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CERAMICOOL

PROTECTS SKIN FROM UV RAYS

CONTENTS

OCT

2017

V CO

PILE ON MUSCLE!

This circuit uses compound moves to provide unparalleled growth stimulus.

THE MEN’S HEALTH EGG COOKBOOK

Here’s why eggs are nature’s multivitamin, and recipes for taste!

TAKE THE PLUNGE

Heat? Humidity? Be smart about tackling them while running in Singapore.

FREE DNA TESTING? NOT SO FAST

Local insurers are planning programmes offering personalised and nutritional insights through DNA analysis. But is that really a good idea?

LEADING FROM THE FRONT

HOW TOP DOCS AVOID CANCER

Ritual Gym CEO Brad Robinson shares what it takes to juggle corporate life and to maintain that physique.

Here are 10 more ways these experts protect themselves.

IN EVERY ISSUE 06 13 55 96

ED’S NOTE BULLETINS AM STYLE EXTRAS!

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10 ASK MEN’S HEALTH

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

ON THE COVER

ART DIRECTION: JASON TAN STYLING: SHEH PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL TAN HAIR & GROOMING: DAX LYE MODEL: BRAD ROBINSON

THE LARD IS YOUR SAVIOUR?

Eating all the fat you want sounds like a delicious way to lose weight. But let’s see how long you can hack it.

IN-FLIGHT SECRETS REVEALED

BANISH BACK PAIN THE NATURAL WAY

Airline wisdom from those in the trade.

The ache may be in your back, but the ﬁx could be in your brain. Stay active with this nine-point plan.

RUN, BARRY, RUN

BOWL HER OVER ON THE FIRST DATE

Want to run as fast as Barry “The Flash” Allen? These footwear will help you take the ﬁrst step.

I went on nine ﬁrst dates in three weeks. Then the experts – and my dates – gave me feedback. Learn from my trial and error.

26 64

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM

Escape the indoors – and your regular exercise programme – with this fast-paced, do-anywhere, minimal-equipment routine.

TAKE HER BREATH AWAY

We discover where this month’s must-stay staycation spot is, and why your woman will love it.

SHORE UP YOUR BEACH LOOK

Follow these easy grooming tips before you set foot on the sand.

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GET IN TOUCH WITH US AT: menshealth.com.sg/connect

THE WORLD’S LARGEST MEN’S MAGAZINE RODALE INTERNATIONAL GROUP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Caroline Ngui, nguislc@sph.com.sg GROUP EDITOR Raymond Goh, raygoh@sph.com.sg

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Loh Yew Seng, lohys@sph.com.sg

EDITORIAL

Strategic Planning Director Foong Seong Khong, foongsk@sph.com.sg

Editor Kelvin Tan, kelvtan@sph.com.sg Content Producer Mcken Wong, mckenw@sph.com.sg Writer Nicholas Woo, nickywoo@sph.com.sg

Publishing Services Director Leong Tscheng Yee, leongty@sph.com.sg

Director,Global Marketing Tara Swansen International Financial Manager Michele Mausser Administrative Assistant Shoi Greaves

GENERAL MANAGER Pang Lee Cheng, panglc@sph.com.sg

Editorial Support Manager Alice Han, tayaha@sph.com.sg

ADVERTISING SALES

Senior Coordinator Munirah Abdul Rahman, munirahr@sph.com.sg

Account Director Kevin Foo

CREATIVE

Senior Account Manager Alan Lim

Art Director Jason Tan, jasontan@sph.com.sg

MARKETING

Associate Art Director Ashruddin Sani, ashdin@sph.com.sg

Team Head Vicky Yong

Chief Photographer Veronica Tay, verontay@sph.com.sg

Digital Manager Serene Ong

Executive Photographers Frenchescar Lim, frenchl@sph.com.sg Tan Wei Te, tanweite@sph.com.sg

Assistant Manager Jasmine Koo

Photographers Darren Chang, darrenc@sph.com.sg Vee Chin, veechin@sph.com.sg Vernon Wong, vernwong@sph.com.sg Zaphs Zhang, teolc@sph.com.sg

For sales and marketing enquiries, e-mail Agnes Seow: seowlke@sph.com.sg NEW MEDIA

Photography Assistants Angela Guo, angelag@sph.com.sg Sherman See-Tho, sseetho@sph.com.sg

Product Manager Faith Yoong, faithy@sph.com.sg

Editorial Support Executive Jacqueline Yik, jacyik@sph.com.sg

Digital Marketing Manager Serene Ong, sereneo@sph.com.sg

CREATIVE SERVICES

Senior Marketing Manager Justin Chong, cjustin@sph.com.sg

Director Ong Ting Nee, tingnee@sph.com.sg

PUBLISHING SERVICES

Assistant Project Manager Nurasyidah Abdul Razak, nsyidah@sph.com.sg

Team Head Alice Chee, siewyuen@sph.com.sg Team Leader Lisa Yong, lisayong@sph.com.sg

Art Director Kim Wong, kimwong@sph.com.sg

Men’s Health Singapore is published by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd under license from Rodale Inc., publisher of Men’s Health in the United States. All rights reserved. Title and trademark Men’s Health © Rodale Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. Any views expressed by the Members of the Editorial Advisory Board in this magazine are their own and do not necessarily reﬂect the views of or is sanctioned by this magazine. Members of the Editorial Advisory Board do not, by virtue of their membership, endorse or support any product or service advertised or articles featured in this magazine. The articles in this magazine are for your information only. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualiﬁed healthcare practitioner or professional advisor.

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Editorial Director, Rodale International/ Director of Content, Rights & Photo Operations John Ville Editorial Director, Men’s Health and Women’s Health Laura Ongaro Editorial Director, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Prevention & International Branded Books Veronika Taylor Senior Content Manager Karl Rozemeyer Associate Editor Samantha Quisgard Production Assistant Denise Weaver

MEN’S HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD DR DERRICK AW MBBS (S’pore), MMed (Int Med)(S’pore), GDA (S’pore), MRCP (UK), FAMS (Dermatology), Consultant, University Dermatology Clinic, National University Hospital

DR JEAN HO MBBS (S’pore), MMed (S’pore), MRCP (UK), FAMS (Dermatology), Jean Ho Skin, Hair and Laser Clinic, Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre

VIDYA G. BHAT MSc, Nutrition & Food Science (India), Nutrition Consultant

DR EUGENE HONG C.J. MBBS, Dip ABAAM, MHSM Medical Director, Electro Hair Regeneration Centre, Camden Medical Centre

DR JASON CHIA MBBS (S’pore) MSpMed (Aust), Sports Physician, Head and Consultant, Sports Medicine and Surgery Clinic, Tan Tock Seng Hospital ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CHIA SING JOO MBBS, FRCS (Edin), FAMS (Urology), Head & Senior Consultant, Department of General Surgery (Urology), Tan Tock Seng Hospital MITCH CHILSON Director of Strength & Conditioning, Evolve Mixed Martial Arts

Senior Art Director Neccol Woo, neccolw@sph.com.sg

Associate Art Director Feng Ling, lingfeng@sph.com.sg

Director, Business Development & Global Licensing Angela Kim

Vice-President, Human Resources Irene Lee, leebl@sph.com.sg

Senior Manager, Administration and Editorial Support Unit Juliana Chong, julianac@sph.com.sg

Senior Writer Nida Seah, seahnida@sph.com.sg

Executive Director, Business Development & Global Licensing Kevin LaBonge

Corporate Communications Head Chin Soo Fang, soofang@sph.com.sg

Executive Sub-Editor Leonard Lau, leonardl@sph.com.sg

Editor Grace Chua, cshgrace@sph.com.sg

SVP, International Business Development & Partnerships Robert Novick

MEN’S HEALTH IS AVAILABLE ON BOARD SINGAPORE AIRLINES FIRST AND BUSINESS CLASS

Men’s Health Singapore is published by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd, 82 Genting Lane, Media Centre Level 7, Singapore 349567. Tel: 6319-6319, Fax: 6319-6055, E-mail: magmenshealth@sph.com.sg. Distributed by Circulation Department, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Printed by timesprinters, Singapore registration No. 196700328H. SPH Magazines registration no. 196900476M, ISSN 0217-8274, MCI (P) 015/05/2017 Distributed in Vietnam by XunhaSaba Corporation. Distributed in Hong Kong by Foreign Press Distributors Ltd. For back issues, e-mail circs@sph.com.sg. To subscribe online, visit www.menshealth.com.sg.

DR CHONG YEANG CHERN MBBS (S’pore), MMed (Family Med), Wellness Doctor AsiaHealthPartners DR CHUA JUN JIN MBBS (S’pore), FRCS (Edin), FRCS (Glas), Consultant Cosmetic and Laser Surgeon, JJ Chua Rejuvenative Cosmetic & Laser Surgery, Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre DR BENJAMIN CHUAH MBBCh, MRCP (UK), Consultant, Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute

DR MARTHA LEE DHS (US), Clinical Sexologist, Eros Coaching DR NELSON LEE MBBS (S’pore), Masters of Medicine (Psychiatry), Grad Diploma Psychotherapy (Distinction), Medical Director & Psychiatrist, The Psychological Wellness Centre DR PAUL ONG JAU LUENG BA MB MChir MA (Camb), FRCP (UK), FESC, Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Device Therapy Department of Cardiology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital DR SEE HUI TI MB. ChB, MRCP (UK), FRCP (Edin), FAMS (Medical Oncology), Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, Parkway Cancer Centre DR SAMUEL YEAK MBBS (S’pore), FRCS (Edin), FRCS, RCPS (Glas), FAMS (ORL), Head & Senior Consultant, Department of Ear, Nose & Throat, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

S E I Z E IN S P I R AT I O N

Performance design wakes up to a new age of sport. Urban sportswear embracing Japanese design with a minimalist, modern edge. Styled for layering, versatile for sports and life.

Global Editions/ EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Australia IAN COCKERILL Brazil SERGIO XAVIER

5 SKILLS YOU’LL HAVE MASTERED AFTER READING THIS ISSUE

Bulgaria VLADIMIR KONSTANTINOV China ZHOU SONG Croatia ROBERT FRKOVIC France PATRICK GUERINET

Lead From The Front If you’re reading Men’s Health, you already know: fi tness matters. But these days, it goes beyond just personal wellness and crosses over into your career as well. In their new book titled Fit To Lead, co-authors Marcus and Sari Marsden offer an alternative perspective on leadership that integrates all three aspects – the heart, mind and body – for maximum impact. Marcus Marsden explained: “In the past, leadership was about what you knew. But by the late 1990s, it changed from thinking to feeling. It became about emotional intelligence or how you felt at work. “I am firmly convinced that in fi ve years’ time, talking about one’s body or physical state will become mainstream in the workplace.” Speaking to Ritual Gym’s CEO, Brad Robinson, for this issue, it’s clear that future won’t even take fi ve years to come into reality. It’s already here. He shares with us his personal ideology of why owning your body is just as important as owning a business, and what it takes to build the willpower to excel at both. Make sure you read his feature piece on page 80!

P26

Germany MARKUS STENGLEIN Greece VASSILIS GEORGAKAKOS Hungary MÁTÉ PÁSZTOR India AROON PURIE

First-date Wisdom To Get A Second Date.

Indonesia NINO SUJUDI Italy ENRICO BARBIERI

Malaysia JOHN NG Netherlands JAN PETER JANSEN

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Philippines ALLAN MADRILEJOS Poland KRZYSZTOF KOMAR Portugal PEDRO LUCAS

Why Women Dump Great Guys.

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Kazakhstan ANDREY MANUYLOV

Romania MIHAI GHIDUC

Russia KIRILL VISHNEPOLSKY Serbia and Montenegro IVAN RADOJCIC Singapore KELVIN TAN South Africa JASON BROWN South Korea SEUNG KWAN PAIK

Are Free DNA Tests Really A Good Idea?

Spain JORDI MARTINEZ Thailand CHATCHAWIN UNHANUN

Turkey FATIH BÜYÜKBAYRAK Ukraine DMITRY PRIBYTKO United Kingdom TOBY WISEMAN

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Latin America FRANCISCO CUEVAS ARGENTINA

How Top Doctors Avoid Cancer.

ARUBA CHILE COLOMBIA

Editor

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The Athleisure Upgrades Worth Your Buck.

COSTA RICA CURAÇAO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ECUADOR EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS MEXICO NICARAGUA PANAMA PERU VENEZUELA

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NOW!

AT MENSHEALTH.COM.SG

MH VIDEO

WHY HAVING MORE SEX CAN MAKE YOU SMARTER

Okay, so there are tons of reasons why you should make whoopie right now. But here’s one you might not have thought of: Having frequent sex might boost your brain, according to researchers from Coventry University. Here’s the reason why.

www.bit.ly/moresexmh

The Best Workout To Do At A Crowded Gym Here’s a ferocious full-body exercise you can do with a single kettlebell. Best of all, the whole thing takes only 12 minutes. Created by Nike trainer Dennys Lozada, the circuit is ideal for gym rats who can only work out in peak-periods, or if you’re in a rush for time. If you want optimal results, add this to your regular sessions. www.bit.ly/crowdedgymmh

The Most Useful E-mail In Your Inbox

Sign up for our newsletter when you register to be a member on Menshealth. com.sg and receive free expert advice and tips delivered straight to your inbox. Each week, you’ll learn how to upgrade your muscle gains, look like a million bucks and get the girl. www.bit.ly/1YHEeSA

Facebook LIKE US AT

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

www.bit.ly/sexaddictmh

PHOTOS 123RF.COM

Instagram

VIEW OUR PHOTOGRAPHS AT

Here’s a shocker: Men love sex. Thinking about it, watching it, doing it – your day is probably sprinkled with sexual urges. How often? Ten, 20, 50 times a day? Find out where exactly is the line between having a sex addiction and just being a living, breathing guy.

TEXT MCKEN WONG

Twitter

ARE YOU ADDICTED TO SEX?

AMARIS B. CLINIC SPECIAL

HOW IS SHE LOOKING AT YOU? YES, SHE’S DEFINITELY CHECKING YOU OUT. HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR A BETTER CHANCE AT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

WOMEN PREFER HOW GOOD YOU LOOK, AND HOW DEFINED YOUR ABS AND CHEST ARE. CHEST The perfect body starts from your chest down to your abs, and while working out at the gym could help shape and tone your physique, ramping up the exercise regime will not help you burn off your “man boobs” or gynecomastia, as it is called in medical terms. The quickest and most effective means of shaping up and putting an end to pain and embarrassment is gynecomastia surgery. Not only does it reduce overly enlarged glandular tissues and remove excess fat around your chest, it’ll tone and shape your pectoral muscles for that ideal masculine physique. ABS There is no denying the manly appeal of a well-defined six-pack on your belly. And while it might have disappeared over time, Vaser Hi-def Lipo can easily bring it back. Using an advanced body-sculpting ultrasonic sound wave technology, the process not only removes fat but helps carve out muscle definition around the hardest-to-reach places, such as your love handles, to give you a chiselled, more defined appearance right where it matters.

et’s get right to the point: We men have always had our eyes on the ladies. And depending on the individual, some are drawn to her breasts. Or her legs. Or her face… the list goes on. But did it ever occur to you that women have preferences too? The truth hurts, but according to sex and relationship expert

Wendy Walsh, the attraction doesn’t take place where you think it does. Rather, it’s how good your face looks, and how defined your abs, chest, shoulders and arms are. Back that up with a great personality for a better chance at sealing the deal. To help you ace that physical impression beyond working out at the gym, here are three ways you can shape up your appeal.

FACE Counteract the effects of our polluted cities and hectic lifestyle by boosting your skin’s youthfulness with acne management and skin renewal solutions at Amaris B. Clinic. Beyond cleaning out your pores and smoothing out your lines to leave you glowing like you’ve just had your energy levels renewed, treatments such as botulinum toxin injections and dermal fillers can help keep you looking younger and fresher by enhancing your features. Visit Amaris B. Clinic for a consultation or go to www.amaris-b.com to find out more.

ASK MEN’S HEALTH LIFE’S QUESTIONS ANSWERED

IF YOU HAVE BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO, MAKE SURE YOU STICK THE LANDING.

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PHOTO MASTERFILE

I STOOD UP QUICKLY AND THE ROOM STARTED SPINNING. I WAS SO DIZZY THAT I HIT THE FLOOR. WHAT HAPPENED? – P h i l

Chances are you experienced something called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The key word here? “Benign.” That’s good. This is the condition that made golfer Jason Day hit the fairway (with his head, not his ball) during the US Open last year – but he recovered and became No. 1 in the world. It’s different than garden-variety dizziness, which generally passes in seconds after you stand quickly. It’s also different than orthostatic hypotension, a blood pressure problem that worsens the longer you stand. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is sudden, and it’s

GET MORE ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS AT MENSHEALTH.COM.SG/ASK-MH

SOME DAYS I’M JUST TOO TIRED FOR THE GYM. IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE I CAN DO? – Dylan Sure there is. Ride a bike for 20 minutes – it’s a proven lethargy buster. In a recent University of Georgia study, low-energy but otherwise healthy people who took time out for a 20-minute stationary bike ride three days a week reported an impressive 20 percent boost in energy over the course of six weeks. If cycling isn’t your thing, you can replicate the study’s results by choosing any exercise that increases your resting heart rate by 50 beats a minute, says exercise physiologist Dean Somerset. I’VE BEEN WAKING UP A LOT TO PEE. HOW MUCH NIGHT-TIME PEEING IS TOO MUCH? – Brad How old are you, Brad? It’s not too common for

YES? brought on by dislodged calcium carbonate crystals in your inner ear, says Dr Carol Foster, director of the Balance Laboratory at the University of Colorado Hospital. These crystals relay motion signals to your brain, but if they migrate to the wrong place, you get seriously dizzy. It can take months for the condition to clear up, but you can coerce the crystals back into place with a series of wacky poses that mimic yoga. Ask a doctor to show you how.

NO?

MAYBE?

young guys to get up more than twice a night to pee, but up to half of men in their 70s do. Generally, it’s nothing to worry about. But in some cases, excessive nocturnal urination can signal a weak heart, diabetes or kidney infection, says Dr Jesse Mills, director of the Men’s Clinic at UCLA. A simple urine test can rule those problems out. You might also have an enlarged prostate, which is annoying but usually easily treatable. To stem your night-time flow, impose an hourlong no-drink buffer before bedtime. Meanwhile, double down on your gym time: In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, men between the ages of 55 and 74 who were physically active for at least an hour a week were 34 percent less likely to wake up three or more times a night.

LEGAL EASE AM I LIABLE IF MY DOG BITES SOMEBODY? – Kenn Under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, dog owners will be liable to a fine of up to $5,000 if their dog bites another person. In addition, the owner must pay compensation not exceeding $2,000 to the person that has suffered the injury. As this is a strict liability offence, owners are liable in the event of a dog bite even if the owner was not negligent or did not know that the dog is inclined towards aggression. For example, if it was your domestic helper who failed to close the gate while you were not around, causing your dog to run out of the house and bite someone, you will still be held liable under the law. However, if the dog bite occurred in your home, you will not be liable if you can prove that you did not expressly or impliedly permit the injured person into your home. Source: SingaporeLegalAdvice.com Do you have a question about the law that you want to find out? Please send it to us at magmenshealth @sph.com.sg. The legal information here does not constitute legal advice. You should always consult a lawyer for the professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation, before you commence any sort of legal action. We are not liable if you fail to do so.

CAN I REALLY GET ABS IN ONE WEEK? – Will

MAYBE.

At this late hour, your best bet is to focus on eliminating water retention. While we’re normally strong proponents of carbs, a few days of deprivation will help you on your way to a shrink-wrapped torso, says personal trainer James Alexander-Ellis. “Start basing your meals around protein and leafy greens, but make sure you add salt,” he advises. “The kidneys excrete more sodium with a low-carb intake.” You’ll also want to up your water intake to three or four litres a day: “This flushes excess fluid from the body, reducing bloating.” As for your workout, your key term here is “carb depletion.” This is the kind of training bodybuilders do pre-show, essentially burning out their glycogen stores.

OC TOBER 2017 11

SINGAPORE’S NO.1 MEN’S MAGAZINE

WHAT’S THE FASTEST WAY TO REMOVE A PIMPLE? FIND OUT HOW HOW AT MENSHEALTH.COM.SG.

LOG ON NOW TO GET MORE SEX, HEALTH AND FITNESS TIPS. OUR DIGITAL ISSUE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON THE MAGZTER APP.

DRINK WINE AND LOOK FINE

New research from Bristol University has uncovered yet more reasons to indulge: Scientists have found that wine can make you more attractive before you utter your first dulcet “hello.” The study authors found that vasodilation – the flushing of the face that often accompanies a tipple – is perceived as both healthy and appealing. They also confirmed the popular opinion that alcohol improves your mood, leading to relaxed muscles and natural, winning smiles. But before you order the most expensive bottle on the list, note the study found that the perfect amount is one large glass (250ml). Any more and the effect will be less desirable, both for her susceptibility and your head the morning after.

PHOTO MASTERFILE

THAT FINE GLASS OF BORDEAUX COULD BE YOUR PERFECT WINGMAN.

OCOTBER 2017 13

THE PLOT SOOTHENS

If you struggle to unwind at the end of the day, scour your bookshelf for a well-thumbed novel. While anxiety triples your risk of heart attack, American University says re-reading an old book promotes therapeutic self-reflection to slash stress. Just six minutes of reading anything lowers anxiety by 68 percent.

PHOTOS MASTERFILE

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BREAK THE BAD NEWS CYCLE

News flash: Dark and depressing stories outweigh good ones in the media by 17 to one. And it gets worse. A review in Trends in Cognitive Sciences proved a pessimistic daily outlook significantly cranks up your risk of heart disease. So spend less of your time obsessing over mysterious plane crashes and the global terror threat to create some good news for your heart.

TAKE A SAD SONG, AND MAKE IT BETTER

Feeling down? A sad song might help. Melancholy music actually makes you “feel more blithe and less tragic,” reports Tokyo University, by allowing you to process your deeper emotions without posing any real threat to your well-being.

Party For Your Life

Ignoring that text from your mate inviting you to the pub could kill you. A German study showed hanging out with other men cuts stress hormones, while an Aussie study found men with close friends outlive loners by 22 percent. Pick up the next round – your life depends on it.

THE PERCENTAGE OF VICTIMS OF SPORTS-RELATED CARDIAC ARREST WHO’D HAD SYMPTOMS, LIKE CHEST PAIN, WITHIN THE PRIOR SEVEN DAYS.

SOURCE: CIRCULATION

BE FLEXIBLE TO PRE-EMPT EXHAUSTION

Stretching banishes postlunch slumps before they happen. A Nasa study shows pilots who did standing stretches – try quad and side stretches – for seven minutes every hour displayed theta activity (the brainwaves linked to daydreaming) and increased alertness.

THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOUR RISK OF HEART ATTACK INCREASES IN THE SEVEN DAYS FOLLOWING A RESPIRATORY INFECTION. SEE A DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE CHEST DISCOMFORT. SOURCE: INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL

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PLAY IT SAFE WITH MEAT AND ONE VEG Red meat has a bad rep, but The American Institute for Cancer Research says marinating your steak (try lemon juice and two tablespoons of olive oil) reduces its carcinogenic chemicals – the kind of chemicals capable of causing cancer in living tissue. Serve it with some broccoli to pick off stealthy carcinogens.

