The Superhero Diet Pt. 1

In this two-part entry, foods will be identified that will give you powers beyond those of mortal men. We derive our power from exercise and food... Real food, not that tub of greasy popcorn at the multiplex. A Marvel-ous physique and super health are well within reach; You just have to know what to reach for. Start now, and you'll be ready for this summer's Dark Knight third installment.

X-Ray Vision - Superman squandered his x-rays peering through brick walls instead of Lois Lane's flimsy feminist veneer. To keep your perception sharp, you need two key things: lutein and zeaxanthin, which sound like villains but aren't. Macular tissue-- the clump of photo receptors on each retina--degenerates faster than the rest of your eye, and as it does, you no longer see clearly.

 Researchers at Heinrich Heine University in Germany found that lutein and zeaxanthin help filter blue light, which may wreck macular tissue. People with high levels of these two phytonutrients are at lower risk of both macular degeneration and cataracts. Dr. Steve Pratt, M.D. suggests 12mg a day of the two nutrients combined, or 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cooked spinach. Cooking spinach concentrates the greens and their powers; to get 12 mg from raw spinach, you'd be munching forever.

Superhuman Strength - You can't build shoulders and biceps like Thor's unless you have a great special-effects department in your basement. But you can make the most of your workouts by eating at the right time. You probably already have the 'guzzle a protein shake immediately after a workout' thing down. And if you don't, start doing it. You have a 60-minute window for maximum protein uptake and glycogen restoration after exercise. The rest of the day, make sure you take in the calories and protein you need for muscle growth. Bulk up on lean meat, nuts, and cheese.

Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that cutting carbs can change body composition better than cutting fat can. In a 6-week study, normal-weight men who trimmed calories by following an old-school low-carb diet traded 7.4 pounds of fat mass for 2.4 pounds of lean muscle. Lead researcher Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor of kinesiology, attributes the boosted burn to a reduction in insulin levels. "The effects are most pronounced when the diet is only slightly restricted in energy," he says. That means there's no need to be all crazy about cutting carb calories. Just be sensible: Skip the cookies before bedtime, fatty.

Source: Men's Health

Eat... More Breakfast!

These calories have been counted for you, which would you choose?

You can have this...


Premade Yogurt Parfait
3/4 cup Almond Granola, 8oz. low-fat plain yogurt, 1 cup mixed strawberries and bananas, 2 tbsp of honey.
Total Calories: 809 and 26 g of fat.


Or you can have this...  

Complete Breakfast
8oz. low-fat plain yogurt with 1 cup strawberries and blueberries. One piece french toast with 2 tsp maple syrup, 2 strips of bacon, one cup of coffee and a 5 oz mimosa.

"Healthy granola" can really add on the calories! Always read labels to see what you're really packing on.
Total Calories: 575 and 18 g of fat

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Beauty Questions

Q: I shave my underarms every day, but it looks like there is still hair on them!

A: Los Angeles dermatologist Howard Murad suggests shaving in the shower so that your skin is hydrated and softened by the heat and moisture. Shave in two directions, both with and against the growth of the hair. Try it.

Q: I have curly, frizzy hair that stays put only with gel and hairspray, but they always flake. What can I use?

A: Try L.A. looks Curl Defining Gel ($3, drugstores). A curly-haired friend gave it a test run and it held off frizz whether used on wet or dry hair.

Q: How do I make my own de-puffing eye mask?

A: Steep three green tea bags in hot water, let cool and remove. Add one egg white, a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of apple juice. Soak two cotton pads in the mixture, wring out, then apply under your eyes. Lay plastic wrap over each, and leave on for five to fifteen minutes. Rinse off and puffs be gone!

Q: Should I bronze the edge of my forehead?

A: Adding color along the hairline pulls together a tanned look and makes blush appear more natural. Try running it down the center of your nose, or on the edges to make a contoured look.

Your Hungry Heart

Research has already shown that skipping breakfast is a sure way to binge at dinner. Now a study from the United Kingdom has revealed another danger: Missing out on your morning meal may raise your LDL (Bad)-Cholesterol levels. Men and women who skipped breakfast for two weeks experienced an increase of almost 2 points in their LDL, compared with no change in those who always ate in the morning. When people blow off breakfast and then overeat later in the day, their bodies can't process the sudden flood of fat. Stack the odds in your favor: Before you hit the door, grab a Baker's Breakfast Cookie (bakersbreakfastcookie.com). These high-fiber snacks taste delicious and are loaded with LDL-lowering oats.

