
Kissing
Percentage of gym members in a global study y by RunRepeat who said they would not return n to gym once gyms reopen. More than 36% of
40.5%
Flirting on social media
respondents had already cancelled their memberships. If you’re creating a home gym, be smart about the equipment you choose. Key considerations: versatility, spacee and price. Check out MH.CO.ZA/GEAR-TECH for affordable home gym gear. SOURCE: RUNREPEAT.COM
IN THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE? TAG US IN YOUR POSTS! @MENSHEALTHZA #MENSHEALTHZA
35.3%
Flirting IRL
SOURCE: MEN’S HEALTH ONLIN NE SEX SURVEY 2020
@menshealthza Twitter
@MensHealthZA Facebook
Willson Sangweni @felo_sang12
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MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Clyde Bow @cross1bow
Sphiwe Noko @spitjoo
See all the stories featured by scanning the QR code.
GETTY/GALLO | IMAGES SUPPLIED (INSTAGRAM)
MensHealthSA
THE BIG QUESTION
“Is food or exercise more important for weight loss?”
WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: MITCH PAYNE, MICHAEL HEDGE I ILLUSTRATIONS: BEN MOUNSEY
/ NIGEL, MUIZENBERG
We’ve all been guilty of it: smugly swallowing a mouthful of greens before regurgitating platitudes such as, “Abs are made in the kitchen,” or the equally misguided, “It’s 90% diet.” But without rebooting training and diet in harmony, you’ll never tip the scales in your favour. Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle confirmed this when they conducted randomised trials on overweight participants. A clean diet alone was nowhere near as effective for fat loss as combining good nutrition with exercise. In fact, after five years, as many as 95% of dieters will be back where they started, and 41% will have regained more weight than they lost. It’s exercise that makes a plan stick. As well as being beneficial in isolation, training has been
proven to play a key role in diet adherence. Most of us underestimate the mental toughness required to resist cravings, but research shows that even small amounts of physical activity can strengthen willpower. Hitting the gym not only burns calories through belly fat, but it also steels you against the lure of the Golden Arches. The same can’t be said of a kale smoothie. If you’re training hard, you have the opportunity to break from nutritional austerity with a cheat day, too. Rely exclusively on food for transformation and there’s no room for slip-ups: you can’t burn off extra calories without exercise. Workouts are what turn any reboot into a sustainable lifestyle, rather than a shortlived dietary denial. Want to come back from winter (and lockdown) strong? Lace up your trainers.
DIETING WILL GET THE BALL ROLLING, BUT EXERCISE CAN SKEWER FAT FOR LIFE
NO SHIT SHERLOCK!
“Is Running Really That Good For Me?” – Sam, Centurion
Yes. Don’t be fooled by the promises of HIIT. Your steady 10K will outstrip any 30-minute session for mental, physical and calorieburning benefits.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
17
COUNSELLOR
STRAIGHT-UP ADVICE FROM A STAND-UP GUY, EVERY MONTH. / BY KIERAN LEGG
My family isn’t taking the virus seriously, and I just want them to understand the risks. Any advice for broaching this convo with them?
MEET SALMAAN KHADER Last month his advice helped you guys grapple with the psychological hazards of navigating life during COVID-19. Now, by popular demand, licensed registered counsellor Salmaan Khader is back to give you more mental tools for life after lockdown. I’ve become a complete germaphobe – it feels like I’m washing my hands every 10 minutes. How can I stop stressing?
If you’re glued to the TV or constantly browsing news articles about COVID-19, it’s going to have a knock-on effect. Switch your routine. Instead of the mindless browsing (or viewing) set aside specific spots for tuning into the news. If you find yourself worrying about the virus – and running to the sink for the 15th time that day – try a positive distraction: read a book, watch a YouTube video or meditate. If you’re still struggling with these phobias, it might be time to schedule an online session with a pro.
Start with educating yourself on the topic, so that you’re well informed with the facts rather than dishing out arbitrary info. It can help to have a plan. If you prepare responses, it’s always going to go a lot better than when you wing it. If the relative in question is particularly stubborn, try reference info from resources they are more likely to trust. But if those sources don’t cut it – read: tinfoil hat conspiracy theory blogger – try getting info from their preferred news outlet. Is there an article that might persuade them to stay at home? A radio personality they like who tweeted something that might convince them to wear a mask? Doesn’t matter if the publication or individual is your political opposite, if the info helps keep your family safe, use it.
My fiancé and I were supposed to get married soon. But with the current chaos, it looks like our big day might not happen. How do we keep the morale up?
It’s normal to feel defeated. And chances are, you might not have the energy to reschedule and start planning all over again. But don’t let the pandemic get you down – you call the shots! Sure, that special day is going to look a little different, and it might be more low-key, at a different venue, with half of the guests Zoom-ing in, and minus the Great Dane you hired to be the ringbearer, but the result will be the same: you’re marrying the love of your life (it doesn’t matter where or when). Take a deep breath and enjoy the process of putting together a Plan B.
The masks, the hand sanitizer and the social
distancing have turned the grocery run into a stressful gauntlet. How do I stay calm next time I’m at my local?
First, remind yourself that this is an unprecedented situation. It’s normal to feel anxiety in these times. No, you’re not losing your mind, but you’re going to choose to cope. Normalising tension is vital here, the rest will fall into place. If you find yourself caught up in the stress or the panic (and you’ve only made it to the fruit and veggies) you need a plan next time you’re driving the trolley. Think about what’s in your control. Sure, you can’t micromanage the stumbling shoppers around you, but you can make sure you’re carrying hand sanitizer and kitted out with a comfy mask. You can also arrange the items on your shopping list so that you don’t have to wheel back to the same aisle over, and over again. Being efficient will get you in and out quickly, minimising stress (and exposure to the virus).
Now that I’m working from home, my kids’ tantrums are messing with my focus and nosediving my productivity. Got a fix?
The pandemic has caused a ton of stress, not just for you, but the kids, too. They’re incredibly susceptible, and they’ll be looking to you to steer the ship and keep things positive. Many children are not able to discuss their feelings as they may feel uncomfortable doing so or are just too young to have the vocab to do it. The result: behavioural outbursts such as tantrums and acting out. When this does happen, even if you’re in the middle of the workday, it would be ideal to stop what you’re doing and try to connect with your child to help calm them down. Taking time to validate your child’s emotions and empathising with them will help your kid feel more understood and less alone, which can help reduce levels of distress and hopefully give you more uninterrupted work hours in future. Try helping your child name their emotions and then try normalising those feelings. Reassure them that it’s normal to feel this way considering the current climate.
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT Sleep better, feel calmer and bust stress with Salmaan’s tried-andtested phone favourites:
BREATHE EASY X Ten Percent Happier: Posited as a zero-BS meditation app for sceptics, the app features guided meditations, talks, daily features and (yes please!) a fully kitted coronavirus sanity guide. iOS & Android X Mindfulness Coach:
Developed to help war veterans, this app is useful for anyone keen to practise mindfulness. The app includes a gradual, selfguided training programme that’ll introduce you to basic mindfulness principles at an easy and accessible pace. iOS & Android STRESS LESS X Sanvello: The app provides on-demand, clinically validated techniques for reducing stress and treating depression and anxiety. iOS & Android X Happify:
Feeling anxious? This app features games and activities designed to defuse stress and overcome negative thoughts. iOS & Android SLEEP BETTER X CBT-i Coach: COVID-19 has led to an uptick of insomnia globally. If you’re suffering with symptoms, this app utilises cognitive behavioural therapy techniques to help you grab more shuteye. iOS & Android
*For more advice follow Salmaan on Instagram (@salmaan_khader) or visit his website (salmaankhader.com).
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MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
GETTY GALLO
ASK THE
TED: WE’RE LOOKING FOR A FIT GO-GETTER WITH NERVES OF STEEL
TO DEFEND MEDIA24 TITLE IN THIS YEAR’S
UP FOR GRABS Last year, former MH cover guy Trevor Lagerwey represented Media24 in the Toyota Fortuner Challenge and drove away in a brand new Fortuner when he and his teammate – Olympic rower Kirsten McCann – beat stiff competition to take the title! Now one lucky Men’s Health reader* will team up with a South African sports hero for the chance to defend the title and win a Toyota Fortuner of his own!
WHO ARE THE HEROES? • Junior Pokomela Cheetahs and former Springbok rugby player • Giniel de Villiers Dakar Rally racing driver • Hanneke Dannhauser Obstacle course racer • Mapule Ndhlovu Celebrity trainer
* One finalist will be chosen from Weg/go!; Weg Ry & Sleep/go! Drive & Camp; Men’s Health; Women’s Health and Bicycling entrants. Entries close 11 September 2020. The finalist will compete in a series of physical challenges during a weekend in October.
OVERALL WINNER
TOYOTA FORTUNER 2.4 GD-6 RB 6MT RETAIL VALUE: OVER R540 000 RUNNER-UP PRIZES (FINALIST OF EACH TITLE): GARMIN FĒNIX MULTISPORT SMARTWATCH (1 PER MAGAZINE/PLATFORM/TITLE)
CONTESTANT PRIZES (ONE OF THE FOUR FINALISTS PER MEDIA HOUSE): • Specialized stumpjumper alloy 29er mountain bike valued at more than R40 000 • Garmin fēnix multisport smartwatch worth over R10 000 • Active Gear
ENTER AT: TOYOTA.M24LIFESTYLE.CO.ZA
Level Up Your Mo obility Age-Proof Your F Fitness Train Like The De evil
COMPILED BY MEGAN FLEMMIT
Participatin g in fitness competitio motivates L ns ee to train h arder.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARRETH BARCLAY & JAMES GEER
DU
AT 44, LEE PHILLIPS IS IN THE BEST SHAPE OF HIS LIFE. THE FIREFIGHTER IS STRONGER, FASTER AND FITTER THAN WHEN HE FIRST STARTED SAVING LIVES TWENTY YEARS AGO AND HE HAS NO PLANS OF SLOWING DOWN. / BY MEGAN FLEMMIT
Adrenaline coursesthroughLee Phillips’ veins whenevera distress call comes through to the station. Regardless ofwhat he’s doing, the flood of hormones joltshim into action. “I’ve had calls beforewhenI’ve literally been inthemiddle of a tough workout,”he laughs.“But whenthat call comes through, all thoughts oftirednessdisappearas the adrenalinekicks in.” In a matter ofseconds, the first responderand his teamare geared up andready to go.While the adrenalinegets himmoving, it’s his fitness that enablesLeeto perform heroic feats underpressure.It’s helped himrescue victims from burningbuildingsand pry them loose fromwreckedcars. MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
21
BODY respond to an incident, we know who should carry out what duties based on their strengths and weaknesses.”
Use Functional Training To Move Better
JUMP IN: Lee won the CrossFit Competition at the WPFG in Los Angeles.
The firefighter has trained consistently since he first picked up a set of weights in his parents’ garage at age 16. As he’s gotten older, his commitment to fitness hasn’t waned. As he’s moved from regular firefighter to officer-incharge, he’s seen firsthand the impact being in shape has on his ability to do his job. Here’s the wisdom he’s picked up over the course of his career.
CreateAnEnvironment ThatWorksForYou No two days are the same when you’re a firefighter. The unpredictable nature of the job forces firefighters to stay on their toes and in shape. Gyms inside the respective fire stations make it easier for them to do so, but when Lee first arrived at his current fire station four years ago, he realised the station gym wasn’t suited to his needs. Determined to maintain his fitness, he requested additional equipment that would help keep his body in fighting shape. Now the gym is equipped with a range of free weights, sandbags and cardio machines like a ski-erg and rowing machine. For around 90 minutes each shift, the gym is where you’ll find Lee and the other firefighters on duty. “When I first got to that station, I was pretty much the only one who
trained on my shift,” he says. “I think some of them were intimidated a bit, but I explained that I could adapt the workouts for them. All of them then got involved and now they love it.” But working out together is more than just a bonding exercise. It’s a way for them to determine each other’s capabilities. “It helps, because when we
IT HELPS, BECAUSE WHEN WE RESPOND TO AN INCIDENT, WE KNOW WHO SHOULD CARRY OUT WHAT DUTIES BASED ON THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
22 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Being a firefighter is a physically demanding career. The first responders aren’t just training for aesthetic goals, but rather to have the flexibility, strength and stamina to carry out their duties. It’s why Lee favours functional training. His fitness routines are a mix of cardio and weight training, with compound moves that target a variety of muscle groups. “Being a firefighter you have to lift quite a bit of heavy stuff so deadlifts are a great exercise to do,” he says. “Doing a ground to overhead movement with a barbell is also quite useful.” But it’s not just about lifting heavy. Other types of movements that firefighters do include pushing, pulling, carrying and dragging. So Lee includes exercises like rope climbs, weighted pullups and sled pushes in his routine. While the first responder has stuck to functional training, his approach to fitness has changed slightly as he’s gotten older. “When I was younger, I probably did a lot more volume when I was training. Back then I recovered really quickly because I was young.” But recovery takes longer as you get older. Now he focuses on the quality of his reps, instead of trying to bang out as many as possible. It’s a lesson that’s just as useful out
Lee also be Champio came the World n fighter c in the Ultimate F ompetit ion at th iree WPFG
in the field as it is in the training room. Good form is essential when it comes to carrying out his duties. In high pressure scenarios following proper technique can be the difference between life and death.
Find Ways To Push Yourself Over the years, the 44-year-old has competed in several fitness competitions. He’s been named London’s Fittest Firefighter and brought home gold medals from the World Police and Fire Games (WPFG). “I’m competitive by nature and participating in these competitions is a way to satisfy that part of me,” he says. Aside from showing him how he stacks up against the rest of the world, the games also motivate him to train harder. “I believe that it’s always important to have something to train for.” In 2017, Turf Games, a gruelling team fitness competition, kicked off in London. The competition was another opportunity for the firefighter to test his mettle – this time with some friends alongside him. Just like responding to incidents as a firefighter, the Turf Games requires participants to think strategically as a team to get the best results. It wasn’t long before Lee and his team started bringing home gold medals. Now the firefighter works as the programme director, selecting workouts for participants to complete.
Take A Holistic Approach To Recovery When it comes to nutrition, Lee follows a simple formula: eat whole foods, avoid processed ones. “Even when I was younger that was my mentality and I think it’s helped me maintain my
fitness over the years,” he remarks. “Don’t get me wrong, I do eat burgers and chips occasionally, but it’s not something I eat all the time.” Research shows that consuming whole foods is the best way to ensure your body gets the necessary nutrients and antioxidants which leads to optimal health. For Lee, it assists with his recovery. “Your body needs to replenish its resources. It needs to repair itself and I think your nutrition is the biggest contributing factor.” Lee’s recovery doesn’t end with his nutrition. The firefighter takes a holistic approach when it comes to keeping his body in check. This means foam rolling to stretch out his muscles, doing yoga to improve his mobility and getting enough sleep when he’s off duty to give his muscles a chance to repair themselves. “Training only makes up a small percentage of your time, but all those other things make a big contribution to your overall results.”
GET FIREFIGHTER FIT
Forge total-body fitness and lifesaving strength with these four moves from Lee Phillips. Do five rounds. (c)
(b) (a)
(a)
(b)
1. HEAVY D BALL TO SHOULDER Keeping your core strong and chest slightly lifted to avoid rounding your spine, squat down and grab the ball with both hands (a). Roll the ball into your forearms (b). As you stand up, lift the ball to your left shoulder(c). Drop the ball back in front of you. That’s one rep. Do four each side. Why it’s great: “It’s a good compound move. In the fire service we’re lifting a lot of heavy equipment from the floor. This is a good move to replicate that.”
Work On Your Weaknesses The impact of COVID-19 has changed the way many of us train. While Lee has been fortunate to keep working out at his fire station’s gym, his movements outside were restricted when the gyms closed. But the first responder has always managed to adapt to change. He’s used the time to work on things he’d been neglecting. Years of training has led to his shoulder muscles tightening up. “They weren’t bad before, but they weren’t allowing me to perform a full range of motion.” To counteract this, the 44-year-old is doing mobility exercises and stretches with resistance bands. Lee’s also taken to working on his gymnastics skills – something that will come in handy when he’s allowed to participate in competitions again. “Most of the moves are bodyweight so I don’t need anything for them. I’ve been working on my handstands and handstand walks in particular.” By slowly working on his weakness the firefighter plans on emerging from lockdown stronger than ever.
This move simulates pulling yourself up over obstacles with all your kit on.””
(b)
3. SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL THRUSTER Hold a kettlebell by its handle with your right hand so the weight is resting on the back of your right shoulder. Your left arm should be stretched out to the side. Squat down, keeping your core tight (a). Drive through your legs and straighten them, extending your arm as you do to raise the kettlebell above your head. That’s one rep. Do 12 each side. Why it’s great: “It’s a good compound, conditioning move that engages several muscle groups, including your legs, core, shoulders and arms.”
(a)
(b)
2. WEIGHTED HTED PULLUPS Start by adding the appropriate weight to your body. Grab the pullup bar with your palms down, shoulder-width apart (a). Gripping the plate between your legs, pull yourself up to the bar, going all the way up until your chin passes the bar (b). Lower yourself until your arms are straight. That’s one rep. Do eight. Why it’s great: “In the fire service your kit weighs quite a lot and you’re often pulling yourself up and over something when you’re at an incident.
(a)
4. BURPEES Start standing. Squat down and put your hands on the floor. Jump your legs back into pushup position and lower your chest to the floor (a). Reverse the movements, jumping up into the starting position(b). That’s one rep. Do 16. Why it’s great: “They’re a great fullbody conditioning move that helps build your cardio engine.”
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 23
BODY THE BIG WORKOUT
Strength ThatMatters DON’T DISMISS MUSCLE AS A YOUNG MAN’S PURSUIT, OR FLEXIBILITY AS AN OLDER MAN’S PROBLEM. TO BE FIT AT ANY AGE, YOU NEED TO MIX THE TWO FOR TRUE MOBILITY. MAXIMISE YOUR REACH.
01B
24 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
01A 1
02B
01
90/90 HIP SWITCH
Until you develop strong, flexible hips, your overall mobility will be compromised. Start here: sit on the ground with bent legs and squeeze your fists behind your body to create extra tension. Lower your right knee to the ground and your left knee to the back of your right foot (A). Keeping the tension, rotate your torso as far right as possible. Remaining upright and tense, slowly reverse to the start, before mirroring the move to the left (B). Repeat.
WORDS: ANDREW TRACEY | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES | MODEL: JAMIE FRANCE ILLUSTRATIONS: ANDREA MANZATI
Use it or lose it: it’s a cliché, but as the years advance, it begins to bear out. While there are myriad less-thaan-desirable physiological changes that com me with the march of time, many of the ill effects e of ageing may be correlative. Not all yourr aches can be blamed on the number of can ndles on your birthday cake. As your professional and family commitments mount, the timee that you can commit to your body declines. Inevitably, I there is also a reduction in non-exerccise-related movement, too – it’s not so easy y to get a fivea-side team together on a Saturday. With all this, it should come as no surprise that we start to rust and struggle against the discomfort of stiff, inflexible joints when tryiing to work out. Challenging your body throu ugh a varied range of motion is the premium m-grade oil that your system needs to avoid seizing up. But increasing your flexibility isn’t enough, and could even lead to injury. Imagiine flexibility as the passive range of motion you y can achieve at any particular joint: how far it i can move from A to B. All this really tells you is the h quantity i of movement you can achieve, not the quality. The latter is defined by your ability to control the entire range, applying strength and tension throughout. That’s the true definition of mobility. It isn’t about how big your range of motion is. It’s what you can do with the range you have. What you’ll find here is the workout you need to maximise your real mobility for better strength and range (and we’ve even thrown in a show-off move in case you’re feeling truly limber). Think of this as your toolbox for greasing your gears, rust-proofing those joints and supercharging muscle in the process. There’s a lot of road ahead of you, after all.
THE WARM-UP
ELECTRIC FEELS
02A
THE SHOW-OFF MOVE
APPLY LEVERAGE Mastering the Tuck lever shows you’ve reached the zenith of strength and control. Even the progression moves are a serious challenge. Get to grips with these to witness unparalleled results
Gym goers have long treated warm-ups as superfluous. In fact, they’re your chance to flip the switch, charge your circuits and signal to your nervous system that it’s time to move. Instead of focusing on sets and reps, hit each move in 30-second bursts, aiming for total-body tension and increasing the range of movement with every rep. Perform as a circuit four times for a total of six minutes.
SUPERMAN PRESSDOWN 4 MAX EFFORT REPS, 30 SEC REST
Lie on your stomach with a stick placed across the bottom of your glutes and your hands in front of you. Create tension through your entire body, then lift your chest and fe eet from the ground as high as posssible, squeezing the stick be etween your glutes and the top of your legs. Hold.
03A
03B
02
LOADED BEAST WAVE
This movement strengthens and mobilises your spine by limiting your points of contact from the ground, ensuring tension. Begin on all fours, pushing your weight through the balls of your feet and with your knees a few centimetres off the ground (A). Drive your hips up and straighten your legs to form an inverted V, then slowly roll your spine down until your hips are just above the floor. Pinch your shoulder blades back (B) then tilt your chin to the ceiling. Reverse and repeat.
03
PRONE BUTTERFLY SWIMMER
You may never set foot in a pool, but this move will loosen up your shoulders for dry-land mobility. It is tricky to master, so don’t think you can go full Le Clos straight away. Lie face down, hands at your sides, and dig your toes and head into the floor to create plank-like tension (A). Keeping them straight, rotate your arms up and over until they’re in front of you (B). Reverse, and attempt to make a greater arc each time.