THE PERCENTAGE DECREASE IN CHOLESTEROL LEVELS FOUND IN PEOPLE WITH UNHEALTHY LDL NUMBERS WHEN THEY SNACKED ON CASHEWS EVERY DAY AFTER FOUR WEEKS. SOURCE: THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION

Refresh Your Bad Breath

Gum has its merits, but tackling halitosis isn’t one of them – you’re masking the smell, not stopping it. Chew on an apple instead: Dental Research journal says this helps to remove food particles, while adding cinnamon nukes bacteria.

risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke) than those who didn’t take them, the Journal of Nutrition reports. Either the benefits take many years to appear, or vitamin takers make healthier choices in general, the scientists theorise.

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Read and learn: Nondiabetic people who said they at least sometimes read nutrition labels had a 13 percent lower risk of diabetes 10 years later than those who rarely or never did, a Yale University study found. That risk reduction was even better – 18 percent – at the 12-year follow-up.

PHOTO MASTERFILE

MULTIVITAMINS MAY HELP YOUR HEART Men who’ve popped multivitamins for at least 20 years have a 44 percent lower

FACE THE NUTRITION FACTS

THE BEST POSTWORKOUT REWARD

A protein shake should be your go-to snack after a tough workout. You want a snack that will help you rehydrate, while also sending amino acids to your muscles, says University of Texas researchers. Your body’s ability to absorb protein increases by 50 percent after a workout – don’t waste this opportunity on honey-coated oats.

PHOTO MASTERFILE

RUN TO TECHNO

Brunel University found up-tempo, energetic music is the best sort to listen to while doing cardio or other steady-paced exercises. Its more commercial Vegas cousin, electronic dance music, is better to listen to before your workout (its gradual build-ups leave you feeling pumped). Drop the tempo with ambient sounds to accelerate your recovery by helping you relax.

UP THE CARBS, CUT THE TIME

A study conducted by Loughborough University scientists found that men who hit the carbs before a 30K treadmill time trial were 10 percent faster than those who stuck to carblight fare. However, if you’re looking to cut fat rather than seconds, consider abstaining: You’ll run slower, but burn off far more stodge from your waistline.

HEAD TO HEAD

A personal rivalry will supercharge your 5K performance, according to Sage Publications. Human competition amps up testosterone, pushing you like no cardiomachine countdown can. Set a “loser buys the first round” policy if racing actual enemies is hard to orchestrate.

THE NUMBER OF MINUTES OF EXERCISE, SIX DAYS A WEEK, THAT CAN CUT YOUR RISK OF EARLY DEATH BY 40 PERCENT. SOURCE: BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE

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Wrap up dinner two to three hours before you bunk down. Any later and your meal might not fully reach your gut, resulting in acid reflux, says Michael Grandner, director of the University of Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sleep and Health Research Program. If going to bed hungry messes with your rest, a snack of 150 calories is fine. Fix yourself a small bowl of cereal.

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PHOTOS (CEREAL & FRUIT JUICE) MASTERFILE & (LOW-CAL DRINK) 123RF DIGITAL IMAGING ASHRUDDIN SANI

THE DINNER BUFFER

CUT THE CARBS, BUT NOT TOO MUCH

There’s no benefit to cutting your carbs to make up only 5 percent of your total calories, compared to 40 percent, says Arizona State University. In its study, the weight loss of high and low carbers was similar, but the less extreme of the two reported having more energy – and being less “hangry.”

THE NUMBER OF CALORIES BURNED PER MINUTE IN EXPLOSIVE CIRCUIT RESISTANCE TRAINING. USE HEAVY WEIGHTS AND DO THE LIFTING PHASE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

Stay Away From Sugar Later

Scientists at Tel Aviv University found that caving in to sugar cravings early in the day can curb the urge to binge later. Researchers advise including protein too. So if it’s pastry you desire, best wash it down with a shake (not the fast-food variety).

S O U R C E: U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I A M I

LOW-CAL SWEETENERS AREN’T MAGIC

Artificial sugars impair your brain’s ability to gauge how many calories are in the food you’re eating, Harvard University School of Public Health found. You might be swerving the carbs, but your body will still be craving those calories. So drop the diet soft drinks if you want to look more like the guys in their ads.

THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN FRUITS BOUGHT AFTER EATING AN APPLE SLICE BEFORE GROCERY SHOPPING, COMPARED TO EATING A COOKIE BEFORE GRABBING A SHOPPING CART. S O U R C E: CO R N E L L U N I V E R S I T Y

JAZZ IT UP FOR WEIGHT LOSS Can’t stop stuffing your face with food? Turn up some slow jazz music. A Cornell University

study found slow jazz reduces your eating speed, as well as make your meal more satisfying. Conversely, it’s worth keeping the Benny Hill theme on hand for any dawdling dinner guests.

OC TOBER 2017 19

C-SUITE CHEATING

Women executives are just as likely as male bosses to cheat, a German study reveals. And the higher a person’s rank, the researchers say, the more appealing the secrecy of an affair becomes, and the less obligation the cheater feels to abide by social norms.

GROOVY KIND OF LOVE

In a study done by the University of London, researchers discovered that 40 percent of women are more turned on by good music than by touch. Study authors say the best tracks feature singers with a wide vocal range, high “chest voice” and “raspy” quality.

GIVE HER FLOWERS

Simply being in a room with a few vases of flowers can influence the way a woman sees you, research in the journal Social Influence suggests. When flowers were nearby, ladies judged men in videos as sexier and more attractive than they did when the room was empty. Flowers can signal romance and enhance her mood, the researchers say, which may help her view you more favourably.

THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN WHO HAVE FANTASISED ABOUT CHEATING WITH ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBOURS. Source: Gleeden survey

ROUND AROUND THE MOUND

20 OC TOBER 2017

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

PHOTO MASTERFILE

When you’re touching her breasts, Kinsey researchers recommend viewing them as a dartboard: start by stroking the outer rings, and gradually moving on to the nipple. And the least-pleasing moves you can pull: tweaking them like you’re loosening the lid of a drinks bottle, or squeezing them as if testing the ripeness of fruit.

PIRELLI SPECIAL

RIDE ON COLOUR

WHEN YOUR NOUVEAU RICHE NEIGHBOUR HAS AN EQUALLY BLINGED-OUT LAMBORGHINI AS YOURS, HERE’S HOW TO UP YOUR GAME.

o you’ve decked out your vehicle with everything you can, from kit to rims, and it’s a beauty as far as you and your mates reckon. But wait: Pirelli has just raised the bar by bringing in tyres in colour! You heard that right. You can now change yours to the latest Pirelli P Zero Colour Edition tyres – because while a tyre must be round, it doesn’t have to only come in black. Launched at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, the Italian Formula One tyre manufacturer has decided to give everyone a flashy taste of what F1 drivers are accustomed to since 2011 – colour coded wheels to indicate tyre compounds. The difference is that the colours in these ultra-high-performance P Zeros for everyday Joes are purely for style, and are available in four basic colours for starters – yellow, red, white and silver.

What if your neighbour keeps up with you with a set of yellow-striped P Zeros over your reds? Then you can do one better by changing yours to any colour, even those with unpronounceable names, which will be available soon on request.

WHILE A TYRE CAN ONLY BE ROUND, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO ONLY BE BLACK.

For more informtion on Pirelli P Zero Colour Edition tyres, visit www.pirelli.com.sg.

PIRELLI TECHNOLOGY IN TECHNICOLOUR Pirelli’s engineers have developed an innovative printing process to preserve the integrity of these standout tyres, as well as new compound solutions and specially designed defences to preserve the brightness of the colour under normal conditions of use. The hitherto P Zero have been legendary since 1963, offering superlative performance in every aspect. It is standard fitment to cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche and other premium marques such as Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Volvo and Volkswagen. The P Zeros offers the same excellent dry and wet performance, as well as comfort, with its PNCS (a noise-cancelling system). Should someone jealous and up to mischief plant a nail or two next to yours, rest assured your P Zeros will see you all the way to your hot date. This is because of its Run Flat and Seal Inside technology (a self-repairing capability in the event of a puncture). The first cars to wear the P Zero Colour Edition are from Pagani, Lamborghini and McLaren, followed by Ferrari and Aston Martin as well as Porsche and Bentley. They come in 19-inch size and upwards.

The Explorer SIR RANULPH FIENNES Home West Midlands, England Occupation Adventurer, author

22 OC TOBER 2017

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

THE 70S AND 80S After expeditions to Greenland and various other exotic locales, he became the first person (with fellow explorer Charlie Burton) to complete a “circumpolar” expedition, crossing the North and South Poles in one trip.

THE 90S Sir Ranulph set a world record in 1990 for “unsupported northerly polar travel,” found the purported lost city of Ubar in the Arabian Desert, and completed (with Mike Stroud) the first unsupported crossing of Antarctica.

THE 2000S He lost part of his fingers to frostbite on a North Pole tour. Four months after a heart attack and bypass surgery, he completed seven marathons in seven consecutive days. At age 65, he climbed Mt Everest.

THE FUTURE He won’t say what’s next, but it’ll be good. His autobiography is called Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know.

P H OTO G A RY SA LT E R

Age 72

THE 1960S At age 17, Sir Ranulph left Eton College before graduating and joined the British Army. He trained as a Special Air Service paratrooper, commanded counterinsurgency forces in Oman, and led the first hovercraft expedition up the Nile.

TEXT GEOFF NORMAN

SIR RANULPH FIENNES HAS TREKKED HIS WAY FROM ANTARCTICA TO THE NORTH POLE. HE HAD A HEART ATTACK AND THEN RAN SEVEN MARATHONS – IN SEVEN DAYS. HE TURNED 65 AND SUMMITED EVEREST. DISCOVER WHAT PUSHES HIM.

waiting around, so I did it myself.” (See DIY Amputation.)

M Much of Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s life has been spent getting to the top. Not the top of the corporate ladder, but literally the top of the world – the North Pole – and the bottom as well, as in the South Pole. He succeeded at both, and had plenty of other extreme adventures along the way. The founding editor of Guinness World Records has called him the world’s greatest living explorer. The cost of all these exploits? A considerable amount of money and half of each finger on one hand. THE CASE OF THE MISSING DIGITS “During a solo expedition to the North Pole, I lost my sled through the ice and had to reach down into the water to retrieve it. As a result, the fingers and thumb on that hand were badly frostbitten. When I returned home, the doctors told me that amputation of 5cm or so was necessary.” AN UNENDURABLE WAIT For medical reasons, the amputations couldn’t be performed right away. Sir Ranulph would have to wait five months while the skin near the dead tissue healed enough to make what they called a patch. “It was agony, just touching a thing by mistake. I grew tired of

THE DANGERS OF A WET BOOT His first bout with frostbite was as a young officer in the elite SAS. “I had been wading in an icy river, and my feet stayed too long in the wet boots. My right foot turned black and I had a skin graft. But the whole graft came off two or three years later, when I was in the bath.” ADVENTURE IN HIS BLOOD His father, Lt Col Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, who commanded the Royal Scots Greys, was killed in action in World War II. The younger Fiennes was educated at Eton and holds a peerage title, Third Baronet of Banbury. His ancestors include Charlemagne and various kings. His third cousin is Voldemort (that is, the actor Ralph Fiennes). The military suited him – the SAS is at the very top of British soldiering. It’s the kind of selective small-unit force that Singaporeans might compare to the SAF commandos. EXPLOITS IN ARABIA He was born too late for all the 19th-century British colonial action, but like a character out of an adventure novel, he ended up on the Arabian peninsula – between Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the Strait of Hormuz – serving the Sultan of Oman. The Sultan was embroiled in a tough shadow war against communist guerrillas. Sir Ranulph commanded a reconnaissance platoon and saw plenty of action in the Dhofar Rebellion. He was decorated for his bravery and chronicled the

experience in a book, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread. Later, he returned to Oman on an expedition to locate the fabled lost city of Ubar, known as “Iram of the Pillars” in the Koran and “Atlantis of the Sands” elsewhere. This once-mighty fortress had disappeared beneath the soft desert sand. He and his late wife found what was believed to have been this city. He wrote a book about that too. A CLIMBER AFRAID OF HEIGHTS For a man who’s been driven to conquer great heights, he has never had the best relationship with them. “I suffer from what I think of as vertigo,” he says. “Put quite simply, I am afraid of heights.” But the SAS made him a paratrooper, and he learned how to step out of a plane in midair. His instructors taught him to never look down and to keep his eyes open when he exited the airplane. As it turned out, climbing Everest’s 29,035 feet wasn’t a problem. “There was never that long emptiness immediately below,” he says. “When you looked off, what you saw were white shoulders.” It took him three attempts. The third time was the charm, and he was only

65 years old. And yes, he’s written a book about that too. He also climbed the Eiger, the legendary Swiss peak with a 5,800-foot vertical surface of rock and ice. “It took us three days to make it up the north face, and when it was done, I determined that from here out I would leave the vertical stuff behind,” he says. “On those days when it was time to clean the leaves and debris from the gutters on the house, I held the ladder and my wife climbed up to do the job.” GOING TO COLD EXTREMES The polar regions are endless, flat and white. The trick is to think cinematically to divert the mind. “You imagine that you’re escaping from a Siberian gulag. You chant to yourself ‘escape, escape’… imagining you’re being chased. And you must keep going to stay ahead of the pursuit.” WHEN SWEAT FREEZES “When [physician and fellow adventurer] Mike Stroud and I did the first unsupported crossing of Antarctica in the 1990s, we were pulling 220kg on a sledge. It was often minus 50 deg C, but the two of us were sweating trying to pull these things. Almost as soon as we

 DIY AMPUTATION: “I DID IT CAREFULLY.” “I took the Black & Decker vise from my tool shed.” 2/ With the micro saw blade, “I cut off the dead finger and thumb ends of my left hand.” 3/ “I did it slowly and carefully. When it bled or was painful, I moved the saw away from the living flesh to the damaged flesh.” 4/ “I had to saw through bone, but it was dead and quite shriveled.” 5/ He says he saved himself thousands in medical bills by doing it himself. “I kept the mummified fingers. You hate to part with something that has been a part of you for some 60 years. But I have no idea now where they are. Part of the clutter, I suppose. Or thrown out.”

OC TOBER 2017 23

ALPHAMALE

 TWO RULES OF POLAR TRAVEL Rule 1: Travel light. “There isn’t much room left on the sledge after you’ve packed the food and the absolute necessities,” Sir Ranulph says. “So you leave a lot behind. No toothbrush – too much weight and space. Mike Stroud was ruthless, and I am a man of faith. I made a little inspirational note that read: ‘With God all things are possible.’ He vetoed that and it got left behind.” Rule 2: Go to the loo fast. Okay, it’s minus 50, but you have to go. “People always ask about that. ‘How do you do it?’ The answer is… quickly.”

stopped, the sweat would freeze and then we were in danger from hypothermia. The solution is breathable clothing, and you have to be able to quickly put on something warm on top when you stop. Cold and hot, cold and hot. They come together very quickly.” THE MIND PLAYS TRICKS People ask him if he’s ever had experiences that might be called supernatural. “Nothing like that for me. My late wife, on one trip, thought she heard footsteps and had the sense that she was being followed. Of course, there was nobody out there to do any following.” DEEP THOUGHTS OUT THERE? “No. It’s a bit late to be wondering why you are out there. And you are awfully busy.” DOES HE MISS IT? “When I’m at home, I have never wanted to be back at the Poles.” THE TINIEST OBSTACLE “On one crossing there was a problem with a kidney stone. I knew right off what the problem was, but I thought if I drank enough water and took enough painkillers, I would be able to carry on. But eventually I ran out of painkillers. Then it was too painful to keep walking. So I used the rescue beacon to alert the ski

24 OC TOBER 2017

plane, and it came and got me.” He wrote a book about that too, of course. HIS CARDIAC PAUSE… One thing to know about being an adventurer-explorer is that the unknown is always right around the corner. Things like the heart attack that he suffered, in June 2003, in the most banal of settings: sitting in an airplane, waiting for takeoff. He never saw it coming. “I went forward with a bang and that was it,” he says. “Out for three days. They did a double bypass.” …AND THE REASON WHY “I’ve always believed that it was the diet on those polar expeditions that led to my heart attack. We ate quite a lot of chocolate and butter,” he says. “Dr Stroud planned it so that what we consumed was largely fat. That was the most efficient way of getting the calories.” Dr Stroud, who’s done a study on starvation and its effect on the human body, calculated that they would need 5,500 calories a day, but the weight of that much food would have slowed their progress to the point that they would have eaten all the provisions before they reached the destination. “So he cut it back by 300 calories” to 5,200. “That was the bare minimum.” He began the Antarctica

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

crossing weighing 98kg but lost an enormous amount of weight – and not in a healthy way. “By the time we reached the South Pole, the halfway point, I was looking skeletal.” HIS BYPASS RECOVERY PLAN “You wait four or five months and then get back to it.” For him, that meant doing seven marathons in seven consecutive days, beginning in Patagonia and ending with the New York City Marathon. HOW CRAZY IS THAT? “It might appear that this was foolishness on my part,” he says with British understatement. “A way of denying the reality of the heart attack, if you will. But it wasn’t, actually. I had been doing these things that were greater tests of endurance before the heart attack, and I had permission from the surgeon to do this as long as I monitored my heart rate and made sure it did not get above 130 beats per minute.” But then, of course, he forgot to pack the heart monitor. “But just the same… I knew.” TRULY SCARY DISASTERS “When I was young, I smoked. Gauloises. Ten a day. Then I quit.

I suffer from what I think of as vertigo. Put quite simply, I am afraid of heights.

But I still got cancer. Not of the lungs, however. I had cancer of the prostate. Which led to six hours of surgery. That got rid of it… for now. Then there are the other things. Alzheimer’s. Dementia. Much worse than an emergency on the ice. And nothing you can do.” WHAT’S LEFT TO EXPLORE? “There are only two poles, of course, and there is a constant race to break records. Everest has been done. Many times. There is a lot left to explore in the oceans and space. The barrier is the cost. You can do Everest, but you can’t get into the space race. But there are climbs. Those dreadful 2,500m cliffs where someone can still do a first ascent. Crossing Antarctica during the polar winter between the two equinoxes is something that has not yet been done. Someone will do it. Perhaps using vehicles or whatever, and that will be a record. After that, someone will do it on skis. Eventually, it will be solo, or female, or over 70… and so forth.” THE WHY OF IT ALL “Sometime in the 80s, Prince Charles, who has always been a supporter and benefactor, suggested using the expeditions as a way of raising funds for charities.” In 2011, Sir Ranulph was named the top celebrity fundraiser in the UK, having generated over US$3.6 million for Marie Curie, a charity that supports people suffering from terminal illnesses. WHAT’S NEXT? He will soon let us know what his next adventure will be. What we can know for sure: There’ll be a record to be set, it’ll involve expensive travel to a very hot or very cold part of the world, and he’ll probably write a book about it.

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COUPLES

Bowl Her Over On A First Date

I WENT ON NINE FIRST DATES IN THREE WEEKS. THEN THE EXPERTS – AND MY DATES – GAVE ME FEEDBACK. LEARN FROM MY TRIAL AND ERROR.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

ILLUSTR ATIONS ZOHAR LAZAR

26 OC TOBER 2017

PHOTO LEVI BROWN

I used to have a move when I was out with a new woman. It was complex. Nuanced. I called it the “High Five Handhold” or “H5HH.” It involved a series of strategic high fives, each one lingering longer at the apex to ascertain her level of interest. If palm contact approached one full second, you intertwined fingers. Boom – the high five would become a handhold. That should tell you everything about my mastery of romance’s most frightening ritual: the first date.

TEXT KIT FOX

DATE IDEA CHEMISTRY 10

20 TOTAL SCORE DATE 1

DATE 2

DATE 3

DATE 4

The Bookstore

The Near-Disaster

The Artist

The Game

The move worked… once. I was in school and we were in my parents’ basement on a purple couch watching the Ricky Gervais rom-com Ghost Town. As I sat there, my clammy hand against hers, this actual thought ran through my head: “Man, I’ve got game.” She ditched me three weeks later on the dance floor at prom. Fast-forward to 2017: I’m now 25, single and living in a small town that runs out of Tinder options after five swipes. It’s been nine years since my one and only H5HH “success.” My last first date was eight months ago. Which was why the editors of this magazine armed me with expert advice and sent me out into the field. I learned many things, but one universal truth stands out: Guys suck at first dates. Our expectations are too high, our planning too lax. You should have one goal: having fun. The stakes are lower that way, and the pressure comes off. You become less focused on palm-contact time and more focused on actually getting to know the woman giving you the high five. I went on nine first dates. Not once did I initiate the H5HH.

Rom-com screenwriters take note: This is my copyrighted idea. Meet woman at bookstore, chat and then set a timer for 15 minutes to pick out a book for each other. The venue is a charming independent bookshop with creaky wood floors. I arrive early and fear it’s too quiet. It’s hard to chat without the whole place hearing you. My date, Caroline, arrives and we head to a small bar in the back. Over a flight of local mead and with the soft thrum of classical music in the background, the conversation flows. We chat about favourite novels and current reads for a good 45 minutes before I reveal the date’s twist ending.1 I’m convinced my idea is genius. She leaves with a book; I leave with an excuse for us to talk again.

In 1996, two Stanford University students created an algorithm to decipher the linking structure of the World Wide Web. Two decades later, I ignore their work and fail to google the hours of a trendy restaurant. It’s closed Mondays – a fact that my date (whom I’ve never met) points out to me as she is driving there. On a Monday. Shelby is blessedly flexible and suggests another place. She’s sipping water at the bar when I arrive late, flustered and apologetic.2 I try to spin the snafu to my advantage, mentioning that I’m new to the area. This sparks talk about food and childhood. But between her bites of calamari and sips of pinot, I fear she is thinking about only one thing: This guy didn’t care enough to even use Google?

I know only one thing about Clara: She was an art major in college. Experts suggest basing the date on her interests, so we go to one of those BYOB paint places you see at malls.3 This may be a bad idea. Because Clara, it turns out, is a professional artist whose work has been on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. So I get to play the inexperienced bozo. I ask Clara about her favourite artists while she gives me tips on my brush technique. It doesn’t matter that she’s expert enough to be teaching this class. Our conversation is easy, and any awkward silences are helpfully interrupted by the instructor’s terrible jokes. As we’re leaving, I ask Clara if my masterpiece is museum-worthy. She, emphatically, says no.

1. “I love this idea, but I’d reverse the order: Spring the idea on her first. The book selection is what starts the conversation.” – Trish McDermott, dating coach at EncoreDating.com 2. “Your mission: Charm your way out of your momentary ineptitude. Stuff happens; it’s how you deal with it that makes you sexy or funny or adorable.” – McDermott

8 Some ideas sound brilliant until you try to execute them. The H5HH is one. The sports date is another. I meet Stephanie on a Saturday night in front of our local ice hockey arena for a semi-professional game. Problem 1: seating. Sports arenas are designed with profit in mind. As Stephanie and I discuss our favourite teams during the first period, latecomers’ crotches squeeze past, inches from our faces. Problem 2: the clock. It looms above the ice, literally counting down the seconds until the date is over. Which is fine if the conversation is going well (ours was!). But clocks are treacherous if you run out of things to talk about by the third period.4 A coach would say my conversational abilities didn’t last until the final buzzer.

