Innholdsfortegnelse for July-August 2013 i Men's Health

JULY/AUGUST 2013 JULY 4: THU That piggish hotdog-eating contest on Coney Island is no way to celebrate the Fourth. Bring your links to room temp, grill them briefly, and then move them to a platter so they don’t dry up. Declare your independence with toppings from MensHealth.com/nutrition/top-dogs. 7: SUN In France, they’re clipping in today for the mountainous Stage 9 of Le Tour. For us mere mortals, the key to climbing hills is an easy gear, seated position, and high cadence. 25: THU Lumberjacks (and jills!) rub beefy shoulders in Wisconsin at their championships. So sharpen your maul, check your insurance, and split some logs. Or do a medicine ball workout—it’s safer. 31: WED Save some of your hot-dog buns for lobster rolls, those culinary Maine-stays of New England summers.…

LIFE’S QUESTIONS, ANSWERED What should I look for in sunglasses? RON, PROVIDENCE, RI They’re called shades for a reason. Pick a pair that blocks 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays, absorbs UV up to 400 nanometers, or meets American National Standards Institute UV requirements, says Lee Duffner, M.D., an ophthalmologist in Hollywood, Florida. Then test lens quality: Close one eye and move the shades from your forehead to your face. Repeat with the other eye closed. Do objects shift? “The movement should be minimal and in the same vertical direction in each lens,” says Fraser C. Horn, O.D., an associate dean at Pacific University College of Optometry. Here’s what you need to commute, compete, or kick back. • Everyday Choose glass lenses for your main frames. Glass…

ON OUR RADAR: Don’t Bare It All Can manscaping be a threat to your manhood? Research in Sexually Transmitted Infections suggests that shaving your pubic hair may raise your risk of molluscum contagiosum, a viral skin disease that can be sexually transmitted. Taking a razor to your junk may create microtears that let infection infiltrate; the increased risk may apply to other STIs, such as genital warts due to HPV or herpes, says researcher François Desruelles, M.D. Trimming is probably safer than shaving. BE HER PORN STAR Give YouPorn a whole new meaning: Encourage your girlfriend to fantasize about you while watching porn, and she may find the experience more arousing, an Archives of Sexual Behavior study found. While watching an explicit film, women felt more aroused if they thought…

TICKING LYME BOMB Don’t make a rash decision about your health. Even skin reactions that don’t appear as a bull’s-eye can signal Lyme disease, according to new research published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. Of people in the study who were infected with Lyme bacteria, 71 percent had rashes that appeared to be spider bites, immune reactions, or common skin infections. If you notice any unusual rash 2 inches or larger, paired with viruslike symptoms such as fever or body aches, seek medical attention, says study author Steven Schutzer, M.D. Your physician may order an enzyme immunoassay test for Lyme disease. LET’S GO TO THE TAPE! This health test is tailor-made for you: Men can predict their diabetes risk with a tape measure. A Chinese study found that guys…

SUMMER’S HIGH POINTS SHOULD BE MEASURED IN HEARTBEATS— the more, the better. And here’s proof: Researchers in Australia found that people who took part in extreme sports—and overcame their fears about them—reported improved psychological well-being and felt more confident facing everyday challenges. So if you spend your beach days planted in the sand, you’re missing out on that life-changing rush. “The freedom that comes from riding on the water is unique,” says windsurfing legend Robby Naish. “You just have to be willing to move out of your comfort zone.” And you’ll likely pick up your new sport quickly. “You feel the improvements and the fun the first time.” Sound good? Slather on the sunblock, step away from the bikini-clad scenery, and hit the water. The best part: If you move,…

HOW TO DO IT Perform exercise pairs as supersets (back-to-back). Rest for the allotted time after the second move. Finish with standard sets of the medicine ball pike. SUPERSET A Dumbbell Bench Press Chinup with Knee Raise SETS: 4 REST: 90 to 120 seconds SUPERSET B Barbell Deadlift Rope Triceps Press-Down SETS: 5 REST: 90 seconds SET C Medicine Ball Pike SETS: 4 REST: 60 seconds Barbell Deadlift Load a barbell and roll it against your shins. Bend at your hips and knees and grab the bar using an overhand grip, your hands just beyond shoulder width. Without allowing your lower back to round, pull your torso back and up, thrust your hips forward, and squeeze your glutes as you rise with the barbell to a standing position. Lower the…