S THHE CAT SKIN 3 SETS OOF 3 REPS, 1120 SECC REST
Grip a chinup c d hang fully bar and extended, with feet tog gether. Raise your legs up until your feet pass through your arms an nd over your head head. C Continue in this arc until your arms are fully extended and your feet are pointed at the ground. Pause, then lift your hips and reverse back to the starting hang.
TUCK LEVER 4 MAX EFFORT REPS, 90 SEC REST
Perform a “skin the cat” until your torso is parallel to the floor. Then, bend your knees and raise your hips, tucking your legs to your chest. Keep your hips as high as you can, pulling down on the bar and pushing your head away to lengthen your torso. Hold this position. MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 25
BODY THE WORKOUT
THE SILVER RANGER Flexibility, control and strength are useful at any age. But in the second phase of your life, they th become vital. These moves athletic life can be adva anced or regressed with a few tweaks, so feel free to start with bodyweight alone. Circu uit 10 reps of each move for 30 minutes, witth a 90-second rest after each round. As y your poise and power grows, use our guide (right) to ramp it up, o one notch at a time.
01A 1
03A
02A 2
02B 03B
01B
COSSACK SQUAT
Hit your lower body with this Soviet hammer. Set your feet beyond y shoulder width (A). Then, shift your weight onto your left foot, picking up your right toes. Drop into a deep lateral lunge, keeping your left foot planted, right leg straight and torso up (B). When you’re at the bottom of your range, drive back to standing through your left foot and repeat on the opposite leg.
26 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
ARCHER PUS SHUP
Assume a pushup position with hands perpendicular to your body g y wider than usual (A). and slightly Shift your bodyweight towards your left hand by straightening out your right arm, bending your left elbow and slowly lowering your chest to the floor (B). Return to lockout in the centre before shifting to the right and repeating on the opposite side.
03
BRIDGE PULLOVER
An Arnie special, this musclebuilder hits your chest, lats and core, and builds unrivalled upper-body mobility. Lie your shoulders on a bench or box, holding a dumbbell if you’re feeling brave. Lower your hands back towards the floor until your hips begin to lift (A). Reverse the arc, stretching your arms up, raising your hips and squeezing your glutes and core (B). Repeat.
THE MASTERY MATRIX
LEVEL UP YOUR MOBILITY
04B
Range is only half the battle. To truly master these moves, you’ll need to ditch the training wheels and add some weight. Conquer all four and you’ll have enough mobility to last a lifetime
04A
04
COBRA BURPEE
As venomous to your lungs and heart as the original, this reptilian twist acts to deload your spine. Place both hands on the floor and jump your feet back into the top of a pushup. Lower your hips and actively push the floor away, tilting your chin up (A). Now jump your legs forward and explode up (B), landing softly with bent knees. Repeat the movement.
PILGRIM
DISCIPLE
MONK
MASTER
BODYWEIGHT
RESISTANCE
CONSTANT TENSION
LOADED TENSION
01
Cossack squat (as
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest.
Avoid standing tall when you transition from left to right. Instead, stay as low as possible to keep your legs working.
Combine resistance and tension, staying as low as possible while holding a weight across your chest.
02
Archer pushup (as prescribed).
Wear a weighted vest or place p a plate on yo ur back
Avoid pressing to full lockout between reps. Keep your chest as low as possible when moving from left to right.
With a weight plate across your back, try to stay as low as possible as you switch from side to side.
03
Bridge pull-over (No d dumbbell). (N bb ll)
Hold a dumbbell in your hands. h
Anchor a band to the floor and loop it around your hips.
Cobra burpee (as prescribed).
Hold a pair of light pa umbbells. du
)).
Hold a short band in your hands, with the band at hip height behind your back, pulling your hips down.
Attempt to touch the dumbbell to the floor without your hips lifting against the band.
Hold a short band and pair of light dumbbells in your hands to really test your control and strength.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 27
BODY GEEK TWEAKS
Long Live The King HAILED AS THE GREATEST MUSCLE BUILDER OF ALL TIME, THE SQUAT IS ALSO A CRUCIAL MOVEMENT FOR STRENGTH AND MOBILITY THAT WILL VASTLY INCREASE YOUR FITSPAN. WE GIVE YOU THE DOWN LOW.
NEVER SKIP LEG DAY The squat transcends simple exercise: think of it instead as a fundamental movement pattern. The following variations will cover all the bases for real-life mobility that lasts.
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING Strong legs are the key to strength, but squats also offer some hefty side benefits
SUNNY DISPOSITION Squats increase your testosterone levels. A 30-minute spike of T will build muscle and help combat anxiety and depression.
POWER UP They strengthen your hips and glutes, crucial to transferring your leg power upward, adding oomph to your athletic endeavours.
THE ULTIMATE WARM-UP
01
COSSACK SQUAT
3 sets of 10 reps per side, 30-sec rest Stand with legs wide. Shift your weight to your right foot. Drop into a lateral lunge, right foot planted, left leg straight. At the bottom, drive up to standing through your right foot. Switch legs.
ALL-DAY MOBILITY
02
DEEP BODYWEIGHT SQUAT
HARD CORE Recruiting a huge percentage of your core musculature to stabilise the lift, squats beat situps and crunches for abs-building, hands down.
Power your long-term fitness from the bottom up
Sets of 60 sec, as many times as possible With your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, sink into a deep squat with your heels on the ground. Press your elbows into your knees, opening up your legs. Hold this position.
THE MUSCLE BUILDER
5 sets of 10 reps, 90 sec rest Hold a bar at your collar, with your feet closer than shoulder width. Step back onto a raised surface, elevating your heels. Squat for four seconds, then drive back up.
03
THE POWER LIFT
LOW-BAR BACK SQUAT
04
28 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
6 sets of 3 reps, 120 sec rest Pull your shoulder blades back and down, creating a “shelf” 5cm lower than your traps, and place a barbell here. Squat with a wide stance, leaning forward slightly for balance. Stand up explosively.
WORDS: ANDREW TRACEY | ILLUSTRATIONS: HARVEY SYMONS
HEEL-ELEVATED SQUAT
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P L AY F ORR 2 W EEE S
BODY When gyms closed way back in March, it hit all of us for six. And every month they stayed shut was a personal affront to our dwindling gains. But it’s time to stop crying into your KFC bucket and start your comeback. And who better to help you than the guy who whips Hollywood actors like Lucifer’s Tom Ellis and Kevin Alejandro into shape (not literally – he uses burpees). Tom and Kevin had four months before filming started (catch season 5 on Netflix this month). THE TRAINER Paolo You have four months until Mascitti is the December holidays. You got this. transformation specialist behind some of Hollywood’s most shredded physiques. Follow him @paolomascitti
1 / Go in with a plan.
Forcing yourself to go for the odd run will get you somewhere. But not necessarily where you want to be. “One of the biggest factors in fitness is matching your goals to the form of training you do, and that training should also match your lifestyle,” says Paolo. “There is no one way of training. There is no such thing as one-diet-fits-all. I believe that if you start working out with a trainer, and he tells you that he knows exactly what will work for you, then that trainer does not know anything; he is just trying to sell you something. There is no magic pill – it’s a process of trying, and sometimes failing, until you find what works for each individual.”
2 / Train smart.
Guess Who’sBack SPOILER ALERT: IT’S YOU. COME OUT OF HIBERNATION STRONGER THAN EVER WITH THESE FIVE GOLDEN RULES FOR GETTING RIPPED, FROM THE HOLLYWOOD TRAINER WHO TRANSFORMED THE DEVIL HIMSELF. / BY WANITA NICOL PHOTOGRAPHY: LESLIE ALEJANDRO
30 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Paolo specialises in building “Hollywood bodies” – the kind of physique that becomes a tabloid headline but is functionally capable enough to throw a punch or, you know, a table as the script demands. If that sounds pretty sweet after six months of mooching around in elasticated waistbands, meet your new workout buddies. Compound moves. “Resistance training is the most efficient way to build lean mass, especially doing multi-joint movements like squats, bench press, lunges and pullups,” he says. “Compound exercises cause the greatest increase in testosterone – a key muscle-building hormone.” High-Intensity Interval Training. “HIIT workouts typically burn more calories in less time than most other cardio routines,”
Paolo is a big fan of compound moves. BOTTOM: He got Lucifer stars Kevin Alejandro and Tom Ellis in shape.
START HERE
Answering these questions will give you direction.
WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
It needs to be specific and measurable. “I want to lose weight and get stronger” is not an effective goal. Instead, try: “I want to get my body fat down to 12% and do 10 pullups”.
says Paolo. “Due to the higher intensity, your muscle shifts into excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and during this period your body burns additional calories at a higher rate to repair your muscles. This recovery keeps your metabolism boosted for hours after training.”
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO OBTAIN IT?
This will give you focus and help to determine the frequency and intensity of your training, plus how you eat. But it needs to be realistic. If your timeframe is too short, you may need to adjust your goal.
STYLIST: ROBIAT BALOGUN | GROOMER: SIENREE PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: ALEXIS NEGRETE
3 / Feed your muscles. The bad news: there’s no secret Hollywood handshake, pill or magic stardust that’s going to get you shredded without cleaning up your diet. The good news: you don’t need a personal chef. What works for Paolo’s A-list clients is the same simple advice that will work for you. Protein for building. “Eat a highquality lean protein source at every meal,” says Paolo. “Now that you’re lifting weights you need to consume more protein to promote muscle repair, recovery and growth since amino acids are essential to build muscle tissue.” Carbs and fats for energy. “[Eat] large quantities of high-fibre veggies with your meals and include good sources of fat and Omega 3s like avocado, nuts and/or seeds.” Whole foods for nourishment. Eliminate highly processed foods, advises Paolo. As far as possible, buy food in its natural form – a fish; a broccoli – not the Frankenstein version that comes in plastic. Water for life. Your muscles are made largely of water. “Drink 2-3 litres a day,” says Paolo. “More on days you work out.” Don’t starve. During the first phase of Tom and Kevin’s training, Paolo had them eating a slight calorie surplus to feed their growing muscles. Two to three weeks before filming, they started a shredding phase, eating at a slight deficit. But they were always eating.
WHAT HAS WORKED FOR YOU IN THE PAST, AND WHAT HASN’T?
4 / Sleep it off. The boep, that is. “Not getting enough sleep can stop protein synthesis (muscle growth) and increase protein degradation,” says Paolo. “And let’s not forget that the level of human growth hormone spikes while you sleep.” He recommends getting at least 7 hours a night. “And when you train, give your body enough time to recover, both in between sets and out of the gym.”
5 / Stop with the excuses. Paolo was training clients remotely long before COVID made it cool. And since being
3
The minimum number of 60-90-minute workouts you should commit to doing per week in order to hit your goals in a reasonable time, according to Paolo Mascitti. Got time? Make it five. Scan for a video of Paolo Mascitti’s physiquesculpting workout.
If you’ve never been able to stick to a running programme, what makes you think you’ll stick to one now? HIIT training might be a better cardio option for you.
famous doesn’t automatically mean having a fancy-arse home gym (we were shocked, too), virtual workouts are often mainly body weight. “Combine cardio moves, like burpees, jumping jacks and high knees, with strength exercises, including everything from pushups to lunges to squats to pullups and you’ll be able to build lean muscle mass, while also improving your heart health.” No bar? Jog down to your local park and tell the kids around the monkey bars to get in line. (You did not read that here.) MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 31
BODY THE FUN PATH TO FIT
The 6-Move Total-Body Blast
YOU’VE DONE BENCH PRESSES BEFORE – BUT NOT LIKE THIS. HERE YOU’RE BLENDING CLASSIC (AND, OKAY, BORING) MUSCLE EXERCISES WITH CALORIE-BURNING BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES SO YOU CAN CHALLENGE NEW MUSCLES. DO THIS WORKOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK. ON OFF DAYS, DO 20 PUSHUPS, 20 DUMBBELL ROWS PER ARM, AND 20 BODYWEIGHT SQUATS. / BY SEAN GARNER AND EBENEZER SAMUEL
2
THE WORKOUT Perform the moves in order. Do 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps of each exercise. Rest for 45 seconds between each set, 1 minute between each exercise.
1
Hip-Lift Alternating Floor Press
Lie on your back, dumbbells at your chest, feet flat on the floor near your butt. Squeeze your glutes and lift your torso; lift your left leg. This is the start. Lift the right dumbbell, then lower it; repeat with the left dumbbell. That’s 1 rep. Switch legs every set.
Overhead Split Squat
Stand holding a mediumweight dumbbell overhead with your left hand. Step your left foot backward, lowering into a reverse lunge. Without moving your feet, straighten your knees to stand up (a). This is the start. Bend at the knees, lowering your torso until your right thigh is parallel to the floor (b); straighten back up. That’s 1 rep. Switch sides every set.
EB SAYS:
“If you’re arching your back, hold the dumbbell at your shoulder instead and tighten your abs.”
(a)
EB SAYS:
“Lift your hips only as high as they’ll go when you squeeze your glutes.” (b)
3
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift to Row
Stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart, knees slightly bent, holding medium-weight dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your core tight, push your butt back and hinge your torso forward. Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings or your torso is parallel to the floor, whichever comes first (a). Squeeze your abs, then row the dumbbells to your hips (b). Lower them, and straighten back up. That’s 1 rep.
(b)
(a)
EB SAYS:
“Take your time on the deadlift; aim to take 2 to 3 seconds to lower your torso.”
32 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAT WIRSING
YOUR MUSCLE MASTER
Ebenezer Samuel, is a certified strength and conditioning expert who has trained with professional and Olympic athletes. (b)
FEATURED TRAINER Sean Garner, is a personal trainer who specialises in efficient full-body workouts. He also runs Project Dadbod, which provides workouts for busy dads.
(a) EB SAYS:
“Never take your eyes off the raised dumbbell.”
EB SAYS:
(b)
4
“Pinch your shoulder blades when your chest faces the ceiling, protecting your shoulders and getting some extra back work.”
Half Getup to Hip Lift and Press
Lie on your back, holding a dumbbell at your left shoulder. Shift your left foot to your left glute. This is the start. Drive your torso up, keeping your right hand on the floor. Squeeze your glutes, driving your hips in line with your torso (a). Raise the dumbbell (b) and lower it. Return to the start. That’s 1 rep; do 2 sets per side.
(a)
(b)
EB SAYS:
(a)
5
“Squeeze your shoulder blades.”
6
Bear Rotation and Press
Get on all fours, knees off the floor, core tight, a lightweight dumbbell in your left hand. Row the dumbbell to your chest. Lift your right foot off the floor and shift it under your left leg (a). As you rotate your chest toward the ceiling, keep the dumbbell close to your chest. Once your chest faces the ceiling, place your right foot next to your left, tighten your core, and press the dumbbell upward (b). Reverse the move to return to the start. That’s 1 rep. Do 2 sets on each side.
Side-Plank Side Press
Set up in a right side plank, right forearm and right foot on the floor, core tight, with a light dumbbell in your left hand, held at your chest (a). Tighten your abs and keep your hips level; press the dumbbell straight up (b); lower it back to your chest. That’s 1 rep; do 2 sets per side.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 33
Lift Yourself DEALING WITH DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND A BACK INJURY, CONNOR MCCANN HAD THE ODDS STACKED AGAINST HIM. BUT, WITH THE HELP OF HIS FRIENDS, HE FOUND THE COURAGE TO GET STRONGER AND SHED 34KG ALONG THE WAY. / BY THAAQIB DANIELS We all know losing those stubborn kilos requires a great amount of physical effort, but there’s often a psychological weight that needs to be shifted, too – and it can be just as much of a challenge. In 2013, Connor McCann, a teacher from Kwambonambi, was diagnosed with clinical depression, generalised anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. “I was never happy with the way I looked. I constantly felt sick, and this only compounded my depression,” he says. 34 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
LOST 34KG!
1
A PUSH IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Connor had just matriculated, but he wasn’t the sporty teen he used to be. A back injury during his final year of high school halted his training and kick-started his weight gain. “I tried to eat my problems away,” he says. “A regular lunch for me after high school consisted of six mini-burger rolls, a large packet of Doritos, a slab of chocolate and a 2-litre Mountain Dew.” Even though Connor was giving up on himself, his friends wouldn’t let that happen. They managed to spark a bit of motivation which would snowball into pure dedication later on. “A couple of friends encouraged me to start training with them. I started off slowly by doing a couple short runs each week – after which I would feel as though death had come looking for me.” These weekly cardio sessions gave Connor a new outlet – something that he could chase wholeheartedly, even if he didn’t know exactly what the target was. “I never really set a goal, other than losing some weight,” he says. “I started cutting out as many carbs as I could and eventually I only ate meat and salad. I am clueless about counting calories and I only try to eat as healthily and as sensibly as I can. I took my time and was incredibly happy just losing the odd kilogram every few weeks.” PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELLE HERBST
BODY Location: CrossFit Richards Bay We want to hear your weight-loss and personal success stories! Email us at tellmh@ media24. com.
CONNOR MCCANN
BEFORE
2
THE TURNAROUND
“In 2014, I weighed 124kg,” Connor recalls. “From there, my training increased and in 2016, I ran a half-marathon – only because of peer pressure.” Connor enjoyed running, but he struggled with injuries after long runs. He decided to switch up his training by combining running, cycling, swimming and bodyweight sessions. A mix of workouts that he would continue to do until 2018, when he discovered a fitness regime that was exactly what he was looking for: CrossFit. “I finally found a type of training that allowed me to live a more balanced lifestyle. I now complete three or four CrossFit sessions a week and I cycle and swim three or four times a week. Some days I have two training sessions.” Connor still keeps his diet clean, but he’s learnt that the odd indulgence doesn’t have to be a major setback. “I still try to avoid carbs as much as possible. I do not drink alcohol, but I can’t seem to give up chocolate,” he jokes. “CrossFit has given me the confidence to enjoy life a little more without the guilt. I’ve found that my current training programme suits me well and allows me to maintain my weight.”
3
AGE: 25 OCCUPATION: Teacher HEIGHT: 194cm WEIGHT BEFORE: 124kg WEIGHT NOW: 90kg LOCATION: Kwambonambi, KZN
LIGHTENING THE LOAD
The last six years haven’t only been a journey of physical transformation for Connor – his mentality and attitude towards life have also shifted. “I have absolutely no idea what my body fat [percentage] is. Things like that don’t interest me. I am not a professional athlete, I am just a regular guy who wants to be healthy and happy,” he says. “I live a very different lifestyle to the one I led when I was in my early twenties. I now love being outdoors and I have rediscovered my passion for photography. “There will always be bad days, but I know that one good training session can put things back into perspective. Making the decision to lead a healthier lifestyle has literally saved my life – it has brought me back READY TO LOSE YOUR BELLY? USE OUR PLAN TO from a very dark place TRANSFORM YOUR BODY – START TODAY AT and has given me BELLYOFF.CO.ZA a new lease on life.” MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 35
BODY
Age-Proof Your Fitness GOING HARD EVERY TIME YOU TRAIN IS A YOUNG AND FOOLISH MAN’S GAME. IF YOU’RE STIFF, SORE AND RACKED WITH PAIN, YOUR PROGRESS WILL SOON DROP OFF. THIS IS HOW TO KEEP YOUR BODY IN ONE VERY GOOD PIECE FOR LIFE.
06 RANGE OF MOVEMENTS
04 MAKE EA PRE-EMP PTIVE STRIKE The best warm-u up stretches mimic the move you’re about to perform m, weightfree. Try good mornings m with a pole before you deadlift to fire up your entire back, or an overhead squat stretch before you approach the rac ck: anything to get your targe et muscles ticking over.
Switch up the types of stretches you’re doing: during your warm-up, dynamic stretches can flood soft tissues with blood and oxygen, but post-workout, it’s better to stay static. Static stretching can lengthen and realign muscle fibres, developing flexibility and speeding up recovery.
01 NO PAIN IS GAIN
05 GO FOR A FULL 15
02 TRAIN RESPONSIBLY
Planning the sort of night that involves a beer or three? Then don’t sweat it. Just tweak tomorrow’s workout schedule: alcohol can cut your testosterone levels by up to 25% for about 12 hours, so train later in the day if you’ve had a few drinks the night before.
03 LOW GI, JOE Rest days and cheat days are
not one and the same. On day ys free from training, you need to restock your body’s glycogen levels, so lowGI carbs should make up arou und 40% of your calorie intake. Think wholegrain rice, pu ns. Remember, it’s not just what you eat but how it’s prepared – lightly boiled or steamed veg will have a lower GI value than anything that’s been fried in oil.
36 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Tapping your toes won’t cut it. The most effective period to hold a stretch for is 15 seconds, but don’t waste your time. Keep it short and sweet: research suggests that longer stretches offer no extra benefits. Save the breathing exercises for yoga.
07 JO OINT EFFORT
While static c stretching has its benefits, research from the University of Sydney suggests that it does little to relieve muscle soreness. Functional range co onditioning, however, not only reduces joint pain but helps to bu ulletproof you against future injury. Ta ake your shoulders: controlled articular rotations ions – moving a sh houlder blade back, down, forward, then up with your arm outstretched –c condition the joint’s optimal range op e, instead of justt stretching the e muscle.
WORDS: DAVID MORTO ON | ILLUSTRATIONS: BEN MOUNSEY-WOOD
High-intensity exercise causes micro-trauma to your muscle fibres, which can leave your joints crying out for some relief. However, aggressive stretching after a tough session can cause more damage. Keep it light to ensure that your muscles stay relaxed and to assist fibre realignment. Slowly push each stretch until you can feel the pull without pain, and you’ll be able to haul yourself out of bed without wincing.