3. “Actually I had a lot of fun. I liked that the date involved an activity. I don’t just want to sit at dinner or brunch with a mimosa while we stare at each other.” – Clara, 25 4. “Need to break the ice? You can’t go wrong with The New York Times’ 36 Questions That Lead to Love. Google it.” – Amy van Doran, CEO of Modern Love Club, a New York City matching service

OC TOBER 2017 27

COUPLES

DATE 5

DATE 6

DATE 7

DATE 8

DATE 9

The Run

The Home Field

The Jazz Club

The Lesson

The Brunch

An evening run poses the everpresent risk of bodily-function calamity. For example, there’s the snot, which on a cold night leaks liberally from my nostrils. This date is like day trading: high risk, high reward.5 My reward is four miles of effortless conversation with my date, Katie. The night-time run forces me to wear a reflective yellow vest, but it means we can see the stars. If you ignore the nasal drip and the rising gas pressure (I hope Katie is),6 the setting might even be called romantic. After the run, we hit a local diner for pancakes. Because nothing says romance like pancakes.7

My favourite local bar is a renovated barn with a highbeamed ceiling and an excellent beer selection. Katherine, a woman I met on Tinder, is the third date I’ve brought here. It’s safe. It’s my home turf.8 But this date is not going well. We spend five minutes on the weather. I drain my IPA and notice that Katherine has scarcely sipped her cocktail. I fumble with my empty glass and the halting conversation. This place is too familiar, I realise. A little foreignness on a first date foments better chemistry. You ask better questions at someplace new, doing something fun. You laugh more. When the date’s over, I give her a onearmed hug, unsure if she is going for a handshake or, God forbid, a high five.

Athletes talk about “the zone” or “the flow state.” I am in it. Maybe it’s the jazz combo at this speakeasy, or the buzz from the Manhattan I’m sipping out of a thick glass. My best guess, though: the sport coat and slim-cut jeans selected for me by the Men’s Health style team.9 Until this moment. I’ve never realised how much your confidence can increase when you look good. My jokes land a bit sharper. I miraculously remember the name of a song the band plays. I don’t spill the cheese appetiser. Karen and I have a genuine spark. We discover our mutual interests – Star Wars, The English Premier League, a good dad joke. But that outfit did give me a boost. I feel good. And that’s probably, I suspect, because I look good.

5. “An active date is a plus. But don’t ask a woman to go on a run alone with you in the dark.” – Katie, 24 6. “You’d be surprised what a woman is willing to overlook when she’s having fun.” – McDermott 7. “I love pancakes! And it’s nice to do traditional things like share a meal and get to know someone.” – Katie 8. “Novelty is more attractive. You’ll feel like you’re experiencing something together.” – Nora DeKeyser of Three Day Rule, an LA matchmaking service

28 OC TOBER 2017

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

15 Who knew a Norwegian named Bjorn would save my date with Rachel? We’re at a pastamaking class, and at our table of four, we’re busily mixing and kneading dough. Rachel and I sip wine and haltingly navigate the early conversation.10 Enter Bjorn and his date, Ashley. Bjorn peppers the table with friendly get-to-know-you questions. He takes the reins and steers skilfully, allowing me to loosen up and ask questions of my own. I learn that first-date chat – like good lutefisk, as Bjorn informs us – is sometimes better shared. We finish by eating our freshly cooked pasta and laughing over firstdate stories. Bjorn takes out his phone, snaps a photo of our little group, and later texts it to me, wishing me luck.

BONUS: DATE 10 The Bad Idea

11 Why do most dates happen at night? Logistics, mostly. Or maybe we like the way darkness shrouds our less attractive features, like the neck hairs I tend to miss shaving. You’re less exposed. Night also seems more exciting. I asked Sarah to brunch at noon on a Monday. My defence: It’s cheaper. Sarah and I order coffee and tea because, well, it is noon on a Monday. Also, Sarah has afternoon plans, which sets a deadline. The time crunch forces us to be efficient with our questions. We discuss meaningful topics: dream vacations, dream jobs, the best Harry Potter book (the fourth, of course).11 Finally, to be honest, the day date allows me to make evening plans. Which I have – another date.

14 Do not order hot dogs on a first date. It is all but impossible to simultaneously manage a frankfurter, condiments and a conversation. Do not pair the dog with beer – the combo may provoke an involuntary belch as your date talks about her new job. If you do plan to throw culinary caution to the wind, definitely do not wear gleaming white pants on your date. A glob of mustard or fleck of foam is apt to splatter off the table, forcing you to shift your napkin to cover the stain. And whatever you do, never – no matter what – allow her to pay. Even if she wrests the check out of your hand, smiles and insists it is her turn. I do all these things. But it doesn’t matter. It’s a second date. I’ll let you guess who it was with.12

9. “He was quite dapper. He’d made an effort. I appreciated that.” – Karen, 23 10. “We knew nothing about each other. Better idea: Chat a bit beforehand.” – Rachel, 23 11. “It’s easy for the conversation to get onesided. Try to have a balance of sharing and asking.” – DeKeyser 12. It was Karen, from the jazz club! “The talk wasn’t forced. We had things in common, like football. I will tell you one thing I didn’t like, though: He’s an Arsenal fan.” – Karen

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HER SAY

So You Think Your Relationship Is Fine? AND THEN, SUDDENLY, SHE INITIATES A BREAK-UP. THREE LOCAL LASSES EXPLAIN WHY.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

A R T DIREC TION & DIGITA L IM AGING JA SON TAN

30 OC TOBER 2017

PHOTO 123RF

love

TEX T CLARA HOW/HER WORLD

Uninstalling...

A Amanda, 25: “I left because I needed to put myself first.” When I was 18, I had a boyfriend who was really into fishing. It wasn’t my thing, but I soon found I knew a lot about different types of fish, and spent all my weekends fishing with him. After we broke up, I thought to myself: Why did I burn all my Sundays hanging out at the fish farm, even though I had absolutely no interest in doing so? That’s the thing about me: When I get together with a guy, I completely absorb myself into his world. I try to like all the things he likes, hang out with all his friends, and end up putting aside what makes me happy – because I’m consumed with making him happy. With my last boyfriend, I gave up more than I’ve ever had to in life. I met him when I was 22 and finishing university. Before we became a couple, I had always been clear about what my future would be like: I was an

overachieving student who majored in finance, and I saw myself working for a bank after I graduated, possibly overseas. Chris was so different. He worked in the media industry, and so I started trying to find out more about his life, and how I could be a part of it. When I graduated, we started a media company together – even though, at the time, I had three job offers in finance, including one from a firm in Hong Kong. I turned them all down for him. Media wasn’t something that interested me, but I saw this company as part of our future. Concerned friends questioned if I was certain about giving up my plans: “You worked so hard at school, and now you want to give it all up?” I pushed it to the back of my mind. I could always come back to finance, I told myself. Starting a future with Chris was more important. At the start of the relationship, I was happy and so comfortable. Chris was perfect – he was caring, organised, helped with the housework, and cooked our meals. This is it, I thought. He’s the one. Our lives were so entwined. Outside of work, we spent a lot of time with each other. We got two dogs, and he even asked my dad for permission to marry me. Two years into the relationship, things started to take on a different complexion. I began to ask myself: Do I really want to marry this man? I loved him, but I strongly felt there was a void in my life that I needed to fill. It got to the point where when I woke up in the morning, every day just felt the same. Still, the thought of leaving him terrified me. We lived and worked so closely together. I wondered, what if I don’t find someone else better suited to me? How do I answer to my parents, who thought we would get married? After all, there’s technically nothing wrong with

Why Is It So Hard To Leave? It’s never easy to bust out of our comfort zone, much less when it comes to something as close to the heart as a relationship. Clinical psychologist Joel Yang explains that our attraction to familiarity all comes down to us not being able to let go of the good times. It’s why we keep giving things a second chance, and trying to make them work. But here’s the Catch-22: The more effort you put in, the harder it feels to enact change. Dr Yang also cites upbringing as part of the problem. “You also have to consider the cultural perspective. We’re Asian and, generally, we tend to play it safe,” he explains. “Unless there’s a significant trigger like abuse or cheating, it’s very hard for people to justify leaving [what seems to be a perfectly good relationship] with ‘she wasn’t exciting’ or ‘she wasn’t listening to me’. “Social harmony [our family, friends and networks] also matters a great deal to us. Unlike in the West, where people are more individualistic, we tend to be more interdependent here.”

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HER SAY

Chris. These thoughts plagued me so much I stuck it out for one more year. The catalyst came one day, when Chris was supposed to come home early so we could have a movie night together, but ended up being hours late. I was stuck at home waiting for him, our plans for date night put on hold. It was then that it struck me: I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life waiting for him while he pursued his dreams, while mine were indefinitely put on hold. I texted him, and told him we had to talk when he got home. Telling him that I loved him but that I needed a break was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Looking back, I think ultimately our end goals were too different. He needed to travel frequently for work, and I wanted a stable, corporate life. Somehow, we

were both holding each other back. So I told him we should aim to be our best selves first. More than a relationship, I wanted to get started on my own goals. At first my mum didn’t understand why I broke up with Chris. She kept asking me: “Why? He’s such a good man.” She even

asked if there was someone else in the picture. But eventually she understood that I was doing it for me. I’m single now, and pursuing some potential job opportunities in Hong Kong, which I’m really excited about. Chris and I are still working out how to move

forward with the company, we are co-parenting our dogs, and I’m just grateful that he’s happy for me. Now that I’m chasing my dreams, I see that with Chris I was only half the person I could be. I feel like I can never marry someone until I feel like I am a

Re-installing...

Telling him that I loved him but that I needed a break was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.

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Freedom

complete whole. Rather than living for someone, like I did before, I want to be able to complement him. Marianne, 28: “I left to find excitement, but realised comfort was what I really wanted.” When I met John, I thought he was the one. We became a couple after just two dates. Up to that point, I had never met anyone who made me feel so comfortable, and wanted to wake up to him every day. We were together for seven happy years, and there was so much trust and respect. John was my best friend. We could talk about anything and everything. It might seem strange then, that it eventually became the reason I broke up with him. I knew I loved John, but I felt I wasn’t in love with him. Because of that, I couldn’t see how to progress any further in the relationship. I was only 25 at the time, so I asked myself, what if there was someone better for me out there? Because the relationship was stagnating, I started to hang out more with my friends, and found myself comparing my relationship with those of the people around me. Even though I knew things couldn’t always stay as passionate as they were at the start, I missed having the electricity that other couples seemed to share. After a year of wrestling with my feelings, I finally came clean. When I told him how I felt, he agreed that we were no longer in love with each other, but that was still okay because, for him, it was more important to have a companion you care about and to come home to. Still, he agreed that if I couldn’t be happy, then it would be better to split up. Initially, it was liberating to be single again after so many years. I felt like I was free to do things on my own terms. But after a year of dating other people, I realised I had made a mistake. I felt none of

the guys I met came close to John, and found myself missing the connection that we had. I had left him because I longed for excitement and passion, but now I realised that wasn’t what I needed. That year I spent apart from John showed me that the communication, trust and familiar love I shared with him were what I really valued. Once I realised this, I asked John if we could try again, but he turned me down. He believes that because I left him once, I might do it again. I broke up with him because I wanted it all, but it was a mistake. Now, I just feel like I’ve lost my soul mate. Since then, I’ve become more realistic when it comes to love. From the beginning, John wanted a life partner, but I was looking for a lover. Now, I’m looking for a life partner as well, and I’ve started seeing someone who shares my viewpoint. I used to think that passion lasts forever – it took a painful lesson for me to see that what’s more important is a love that can be sustained. Crystal, 25: “I left because I needed to find a better match.” Mark and I had been friends for over a decade, but we only started dating much later when I was 21. At the start, he was just meant to be a rebound. I had left a five-year relationship and just wanted to have fun, and likewise he wasn’t looking to settle down. But as time passed, it turned into something more serious. With the benefit of hindsight, it was a good relationship and there were good times, but it definitely wasn’t amazing. It was just comfortable enough for me to want to stick around. Being with Mark was easy – because we went to the same school, we had the same friends and our families knew and liked each other. Socially, we did many things together and we had a routine going. Even his maid helped me with my laundry!

So even though I knew that I was settling for less, and things would be better with someone better suited for me, I was reluctant to change our situation. I felt like things were so comfortable, and a breakup would only complicate matters. After all, our friends would have to take sides, and I didn’t want to deal with the backlash. Besides, I didn’t have any other prospects, so I didn’t see a need to break up with him. Mark and I were together for four years, but the tipping point was when the relationship became a long-distance one. When I moved away for work, everything changed. He felt the move a lot more keenly than I did, and became very clingy. He texted constantly, asking me where I was, and it became clear to me that I wasn’t missing him as much as I should have. There were a lot of fights, and keeping up the relationship felt like too much effort for someone I wasn’t sure about. Eventually I started seeing someone else. I think people tend to gravitate towards comfortable relationships because it’s nice to have someone who’s there for you, and whom you can trust without question. But now I see that, in the future, I also want to be with someone who’s more outgoing and open to trying new things. With Mark, I would suggest new activities like going to a music festival, but he never wanted to go. In my next relationship, I want the same level of comfort I had with him, but I also want someone who’s keen on keeping things exciting. So in the end, it was a blessing that I went overseas. If we broke up when we were in the same city with such intertwined lives, it wouldn’t have ended properly – I would have been tempted to go back to him. It was only when I built a life away from him that I realised I wanted more than what he had to offer, and that gave me courage to walk away.

Should You Stay Or Should You Go? Being comfortable is a positive thing – but a line is crossed when it comes at a cost to your personal well-being. Life coach Kenneth Oh from Live Your Mark suggests asking yourself if you have put someone else’s happiness over your own. “At the end of the day, you must come first,” he maintains. “A lot of people confuse that with being selfish. But you should not be compromising your personal values. Only when you can take care of yourself can you take care of another person.” Taking care of yourself comes in the form of trying new things, and focusing on what makes you, as an individual, happy. Dr Yang clarifies: “This isn’t about going on a rebound and finding a more exciting partner. Rather, it’s about broadening your perspective and maintaining openness, because when people feel down after a break-up, their perspective tends to narrow.” As we mourn the loss of a relationship, he reminds us that the novelty of exploring new things can just be as powerful as the feelings of nostalgia. Even if it’s something small like trying a new cafe around your workplace, or picking up a new sport, you’ve pushed your boundaries and enacted change.

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TECH

Don’t WannaCry No More FIND OUT WHAT MAKES THIS THE WORST RANSOMWARE VIRUS OF ALL TIME – AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST IT AND ITS BRETHREN.

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man in the street. Right? Wrong. “To the everyday consumer, most think that ransomware is something that happens to major enterprises and financial institutions. But these can severely impact their day-to-day lives too,” says Steve. Reports of end consumers being hit by ransomware similar to WannaCry have already surfaced in nearby countries such as Taiwan. So the next question would be:

TEXT JOSHUA CHRISTIAN SETH PHOTO 123RF

There’s not much to joke about when it comes to getting your personal information stolen by a powerful ransom virus – especially when it has the ability to shut down an entire hospital. WannaCry, also known as WannaCrypt or WannaCryptor, is the world’s biggest ransomware attack yet, using encryption to inhibit highearning hospitals, banks and even government agencies from accessing important confidential information on their servers. That is, until the victims pay a handsome amount of cash – US$300 for each infected computer – in Bitcoins for the hackers to “decrypt” their files. Some institutions, such as Dharmais Hospital and Harapan Kita Hospital in Jakarta, were even unable to access their patients’ medical records, forcing them to postpone almost all of their planned medical procedures.

According to Channel Newsasia, the attacks have hit over 200,000 computers across 150 countries since its first assault on May 17, and Steve Goh, vice-president of APJ at Acronis, states that WannaCry and similar ransomware viruses aren’t going to stop any time soon. “Ransomware isn’t a passing fad, but one that will continue to evolve and grow aggressively,” he says. “It is no longer a distant threat that only happens to ‘other people.’” If anything, we should be the ones worrying about it the most. According to statistics on Internet Live Stats, Singapore boasts one of the highest internet penetration rates in South-east Asia, at 82.5 percent in 2016. But with these e-invasions being so large-scale (and, hopefully, isn’t manned by a supercomputer named Skynet), surely ransomware hackers wouldn’t bother about the innocent

How do we, as citizens, defend ourselves against ransomware that even major enterprises are having trouble dealing with? Here are three important facts you need to know about WannaCry and similar ransomware, and what you can do to stay under their radars.

FACT #1: IT PREYS ON THE WEAK

Hackers, malware and viruses are like lionesses during a hunt – they target the old and vulnerable. WannaCry, as

explained by Steve, is no different: “WannaCry targets vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system, particularly those that are not regularly updated, do not have any malware protection, or are still using outdated operating systems such as Windows XP.” WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: If you’ve been ignoring the “New System Update” pop-up window for a while, or for some reason you’re still using Windows XP, perhaps it’s time to get a much needed upgrade. But if you think buying a new computer is more worth it, ensure it has strong malware protection software included in the bundle.

FACT #2: IT HITS YOU WHERE IT HURTS…

We hide a lot of personal stuff in our computers. And the hackers behind WannaCry know that. All those private photos you have stored, your children’s health records and your credit card details? Once WannaCry infects your computer, it restricts all the access you have to those precious

memories and information – and uses it to its advantage. “Bank and health records, school assignments and photos of loved ones are exactly the pain points that the hackers target, and most of the time consumers actually pay the ransom simply because they can’t afford to lose the data,” explains Steve.

…AND IS A CHEAT

If you think getting your personal photos locked out is bad enough, it gets worse: The hackers may even publicise them on the web for everyone to see despite you paying the ransom, according to some cases mentioned by Steve. “[Paying the ransom] is not a guarantee that your data will be restored. We have seen cases where personal data – such as photos, videos and financial records – were exposed and circulated on the public web.” WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Back up your hard drive, and back it up regularly. It’s more worth it to clear the virus by formatting your hard drive and simply restoring your data after, than to pay hundreds of dollars to gain back access to information that’s rightfully yours.

FACT #3: IT’S EVOLVING

What’s worse than an information-encrypting,

ruthlessly demanding, cheatyour-money ransom virus? A smart one. “The WannaCry ransomware has quickly evolved to counter any attempts in circumventing its spread,” explains Steve. “The people from the blog MalwareTech managed to stem the spread temporarily because they found a kill switch in the code. But after this was discovered, the author simply removed the kill switch and the attacks resumed.”

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO?

Better question is, what shouldn’t you do. “Do not open attachments from e-mail addresses that you are not familiar with,” answers Steve. While it may sound obvious, it’s important to know that ransomware infections (and other online viruses in general) usually stem from downloading or clicking suspicious software or links. “If an unsolicited attachment is sent from someone you know, treat it with caution and check with the person who sent it to you,” Steve further explains. “There have been cases where computers were invaded by phishing attacks, where consumers are led to believe that the attachment is safe to open because it was from a familiar sender.”

2 TIPS TO HACK-PROOF YOUR SMARTPHONE

NOT FORGETTING OUR PRIVATE, INFO-RICH AND FAVOURITE GADGET, HERE ARE TWO SIMPLE TIPS TO KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE HACKERS’ GRASPS. 1/ STAY AWAY FROM THE CLICKBAIT When a user clicks on a pop-up ad or on a post with a particularly alluring title, they may be redirected to a website that downloads malware onto the phone. Bottom line: Stay away from the clickbait.

2/ USE A SECURITY TOKEN, NOT SMS These tokens are safer than mobile phones as they are isolated devices that malware cannot reach. It may be inconvenient, but since hackers won’t have access to your security token’s one-time password (OTP), their transactions cannot go through. – Lester Hio, The Straits Times

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MONEY

Free DNA Testing? Not So Fast Prudential Singapore is planning a new programme that offers personalised and nutritional insights through DNA analysis. But is it really a good idea?

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TEXT JOSHUA CHRISTIAN SETH

PHOTOS MASTERFILE

F From personalised nutrition and your racial origins to even predicting genetic disorders in unborn foetuses, one’s DNA holds an abundance of information it can tell about an individual. And that’s what many DNAtesting companies today are leveraging on – EasyDNA, Ancestry, DNAFit and 23andMe are just some of the many organisations that offer you the chance to discover more about yourself via analysing your genetic makeup Prudential Singapore is now hopping onto the geneticmarket bandwagon as well. It’s planning a new nutrigenomics programme titled “MyDNA from Prudential,” which offers personalised health and nutritional insights through DNA testing. All you have to do is sign up for a valid plan, spit into a test tube, and it will give you a 40-page personalised report on your “nutrient needs,” “food and dietary sensitivities” and further insights on your “wellbeing” in return. Mack Eng, head of medical at Prudential Singapore, told The Straits Times that the programme will help customers have a better idea of how their genes affect their diet, nutrition and exercise, and provide an opportunity to “chat” with dietitians. That may sound great, but just because you can find out what

you’re made of, doesn’t mean you should. Sure, you may know more about your nutritional and health needs, but personally giving a company – let alone an insurance company – full permission to analyse your DNA may possibly result in some serious ramifications. And by this we’re talking Gattaca-like genetic discrimination. “The onset of the Human Genome Project raised several ethical, legal and social concerns with regard to how increased knowledge of the human genome could be used to discriminate against people,” explains Samuel Seow, managing director and lawyer at Samuel Seow Law Corporation. THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES As the name implies, people and/or companies may discriminate you based on your genes if they find them “undesirable.” With appropriate analysis, a spit’s worth of DNA may not just decipher your recommended vitamin intake, but also help predict your risk of developing genetic health conditions, such as cancer and obesity, among many others. “Genetic discrimination may eventually lead to the formation of a class of people who cannot buy an insurance policy, and in the employment field, rejection of persons with ‘undesirable’ genes infringes on citizens’ rights to equal opportunity,” says Seow. “Such instances of genetic discrimination are already widely prevalent across the world. Examples include unsubstantiated refusals to employ carriers of certain alleles, denials of life or health insurance coverage, and the ability to adopt a child.” No doubt those are some

nasty downsides you’ll be receiving, all because your genes aren’t the way people want them to be. So are there laws that protect people from it? The answer is yes – but not in every country. In the US, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 protects Americans against discrimination based on their genetic information when it comes to health insurance and employment. Singapore, on the other hand, currently has no laws that forbid genetic discrimination specifically, according to Seow – and there doesn’t seem to be any plans to implement similar laws in the near future. “The Bioethics Advisory Committee of Singapore is still looking into the complex issue of genetic discrimination,” he says. “Most matters are only approached from the ethical point of view, and BAC Singapore merely provides guidelines and recommendations, as opposed to laws.” MyDNA did state that all DNA tests would be administered independently by Prenetics Limited, the company behind the tests, with your results safe from Prudential’s eyes. However, keeping your tests results private won’t completely save you from getting the short end of the stick. A US study, done in 2005, followed 148 cognitively normal individuals participating in a randomised clinical trial of genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease. They discovered those who tested positive were 5.76 times more likely to have adjusted their plans for longterm care insurance, and it was concluded that if genetic testing for Alzheimer’s risk assessment becomes common, it could trigger adverse selection in long-

term care insurance. So, in this scenario, if someone discovers that his obesity risk is much higher than average after receiving his results, there’s a chance he’ll opt for better (and more expensive) insurance coverage, in fear that it’ll cause more harm to his health. In other words, if things don’t go as planned, you may still end up losing more than you gain from taking the test. ACCURATE IN THE FIRST PLACE? According to the website, myDNA’s genotyping has a 99.9 percent accuracy rate, and is validated by the Core FacilitiesGenome Sequencing Laboratory at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Despite such a high percentage, Dr Tan Meng How, assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, posits that the results of genetic testing should not be taken as definitive. “They are associations and should be viewed more as likelihoods,” Dr Tan explains. “If a woman has BRCA1/ BRCA2 mutations [in her DNA], it does not mean that she will definitely get breast cancer. It means that she is more predisposed to breast cancer, and should therefore go for screening more frequently.” Jaclyn Reutens, a dietitian at Aptima Nutrition and Sports Consultants, adds that our genetic predisposition accounts for less than 50 percent of our overall health outcomes, meaning that while it can tell you information about your health, it can’t tell you everything you need to know. “The nutritional needs based on DNA would certainly help, but whether or not it’s the best method still needs to be

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MONEY

Personalised dietary advice is always better than general advice, as it is clearly more direct and customised.