THIS MONTH’S EXPERT David “Tipsy Texan” Alan is a cocktail guru based in Austin. His book, Tipsy Texan: Spirits and Cocktails from the Lone Star State, is out now. A: Start Fresh Squeeze your own limes. Their bright flavor is essential to a real margarita, says Alan; a citrus juicer makes quick work of the task. Then, in a blender, add 2 oz tequila, 2 oz Cointreau, 2½ oz lime juice (freshly squeezed), 1 oz simple syrup (turn the page for ideas), and 1 cup ice. B: Add Some Horsepower! Blend thoroughly, until the ice breaks into uniform pieces and the drink turns slushy. Then taste and tweak, adding more alcohol, lime juice, or syrup as needed, says Alan. Pour the drink into a goblet or margarita glass—rimmed with coarse…

How many bar tools do you really need? Four: A 28-ounce metal tin, a pint glass, a bar spoon, and a Hawthorne strainer. That’s your basic Boston shaker set, good for most cocktails. Source: Tim Cooper, head bartender at Goldbar, New York City A few months ago I took a road trip with a friend, and he still owes his half of the car rental and gas. How long do I wait? KEVIN, CLINTON, NY A few months ago? That’s too long. Sit your pal down over beers. Reminisce about the trip if it helps, but make it clear why you’re there: You expect that cash. How much you earn or how much he needs doesn’t matter. The deal was he’d pay you back. So set a deadline—he can pay…

I WEAR A SUIT EVERY DAY. I DON’T have to. I work in an industry where the only people who wear suits are “the suits”— studio executives, agents, lawyers. And even they dress down half the time. I’ve met with big shots who looked like they were there to fix the sink. So why do I wear a suit every day in hot and sunny Los Angeles, the casual center of the universe, when no one asks me to? It’s simple: I enjoy it. A suit makes people treat me differently. It bolsters my confidence and makes me feel successful. I wear one to meetings, when I’m directing, and in the editing room. It tells the people who’ve invested in me that I take my job seriously, even though my…

LACOSTE POLOS, $90 EACH IMAGINE SERVING A TENNIS BALL in a starched, long-sleeved dress shirt and cable-knit sweater. It’d feel uncomfortable—and so would the stares you’d get. In 1927, when that was the only acceptable look, tennis star René “the Crocodile” Lacoste said, “Screw this,” but in a sophisticated French way. He created the polo shirt. Its signature shape and airy piqué jersey fabric were revolutionary. Fast-forward to the 1970s and ’80s, when the polo’s style superseded its function. It was the look for surfers (Spicoli wore a green one in Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and blue bloods (per The Official Preppy Handbook). The fit was loose, the attitude easy. Today, baggy and long is out; slim is in. The shirt should hit just below the hips and be…

DIRECTIONS Do each workout once a week. Each week, switch up the way you organize them, performing the exercises in each workout either as a circuit (back-to-back without rest) or as sequential sets. Complete 2 to 4 circuits (or 4 sets per exercise) for each workout, resting 1 minute between circuits or exercises. For a complete Urbanathlon training guide, combine these workouts with the cardio program described in this month’s Fitness department. WORKOUT A 1 50-50 DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and lie on a bench with only the right half of your body touching it. (The edge of the bench should run along your spine.) Raise the dumbbell directly over your chest, palm facing forward but turned slightly in [A]. Without changing the angle…

AN EDITORIAL WRITER ONCE claimed I was out to become the nation’s Jewish mom, nagging my fellow citizens into good health whether they liked it or not. The truth is that I simply understand that the sweet spot in public health is to make the healthiest choice the default choice. Take water fluoridation. Decades ago, the government could have left it up to each citizen to decide whether or not to add a few drops of fluoride to his or her tap water. Instead, local water authorities do this for us, eliminating millions of cavities nationwide and saving billions in needless dental expenses. This proactive approach to public health bothers some people, especially those who have a vested interest in the status quo. During my years as health commissioner of…