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LIFE
Harvest Fresh Health Have a Party In A Box Drive Through Each Decade Blow Your Mind With Books
COMPILED BY KELLEIGH KOREVAAR
The Work/Knife Balance
A good homemade lunch shouldn’t compromise on flavour in favour of convenience. With many of us heading back into the office, your al desko dish should be something to savour, while providing the nutritional firepower to help you blast through your to-do list. Bin the limp salads: our chefs have Monday to Friday in the bag. WORDS BY SCARLETT WRENCH MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 41
LIFE SERVES 1 6 5 G Q U I N OA , UNCOOKED ½TSP GRATED GINGER 2 TS P S U GA R 4 T B S P S OY SAU C E 75G SUSHI-GRADE T U N A ST E A K , D I C E D 2 S P R I N G O N I O N S, SLICED 5 P L A N TA I N C H I P S ½ AVO CA D O, S L I C E D
01
Mental Reboot Bombay Chicken No time to cook? With a quick supermarket sweep, you can gatherthe ingredients for a focus-sharpening salad from Meera Sodha, author of East. Its amino acids provide easy mental energy.
FO R T H E C H É V E R E SAU C E : 300ML RED WINE 5 0 G S U GA R 1 T B S P C O R N F LO U R
METHOD
SERVES 1
Natural Nootrop opic Tuna Ce Ceviche
Packed with brain-healthy fats, this morale-boosting bowl, from Venezuelan restaurant Sabroso!, will stop your mood sinking. Beat the afternoon slump with food.
METHOD
SERVES 1
Start with some quick knife work. Slice the chicken and tomatoes, finely dice the shallot, then combine with the spinach. Spinach is rich in beta-carotene, which helps to protect your eyes from screen glare, while chickpeas’ tryptophan acts as a natural mood booster. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then plate up with the salad, sprinkling on a handful of Bombay mix for spice and crunch. In a small bowl, combine the chutney, oil and lime juice using a fork. Drizzle this dressing over the salad and mix everything together. Eat cold and fire up your focus.
2 0 0 G SW E E T P OTATO 1TBSP RAS EL HANOUT H A L F A T I N C H I C K P E AS 1TBSP CHERMOULA 5 0 G TA H I N I 20ML LEMON JUICE HANDFUL ROCKET
42 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
METHOD Scrimp on cash, not macros, by subbing chickpeas for your usual protein. As well as cutting costs, the extra fibre will keep your food cravings under control. When you get home from work, slice the sweet potato into wedges, spoon on the ras el hanout with a glug of oil, and leave it all in the oven for 35 minutes, turning halfway. Combine the chickpeas and chermoula,
an antioxidant-rich North African marinade that you’ll find in several big grocery stores, like Woolworths. Whisk 100ml of cold water into the tahini until you have a pancake batter-like consistency, and season with lemon juice and salt. Pop the wedges in your lunch box, topped with the chickpeas, tahini and a generous handful of fresh rocket.
03
Protein Fix Sweet Potato Salad
Often distracted by hunger during mid-afternoon meetings? Turn to this hunger-suppressing dish from vegetarian eatery Bubala for a healthy dose of meat-free protein.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUN LEE
A C O O K E D C H I C K E N B R E A ST 1 0 BA BY P LU M TO M ATO E S 1 S H A L LOT B I G H A N D F U L BA BY S P I N AC H H A L F A T I N C H I C K P E AS H A N D F U L B O M BAY M I X 1TBSP MANGO CHUTNEY A DRIZZLE OIL HALF A LIME, SQUEEZED
Tuna and quinoa contain tyrosine, an amino acid that improves problem solving, while good fats raise levels of brain chemical acetylcholine. Fry the quinoa in a saucepan for two minutes, then add 150ml of boiling water. Cover with a lid
and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, cool and mix with the ginger, sugar, three tablespoons of the soy sauce and a glug of oil. Now, make your sauce. Bring the remaining soy, wine and sugar to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes. Mix the cornflour with two tablespoons of cold water until thick, then add it to the sauce, whisking until thick. You’ll have plenty left for next time. Top the quinoa with the raw tuna, onions and sauce to taste, and stick it in the fridge overnight. Top with the plantain and avo at your desk.
SERVES 2 A C H I C K E N B R E AST C H I L L I POW D E R, TO TAST E Z EST O F A L E M O N ½ C LOV E GA R L I C, C R U S H E D 6 0 G C H O R I ZO, D I C E D ½ WHITE ONION, SLICED ½ R E D P E P P E R, S L I C E D 3 0 0 G CA RO L I N O R I C E , P R E- C O O K E D WO RC EST E RS H I R E SAU C E 1 0 0 M L C H I C K E N STO C K 6 0 G F ROZ E N P E AS H A N D FU L PA RS L EY, C H I F FO N A D E
METHOD
04
Post-Gym Piri-Piri Chicken
This spicy dish from Portuguese hot spot Casa do Frango has the ideal macro balance to ensure your workouts never wipe you out. So much more satisfying than a protein bar!
There’s no shame in a Tupperware box of chicken and rice, but don’t forget that flavour and variety are crucial to any healthy meal plan. So, add some. Grill your chicken (or buy pre-cooked) and coat in piri-piri glaze: whisk chilli, zest, garlic and a glug of olive oil. Buy pasture-raised birds,
as they have a better ratio of omega fats, which support muscle recovery. Fry the chorizo, onion and peppers until the veg soften. Tip the rice into the pan and sauté. Add Worcestershire sauce and the stock, then throw in the peas and parsley. Split into two portions, add a squeeze of lemon and top with half of the chicken. A portion packs the 32g of protein you need after a tough lunchbreak session, plus fast-acting carbs to boost muscle synthesis.
06
Vitamin Bomb Pumpkin Tirshy If simplicity is the order of the day, batch-prep Bubala’s versatile dip. An easy upgrade for your lunchbox staples, it’s rich in micronutrients to offset the effects of stress or sleep loss. SERVES 4
SERVES 1 OR 2 100G FREEKEH, RINSED 6 0 G TOAST E D CAS H E WS 2TBSP OLIVE OIL 2 T B S P PO M EG R A N AT E M O L ASS ES 1TBSP LEMON JUICE ¼ TS P G RO U N D C I N N A M O N 1 TS P H O N EY 5 0 G C O R I A N D E R, C H O P P E D 5 0 G PA RS L EY, C H O P P E D 5 0 G M I N T, C H O P P E D 1 0 0 G S P I N AC H , C H O P P E D 1 RED ONION, DICED 1 TO M ATO, C H O P P E D 1 0 0 G PO M EG R A N AT E S E E DS
METHOD If today’s work is more cerebral than physical, portion into two and serve with your choice of protein, such as pan-fried tofu. But if you’re on your feet a lot, go all in – you’ll need those carbs. Boil the freekeh in salty water until soft with a slight bite – this will take about 15 minutes. Meanwhile,
pulse the cashews in a blender to form a coarse crumb. Adding fat to your carbs slows down their absorption, giving you longerlasting energy. Drain the freekeh, then whisk the oil, molasses, lemon, cinnamon and honey. Carefully slice the herbs and spinach so they don’t end up mushy (go big with your portions – this is more salad than grain bowl), then combine it all. It’ll keep for a few days in the fridge, so scale up the quantities if you want to bulk prep.
05
All-Day Energy Cashew Tabbouleh
When overtime is inevitable, gear up with Bubala’s salad, packed with hunger-burning carbs. It’ll sweeten your day at the coalface.
85 0 G A D E L I CA P U M P K I N 1 T B S P C U M I N S E E DS, G RO U N D 1 T B S P C O R I A N D E R S E E DS, G RO U N D 1 T B S P C U R E D L E M O N PAST E 2 T B S P ROS E H A R I SSA 1 0 0 G C O R I A N D E R, C H O P P E D F ETA , TO S E RV E , C R U M B L E D O L I V ES, TO S E RV E
METHOD This dip contains about a third of the fat you’d find in shop-bought hummus, but about triple the flavour. Pumpkin is full of immunitybolstering vitamin C and beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. Cut the pumpkin into wedges, discard the seeds, coat with oil and season. Roast for 30 minutes at 180°C. When it’s soft, allow to cool, then blend with the seeds, lemon paste, harissa and 200ml of water, then stir in the coriander. Break it out at your desk and top with feta and olives. Serve with flatbread as a pre-gym snack, or with any leftover veg kicking about in your fridge.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 43
LIFE
09
HeartProtecting Moju Salad For a week’s worth of nutrient-rich fuel, spend a Sunday bulk prepping this salad from Sri Lankan restaurant Hoppers. It’s an easy way to counter the damage of days slumped at your desk.
07
Power-Up Pasta a Bollitore
Bollitore is Italian for “kettle”, and that’s all the hardware you’ll need. This recipe from Olia Hercules, author of Kaukasis: The Cookbook, takes just six minutes to make and is full of slow-burning carbs.
SERVES 1
METHOD
1 0 0 G F R E S H PASTA , 5 0 G P OTATO E S, CA N N E D 5 0 G F I N E B E A N S, FRESH AND CHOPPED 2 T B S P G R E E N P E STO HANDFUL ROCKET P I N E N U TS, O P T I O N A L
First things first, boil the kettle. Place the pasta, potatoes and green beans in a bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt and cover with the boiled water. Reheating cooked potatoes lowers their glycaemic index
value, meaning their energy is drip-fed to your brain and muscles, helping you beat the 3pm slump. Cover your bowl with a plate, then simply leave for three minutes, which will be enough time to cook the pasta. Drain and stir through the pesto and rocket, both sources of brain-boosting vitamin K. Plate up and sprinkle over the pine nuts.
SERVES 7 4 PA R S N I P S, I N 7 C M BATO N S 2 CA R R OTS, I N 7 C M BATO N S 2 0 0 G J E R U SA L E M A RT I C H O K E , D I C E D 2 L E E KS, T R I M M E D A N D S L I C E D 3TBSP COCONUT OIL 1 TS P T U R M E R I C P OW D E R 2 R E D O N I O N S, F I N E LY S L I C E D 1 0 0 G F R E S H C O R I A N D E R, C H O P P E D 5 0 G F R E S H M I N T, C H O P P E D FO R T H E D R ES S I N G: 1 0 S H A L LOTS, F I N E LY D I C E D 3 G R E E N C H I L L I E S, D I C E D 4 GA R L I C C LOV E S, P E E L E D A N D D I C E D 8 C U R RY L E AV E S 2 TS P G R O U N D M U STA R D S E E D S 1 TS P D I J O N M U STA R D 2 T B S P C H I N E S E R I C E V I N EGA R 2TBSP COCONUT OIL
METHOD
SERVES 1 7 0 G M I X E D BA R L E Y A N D L E N T I LS, P R E- C O O K E D W I L D SA L M O N , A H I G H Q UA L I T Y F I L L E T 1 T B S P E DA M A M E B E A N S HANDFUL KALE, ST E M S R E M OV E D 4 B R O C C O L I F LO R E TS 1TBSP KIMCHI S R I R AC H A M AYO 1 T B S P A L M O N DS, F L A K E D
METHOD
08
Prebiotic Salmon Grain Bowl
As well as cramming in three of your five a day, this recipe from “wild food” specialist Mac & Wild contains prebiotic compounds, which help to alleviate anxiety. Turns out comfort food can be healthy after all!
44 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
If your mornings tend to be a frantic rush for your front door, save yourself precious minutes with a microwave pouch of barley and lentils. A daily helping of pulses has been shown to reduce blood sugar and pressure. As the pouch cooks, dice the salmon into 1cm cubes, then add
to the heated grain mix. We’ll allow a pre-cooked fillet, but high-quality raw fish retains even more of its omega-3s. Top with the edamame, kale and broccoli (both prebiotic sources), and dress with a drizzle of olive oil and chilli flakes, tossing everything together. (Cutting costs? Use half the salmon and bulk out the rest with extra lentils.) To finish, top with gut-healthy fermented kimchi, a drizzle of the sriracha mayo and a sprinkle of flaked almonds.
This will keep in the fridge for a week. Plus, you can pair it with different proteins. Roast the veg with coconut oil, turmeric and seasoning for 20-30 minutes. While it cooks, mix up your dressing. Coat the veg in as much as you want, adding the sliced onion. Pack a serving in your lunch box, then combine with the herbs at your desk.
LI F THE HEALTH SNOB’S ’S
IDE TO
Garden Herbs
BE TRULY GREEN AND CULTIVATE COMMON HERBS FROM A SIMPLE GARNISH INTO THE FLAVOURFUL MAIN EVENT. YOU’LL HARVEST FRESH HEALTH BENEFITS. / BY MILLIE WEST
01 REAP REWARDS
Lockdown has caused a resurgence of hobbies. If you don’t have one yet, it’s time to clear the dusty jars at the back of your cupboard and plant the seeds of optimal nutrition. As well as packing the potent flavours you need to make your fitness fuel taste truly gourmet, fresh herbs will add a finishing touch of extra vitamins and minerals to any meal. Allow the experts at Jekka’s (jekkas.com), a herb farm with more than 30 years’ d your belly full.
A MINT
Mint does far more than keep bad breath at bay. A study conducted by the University of Adelaide demonstrated that it can improve gut health and alleviate IBS symptoms by activating an anti-pain channel called TRPM8.
B BASIL
Long-revered for its myriad health benefits and its ability to enliven almost any Italian dish, basil is rich in phytochemicals, including eugenol and limonene, which reduce oxidative stress and fight the spread of certain cancers.
C PARSLEY
Just an 8g portion of parsley packs 16% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. This will help to prop up your immune system when heavy training sessions put you at greater risk of catching the office lurgy.
D CORIANDER
This herb reigns supreme in south Asian cuisines for good reason. It contains antioxidants linked to increased immunity and anti-cancer properties, while its seeds are full of hypoglycaemic compounds that help to steady blood glucose levels.
MH.CO.ZA/ MH CO ZA/ A Augustt 2020
02
GROWTH OPPORTUNITY
You might have ditched the dry stuff, but that doesn’t mean spending your weekends trudging around the local community garden in your gumboots. The Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 will help you set up your own herb-cultivation operation on your kitchen countertop (R1 999, digitalfarming.co.za), providing the optimal conditions for growth.
Consider investing in Jekka’s A Pocketful of Herbs (R235, kobo.com), a book that will serve as your A-Z on your path to Keith Kirsten status. Or download the Candide app. Once you have successfully grown your first crop, prune with a set of Garden Master Pruners (R190, builders.co.za), and keep your harvest fresh for longer in a herb keeper (R360, faithful-tonature.co.za).
3
EAT T YOUR GREENS Refreesh your recipe reperrtoire with these everg green additions from Jekka a’s. They’re simple, flavou ursome and heavy on the herbs to maximise the heealth perks of every mouthful. Take a leaf out off their book.
NICCE’N’ SPPICY
Cre eate flavour com mbinations the of which w Colonel would be proud by adding the ese healthhancing enh spiices to your sta ash of herbs.
A HEALTHYY GUT GU TOFU TABBOULEH
B CLEANN BIL BILL OF HEALTH PESTO SALMON BAKE AKE
SERVES 4
SERVES 4
50G MINT 5 0 G PA R S L E Y 20G CHIVES 100G COUSCOUS 4 TO M ATO E S, C H O P P E D 1 C U C U M B E R, C H O P P E D 1 RED ONION, DICED 4TBSP LEMON JUICE 6 TBSP OLIVE OIL 3 0 0 G TO F U SA LT A N D P E P P E R
METHOD Finely chop the mint, parsley and chives. Put the couscous in a large bowl, along with the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, lemon juice, half of the olive oil and the herbs. Dice the tofu, before frying in the rest of the oil over a medium heat for 15 minutes. Once golden and crispy, combine with the salad, then cover for up to six hours in the fridge to let the flavours infuse. A sure-fire hit for al fresco lunches, and a proteinrich meal prep option, too.
2 B U N C H E S F R E S H BAS I L 275 M L E X T R A V I R G I N OLIVE OIL 2 GA R L I C C LOV E S 3 0 G P I N E N U TS 1TBSP LEMON JUICE 1 TS P L E M O N Z E ST 6 0 G PA R M E SA N , G R AT E D 4 SA L M O N F I L L E TS 2 C O U R G E T T ES 3 0 0 G S U GA R S N A P P E A S 2 0 0 G T E N D E R ST E M BROCCOLI
METHOD Using a food processor or pestle and mortar, blend the basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, adding salt to taste. Stir in the Parmesan, then spread over each salmon fillet, flesh side up. Bake in foil for 20 minutes at 180°C. Finely slice the courgettes, then stir-fry in olive oil for five minutes with the sugar snap peas and broccoli, making sure they retain their crunch. Serve topped with the salmon for a hearty hit of omega-3s and vitamins.
TURMERIC
Long used in Ayurveda for its a antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, this spic ce helps curb the oxidative stre ess linked to c cardiovascular dise ease.
WORDS: MILLIE WEST | PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY | FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
CAYENNE
In a study at Tianjin Medical University, men who ate chillies a few times a week performed significantly better in strength tests than those who opted for a mild lemon and herb dressing.
GINGER
Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University studied the effects of ginger on cold and flu viruses and found it could help protect the respiratory system when consumed fresh.
C
D
POST-GYM CHIMICHURRI CHURRI STEAK SANDWICH SAN SERVES 6
2 B U N C H E S PA R S L E Y 2 RED CHILLIES 2 GREEN CHILLIES 2 S H A L LOTS 6 GA R L I C C LOV E S 4 T B S P O R EGA N O 4TBSP RED WINE VINEGAR 2 TS P SA LT 10TBSP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 6 S I R LO I N ST E A KS 6 C I A BAT TAS
METHOD Finely chop the parsley, chillies, shallots, garlic and oregano. Throw it all into a mixing bowl, then combine with the vinegar, salt and oil. When the chimichurri is mixed well, divide it into two – half for your marinade and half for your sauce. Marinate the meat, then cook the steaks on the grill to your liking. Warm the bread in the oven, slice and add your steaks. Spoon the remaining chimichurri over the meat. Close the sandwich and devour.
FIRST DEFENCE CORIANDER, RIANDER FET FETA DIP AND PITA CHIPS SERVES 6
1 BUNCH CORIANDER 3 WHOLEWHEAT PITAS 75ML OLIVE OIL 100G SHELLED PISTACHIOS 300G FETA CHEESE ½ A BUNCH DILL ½ A BUNCH CHIVES 1 GARLIC CLOVE, CRUSHED 1 LEMON, ZEST AND JUICE 3TBSP GREEK YOGURT
METHOD Preheat the oven to 180°C. Open the pitas into halves, then cut them into bite-sized strips. Place on a baking tray, brush with olive oil, then bake for five minutes on each side until they’re golden brown and crispy. Blitz the pistachios and oil in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add the feta, herbs, crushed garlic, lemon zest and juice, then blitz for another minute. Stir in the Greek yogurt. That’s it – you’re ready to dip into this moreish immunity-booster. MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 47
LIFE
Mail You a Drink? Booze-based subscription services are basically a party in a box. And thanks to lockdown restrictions and queues getting us to take more and more of our shopping online, they’re having a moment. These four boxes are the ones that really deliver. / BY KELLEIGH KOREVAAR
FOR WINE
2
Wine-of-the-Month Club FOR 33 YEARS, The Wine-of-the-Month Club’s panel has been bringing Saffers the very best wine SA has to offer, blind tasting 80 different wines a week (not a bad job, huh?). The real stand-out is the flexibility; choose how many bottles you want (6 or 12) and how often you receive a box. Then choose: red wine, dry white, red and dry white, red and sweet white or sweet and semi-sweet whites. From R650/quarter, wineofthemonth.co.za
3
FOR GIN
The Gin Box LOVE IT OR HATE IT, gin is a South African staple. Each month The Gin Box selects a premium South African small-batch craft gin and then pairs it with a range of quality products to complement the chosen gin of the month. (You’ll also get accompanying tasting notes from the distiller.) Best part? Often it’s exclusive bottles not available anywhere else. Seriously, local is lekker. From R699/three months, theginbox.co.za
48 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
FOR WHISKY
The Whisky Palette TURN YOUR LIVING ROOM into a speakeasy (hold the suspenders). Norman Goodfellows brings you whiskies from some of the finest distilleries in the world; combinations of single malts, blends, bourbons and aged whiskies. You’ll also get a variety of snacks and gourmet must-haves that complement the whisky. What’s that? I’m getting notes of a life-long subscription on my palette. R899/ month (valued at R1 099), palette.ngf.co.za
4
FOR BEER
The League of Beers ONCE ONLY reserved for hipsters, craft brews have gone mainstream. The League of Beers’ Monthly Craft Beer Club brings you a curated collection of the latest craft beers, as well as old-time favourites, and guides you through each beer with online tasting notes. You’ll also get a free online course about craft beer. Delicious and educational, you say? We’re in! From R198/month, yuppiechef.com
A BOX – WITHOUT THE BOOZE! BEAN THERE Wake up and smell the coffee. You’ll get a monthly delivery of freshly roasted, fair trade, African coffee. Plus, enjoy surprises from them every now and then. From R320/month, beanthere.co.za TEALYST They select four premium teas from around the world and send you enough for a cuppa a day, info cards, biodegradable tea bags and extra gifts occasionally. That’s just our cup of tea. R299/month, tealyst.com
ADDITIONAL WORDS: CAREY JONES | ICON MADE BY FREEPIK FROM FLATICON.COM
1
AND ANOTHER THING!
Book Marked
With millions of people trying to re-educate themselves, we asked the avid readers of team MH and WH to recommend the life-changing books that every man should have on his nightstand… or bookshelf… or Kindle. Hey, whatever floats your boat, these books are sure to rock it.
PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED
/ BY KELLEIGH KOREVAAR
1/ A NEW EARTH BY EC K H A RT TO L L E The highly anticipated follow up to the “The Power of Now”, this book is a spiritual manifesto for a better way of life – and for building a better world. No big deal. We dig it (and so does Oprah).