Source: Men's Health

Sex Bulletin

Don't Scare Her! - Ever wonder why some gyms are 'women only'? Women are much more body-conscious in the gym than men are, according to a study from Canada's Acadia University. Thisry-seix percent of women shortened their workouts if they were the only woman exercising among men, which may indicate that the presence of men heightens a woman's social physique anxiety. Darren Kruisselbrink, Ph.D., says women feel more comfotable when fellow exercisers aren't dressed in formfitting clothes. So ditch the muscle tee- "and don't gawk."

Stud or Slut? - Don't brag about your conquests. In a new study published in the journal Sex Roles, 8,000 people assessed fictional men and women who had varying numbers of sexual partners. Individuals-- regardless of gender--were seen as less intelligent the more sex partners they had, suggesting that a double standard does not exist. People seem to fall back on expected stereotypes when talking in groups, but judge promiscuity harshly for both sexes.

Oral Report - Any sex talk with your children should include the topic of oral sex. Teens think oral sex is less risky and more socially acceptable than other methods and are more likely to engage in it. This is according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. One in five ninth-graders reported having oral sex, and 14 percent said they'd had intercourse.

Source: Men's Health

Is Facebook Bumming You Out?

Ever scroll through your New Feed, with all those posts from people announcing great news or luxuriating on vacation, and suddenly you feel like your life is...lacking? You're not alone. FB, it turns out, can be a serious downer. But it's ok. If those people were having that much fun on vacation, why would they even bother to pry themselves away to post about it on facebook?

As you know, constantly comparing yourself to others is a recipe for feeling crappy. And although you may do your best to avoid falling into the trap, it's not easy today, thanks to the invention of this little website called Facebook. We're bombarded with news of friends' accomplishments and major milestones every time we sign on, and research shows it's taking a toll on our mental health. A recent Stanford University study found that Facebook causes us to underestimate other people's misery and overestimate their happiness, which in turn makes us feel worse about ourselves.

What's more, experts say that women are most susceptible to these negative effects. We did some more digging to examine the dark side of your favorite way to kill a slow afternoon... and see if there are any tricks for keeping it from messing with your mind. Raise your hand if this scenario sounds familiar: After a hellish day at work or spat with your guy/girl, you log on to Facebook and scroll through your friends'  carefully curated photo albums and peppy status updates-- "Adele concert was sick... So blessed to have the best boyfriend/husband in the world... Just got a puppy!"

Chances are you're comparing your life to theirs, and when you're in a low moment, yours comes up short. They never seem to post their desperate moments, so you assume they don't have any, and you feel isolated and wonder why your life can't be as easy and wonderful as theirs. A separate University of Texas at Austin study found that men use Facebook to share items related to the news or current events, whereas women use it to share personal developments like getting engaged, pregnant, promoted, etc. In an age where we have so many more opportunities than we've ever had before, there is pressure for us to succeed in all areas of our lives.

Seeing your peers excel in an aspect of life where you may be a step behind can make you feel like you don't measure up. It can even cause you to question your own choices. You don't need to deactivate your account to keep your confidence and sanity in check. The trick is to not look at your news feed like a contest. Who has the most friends, 'likes', and the most interesting news about their life. Be ruthless and block anybody that is too braggy who sparks the competitive fire in you. Also, just because someone else got ahead in life does not mean that you won't, either.


Source: Cosmopolitan 

Lose the Last 10 Pounds: Evening

Ok boys and girls. It's time to relax, refuel and wind down.

Dinner - Will consist of protein and fat (Yay!). A couple of hours after your post-workout shake, it's time for your final meal of the day. Lowery will typically have more fat at this meal than at any other. That's because as a fuel, fat appears to be preferable to carbs at this time. The insulin-carbohydrate system isn't working as well late in the day. Plus, his daily dietary variety is increased by including healthy fats, and he's had little of them up until now.