HUNGER IS ONE OF OUR PRIMAL HUMAN URGES, BUT IT’S A TOUGH THING TO GRASP, a marionette with many masters. A variety of hormones and neurotransmitters pull the strings—appetite suppressors and boosters, plus others that affect satiety and stress—and they, in turn, are manipulated by your body clock. There are two kinds of hunger: physiological and reward-driven. One is ruled by your body’s instinct to find the energy it needs to survive, while the other is psychological, influenced by smell, sight, stress, and social and environmental settings—the gauntlet of daily life. And then you find yourself with a fistful of cookies at midnight. The problem is, your body often struggles to differentiate between the two: Do you really need fuel, or did ESPN just flash a commercial for a flame-grilled…

Whether you’re single and horny or committed and creative, summer is the season to turn up the sexual temperature. Best part: She’ll agree. SUMMER is the season for slow, sweaty sex—the kind that leaves you breathless and dog-tired. As your thrusting slows, your sex drive—and hers—accelerates: Mate seeking hits a peak in July, a Villanova University study reveals. “Summertime just makes people hornier,” says Christie Hartman, Ph.D., author of Changing Your Game: A Man’s Guide to Success with Women. “One theory is that the sunshine affects our hormones.” Or maybe it’s because we’re all half naked. Either way, summer is the season to find a new fling—or if your sex life is on a low simmer, it’s your time to crank up the heat. FIND LIKELY LADIES 01/Dance Under the…

Itching may seem like nothing more than nature’s way of driving you mad, but it was actually designed to help your body detect such threats as insects and microbes. Sure, scratching an itch is kind of orgasmic. Just know when to pull in your claws. 4 Routes to Relief ANTIHISTAMINES Use a nonsedating one for daytime relief of histaminetriggered itches. (Seasonal allergies and mosquito bites are two culprits.) Antihistamines that can cause drowsiness are good for overnight itching—you’ll scratch less if you’re slightly sedated, says Martin Steinhoff, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of dermatology at UC San Francisco. TOPICAL CORTICOSTEROIDS These stop itching from inflammatory causes, like eczema, allergic reactions, poison ivy, or rashes. “Use hydrocortisone only briefly and for very mild itches,” says Dr. Steinhoff. For severe itching, see an…

▪ SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO, A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE’D STARTED DATING, MY WIFE AND I HOPPED into a rental car one Friday after work and started driving north. We had no destination in mind but immediately started feeling constrained by the Canadian border. So, just outside New York City, we pulled a U-turn and headed south. Around 3 a.m., we arrived in Nags Head, North Carolina, and slept on the beach. The next morning we started driving northwest, through the Shenandoah Mountains, and then north again, all the way to Maine. By the time that weekend was over, we’d put 1,800 miles on the rental car—and road-tested a relationship that had been on training wheels. Looking back, the trip was pure magic. Just like the one back in the summer…

54 Percentage of men who’ve played hooky from work to catch a day game 37 Percentage who’ve thought about baseball during afternoon delight 24 Percentage of men who’ve snagged a foul ball at the stadium 12 Percentage of those who wrestled their souvenir away from another fan JOE BUCK Play-by-play announcer guys are most likely to mute during the game 1 in 3 Number of men with fantasy baseball points riding on every game City whose fans the average guy wishes he could permanently toss from the game: 1. NEW YORK 2. BOSTON 3. PHILADELPHIA 85 Percentage of men who’ve traded up by sneaking into better seats 83 Percentage who would rather sit behind home plate than in a luxury box 11 Percentage of guys who prefer minor league games…