2/ VAGABOND BY L E R ATO M O G OAT L H E Lerato is a former editor and journo who left her job to travel through Africa for three months. Little did she know that 12 weeks would turn into 5 years and birth a travel memoir showcasing 21 different countries.
3/ WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU BLACKER BY DA M O N YO U N G One of the most read writers about race and culture, Damon explores black masculinity and the ever-shifting definitions. There couldn’t be a more relevant read right now.
4/ CONQUERING THE POVERTY OF THE MIND BY R I TA Z WA N E A N D I SA B E L L A M O R R I S Zwane left KZN in the late 80s and started her own business – Imbizo Shisanyama. Decades on, she recalls the adversities endured while navigating her new life in Jozi.
5/ DEAR IJEAWELE OR A FEMINIST MANIFESTO IN FIFTEEN SUGGESTIONS BY C H I M A M A N DA N G OZ I A D I C H I E This no-frills feminist pocket book gives you 15 applicable suggestions for raising a child to be a feminist. It’s a must-have for every parent.
6/ THE ART OF RESILIENCE BY RO S S E D G L E Y We’ve written about this award-winning, recordbreaking adventurer before. Now, after years of studying resilience, Edgley explores mental strength, stoicism and building an unbreakable body.
7/ BLACK LEOPARD, RED WOLF BY M A R LO N JA M E S This Jamaican author draws inspiration from African history and mythology to construct a gripping high fantasy novel that will help you forget Game of Thrones Season 8 ever happened.
8/ ATOMIC HABITS BY JA M E S C L E A R Success isn’t just about hitting important milestones but also taking small steps. Founded on the principle of “get 1% better every day”, this guide to developing good habits (and breaking bad ones) will put you on the right track.
9/ A CHILDHOOD MADE UP BY B R E N T M E E RS M A N The Cape Town author’s account of growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s and learning to live with his mother’s schizophrenia paints a vivid picture of how perceptions of mental illness have changed.
10/ WHY I’M NO LONGER TALKING TO WHITE PEOPLE ABOUT RACE BY R E N I E D D O - LO D G E Written because race and racism discussions were led by those who weren’t affected by them, this book offers a new framework for how to see, acknowledge and counter racism.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 49
LIFE
Slice Out Your Risk Of Infertility
PIZZA MAY PROVE A STROKE OF GENIUS FOR YOUR SWIMMERS
TOPPED AND LOADED
Elevate your sperm to the upper crust with these extras.
GARLIC Contains allicin to improve your testes’ blood flow and protect sperm.
MUSHROOMS The selenium in this staple boosts sperm motility and immunity.
BROCCOLI A good source of vitamin E. Low levels can impact fertility.
For many of us, pizza is an unrivalled cheat meal. Gratifyingly, research suggests that it could help you cheat the generation game, too. Male infertility has been found to be the cause of a couple’s failure to conceive in around 50%
limit cellular damage. The carotenoid also serves up the additional benefit of reducing your risk of heart disease
of cases. As men wait longer to start a family, the problem is growing worse: after you hit 30, the rate at which your fertility declines accelerates. Yet these statistics needn’t leave a bitter taste. Eat more pizza and your odds may improve, science suggests. In a study published in the European
and certain types of cancer. Keeping Debonairs on speed dial is, of course, not going to do any favours for your overall health. However, there are plenty of home-made workarounds that allow you to keep a closer eye on the ingredients – and, therefore, the calories. A wholewheat wrap,
Journal of Nutrition, men who consumed two tablespoons per day of concentrated tomato purée (which forms the base of your pizza topping) had improved sperm motility – the cells’ ability to move independently – and overall quality. The scientists attributed this to lycopene, an antioxidant that helps to
for example, is a quick win for a fakeaway base; Truly Good Food has created a vegetable base that you can buy, too (R38 for two bases, trulygoodfood.co). Pile it high with the fertility-boosting ingredients on the right, and be liberal with the purée. It’s a delicious solution, whichever way you slice it.
50 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
ASPARAGUS The high vitamin-C content protects sperm and helps to increase volume.
SPINACH Packed with folate, which supports sperm health.
CHICKEN A protein hit containing zinc to raise sperm count and quality.
WORDS: MICHELLE RAMIAH | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE I FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW I IMAGE MANIPULATION: ANTHONY HAMMOND I ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: HEARST STUDIOS, DAN MATTHEWS, STUDIO 33
THERE’S NOTHING GUILTY ABOUT PIZZA IF YOU’RE HUNGRY TO START YOUR OWN #FITFAM. CONSIDER IT THE ULTIMATE FAMILY MEAL DEAL.
Cars for
Life
...Your
20s/30s/40s/50s/60s
WHETHER YOU'RE IN YOUR 20S SCOPING OUT A FLASHY FIRST SET OF WHEELS OR CRUISING INTO A MORE RESPONSIBLE DECADE, CALVIN FISHER RECKONS HE HAS THE RIGHT CAR FOR YOU.
Far be it for me to tell you what to drive – I mean how could I? A human being is a severely nuanced animal, with sensibilities and compulsions. Add to that the fact that our requirements change not just annually, but from day to day. How else would you explain the rise and rise of the multi-purpose crossover vehicle? And again, that’s not even taking into account your budget or current relationship status. Life is far too complicated to navigate alone, so let me at least try to offer up some cars best suited to your age.
52 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
What To Get In Your 0s
In your 30s
Lexus NX In your 20s
Volkswagen Golf GTI
You’ve somehow burst into your 30s, and apparently should have acquired a level of sophistication about you by now. Can I interest you in a stylish Lexus product? You get all the peace of mind that comes with a Toyota vehicle, but styled with a calligrapher’s pen instead of
You’re young and brash – well, as young and brash as you’ll ever be, but this is the time in your life where it’s okay to take chances. You’ll want to do a bit of peacocking, but you’re not quite flush with cash yet. The Golf GTI is the epitome of a posh, quick set of wheels that can grow old alongside you thanks to its understated, timeless styling – that is, if R590k is within your budget. PRICE: FROM R589 600
THE WALLET-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE:
Toyota Hilux 4x4 Double-Cab Bakkie
LIFE
a ruler. The NX is the ‘Goldilocks’ of the group, a medium size crossover SUV. But they do come in smaller and larger sizes such as the RX and UX. If you don’t feel the need to subscribe to the SUV zeitgeist, Lexus also produce a slew of slinky coupes and saloons. PRICE: FROM R751 800
And I should remind you this is an alternative car for your 30s, not necessarily an alternative to the NX per se. I refer you to an entry-level turbodiesel Toyota Hilux 4x4 doublecab bakkie. If you’re an outdoorsman, are turned on by gravel adventures and occasionally need a bit more space, then you can’t go wrong with the triedand-tested beast from the East. PRICE: FROM R556 300
THE WALLET-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE:
NETCARSHOW.COM
VW Polo GTI Want the GTI experience but the finances just ain’t happening? There’s a Polo for that. Too small? Then don’t be afraid to dip into the secondhand market for Mzansi’s favourite hot hatch. They all look the same anyway. PRICE: FROM R411 900
The Toyota Hilux doesn't require any imagination. What else can move people, bikes, sheep, cupboards and still be cool? MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 53
What the Porsche Targa loses in practicality, it more than makes up in style as our favourite convertible
In your 40s
Porsche 911 absolutely have to be a 911 Targa. Scared to go for a full-fat sports car? The marque also do a great entry-level midengined 718 Spyder and Coupe that tick all the right boxes and make all the right noises. And if you’re a family man, Porsche make a dynamic duo of SUVs too in the Cayenne and Macan. PRICE: FROM R1 692 995
THE WALLET-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE:
Audi Q5
Look, it’s no secret that VW and Audi offer similar SUVs to their Porsche cousins. We quite like the Audi Q5 for this reason. You get similar (if not identical) performance, an understated aesthetic and a bit more space. PRICE: FROM R791 500
NETCARSHOW.COM
Actually, any Porsche will do. Let me explain: by now you hopefully have your affairs in order and can look at really spoiling yourself. Grow old gracefully? We don’t insist that you do – but with a Porsche you’ll at least appear to have a restrained hand when you opt for something from Stuttgart. But if it was my money, it would
LIFE
In your 50s
Volvo XC90 When you hit your 50s you’ve got nothing left to prove – in fact, you’ve learnt a couple of secrets along the way. One of them being that if you think you want a BMW X5, you really want a Volvo XC90, you just don’t know it yet. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with an X5, it’s just that the
XC90 is more stylish, doesn’t try as hard and if we’re being completely honest, invented the large luxury SUV segment. They come with a delectable range of engines and can be finished off in minimalist Scandinavian fashion. We like that. PRICE: FROM R1 193 300
The XC90 is understated, Scandinavian excellence. Those who know, know
THE WALLET-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE:
Mazda CX-5. This might sound like a reach but whenever w I see one in white I can’t help Japan's Volvo Mazda's Kodo o styling langua age g translates intto their most stylish lineup yet
In your 60s
Nissan Qashqai
Ah your 60s. Retirement looms if it has not already begun, and your priorities have shifted into the slow lane. You crave unfettered comfort and simplicity – with room for your significant other and a pair of puppies or grandkids. (Or a ridiculous antique from the market – hey, we don’t judge.) So naturally this raised hatchback cum crossover with a capacious cabin and load bay springs to mind. Pick an auto, your days of rowing your own cogs are in the past. PRICE: FROM R392 500
but be reminded of the Volvo. A Japanese Volvo, for a third of the price and a slightly smaller footprint? What’s not to love? Just make sure you get the auto.
THE WALLET FRIENDLY
PRICE: FROM R427 200
ALTERNATIVE:
Mazda CX-3 Mazda CX-3 – yes, Mazda again for all the reasons we loved the CX-5, only smaller. Bottom line: the older you get, the more it makes sense to shop Japanese. There’s a reason the Honda Jazz was such a big hit for decades amongst the grey of hair. PRICE: FROM R347 800
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 55
LIFE
YOU GUYS
Say Yes To No
EVERYONE GETS REJECTED, BUT SOME GUYS ARE BETTER AT DEALING WITH IT THAN OTHERS. LAUREN LARSON EXPLAINS WHAT TO SAY WHEN SHE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU.
CROCODILES OFTEN swallow rocks, which can then tumble around harmlessly in their stomachs for years. A bellyful of rocks may even help crocodiles control their buoyancy and digest prey. (There’s a point to this, I promise.) There live among us people who take romantic rejection very well: I call them super-rejects. Like the rocks in the belly of the crocodile, rejections can pile up inside these super-rejects without causing any damage, until they are passed into the riverbed, unnoticed. When you turn down one of these superrejects, they do not send you a multi-
56 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
text dirge. They do not spiral or throw themselves into the stiff, unrewarding embrace of whatever rom-com is playing on M-Net. They experience a healthy moment of woe, and they move on. The chillness of the super-reject often awes me, and then instantly unsettles me: Did he want me to break it off? But there have been a few times when I’ve turned down a guy after a few dates, or even after a slurred pickup attempt in a bar, and he’s gone off. The opposite of the super-reject is a guy I barely know who just can’t let it go. That can be really scary. Like many women, I think about the day in 2014
when a young man killed six people and injured 14 more near the UC Santa Barbara campus to “punish” women for not being attracted to him. I think about a man I read about in November who used an app he’d installed in his ex-girlfriend’s car to stalk her – the app also allowed him to control the car’s stop-and-start function. Granted, it’s just as scary when a scorned woman overreacts. Last year, a woman in New Jersey burnt a man’s house down after he reportedly bootycalled her at 4am but fell asleep before she arrived. (The woman was “intent on having a hot date anyway,” wrote
ILLUSTRATION BY GARY TAXALI
YOUR EXPERT
KYLE HILTON (LARSON)
In this column Lauren Larson writes about the evolving dynamics between men and women – from hooking up to . . . everything else.
a New York Daily News reporter.) Female stalkers are almost as likely as male stalkers to threaten physical violence against their victims. But men are far less likely to be stalked. According to the latest National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey from the CDC, one in 17 men says he’s felt fearful or believed that he or someone close to him would be killed as a result of stalking, but one in six women has. That’s why a super-reject is such a relief. A man who takes rejection in stride, or even one who pretends to take rejection in stride, is so attractive that it often makes one want to unreject him. (Of course, that should not be the goal of a rejection response – the goal should be freeing yourself from a cycle of shame and self-judgment.) I once had the pleasure of rejecting a super-reject. After two dates, I sent him my go-to: “Hey!!! I had fun hanging out with you, but I just don’t feel a spark here. Sorry!!!” (I always gag at the earnestness of a “spark,” but there really isn’t a less Bachelorette word.) Then I held my breath. He responded about 30 minutes later: “Nooo!!!! Thanks for letting me know, I had a really great time as well. No worries!” I bet that when he doesn’t get a job, he writes an email like that and they hire him a year later. Maybe we’ll get married down the line. First, he nodded to his disappointment, which is cathartic for the reject and flattering for the rejecter, and he did it in a funny way. (“Nooo,” I should point out, is very different from “NO.”) When he said that he’d also had fun on our dates, I stopped imagining him seething in a basement over the hours of his life that I, a tease, had wasted. He used a lot of exclamation points, which made him seem completely nonthreatening. “No worries” let us both off the hook. It is
“
Rejection is bad, but there’s no reason to make it even more painful by piling on embarrassments.
the breeziest, most final sign-off. His was a particularly magnanimous response, but responding to a rejection like that doesn’t just soothe the rejecter. An explicit rejection is an opportunity to reclaim your dignity. Some people can do that by not responding at all, but I think it’s helpful for everyone involved to acknowledge receipt. Here’s how to handle several hypothetical rejections like the self-assured and laissez-faire super-reject we know you can be: YOU GOT GHOSTED. Everyone maintains the right to ghost until, say, date four. But it is the cardinal dick move, because it denies the ghostee the chance to politely, generously accept the rejection. The only way to keep your dignity when you get ghosted is to cut your losses and remain silent, because literally anything you say will appear mournfully desperate. Especially a 900-word rant about “UGLY B****ES who think they can just GHOST men like ME.” YOU HIT ON SOMEONE IN A BAR, AND THEY WEREN’T INTO IT. The near certainty of immediate rejection is what makes flirting with a stranger so bold. If you take your shot in a bar and get rebuffed, just say, “Sorry, have a good night!” Do not approach her again. Do not say, “Come find me later if you change your mind.” Do not say, “But I bought you a drink.” If she darts to the bathroom, don’t follow her to tell her how
unconcerned with the rejection you Just disappear into the night. Hittin a stranger isn’t inherently a bad choi it’s just the inability to accept a rejection that gets people into trouble. YOU RECEIVED A “NO SPARK” TEXT AFTER A FEW DATES. Use the formula of the super-reject’s text above. First, briefly and cheerfully acknowledge your disappointment (“Bummed to hear that!”). Thank the rejecter for being honest and, implicitly, for not ghosting you. Then deliver a finalfeeling sign-off: “Good luck with [that thing she talked about for three hours]!” Delete her number, then spend the next 15 minutes cataloging her faults in your mind. Watch an episode of King of the Hill. Move on. YOU TWEET AT KUMAIL NANJIANI A LOT, BUT HE STILL LOVES HIS BEAUTIFUL, FUNNY WIFE AND STILL HASN’T NOTICED YOU. [long, pitying silence] Rejection is bad, but there’s no reason to make it even worse by piling on embarrassments. Nobody has ever regretted not sending an angry missive in response to a ghosting or a disappointing text. Be the mighty crocodile. Fill yourself up with rejection rocks until you can digest an entire impala in a single day. Take a tenuous metaphor to its logical conclusion! Just don’t send that indignant text.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 57
LIFE
GIRL NEXT DOOR I sweat constantly all summer long. How do I make sure I don’t smell down there? —ERROL, Kimberly We ladies realise men can emit some fairly spectacular groin smells at times, so if you’re worried about a waft, fear not: we know it’s temporary. Just don’t expect us to go down on you until you’ve showered (and maybe returned the favour?). To freshen up your junk, try using a body powder to make sure your skin folds glide instead of stick, and opt for looserfitting cotton boxers to keep things ventilated and reduce sweat.
We’ve been married seven years and recently began sleeping in separate beds because we get better rest that way. Is our sex life doomed? —LUKE, Port Elizabeth
Lots of happy couples are opting for “sleep divorce” or “sleep-cations” due to snoring, light sleeping or odd work schedules, and I see no problem with it. You and your spouse will probably end up having more sex, and in different rooms, too. Getting the right amount of sleep will boost your energy, which means more of an appetite for sex – maybe even tomorrow morning in the shower. I recommend creating a nightly ritual so you can connect before bed. (“Your bunk or mine?”) Knowing you’re bidding each other farewell for the night can be a really big turn-on. 58 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Is it weird that I’m turned on by the thought of my wife having sex with another guy? —XAVIER, Knysna Don’t worry: you’re not a sexual deviant, just a little kinky. You’re talking about a common fantasy known as cuckolding. What’s the turn-on? Maybe the voyeur in you wants to watch your wife going at it – or perhaps you like the power dynamic of “allowing” her this transgression. Coordinating an IRL cuckolding situation is pretty complicated (especially right now), so you might prefer to roleplay the idea. Pretend to be a stranger or talk her through what it would be like for you to watch her with another man. The fantasy can still be hot without the third party.
AUGUST Ask anything – and we mean anything – about love and sex.
This may be a dumb question, but... can I give my wife an orgasm while she’s pregnant? —SAMUEL, Mossel Bay You sure can, and you sure should! Unless your doc has said otherwise, intercourse and orgasm during pregnancy can be an amazing release. Sex drive, on the other hand, is much more up in the air. Some pregnant women feel too nauseated or bloated for sex, while others actually have a spike in libido! You’ll have to adapt to her changing needs – including finding a comfortable position: missionary, for example, will start to pinch her spine in the third trimester, but spooning and reverse cowgirl can feel great. I’m good friends with an ex, but my new SO wants me to stop talking to her. Is it a concrete rule that you can’t keep exes in your life? —AMAR, Bellville Nope. The issue isn’t whether your ex is in your life but rather how she’s in your life. If you’re close enough to text weekly, or you get all giggly when you’re around her, I can see why your new SO would be suspicious. These behaviours point to a lingering attraction you can’t shake. If choosing between your SO and your ex feels impossible, it sounds like you might have some unfinished business to resolve.
GETTY GALLO (SPOONS). KYLE HILTON (PIERCEY).
THE
YOUR EXPERT
Naomi Piercey answers your questions about sex and relationships that Google can’t.
Time-Proof Your Wardrobe Manage Your COVID Crop Perform In The Line Of Fire
COMPILED BY AZEEZ JACOBS
Investment Grade
Time-proof your wardrobe with items that will never date. BY AZEEZ JACOBS
Having a complete wardrobe means having all the essentials covered. Classic items like a leather jacket, oxford shirts and a well-fitting pair of jeans are a must. Then it’s just a matter of mixing and matching so you can look sharp every day without agonising over what to wear. To get the most bang for your buck, look for pieces that will easily transition from spring and summer to the colder months.
STYLE
Gotta Love Leather The essential top layer instantly transforms your basic everyday outfit into a ruggedly stylish look. But we’re not talking about just any leather jacket. Invest in a high-quality, well-fitting jacket and you’ll be wearing it for decades. You may even want to pass it on to your kids someday. Throw this smooth, minimalist leather jacket over your workwear button-down shirts and pants for a polished, everyday look. FLIGHT BOMBER LEATHER JACKET R4 999 SUPERDRY
The Classic White Tee The simple white T-shirt is one of the most powerful clothing items a guy can own. Whether you wear a fitted, body-skimming tee with blue jeans or pair it with a suit for a relaxed, effortlessly cool vibe, it gives you endless outfit opportunities. And the tee options are equally endless: do you go for a cheaper, classic cotton with a heavyweight feel? Are you looking for something more sophisticated that’s durable and soft, like long staple cotton? Or are you debating a compression tee with added stretch to show off your jacked upper body? The choice is yours – just make sure you buy more than one. CREW NECK T-SHIRT R599 G-STAR.COM
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 41
The Versatile Grey Sweatshirt The grey crewneck sweatshirt is basic in the best way: cozy as a campfire, never not wearable and an integral part of menswear history. Use it to add a modern twist to your work and leisure wardrobe. LOGO CREW SWEATSHIRT R899 LEVI.CO.ZA
The Occasion Sneakers White sneakers are a necessary addition to your sneaker arsenal. If you’re sporting a pair of casual Converse or Vans shoes, embrace the marks for a lived-in look, which adds cool factor. But if you’re attending a more formal occasion or an important meeting, invest in a pair of white leather sneakers. You can wear them all year round with numerous outfits – they even pair well with a suit. STAN SMITH RECON SNEAKERS R2 499 ADIDAS.CO.ZA
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STYLE
The Darker The Denim… A pair of indigo (dark blue) jeans is a staple part of every man’s wardrobe, so find a pair that suits your body shape. If you’re on the shorter side, tailored jeans will make your legs look longer. Invest in a good quality pair that will go the distance as you’ll be wearing them all year round. Tip: opt for jeans with two percent elastane – they’ll feel more relaxed and easy-to-wear. INDIGO JEANS R2 299 G-STAR.COM
Matching Tracksuits Are Back It wasn’t so long ago that the sweat pant was acceptable in just a few scenarios: the gym and the couch. Well, lockdown or not, tracksuits have become a menswear staple. The key is to look for quality material and a neat, slim cut that looks good at home or on the go. Grey is a classic colour choice – for something bolder try red or green. MOVE HOODIE R1 799 AND PANTS R1 499 UNDERARMOUR.CO.ZA
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 43
STYLE
White Shirts Will Take You Anywhere No wardrobe is complete without a white shirt. Regardless of what you do for a living, there will always be a time where the classic thread will be called upon. Be sure to invest in good quality, crisp shirts because poor material won’t last. Opt for white buttons for a more high-end look. BOBCUT WHITE SHIRT R1 780 TED BAKER (011 450 1156)
Timeless Trenches The classic trench coat never goes out of style. But it does tend to suit taller and lankier frames better. If you’re shorter with a wider frame, opt for a shorter trench coat. For colour, go camel as it will match most items in your cupboard – from formal to athleisure ensembles. SATIN TEXTURE TRENCH COAT R2 199 ZARA.COM
64 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
GROOMING
w o N What? Mow it? Grow it out? Go crazy with it? Here’s how to manage your COVID crop. BY GARRETT MUNCE
SHOT ON LOCATION AT RUFFIANS SHOREDITCH RUFFIANS.CO.UK | MODEL: GARY GREENWOOD AT STORM | STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | ILLUSTRATIONS: NICK HARDCASTLE
KEEP IT DECIDE ON YOUR STYLE: When in doubt, ask a barber what they recommend based on your head and face shape (virtually or IRL). Maybe keep it a little longer on top; maybe it should be one length all around, like on Zayn Malik, pictured here. Pick your style and go with it. GET ON SCHEDULE: To keep a buzz fresh, you want to maintain it. This could mean cutting it every week, says Axe master barber Pedro Rosario, on your own or in the barbershop. Areas like your neckline are the first to look unruly. If you can, ask a barber to cut it in, then trim it at home using a clipper with no guard.