A vegetable stir fry with chicken or steak will hit the spot, along with a green salad, lightly dressed. The protein and fat in the meal, along with the fiber in the veggies will help you feel full until you fall asleep-which will probably be very soon, considering how hard you've worked. Buona Notte



Source: Men's Health

Lose the Last 10 Pounds: Afternoon

Ok guys! It's time to fuel up, work out, and recover.

Preworkout Meal - This will consist of protein and fast-burning (Simple) carbs. In mid to late afternoon, it's time to put away some fuel before you hit the weight room. Half a turkey-breast sandwich and a banana will do the trick. The turkey's protein gives your muscles some material to work with in the never ending process of repair and rebuilding, and the simple carbs provide easy energy for the coming workout. This combo also raises your insulin levels which opens up blood vessels and allow for a better pump in your working muscles. Not only is a pump a nice reward for all o f your hard work, but it also squeezes nutrients into your muscles to speed recovery and growth

Workout - Now, we move on to a strategic destruction of muscle fibers. It's hard but not impossible to build muscle mass while you're following a strict diet and limiting calories like Lowery. The key is to do as much as you can without compromising your ability to recover in time for the next workout. Lowery suggests splitting up your exercises so you're rarely working upper body and lower body muscles on the same day. Instead, push the targeted muscles to exhaustion, always working from the center of the body, outward. Lowery starts training his chest and back and then moves outward to his shoulders and arms.

To work your upper torso with his system, you'd begin with basic, heavy lifts; 3 or 4 sets of 5 reps of barbell bench presses and dumbbell rows, for example. Next you'd perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps of dumbbell shoulder presses and lat pulldowns. Then you'd finish with 1 or 2 sets of 20 reps of bicep curls and tricep extensions.

Post-Workout Shake - You don't need a lot of protein and carbs following your workout; just a small protein shake or smoothie should work, or even a glass or two of low-fat or non-fat milk. The timing of when you eat fat doesn't matter in the way it does for protein or carbs.


Source: Men's Health

Lose the Last 10 Pounds: Breakfast

Breakfast - Protein and Slow-burning Carbs

Keep breakfast pretty low in fat and stick with slow-acting carbs. The low-fat breakfast is not usually suggested by experts, but it makes sense in this quest for single-digit body fat. Specifically, the hormone insulin is trying to be controlled. Insulin is at its lowest level in the morning but comes on like a beast with the first meal of the day. If you were overeating, that is consuming more calories than you burned, then that surge of insulin could lead to greater fat storage. But in the opposite context, when you're burning more calories that you take in, fat storage in unlikely. That's why an average dieter can eat a moderate amount of insulin-inducing carbs and still lose weight.

Lowery is playing a more complicated game than the rest of us. He wants a rise in insulin to push carbs and protein to his muscles. Carbs, when they're stored as glycogen within the muscles, bring water with them; that helps his muscles fill out and may also help improve their function. But if he adds more than a few grams of fat to the mix, there's a slim chance that the fat would end up back in the fat cells that he's trying to drain by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach. Extra fat may also interfere with his body's ability to metabolize carbs properly. An ideal breakfast might be two whole eggs with four egg whites, for a total of 24g of protein. A carb source, like whole-grain toast, oatmeal or apple completes the meal.

Second breakfast and lunch - Protein and Fiber

For a midmorning snack, Lowery eats oatmeal and berries with a scoop of vanilla protein powder (gross!). Lunch (3 hours later) might be a grilled chicken breast accompanied by a high fiber vegetable (Like broccoli) along with a cup of brown rice, maybe some black beans or small red potatoes. Meals like this require a lot of chewing, which slows your appetite and gives your brain time to send the 'stop eating' signal. The high protein content also can speed your metabolism.


Source: Men's Health

Lose the Last 10 Pounds: Morning

Consider this plan your graduate seminar in waist management. Keep in mind that nobody eats and exercises this way year-round. This is used as a disciplined approach only when trying to become extremely lean for one specific event. You are encouraged to eat more than just this amount of food on a regular basis to allow for recovery. This plan was given by Lonnie Lowery, a PH.D., R.D. that spends half his time as a competitive bodybuilder and a professor of exercise and nutrition science at Winona State University in Minnesota.