The Sugar Surge Beware the spike. A food with a moderate glycemic index (GI), like orange juice, can spike blood glucose far more than a low-GI food, like applesauce, will—even if both have a similar amount of carbs. (See the chart, adapted from Nutrition for Sport and Exercise, by Marie Dunford, Ph.D., R.D., and J. Andrew Doyle, Ph.D.) Those peaks add up: Diets that spike blood glucose may impair insulin function, leading to diabetes. 30 Percentage of people who say they’ve expanded their grilling repertoire in the past year to include more vegetables Source: 2013 Weber GrillWatch Survey STEALTH HEALTH FOOD: Pork Rinds What They Are Also called chicharrónes, these fried pork skins are savory, slightly salty, and surprisingly light. Why They’re Healthy Sure, a serving contains 9 grams of…

24 Number of hours your explosive performance is enhanced after a warmup of dynamic moves like high-knees, kicks, and lunges Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Go Hard, Lose Lard Extreme training is more than a passing fad: CrossFit-style workouts can demolish flab, a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research confirms. In the study, men who trained at high intensity for 10 weeks cut their body fat 4 percent on average. “Done quickly, compound multi-muscle moves [like ring pullups and squats] boost fat-burning hormones,” says MH fitness advisor BJ Gaddour. Build an NFL Body Football players entering the pros these days are logging faster sprint times, pushing bigger numbers in the weight room, and jumping farther than they were even just a decade ago, according to…

Haloacetic Acids (HAAs) THREAT LEVEL Formed when pool chemicals react with environmental contaminants, HAAs may raise the risk of cancer, says the EPA. And Spanish researchers found HAAs in pool workers who hadn’t even swum. Thankfully the compound clears the body in hours. PROTECT YOURSELF If you own a pool, use only the chemicals you need. Shower before entering a pool (to rinse off contaminants). Then keep your mouth shut. You don’t want water coming in. Pollen THREAT LEVEL More than one in nine people experience congestion, itchy eyes, and throat irritation from spring and summer allergies, says the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. PROTECT YOURSELF Pollen peaks between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., so if you’re allergic, save outdoor activities for late in the day or after a…

STAYING IN SHAPE WAS NEVER A PROBLEM FOR ME. I was a soccer player for 16 years, and I played football and ran track. I even managed to stay lean in college. After graduation, I scored a personal-trainer job, and fitness became my life—whatever my clients did, I did. But the nonstop workouts took a toll on me. I was exercising for long stretches every day, and eventually I burned out. I quit my training gig and took a job working nights. It was the total opposite of my previous work: I was sleeping during the day, and the only restaurants open late were fast-food joints that served burgers, pizza, and fried chicken. That was my whole diet. Pretty soon I was up 35 pounds, but it didn’t really hit…

PLANNING A TRIP THIS SUMMER? YEAH, SO IS EVERYBODY ELSE. That’s why hotels jack up their rates—more demand for rooms means more opportunities to make customers pay. But you don’t have to spend top dollar to make the most of your visit, says Jacob Tomsky, a 10-year veteran of the hospitality industry and the author of Heads in Beds. Employ a few smart insider strategies and you’ll keep your credit card from taking a beating. Call Outside Room Service You should never spend $17 to wait for cold hotel fries, says Tomsky. After all, your hotel doesn’t have a monopoly on delivery. Check a website like GrubHub to find a list of local restaurants eager to bring better, cheaper food right to your hotel room door. Travel with Your Own…

MY HEART IS RACING. MY PALMS ARE CLAMMY. My pits are probably stained. I can’t check them right now because I’m standing on a stage, clutching a microphone, beneath a pink neon sign that reads “The Comedy Store.” Thankfully there’s no crowd here to witness this. The club isn’t even open. The only person watching me is Kevin Hart, a 34-yearold comedian who hosted SNL and sold out Madison Square Garden. The film from his 2011 stand-up tour, Laugh at My Pain, grossed $8 million, and anticipation is high for Let Me Explain, this summer’s follow-up. Men’s Health challenged Hart to make me funny, and he agreed. So tonight, after my lesson in comedy, I’ll take the stage again—this time in front of an actual audience. This harebrained exercise isn’t…