NO MATTER WHAT, USE THE RIGHT TOOLS!
HAVE FUN WITH IT
GROW IT MANAGE THE PROPORTIONS: Ideally, get the sides faded by a pro every two weeks “to push more strength into the top,” says barber Doug Paster. (Ryan Reynolds has it down.) If it’s DIY, start with a number-four guard on the sides and work your way to a lower number. Once you’re happy, get it cut every four to six weeks. INTRODUCE TEXTURE: When your hair is long enough to lift up, ask your barber to add texture by cutting it with scissors. This can help camouflage problem areas, like thinning spots and cowlicks. Add definition with a texture paste to get a similar effect.
DABBLE IN COLOR: Frank Ocean and Justin Bieber have taught us that a buzz offers the perfect low-risk time to go bold. “The stakes are low when you have [1.5cm] of hair on your head,” says Paster. It’s easier to bleach or dye short hair, so if you’ve ever been dye- curious, a buzz cut is your chance to experiment. ADD IN A PATTERN: You can also play with cutting in designs, or “if you’re not confident in your fading skills, shave down the sides but leave a blunt line on top [for a] Euro- soccer-player vibe,” says Paster. If you mess up or don’t like it, going back to square one is as simple as buzzing it off again.
Whether you’re shearing yourself like a sheep or just trying to maintain your crop between barber visits, using the proper tool is essential. Invest in a hair clipper with multiple-length guards that’s powerful and can better cut through a variety of hair textures. The Wahl Home Pro Basic Corded 8 Piece Haircutting Kit (R149, takealot.com) is a great start and super easy to use.
MH.CO.ZA/
20 65
Field Weapons ATTENTION! SALUTE THE RUGGED APPEAL OF A MILITARY-ISSUE WRISTWATCH.
Ball Engineer 2 Magneto S POR Boasting shock resistance to 5000 Gs and a patented magnetic-protection system, this watch is seriously tough. ballwatch.com
AT THE END of World War II, the British Ministry of Defence decided members of the Allied forces needed custom-built watches. In the heat of battle, soldiers required a timepiece that was accurate and reliable, so their watches had to be waterproof and shockproof. The MOD also requested stainless-steel cases, black dials plus luminous hands and hour markers. Twelve watch brands – including Omega, Longines, IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre – accepted this military assignment, manufacturing some 145 000 watches for the troops. Those brands were subsequently hailed as “the Dirty Dozen” and a set of their 12 original watches now represents the watch collector’s holy grail (there are fewer than 20 sets in the world). Today, the style DNA of most militaryinspired watches can still be traced to those WWII watches. The defining characteristics: hard-knock durability and easy legibility. The art of war may be different in 2020, but a watch that’ll perform in the line of fire will always pass muster.
Tudor Black Bay BO1 R61 550 Based on a 1960s prototype code-named “Commando” this was developed for the US Navy as a tactical diver’s watch. tudorwatch.com
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP LE MASURIER
Mido Multifort Escape Horween Special Edition POR Within the steel case lurks an automatic movement offering 80 hours of power reserve. midowatches.com
STYLE Citizen Promaster Altichron R11 500 This is an ideal climbing partner. As well as a compass, the Altimeter measures up to 10 000 metres above sea level. tregergroup.co.za
Seiko Prospex Automatic R8 499 Lost behind enemy lines? Not with this robust compass watch on your wrist. It’s functional yet stylish, with a vintage edge. seikoboutique.co.za
Longines Heritage Military R30 300 It looks like a vintage piece, but it’s actually inspired by an early 1940s pilot’s watch. Rugged but refined. Arthur Kaplan Jewellers
Victorinox Inox Professional Diver R12 495 The titanium case is water-resistant to 200m while the camo dial and strap made from parachute cord adds extra military cred. picotandmoss.com
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 67
Upgrade What Matters Worry Less, Earn More Level Up With Our Top Gear COMPILED BY KIERAN LEGG
Six Ways To Fix Your Money Mood To conquer money stress, you have to change the way you think about money. Why is that so hard? / BY MARKHAM HEID 70 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
I
If you’re like the average guy, you’re probably worried about money right now. Not because you don’t have a roof over your head or food in your stomach or even a job to go to tomorrow – chances are you do – but because you’re an average guy. We worry about money. That’s what we do. That’s the conclusion of the Debtsafe’s Financial Reality Survey: 59 percent of South Africans say financial strain is a significant source of stress. While most guys likely assume these worries would fade if they could only add another zero or two to their bank balance, research suggests otherwise: a 2018 Purdue University study found that measures of happiness tend to plateau – or even fall – once a man’s annual income reaches the R1.1m to R1.8m range. “The issue isn’t that we don’t have enough money– it’s how we think about money,” says Joshua Becker, author of The Minimalist Home.
“We’re looking for money to provide us something it can’t provide.” If you’ve achieved financial stability, Becker says, there’s almost no evidence that increasing your income will lower your stress. You can blame a concept known as the hedonic treadmill. Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure, and researchers have consistently discovered that when something in a man’s life changes for the better – his income goes up, he splurges on a fancy watch or flashy ride – his level of happiness generally spikes briefly but returns to baseline. You’re on that treadmill. In other words, your brain adapts to new circumstances and then it goes right back to its previous patterns of anxiety. Social media and algorithm marketing are accelerating that feedback loop. “When we arrive at that next income level and find we’re not any more secure or happy than we were before, we start all over again,” says Becker. To escape this predicament, you need to adjust how you view, spend, and save your hardearned dough.
Put Worry In Its Place One in three millennials loses sleep over their finances, according to a survey from Varo Money. For a lot of guys, Becker says, those middle-of-thenight fears fixate on the future and whether your bankroll will meet your needs – either in the near term or at retirement. It’s scary: experts estimate that if you need R2.4m to retire at 65 right now, you will need R10m or more down the line (depending on inflation and your lifestyle). Future-focused money anxiety is toxic. It can make you miserable now, and unless it’s spurring you to save more of your cash, it does nothing to pad your retirement fund. To stamp out this kind of unproductive money angst, set aside a specific time each day or week to go over your concerns, says Dr Robert Leahy, a clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. “This is a widely used therapeutic technique, and it can help one from being barraged by intrusive worries,” he says. Take that time to think through your issues and develop ways to address them – whether that means putting more into your retirement account or analysing your credit-card statements for saving opportunities. Give your brain time during the day to confront the sources of its money woes and you’ll find fewer worries waiting for you when you climb into bed each night. (If you wake up in a cold sweat, jot down your concerns in a notebook and tackle them the next day.)
Spend Money On Adventure You’ve got R5 000 to burn. Will you drop it on a new experience – say, tickets to a play or dinner out with friends? Or will you opt for a new pair of jeans or some other possession you can use more than once? If you pick the jeans, you may need to rethink your purchase decisions. That’s the lesson from a Cornell University paper on consumer spending and well-being. “Experiential purchases – concerts you attend, meals with friends, places you travel to – these are more reflective of one’s identity and sense of self than material purchases,” says Dr Amit Kumar, a coauthor of the paper and an assistant professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Kumar says experiences – even small and inexpensive ones – become part of the personal narrative you tell yourself and others. Enhancing this story with these types of purchases promotes mental well-being, he says. Even better: if you’re feeling stressed, spending about 15 minutes recalling a happy event can keep the level of the stress hormone cortisol from rising, thereby dampening the body’s stress response, according to Rutgers University researchers.
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UPGRADES
The average man’s income will rise steadily as he ages out of his 20s and will peak in his late 40s, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. While kids will suck up a great deal of that extra cash, many men blow their additional income on upgraded goods that do little to upgrade their lives. Before making a big purchase, ask if what you’re indulging in will actually improve your life, says Dr Leaf Van Boven, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado. Of course, you need to make room for self-care and enjoyment, whether that comes from limited-edition sneakers or omakase sushi. But to resist the urge to constantly splurge on the latest and greatest, Van Boven says, “write down two or three things you most want to be remembered for” – your work ethic, for instance, or your willingness to be there when a friend needs you. Then see if the way you’re spending aligns with those things.
Aim for Meaning, Not Greater Means
Give Away Your Time and Money
Many men anchor their financial goals or savings targets to abstract numbers (“I need to earn Rx”) rather than to actual monetary needs (“I only need Rx to live”). This can lead them to chase cash instead of things that give them a sense of fulfillment. “Prioritising the acquisition of money makes people unhappy,” says Dr Ian Robertson, a professor of psychology at Trinity College Dublin. “More” is not a finish line you can ever cross. He recommends putting greater emphasis on worthwhile goals. Florida State research shows that people who perceive life as more meaningful report less stress than those who find it meaningless.
It sounds corny, but devoting time to helping people combats daily stress. That’s the finding of a study from the University of Massachusetts linking volunteering to a drop in cortisol levels. Giving back to others, especially those in need, can help restore a healthy sense of perspective. And a study from Harvard Business School determined that volunteering and other philanthropic behaviours promote happiness. Donate money – even just R5 , or whatever you can afford – to charity. It can heelp shift your mindset away from m “I need more” to “Wait, I really do o have enough,” says Becker.
BEFORE MAKING A BIG PURCHASE, ASK IF WHAT YOU’RE INDULGING IN WILL ACTUALLY IMPROVE YOUR LIFE. 72
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Stash R200 A Week In Savings It’s estimated that only 28% of South Africans contribute to savings accounts. And even if you’re already stockpiling funds, it’s still a sobering stat. Keep in mind:you could probably deposit around R200 a week for a year without your lifestyle taking a significant hit. Not only will you have a nest egg of R10 000 to your name, these regular deposits can also help you habitualise saving money. Your annual savings goal in order to retire at 65 – according to analysis by Boston College’s Centre for Retirement Research – should be 10 percent of your yearly income if you’re under 35, rising to 15 percent if you’re 35 or older. The sooner you teach yourself to save painlessly, the sooner your money anxieties will abate.
GETTY/GALLO
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ASUS EXPERTBOOK B9 Repeat after me: bigger isn’t always better. And this small, nifty beast proves it. The ExpertBook is the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop. Weighing in at 870g (thanks to its magnesium-lithium alloy chassis), this cool-running ultrabook is the ideal lap u “dog”. Featuring a 10th Gen Core i7 processor, 16GB RA AM and a tried-and-tested plus hour battery life – th he ExpertBook packs a punch that will keep you going until the 12th round, episode or spreadsheet. R31 99 99, rectron.co.za.
FITBIT CHARGE 4 The newest iteration of Fitbit’s popular Charge series is a great option if you’re an active guy, but your goals don’t include anything along the lines of ultramarathon, adventure race or IronMan. It’s lightweight, well-priced, easy to use and has all the stuff you need. Like its predecessor, it will track your heart rate without a chest strap, track your sleep and give you phone notifications if you want it to. It can also handle a downpour, shower or swimming pool – in swim mode, it will even track your laps. But for the first time in a Fitbit tracker, you also get built-in GPS so you can leave your phone behind and still track your run – you’ll get five hours’ battery life in full GPS mode. If steady state cardio isn’t your thing, there are 20 exercise modes to choose from, including outdoor workout (hiking, essentially), weights, yoga and Pilates. R2 999, takealot.com
STAFF CHOICE
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UA HOVR MACHINA When Under Armour told us they’d made the ultimate runner, we were wary. Their argument? The Machina would break the rules: combining the speed of a racing shoe with the comfort of a long-distance trainer. So, we put it to the test over many enduring kays up Chapman’s Peak in search of scarce Vit D, plus sprints up the notorious Tafelberg Road. Featuring the humbling real-time form coaching through the shoe’s Bluetooth tech, we came home smarter, faster and true believers. R2 999, underarmour.co.za
IMAGES: SUPPLIED
WHAT WE’RE PLAYING... T H E L A ST O F U S: PA RT I I The final blockbuster release slated for the current generation of consoles is a gripping, cinematic experience that builds on all the best parts of the original. It’s a post-apocalyptic adventure game that pits you against a dangerous cult in a quest for vengeance. AKA, exactly what you need to power through those long lockdown hours (around 25 of them to be exact). Available on PS4. R1 069, store.playstation.com.
MOCANA REACH Most yoga mats aren’t made for the taller guy. The result? Feet dangling over the edge of the mat, and a downward dog that’s more cold, hard floor than getting flexible. The Mocana Reach measures 214cm, which is enough pose-ready real estate for even the gangliest of Yogis (it’s wider, too). Alignment lines running down the mat help you nail those tricky movements. R2 250, yogasouthafrica.co.za
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MIND
Strengthen Your Mind Fuel Your Focus Boost Your Energy
COMPILED BY MEGAN FLEMMIT
Your Brain, Only Better WANT TO KEEP YOUR BRAIN YOUNG, RESILIENT, SHARP, AND HEALTHY? USE THESE TIPS FROM NEUROSURGEON DR SANJAY GUPTA, CNN’S CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT. / BY JULIE STEWART
ILLUSTRATION BY MENGXIN LI
WHEN I FINALLY get on the phone with Dr Sanjay Gupta, in March, after he has rescheduled three times because he’s prepping for CNN’s first COVID-19 forum, he’s relieved to be talking about something positive: brain science. “We’re seeing evidence that lifestyle changes can significantly improve brain health and even reverse brain disease,” he says. “That may not sound that significant, except that we really never thought of the brain that way until recently.
74 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
We thought of the heart that way, and some other organs, but the brain was always this black box.” The 50-year-old is best known for his CNN gig, but he’s also a practising neurosurgeon at the Emory University School of Medicine, removing tumours and clipping aneurysms inside that black box, often while listening to the Gipsy Kings. In his spare time, he does triathlons (of course) and meditates (duh!), and he’s working on his fourth book, Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age, due out early next year. It’s an evidence-based exploration of the latest science on brain health and what tactics are working for Gupta himself. Here he shares his favorite tips and strategies.
Move THINK OF INACTIVITY AS A DISEASE
MITCH MANDEL (RUNNING SHOES)
“Every time I’m about to sit, I ask myself: do I need to sit right now?” Gupta says. “That may go further in terms of the benefit of movement on your brain than even going to the gym. I don’t have a chair in my office.” If you can stand or walk during meetings, phone calls and other activities, do it. Think of inactivity as the disease rather than working out as the cure, he says.
PREPARED TO TRAIN
Exercise boosts blood flow to your brain, tamps down inflammation, and promotes growth of new brain cells. You need at least 150 minutes a week. “Wherever I am, I have running shoes, a swimsuit, and resistance bands,” says Gupta. He keeps weights in his bedroom and has a pullup bar in his office.
WALK, TALK, GRIPE Take a brisk walk with a friend and talk about your problems. It’s a brain trifecta: moving, socialising,and releasing stress. “Doing those three things ends up measurably detoxifying your brain,” Gupta says. “I used to train very solitary, but walking more with friends has really changed my brain health. I can feel it.”
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 75
Nourish FUEL FOR FOCUS
To protect your brain, you need to control your blood sugar. Sugar in excess can be toxic, causing neurons to die and possibly triggering cognitive decline. Gupta experienced this firsthand when he cut added sugar from his diet for a 60 Minutes story and saw his “cognitive day” (how long you can be productive) increase. He advises using the Global Council on Brain Health’s framework to prioritise what to eat.
A-LIST FOODS
to consume regularly
Fresh vegetables, especially leafy greens Whole berries Fish and other seafood (but not fried!) Healthy fats, such as extravirgin olive oil, avocados, whole eggs
B-LIST FOODS to include
INSTEADOFEAT
to limit
Beans and other legumes
Fried foods
Whole fruit in addition to berries
Processed foods
Low-sugar, lowfat dairy, such as plain yoghurt and cottage cheese Poultry Whole grains
Pastries, sugary foods Red-meat products, such as bacon, salami, hot dogs Red meat, such as beef, lamb, pork Whole-fat dairy high in saturated fat, such as cheese and butter Salt (use lemon juice, spices, or vinegar instead)
Nuts and seeds
DRINK
C-LIST FOODS
TRUST YOUR ENTOURAGE Gupta avoids most supplements. Real food contains a multitude of components that help beneficial ingredients (such as omega-3 fatty acids) travel through your body or even help unlock receptors so those beneficial ingredients can do their jobs. Doctors call this the “entourage effect,” and it’s why real food, like fish, is better than supplements, like fish-oil capsules, for brain health.
“We often mistake thirst for hunger,” says Gupta. “Even moderate amounts of dehydration can sap your energy and your brain rhythm.” After all, your brain is primarily made of water, and just 2 percent dehydration has a measurable impact on memory, processing speed and analytical thinking. Gupta carries a 2L water bottle with him and aims to finish it each day.
SHOULD YOU
GET TESTED
FOR THE
ALZHEIMER’S GENES? First off, although about a quarter of Alzheimer’s patients have a strong family history of the disease, 1 percent or less inherited a gene that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s. These patients can show signs of the illness as early as their 30s, and many choose to enter clinical trials to help doctors better understand it. As for the more common late-onset Alzheimer’s, the APOE4 gene can raise your risk two to 12 times. It’s present in about 25 percent of people. However, it’s not deterministic, and experts are divided on whether it’s worth getting tested for it, because your lifestyle and habits influence your brain health more than genetics, Gupta says. If you want to get tested, do so under the guidance of your doctor and a genetic coun nselor.
Make Time for Your FRIENDS “I saw social activities and things like that as very much an indulgence for most of my life,” Gupta says. Not anymore. Now he prioritises them: His house is like O.R. Tambo for his friends, his wife’s friends, plus his three daughters’ friends and their parents. “I spend time with people. I discover – which really engages all parts of the brain – and I kind of find my purpose in there as well by spending time with people, understanding their lives and letting them in on mine.” Research shows that individuals with large social networks are better protected against the cognitive declines related to Alzheimer’s than those with smaller networks.
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TRY THE BUBBLE METHOD
Gupta practises analytical meditation, a technique he learnt from the Dalai Lama himself. (Both admit that meditation is hard.) With your eyes closed, think about a problem you are trying to solve and separate it from everything else by placing it in a large, clear bubble. This helps you isolate the problem from your emotions and solve it logically, he says.
MAINTAIN IKIGAI Ikigai is a Japanese word meaning “your reason for being”; it’s used a lot in Okinawa, where dementia rates are low. There’s power in forging a sense of purpose, says Gupta. “From my own trial and error, it’s too hard to just sit down one day and ask: what is my purpose?” In researching his new book, he typically found that actions preceded thought. “It was just an activity, something that you were interested in, and through that you find purpose, whether it’s volunteering, coaching, music, writing, art.” He says he gains meaning from helping people, whether sharing medical information or treating patients, as well as from his family and friends.
GETTY IMAGES (FOOD ITEMS, BRAIN)
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MIND
21 Ways To Go From Listless To Boundless
PLUG INTO OUR EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF RESEARCH THAT WILL SHORT CIRCUIT TIREDNESS AND JUMPSTART BODY AND MIND. WHAT 3PM SLUMP?
02/ RED-HANDED
But put a limit on those solo missions. Over-masturbation sinks levels of energy-boosting testosterone.
03/ BRIGHT START
Working from home? A sneaky 20-minute lunchbreak nap will boost energy and enhance cognition.
08/ CARB UP
12/ SHOT IN THE ARM
Think twice before cutting out pasta, as low-carb diets sap brain energy, reducing your attention span.
05/ PEDAL TO THE METAL
A lack of iron limits oxygen delivery to your body, so take a pill and stay pumped.
06/ BY A NOSE
Add an allergy med to your pill pack. Inflamed sinuses can sabotage sleep to sap tomorrow’s energy.
AMP UP YOUR ENERGY SUPPLY WITH A WEIGHTS SESSION
But you can help your concentration levels by listening to Mozart, so set the office radio to Classic FM.
10/ RUDE AWAKENING
Don’t stifle that yawn. Oxygen acts as a pickme-up by helping cognitive function and brain activity.
Sink a coffee before you nap: the same study found it boosts post-kip alertness for an extra hour.
13/ CHEW AWAY
See off coffee breath with chewing gum to freshen up your mind, too: the mint can help your attention span.
14/ BUILD FOCUS
If you’re antiespresso, the lower caffeine and calming L-theanine of strong tea will give you a gentler boost.
15
BEDTOBARBELL
Lift your energy in the gym: just an hour of lowintensity exercise a week can cut signs of fatigue by 65% in six weeks.
16/ WATER WORKS
Drinking 2.5L of water a day has been shown to decrease signs of sleepiness and fatigue.
17/ MESSY DESK…
…messy mind. Getting distracted by clutter exhausts mental reserves. Marie Kondo your workspace.