38 OC TOBER 2017

proven,” she adds. Indeed, knowing whether genetic testing works is one thing; putting the results into practice, however, is another. In a 2016 review study published in The BMJ, researchers analysed over 10,000 abstracts and 18 studies to see if providing DNA-based information of disease risk to people would influence their behaviours to reduce said risks. After the analysis, they discovered that people who were given DNA-based information on their disease risk – as well as how to lower their said risks – made little to no

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

changes to their health behaviours in terms of improving their diet or physical activity, indicating that communicating such advice was inconsequential to changing people’s health habits. So now comes the million dollar question: Should you participate in MyDNA from Prudential or not? When it comes to nutrigenomics and personalised nutrition in general, Reutens believes it has a promising future. “Nutrigenomics is a relatively new approach to improving health,” she says, “Personalised dietary advice is always better

than general advice, as it is clearly more direct and customised, which means a better impact on someone’s health.” But after considering its legal complications with no specific laws against genetic testing as of yet, and that genetic test results, in general, don’t have 100 percent predictive power, perhaps it’s best to stay vigilant as to who you’re giving your DNA to, and to not look at your personalised 40-page report as your new bible for now. “General good eating habits are still one of the most proven ways to better health,” she says.

GUY WISDOM

Inﬂight Secrets Revealed

TEXT CHRISTINE FLAMMIA

ILLUSTR ATION R AMI NIEMI

TO HELP YOU AVOID AN INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT, WE HAD COFFEE WITH TWO FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (LET’S CALL THEM ELAINE AND RANDY) WHO LET SECRETS FLY UNDER THE CONDITION OF ANONYMITY.

Masks Save Lives  Cabin decompression can knock you out. “Once that oxygen mask drops, you have about 30 seconds to put it on, depending on factors like altitude,” says Elaine. “It doesn’t happen often, but that’s why you Phones, Schmones shouldn’t ignore the  “I’ll deny it, but safety instructions.” everyone is on the phone right up to takeoff, even the flight attendants,” says Elaine. “So just We Take Tips keep doing what  “We’re supposed you’re doing.” But to refuse once, and know this: Some then we can accept,” attendants are strict Randy says. On about it, she says. flights to Las Vegas, Don’t oppose them. where everyone is drinking, a tip can buy your flight attendant’s favour for better service, says Elaine. Be discreet.

We Fear Feet  “Passengers and staff trip all the time. I’ve seen black eyes, lost teeth and even broken arms,” says Randy. Blocking the aisle with your legs or feet is annoying and dangerous. Sit tight.

It’s Just Filthy  “Don’t eat directly off the tray table. People change diapers and clip toenails on it. And don’t walk around without shoes. Every bodily fluid has been on the floor,” says Randy. “That’s why you see dark blue on a plane – the seats and our uniforms. It doesn’t show stains.”

Nice Guys Win  “Switching to a middle seat so a family can be together is considerate,” Elaine says. “That kind of gesture may earn you a free drink or premium snack.” Or you might pay less to upgrade your seat, Randy says.

We Have Our Ways  “If people are up and being annoying, we’ll have the pilot turn on the seat belt sign,” says Randy. “And we can have a note placed in your file.” (Didn’t know about that, did you?) That’ll red-flag you to future gate agents.

The Joe Stinks  “The coffee’s caffeinated, but it’s not going to be the liquid crack you get at Starbucks,” says Elaine. “When we brew coffee for ourselves, sometimes we’ll ‘double bag’ it – add extra grounds. We don’t do that for passengers.” Pro tip: Fuel up before flying.

Plane Sex: Gross  “It’s like saying, ‘Hey, let’s go do it in someone’s pee,’” says Elaine. “We also have to unlock the bathrooms more often than you think,” says Randy. And yes, they can unlock the bathroom from the outside. Busted!

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HEALTH

How Top Docs Avoid Cancer WE ASKED PHYSICIANS AND RESEARCHERS: HOW DO YOU DODGE CANCER? ONE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS: DON’T SMOKE. HERE ARE 10 MORE WAYS THESE EXPERTS PROTECT THEMSELVES.

 This does more than soothe aches and stifle heart attacks; it curbs colon inflammation. Daniel Rosenberg, director of the Colon Cancer Prevention Program at the University of Connecticut Health, tells everyone he knows to take 81mg a day. Ask your doctor first, because some people run the risk of excessive bleeding. “If your doctor approves, you should do it,” he says. In a study review in Annals of Internal Medicine, people who took 75mg to 1,200mg of aspirin daily for at least a year reduced their risk of dying of colorectal cancer by 33 percent over 20 years.

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ILLUSTR ATIONS WESLEY MERRIT

POP LOW-DOSE ASPIRIN

WRAP IT UP

 A diet rich in vegetables, fibre and omega-3 fats can curb inflammation and help fight cancer. Dr Philippe Spiess, a genitourinary oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, eats what he calls a “power egg breakfast wrap.” He heats ¼ cup of frozen spinach in a pan and mixes it with an egg and 200ml (nearly a cup) of egg white. The cooked mixture then goes into a whole wheat wrap with a pinch of cheese, a third of an avocado and a tablespoon of hot sauce. To ensure good sleep at night – when cell repair occurs – he takes a melatonin supplement 30 minutes before bed.

TEXT JANE BIANCHI

MIST YOUR MUG

 YOUR SKIN WINS YOUR BODY’S PRIZE FOR “MOST LIKELY TO GET CANCER.” EVERY MORNING, DERMATOLOGIST DR JOSEPH SOBANKO, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, USES GENERIC BROAD-SPECTRUM SPF 30 SUNSCREEN WITH EITHER ZINC OR TITANIUM DIOXIDE. HE SHUTS HIS EYES AND SPRAYS AN EVEN COAT ON HIS FACE AFTER HE BRUSHES HIS TEETH AND COMBS HIS HAIR.

TAKE A SKIN SUPPLEMENT

 Dr Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, takes nicotinamide each morning with water and food. Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that may reduce the formation of certain skin cancers, possibly by blunting the cell damage induced by UV rays. (But taking it doesn’t exempt you from using sunscreen.) Always check with your doctor before starting a new supplement, of course.

PITCH PLASTIC

 JUNE CHAN, A PROFESSOR OF UROLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN FRANCISCO, PACKS HER LUNCH – BUT NOT IN PLASTIC, WHICH MAY CONTAIN CANCER-PROMOTING CHEMICALS. SHE PACKS SALAD (KALE, FETA, PUMPKIN SEEDS, RAISINS) IN A MASON JAR JAR.

SWEAT FOR 75 TO 150 MINUTES

 Dr Keith McCrae, an oncologist with the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute, works long hours but fits in exercise six days a week. He loves road biking – 40km to 50km most weekdays, more on weekends. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who did 1¼ hours of vigorous or 2½ hours of moderate activity a week had a 31 percent lower risk of dying of cancer than those who didn’t work out. Exercise helps tame inflammation, possibly reducing cancer risk.

CALM THE HECK DOWN!

C Chronic stress can feed cancer. Here’s y ur 15-minute prescription from urologist yo Dr Nelson Bennett of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine: Sit with the door losed, phone silenced. Inhale deeply through clo y ur nose and exhale from your mouth 10 yo mes. Close your eyes and notice the sounds tim ound you – even the hum of fluorescent aro l hts. Then bring your thoughts to your lig eaths. Don’t worry if your mind wanders. bre Dr Bennett about 15 sessions to get It took t comfortable. “The more I practised it, the easier it got,” he says. You’ll get positive reinforcement: less stress with deadlines and etter focus on demand. be

BOLT DOWN SOME NUTS

 When Dr Matthew Yurgelun, a medical oncologist at DanaFarber Cancer Institute, needs a snack, he eats almonds or pistachios. “It’s a great way to quell hunger and keep me from snacking on fatty or sugary foods that can contribute to weight gain and obesity-related diseases, such as cancer,” he says. A National Institutes of Health study even showed that smokers who snacked on nuts reduced their risk of lung cancer, possibly because nuts curb oxidative stress associated with smoking. Eat 20 to 24 nuts a day.

ORDER THE FISH

 UCLA urologist Dr Christopher Saigal eats fish but not meat. A typical dinner is a salmon fillet with brown rice and vegetables. Try it twice a week. “I tell patients that ‘heart healthy’ foods have been associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer and a lower risk of progression of prostate cancer after diagnosis.” Plus, a UK study review linked red and processed meats with colorectal cancer.

START THE DAY GREEN

 GREEN TEA IS PACKED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS. ALAN WAN, A MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST AT NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE KISHWAUKEE HOSPITAL, HAS A CUP EACH MORNING. IN A 2016 STUDY, MAO FENG GREEN TEA HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST ANTIOXIDANT LEVELS PER BREW.

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HEALTH

Banish Back Pain The Natural Way THE HURT MAY BE IN YOUR REAR, BUT THE FIX COULD BE IN YOUR BRAIN. STAY ACTIVE WITH THIS NINE-POINT PLAN.

TEXT K.ALEISHA FETTERS PHOTOS MASTERFILE ILLUSTR ATIONS (WORKOUT) +ISM & (FOUR WAYS) ERIC MORTENSEN

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

N Nothing pisses off a back pain sufferer more than hearing someone say: “It’s all in your head.” But that’s basically what spine surgeon Dr David Hanscom has told more than 600 of his patients. And after three to six months on his plan – without any prescription medication or even exercise or weight loss – 95 percent of them, he says, have seen significant relief. How? Although most people experience lower-back pain at some point in their life, doctors often can’t find the cause. They might prescribe painkillers or schedule surgeries with potential side effects, says Dr Hanscom. Take the case of Steve Kerr, head coach of National Basketball Association champions Golden State Warriors. After back surgery, he developed a new problem: leaking spinal fluid, which can cause headaches, nausea, hearing impairment and more. Even “successful” operations to correct anatomical issues don’t always end pain. The reason? “Back pain begins as a muscular problem but gets embedded as a neurological

problem,” Dr Hanscom says. Pain is transmitted via nerves, and “those that fire together wire together,” he says. You actually become more sensitive to pain anywhere. What’s more, Northwestern University researchers studying MRI scans of people with achy backs found that brain activity related to pain switched from the brain’s painprocessing centre to its emotional centres. Just as stress, anxiety, anger or depression can trigger a headache, it can also provoke a flare-up of back pain. “You feel the same pain, but a different neuronal driver is running the show,” says Dr Hanscom. “It’s a cycle in which physical pain can cause mental pain and mental pain can cause physical pain,” says Robert Gatchel, a psychologist who studies chronic pain at the

Even ‘successful’ operations to correct anatomical issues don’t always end pain.

University of Texas. “But you can’t really tell which came first, because there is constant interaction between the two.”

YOUR NINE-POINT PLAN

It wasn’t until Dr Hanscom studied the neurobiology of chronic pain that he was able to end his own 20-year struggle with it. His “Direct Your Own Care” program takes a mind-body approach and is detailed in his book Back in Control. To beat pain, he says, you have to improve your body chemistry. Start here.

STAGE 1  SHUT DOWN STRESS

1/ Create a stress journal. Set aside five minutes twice a day to write down (or record on your smartphone) what’s irritating you. Then immediately rip it up or erase it. This helps you detach from negative feelings. 2/ Become a mini-meditator. Periodically spend 15 seconds focusing on sensations other than pain, such as the taste, scent and temperature of your coffee. Acts of mindfulness can reduce pain responses. 3/ Stop venting. Talking about the hurt activates pain pathways. When pathways aren’t used, they become less active in favour of ones used more regularly, Dr Hanscom says.

STAGE 2 FORGIVE AND FORGET

4/ Let go. Researchers at McGill University suggest that anger over being wronged may make chronic pain sufferers feel more pain.

THREE SPINE-SAVING MOVES

TO START EVERY WORKOUT, COMPLETE 3 SETS OF 6 REPS, 4 AND THEN 2 OF EACH EXERCISE, RESTING 20 SECONDS BETWEEN SETS, SAYS BACK MECHANIC AUTHOR STUART MCGILL.

1/ CURL-UP This helps your abs support your back. Lie on your back with a knee bent, your foot flat on the floor. Slide both hands under your lower back and raise your elbows slightly. Brace your core with your spine neutral. Squeeze your abs to raise your head and shoulders 2cm to 5cm. Hold 10 seconds and return to the start. That’s 1 rep.

2/ SIDE BRIDGE This move stabilises your spine. Lie on your left side, legs stacked, supporting yourself on your left elbow/hip/knee. Your hips should be hinged and behind the rest of your torso. From here, press your hips up and forward until your body is aligned from head to knees. Hold for 10 seconds and return to the start. That’s 1 rep.

3/ BIRD DOG For a strong back and hips, do this: Kneel with your knees hip-width apart and hands beneath your shoulders. Make fists. Hollow your lower back slightly and brace your core. Lift and extend one arm and the opposite leg so they’re parallel to the floor. Hold 10 seconds and return to the start. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.

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HEALTH

Chronic back pain can feel all-consuming, so try to create circumstances that inspire awe.

Try “thought stopping.” Clinical psychologist Janis Abrahms Spring says: “As soon as you start to think about how someone has offended you, say the word ‘stop.’” 5/ Do more things you enjoy. Take a weekend road trip. Indulging yourself elevates levels of feel-good neurotransmitters while hardwiring your nervous system for feelings other than pain, says Dr Hanscom.

STAGE 3 CLEAN HOUSE

6/ Organise one disorganised part of your life. Mess, whether it’s in a relationship or junk drawer, promotes stress and anger. Attack a messy part of your life, then another. 7/ Make new friends or reconnect with old ones. Many guys in pain become isolated,

FOUR WAYS YOU’RE SCREWING UP YOUR BACK FOLLOW OUR ADVICE SO YOU DON’T SET YOURSELF UP FOR SERIOUS PAIN.

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which makes the pain worse. “You have to put yourself in situations where you will see the same people over and over,” says clinical psychologist Andrea Bonior. Visit the gym or coffee shop at the same time each week.

STAGE 4 BE LESS YOU-CENTRIC

8/ Make yourself feel small. Chronic back pain can feel all-consuming, so try to create circumstances that inspire awe and put things

Your Weekend Warrior Mentality If you’re deskbound five out of seven days, the muscles that serve as a scaffolding for your spine won’t have the endurance to protect you, says Dr Alice Chen, a physiatrist with the Hospital for Special Surgery. Help them out with the exercises on Three Spinesaving Moves.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

Extra Kilos on Your Belly Excess fat stresses your lower back, often a counterweight to your belly, says Dr Chen. Fat in the spine can also compress nerves in the spinal canal. Get strong: In a Harvard University study, men who strengthtrained 20 minutes a day gained less gut than guys who did cardio.

in perspective. This can be as simple as sleeping under the stars or going hiking. You are not in a world of pain; most of the world is pain-free, says Dr Hanscom. 9/ Ease others’ pain. Whether it’s at a local animal shelter or soup kitchen, seeing the hurt disappear from another’s eyes – even momentarily – can help alleviate yours, Dr Hanscom says.

Mixing Deadlifts and Down Dogs Vertebral discs are made of collagen. When you bend with yoga, the collagen softens to adapt, says Stuart McGill, the author of Back Mechanic. When you lift heavy weights, the collagen stiffens. Mixing the two training styles often leads to back problems.

Your Extended Happy Hours Alcohol curbs healing, limits blood flow to discs, and can irritate spinesupporting muscles, causing pain, Dr Chen says. Back pain? Limit drinks to two a day. If you have degenerative disc disease or a herniated disc, heavy drinking may hinder your recovery.

SINGAPORE’S NO.1 MEN’S MAGAZINE

IS COFFEE GOOD FOR YOUR LIVER? FIND OUT THE ANSWER AT MENSHEALTH.COM.SG. LOG ON NOW TO GET MORE SEX, HEALTH AND FITNESS TIPS. OUR DIGITAL ISSUE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON THE MAGZTER APP.

NUTRITION

The Lard Is Your Saviour? EATING ALL THE FAT YOU WANT SOUNDS LIKE A DELICIOUS WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT. BUT LET’S SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN HACK IT.

DIGITA L IM AGING JA SON TAN

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

PHOTOS 123RF

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TEXT CHRIS MOHR

Recently, I had a client tell me that she and her husband were eating more than 1kg of bacon a week – usually three strips for breakfast and one or two with a salad for dinner. I’ve been a dietitian for almost 20 years. Few things surprise me. But I had to ask: “Why?” She told me that her husband had heard about a new diet on TV, the keto diet, and they decided to try it. Six months and countless packages of bacon later, her husband had lost 10kg and said he felt more energetic. I’m beginning to hear more and more people lecture me about the benefits of the ketogenic diet. “Keto burns fat fast! It turbo-charges your energy! It fights disease! You can eat all the bacon you want!” But as is so often the case with diets, underneath all the initial excitement, there’s a gut check.

WHAT THE HECK IS KETOSIS ANYWAY? Ketogenesis has existed as long as humans have. If you eat a very low amount of carbohydrates, you starve your brain of glucose, its main fuel source. Your body still needs fuel to function, so your brain signals it to tap its reserve of ketones. It’s like a hybrid car that runs out of gas and reverts to pure electricity. Okay, but what are ketones? They’re compounds created by your liver from your fat stores when blood insulin is low. “Your liver produces ketones all the time, but the rate depends on carbohydrate and protein intake,” says Jeff Volek, a professor of human sciences at Ohio State University. Eat a normal amount of carbs and protein, and ketogenesis idles. Cut carbs and protein back, and you push to half throttle. This takes around three days to induce. A ketogenic diet requires that fat comprise 60 to 80 percent of your total calories. Protein makes up 10 to 15 percent, and less than 10 percent comes from carbs. Yes, less than 10 percent. That’s the equivalent of about half a medium bagel. If this sounds like Atkins, it’s close, but ketogenic diets tend to be more severe in carb restriction and have a more moderate protein restriction, says Spencer Nadolsky, author of The Fat Loss Prescription. Some theories even suggest that if you rely less on carbs, your body will burn more fat as fuel, which may boost physical and mental performance, regulate appetite, lower insulin and enhance immunity. Most men consume nearly half of their calories from carbs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So here’s the challenge: Can you sustain

diet for a year but lost little additional weight in the next nine months. People in a 2014 Spanish study who followed a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet lost an average of 20kg in a year – but a third of them dropped out. Though you can eat bacon on a ketogenic diet, the rest of the spectrum is limited. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and squash are too high in carbs. Same with most fruits. Milk, beans, rice, pasta and bread? Nope. Some experts label the diet impractical. “Extreme diets such as the ketogenic diet have no therapeutic or practical use for people without neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy,” says Alan Aragon, a Men’s Health nutrition advisor. Can’t you take ketone supplements? No. While it is possible to elevate ketones by taking them, without the lowcarb stimulus, there is no net increase in ketone production, no decrease in insulin, and no net increase in fat oxidation, says

ketosis long enough to reap the purported health benefits? IS A KETOGENIC DIET FOR YOU? This may sound like a copout, but the best diet is the one you stick with. For Prof Volek, who’s been following an ultra-low-carb diet for two decades, it works. But for you? Unfortunately, there’s no longterm data on ketogenic diets versus other diets. The closest attempt came out in 2007. A project nicknamed “The A to Z Weight Loss Study” compared the Atkins, Zone, Learn and Ornish diets for long-term weight loss. The female subjects assigned to the low-carb diet of 20 percent carbs were eating close to 35 percent by the end of 12 months – a far cry from the 10 percent or less required for ketosis. Studies have shown that people do lose weight on a ketogenic diet, but there’s a catch. In a 2015 Italian study, those on a ketosis diet lost 12kg in three months. About half of the participants stayed on the

HOW THE KETOGENIC DIET STACKS UP PALEO MEAL

LOW-CARB MEAL

KETOGENIC MEAL

40%

20%

40%

50%

75%

20%

10%

PROTEIN

FAT

CARBS

PROTEIN

FAT

CARBS

SOURCE: PRECISION NUTRITION

PROTEIN

FAT

CARBS

Prof Volek. Don’t trust trainers or “body hackers” who say you can induce ketosis quickly without changing your diet. Is keto right for you? If you’re an elite endurance athlete who does well with structured diets and wants an edge, maybe. If you’re just a guy who wants to drop 5kg and has had trouble with yo-yo dieting, probably not. But you can take three lessons from the diet: Cut empty carbs. Instead of thinking about the overall number of carbs you’re eating, assess what those carbs are providing to you. Do the majority of your carbs come from fruit, with its payload of fibre and disease-fighting antioxidants? Fantastic. Or are you consuming them in the form of added sugars (cookies, candy, soft drinks) or refined flour? If you are, you know what to do. Don’t fear fat. The ketogenic diet may seem like the Jekyll to the Hyde-like low-fat craze of the 1990s. The bulk of current research finds that the middle ground between the two extremes is more beneficial for overall health. Make it easy for yourself: Eat at least two servings a week of fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) and cook with a variety of quality fats (olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil) throughout the week. Pack in the greens. Leafy vegetables are loaded with nutrients. Keto fans love them; so should you. There’s kale, spinach, bak choy, Swiss chard, collards, watercress, mizuna and arugula. Dig in. So how’d things turn out with the bacon beaus? Their experiment worked until life changed. They had a kid. They made a big move. They stopped the diet. “It was too hard to maintain,” she told me. Proof that all the bacon you can handle even grows boring after a while.

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NUTRITION

Eggcellent Stuff FOR ONCE, HIPSTERS KNOW WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO COOKING EGGS: TAKE THESE FIVE FRESH SPINS ON COOKING WITH NATURE’S VERY OWN MULTIVITAMIN.

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

work, gym or just bed, eggs are invariably a sound choice. For the sake of just 75 calories, one egg will provide 7g of quality protein – that’s roughly a fifth of what you’d get from a chicken breast, for a twelfth of the price. It will also provide 15 percent of your recommended daily allowance of B2, and 10 percent of B12, pretty much essential for maintaining energy levels and brain function.