ON MARCH 11, A JUDGE BLOCKED THE BIG APPLE’S proposed ban on sales of supersized soda. Even if the city’s appeal fails, Mayor Bloomberg can take this stat as consolation: Only 13 cities have less of a problem with pop than NYC does, according to data we gathered on soda consumption and its consequences. If any town needs a soda cap, it’s last-place Laredo, though that may be a tougher sell. “Texans tend to oppose government limits on what they can buy and consume,” says Tracey Ledoux, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor at the University of Houston’s Texas Obesity Research Center.—LILA BATTIS AND CHRIS GARCIA Look Up! Texters take 18 percent longer to cross streets, and they’re four times as likely to disobey lights, ignore crosswalks, or not look both…

BEAT THE TRAFFIC The MH Urbanathlon gives “road warrior” a whole new meaning. BY THE TIME HE HIT MILE 9 OF MH’S 2012 New York City Urbanathlon, Jonathan Schneider had vaulted over police barricades and crawled under cars. He had hopscotched through tire fields and slithered under cargo nets. Marine hurdles lay in his wake, as did monkey bars, plastic barriers, and nearly every other competitor in the field. “I was chasing one guy for most of the race,” says the 24-year-old banker. “Then I saw the stairs at Citi Field in Queens and knew I had him.” Schneider had trained for the stairs, but being in sight of first place was new. “I’m 6 feet tall and like lifting weights,” says Schneider, who won the event in under 64…

P0WER POINTS This month’s training plan is all about functional fitness—that is, building the strength you need to conquer life’s daily obstacles. And few moves can help you reach that goal faster than the 270 stepup. “Unlike the classic stepup, the 270 version doesn’t allow you to use momentum to complete the movement,” says Chris Frankel, Ph.D.(c), director of human performance for TRX Training. “That forces your hips and core to work harder to keep you balanced.” The harder they work, the more strength, power, and stability you’ll build. Follow these tips to boost your results. Assume the Position It’s called the 270 stepup for a reason: That’s the sum of the 90-degree angles formed by your hip, knee, and ankle as you place your whole foot on the bench.…

You may know the basic rules of safe swimming, but that might not save you from a watery death. Nearly 80 percent of the roughly 3,000 U.S. adults who drown each year are men, the CDC reports. Make sure you and your pals live to see Labor Day with these life preservers from safety expert Alton Thygerson, Ed.D. DON’T SHOW OFF Even the best swimmers are no match for cold water, which can siphon away body heat 25 times faster than air of the same temperature. Result: hypothermia. What’s “cold”? The Coast Guard defines it as 70°F or below. KNOW PLAY FROM PERIL A study at Orchard Beach, New York, found that folks drowning typically can’t yell for help; instead, they seem to be playing. If you see a person…

AS ENTRANCES GO, JOE MANGANIELLO’S AS ENTRANCES GO,JOE MANGANIELLO’S first scene in True Blood was about as good as any an unknown actor could hope for. It was season three, episode three. Appearing as a dark-haired giant in a gray Henley, he took a running start across the heroine’s lawn and grabbed her, ending up in what he describes as the “Harlequin romance pose.”/His role only became more interesting as plot twists multiplied and developed their own plot twists. Manganiello is now a full-on action star, with classical training as an actor and a physique straight out of Bulfinch’s Mythology./ Not only has he grown into the pack master on HBO’s True Blood (entering its sixth season in June), he morphed into a stripper (Big Dick Richie) in last year’s…

01 Drive to a Dive-In JOHN AND BERT JACOBS, COFOUNDERS OF LIFE IS GOOD, SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT SWIMMING HOLE—AND HAPPINESS. In 1989, we decided to spend 6 weeks weaving our way home from California to Boston. We were shut in a car together with only a loose route, a slim stack of cash, and a whole lot of mix tapes. One of our first stops was the Feather River, outside Sacramento. Tipped off by locals, we found cliffs tucked into the woods, where we did our best Butch-and-Sundance plunges into the crystal water. That day was pure magic, and it started a summerlong—and lifelong—pursuit of the perfect swimming hole. Any blue water on the map became our North Star. That summer reminded us that we both loved the road,…

