13: Lose the Beer Belly
Most men fasten their belts below their waists. It’s just an- other way of avoiding the truth about their gut. Grab a tape measure and put it around your body at the level of your belly button. That number should be less than half your height. For
my six-foot, one-inch frame, for example, I need to keep my waist under 36.5 inches. If avoiding heart attacks and dia- betes isn’t enough motivation to eliminate that gut, consider this: For every point your body mass index is over 25, your testosterone drops 3 percent, which isn’t very manly.
14: Go Green
I drink green tea three times a day. It’s packed with heart-boosting and cancer-stopping polyphenols that black tea doesn’t offer. These ben- eficial chemicals are lost when it’s fermented. Green tea also delivers a boost of alertness, but from a smaller dose of caffeine than black tea. Green tea can even fight dandruff, although only if you pour the cooled tea directly onto your scalp.
15: Sweat Until You’re Wet
If you can work up a sweat for just one hour a week, you’ll enjoy a range of benefits, including a reduced risk of heart attack, better mood and lower blood pressure. I like interval training on the el- liptical, with 15 pull-ups and 15 dips after every 10 minutes. Your muscles will become more effi- cient, so you’ll have more stamina for more enjoyable activities that also work up a sweat.
16: Save Some Money
Most people rank personal finance as their number one stressor, usually because they feel power- less about it. Stress not only shortens lives, it also drives people to habits like smoking, drinking or binge eating. Keep some money in a special bank account, safe from your lust for a new television, and you’ll establish an emotional comfort zone with major health benefits.
36 Collier/Lee Counties
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17: Have as Much
Sex as Possible
If a 50-something man could have sex 700 times a year, the exercise and stress reduction would make him look and feel years younger. I wouldn’t rec- ommend quitting your day job in order to hit that number—but what’s the harm in trying? The
next time your loved one says she has a headache, tell her she’s literally killing you. It works for me.
18: Know Your Numbers, then Aim Lower
Take the part of your brain dedicated to your local steak house’s phone number and reassign it to your heart’s vital signs. These include blood pres- sure (which ideally should be below 115 over 75), LDL cholesterol (under 100), resting heart rate (under 70),
and fasting blood sugar (under 100). If your numbers aren’t ideal, change your diet until they improve.
19: Add Some Weights
Just 30 minutes twice a week spent lifting weights can build significant muscle mass. What’s more, working all that muscle burns tons of calories, making it a great way to lose your gut, too. Don’t have weights? Try lifting yourself: Pull-ups are the most valuable muscle-building exer- cises I do. Trainer Bob Greene
pointed out to me that pull-ups work the back, pecs, arms and belly all at once. Because you’re lifting yourself, you’ll think twice before eating that doughnut, because you’ll just have to lift it later. A simple setup in a door frame is conve- nient and inexpensive.
20: Grab Your Nuts
Nuts are among the best sources of healthful fats and protein around. I keep a bag of walnuts in my fridge and use their massive dose of omega-3 fatty acids to boost my brainpower while I see patients. Half of a handful eaten about 30 minutes be- fore a meal will temper your appetite and help you avoid the drive-thru.
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