TEXT MARK BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY SUN LEE

Rocky Balboa did perhaps more than any other to promote eggs as the ultimate food for men looking to build strength. He was downing them raw back in 1976 and, when making his comeback some 30 years later, he was still cracking and gulping away. But even for lesser mortals, softboiled with soldiers and poached on buttered toast have been nutritional staples since the 1950s: “Go to work on an egg,” ran the uncharacteristically enlightened advertising slogan, and it tuned out to be advice worth heeding. In fact, whether you’re going to

And as for cholesterol, you can forget about all the scaremongering straight away: Eggs have been linked to both reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. Nutritionists, it’s fair to say, tend to be big fans. These days, however, eggs have gained currency in more rarefied foodie circles. New food stalls and restaurants are opening up in which eggs are taking the starring roles rather than making up the supporting cast. “It all started with last year’s boom in brunch culture,” says Neil Rankin, executive chef at Korean and Mexican-styled specialists Bad Egg. “But it makes for sound logic too. Eggs are a cheap, high-quality protein source at a time when meat is expensive. And they’re great vehicles for taste: The soft consistency means they stick to the tongue, amplifying flavour.” Joining Bad Egg are the Middle-East-meetsMontreal vibes of The Good Egg, plus Soho House’s new venture, Eggbreak. All of which are looking to put a new spin on the staggering 11.8 billion eggs the UK polishes off each year. “If eggs were rare and 10 times the price, they would be held up as an amazing delicacy,” says Nick Philpot of the Yolk pop-up cafe. “We’re finally waking up to how good they are.” So for those wanting to unscramble the culinary zeitgeist while keeping your health sunny-side up, we’ve poached five simple recipes from the best egg chefs in the land. It’s time to get cracking.

9/9

EGGS CONTAIN ALL NINE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS, MAKING THEM A FLAWLESS PROTEIN SOURCE.

K.O. Your Rest Days

A stylish upgrade of eggs on toast, this quick-ﬁre feast will see you through a Rocky-sized recovery. Poached eggs with avocado and chorizo jam By Marcus Wareing of Tredwell’s (tredwells.com)

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)

• Onion, 1, chopped • Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed • Thyme leaves, 2 tbsp • Allspice, ½ tsp, ground • Smoked paprika, 1 tsp • Balsamic vinegar, 50ml • Tomato puree, 2 tbsp • Treacle, 1 tbsp • Chorizo, 200g, peeled, finely chopped • Smoked streaky bacon, 100g, finely chopped • Eggs, 4 • Avocado, 1, diced • Lemon, ½, juiced • Sourdough bread, 4 slices

01 To prep the jam, heat the onion, garlic, herbs and spices in your best pan with a glug of olive oil. Level up by going heavy on the paprika – a surprising source of iron that will help ferry oxygen to your muscles during your next Balboa-esque training montage. Add a liberal dash of that other Italian stallion, pepsin-rich balsamic vinegar, to speed up the absorption of protein after a morning spent boxing frozen joints of beef. Then add the tomato puree, treacle, chorizo and bacon, and simmer the lot for 30 minutes.

02 Raw eggs are great, but unless you spend your mornings running up unnecessary amounts of steps in a grey tracksuit, mumbling out the side of your mouth, we recommend following Michelinstarred chef Marcus Wareing’s lead. Get your hands on the freshest eggs possible then: “Bring salted water to a boil with a splash of white wine vinegar. Whisk the water, crack an egg into a cup and pour it in.” Simmer for 3½ minutes for a yolk worth shouting about.

03 Next, it’s time to hit the sorenessslashing omega-3s in the form of delicious avocado. Blend it up with lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning, then spread on your toasted sourdough bread. Layer on chorizo jam and top it off with title-worthy poached eggs for heavyweight beneﬁts.

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NUTRITION

THE PERCENTAGE OF CARBS AND SUGARS PER EGG.

Crush Calories For Breakfast A Japanese classic packing monster-sized beneﬁts into minimal calories Onsen Eggs By Scott Hallsworth of Kurobuta Harvey Nichols (kurobuta-london.com)

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 1)

• Dashi (soup stock), 200ml • Soya sauce, 50ml • Mirin, 50ml • Sake, 50ml • Kombu stick, 5cm • Spring onion, 3 stalks, chopped • Fresh ginger, 1 tbsp, grated • Spinach, 2 handfuls • Garlic, 1 clove, sliced

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01 The Japanese are masters of everything from video games to martial arts. It’s not surprising, then, that their hot take on how to prepare your breakfast egg is worth investigating. The thinking goes that slow cooking releases huge amounts of peptides, ready to stamp out your appetite like a certain ﬁctional creature stomping through Tokyo. Give your eggs an hour in their shells in a pan of 63-deg-C water to crack it.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

02 And (sort of) like a ninja, the low-calorie soup is a master of surprise, tricking your body into feeling fuller for longer. The antioxidant-rich soya sauce (10 times as potent as red wine) will also keep your heart in shape for that next bout of running up walls. Simmer the dashi, soya sauce, mirin, sake and kombu on a low heat to prepare the mixture.

03 To crank up your metabolism and slice through extra fat, saute your spinach in seasoned butter along with everyone’s favourite thermogenic calorie-burner, sliced garlic. Arrange the spinach and de-shelled egg in a bowl, then bring the dish together in beautiful yin/yang harmony by pouring in the steaming sauce. Add sliced spring onions and grated ginger for a sophisticated calorie-crunching start to the day.

01 An immunityboosting heavy hitter, shakshuka is the sworn enemy of bed days and Netﬂix binges. To start yourself on the road to recovery, halve and de-seed the peppers before roasting them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 180 deg C. The vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, in the peppers will punch through the nucleic acid at the heart of viruses and bacteria until man ﬂu is a bad dream. While the peppers are being prepared, heat the onions, garlic, herbs, sugar and tomato puree in an oven-proof pan. The tomato puree will provide another jolt of vitamin C, while the manganese in the garlic will help regulate your thyroid and sex hormone function, as well as stabilising blood sugar levels – essential for keeping your cool through the latest season of House Of Cards.

02 Simmer the sauce ingredients with the cooked, sliced peppers for 25 minutes, then crack your eggs into small wells in the mixture. This second step is essential for battling any old fashioned-induced illnesses, with the cysteine amino acids in the eggs speeding up your liver’s recovery. Bake in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes. If you’re feeling especially rough, knock back a Bloody Mary while you wait.

02 Traditionally, shakshuka is served with preserved lemon yogurt and challah bread (get them from the supermarket – you’re not a miracle worker). If you can face leaving the house, go for yogurt with a high concentration of lemon juice. The ﬂ avonoids will not only aid the absorption of all this vitamin C, but keep its beneﬁts going for longer – say enough time to see you through one more episode of Arrow.

Hammer Hangovers

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

• Mixed peppers, 4 • Onion, 1, sliced • Garlic, 2 cloves, finely chopped • Fresh parsley, handful • Fresh coriander, handful • Fresh thyme sprigs, 2 • Smoked paprika, 1 tsp • Cayenne pepper, ½ tsp • Cinnamon stick, 1 • Brown sugar, 1 tbsp • Tomato puree, 1 tsp • Chopped tomatoes, 2 x 400g tins • Eggs, 8 • Challa bread, 1 loaf

THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUR DAILY DOSE OF VITAMIN D PER EGG.

Leave sick days feeling sorry for themselves with this potent North African pick-me-up. Shakshuka By Joel Braham of The Good Egg (thegoodeggco.com)

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NUTRITION

Smash Through The Wall Egg yourself on with this stamina-stretching frittata. Broad Beans And Spring Veg Frittata By Aldo Zilli, Consultant Executive Chef for San Carlo Italian Restaurants (sancarlo.co.uk)

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)

• Broad beans, 150g • Onion, 1, chopped • Assorted spring veg (like spinach, watercress, asparagus, peppers), 350g, diced • Large eggs, 6 • Fresh parsley, 2 tbsp, chopped • Pecorino cheese, 50g, grated

6.6G

THE AVERAGE COMBINED SATURATED AND MONOUNSATURATED FAT CONTENT PER EGG – PERFECT RACING FUEL.

01 Traditional thinking has it that sucking it up like a man is the best way to burst through that wall you hit around the 8km mark. However, a helping hand is here in the form of broad beans. Or, speciﬁcally, their secret ingredient, L-dopa, which facilitates a dopamine kick, helping you feel better about that burning sensation in your quads, and keep your head in the race. To cook the beans, blanch them in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, drain,

Flame Fat Into Oblivion

then rip off the skins like they’re your chafing tape at the finish line. 02 Next, saute the onion in olive oil before adding the spring veg and cooking for 4 minutes, making sure to load up on longdistance performer spinach with its beneficial trifecta of calcium, iron and chlorophyll – all of which help transport blood to your muscles on the go. While this is happening, beat your eggs with the parsley and pecorino to unlock

their muscle-fuelling properties – speciﬁcally leucine, the only amino acid with the capability to directly stimulate protein synthesis. Show off. 03 Add your eggs to the pan with salt and pepper to taste. After 10 minutes, bake under the grill for 3 minutes. Once cooled, slice your frittata into delicious, cardio-boosting wedges. (Note: Tackling a frittata mid-race isn’t a strong look. Stick to gels for a post-starting pistol boost.)

0.6MCG

THE QUANTITY OF FAT-BURNING VITAMIN B12 PER EGG.

Set your egg and soldiers alight with this ﬁery Malaysian dish. Sambal Telur

By Neil Rankin, Executive Chef at Bad Egg (badegg.london)

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

• Eggs, 5 • Plain flour, 2 tbsp • Fresh white breadcrumbs, 100g • Red chilli, 4, chopped (deseed for less heat) • Shrimp paste, 1½ tbsp • Coriander, small bunch, stalks and leaves chopped separately • Shallots, 250g peeled and sliced • Red pepper, 1, deseeded • Tahini paste, 1 tbsp • Lime, 1, juice only

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01 Set up your fat-burning production line by hard-boiling (then peeling) four eggs. Beat the final (raw) egg in a bowl, then roll each of the cooked eggs in the flour, runny egg and bread crumbs in turn. If you’re doing it right, you should already have a sweat on. 02 The spicy sauce is where the fatscorching benefits lie, with the capsaicin in the chilli not only boosting your metabolism but also suppressing your appetite for dessert

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

(yes, even Ben & Jerry’s). The zinc in the shrimp paste is also bad for the coffers of America’s premium ice cream manufactures, packed as it is with the satiety-promoting hormone leptin. Meanwhile, tahini (made from ground sesame seeds) is rich in thiamine, which promotes the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, helping metabolise food into energy. Blend the sauce ingredients together, then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you’re

really looking to torch fat, now’s the time for a press-up superset.) When the sauce is looking good, whisk together the dressing and set aside. 03 Now’s the bit you’ve been waiting for. Heat your groundnut oil until hot, then fry the eggs until golden (roughly 1 to 2 minutes). Your eggs will retain less groundnut oil than when using other oils, but use kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil to minimise calories. Then, once cooled, rest your eggs

on the chilli sauce base, drizzle over the dressing and a sprinkling of chopped coriander, place a large glass of milk on standby, and serve.

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F O O D S T Y L I S T L U C Y- R U T H H AT H AWAY

S I G N AT U R E C A S T- I R O N S K I L L E T LEC R E U S E T.CO.U K

TIME WELL SPENT

TAKE HER BREATH AWAY A STAY-CAY AND A STONE MASSAGE LIKE NO OTHER AT THE RITZ IS THE RECIPE FOR TOTAL BLISS.

TRAVEL

This month’s must-go staycation experience has got to be Ritz-Carlton’s Lapiz Lazuli package. Sure, you can whisk her away for any hotel stay and massage, but this really is an elevated experience. Firstly, the room views at RitzCarlton’s elevated Kallang room are second to none. Just remember to close the blinds pre-romps, as it faces an expressway – you don’t want to cause any accident! The highlight, though, is its 60-minute stone massage. We’re not big believers in chakras and the usual hokey pokey stuff, but this is one of the best massages you’ll get in Singapore. You’ll also enjoy a daily fruit bowl (healthy!) and a daily buffet breakfast for two. If this doesn’t leave both of you beaming, nothing will.  For more details, go to www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/singapore. Prices start from $780 per night.

EVENT THOR: RAGNAROK Hulk like fire, Thor like water. In the third instalment of the exploits of the popular Norse god, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer, Mjolnir, and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilisation – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela, the goddess of death. But first, he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger, the Incredible Hulk!  Oct 26, showing in cinemas islandwide.

USEFUL YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE MONTH

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

SEARCH YOUTUBE FOR “Gordon Ramsay’s Scrambled Eggs” LOG ON TO: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=PUP7U5vTMM0

P H OTO (M A I N) R IT Z C A R LTO N S I N G A P O R E

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EVENT

OKTOBERFEST ASIA 2017 With its humble beginnings as an event to celebrate a prince’s wedding in ancient Germany, the Bavarian beer festival is now a worldwide experience celebrating the finest things in life – friendship, hearty food and beer drinking. Recognised by purists as the most authentic event in Singapore and Asia, the fifth edition of Oktoberfest Asia will be held in a more centralised location downtown. Revellers can expect authentic Bavarian beers, a true Munchen band, gourmet Bavarian food, and an authentic atmosphere and decorations just like those in Munich,  Oct 19-21, open field next to Tan Quee Lan Street. For more info, visit www.oktoberfestasia.com.

Gordon Ramsay’s Scrambled Eggs The wildmannered chef of Hell’s Kitchen fame teaches you how to cook the perfect scrambled egg for breakfasts on one of those lazy weekend mornings.

TEXT NICHOLAS WOO

MOVIE

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE: HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 7 The annual Halloween event is in its 7th edition this year, and unleashes its interpretation of the 7 deadly sins through seven terrifying icons. Visitors can expect experiences with monsters, demons and ghouls, all spread over five haunted zones, two scare zones and two shows. A new addition this year: the Zombie Lasertag Experience, where teams of four work together to fend off and “kill” deranged zombies in infested areas with laser-tag gear.  Fourteen weekend nights, from Sept 29 to Oct 29. For more specific dates and more info, visit www. halloweenhorrornights.com.sg.

GO BIG OR GO HOME

WITH MORE LUXURY BRANDS TURNING THEIR ATTENTION TO ATHLEISURE, THE PREVALENT TREND HAS BECOME A HIGH-STAKES GAME. If you haven’t realised, “athleisure” is already an official word in the Oxford Dictionary – and that speaks a lot about its impact and influence. Morgan Stanley reported that athleisure sales totalled US$97 billion last year, and the industry would continue to grow by 30 percent in the next three years. It is no surprise, then, that big-name fashion houses have joined the fray, attempting to roll out premium apparel and footwear targeting consumers with deeper pockets. Some of these hefty pieces have been created for distinct purposes – like Zegna’s ski range (left) – while others have been engineered via R&D labs to heighten comfort and performance.

TEXT MCKEN WONG

Z ZEGNA AW 17 COLLEC TION

Mustard Colour Wool Casentino Turati Light Jacket • Dark Grey Melange Wool & Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater • Wool & Alpaca Grey White Full Zip Hoodie • Grey & White Donegal Wool Trousers • Dark Grey Melange Cotton, Wool & Alpaca Leg Warmers • Techmerino Black Nappa Gloves • Pine Leaf Green Leather High-Top Mountain Boots

 PRICES ON REQUEST

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STYLE FOCUS 3

SWEAT HAS EQUITY. IT’S NEVER BEEN MORE FASHIONABLE TO LOOK LIKE YOU EXERCISE. Why would people be willing to pay so much? Some might ask. “Sweat has equity,” says Jamie Millar, a contributing editor at Men’s Health. “It’s never been more fashionable to look like you exercise. And while straight-up fashion can seem like an unjustiﬁable indulgence – unethical even – athleisure is inextricably linked to looking after yourself, allowing you to have your cake and eat it. Actual cake, too – you’re going to burn it off after all.”

With that, here are a couple of top picks that are worth swiping your card for.

1 ADIDAS Z.N.E PULSE KNIT HOODIE

SHOP.ADIDAS.COM.SG

$285 

2 EA7 COTTON PANTS

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US$220  ($300) 3 LOUIS VUITTON LEATHER CAP IN NOIR

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

4 LOUIS VUITTON RIVOLI SNEAKER IN CACAO

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$1,090 

5 AEANCE MEN’S LONG SLEEVE JERSEY

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$910 

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$229 

6 Y-3 WOOL JERSEY TEE

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405  EUROS ($656) 7 LACOSTE COLORBLOCK COTTON PIQUE FLEECE SWEATSHIRT,

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$229 

GROOMING ESSENTIALS

Shore Up Your Beach Look! FOLLOW THESE EASY GROOMING TIPS BEFORE YOU SET FOOT ON THE SAND.

TEXT SANDRA NYGAARD & MCKEN WONG I L LU S T R AT I O N PAT R I C K L E G E R

More planks, less pasta. That’s how most men prepare for the beach. But even if your body is jacked, you still need to pay attention to your skin. “Hot weather means more sweat and oil, which can lead to acne breakouts,” says Dr Joshua Zeichner, a dermatologist based in New York City. “Salty ocean water, meanwhile, could leave your hair dried out and lifeless.” Other grooming gaffes – like rough elbows and unsightly toenails – won’t earn the attention of the bikini crowd either. Consult our checklist so your hard work doesn’t go out with the tide.

FACE

FEET

ELBOWS, KNEES

BODY

HAIR

Threat: Humidity. When the weather goes from hot to muggy, your face can look as if you’ve been blotting it with egg prata. To take care of excessive shine, turn to a quick-absorbing lotion that hydrates and helps guard the skin from harmful UV rays. USE: Lab Series Daily Moisture Defense Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 15, $65-$91, www. labseries.com.sg.

Threat: Neglect. To prevent the development of ingrown toenails, trim your nails straight across. Then tend to the thick skin on your heels and soles. After a shower, gently rub yellowed calluses with a pumice stone. Follow up with a gentle foot cream that can rejuvenate dry feet. USE: Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme, $26, www.sephora.sg.

Threat: Dryness. First, take a shower – a cool or lukewarm one, since hot water dries skin out. Then apply a cream containing urea to the ashiest areas, suggests dermatologist Dr Shari Lipner of Weill Cornell Medicine. These creams hydrate, and are highly effective at removing dead skin. USE: Udderly Smooth Extra Care Cream, $5.90, www.guardian. com.sg.

Threat: Excessive sweat. Antiperspirant doesn’t have to be for your armpits only, Dr Zeichner says. You can wipe your chest and back with a handy antiperspirant towelette to prevent a Rorschach blot from bleeding through your shirt. It’s a convenient strategy for covering a large surface area. USE: Gatsby Ice-type Body Paper Cool Citrus, $3.50, www.gatsby.sg.

Threat: Pool chlorine or ocean salt. Apply a 10-cent-size amount of conditioner or lightweight hair oil to protect your mane. “Hair is porous, so the conditioner or oil will help prevent it from soaking up salt and chlorine,” says Amy Komorowski, a hairstylist based in New York City. USE: Moroccan Natural Argan Hair Treatment, $45, www. whathewants.com.sg.

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GEAR AND GADGETS THAT GIVE YOU THE EDGE

ALL AROUND YOU GET THIS: JBL Pulse 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker.

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THE BEST PART: One speaker not enough for your place? Opt for two. Or 10. Using the Connect+ Technology, you can connect up to 100 (!) of these speakers for your very own rave. COST: US$199.95 ($339), www.jbl.com.

TEXT JOSHUA CHRISTIAN SETH

READY FOR: The sun, which has been great recently – which means one thing: beach party! One of the essentials for such parties is, of course, music, and if you’re looking for something that will pound out those beats from Foo Fighters or Taylor Swift (we won’t judge), check out the new JBL Pulse 3 wireless speaker. It’s glowing LEDs pulse according to your playlist, and is highly customisable for your own needs. And with the built-in rechargeable battery that provides you 12 hours of playtime and music, you won’t be boo-ed by your peers for killing the party too early because your speaker batteries died on you. Other features include waterproof housing that will guard against accidental spillages during parties (it always happens), and a wireless streaming function that allows connection of up to two smartphones and tablets.

SHOOT THOSE DEAD PIXELS GET THIS: Gigabyte P57X v7 Gaming Laptop. READY FOR: Earning your geek cred, entering the gaming community, and blasting those dead pixels, even if you don’t know what equipment to get. No fear, Noctis, for here comes the P57 gaming laptop from Gigabyte. Designed for the gamer – both beginner and advanced alike – in mind, the laptop comes equipped with the latest processor and data storage systems, which will allow you to run your games and programs as smoothly and quickly as possible. Other design features include an anti-ghost backlit keyboard that allows you to play in the dark (especially when she has barred you for playing one too many Final Fantasy chapters), and the latest sound system built in that creates such a realistic game-play environment, you can hear every window smash and feel every explosion as if it’s really happening.

THE BEST PART: We’re absolutely captivated by the solid graphics card – the immersive virtual reality experience that came along with the crystal clear and captivating motion graphics made us feel like we were part of the gaming world. COST: $2,999, www.gigabyte.com.

YOUR BEST ADVENTUROUS BUDDY GET THIS: Nikon Coolpix W300. READY FOR: Travelling around the world and taking on adventures like diving in the Great Barrier Reef or skydiving above the Palm in Dubai. You want a waterproof, shockproof and everything-proof camera to capture all these moments. Look no further than Nikon’s newest release, the Coolpix W300. Designed for the adventurous soul in mind, the camera company took into account the latest Padi certifications depths, and the fact that you will be taking the camera to dusty and gritty environments, so it developed the W300. And probably the most important features: The wide-angle lens and optical zoom functions, so you can capture the wide expanse of the desert dunes as you go dune bashing in the Sahara.

THE BEST PART: For all of us who are digital natives (practically everyone with a social media account), the Snapbridge function allows you to upload and sync images taken on the Coolpix to your smart devices almost instantly, which you can then upload on your various social media accounts. COST: $689, www.nikon.com.sg.

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GEAR AND GADGETS THAT GIVE YOU THE EDGE

MAKE EVERY SHOT A COVER SHOT GET THIS: Huawei P10 and P10 Plus. READY FOR: Spending more time taking gym selfies than your actual gym workout. Your best defense? “I’m cataloguing my fitness journey.” Let us introduce the best weapon for your journey – the P10 series of smartphones from Huawei. The world’s first smartphones that are integrated with a Leica front camera, and an all-new light sensor, the P10 and P10 Plus will ensure studio-quality images for all your before-and-after selfies, your muscle and bodybuilding hashtags uploads on Instagram, and, of course, your cheat day meals. THE BEST PART: Don’t fret if you think the camera function is going to make your phone lag like crazy. The user interface and ultra-memory system will ensure a faster and more streamlined experience. COST: $798 (P10) and $998 (P10 Plus), consumer.huawei.com/sg.

4 LOOK, MA – NO SPEAKERS! GET THIS: Sony Bravia A1 Oled 4K TV. READY FOR: EPL night, and you’re lazy to dress up and go to the bar to watch your favourite team thrash their opponents. Neither do you feel like facing your mates when your team gets thrashed by theirs. But you still want to watch the match in all its glory, from the pre-match commentary all the way to the post-match analysis. Here’s our solution: the Bravia A1 Oled TV from Sony. Touted as the company’s first large screen Oled TV, you can invite your buddies over, crack open some beer and become armchair critics for the match, disagreeing whenever the referee makes a silly decision. And your missus won’t be left out either: The Bravia A1 has Sony’s trademark picture and colour technology, which means she can enjoy her Korean and China dramas in full, crystal clear quality. THE BEST PART: The aesthetics of the TV are simply amazing (there isn’t any TV stand), but what took our breath away was the absence of the traditional speakers on the side. The entire screen is where the sound comes from, and there isn’t any noticeable shake at all. COST: $8,999 (55-inch), www.sony.com.sg.