• MARK S. WOLFF, D.D.S., PH.D. Imagine killing the bacteria that cause tooth decay with a single swish of a mouth rinse. Or muscling out the bad bugs in your gums with a toothpaste that fosters good bacteria. Both products are being researched by Mark S. Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D., an associate dean at New York University College of Dentistry. “Your mouth is like a lawn—you have some weeds and some healthy stuff,” he says. “We’re looking to improve the overall quality of the flora, making everything fresher and cleaner.” For now, balance your bugs by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and quaffing less soda, juice, and sweetened coffee. When you do sip them, do it quickly; otherwise you’ll bathe your teeth in sugar that feeds bad bacteria. FILL UP…

Face it: A bad diet can have ugly consequences. Scientists at NYU report that high-glycemic foods, such as rice, potatoes, bread, and sugary snacks and drinks, may contribute to acne. A diet loaded with sugars and starches causes a rise in insulin and blood glucose, which may influence hormones and other proteins that make break outs worse, the researchers say. For a healthy face (and body), limit your carb intake to no more than 40 percent of your total daily calories and eliminate high-glycemic foods, says Valerie Berkowitz, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition at the Center for Bal anced Health in New York City.…

Don’t Weigh In at the Watercooler Even if you’re not deskbound all day, your office can thwart your plans to stay slim. A study in PLoS One suggests that having overweight coworkers raises your own odds of piling on fat. The more overweight colleagues a man communicated with, the more likely he was to be overweight too. It’s not just family and friends whose habits can rub off on you and influence your weight; the people you interact with at work also have an impact, says study author Elizabeth Rula, Ph.D. That doesn’t mean you should shun flabby coworkers—just counteract their influence by using a standing desk or holding “walking brainstorms.” 2 Number of pounds people ained in 5 days when they slept on y 5 hours a night Source:…

MICHAEL EASTER Training day after day for a competition can sap your body’s energy supply. But new research from Australia reveals that caffeine can help you maintain momentum when your carbohydrate stores are depleted. In the study, tired cyclists who ingested 1.4 milligrams of caffeine per pound of body weight experienced less performance decline than carb-depleted athletes who took a placebo. Caffeine increases activity in your sympathetic nervous system, producing a flood of adrenaline and increasing your muscles’ capacity for work, regardless of carbohydrate availability, says study author Stephen Lane, Ph.D.(c). He suggests popping a few pieces of caffeinated gum, such as Stay Alert, just before exercise. Another option: Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gel. ON OUR RADAR: Win with Flying Colors If you need a name for your recleague team,…

DOING 100 KETTLEBELL SWINGS IN A ROW IS TOUGH. Doing them on one leg at a time—as this month’s challenge, the kettlebell spider swing, requires—will light your muscles on fire and strain your willpower. “The instability of the exercise calls more muscles into play, increasing the intensity of the workout,” says BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S., creator of Speed Shred, the eight-DVD metabolic resistance training program from Men’s Health DeltaFIT (SpeedShredWorkout.com). “To complete 100 reps, you’ll need not only strength and stamina but also total-body coordination.”—JILL YAWORSKI HOW TO DO IT Grab a 16-kilogram kettlebell (if that’s too heavy, downsize) and follow the exercise instructions below. If you can’t complete 100 consecutive swings, start with 10 a minute and work your way up. Kettlebell Spider Swing 1 Hold the kettlebell in both…

I love going down on my girlfriend, but my jaw gets sore after a while. Any pointers? PAUL, ANN ARBOR, MI I salute your persistence, Paul. Any repetitive motion will be tiring, so let her help out. The next time your jaw feels sore, relax, lay your tongue flat, press it firmly against her vulva, and let her grind against you. You can bring your hands in too. Let your index finger trail behind your tongue as you massage her, and then pull your tongue back for a break as your fingers keep going. The woman I’m seeing is always texting while we’re out on dates. Do I have to put up with it? ALAN, CARSON CITY, NV Hell, no. You’re entirely justified asking her to stick her phone in…