Morning - Kickstart your metabolism, manage your blood sugar, and prepare for a heavier afternoon workload


First thing in the morning - Caffeine and cardio. Nobody wakes up ready to exercise. But morning is prime workout time. You're burning a higher percentage of fat before eating breakfast because your body's supply of available carbohydrate energy is depleted and the hormonal state makes body fat more accessible. And coffee may help squeeze even more from your fat cells. On Lowery's plan, this workout is nothing fancy:

An hour of low to medium intensity walking or jogging after a cup of java. If you try to do more than that, you won't have enough left for your strength workout later in the day. This is the first big derivation from traditional Men's Health advice-- in this case, to eat before exercise. All things being equal, you'll probably train with more intensity if you have something in your stomach, and that leads to better long-term benefits. In this example, Lowery isn't looking for long-term benefits and isn't trying to exercise extensively. The goal is to target stored body fat.

In a 2006 study in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, people who exercised following an overnight fast used more fat for energy, even thought they burned no more total calories than they would have if they'd eaten before their workout. One more point about this morning workout: It's not the main event. This happens later in the day, when you hit the weight room. If you don't have the time for exercise twice in a day, you should choose a highly challenging weight workout over this low-intensity supplement. This exercise session is designed to enhance fat loss, but only in addition to your regular workout.


Source: Men's Health

Why Do Men Do That?!

Q: What the hell does "I want space" mean?
A: It means he wants to be an astronaut. This is a common fantasy among young men. They long for the sense of wonder and adventure. The appeal of food in a tube. The utter and complete loneliness of a tiny room in an empty, endless vacuum where no one can ask anything of them. Perhaps this room contains some video games and some sexy space aliens. The emotional truth about men is that they occasionally wish to return to a time when they had no responsibility for anyone's life or happiness but their own, and could look forward to frolicking in zero gravity while hugging and kissing all the exotic, sexy girls out there waiting to be found.

This time in men's lives lasts from about age 16-25, and the idea that 'we can regain it later' is a fantasy. Let him have his space camp. Like most astronauts' girlfriends, you must hope he will realize man cannot live on food in a tube forever.

Q: Why is it when you don't pay attention to a man, he won't leave you alone. But as soon as you start showing some interest, he doesn't want anything to do with you?
A: When you are not paying attention to a man, you seem confident and mysterious to him. Men like attention, and they like to be liked; thus the greatest mystery in a man's life is: Why aren't you paying attention to me and telling me how awesome I am now? Unfortunately, once you offer a man the attention he craves, his desire to be wanted comes up against the biological force: his revulsion of being required. That is to say, his brain says: Thank you for appreciating me finally. But now that you have the merest hello, it is really important for me to signal to myself and others that I am still available to procreate AT ANY MOMENT WITH ANYONE. This, sadly, is called evolution. Luckily, some men are better at managing their biological impulses and can handle being talked to by a woman graciously and confidently. These are the men you want.

Q: Why do guys act like they don't like you when their friends are around?
A: Again, it's a matter of evolutionary biology. The male imperative is to mate as many times as possible, and he is competing with other males constantly for this privilege. If he reveals to his bros that he is monogamously committed to a single woman, then they will go out and have sex with all the other women, and their bastard children will outnumber his one faithfully parented child, and then his genetic line will die out. It's like asking them to go to the ballet. Eventually, or at least in most cases, men gain the maturity to put these urges behind them. But if you cannot wait for that to happen, simply explain to your boyfriend that you are going to 'mate' with him a lot. It might even work.

Q: Why do my ex boyfriends continue to contact me after they dump me? What do they want?
A: They want to believe that they are still wanted by you, and that even though they may have hurt you, they are still really good people at heart - maybe even awesome people - who did absolutely nothing wrong and with whom you might still have sex. But now that you know what is behind this, you can torture him by having a long, friendly conversation and then saying, "Oh, I thought you were the other Mike/Dave/Joe "

Sunscreen Saftey Update

Lately there has been more talk about the importance of SPF and its effects on anti-aging and overall skincare. The FDA has issued new rules to prevent false and confusing claims in the beauty aisle.

- Look for the term "Broad Spectrum" on the bottle, since only products that shield against both types of radiation--UVA (Causes wrinkles and skin cancer) and UVB (Causes burns, too)--can claim it.