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VERSATILITY ON THE GO GET THIS: Microsoft Surface Pro Hybrid Notebook. READY FOR: No more need to lug all your tech apparatus whenever you go out or go travelling. Also no more bulky laptops, troublesome adaptors and wires that always become entangled when you pack them in your bag. Well, let Microsoft solve all of your worries with its new and improved Surface Pro Hybrid notebook. Designed to be convenient and easy to carry (less than 1kg in weight), the notebook grants you better performance and better graphics, thanks to its much improved features as compared to those of its predecessor. Aside from performance, it comes with LTE advanced support, so you can connect your LTE-enabled phone with it. And it comes in three signature colours that you can choose to match with your wardrobe. THE BEST PART: The Surface Pro’s 13½ hours of battery uptime uptime, as Microsoft claims claims, means you can use iit ffor the whole day! Well, you shouldn’t, off course, ffor h l h reasons.. health

COS $1,188 $ $ COST: to $3,188, www.microsoft.com/en-sg..

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GEAR AND GADGETS THAT GIVE YOU THE EDGE

OVER 300 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE GET THIS: Razer Atheris. READY FOR: Being taken seriously at work. But you also want to sneak in a session or two of Overwatch during lunch. Introducing the Razer Atheris – designed for both mobile work and gaming, the wireless mini-mouse allows you up to 350 hours of continuous use on a single pair of AA batteries, as Razer claims. Other features include a 7200 DPI optical sensor, which grants you extreme accuracy and incredible control over spreadsheets and balance sheet numbers. It sports an ambidextrous design, so you can share the mouse with that hot, left-handed colleague of yours in the next cubicle. THE BEST PART: Over 300 hours of continuous use on a single pair of AA batteries? We’re sold! COST: $84.90, www.razerzone.com.sg.

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68 MUSCLE

PILE ON MUSCLE! THIS CIRCUIT USES COMPOUND MOVES TO PROVIDE UNPARALLELED GROWTH STIMULUS.

90 RUNNING

TAKE THE PLUNGE

HEAT? HUMIDITY? BE SMART ABOUT TACKLING THEM WHILE RUNNING IN SINGAPORE.

PHOTO 123RF

80 FITNESS

LEADING FROM THE FRONT RITUAL GYM CEO BRAD ROBINSON SHARES WHAT IT TAKES TO JUGGLE CORPORATE LIFE AND TO MAINTAIN THAT PHYSIQUE.

71 GEAR

RUN, BARRY, RUN WANT TO RUN AS FAST AS BARRY “THE FLASH” ALLEN? THESE FOOTWEAR WILL HELP YOU TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.

64 MUSCLE

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM ESCAPE THE INDOORS – AND YOUR REGULAR EXERCISE PROGRAMME – WITH THIS FAST-PACED, DO-ANYWHERE, MINIMALEQUIPMENT ROUTINE.

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WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM

ESCAPE THE INDOORS – AND YOUR REGULAR EXERCISE PROGRAMME – WITH THIS FAST-PACED, DO-ANYWHERE, MINIMAL-EQUIPMENT ROUTINE.

B1 A3

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TEXT MIGUEL ARAGONCILLO PHOTOGRAPHY BEN GOLDSTEIN G R O O M I N G H O L LY G O W E R S / C H A N E L L E S B E I G E S /AT E L I E R M A N A G E M E N T

DIRECTIONS Do this workout 1 to 3 days a week. It can be your primary training programme for 4 weeks, a convenient way to work out while on the road, or simply an occasional break from your typical gym routine.

A park that has equipment for body-weight exercises is ideal, but any playground with swings, bars and benches will work. First, warm up by walking, running or doing some calisthenics. Then perform the same-letter

exercises (A1, A2, A3; B1, B2, B3) as mini-circuits, with little rest between moves. Rest 90 seconds after each circuit, and then repeat. You can also swop out or add in any of the exercises shown under Optional Exercises.

TO FINISH EACH WORKOUT, PICK THE RUNNING OPTION BELOW THAT BEST SUITS YOUR MOOD OR ABILITY. Run 100m; walk back. Do 5 reps. Run 40m to 50m; walk back. Do 8 reps. Sprint 20m; jog back. Do 10 reps.

A1/ EXPLOSIVE PUSH-UP

Assume a push-up position. Lower your chest to the ground, then push up explosively. If your hands come off the ground (they don’t have to), land with soft elbows and wrists, and move on to the next rep. 3 sets of 5

A2/ PARALLEL BAR LEG RAISE

Grab the parallel bars (or one end of the monkey bars) so you can raise your legs with your arms straight. Raise your legs until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso. Pause, and lower them. 3 sets of up to 10

A3/ SPRINTER STEP-UP ON BENCH

NEXT PAGE >

Place your right foot on a bench. Push through your right heel and drive your left knee up until it’s higher than your hips, then lower your left leg to the ground. Do 8 reps and repeat with your left foot on the bench. 3 sets

B1/ PULL-UP WITH 10-SECOND HOLD Grab a bar using an overhand grip. Pull yourself up and hold for 10 seconds. Then take 5 seconds to lower yourself. That’s 1 rep. (As an alternative, do the inverted row using a towel grip described on Optional Exercises.) 3 sets of 3

B2/ PLANK CLIMB AGAINST A POLE

Set your hands on a pole. Adjust your feet until your body, the pole and the ground form a triangle. Walk your hands down the pole as far as you can while staying as straight as possible. Walk back up. That’s 1 rep. 3 sets of 5

B3/ BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT

Lift your left foot behind you and rest your toes or instep on a swing, bar or bench. Lower yourself until your right knee bends about 90 degrees. Then push back up. Do 6 reps, switch legs and repeat. 3 sets

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OPTIONAL EXERCISES

You can substitute any or all of these exercises for a similar move on the previous story. You can also combine two or more of these moves into your circuit to make your workout harder.

CORE OPTION

DEAD BUG WITH TOWEL Loop the towel around a pole and lie on your back with your head near the pole. Grab the ends of the towel. Lift your legs and bend your knees 90 degrees. Pull the towel and tighten your abs. Extend your right leg straight out, pause, and pull it back. Repeat with your left leg. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1 rep. 3 sets of 4

CHIN-UP OPTION

INVERTED ROW WITH TOWEL GRIP Wrap a towel around a bar so you can grip the ends with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Hang below the bar from the towel with your arms straight. Pull yourself up, keeping your body straight from head to heels. Pause and return to the starting position. 3 sets of 10

LOWERBODY OPTION

SELFASSISTED PISTOL SQUAT Stand next to a pole with your right hand resting on it for support. Lift your right foot off the ground. Squat on your left leg while extending your right leg forward, keeping it as straight as you can. Return to the starting position and repeat. 3 sets of 5 reps per leg

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PUSH-UP OPTION

ONE-ARM PUSH-UP WITH NONWORKING ARM EXTENDED Assume a push-up position but with your left arm farther out to the side, your right hand on the ground with fingers pointing forward. Lower your chest towards the ground in a slow, controlled movement, then push back up, doing most of the work with your right arm. 3 sets of 4 reps per arm

PT GEAR GYM BAG HEROES

JABRA ELITE SPORT GREY EARPHONES $368, www. apac.jabra.com

ADIDAS EQT CLASSIC BACKPACK

TEXT NICHOLAS WOO

$109, http://shop. adidas.com.sg

Make a fashion statement while hauling your gym gear with this classic backpack. Designed with 90s street style in mind, this roomy item comes with dedicated compartments for your laptop, phone and sunglasses, which enable you to transit from corporate drone to gym rat seamlessly. A front zip allows you easy access to often-used items like your wallet. And since it’s made from durable nylon, you can be sure it will stand up to your everyday squeeze on MRT trains.

Eat. Sleep. Gym. Repeat.

YOUR SWEAT MAY BE YOUR BEST ACCESSORY AT THE GYM, BUT DON’T DISCOUNT THESE HOT PICKS AS WELL.

UNDER ARMOUR HEATGEAR ARMOUR ZONE COMPRESSION SHORTS $89, www. underarmour.com.sg

Block out all the weird and annoying grunts from gym goers heir slamming their weights on the ﬂoor, and lissten n to your playylistt in peace witth these cord-ffree ee earphones ut that ﬁlter ou d background

noise. With a battery life of 13½ hours as claimed by the company, you can be assured of a smooth listening journey all the way from preworkout to postworkout and even on your ride home. And, oh, it comes in a cool Lime Green colour variant, which would deﬁnitely make you stand out from the rest of the gym crowd. Now that’s style.

This pair features the Heatgear fabric, offering cooling and drying properties that keep you fresh as you sweat it out during your tabata sessions or when you’re clocking your 21km mileage. Its anti-odour technology prevents the growth of odour-causing microbes, and the four-way stretch construction allows for greater freedom in movement – the perfect recipe for both gym goers and outdoor warriors. And the print isn’t just for aesthetic purposes: It strategically targets muscle zones in your legs and thighs, and gives you stronger compression at the speciﬁc zones where you need them the most. Goodbye, chicken legs!

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Pile On Muscle RITUAL GYM CEO BRAD ROBINSON DEMONSTRATES THE WORKOUT TO GET YOU FROM BONY TO BIG IN JUST 30 DAYS!

A A

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

CHEST PRESS

10 reps Grab two dumbbells and lie flat on a bench. Hold the weights above your chest, palms facing away from you (A). Slowly lower them until the weights are in line with your chest (B), then press up explosively. Draw out the lowering phase of the move to 6 seconds. Sustained tension stresses the muscles beyond what regular lifting achieves, for greater power in your pecs.

STYLIST SHEH SHOES ASICS

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T E X T L AT R E A L M I T C H E L L P H O T O G R A P H E R M I C H A E L TA N A R T D I R E C T I O N JA S O N TA N G R O O M I N G D A X LY E MODEL BRAD ROBINSON / RITUAL GYM TEE UNIQLO

Absolute power competes absolutely, no matter if you’re a behemoth gym rat or simply pushing for a new personal best. This circuit uses compound moves to provide unparalleled growth stimulus. Perform all four exercises in a row without any rest, then take a 2-minute break before starting from the top to ﬁnish the whole routine 4 times. Do it twice a week for jumbo gains.

02 SQUAT TO PRESS

10 reps This one’s tough, admittedly, but combining two huge lifts into one move boosts your testosterone levels, charging your body to build mass and torch fat. With a dumbbell held close in front of each shoulder, palms facing back, squat to 90 degrees (A). Power through your heels to stand up, then use that momentum to press your arms up to full extension (B). Do 10, then move on. No rest!

03 BENT-OVER ROW

10 reps By now, you might be sick of dumbbells, but the results are well worth it. Step your left leg forward and bend into a split stance, then hinge at the hips to grab a weight in your right hand (A). Row it up to your chest (B). This might be a simple move but pay close attention to form: Tensing your glutes will keep your back straight – and any injuries at bay. On the next time round, switch sides.

THE SPECS WORKOUT 15 MINUTES

RESULT IN 4 WEEKS

LEVEL MEDIUM

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04 SISSY SQUAT

10 reps This last move will ignite the fast-twitch fibres in your quads for line-breaking strength and solid stability. Grab a dumbbell and set yourself on your toes with knees slightly bent, as shown (A). Lower slightly by bending your knees while leaning back to maintain a straight line from knees to shoulders. When your legs reach 90 degrees (B), stand back up again. Not so sissy now.

THE BEST POSTWORKOUT RECOVERY ROUTINE

Follow this procedure to recover quickly from your tough workout.

TIME: + 2 MINUTES Do This: Slow down, don’t stop. Studies in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that active recovery after exercise encourages repair. “Simply walk slowly around the gym,” says Janet Hamilton, author of Running Strong and Injury Free. TIME: + 10 MINUTES Do This: In your post-exercise shower, alternate between 2 minutes hot with 30 seconds cold. Australian research reported in Sportsmed News found this hot-cold contrast hydrotherapy boosted muscle recovery and mental freshness.

TIME: + 15 MINUTES Do This: Take in carbs as well as protein in your post-workout shake. “Lack of carbs leaves you at risk of muscle damage, and they trigger an insulin spike, which speeds nutrients into your muscle tissue,” says UKbased sports nutritionist Karen Reid. “Mix a post-workout shake of three parts carbs and one part protein,” says John Ivy, author of Nutrient Timing.

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BOX PICTURE 123RF

TIME: + 90 MINUTES Do This: “Eat a meal packed with carbs to restock the glycogen that you’ve just burned off,” says Ivy. “White” carbs like rice or bread will work fastest.

PT GEAR RUNNING SIDEKICKS

Run, Barry, Run

RUNNING AS FAST AND EFFORTLESSLY LIKE BARRY ALLEN’S ALTER EGO – THE FLASH – WITH THESE FOOTWEAR WOULD BE LIKE A WALK IN THE PARK. 1

ASICS GELKAYANO 24

 TEXT NICHOLAS WOO

$259, available at Asics retail stores.

Not one to rest on its laurels, this Japanese sports company believes a lot in continuous innovation and thoughtful designs for its shoes. Its latest off ering, the Gel-Kayano 24, is no exception. Wearers will beneﬁ t from the footwear’s overpronators stability and comfort. This feature not only improves one’s running effi ciency but also decreases the risk of injury when going varying distances. Furthermore, athletes will relish the fact that the shoe’s sole hugs their foot comfortably and cushions the impact, making the last kilometre as comfortable as the ﬁ rst.

REEBOK PRINT RUN PRIME ULTRAKNIT

$119, available at Reebok brand stores islandwide.

For the modern runner looking for variety for his running gear, try the Ultraknit. Despite its deceptively simple looking exterior, it actually has a lot of hidden features in its various sections. The signature Ultraknit upper, for example, off ers wearers seamless comfort and provides a customﬁ t feel to make it extra snug. Other features include carbon rubber rims in the toe and heel provide runners with light-weight traction, especially when they are running on pavement. And the 3D foam compounds on the outer rims provide wearers support and abrasion resistance.

NEW BALANCE FUELCORE RUSH V3

$169, available at New Balance Experience stores.

Here’s an option if you’re looking for a shoe that’s stylish, lightweight and responsive. The Fuelcore Rush, now in its third generation, has gott en improvements from the previous editions, and will please runners with adjustments in the midsole, outsole and upper sections. Highlights include the Revlite midsole, which helps wearers maintain a resilient and responsive underfoot feel as they train to outdo their personal best, as well as an engineered mesh in the upper, which allows for support in key areas of the runners’ feet while remaining lightweight and ﬂ exible.

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More Energy Now!

HOW CAN YOU TAP YOUR RESERVES AND PUSH ON WHEN OTHER GUYS QUIT? THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF PEAK PERFORMANCE EXPLAINS THE POWER OF MIND OVER MUSCLE.

TEXT JONAH LEHRER PHOTOS 123RF A R T D I R E C T I O N & D I G I TA L I M AG I N G JA S O N TA N

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K Karl Meltzer had run m more h 1,300 miles l on the he than f re he Appalachian Trail befo h h about b up. He thought giving u f near was in a maple forest n f Knob in Virginiia. McAfee d camped d on the h tra ail the He’d f night before but woke up h d dreading d d nother exhausted, an l slog. l . 50-mile H d already l d run alm lmost He’d for 32 two marathons a day fo d d scampered do over days. He’d of the White Mountains o h and d ch hopNew Hampshire d through h h the h ro ock stepped nia. “It gardens off Pennsylvan was one off those mornings h my body b d just j when wassn’t ki h says. “I ha had no working,” he f ” energy left.” H ff alone anyw way, He set off f before dawn. Iff he was going b k the h AT speed d rrecord, to break i 2,190 miles il in i u under running d h couldn’t ld rest. Not 46 days, he f a morning.. even for f Afte f er a few He didn’t get far. l exhaustion h whelmed miles, overw h l down d h dirt and him. He lay in the f asleep. It wasn’t a lo ong nap fell b 20 minutes?” Meltzer – “Maybe he says – b but it gave h him th w strength to make it a ffew l to his h suppo ort van, more miles h h had h d a sleeping l g bag where he a d mattress. and k up three h h urs later, He woke hou ll feeling f l k He wa as sick of still weak. b er an nd jelly eating peanut butt d h from f h fan f nny pack sandwiches his a d dealing d l h ticks. k M Meltzer and with l there h h hot h van, thinking lay in his h hundreds h d d off mile l s he still off the h d to run. For the h ﬁrst time, had h began b d b whet h ther he he to doubt ld make k it.. could h your muscles l are junk “When is when you start wondering: ‘Why am I doing this? What’s the point?’” Although he did pull off two more sections of seven and

10 miles each that afternoon, fuelled by a pint of ice cream and some fried chicken, he collapsed in bed before 7pm. It was his worst day on the trail. The next morning wasn’t much better. “I was in such a lousy mood,” Meltzer says. “And it’s like 5am, and I’m a couple of miles in, and I’m just not feeling it.” Meltzer had failed to break the AT record twice. Maybe he just couldn’t do it at all. Maybe at 48, he was too old. Maybe he wasn’t tough enough. “I’m thinking all these negative thoughts, how I’m super-fatigued and I still had so far to go,” he says. “Honestly, going on didn’t seem possible.” Back in the early 1920s, the British physiologist and Nobel laureate Archibald Hill and his colleagues began running around a grass track while exhaling into rubberised canvas bags strapped to their backs. The objective was to measure the oxygen consumed at various speeds. It’s at this point that Hill, a serious middle distance runner,

Archibald Hill found that running creates an ‘oxygen debt,’ as muscles demand far more oxygen than your lungs can provide.

found that running creates an “oxygen debt,” as muscles demand far more oxygen than your lungs can provide. Although your body tries to erase this debt – that’s why respiration and heart rate increase – it’s never enough. When you run fast, you’re denying your body the air it needs to create energy. Hill’s insight was that this oxygen debt had far-reaching consequences. Based on some previous experiments on frog legs by Frederick Hopkins (another Nobel laureate) and physiologist Walter Fletcher, he concluded that muscles forced to generate energy without sufficient oxygen produced a toxic byproduct: lactic acid. If the muscles continued to contract, then the acid accumulated in cells, causing a distinct burning sensation. This chemistry set a hard limit on performance. It doesn’t matter how determined you are to keep going – the acid always wins. In his Nobel speech, Hill made this clear: “Ultimately the muscle is a chemical mechanism,” he said. “If we were aware of all the chemical events, we should know all that was necessary about the machine which we are studying.” It’s hard to overstate the inﬂuence of Hill’s science. It was written into countless textbooks, a chemical explanation for athletic performance. Over time, lactic acid became a scapegoat for gym rats, exercise buffs and Olympic announcers. When your body gives out or your muscles ache the day after a workout, this compound is typically cited. Lactic acid is what stole your energy, making your body stop when your mind wanted

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it to go on. This is what Meltzer seemed to be up against on his 33rd morning on the AT. Although he’d won more 100-mile trail races than any other runner in the world, he couldn’t outrun the laws of chemistry. After 1,000 miles without a day off, his muscles must have been acidic jelly. It’s no wonder he found himself napping in the dirt. But here’s the thing: He didn’t stop. He kept going. I ﬁrst met Holden MacRae, a professor of sports medicine at Pepperdine University, at a mall in California. Prof MacRae is 61, but his sinewy body is a testament to his lifelong interest in athletic performance. When Prof MacRae talks about his research, which has transformed the science of energy, he inevitably brings it back to his own mountain biking. “That’s part of the test,” he says. “Can I use these ideas to understand and maybe improve my own performance?” When Prof MacRae started out as a scientist, conducting experiments on athletes in the lab of Dr Timothy Noakes at the University of Cape Town, the science of human energy seemed mostly settled. Peak performance was about staving off inadequate oxygen delivery and avoiding the buildup of acid for as long as possible. That’s why trainers were obsessed with such stats as VO2 max, a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen that can be consumed and utilised by an athlete. According to this model, endurance freaks like Lance Armstrong – with his VO2 max of 84, around 46 percent higher than normal – owed their success to their highly efficient cardiovascular systems. They didn’t run out of energy because their muscles didn’t run out of oxygen. It didn’t take long for Prof MacRae to realise that the

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existing paradigm was terribly oversimplified. Take the socalled lactate threshold, that chemical point past which lactic acid levels rapidly increase and muscles shut down. Prof MacRae concluded that the threshold was largely a statistical illusion, a byproduct of scientists failing to collect enough blood samples during difficult workouts. “The theory had been that once you get past 2 to 4 millimoles of lactate, you’re going to feel real fatigued,” he says, citing a standard blood measure of lactic acid. “But what we found is that if you actually measure lactate levels in people competing in half marathons or long bike races, their lactate levels can get up around 6 or 7 millimoles and their performance is not degraded. “If you’re saying that they’re stopping due to the lactate accumulation, then those levels should lead to contractile failure [in the muscles]. But that’s not what we saw at all. They were still going strong.” How was this possible? One of the first clues came from the research of Hakan Westerblad at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute. In the mid-1990s, Westerblad began using mouse muscle to replicate those frog leg studies that led Hopkins and Hill to blame lactic acid for muscle failure. Westerblad made one other crucial change to the protocol. Instead of doing the studies at room temperature, he conducted them at the rodents’ body temperature, which is about 25 degrees higher. This change made all the difference: The muscles now continued to function even when they were saturated with acid. More recently, scientists have shown that lactic acid can actually benefit fatigued muscles, making it easier for cells to contract. The chemical that once stole our energy is now being described in scientific literature as a performance

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

enhancing drug. Perhaps the greatest refutation of Hill’s chemical model didn’t even require a lab. In many competitions, athletes often experience a phenomenon known as the end spurt – a speed burst near the finish line when they’re most fatigued. Such spurts are a defining feature of many great performances, whether it’s LeBron James chasing down Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, or Mo Farah, whose last 100m push in the 10,000m final at the Rio Olympics was four seconds (and change) faster than his first 100. For the chemical model, these spurts are a paradox, since fatigued athletes should have little energy left. The body should be falling apart, not speeding up. These phenomena led Prof MacRae and Dr Noakes and their fellow renegades to conclude that the science of athletic performance was all wrong. “For nearly 100 years, people have been told that they get tired because their muscles get tired,” Dr Noakes

Athletes often experience a phenomenon known as the end spurt – a speed burst near the finish line when they’re most fatigued.