18/ BREAK IT UP
Stretching for 10 seconds every 20 minutes is all it takes to stop fatigue setting in at your desk.
19/ CLOCK OUT
Work smarter, not harder. Worn-out, unhappy workers are 22% less productive than happy ones.
20/ NET GAINS
Outside work, make time for a hobby. Fun at five-a-side can invigorate your body and mind: #LifeGoals.
21/ AND FINALLY…
Don’t be afraid to hit snooze after a bad night’s rest. Just one lie-in can get your brain firing again.
WORDS: MATT EVANS | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON
Avoid blue light at night, but scrolling the news on your phone in the morning fires up your brain.
04/ GREEN ENERGY
Include spirulina in your supp stack. Taken regularly, it can make you physically and mentally sharper.
11/ POWER DOWN
Avoid the full English and start off small at breakfast. Lighter, more frequent meals keep your blood sugar levels stable.
09/ TUNE IN
01/ MORNING GLORY
Roll over and start the day with a smile. Sex stimulates brain function and burns away fatigue.
07/ LITTLE BOOSTS
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MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Adventurist
The
ONE IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE. TWO WEEKS TO TRAIN. GO!
WORDS BY ANDREW TRACEY
PHOTOGRAPHY: CALLUM TRACEY I ILLUSTRATIONS: HARVEY SYMONS
This month,, the stakes were a little different. Not only iast y did we task an ardent muscle enthusiast with an ultra-duathlon, but by the government’s orders, all 107km had to be completed under lockdown rules. It’s anti-social distance training.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 79
ormally, these pages are filled with globetrotting tales of mental and physical heroics. One plucky Team MH contender is sent to train with an elite athlete and tasked with mastering their hot, new pursuit out in the field. However, these are not normal times. The rapid spread of coronavirus has caused the world to ground to a halt – as I write, offices remain closed and transport is limited. Since the government enforced a population lockdown, regular life has become anything but. In this new world, home workouts, garden WODs and kitchen mobility sessions have become the norm. And with races, events and gyms closing – some indefinitely – this way of life posed a unique question: how could I, a fitness editor focused on functional bodybuilding and shunning endless cardio, run the Adventurist gauntlet while adhering to these strict, new rules? Particularly with just two weeks’ notice and access only to a stationary bike and an enclosed garden. It was a head-scratcher that would culminate in a formidable challenge: to complete a gruelling ultra-duathlon – a 20km run, a 77km cycle and another 10km run – from the confines of my own home. By its definition, “endurance” involves staving off muscular and mental failure for as long as possible, in the face of uncomfortable or difficult circumstances. It’s making suffering an art form, going beyond a standard level of pain and coming out on top. I’ve spent years taking part in, coaching and spectating competitive events and, if this has taught me anything, it’s that my brief dalliance with the world of ultra-endurance – having trained for a 70.3 Ironman (itself cancelled due to the pandemic) – didn’t qualify me as an endurance aficionado. I still had major doubts about my ability to suffer. The pain threshold of the ultraendurance athlete felt unreachable. With that in mind, my challenge was 80 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
a 107km “race”, broken into the stages mentioned earlier. Even with months of training, I knew suffering was inevitable. “Usually, I’d want at least 12-16 weeks with any athlete for a middle-distance event,” explained Tom Frearson, a triathlon and ironman coach. “One of the biggest challenges with triathlons is the physiological transfer from bike to run. In a duathlon, you have this transfer both ways. Overcook the first run and the bike’s going to hurt; overcook the bike before the second run and your race is over.” It was clear from the outset that this would take more than physical strength. I needed mental grit and race smarts, too. True, I wasn’t coming at this event totally cold. I’m a fitness editor: I’m fit. I’d also been in truncated training for that cancelled half-Ironman. But Frearson still made it clear that even my longest training rides were nowhere near what was required for the mileage now looming. My total running also hadn’t peaked to what was necessary. It was becoming glaringly obvious that in the unfamiliar world of elite endurance, there were no shortcuts.
THE REPETITIVENESS OF RUNNING 100 CIRCUITS PROVED A TEST OF RESOLVE
The
MIND GAINS
Get out of your own head to find mental strength with Frearson’s tips PLAY GAMES Solve maths problems or riddles in your head to ease the monotony. Though calculating your (slow) time may have the opposite effect... FOCUS FORWARD It sounds simple, but thinking about how you’ll feel crossing the finish line is a proven way to help you dig deeper when it gets tough. No turning back.
TRACEY COOLS OFF IN AN ICE BATH IN THE RUN-UP TO HIS SOLITARY EVENT
For the not-so-average ultra-athlete, a week of 10-15 training hours is the norm, bookended by tempo sessions, conditioning runs, strength training and “bricks”, a combination of long-distance cycling and running. This wasn’t the case for me. In short, I began my training in the time frame when most athletes would be considering a “taper”, a strategic drop in training volume, aiming to recover and hit their absolute peak on race day. As Frearson acknowledged, my training forecast – and the race experience as a result – was a unique one. “You don’t have forward momentum, wind in your face, or changing scenery. There are no other athletes or crowds to take your mind off the pain. Any race comes down to mental strength above the physical. In this event, the emphasis on mental strength is even greater.” And so, with no fellow competitors, I decided to remove any added pressures of place or time. I simply needed to cross the imagined (or by then, hallucinated) line. Simple? Yes. Achievable? Perhaps not. There was a very real possibility of failure, the likelihood of injury and the certainty
HISTORY LESSONS Replay past glories in your head to prove you’ve got grit. A key attribute in confidence is experience. You know that you can handle it: remind yourself.
of pain. I did have luck in other respects. I’m fortunate enough to live in a very rural area, and my house sits in the middle of a plot with a fenced border that, if hugged during a run, meant I could eke out a 200m loop without breaking social-distancing rules. I was also in the midst of trialling a Wattbike Atom in my garage, so my sans-road cycling was easily sorted. The stage was set.
HITTINGTHEHOMERUN Game day came around quickly. Staring at my running app as it began the countdown sequence, my thoughts began to race. I was staring down uneven and inconsistent ground, punctuated by never-ending left turns. What’s more, one of the corners featured a 60cm drop into a hard turn, creating a nearcomplete stop every 200m. I would have to make up the speed before turning again in 20m. Nevertheless, the die was cast. The run began as a cathartic experience, but my head game quickly slipped away. My lap counter became an audible reminder
of the insignificance of each complete circuit. Sure, I was chipping away at my total goal of 100 laps, but after some quick mental arithmetic, my heart sank. My pace, combined with irregular terrain and constant directional changes, meant that I was going to be clicking off laps for more than two hours. Internally, my heart and lungs felt fine. Externally, the uneven surface was hammering everything from my soles to my skull. As the distance increased, so, too, did the pain in my knees and hips. With the 100th lap looming closer, I was clocking up a reciprocal number of ankle rolls. Eventually, I pushed past the last bend and into the next phase. To me, there are few things worse than stationary cycling. I find the idea of outputting enough energy to travel for miles without going anywhere as desirable as a low-calorie diet. It began to crystallise in my mind that if I was going to fail this challenge, it wouldn’t be from cramps, or my lungs failing – it would be because I capitulated mentally. Against the odds, I started strongly. I was clipped into the pedals, which allowed me to pull the pedal back upward, thereby doubling my efficiency. With a bit of positive self-talk in my internal monologue, I reached a point where every revolution of the pedals felt purposeful. The stationary cycling became mindful, and I reached a meditative state – it was me, the bike and nothing else, chipping away at the kilometres in total harmony. Tentatively, I looked down at the monitor and was crushed to find that I had only cruised through a paltry 5 000m. Disheartened, it was then that I decided to reassess my nutrition and hydration strategy. My intake, as instructed by ultra-endurance athlete Fergus Crawley, was to shoot for 60g of carbs an hour on the bike and 40g on the run. “Try to become regimented with when you eat or drink,” Crawley had told me. “Being strict with it means depletion should never give you any issues.” Originally, I had adopted a distancebased approach, stopping every 10km for a swig of water or energy drink and some sugars. This was designed to mimic aid stations on the course, helping to provide morale boosts and smaller, bitesized objectives. For the first 35km, this MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 81
The
“I lurched into the shade. I had reached endurance Valhalla at home.”
TRACEY PREPARES FOR THE TOUGH ADJUSTMENT FROM WATTBIKING TO RUNNING
worked.Then the monotony of stationary cycling hit me like a freight train in the back half. I decided to move away from this strategy, to short stops for a quick swig of water and a mixture of ice and energy drink, and some sugars. Endorphins rapidly depleting and aches sharply spiking in my quads, the penultimate 10 000m interval saw me burying my head between the handlebars, spiralling as I considered the enormous workload that still remained once I had left the bike. Eventually, the monitor ticked over to the fateful 77 000th metre. With no celebration, I dismounted and headed for my secret weapon. A large chest freezer full of water had been slowly chilling since the previous night; I dunked my head under, desperate to refresh my body. Now two-thirds of the way, all that was left was a jelly-legged scramble to the summit.
ONMYLASTLEGS Head frozen and caffeine mainlined, it was time for the home straight. I’d barely been off the bike for five minutes before I was circling the garden, revelling in the fact that I didn’t have to go through the time-consuming rigmarole of changing disciplines again. The same, sluggish pace returned. My hips 82 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
groaned and each strike in nto the turf felt like another step ccloser to my body breaking down n. At this time, it was the hottest poiint in the afternoon. The icy pool that I left at my designated “hydration station” – in reality, the same fencepost on every lap – provided welcome relief and helped against the onset of overheating as the kilometres ticked onward and upward. Fatigue was never far away and, as Frearson had warned, the battle was being fought on different fronts. “Fatigue is guaranteed, both physically and mentally,” he had told me. “A trained athlete will have been through the process of accumulating fatigue many times in the build-up to a race. It’s a key part of the conditioning that’s built into the programming by any coach.” With this at the forefront of my mind, my final 50 laps began clicking away minute by minute. Having started a running clock at the day’s outset, I was minutes away from the six-hour mark,
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that I wanted to hit, a milestone m ving cast an eye over the race hav ults from 2019’s London Ultraresu athlon – the race that mine was Dua imiitating. While it was extremely unllikely that I would finish with ub-six time, I felt invigorated by a su the opportunity – theoretically, at least – to scrape a top-20 finish. At six hours and four minutes, I clicked for my final lap. Slowing my pace to a crawling finish, I lurched into the shade. I had reached endurance Valhalla at home. With trembling hands and untied laces, there was no anti-climax. I hadn’t cheated by scaling this back – and I felt emboldened by the fact that I had pushed myself far beyond my limits, for little more than the experience and a few column centimetres. It was proof that, despite a global pandemic forcing us to abandon the fanfare and pageantry that comes with a competitive endeavour, the human spirit still soars. And isn’t that what being an Adventurist is all about?
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INTERVIEWS BY PAUL WILSON, JAMIE MILLAR AND MEGAN FLEMMIT
84 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
GETTY GALLLO
Being fit at any age isn’t just about peak physical condition – it’s a state of mind. If you want a new perspective on life, look to those who have lived it well. Here, four global icons offer the kind of wisdom that only comes with experience.
John Kani
Ac t o r, d i re c t o r a n d p l ay w r i g h t – 76
“I had a drive to be the reflecting surface to my own people. ”
AS A CHILD, JOHN KANI A LWAY S D R E A M T T H AT H E W O U L D E N D U P O N S TA G E
Wise Guys
I am a sucker for once upon a time. Even today when I watch a movie, if there is no once upon a time, I feel a little bit robbed. Because I like stories. Even when I’m watching Black Panther, Lion King or Murder Mystery, I want to know what’s it about. And that’s what drives me and the work I write.
Having performed on the world’s stages for over 50 years, John Kani believes theatre can change the world. I wanted to go to the University of Fort Hare to study law. But my uncle, who was like my elder brother, was arrested and sent to Robben Island for five years. So my father said, I’m really sorry I can’t help you. I don’t have the money. And then I wondered what was going to happen to my life. I was working at a Ford Motor company assembling engines when a friend of mine said, “Come, we are going to be doing plays.” I had always enjoyed doing plays at school, because I hated rugby and soccer. So I went to check out the Serpent Players who were working with Athol Fugard. They were doing this play called Antigone so I decided to join them. I remember Athol asking: if the law is unjust, do the people have a right to not obey that law or to protest against that law? And that was the theme of Antigone. There are laws that come from God and there are laws that come from men. That’s why I became an actor. I had a drive to be the reflecting surface to my own people. That’s what I believed at the time. That art was like a mirror that you hold to society and society sees itself. After Winston Ntshona and
86 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
I won the Tony Award, I told him, “We have to be careful that this doesn’t go to our heads. When we get back to South Africa, there is a war going on – we have a responsibility to what we do and the people we love.” So it was that kind of difficulty of coming back and asking myself, where’s my passbook and reminding myself that I’m not allowed in that restaurant or I can’t go there. We lived this schizophrenic life, and then in two or three months we went back to London and we were the theatre kings of the world and then we’d have to come back to South Africa and suddenly have to abide by all these laws again. My mum used to say, when you step into a place, and there is something in your body that tells you, “It’s not right to be here”, my mum would say, “Make a U-turn and go.” Don’t argue with that instinct in you. The immediacy of theatre is incredible for me. I love movies, I love television, I love everything, but theatre is urgent and it’s immediate. It’s me and you. When I’m on that stage, I’m not performing for 400 or 700 people in the Westend or Broadway. I’m performing it for one person who thought it was important for them to see what is going on in this theatre this evening.
It was fantastic to work with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston on Murder Mystery. The difficulty with working with them is that they’re both comedians. You don’t know when your line is coming. Trying to keep up with them and hook into it was incredible. The end result is an absolutely brilliant work; I loved working on that movie. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is to be easy on myself. I can’t do everything. I can’t help everyone. I can’t love everybody. I have to be patient and gentle with myself. I’m still amazed that I look so old and my wife looks exactly the same as the day I met her fifty years ago. It’s me who’s getting old. She’s been an anchor through everything. And, of course, my children. Family is that one place that will always welcome you back, even when you’ve done something stupid. They will say don’t worry it will pass. So that gives me the greatest joy. I had this dream when I was a kid that I was standing on stage and there were about 1 000 people giving me a standing ovation, saying. “Bravo, bravo Maestro!” I didn’t know what I had done. Did I sing? Did I play an instrument? I didn’t know what I had done. But now when I stand on stage every night in London, in America, in South Africa, my dream says, “I saw this day; I saw this moment”, and I will value it and be grateful to it for the rest of my life as an artist. John Kani was performing in his most recently written play Kunene and The King before lockdown. Watch him in Black Panther, The Lion King and Murdery Mystery.
Ranulph Fiennes E X P LO R E R – 7 5
The first person to circumnavigate the globe via both poles, Sir Ranulph was also the first to cross the Antarctic on foot unsupported. He has no plans to stop pushing himself. My [prospective] fatherin-law didn’t like that I was interested in his daughter. When she was 17, he made her into a ward of the court to stop me seeing her, which, of course, encouraged secret meetings. Because he didn’t like me, I didn’t like him. But now that my daughter is 12, I’m starting to see his point of view. I wouldn’t have done any expeditions unless I’d been led round in circles by life. When I got married to Ginny, we didn’t have any money. During the Cold War in Germany, I’d take the soldiers [in the Royal Scots Greys] skiing, canoeing and climbing to keep them from beating each other up out of boredom. So, we decided that’s what we would do for a living. The number of people who’ve died on polar expeditions is minimal. A travelling salesman on UK motorways is in a far more dangerous position. My late wife reckoned it was a bad idea to run seven marathons after my bypass surgery. I went with her to the surgeon, and Ginny was sure he would say, “No.” He said he’d done what he’d done to me to 3 000 other people, but no one had asked if they could run a marathon afterwards, never mind seven, so he didn’t have a comment. That’s not strictly true: he said, “You shouldn’t exceed 130bpm.” I did intend to keep to 130bpm, but I realised I needed to keep up with the correct pace. It didn’t cross my mind that I might expire.
FIENNES FELL INTO A L I F E O F E X P L O R AT I O N ALMOST BY CHANCE
“I know my limitations – but they weren’t in position until I was about 65.”
It’s best to be honest and not to use the word “run”, when it should be “shuffle”. But, yes, I still do 90 minutes of whatever you want to call it four or five times a week, and 20 minutes of stretches, pressups, pullups and that sort of stuff, to keep the bits in order. Ageing is a nuisance. But it’s nice that it happens to everybody. That’s the only reasonable thing about it. I know my limitations, which weren’t in position until I was about 65. I haven’t reached the stage where I don’t want to do expeditions. What made me realise that age was putting limits on my ability was Everest. I failed from the Tibetan side: I had a cardiac problem, only 300m in height from the summit ridge. Three years later, I tried again from the “easy side”,
I was very relieved to make it to the top – third time lucky. I couldn’t work out why I’d made such a mess of it twice.
The most afraid I’ve been was on the north face of the Eiger on a feature called the Traverse of the Gods. I fell out with one of the guides and words were exchanged, with this huge drop below.
The big expeditions were often my late wife’s idea, so being away wasn’t a problem. We didn’t have children. When Ginny died and I got remarried… Well, you think of that sort of thing. My wife is the most wonderful mother. And being a father very late in life is pretty different. But most younger fathers are away from nine to five every weekday, and might play golf at the weekend. So, it’s not as if the average father is always at home.
The worst pain I’ve felt was extreme cold near the bottom of the Beardmore Glacier in Antarctica. Mike Stroud and I had got rid of our outer clothing because of the weight of our sledges. It was even worse than falling through Arctic ice, as we’d lost so much of our body fat. I’d gone from 15 and a half stone (98kgs) to below nine (57kgs). It probably had more to do with natural fat than the clothing.
I got rid of my fear of spiders by confronting them. So, for vertigo, you think of Everest – but it didn’t do the trick, because there are no drops.
Sawing off my fingers didn’t hurt at all. They’re in my desk in front of me, in a Kodak tin, which is mouse-proof.
Nepal, and still failed. Things weren’t what they used to be.
FIENNES HUNKERS DOWN IN A SNOW H O L E I N A N TA R C T I C A , I N 1 9 7 9
Sir Ranulph has updated his autobiography Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know – a title, incidentally, bestowed by his father-in-law
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 87
Don McCullin P H OTOJ O U R N A L I ST – 8 3
“I’m a very curious human being. I don’t want to be left out.”
Wise Guys being in a battle in Mosul.” But I don’t want to be left out of a subject I know a lot about, and that’s war. I want to be there. I read every newspaper I can get my hands on. I don’t care which ones. It’s almost an obsession. If I had to get on a train without a newspaper, or without my glasses, it would be torturous.
IN THE SERVICE OF YOUR W O R K , M C C U L L I N S AY S , EVEN LIES ARE JUSTIFIED
A photographer who went from shooting his pals in postwar London to being shot at in war zones, McCullin is driven by a desire to understand the world around him. If you get to my age, you’re going to pay some kind of bill or other to stay alive. I’m going deaf in my right ear; it was blown out in an explosion in Cambodia. A shell dropped right by me. I’ve had major heart bypass surgery. It was awful having it done, but here I am. The truth is my body is shutting down slowly, but I won’t have it. I love my family. I think they know it. I’m very aware of how much time I’ve got left. The only thing my mother taught me was her right hand, which used to come frequently at my face. If it wasn’t her clouting me, it was one of the schoolmasters, and if it wasn’t one of them, it was one of the boys in the street. So, I grew up knowing on which side my bread was buttered. I never hit my children.
FROM CAMBODIA TO IRAQ, MCCULLIN HAS WITNESSED SIX DECADES OF CONFLICT
I don’t really believe in God, but I do believe there’s something out there that I mustn’t disrespect. I’ve got a fear of killing animals. I killed the rats that got into my house, but if I’m driving along a country lane and I kill a bird
– which I did, three years ago – I feel incredibly bad about it. It has to do with having seen so much death. If you encourage death, death will come to your door. For me, happiness is standing on the side of an English landscape in the freezing cold, photographing in a blizzard. No one’s dying, I’m alone and no one’s telling me to be there. Everybody’s a photographer now. Everybody. It can be bloody annoying when you’re walking down the street and people stop to take selfies, and you bump into them. I think we’ve been slightly poisoned by the people who made phones, but they’re extraordinary, totally extraordinary. I am not a daredevil. What I am is a very curious human being. I was in Mosul, Iraq, a couple of years ago. There was a suicide bomber coming and we were pushed into the house. There was a mighty explosion, and I thought, “Christ, a bloke of my age, 80,
I used to tell a lot of lies, constantly doing shifty things to save my work. It sounds deceitful, but it wasn’t. It’s what I call professionalism. I was in Zambia about 20 years ago to see the effects of the AIDS epidemic, and the minister of health came to my hotel. He said, “You’ve been to the hospital and I know you’ve shot film. Bring that film to me.” I said, “I can’t do that. I only shot a roll of film.” He said, “Bring me all of the film. Otherwise, there’ll be consequences.” So, I went to my room, ripped unexposed film out of the canisters and I wound all the ends in to make it look as if it had been used. Then, I put the film I’d exposed up on the curtains above the window. I went back to the minister and said, “Look, I’m giving you this under extreme duress.” I was flying home from Lusaka airport, but I went to another airport and shipped the film back to England, to an ex-girlfriend of mine. At Lusaka, they ripped my bags to pieces: they found nothing. I long, like all old people, to have a few more years. But I don’t know if I’ve got anything else to say. Do I have regrets? I regret leaving my first wife. She died the night before my eldest son’s wedding day, a couple of years later. I went back to apologise and be with her for her last few days. It was a wake-up call for me, because I’d been going to all these wars and suddenly tragedy dropped at my door. When it was all over, the woman I went back to kicked me out. I’ve never known idleness in my life. I’ve always been working, always got projects. If it stopped, I’d fall off the perch, so I’ve got to keep going. The Hamilton Gallery currently has an online exhibit of Don McCullin’s work.