- Only sunscreens with broad-spectrum protection and SPF 15 of higher may claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early aging if used as directed--with frequent reapplication.

- Misleading terms like 'waterproof', 'sweatproof', and 'sunblock' are banned altogether. A product that bills itself as 'water-resistant' must specify how long you can stay in the water before it wears off--for either 40 or 80 minutes.

A Hot New Ingredient - TCA - Another powerful exfoliant to make the leap from doctor's office to drugstore. Trichloroacetic acid--familiar from once scary in-office peels, has been remixed for home use. Gloss Skin Retexturizing Cream by SkinLuma is a mixture of TCA, antioxidants and a mild retinoid that claims to boost cell turnover and collagen production while giving a glow. Right now, it only seems to be available by prescription. "This is the first time TCA has been stable and mild enough to be put in a cream. It exfoliates as well as 40 percent glycolic acid, but without irritation", says dermatologist Elizabeth Tanzi.

Eat...More McDonald's!

The calories have been counted for you. Which would you choose?


You can have this...

McDonald’s 5-piece Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (7.7 oz.) with BBQ sauce
710 calories, 40 grams fat



Or you can have this...

Mickey D Meal
6-piece Chicken McNuggets (3.4 oz.) with BBQ sauce, a Caesar salad with low-fat vinaigrette and a baked apple pie
710 calories, 37 grams fat

SO REMEMBER: When you hit fast food, portions are key. Stick with little nuggets, and you’ll get a full meal plus dessert!

Other great choices at Mcdonald's


Premium Grilled Chicken Classic sandwich: (Daily Value)
Calories 350
Total Fat 9g (13%)
Carbohydrates 42g (14%)

Protein 28g

Premium Caesar Grilled Chicken Salad: 

Calories 190

Total Fat 5g (8%)

Carbohydrates  10g (3%)

Protein 27g

Sodium 580mg (24%)

Fruit n' yogurt parfait: 

Calories 160

Total Fat 2g (3%)

Carbohydrates  31g (10%)

Protein 4g

Sodium 85mg (4%)

Source: Mcdonalds.com

Beauty Questions

Q: I've tried to wear false lashes, but they always seem to look goofy and long?
A: The best trick for false lash success is to give them a haircut first. NYC lash professional Luba Todorca suggests cutting each strip in half or thirds with cuticle scissors. You can trim the length following the angle of the strip. Place a piece on the outer edge of your lashes for a flirty look or right over your pupil to draw major attention. Use clear glue and some found it's easiest to put it directly on their lash line with a whittled-down cotton swab. Grab the lash strip with tweezers, and stick it onto the glue. Hold it down for about 30 seconds and help it adhere.

Q: Any makeup tips to help camoflauge the " 11 " forehead wrinkles to make them less noticeable? 
A: Here are some tips from makeup artist Bobbi Brown: First double-moisturize-- Dry skin emphasizes lines. Brown suggests applying a serum or lightweight moisturizer, waiting five minutes that layering a thicker product on top. Try a light-coverage foundation or tinted moisturizer on your forehead, even if you use a heavier one on the rest of your face. Or you can deflect attention by playing up a feature you love. Red lips??

Q: What's the best shade of lipstick and blush for redheads?
A: Almost any shade. Forget the rule that redheads should stick with tones that don't clash with their coloring. Makeup artists George Eisdell, who has worked with Christina Hendricks, offsets fiery hair with a matte bright red lip, like MAC lipstick in Ruby Woo ($15, macccosmetics.com), or a soft creamy pink gloss. On cheeks, Eisdell likes pink beige or terra-cotta tones instead of louder hues.

Nicotine Fix

Smoking may deplete your body's levels of vitamin E, leaving you more vulnerable to disease. A recent study conducted by Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute determined that the amount of E in smokers' bloodstreams is quickly depleted by the need to clean free radicals out of their lungs and extinguish inflammation throughout their bodies. In one test, a vitamin E marker stayed 10 hours longer in the nonsmokers' blood. Until you're ready for NicoDerm, be sure your daily diet contains at least 15mg of vitamin E by eating an ounce of sunflower seeds or almonds in the morning and afternoon.

Source: Men's Health