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wrote. t “That’’s ’ in all the t b k on hy olo l gyy textbooks n exercise physi logy d athle hl tic ccoaching h ng. Stud dents and h hle tudent ntts h e around d the h wo ld everyw wher here he w rld d b ing are still lll be being g ta taugh ht this thiss. Butt it’ss n true.”” not h raisess the h obvio b ous This que q esti st on: Iff the acid in n u urr musscles l isn’tt slowing l mu mus g you down, own n h do d you think h k you’vve run the th hen n why run un out u of of en e erg gyy? What’s hold ding ng g you yo o ba back? ck?? Fo or Proff MacRae, th he hatt sto answer ans wer is ssiim mple. mpl e “Wh “What “W st ps p here, h you is up he you e,”” he ssays ays a ass he t s his he between ta tap he d head d. “Itt’ss all all be twe we e th e the ea ars. rs ” h end d sp d ng T ke the Tak the s u urt ur rt: Acco cco cordi co rd to Pro to P f MacR Pr Rae, ae this is pro rooff th hlet dous tha ha at atthl h ete t s hav have avve a trem tre re emen mendou r ervve capa re res pa acit c y.. “Mo Most s of the t me, pe d t ta tim peo eoplle don’t tap p into o th this r reserv ve,” he ssays. ys “W We’r e’re e scar cared ared ed off the ch hall lllen enge. e Iff you re reallly rea d to want to und nde de erst r and t p athl thllete ete e tes, d tha you ha h ve to sst stu tu udy h t rese erve. f: How w You ha ave to oa ask skk yo yours urself elf: h k d I tap int do nto nt o tth h ? How ha hat o do I hack m br f rm at the my b in so I can pe bra erfor erfor er h h st lleve highes e l?”” h iss the he dil d lemm l This em m a Meltzer lin h wa wr was wrestlin lin ng with h in that fores st. It didn Vir irrgi g ia for gin esst dn n’t matter h w ma d how many ca alori al ori r es ri es he consumed h w mu d Bull h or how uch ch Red ed he h lll h d no energy. chugge ed – he he st still ill had hen d thinking h k But th en h he sta ta arted a ut his fa abo f m mililily, y,, how hiss wiffe and wife wif and hiss ffa fath t r had been the th h trail,l and d sup ppor portin tin ng him m on the d d to change h he rea he e llis ised ed he needed hiss att d . “I just told ld myself: lf his attittude ud ff that h ‘Ka arl, rl yo ou’v u ve e got to turn off n ati h he h says. “‘You nega neg ativvitty switch,’” herre to be b successful. f l ca cam a e outt he h t up d it.’ That h was Shut Shu up and d do ded h k wh t I ne wha nee ede ed to hear. I knew th hatt I di d dn’t d need d to stop.”” the h n that hen that nd d up running Me Mel M eltze tzz r en nded m e than l that h day, d more tha han h an 50 0 miles h last l l in the h ﬁnish hin ing n the miles d k the b bbing bb l h off his h dark, h bob light h dl p sh h way.. headlamp showing the k no o an Dr Noakes, ow an emeritus p f th Univ professor at tthe iversity off iv Cape Town, b became cur urious ur b h d rin about human n energy durin in ng m d l scho ho h he h dec deccide medical ool,l when id d t run the h 54 4 l Comrades d to 4-mile

06 0 O O CC TT O O B E R 22 0 01 7 7

M E N SS H E A LT H H . CC O O M . SS G G M

M h Africa f ca Marath hon in So South a. O h d att he ran On h his iss th third ttempt, t, he iinto a phys hys ysi siolo ol gicall wa walllll:: He was 113 miles l fro f om the h ﬁnish n h when h l re ll d utterly l his muscles eb belled, “d l d off energy, th heir “depleted cconnective i tiissues com in g min a d he apart.” He asssumed w ld quit th would he race. Butt then ssomething h h pened: d stran nge happ H b He kkept running,, energissed by th l he ro d the spectators alo long the oad. Th h s pulle llled d him h tthr hrough. h. Their cheers Th l d him hm This expe erience e led tto b d in the he become interessted p h l gical side de off en psycholog nergyy. Wh h When h he was suff ffering th hro ough th l t mile those tho se las last m les, it wasn’’t a ssugary d him ary d drink dr inkk th hat saved m, o or a b brieff rest to suckk up p so ome o h it was the oxygen. Rather, e ssight h off those h h pe h other eopl pl . This pl ple w h che h mis ld was a run that hemis isstry could n l in not expla exxpla plain in.. IIt tookk d d off research, h decades b k would ld eventually ll but Dr Noakes d l a theory h develop off energy rregulation l h he h calls ll the h that ““centrall governor.” In essence, th the centrall governor is a ssoftware f b n script in your brain th l your physical h l that controls p f performance, generating a ffeeling l f off fatigue to preserve yyour b d body. Wh l Hill ll thought h h human h While e l were reducible d bl to energy llevels th h k the llaws off chemistry, Dr Noakes a d that h the h reality l is more argued ccomplicated, l d and d that h your sense of energy is a subjective b mentall cconstruct b d on countless l based vvariables bl from f k temperature skin tto the h cheers h h crowd. d. off the ““I am not saying that h what h ttakes k place l h l ll in the h physiologically m l is irrelevant,” l k muscles Dr Noakes w h I am saying is that h wrote. “What wh k place l h l ll what takes physiologically iin the h muscles l is not what h t ccauses fatigue.” f ” A d k cites As evidence, Dr Noakes h d off cyclists l d his studies during a 1100km k time trial.l When h the h ccyclists l h midst d off a were in the ssprint, Dr Noakes k ffound d a steady d d l l activity in decrease in electrical th i quadriceps di l This hi their muscles. ssuggests that h the h b i was brain

red ducing the overall number of uscle fibres it was trying to mu activate. The central governor as systematically shutting wa down the body. do While the cyclists thought eir legs were running out of the nergy, the reality was that they en had stopped asking their quads ha t contract. to The big challenge for an hlete, then, is to reprogram ath he central governor; to train the e mind to get more out of the the body. As Dr Noakes points out, in bo e final stages of a marathon, the nly a third of muscle fibres in on he leg are active. the Plus, levels of ATP – the olecule used to transport mo nergy within cells – almost en ever fall below 60 to 80 ne ercent of their resting value. pe his suggests that we still Th ave plenty of energy left. The ha central governor is just too lever to use it. cle The good news is that scientists have come up with tricks and treatments you can use to reliably increase your sense of energy and perform at h gher levels. hig Some are simple, such as cooling your skin during exercise. ( our brain measures exertion (Yo by monitoring changes in body temperature, so a cooler bo body leads to lower levels of bo erceived effort.) Others are pe miischievous and involve giving hletes false information ath bout their performance ab by slowing down the clock, doctoring the odometer, or do having them compete against a ha “previous” performance that was subtly improved. Your brain can also be fluenced by motivational cues. infl In one recent study, researchers at Bangor University asked eople to pedal to exhaustion, pe oing at 65 percent of peak go ower for as long as they could. po While the study participants ere sweating, the scientists we exposed them to either a smiling f ce or a frowning face for 16 fac

PSYCH YOURSELF OUT OF FAILURE

SEVEN WAYS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES YOU BELIEVE ARE BLOCKING YOUR PROGRESS.

“Prefatigue” Your Brain

Time your workout to come after a taxing day. This helps you build mental resilience, says Prof Holden MacRae of Pepperdine University. When you remove that preworkout mental strain, you’ll perform even better.

Risk the Reward of Failure

Don’t settle into the 70 percent groove, Prof MacRae says. Build up your energy level by seeking new kinds of pain instead of relying on routine workouts. “If there’s no possibility of failure, you aren’t really pushing yourself.”

Apply A/V Strategy

On your high-intensity days, work out to music videos. A sight-sound combo is better than music alone for reducing your perceived level of exertion. Celebrate your gains with a moonwalk.

Motivate Your Muscles

Raise the psychological stakes – ﬁnd what makes suffering worth it for you. It could be bragging rights, a perceived slight or (a classic military training trick) not wanting to let your family or team down.

milliseconds – far too brief for conscious awareness. Despite the fact that the cyclists couldn’t discern the face – let alone its expression – the ones exposed to the smile stayed on the bike for 178 seconds longer, or 12 percent of the total time. The smiling face made exercise feel easier, so those cyclists were able to go a few extra laps. And then there are the chemical ﬁxes. Giving athletes acetaminophen before a race makes them go faster – this mild pain reliever numbs the central governor. A variety of stimulants, from amphetamine to caffeine, have a similar effect. Because energy is a state of mind, waking up your brain can make you less sensitive to the tired state of your body. (Unfortunately, the opposite is also true: Doing a tedious cognitive task before a workout can dramatically impair endurance.) Interestingly, many of these treatments also work as placebos. In other words, coaches don’t need to dose athletes with stimulants or painkillers to improve their performance – merely convincing them that they did so is enough. In one study, rinsing endurance cyclists’ mouths with a sugary beverage helped them go faster during a time trial, even though they didn’t swallow any. Subsequent research showed that the rinse turned on the brain’s reward regions, thus tricking it into believing that calories had been ingested. The question, of course, is how you can translate this research into performance. It’s one thing to know that energy is largely a state of mind; it’s something else entirely to not feel so tired you need to stop. Meltzer doesn’t have all the

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answers. “I’ve been saying it’s all in your head for 20 years,” he says. “Doesn’t mean I understand it, though.” They call it the Beast. For new cadets at West Point, the Beast is basic training, that arduous introduction to military life. A typical day during the Beast begins in the dark, with a zero dark thirty wake-up, followed by 90 minutes of running and calisthenics. Then it’s a shower and a quick breakfast followed by a morning of classroom lectures. After lunch, it’s training time, when cadets learn to assemble and ﬁre their M4s, march in formation, and complete difficult obstacle courses. Evening is for homework and something called “mass athletics.” It’s lights out around midnight. This challenging routine goes on for six weeks, culminating in what’s known as the Graduate March Back, a 12-mile slog in the August heat with a heavy pack. “Basic training is designed to stress the cadets,” says West Point’s Mike Matthews, a professor of engineering psychology. “We have six weeks to turn them into soldiers. That means teaching them that they’re tougher than they think.” It’s easy to overlook the remarkable nature of this transformation. Before these cadets showed up at West Point, they were typical American teenagers. They slept in, played video games, and struggled to do 50 push-ups. But in just over a month, the academy resets their central governors. The cadets are able to handle tests of endurance that only a few weeks before would have been unimaginable. The US Army does this by consistently emphasising the mental side of performance. The hardest parts of the Beast – like the long marches or sleeping alone in the woods in a wet uniform – are framed as tests of

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will and grit. Nate Zinsser, director of West Point’s performance psychology programme, is tasked with training cadets in the psychological principles of elite performance. “People think it’s all about doing more at the gym,” he says. “But the hardest part is often changing the way you think about yourself. When the crap hits the fan, what ends up limiting you is usually not your body. It’s that voice in your head telling you that you can’t do it.” Zinsser tells the story of Dan Browne, the first West Point cadet to run a sub-four-minute mile. To prepare for the race, he had Browne do a relaxation exercise followed by a guided visualisation in which he ran the entire mile in his head. “I wanted him to think about how he would react when his legs got heavy and fatigue set in,” Zinsser says. “Is he going to tell himself he’s in trouble? Or is he going to say: ‘I can do this, I can do this, I just need to hang on.’” In the imagination exercise, Browne ran a 3:58 mile. Two days later, when he stepped onto the actual track, he ran the exact same time. The US Army takes sports psychology quite seriously. This is for a simple reason: As Zinsser points out, every soldier is a “tactical athlete,” forced to push his or her physical limits on the battlefield. For soldiers, mustering energy isn’t just a matter of finishing first or second – it can mean life or death. In recent years, the US Army has implemented Zinsser’s sports psychology training at 20 posts worldwide, building it into the military training of more than 40,000 soldiers. What can the rest of us learn from West Point? First off is the importance of making exercise social. It doesn’t matter if it’s Crossfit or a running club – you’re much more likely to push your limits when you’re

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

Push the Positive Turbo

Messaging can enhance performance. So write “Crush It” on your ﬁst or get that lightning bolt tattoo. Or create a mantra. Be brief, positive and instructive: “Brace for beneﬁts” or “Focus on form.”

Tap the Power of the Pack

Competition forges resolve. To harden your mental muscle, note your results in a group, and then try to replicate them solo. The goal is to constantly raise the bar on your perceived level of exertion.

Ice Your Quit Button

Athletes tend to obsess over diet while neglecting the effect of overheating on their performance. Sip ice-slurry drinks during hot workouts and splash cool water on your face during races.

surrounded by other sweaty people. That’s because your central governor isn’t just monitoring the chemistry and mechanics of the muscles – it’s also keeping track of the athletes around you. The second lesson involves changing the way cadets think about fatigue. “If these cadets get six hours of sleep, that’s a miraculous accomplishment,” Zinsser says. “And it’s easy to feel that exhaustion and just say: ‘I’m done.’” But West Point teaches cadets how to push past the exhaustion and thus wring more out of their bodies. “I can lecture them about the psychology, how their thoughts determine what their muscles are capable of,” he says. “But it’s better to have them experience it for themselves.

They need their own narrative of ‘I went through hell but made it.’” On the one hand, the shift from the chemistry model of energy to the psychological one is liberating because it means you can exceed your known physical limits. Your muscles are stronger than you think. But it also means you are responsible for your own athletic failures. Too often, you quit on your body because you assume your body has quit on you. However, the latest science suggests that people tend to misread their own flesh – there’s almost certainly plenty of fuel left in the tank. Does knowing that fatigue is just a feeling make the fatigue any less real? Probably not. But it does offer you a chance to push back against the central governor, finding a form of selftalk that might let you tap into that secret reserve of energy. As Meltzer likes to remind himself: “It doesn’t always get worse.” Meltzer’s last day on the Appalachian Trail began, as usual, with a mug of coffee and heavy cream, chugged in the dark. He’d already been on the trail for 45 days; he didn’t want to sleep in his van again. The only problem was that the finish line was 85 miles away. It took him 23 hours of straight trail running, but he ran those last miles in an end spurt for the ages, coming down Springer Mountain at 3.38am. He broke the record set by Scott Jurek by nearly a half day. Meltzer celebrated with a cold pizza and a warm beer. When I ask him why he wanted to run the trail faster than anyone else, I was hoping for some thoughts on the nature of human possibility. But Meltzer is no philosopher. “The bottom line is I do these things because I want to talk about them later,” he says. “The faster you go, the sooner it’s all over.”

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PT FITNESS

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T E X T K E LV I N TA N P H O T O G R A P H Y M I C H A E L TA N G R O O M I N G D A X LY E

A R T D I R E C T I O N & D I G I TA L I M AG I N G JA S O N TA N

STYLING SHEH

Own Your Willpower RITUAL GYM CEO BRAD ROBINSON BELIEVES OWNING YOUR BODY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS OWNING A BUSINESS, AND IT TAKES WILLPOWER TO EXCEL AT BOTH.

L Let’s get this out of the way: Brad Robinson’s fitness pet peeve is snacking. “The guys at my office – they’re still on Subway and cookies, and that drives me absolutely insane,” he exclaims. Of course he gets it: Not everyone can afford to do two gym sessions a day, but it’s about the lack of self-control that he abhors. “Ultimately, my pitch is this: That bag of chips you’re scoffing down at 3pm after lunch? What do you get out of that? You get 20 seconds of salty pleasure, and then you lick your fingers… and that’s over. Is that little moment of your whole day worth it, versus the negative consequences that come after? “Just because its easily accessible doesn’t mean you should have it. You’ve got to maintain a certain level of mindfulness on your life choices – and that extends beyond just fitness to career and business as well,” the 38-year-old proclaims. DISCIPLINE GAINS MOMENTUM The American, whose chain of gyms is about to go global, shares his credo: Discipline gains momentum. “I wake up in the morning and do some mobility work straight away – that’s around 5.45am to 6am, before my

kids get up for school. Just 90 seconds of something physical. It feels like the same reason I make my bed: self-discipline,” he says. Most people slap their alarm clock or scroll through Facebook in those 90 seconds. But for him, it’s about choosing to make a pact with himself. “I’m telling my conscious self this is the kind of day I’m going to have, and I’m going to take control of that little voice that tells me a reason to either skip the gym or make bad nutrition choices.” He also admits the lazy side of him comes out more often than not when work gets really busy, which, ironically, is when he needs it more than most. Because working out makes him a way better person and leader. GETTING COVER-READY Earlier this year, Robinson suffered a neck injury, and like all mere mortals, weight gain and lethargy soon followed. But he used the opportunity to be in Men’s Health as motivation, building his body back up to speed and bulking up. But getting started was a real test of willpower.

I’m going to take control of that little voice that tells me a reason to either skip the gym or make bad nutrition choices.

“The first week [of working out to get cover-ready] got delayed around three times, as I kept finding new reasons to put it off. With the benefit of hindsight, I chalk it down to what I call the fresh-start effect. It’s a real thing. It’s self imposed that, psychologically, we feel a need to start physical lifestyle changes on a Monday, or in January,” he says. “In fact, at Ritual, the most bookings we get are on Sunday nights and Monday mornings. And if it’s a Monday on the first of the month, we’ll get record bookings for gym sessions. And sign-ups are crazy in January,” he reveals. So, at least you’re not alone. MANAGE YOUR WILLPOWER What’s key, though, is making sure to work out as early as possible. “The later I plan my workout, the higher the probability I’ll find a reason to skip it,” he admits. That’s why planning morning workouts is critical for him, as well as scheduling food intake around them. “Diet-wise, I put my carbs nearest to my workouts. If today I’m going to work out, I’m going to need the energy. That’s the easiest way. I’m fairly low-carb, not no-carb.” He doesn’t believe there’s logic in carb-free diets, saying: “I do allow myself three to four slices of bread a day, or its equivalent in carbs. I’m not a believer that it’s sustainable being the weirdo at the dinner table. It takes too much willpower, and that’s a finite resource. Save your willpower for pushing yourself to the gym when the inner voice is saying no!”

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Brad Robinson’s Lunchtime Hustle You don’t have enough time to squeeze in a full workout? The Ritual Gym CEO has devised this easy routine that you can do at your desk before you go for lunch.

TIME: 15 MINUTES WORKOUT DAYS: MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS REST DAYS: DON’T! Directions: Do this workout as a “flow.” Start with the first move, then move directly to the next. Continue until you’ve finished all 5, then repeat, aiming to do at least 2 sets.

Do 20 reps. Get into a push-up position, making sure your hands are under your shoulders. Do a push-up, then turn your torso, raising your right hand up. Switch sides and repeat.

Do this for 45 seconds. Assume a push-up position with your arms completely straight. Brace your core as if you are about to be punched in the gut. Without changing your lower-back posture, lift your right foot off the floor and raise your knee to your chest. Touch the floor with your right toes. Then simultaneously jump your right foot back to the starting position while bringing your left knee to your chest this time. Alternate back and forth.

Do this for 45 seconds. Maintain the same rigid, neutral torso you would while in a plank position, and then crawl 5m ahead, then return to your original position. Make ssure sur ure ure to to keep keep yo your u but ur buttt low low and yo yyour ur bod dy para aralle llell to the lle t e ground gro und.. ground

T ROTATION PUSH-UPS

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

REST

ANIMAL MOVEMENTS

RAINBOW PLANKS

Do this for 45 seconds. Again, get into the push-up position. Now take a crab-like motion with your arms to the right, while still maintaining your plank. Then move back to the centre, and then to your left.

PISTOL SQUATS

Do 10, then switch sides and repeat. This is a rock-bottom squat on one leg where your hamstring rests on your calf and your other leg is straight out in front of you.

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PT NUTRITION

The New Endurance Fuel

SOME ELITE ATH HLETE T S AR A E CONQUE ERI R NG MIL LE 50 WIT TH TH THE E SAME SA ME INT NTEN ENSITY TY THE HEY Y BR BROU OUGH GHT T T MIL TO ILE 1. 1 THE EIR R SEC ECRE RET? T? FOO OODS DS THEY TH EY WER ERE E TO TOLD LD TO AV AVOI OID. D.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

PHOTOS (MAIN) MASTERFILE & (FOOD) LEVI BROWN

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TEXT BRETT ISRAEL

Zach Bitter, an accomplished endurance athlete, sailed through the initial 35 miles (56km) of his first ultramarathon, the 50-mile North Face Endurance Challenge. He was energised and focused. Fifteen more miles – no sweat, he thought. But then came hill after hill, and by mile 40, he was running on fumes and losing focus. He rounded a corner, started one more long, brutal climb… and suffered a loss in energy. He cursed himself and the race route as he staggered into one of the last aid stations. Soft drinks and sports drinks propped him up the rest of the way towards a less-than-smooth finish. Bitter competed in more ultras, but they always ended the same way: He’d cruise his first 30 to 40 miles, and then inevitably reach a point in the race that left him feeling lightheaded and irritable, and struggling to push forward at an even pace. In search of a solution, he scrutinised every aspect of his training and nutrition plan. He did research and asked questions. Then he made a radical change: He axed a ton of carbs from his diet, slashed his protein intake, and ate a lot more fat.

After eight weeks on the plan, Bitter’s training intensified and his recovery times fell. In his next race, he didn’t suffer the same fate of his previous ultramarathon and went on to win four ultramarathons in 2012, breaking the US record in 2013 and his own record in 2015. Bitter’s eating plan – low-carb, high-fat and moderate protein – is called a ketogenic diet. It’s not for the faint of heart, and even though it goes against years of “carbs are king” endurance dogma, it’s gaining traction with some elite endurance athletes, who say it helps them go harder for longer and feel just as good on their 50th mile as they did on their first. How could such a counterintuitive plan possibly work? Like this: With a typical diet, your body converts glucose (a type of sugar) from the carbs you eat into glycogen. That glycogen is stored in your liver and muscles, where it’s a fast fuel for hard exercise. Unfortunately, however, your body can store only enough glycogen for around two hours of intense exercise. If you do only short events, that’s fine. But if you’re a distance junkie, it’s a problem. Once you hit hour 2 without refueling, your glycogen stores are tapped and your body searches for energy elsewhere. Finding nothing, it crashes. To prevent this, you pound gels, drinks and energy bars as you run, ride or swim to keep glycogen stores high. Eating enough carbs to thwart a sudden loss of energy during an endurance event is impractical if not impossible. The ketogenic diet works by

A DAY OF EATING ON THE ENDURANCE DIET

MOST MEALS INCLUDE A MODERATE SERVING OF PROTEIN (WITH EXTRA OIL OR BUTTER) PLUS A FIBRERICH VEGETABLE LIKE SPINACH OR ASPARAGUS. FOR SNACKS, GO WITH FULL-FAT DAIRY AND NUTS.  BREAKFAST 4 eggs, ½ avocado, 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil  LUNCH Baked salmon with 1 tbsp olive oil, and asparagus with 1 to 2 tbsp butter  DINNER Eighty percent lean ground beef burger (no bun) topped with ¼ cup kimchi, and spinach sauteed with 2 tbsp sesame oil  SNACK 55g macadamia nuts and ½ cup raspberries

replacing carbohydrates with fat as the primary fuel source. When you shun carbs and limit protein, your body enters a state called ketosis. Eventually it becomes “fat adapted” and resorts to running on fat instead of sugars. That’s ideal for long endurance events where access to food is a limiting factor because once your body is done burning the fat you eat, it starts to burn the fat on your frame. Even if you’re lean, you have enough body fat to fuel nearly any distance race, which is why you won’t lose energy suddenly.

When a triathlete limits carbs and protein, the body learns to power itself on fat, not sugar.