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Wise Guys statespersons. But secondly empowering, because it gave an understanding of how power works. And the fact that Mandela was an ordinary person who was thrust into a position where a lot of people would have faltered, but he flourished because he had faith in himself. It gave me an understanding of why we always need to trust our best instincts.
“I’m trying to write a meditation that can help me and others look back on the years we have lived.”
Mandla Langa
AWA R D W I N N I N G N OV E L I ST A N D J O U R N A L I ST – 7 0
The ANC veteran and struggle hero writes to reflect the world as is, as well as to reflect what could be possible. I was a reader of comics when I was a kid. I was always interested in how they were put together. I think that then took me along a road of curiosity, where I started reading about everything I came across. We grew up in a very oppressive time. So reading banned books exposed me to different lives, different circumstances and I wanted to reflect that. I wanted to show that we were no different from other people, in other countries who were also involved in struggles. 90 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
But it wasn’t just a case of fighting 24/7. I wanted to show how people lived, loved, laughed, played music and became real for each other. During exile I wrote quite extensively. My first novel was published in 1987, which was called Tenderness of Blood. Once you publish something you become emboldened. Before that my short story won Drum magazine’s short story competition, which also gave me a feeling of, I could try this; I could do this.
In the late 1970s, I participated in the Arts and Culture Festival in Nigeria. There I met so many people, so many writers, artists and musicians. You would see one thing that would open a door, not doors of opportunity, but doors of knowledge and doors of understanding.
I think people are incredibly complex. That’s one of the things I try to reflect in the novel The Texture of Shadows – the fact that what you think you see is not always the case, and life is like that. So you can’t take anything for granted and I have learnt that you shouldn’t take people for granted. It’s always safer that way. You have to go into the depths of the written works of others before you can say, “I have found a footing to write my own work”. To be able to write and then write and write... until you have something. It’s like mining – you have to dig deep before you can find a gem or a jewel. My family is my biggest achievement. At my grand old age, I have seen quite a number of tragedies, a number of them personal and which I have shared in my writing, but they have helped me through them.
The power of the written word is that it opens doors that can be closed especially for people in impoverished, under-serviced communities, [and] especially in the third world. Reading has always empowered and writing has also punched above its own weight. And it’s something I would prescribe to anyone. Every child must have access to books.
The book I’m writing now is about the issue of ageing because I’m trying to write a meditation that can help me and others to look back on the years we have lived and tease out... certain lessons that can help those younger generations navigate perilous times and not make those mistakes that we have made.
Finishing off Nelson Mandela’s book Dare Not Linger was both humbling and empowering. Humbling because you’re expanding the words of one of the world’s greatest
Read Mandla’s work which includes Tenderness of Blood, The Lost Colour of the Chameleon, The Texture of Shadows and Nelson Mandela’s memoir, Dare Not Linger.
GETTY GALLO
MANDLA LANGA BELIEVES T H AT H U M A N S A R E A L L COMPLEX BEINGS
I try to build empowering narratives, rather than dispiriting narratives. By that I mean I want to make sure that if it’s a story that involves questions about gender, that the protagonists, who are invariably the women, [take] a pre-eminent role in the story.
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92 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
Life After Lockdown The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t just shaken our lives in the short term – it could lead to permanent changes in the way we train, work and connect with other people. The good news? Much of it could be for the better. MH consulted its hive mind of experts to hear their forecast for what your days will look like when the world reopens. Words by Jamie Millar. Additional Words by Kelleigh Korevaar. Illustrations by Tomi Um.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 93
The Future Gazers
David Minton Health and fitness consultant with 30 years’ experience
Cary Cooper Organisational psychology professor, Manchester University
Victoria Buchanan Senior analyst at the Future Laboratory consultancy
Johann Fortwengel Lecturer of international Management at King’s Business School
David Ryan Polgar New York-based technology ethicist and writer
Professor Tim Lang Founder of City University’s Centre for Food Policy
John Appleby Director of research and chief economist at the Nuffield Trust
We’ll Use Our Home Advantage
FITNESS
It’s seems that nothing gets people moving like having their daily activities restricted. Now that we’ve learnt to break a sweat at home, the trend will be going nowhere fast…
A
t the time of writing, 100% of gyms in South Africa remain closed. An as-yet-unknown number of those will never reopen. “There’s going to be a bit of a shakeout,” says David Minton, founding director of The Leisure Database Company, and an industry veteran of three decades. Just like the rest of us, Minton has been working out at home, while kettlebells and yoga mats – to quote the Economist – have been “selling like toilet paper”. But now that we’ve got all the gear, not to mention an endless stream of ideas, will we even need to go back to gyms? “Physical spaces will certainly have to work to convince us to go back by offering smaller class sizes and a reassurance of hygiene,” says Victoria Buchanan, senior futures analyst at strategic foresight consultancy the Future Laboratory. We might even have to book in time slots to prevent overcrowding; Virgin Active has prepared themselves for this scenario. But Minton is adamant that, as social animals, we will flock back to gyms: “Group exercise will almost certainly come out on top.” In a post-COVID -19 world, however, low-cost gyms could be hit the hardest, he says. They’ll leave gaps to be filled by small, hyper-local set-ups that are more tuned into the area’s demographic: less one-size-fits-all, more community-based. We don’t just need the opportunity to exercise; we need motive, or fitspiration. Personal training studios could profit from their strong relationships with a limited clientele, with those that have the space expanding into small-group classes. Buchanan predicts growth in virtual PT consultations, which ensure accountability but slip more easily into our schedules. Faced with the sudden closure of
94 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
their physical spaces with seemingly no end in sight, many operators hastily launched digital offerings. But outside of lockdown, the two are not mutually exclusive: tech can be used to engage with and keep gym members. With trackers such as the Apple Watch, Oura Ring and Whoop now programmed to spot symptoms of COVID-19, tech might even be what enables us to go back to gyms, by telling us whether or not we’re infectious. Home workouts were already experiencing a resurgence internationally, driven by next-gen hardware such as Peloton, Mirror and Tonal (sadly none of which are available here). But while they might be new innovations, the workouts are not. Being able to get your fitness HIIT in your lounge is convenient. But as with working from home, sometimes you’re virtual high-fiving, sometimes you’re just getting on with the job and sometimes you’d rather go to a more conducive environment with likeminded people – without your kids and four-legged companions. There will be pain, but there could also be gain. Even as the cold weather sets in, people are still hitting the streets to work out. More of us than ever appreciate the physical and mental benefits of being active. And with good health linked to positive COVID-19 outcomes, the industry should more than recover. The way we approach fitness might just never be the same as before the coronavirus pandemic: “It really is survival of the fittest.”
“Now that we’ve all got used to training at home, gyms will have to convince us to go back”
We’ll Learn To Cook Creatively NUTRITION
As supermarket stocks dwindle and out-ofseason fruit and veg becomes harder to come by, we’ll make do and amend our recipes.
MANY OF OUR LOCKDOWN HABITS WILL BECOME PART OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES
T
he pandemic is a reminder of the delicacy of our food needs, says Professor Tim Lang, founder of City University’s Centre for Food Policy and author of the book Feeding Britain: Our Food Problems and How to Fix Them. Panic buying has become a tabloid trope, but data shows that customers were largely picking up just a few extra items. That small change in buying habits was enough to upset the apple cart of the big chains’ “just-in-time” model, in which supermarkets display almost all of their stock and top up with daily deliveries. This keeps costs low but is ripe for disruption. We won’t enjoy such a wealth of food options for much longer. “Some things will go short,” says Lang. Dry goods will be less affected, but fresh produce could be hard to get without a global movement of goods and migrant workers to pick it all. The good news? South Africa isn’t dependent on the fruit of other countries’ labour year-round, so we won’t suffer as much as other countries who depend largely on imports. But still, “seasonal” could soon literally mean seasonal, and “tropical” could once again become truly exotic. Supermarkets may carry a smaller range of more reliably replenishable lines from SA manufacturers as much as possible. Weekly fruit and veg delivery boxes could become a staple of our shopping, through a get-what-you’re-given ethos. But apart from “leave it to Woolworths et al”, there’s no real plan. Gone are the days of turning our noses up at those doing their weekly haul from the organic farmers’ market (formal apologies to the Cape Town hipsters). And when it comes time to eventually cook, Google will be our sous-chef, with us relying on it to provide new recipes and ingredient substitutes. MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 95
Flexitime Will Go Full-time
WORK
Wherever you lay your laptop, that’s your office. Companies will have to loosen their policies on flexible working.
W
e won’t all continue to work remotely, but we will work more flexibly. That’s not so revolutionary for women, who have long done so to accommodate care for their children (and sometimes parents). But men have hitherto been reluctant, as Cary Cooper’s studies have shown, because they were worried it would damage their careers. “Well, now that’s gone,” he says. Dialling in will be “totally acceptable”, but we’ll still come into the office for the big meeting or the kind of team building that can’t be done remotely. Head offices will be skeleton-crewed flagships, with workers regularly docking in at smaller outposts. Business travel that isn’t essential will disappear almost entirely. “Employees will realise that video conferencing can be more flexible, family-friendly and environmentally sustainable,” says Johann Fortwengel, senior lecturer at King’s Business School. “Employers will realise that it can be more economical.” However, working from home doesn’t automatically mean a better balance with life: after all, remote employees tend to put in more hours. “You can video call, you can send tonnes of emails,” says Cooper, who predicts that the role of line managers will change significantly to include monitoring employees’ mental health in the absence of body language. And it won’t only be so-called snowflakey millennials who want to work for companies that promote wellbeing, “where people feel recognised, have some autonomy, work flexibly – all of that”. Companies will in turn replace vulnerable human assets with more digitisation, automation and AI. That can be a good thing – for example, online teaching and economies of scale may make higher education more geographically and financially accessible, says Fortwengel – who isn’t worried about his job. “I think this moment presents great opportunities,” he declares. 96 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
SOCIAL LIFE
Digital Tech Will Connect Us Far from an antisocial habit, staring at our screens all day has brought many of us closer together in recent months. But will we keep it up IRL?
S
omehow, our social calendars runneth over in quarantine: drinks, cocktail hours, pub quizzes, group workouts, game sessions and film nights, all via video-calling services that we’d rarely used or never even heard of. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says New York-based tech ethicist David Ryan Polgar – over Zoom, naturally. Video chat services have long been available. What we didn’t have was “this gaping hole in our feeling of equilibrium”. Back when we got our fill of human interaction every day, we’d text, not talk; come evening, we practically craved social distancing. But now, we find ourselves with an “emotional deficit”, an urgency to connect – and a talking point. But tech can only go so far. “I never finish a Zoom call and think, ‘That was really the same thing,’” says Polgar. The “Zoom boom” has brought with it the “Zoom hangover”: mental burnout after
TECH WILL CONTINUE TO BE A KEY PART OF HOW WE SOCIALISE
HEALTH
Your Doctor Will Zoom You, Now The pandemic has proven our healthcare system both invaluable and overburdened. Finding new ways to manage our wellbeing remotely could ease the strain.
V
one too many video calls. They’re still a “weak facsimile” of IRL face time, says Polgar. Hence our inventiveness: we’re trying to add “feeling”. Haptic feedback to simulate a handshake, or a hug, is one prospective touch. Backgrounds of busy pubs and bars to give the sensation of being out will also be popular. And we’ll even design our real-life interiors for online socialising: proud possessions coincidentally visible. (“Oh, this?”) How we use tech could flag whether we’re in a bad place through “digital phenotyping”: inferring your internal state from your behaviour on your devices, like the time of day or night that you’re using them, or your typing speed. And video-calling can facilitate swift intervention. “Digital tools for mental wellness are also going to explode,” says Polgar. Therapy on your own couch may partially diffuse isolation and economic uncertainty. But again, Polgar counsels against it fully replacing human contact: “There’s still
accines normally take five years, sometimes decades, to develop. Onefor coronavirus could be readyin12-18months, though high-risk groupssuchashealth workers may have accesstoexperimental versions by the timeyoureadthis. That’s a big “could” and “may”,though. And even then, exactly howlonganyvaccine protection would last isnotguaranteed. Withoutavaccine, major resurgences couldstillbeoccurring in five years, so in themeantimewe’ll likely social-distance tovaryingdegrees of strictness. Those measures could be eased by contact tracing: there are many countries using an app for that, which monitors via Bluetooth other users who you come into proximity with and alerts you if they become infected or vice versa. It may also function as an “immunity passport” (if you can be immune – there are anecdotal reports of re-infection). And getting ouracttogetheron mass testing might be anidea.Rightnow contact-tracing is being donemanually in South Africa. The problemonour soil is that while many SouthAfricans have cellphones, they’re notnecessarily smartphones, says Jan Vermeulen,senior journalist from mybroadband.co.za. Wheneverthe dust settles sufficiently, thereneedstobe “the mother of all inquiriesintohow government and its agencieshavehandled the emergency”, saysJohnAppleby, director of research and healtheconomist at the Nuffield Trust. Akeyquestionfor most countries will be whethertheirhealthcare systems’ bare-bonesefficiency pre-pandemic was in factunder-resourcing by another name. InSouthAfrica, we can all but confirm that
“In South Africa, every year we read stories of unplaced medical interns.”
with just about every Carte Blanche horror story referencing a lack of resources. An increase in funding to support our healthcare system adequately would be applauded as enthusiastically as the claps heard for our essential workers at 8pm in level 1. The knee-jerk reaction would be to pump it all into intensive care beds to cover for the possibility of another pandemic (our health service didn’t have enough), and away from places where it’s definitely needed. “So, there’ll have to be some balancing of that,” Appleby notes. For those who can afford it, telemedicine will ring the changes. Appleby says that it’s probably not necessary for all outpatient appointments to be conducted face to face, or to have a follow-up. GPs, traditionally among the most, traditional services, will also now see you virtually. Appleby’s GP colleagues and friends are “radically rethinking” how they do things. “Some parts of the service have needed this jolt to get them going,” he says. It should also push us to train more doctors and nurses or at least have provincial health departments dedicate budgets to create more posts. In South Africa, every year we read stories of unplaced medical interns and community service applicants, which then restricts the supply of healthcare workers. Beyond shortages of beds, equipment and staff, the pandemic has exposed the limitations of medicine, with heroic hospital workers only able to relieve symptoms until COVID-19 sufferers hopefully battle through. One positive outcome could be a different attitude to public health messages and personal responsibility: looking after ourselves. “We all know we should exercise and eat our greens,” says Appleby. The problem, in economics speak, is that we don’t “internalise” and do it – or we didn’t until the lessons of this pandemic hit home. “I think more people are internalising that.” MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 97
EAT
20s P99
I
30s P100
I
40s P102
I
50s P104
I
60s P105
New research shows that by adapting what you eat as you grow older, you can combat weight gain, muscle loss and a host of chronic diseases. Chew over our well-timed tips and meals.
SIDEBARS: MEN’S HEALTH US | ILLUSTRATIONS: ELENA XAUSA
COMPILED BY KELLEIGH KOREVAAR
98 MH.CO.ZA/ A Augustt 2020
In Your 20 s:
Build Healthy Habits Calcium-rich broccoli helps to up bone density which continues to develop until you hit 30.
What’s h Happening: Your metabolism is thrumming, your arteries are pristine and your joints and muscles move with ease. But try to remember that you’re not invincible.
The Nutrients You Need:
PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
You’re probably not thinking about having kids just yet, but the zinc and selenium found in almonds helps support and protect sperm production (for the future).
Hot Salmon, Broccoli And Kale Salad
Not quite an expert with a sushi knife yet? Don’t worry, you can learn that later! For now, this simple salmon supper from Matt Hodges, nutrition coach and founder of the MPH method, has you sorted.
1
SALMON FILLET
100G
BROCCOLI
3
TBSP FLAKED ALMOND
½
TSP CAYENNE PEPPER
¼
TSP NUTMEG
¼
TSP CINNAMON
2
HANDFULS KALE, CHOPPED
Salmon is rich in protein and omega-3 fats that not only help build, but preserve muscle, too. You’ll thank us in your 30s for this one.
1/ Brush the salmon with oil and roast for 15 minutes. 2/ As it cooks, steam your broccoli, but only for a few minutes. Keeping it al dente helps your body absorb cancer-fighting antioxidants. Plus, who likes mushy veg? 3/ Crush the almonds with a rolling pin and mix in the spices. 4/ Combine the broccoli and kale and top with the salmon and almond powder.
Fibre and vitamin D. The former will inhibit weight gain now and later in life; the latter will keep your bones strong. Consume three portions of vegetables and two portions of fruit daily. You don’t have to chug smoothies, either. At mealtimes, devote about half of your plate to veg and pulses. For snacks, eat a piece of fruit. These strategies will deliver the fibre you need to stay full and reduce cravings. For vitamin D, make sure that your protein choices include eggs, milk, salmon and canned tuna. Supplement if you’re vegan.
The Habit To Break: Dieting. Counterintuitively, fad weight-loss plans too often stoke guiltassociated eating that can wreak havoc in later years. “No food should be entirely off-limits,” says Brian St Pierre of Precision Nutrition. “Instead, categorise each within a spectrum of those to eat more of, eat some of and eat less of.”
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 99
Brown rice is high in fibre and magnesium, essential for coping with stress and prolonging your sex life, which begins to diminish in your 30s.
Mirepoix is the so-called “holy trinity” of nutrient-dense onion, gut-healthy celery and vitamin C-rich bell peppers, which combine to reduce your cancer risk.
G Fi h
Hearty Seafood ambalaya The three different hearthealthy seafood elements in this dish from chef Gareth Rees of London’s The Fat Bear make it a real catch.
100G
LARGE RAW PRAWNS
1
GREEN PEPPER, DICED
1
ONION, CHOPPED
2
CELERY STALKS, DICED
2
TBSP OLIVE OIL
4
GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1
TBSP CAJUN SEASONING
50G
TOMATO PASTE
400G CHOPPED TOMATOES 800ML CHICKEN STOCK 120G
BROWN RICE
150G
SALMON FILLET
6
LARGE SCALLOPS
6
SPRING ONIONS, SLICED
HOT SAUCE, TO TASTE
100 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
1/ Sweat the onion, celery and green pepper in oil for 10 minutes, then add garlic, Cajun spice and tomato paste. Sauté for five minutes. 2/ Add tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. 3/ Stir in the rice, then simmer and cover. 4/ After 15-20 minutes, stir and add the prawns and salmon. Cover and simmer for four minutes. 5/ Turn off heat. Sear the scallops in a separate pan, then flip and cook until browned. 6/ Ladle the jambalaya into a bowl and serve the scallops on top, garnishing with spring onions and hot sauce.
PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY | FOOD STYLING: TAMARA VOS
In Your 30 s:
What’s Happening:
Mackerel With Fennel Let Alex Hunter of English seafood restaurant Bonnie Gull take you fishing for the heart-healthy benefits you need to hook in your 30s.
1.5KG MACKEREL, FILLETED 1
EGG YOLK
2 TSP DIJON MUSTARD 2
LEMONS, JUICED
100ML VEGETABLE OIL 3
TANGERINES, HALVED
1
HEAD OF FENNEL
250ML ORANGE JUICE 500ML VEGETABLE STOCK 1
HEAD RED CHICORY
20ML WHITE WINE VINEGAR 300ML VEGETABLE OIL
Your metabolism is slowing down, increasing your risk of weight gain and muscle loss. And it’s time to start thinking about lowering your susceptibility to heart disease.
1/ To make the mayo, whisk the yolk, half the mustard and half the lemon juice in a food processor. Once emulsified, add the oil; when stiff, cover and put in the fridge.
The Nutrient You Need: Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, mackerel, oysters, tuna, trout and even herring (hello, rollmops) contain the “good” fats that help to lower your risk of heart disease. Dietitians recommend that you eat at least two 100g portions of fish per week. You don’t even have to cook it yourself: try canned salmon or sardines. Quickly prepare a bed of greens or a bowl of rice and you’re all set.
2/ Char the tangerines in a pan, then add the remaining juice and mustard. Top with oil and shake in a jam jar. 3/ Cut the fennel into six wedges, brown, then add the orange juice and stock. Simmer for 20 minutes. 4/ Fillet the mackerel. Oil and grill, skin side up. 5/ Dress the chicory and fennel in the tangerine mix. Serve with a dollop of mayo.
The Habit To Break: Your 30s are when you want to put in the heavy lifting to reduce life’s later problems. Fennel is the perfect powerhouse for kicking your heart-disease risk.
Binge drinking. From 2009 to 2016, the average annual increase in deaths from liver cirrhosis was highest among those aged 25-34, according to a BMJ study. Repeatedly subjecting your liver to five drinks in two hours – how the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines a binge – may lead to serious liver damage. Go easy.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
This oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to promote wellbeing and concentration - pivotal if you’re trying to climb the corporate ladder.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 101
In Your 40 s:
Fibre Up Stuffed Chicken
Some studies have found that men who eat diets high in cruciferous vegetables have a lower risk of prostate cancer.
This chicken is stuffed with benefits tailored to lower your risks and improve your health this decade. Plus, it’s pretty damn delicious, too.
2
FREE-RANGE CHICKEN BREASTS
80G
KALE, CHOPPED
50G
ARTICHOKE
6
ANCHOVY FILLETS, SLICED
60G
BOK CHOY
OLIVE OIL DRIZZLE OF MUSTARD MAYO
1/ Preheat your oven to 200°C. Mix the kale, artichoke and anchovy fillets in a bowl and season to taste. 2/ Gently flatten the chicken breasts using a rolling pin. 3/ Cut a deep slit in the thickest part of the breast, being careful not to cut right through the flesh. Stuff the pockets with the filling and press the edges of the pockets to seal in the filling. 4/ Bake for 20-25 minutes. In the last 6-8 minutes add the bok choy with a drizzle of olive oil to the oven. 5/ Serve with one of those fibre-filled carbs you’re no longer avoiding because you’ve learnt about the benef nefits balanced eating.
102 MH.CO.
August 2020
Artichokes have some of the highest levels of antioxidants, to help slow the degeneration of DNA with age.
1/ Preheat your oven to 200°C. 2/ Roast the beetroot on the rock salt for 45 minutes. 3/ Cool, peel, then slice with a mandoline.
Nick Deverell-Smith, of gastropub the Churchill Arms brings you his healthy take on an SA favourite – carpaccio.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE (STUFFED CHICKEN) & LOUISA PARRY (BEETROOT CARPACCIO & PAK CHOI) | FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW (STUFFED CHICKEN) TAMARA VOS (BEETROOT CARPACCIO) & MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
A 2018 study found that those who ate more nuts were less likely to become overweight. Great news as your body’s fat-burning furnace slows down.
3
BEETROOT
1
HANDFUL ROCK SALT
1
BLOOD ORANGE, SEGMENTED
100G
GOAT’S CHEESE
100G
HAZELNUTS
4/ To serve, arrange the beetroot layers on a plate as you would with beef carpaccio. Lay the peeled orange segments on top and dot with crumbled goat’s cheese, hazelnuts and a sprinkle of extra rock salt. No matter how you slice it, this hits the spot both nutritionally and visually – so go ahead and use it to impress guests at your first post-COVID-19 dinner party.
You don’t recover from working out the way you used to. The high concentration of nitrates in beetroot helps to accelerate recovery to keep DOMS at bay.
What’s Happening: If you have no symptoms and are at an average risk of colorectal cancer, you don’t have to undergo a screening until you’re 50 – but be aware.
The Nutrient You Need: Antioxidants. A high-fibre diet rich in antioxidants can battle cancers, especially those affecting your colon and prostate. Liven up your tired breakfast menu with mango, which is full of fibre (and flavour). Try it on a bowl of cottage cheese, oats or yoghurt – all good sources of protein. To make your salads more exciting, add grilled asparagus, cooked beetroot, quartered artichoke hearts or pickled cabbage.
The Habit To Break: Avoiding all carbs. Yes, excess calories from too many empty carbs may lead to weight gain, which contributes to diabetes. But don’t toss beans, legumes and wholegrain bread and pasta into the same category. These foods all provide hefty doses of cancer-fighting, gut-filling fibre. Did we mention how great fibre is?
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 103
In Your 50 s:
Defend Your Heart Orecchiette Pasta With Chilli Garlic Brussels Sprouts
Don’t turn your nose up; the humble Brussels sprout is one of the 20 most nutritious foods in the world. This recipe by Ali Dedianko from vegetarian restaurant Ceremony in London will reinvent the veg you thought you would never enjoy.
100G
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
1
GARLIC CLOVE
1
RED CHILLI
1
LEMON
1
PINCH MALDON SEA SALT
4/ Use salt and pepper to season, then serve.
1
PINCH BLACK PEPPER
1
GLUG OLIVE OIL
PECORINO, TO SERVE
The fibre content in the cabbage’s baby cousin, which feeds gut bacteria to improve metabolism, makes it a winner for weight-loss.
Your friends are all on statins. Your doctor has told you to cut back on sodium. Your risk of hypertension increases with every passing birthday. But don’t let your heart sink: research shows that you can fight cardiovascular disease.
2/ Bring a pot of water to the boil, adding a pinch of salt. Cook the orecchiette until al dente and drain, saving a splash of the water. 3/ Combine the sprouts and pasta, top with pecorino shavings and a liberal squeeze of lemon, then stir in the saved water to make a sauce.
300G ORECCHIETTE PASTA
What’s Happening:
1/ Trim and quarter the sprouts, then sauté on a medium-high heat with the olive oil, garlic and chilli until charred.
The Nutrient You Need:
Pecorino is high in zinc, the nutrient that studies have shown helps preserve testosterone.
Potassium. It’s a micronutrient that doesn’t get the credit it deserves for blunting the effects of sodium in your diet and supporting healthy blood pressure, which is crucial for heart health. Introduce dark, leafy greens, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, potatoes and beetroot to your weekly menu: all are potent sources of the mineral. But it’s still a good idea to limit your salt intake. Bear in mind that most of it comes from processed foods, not the shaker.
Stress eating. In a recent German study, participants aged 46-65 reported more workrelated stress than any other age group, possibly because the pressures of their senior positions was compounded by anxiety about finding a new job should anything go south. Meanwhile, a separate review linked emotional eating to a higher BMI. But stopping isn’t simply a matter of avoiding the Golden Arches on your commute home. You need to banish late-night snacks, too. Stress can lead to restless nights, which means you’ll have more waking hours when you’re liable to snack. 104 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY | FOOD STYLING: TAMARA VOS
The Habit To Break:
What’s Happening: You’ve built up a solid healthy base of good habits during your younger years, but you’re still worried about how long you’ll be able to keep doing all the active things you love.
The Nutrients You Need: Protein. A workout routine will help you maintain the muscle you have and also fight flab. But timing your meals is key, says exercise physiologist Jim White. “Studies show that protein intake distributed throughout the day stimulates muscle growth more effectively than eating it all in a single meal. That helps you maintain a higher metabolism, which can prevent weight gain.” Add whey protein powder to your oats, and pair salads with grilled chicken or salmon.
Research has shown that blue cheese may protect against many diseases as well as slow signs of ageing. Now, that doesn’t stink.
In Your 60 s:
PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY | FOOD STYLING: TAMARA VOS
Don’t Stop Now Post-Workout Cajun Chicken Salad Gareth Rees of awardwinning restaurant The Fat Bear is here to spice up your sad salad and see you straight through your sixties.
2
CHICKEN BREASTS
2
TBSP CAJUN SEASONING
25G
CHILLI JAM
40ML CIDER VINEGAR 100ML OLIVE OIL 130G
BABY SPINACH
60G
GOLDEN RAISINS
100G
PECANS, HALVED
100G
BROWN SUGAR
50ML HOT WATER 100G
SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
80G
BLUE CHEESE
1/ Liberally apply Cajun seasoning and salt to the chicken. 2/ Cook in an oiled pan for around five minutes on each side, then rest. Meanwhile, whisk the jam, vinegar and olive oil to create a vinaigrette and toss in the spinach and raisins.
The chicken isn’t just a vehicle for flavour in this dish – with 100g of breast delivering 25g of protein at a cost of only 110kcal – it’s a protein powerhouse.
The Habit To Break: Eating the same thing day in, day out. Tonight, cook lamb, squid, beans, or whatever else hasn’t made it onto your plate in the past month. Each of these foods has a unique nutritional profile. The world is your oyster – another source worth shelling out on.
3/ Spoon out the salad, then cook the pecans in the sugar and hot water to form syrup. 4/ Scatter over the leaves along with the tomatoes and blue cheese, before slicing the chicken and serving on top. Drizzle on some extra dressing and tuck in.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 105
PR
ES
ENTED BY
AND
WE LIKE HAVING SEX. Some of us more than others, and some of us in more experimental or adventurous or kinky ways than others. But if there is one clear takeaway from the 47 questions we asked South Africans of every age, ethnicity and geographic region last month, it’s that we’re having sex, and we like it. Along with Women’s Health, we polled 932 adults on how they’re navigating this brave new world of sex and relationships. We learnt who’s satisfied and who’s not, who’s having the most orgasms and, uh, who’s not, and – for the love of all 106 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
in
things holy – who’s who s relying on astrology to determine compatibility. (To the 12 percent of people who do this: how’s that going?) We learnt that if millennials are trapped in a dry spell, then 30-somethings are on a mission to reverse that trend. And we learnt that more than a quarter of all boomers – yup, those 50- and 60-year-olds – say
they’ve had a threesome. Soyeah,welearntalot,andyouwill,too.Lookwepromised to get you fit at any age, so consider this your manual to get you sexually fit at any age. But before we kill the #mood, let’sgetstarted,shallwe?(Aslongasyou’reokaywiththat.) / BY KELLEIGH KOREVAAR ILLUSTRATIONS BY DOMINIC M C KENZIE
How Many
How OFTEN Do You Have SEX?
SEXUAL PARTNERS
Have You Had?
2-3 TIMES A MONTH:
ONCE A WEEK:
19.5%
21.6%
LESS THAN ONCE A MONTH:
9% ONCE A MONTH:
2-3 TIMES A WEEK:
6.2%
36.3%
EVERY DAY:
5.8% NEVER
1.7% 42% of people in their 20s and 30s are doing it at least two or three times a week, proving the so-called millennial sex drought may not actually be a thing. Meanwhile, 41% of people 50 or over are doing it at least two or three times a week, too. And you thought the bedroom would get less action with age.
Are You HITCHED? In 2016, the average age of marriage in SA was 36 for men and 32 for women, while in 1996, it was 31 and 28, respectively. Although, 51% of the men we polled were married.
1960
CENSUS
40%
MARRIED
2016
CENSUS
12 or
The most common answer among all respondents put together. (Second place: 3 to 6.) ONLY ONE OR TWO? That seemed low, especially given that some
people tend to inflate their number, research shows. We wondered if anyone had downplayed their own sexcapades, even though the survey was anonymous. So we checked in with Dr Justin Lehmiller, research fellow at the Kinsey Institute and author of Tell Me What You Want, who offered up this explanation: “The options that are available to us for sexually interacting with others are evolving,” he says. “For example, as sexual norms have loosened, participation in activities like oral and anal sex has increased. The bigger question is really what ‘counts’ as sex or as having had a sexual partner. Different people may define these things in very different ways.”
How Often Do You ORGASM During Sex? MEN
WOMEN
29%
EVERY TIME
MARRIED
70%
USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS
22% 44%
Do You Feel
HORNY
Every Day?
Are You SATISFIED With Your SEX LIFE? PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s
MEN
60%
22% 5% 2% 1%
IT’S A 50/50 TOSS-UP SOMETIMES, BUT NOT OFTEN NEVER!!!!!!
13% 15% 6%
Congrats, 50-something men: 77% of you orgasm every time you have sex – more than any other demographic.
WOMEN
20%
VS.
PEOPLE 50 or over
The horniness divide: 67% of men in their 20s feel horny every day, compared with 24% of women in the same age group. 108 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
On a scale from 1 to 5, how people in their 20s versus those 50 or over rate their overall satisfaction. (Hey, at least we’re all more satisfied than not!)
H How Important Is It to Know Your Partner’s ASTROLOGICAL SIGN? P The percentage of people in their 30s who agreed it says a lot about character and compatibility. 13% of 20-somethings, 8% of 40-somethings, and 7% of people 50 or over felt the same.
Who’s Actually y Had A
How EXPERIMENTAL Is Your Sex Life? YOU NAME IT, I’LL TRY IT.
THREESOME? 20s
21%
30s
17%
22%
How Would You Feel About A Threesome
IN THE FUTURE? IT’S BASICALLY MY LIFE’S GOAL
10% 48% I’M NOT SURE
18% NO, THANK YOU
22% PREFER NOT TO ANSWER
2% 51% of 30-somethings said they’d be open to it, should the opportunity arise.
Your Partner Wants To Film You Two Having Sex.
ARE YOU DOWN? 20s
In their 20s
30s
40s
50s+
People who identify as straight
43%
IN THEIR 20s
50 or over
89% 93%
21% of straight-identifying 20-somethings said they’ve been attracted to people of their own gender, and 9% have experimented sexually with them at least once.
who you ask. Whereas 12% of straight-identifying 20-somethings said they wouldn’t rule out a same-sex attraction, none of their 70-something counterparts said the same. Lehmiller says it isn’t that more young people are bi-curious: “As stigma declines, it becomes safer to acknowledge attractions that, in another time and place, might have been considered ‘deviant,’ ” he explains. “So it’s not necessarily the case that people’s attractions themselves have changed, just that they’re more willing to openly discuss them.”
55%
60%
57%
For men, 30 to 39 is the peak decade for penis rings. (34% of guys in their 30s own them.) Guys in their 30s are also the most likely to own a prostate massager (4%), and the most likely to own a butt plug (8%). As for the most popular toy? That would be the vibrator.
How Often Do You
WATCH PORN? EVERY DAY 9% 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK 27% ONCE A WEEK 15% 2 TO 3 TIMES A MONTH 14% ONCE A MONTH 8% LESS THAN ONCE A MONTH 16% NEVER 10% PREFER NOT TO ANSWER 1%
8% of women in their 30s watch porn two to three times a week, compared with 28% of men in the same age group.
30s
58%
61%
Percentages of people who are into it
57% 40s
Men: Any Sex TOYS?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE STRAIGHT? Depends
IF THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE, I WOULDN’T SAY NO
I’M VANILLA.
Twenty-somethings are a whole lot more experimental than their parents’ generation. Only 14% of them said they’re “vanilla,” compared with 22% of people 50 or over.
50s +
62% of people who identify as gay, bisexual, pansexual or questioning have had a three-way, compared with 17% of straight-identifying people.
19%
IT DEPENDS ON MY MOOD AND WHO I’M WITH.
Are You Hetero-FLEXIBLE?
40s
27%
56%
25%
Do You Do BUTT Stuff At Least Once A Week? IN THEIR
20s
30s
50%
50s+ Men and women feel differently about doing it on camera: 58% of men said they’d be into it, compared with 27% of women.
40s 50s +
MEN WOMEN
8% 6% 9% 8%
3% 0% 0% 0%
7% of men we surveyed engage in anal sex (or other forms of butt play) at least once a week. MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 109
Wh hat Makes You
Are You Using PROTECTION?
SECURE?
MY ABILITY TO PERFORM
EVERY TIME
18%
USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS
19%
ABOUT HALF THE TIME
5%
MY SEXUAL DESIRES
52%
Your biggest insecurity in the bedroom
19%
22%
SOMETIMES, BUT NOT OFTEN
20%
NEVER
38%
7%
MY BODY
MY ABILITY TO ORGASM
Folks of all ages said their ability to perform is their biggest insecurity in the bedroom – more so than their body, sexual desires or ability to orgasm.
SEX Ed
Only 25% of people in their 20s use some form of protection every time they have sex. And that's the highest out of any age group!
The average score for how well people said their sex ed prepared them for sex in the real world:
STIs?
17
People in their 20s and 30s are the most satisfied with their sex-ed experience, giving it an average rating of 1.7 out of 5. (Yeah, still not great.) Folks over 50 are the least satisfied, giving an average rating of just 1.4 out of 5.
12
%
The percentage of people across all age groups who said they’ve had a sexually transmitted infection.
THE DATING DISPATCH It’s hard out there for an online dater. That's why we wanted to find out exactly what’s on people’s minds when they swipe and eventually meet IRL.
What do you consider a deal breaker if you see it on someone datin profile? someone’ss dating
Where do you typically go on a first date? CASUAL COFFEE DATE
PHOTOS OF 5 NO 59% THEMSELVES 46% NON-COMPATIBLE LIFESTYLE CHOICES NEGATIVE BIO 43%
19%% POLITICAL AFFILIATION 18% ALL PHOTOS ARE SELFIES 15% RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION 11%% ALL GROUP PHOTOS
OUT FOR DINNER
36% 29%
How long do you normally date a match before having the “Defining the Relationship” talk? 1 MONTH
3 MONTHS
39% DRINKS AT A BAR
32% 18%
OTHER
SOMEONE’S HOME
110 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
After the date
5% 1%
11% RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY
20% LONGER THAN 3 MONTHS
9%
I AVOID THE CONVERSATION ENTIRELY
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JORDYN TAYLOR & TEMI ADEBOWALE
During the date
Before the date
Do You Ask For
AFFIRMATIVE CON SENT? MOST OF THE TIME
EVERY TIME
41%
Who Takes THE LEAD During Sex?
27%
MEN
WOMEN
NEVER
5%
56%
12%
5% 10%
RARELY
NOT SURE. THIS IS THE FIRST I’VE HEARD OF AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT.
SOME OF THE TIME
9%
Of all the age groups, 40-somethings are the most likely to ask for it every time they have sex. Ironically, people in their 40s are also the least familiar with affirmative consent; 7% hadn’t heard of it before taking our survey. (Need a refresher? See below!) FOR ALL YOU FOLKS who haven’t heard of
affirmative consent (looking at those few 40-somethings): it’s when a person actively and voluntarily communicates “yes” to a sexual act. You always need to obtain it (to the 41% of people who ask for it every time: great job!) – even if your partner has said yes to the same thing previously. If asking for consent feels painfully unsexy, Gigi Engle, certified sex coach, sex educator, and author of All the F*cking Mistakes, suggests the following script: YOU: Would you like to fool around? THEM: Yes. YOU: What do you like? I would love to kiss you on your x. Is that okay? THEM: Yes. YOU: Is it okay if I take your shirt off? Your pants? THEM: Yes.
35%
ME
11%
MY PARTNER
35%
MY PARTNER AND I DO IT EQUALLY
54%
Our 30-somethings are all about equality: 41% said they share leadership duties with their partner, more than any other age bracket.
How Interested In An
OPEN RELATIONSHIP Are Youu? I’M IN ONE RIGHT NOW!
5%
IT’S EXACTLY WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
6%
I SEE POTENTIAL UPSIDES AND DOWNSIDES
18%
NOT VERY. ONLY IF MY PARTNER REALLY WANTED IT
14%
NOT AT ALL
53%
A WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP?
4%
Nearly 70% of all respondents said they’re not into it – although 6% of people in their now eir 30s said they’re they re in one right now.
How Comfortable Are You With During Sex x? Voicing Your
NEEDS
50%
24%
25%
1%
I'M SUPER COMFORTABLE VOICING MY NEEDS
IT DEPENDS ON WHO IT IS, AND WHAT THE FANTASY IS
I WANT TO BE OPEN, BUT I REALLY STRUGGLE
I WOULD NEVER SPEAK K THEM TO ANYONE
Almost a third of 30-somethings said they want to be open about their needs during sex but they “really struggle e.” And a quarter of people over 50 said the same thing.
Do You Believe In
SOUL MATES?
% 72 SAY THEY DO.
Awww.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY: Men’s Health and Women's Health magazines conducted this sur vey of 932 adults in South Africa in June, using anonymous Google Forms.
MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020 111
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Is Fat Shaming Ever Necessary?
THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
FOR THIS COLUMN ON THE PITFALLS OF MASCULINITY IN 2020, STUART HERITAGE WEIGHS IN ON THE ISSUE OF BODY IMAGE.
and rolled down a hill. That’s why the likes
was fat shamed. A picture emerged of the
of Piers Morgan and Bill Maher tend to get
Aquaman star walking around with his top off, as is his wont, and people went crazy. One
away with it when they fat shame in public. The worst thing is that it doesn’t even work.
woman commented, “Been working on his dad bod.” Another wrote, “Someone needs to start
As soon as you make someone feel bad about being heavy, it crushes their self-esteem. It makes them
lifting again.” One asked, “Where dem abs at?” And this was Jason Momoa, for crying out
depressed and anxious, which in turn makes them eat more and exercise less. Put simply, if you
loud. I could dedicate the rest of my life to a regime of intense, non-stop exercise and
take two people with identical BMIs and only tell one of them that they’re a disgusting chubber, that
I still wouldn’t even come halfway close to Jason
one will find it harder to lose weight in the long
Momoa on his worst day. Chances are that you wouldn’t, either. And this can only mean one
run. It’s a vicious cycle. But it’s also more complicated than that.
thing: the fat shamers are coming for us. As
My mom, for example, was the queen of the fat shamers. If we hadn’t seen each other for a while,
always, we’re behind the curve. Women
I could guarantee that she’d greet me with an inquisitive prod of the gut and a friendly,
have been bombarded with this sort of thing for years, a festering THIS MONTH’S culture that equates ADVOCATE slimness with selfStuart Heritage, worth. But now, little having explored the relationships by little, the walls are between fathers, starting to close in on sons and siblings us, too. Our dominant in his memoir Don’t Be a Dick, cultural figures are Pete, is well superheroes. Reality placed to make shows, like Love sense of modern manhood. Island, are essentially a parade of barely sentient six-packs. Every year, the male care product industry grows a little more; every year, it feels a little
“Putting on some weight, are we?” I hated it, mostly because she also happened to be the queen of the feeders. But, sure enough, after a couple of reminders that I was getting fatter, I’d start going to the gym again and stop abusing the biscuit tin quite so much. Mom died a couple of years ago and, without her around, I’ve become the heaviest I have ever been. However, I’d argue that there’s a world of difference between those two poles. When it’s your overbearing mother who’s telling you to
“Calling someone out as a chubber will only make it harder for them to lose weight”
more awkward not to fit inside a narrow definition of what is physically acceptable. As a paunchy, balding man with back hair you could plait like a horse’s mane, I feel these expectations acutely. But while women have had years to mobilise against this sort of nonsense, we’re on the back
eat less, you can just about rationalise it as the workings of an affectionate mind. But when it comes from an entire society – a society deluded enough to label Jason Momoa as fat –
foot. Traditionally, men don’t get to fight back when they’re ridiculed. We’re taught about stiff upper lips. We’re told to “man up”. We’re told it’s just “banter”, even though those who use that word deserve to be shoved in a barrel
that’s harder to square. It just feels cruel. Let’s put it this way. There are times when I look in the mirror and wish my mom was still around to poke me in the gut. But Piers Morgan? He can fuck off.
114 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE I IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY
Last summer, Jason Momoa
NO MAN IS MADE OF STONE. IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO FIGHT FAT WITH KINDNESS
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