“At a very high level, where the smallest edge can mean victory, I’d bet on a ketogenic endurance athlete,” says Men’s Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell. The catch: The diet is demanding. About 80 percent of your calories come from fat, 15 percent from protein, and as little as 5 percent from carbs. If you eat 2,500 calories a day, that’s 220g of fat, 90g of protein and 40g of carbs. That’s a lot of eggs, butter, avocados and nuts. And you have to eat like this for weeks. While your body can become fully adapted to burning fat as fuel in four weeks, Roussell advises endurance athletes to follow the diet for eight weeks or longer before competing. According to Roussell, no credible science opposes the diet from a health perspective. However, not everyone’s biochemistry is suited for ketosis. When you’re ﬁrst forcing your body into ketosis, you might come down with “keto ﬂu,” with

IT ENHANCES WEIGHT LOSS Compared with other diets, a ketogenic plan may help you lose more fat faster, clinical trials suggest. This may be especially true for people with prediabetes or diabetes. IT HELPS FIGHT CANCER In a preliminary study in the journal Nutrition, the ketogenic diet seemed to slow the growth of certain cancers in patients with the highest levels of ketosis. IT IMPROVES YOUR MEMORY Older people at risk for Alzheimer’s showed memory improvements after eating keto for six weeks, a study in Neurobiology of Aging found.

symptoms that include fatigue, brain fog and possibly irritability. And if you follow the diet haphazardly, you may become deﬁcient in certain nutrients. Unless you’re chasing epic distance, this may be more trouble than it’s worth, and some scientists are still skeptical. “I haven’t yet seen evidence that the ketogenic diet provides a superior approach,” says Louise Burke of the Australian Sports Commission. But some athletes swear by it. “I believe a ketogenic diet has allowed me to train harder,” Bitter says. Since he started using the keto diet, he says he hasn’t had that “emotional roller coaster” feeling where his body feels like it’s shutting down on him. For endurance athletes, that’s the difference between suffering from sudden fatigue and energy loss and breaking the tape.

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PT WEIGHT LOSS BELLY-OFF!

INSPIRED BY AN IDOL

RONNIE TAN, 46, REVEALS THAT MEN’S HEALTH COVER GUY AND ACTOR ZHENG GEPING WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS.

R E E T R O EF B

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THE SETBACK “Life wasn’t good,” the 46-yearold shakes his head, recalling the dark days when he weighed a chubby 75kg 7½ months ago. With his health deteriorating ever since he turned 40, Ronnie had nothing short of a lethargic lifestyle in the past. “I couldn’t sleep properly. I was super-low on energy, I couldn’t focus on a lot of things, and when I ate, I didn’t have the appetite – I don’t taste the food. Even climbing stairs, I panicked,” he recalls. “When I got back home after work, I didn’t even have the energy to talk to my kids and my loved ones.” And when it came to consulting doctors for solutions, he couldn’t find answers from them either. “The doctors would say, oh, your blood pressure is getting higher, and they would always check whether I drank or smoked, which I didn’t,” he adds. “But my health was still going downhill.” It seemed like a hopeless case for Ronnie, with him initially conceding that his deteriorating health was just part and parcel of ageing. But it came to a point where he simply refused to accept it.

NAME

RONNIE TAN

PREVIOUS WEIGHT

75KG 60KG

CURRENT WEIGHT

OCCUPATION

HEAD OF HR TIME TAKEN

7.5 MONTHS

TE X T JOSHUA CHRISTIAN SETH PHOTOGR APHY CHARLES CHUA

THE WAKE-UP CALL “It all started in Dec 31 last year, on my birthday,” the human resource director reminisces. “Normally, birthdays are very happy and energetic, but mine was low in energy. “There were a lot of things I wanted to do in life and at work, personally and professionally. I was just desperate to get my health back.” As he was edging closer to the big 50, and with his health in a sorry state, Ronnie was in search of motivation to turn his life around. And he found it. Being an avid reader, he came across actor Zheng Geping’s book, Star Fitness, which eventually acted as the match to his flame. “You know he’s like 50-plus?” Ronnie says with incredulity. “What he was going through in the book resonated a lot with me. Just like me, he was really at a desperate stage, and had to take back control.” He was referring to the TV star’s past struggles in his acting career, and the adjustments Geping made to his nutrition and exercise to change himself.

I wanted my health back because I wanted my life back. “It’s either I take him as an inspiration to work towards changing myself, or continue to put on weight, feel lethargic and lose control,” he adds. “I wanted my health back because I wanted my life back. That was essentially how I related to Zheng Geping’s story.”

ART DIRECTION ASHRUDDIN SANI

THE PLAN Ronnie took up membership at Ultimate Performance fitness gym (www.upfitness.com.sg), which he has paid about $5,000 so far. He does an hour of rigorous training three days a week before he starts work at 8.30am. “My day starts very early at 5am, and I’ll typically sleep around 11pm,” he elaborates. “I do three workouts a week; one is around an hour. On top of that, I usually do a long run of 15km on Sundays to clear my mind and relax.” He had never lifted weights before in his life – but when it came to life improvements, Ronnie wanted to do whatever it took to achieve them. “The reason why I signed up for the gym was because it invested in results,” Ronnie explains. “I wanted to ensure that I got something that’s equally invested in wanting me to be successful. Since the gym has a track record of helping

people get results, I wanted in too.” FITNESS Ronnie’s training programme is called the German Body Composition or GBC for short, which is a total-body weight training that emphasises on fat loss. Besides his regular workout, if he’s feeling it, he’ll add one to three 30-minute high-intensity interval training sessions into his schedule. “The key to the workout is to get stronger day by day in compound movements without much muscle isolation work,” explains Sam Gallo, Ronnie’s personal trainer. Ronnie attributes a lot of his success to Sam. “I’ve never had a trainer before, but Sam is someone who knows when to stretch me to work harder,” he says. “He will never allow me to give up. “To find that kind of chemistry with a trainer who knows how to stretch you, push you and encourage you is just amazing. The past 7½ months would’ve been an even tougher journey if not for Sam’s encouragement.” Sam says: “It’s easy to say you want to look better, but only a handful are willing to put in the hard work and sacrifice needed to achieve that. Ronnie is definitely one of them.” FOOD “I had to quit eating all the char kuay teow and French fries,” Ronnie says with a cheeky grin. “The first 30 days were torture!” Despite having to sacrifice his

favourite dishes, he also learned valuable lessons on nutrition from his trainer – and has taken those lessons to heart. “It’s about how much you eat, and why you eat it,” he explains. “Essentially, food has three classes – carbs, protein and fats. Each has its functions. I learned about what they do to my body, and know why I’m eating such foods.” Knowing that, Ronnie safely eats six meals a day and even has rice or oats for supper, knowing that it will help with his recovery after his workouts. THE REWARD Ronnie’s weight loss journey started the moment Zheng's book struck a chord with him, and after seven months of training, the rewards he earned out of motivation were, no doubt, worth much more than five grand. “I can finally spend quality time with my loved ones. I have lots of energy during the weekends to spend with them,” he exclaims. “At work, I have full attention and focus to be productive. The company even recognised that and gave me a promotion!” And if Ronnie ever had the chance to meet Zheng, the man responsible for getting his ball rolling, he has this to say to him: “You’re my inspiration. “In life, I thought this couldn’t be done at my age. But he showed me it can be done right, even at his age. So I want to thank him for that.”

L O C AT I O N U P F I T N E S S S I N G A P O R E

WHAT’S YOUR STORY? VIDEO

Find out what Ronnie thinks about his hefty gym fees. Is it really worth it? Download Men’s Health Singapore now on the Magzter app.

This month’s Belly-off! guy wins a UB+ Eupho Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Expansion Casing Bundle worth $103! Stand to win attractive prizes when you join the Belly-off! Club and get featured. Tell us what you weighed then and now, what made you decide to shed the bulge, and what you did to lose it. Include your “before” and “after” photos.

E-mail: menshealthsg.bellyoffclub@gmail.com.

OC TOBER 2017 87

PT WEIGHT LOSS BELLY-OFF!

Ronnie's Radical Workout

WANT TO GET FIT LIKE RONNIE? HERE’S A TASTE OF WHAT HE PUMPS OUT DUR RING HIS GYM SESSIONS WITH SAM AT ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE.

A A

B B

T TRAP BAR DEADLIFT T

4 sets, 6 repss Start St t with ith standing t di iin th the ttrap bar, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and grip the handles on each side (A). Then push your weight up using your legs, while keeping your back and arms straight (B). Keep your back straight at all times to avoid injury. If you have trouble keeping your balance, do this without shoes.

CHEST SUPPORTED T-BAR ROW

SHOULDER PRESS

4 sets, 8 reps Grab your dumbbells and sit on a bench with a 75- to 90-degree incline. Heave the weights up to shoulder level (A) and push straight up (B). Keep your back flat on the bench so that the weights are in full effect.

4 sets, 6-8 reps With your chest on the T-bar row machine, grab the hands on each side with both hands (A). Take a breath, and pull the weight towards you, squeezing your back for full effectiveness (B).

B A B

4 sets, 6 reps Lay flat on your back on the bench, grabbing the barbell with both hands. Find your centre and remove it from the rack. With your chest out, bring the weight down, as close to your chest as you can (A). Then push the weight straight up (B). That’s 1 rep. Keep your shoulders depressed to prevent shoulder injuries.

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

LAT PULLDOWN

3 sets, 8-10 reps Grab the handles as you sit down on the lat machine (A). Pull the bar down towards your chest, keeping your chest out (B). That’s 1 rep. Keep your posture upright throughout to focus most of your effort on your back, and to retract your scapula for full effectiveness.

PHOTOGR APHY CHARLES CHUA

BARBELL BENCH PRESS S

100%

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FIT GUY 2017

PT RUNNING REV YOUR RUN

TAKE THE PLUNGE

HEAT? HUMIDITY? BE SMART AND YOU CAN STILL WORK TOWARDS YOUR GOALS.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

PHOTO MASTERFILE

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TEXT KRISTEN DOLD

WHEN IT’S HUMID, FEWER SWEAT DROPLETS CAN EVAPORATE AND COOL YOU, WHICH MEANS YOUR INTERNAL TEMP STAYS HIGH – UNLESS YOU STOP FOR A DIP MID-RUN.

Beers, burgers and rainbow bagels aren’t the only things that might weigh you down in Singapore’s hot and humid climate. Sweltering weather can make even a short run feel like a trudge through 15cm of mud. As the sun beats down, your core temperature shoots up, sending blood away from muscles to the surface of skin to help heat dissipate. It’s uncomfortable, but science says training in the heat is worth the trouble: Hot weather workouts teach your body to sweat more (which keeps you cool), increase your blood plasma volume (which beneﬁts cardiovascular ﬁtness) and lower your core body temperature – all adaptations that help you perform better in any weather. But how hot is too hot? “I tell people to use caution when it’s more than 27 deg C out, or

32 deg C if you’re heatacclimatised. And if the humidity is high, you need to make even more adjustments,” says Douglas Casa, head of the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute, which studies enhancing performance in the heat. Follow these speciﬁc tweaks depending on what you’re training for.

FALL MARATHON

If you’ve pencilled in a long run, and starting at 4am or 5am isn’t an option, make sure you’ve had a solid night’s rest, which enhances heat tolerance, says Prof Casa. Avoid loop routes (which don’t give you the option to bail), and tweak your expectations: “Many of us are about 10 percent slower in the heat,” says Prof Casa. Try running for time instead of distance on super-hot days: If a 30km normally takes you three hours (10:00 pace), run for three hours at the same effort level.

HOT EVENING 5K SERIES

Prep for post-work races by packing hydrating fruit and veggie snacks (like carrots,

cucumbers, strawberries and cantaloupe) to nibble on throughout the day. And chill a bandanna to wrap around your neck during the run: A recent study found that such cooling tactics during a race are more effective than precooling strategies when it comes to boosting performance in the heat. You’ll also want to halve your standard warm-up to avoid overheating, says Ben Rosario, head coach of Hoka One One Northern Arizona Elite. So if you typically jog for 10 minutes and do dynamic stretches for 10 minutes prerace, do each for ﬁve instead – your muscles warm up more quickly in hot conditions. Set goals depending on how the elements look that day. One idea is to focus on place instead of time: If you know you’re among the top 50 in a given race on a cooler day, shoot for the same approximate place when it’s hot.

SPRINT TRIATHLON

Stay ﬂexible as you cross off your two or three swimming, biking and running workouts per week: “We ensure we’re swimming in the heat of the

Focusing on how hard the effort feels makes it worse; focusing on how well you’re doing makes it better.

day and running and biking when it’s cooler, and we’ll pick bike routes that pass petrol stations for ice to put in jerseys and sports bras,” says Jeff Bowman, owner and coach at Rev Tri Coaching. During warm workouts, experiment with hydration to find the right balance of fluids and electrolytes for your needs, and practise drinking on the bike and on the run. When there’s a heat advisory, Bowman’s athletes move running and biking workouts indoors, where they can put in an intense effort with workouts such as the compound brick: “It’s pretty common for us to have to train inside – we’ll do run/bike/run/ bike/run/bike [or vice versa] and increase the intensity each subsequent run/bike block,” he says. “But we make sure there’s air-conditioning, fans directed at your face and body, and cool fluids.”

RUNNING FOR FUN AND FITNESS

If the weather’s taking the life out of your workout, change plans: Join a spin class, pop in a workout DVD or go for an aqua-jog. As long as you’re clocking at least three moderate to tough runs weekly (inside or outside) for at least half of your usual weekly volume, you’ll maintain base ﬁtness and be able to ease back into your normal schedule as the days become more tolerable. When you’re enduring hot weather, trade heat radiating roads and sidewalks for dirt or grass; run shaded loops where you can stock up on water and ice. And go by feel instead of pace.

Walking On Sunshine

AVOID THE LITERAL BURN-OUT WHEN YOU’RE POUNDING THE PAVEMENT UNDER THE HEAT WITH THESE ADDITIONAL TIPS.

START SLOW. Even during training runs, your initial pace should be slower than your actual pace, says Nick Trubee, a doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky. This prevents your body temperature from getting too high early in the workout, slowing you down prematurely. IGNORE YOUR SPEED. Run on effort instead, says Larry Blaylock, a USATFcertified running coach in Los Angeles. “While you may typically run at a 5½-minute-per-kilometre pace, on a hot day, a 6-minute-per-kilometre pace may feel more normal. That’s 100 percent okay.” You'll be able to finish your mileage at that pace successfully. TAKE BREAKS. The heat raises your heart rate, but periodic stops allow your heart rate to decrease, says Jeff Bowman, a USA Triathloncertified coach. Rub a cold towel or ice on your body to cool yourself during breaks. GIVE IT TWO WEEKS. Learning to run in the heat won't happen overnight. It typically takes two weeks for your body to acclimate. Your body will sweat more, and you’ll also have less salt in your sweat so that your body loses fewer electrolytes, Trubee says.

OC TOBER 2017 91

• PRODUCTS • PROMOTIONS • EVENTS •

THOMAS D’ESTHETIQUE So your buddy is getting married soon, and his wedding day is about a week or so from now. If you haven’t had a bachelor party yet, consider having a Brazilian waxing session done by Thomas D’esthetique. It may sound like an unusual idea, but the fact is waxing parties are getting more and more popular around the world. In Singapore, bachelor waxing is a new Brazilian waxing experience that’ll leave your soon to be married buddy slick and suave – and ready to kiss the bride. For more information, call Thomas D’Esthetique at 6337-6585 or visit the salon at #03-01 Excelsior Shopping Centre.

TRIPLEFIT Priding itself as Singapore’s ultimate fitness performance and retail hub, the lifestyle and sports company Triple Group opened Triplefit, a one-stop destination for fitness aficionados. Its downtown space not only houses a gym that offers a wide range of group exercise fitness programmes like high-intensity interval training, yoga and bootcamps, it also includes a retail zone that carries the latest range of activewear and sports fashion from well-renowned brands worldwide. Furthermore, its group exercise training is incorporated with top-class fitness technology, which will help members reach new realms of fitness levels. Located at #02-63 Milennia Walk, 6.45am to 9.30pm on weekdays, and 8am to 8pm on weekends. The retail section opens from 11am and closes at 8pm on weekdays and 10pm on weekends.

THE CLIFFORD CLINIC If you feel that your face is plagued with acne breakouts and their accompanying scars even though you’re not 18 anymore, the Clifford Clinic is here to help you. Its Clifford Aesthetics Scar Program will renew and repair the depressions in your skin, treat acne scars and boosts collagen regeneration, thereby pushing out scar depressions from below your face. Those who suffered from bad acne breakouts in their younger days need not worry: Clifford assures you that you can still improve the look on your face and the state of your dermis if you commit to the programme. Suitable for all skin types and ages, you will find your skin smoother and tauter, and you’ll sport a youthful-looking complexion after the treatment. #01-03 Clifford Centre Singapore. For more info, call 6532-2400 or Whatsapp 8318-6332.

LONGINES The Swiss watchmaker is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its Flagship collection, by introducing the Flagship Heritage – 60th Anniversary 1957-2017. The ticker is available in steel, yellow gold or rose gold, equipped with a 38.5mm case that has sapphire crystal with multi-layered, anti-reflective coating. Powered by an L609 mechanical calibre, the back of the watch bears a stamped caravel – the Flagship – and is paired with a brown leather strap. You’ll have to hurry if you’re interested, especially since the gold versions are limited to 60 timepieces and the steel variation has only 1,957 watches. For more info, go to www.longines.com.

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

CITY CHAIN Solvil et Titus’ new Interlude Summer Collection marks the watchmaker’s entry into the realm of horological minimalism. The exquisite collection of timepieces pays homage to classic simplicity through the elegant deployment clasps, and offers a beautiful interpretation of modern style and timeless performance. The tickers, available in three colourways, are encased in 316L stainless steel and further protected with hardened mineral glass to resist breakage. For more information, visit www.citychain. com.

ASICS Heading downtown after your gym session and don’t wish to bring an extra pair of shoes? Then look no further than the Gel-Kenun. Designed to be both comfortable and subtly hip, this shoe comes with a versatile silhouette, which enables you to wear it all day for just about any occasion. And it not only looks good but feels good too – Gel technology in the rear-foot cushioning and a streamlined upper provide support for your feet, and the allnew low-density Gel Cushioning system offers exceptional cushioning underfoot, resulting in a soft, smooth ride. $199, available at Asics stores and selected sporting goods stores.

PIRELLI ASIA Looking for a new set of wheels for your ride? Then look no further than Pirelli Asia, the sole tire supplier for motor races worldwide and motorsports competitions like the Formula One series and World Superbike Championship. Whether you want an ultra-highperformance tyre (the Dragon range), a confident and quiet type (the Cinturato collection), one for your sports utility vehicle (the Scorpion variety), or nothing but the best (the P Zero selection), Pirelli’s got you covered. For more information, go to www.pirelli.com.

KORDEL’S Specially formulated for men aged 30 and above, Testofen Plus combines testofen (a scientifically standardised extract from the fenugreek plant) and panax ginseng. This combination is touted to be nature’s solution to help invigorate qi flow, supporting masculinity and vitality for optimum performance. Cambert (F.E.) Pte Ltd, #14-06 Great World City East Tower. For more info, call 67750600, or e-mail kordels@cambert. com.sg

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• PRODUCTS • PROMOTIONS • EVENTS •

AMARIS B. Do your dark eye circles make you look more pessimistic, exhausted, sickly and even less masculine? Why not try the Eye Rings Shrink-err Treatment by Amaris B. Clinic? Not only does this minimally invasive treatment address unsightly dark circles and hollowness under your eyes, it also applies to the issue of dark shadows around the upper eye as well as eye bags. As the treatment uses wavelengths of light to target specific problematic areas, there is no downtime and no anaesthetic needed. For any queries, e-mail customer@amaris-b.com or call 6817-4303. Located at 140 Arab Street.

THE NORTH FACE The year-end monsoon is coming, and the North Face is equipping outdoor sports enthusiasts with two products for its workouts and training sessions: The North Face Base Camp Duffel and Gregory Day 20L Backpack. The iconic, super-tough expedition duffel is updated with vivid landscape patterns, echoing the company’s theme of interacting with nature, whereas the Gregory backpack opts for a clean and sleek look, making it perfect for everyday use. The duffel retails at $236, available at The North Face stores islandwide. The backpack goes for $239, available in DRT camo, deep forest camo and treeline camo at Liv Activ Suntec City.

ROYAL SPORTING HOUSE Situated in the heart of Singapore’s premier shopping belt, RSH’s flagship store offers enthusiasts a deeper selection of sporting apparel and equipment in the four main performance categories of running, swimming, training and tennis. This approach marks a departure from its regular suburban stores, which typically carry basic to mid-range performance and lifestyle brands. The multi-brand sports retailer’s flagship store will also offer a complimentary gait analysis for customers, as well as an in-house tennis specialist who will be on hand to provide recommendations for the right racquet. Located at #01-21/24 Tanglin Mall Shopping Centre, it’s open daily from 10.30am to 9pm.

CLAUDE BERNARD This traditional Swiss watchmaker introduces its latest additions to its Classic Slim collection – pair watches with Roman indexes and leather straps. The tickers feature a rounded rim of the watch case, which comes in either 27mm or 39mm in diameter, and provides both male and female wearers with a more polished, finished and sleeker look. There are three designs available: black leather for a subtle minimalist look, vintage classic for a stylish urbanite, and the contemporary sand leather strap for a more laid-back and youthful style. $299.60 to $358.50, available at Tangs (Vivocity), Robinsons (The Heeren), Takashimaya, OG (Orchard Point) and authorised watch retailers.

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M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

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THE BEST TIPS WE COULDN’T FIT INTO THIS ISSUE

FIDGET TO WIN IT

Yes, desk jobs are bad for your heart, but there’s no need to quit just yet. British research showed fidgeting at your desk torches 50 percent more energy than sitting still. Irritating for workmates, sure, but good for you.

GREEN TEA FOR VIT C’S

Wash down a vitamin C pill with a cup of green tea. Vitamin C helps your body squeeze out more of green tea’s antioxidants, Purdue University found. Coffee, meanwhile, blocks the absorption of certain key nutrients. If you favour a morning multivit, best delay your pre-work espresso run.

YES, HONEY, THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL

According to a study in the International Journal of Sexual Health, 70 percent of women are dissatisfied with the size or shape of their breasts. Those who fall into the happy 30 percent are less sexually inhibited. Waylay her concerns, and the benefits are bountiful.

LAUGH OUT LARD

MULTIPLY PROGRESS

If you really want to master a skill, do it more often. The same applies to growing a muscle. By training your legs twice a week, you reduce the possibility of regression. It takes between 48 and 72 hours for muscles to repair, so your legs will have recovered long before your next workout. It might sound alarming, but it’s grounded in science.

M E N S H E A LT H . C O M . S G

123RF

WATCHING A HORROR FILM CAN REDUCE YOUR RISK OF VIRAL INFECTION. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH FROM COVENTRY UNIVERSITY, HORROR FILMS STIMULATE THE PRODUCTION OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS, HELPING YOUR BODY FIGHT OFF INFECTIONS. “CONTROLLED FEAR” CAN ALSO IMPROVE YOUR SENSITIVITY TO STRESS. CONSIDER IT A PRACTICE RUN FOR THE APOCALYPSE.

PHOTO

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THE ZOMBIE IRONY

Just 10 minutes of laughter burns 50 calories. Stanford University researcher Dr William Fry even reported that one minute of mirth could raise his heart rate higher than a full 10 minutes on a rowing machine. You’ll be all LOLs and no rolls...