STRESSOR Long work hours are killing your fun THE SOLUTION Tap into your vacation time by scheduling half-day Fridays. Americans left an average of 9.2 paid days unused last year, a Hotwire.com survey found. But 2 months of half-day Fridays costs you only 4 days. Your boss probably won’t even notice; according to CEB research, the average boss toils 8 hours a week less in summer. STRESSOR Your yard is becoming a jungle of weeds THE SOLUTION Fire up the blowtorch. Seriously: It’s a quick way to take out weeds, says Matt Blashaw, host of DIY Network’s Yard Crashers. Plus, flaming is nontoxic and a whole lot of fun. Just avoid dry areas or anything right next to your house, and keep a hose nearby just in case. Blashaw likes…

PANTS, SHIRTS, AND SHOES OFFER LESS COVERAGE IN HOT WEATHER. SUDDENLY your skin—and how well you care for it—becomes impossible to conceal. “G rooming is the first thing people notice,” says Lauren Solomon, an image consultant in Newport Beach, California. So run down this checklist to make sure you put your best face—and body—forward. —SANDRA NYGAARD PROBLEM Dry, brittle hair from chlorine exposure SOLUTION After you’re out of the pool, rinse your hair in fresh water and apply a leave-in conditioner to restore moisture, says Mark LaRocco, a stylist at Beauty Collection in West Hollywood. And once a week, use a clarifying shampoo to remove harsh residues. LaRocco likes Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo. $23, bumbleandbumble.com PROBLEM A greasy, shiny billboard of a forehead SOLUTION Use a product that can…

THIS MONTH PLAN A LAST-MINUTE VACATION SHUT UP YOUR HICCUPS WIELD A PRESSURE WASHER BUILD YOUR CYCLING ENDURANCE SPOT MIGRATING HAWKS SCALE A ROPE FAST MAKE AN IMPRESSION IN VEGAS SHOW THE GOVERNMENT WHO’S BOSS HOST THE SUMMER’S COOLEST PARTY BUILD A BACKYARD HORSESHOE PIT Cook a Succulent Lobster Serve up a luscious seafood dinner that beats the shell out of that chain-joint special. GO LIVE Skip the frozen lobster. An enzyme released after a crustacean dies can degrade the meat over time, says Stuart Cromarty, Ph.D., an expert in lobster neuroscience at Assumption College in Massachusetts. BUY YOUNG Look for smallish specimens weighing about 1½ pounds, says Kerry Altiero, Maine Lobster Chef of the Year in 2012. Their meat is sweeter than that of their bigger brethren. The tank…

NOTHING SAYS “FIT” LIKE A WASH board stomach. And nothing makes achieving one harder than doing the same exercises every week. “Your body adapts and stops responding to exercises over time, stalling your progress,” says Bill Hartman, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training. That’s why it’s important to regularly hit the refresh button on your ab routine. “Adding different exercises to your workouts gives your muscles a new stimulus and triggers growth,” says Hartman. The result: head-turning abs in significantly less time. But attracting more attention at the beach—and in the bedroom—isn’t the only reason to pursue a chiseled midsection. “A strong core helps you maintain the optimal alignment of your pelvis and torso in everything you do, whether you’re going big at the gym or carrying a…

WE’RE WILLING TO WAGER THAT ALL THE GUYS WHO DfflNT BOTHER TO read Fifty Shades of Grey will have no problem standing in line for tho Sim. Lefs face it Compressing Anastasia and Christian’s freaky antics into a visual sexfest will hold male attention far longer than mere words on pages. But they haven’t even begun fi1ming the whips and chains yet, so take this lull in the BDSM hype (that’s bondage, domination/dttciplir.c, sadism/submission, and masochism for you newbs) to find out if your woman truly is up for this brand of kink, and if so, how to ease yourselves into il. Think shell ran screaming? Not so fast. A University of Saskatchewan study found that women are quite similar to men when defining what’s normal or acceptable in bed.…

A GREAT SUMMER TOMATO SHOULD DRIP WITH JUICE, BURST WITH SWEET-TART flavor, and shame the supermarket specimens sold during the cold months. “Winter tomatoes are often picked green and may be ripened artificially with ethylene gas,” says Barry Estabrook, author of Tomatoland. That makes a difference—a Spanish study found that vine-ripened tomatoes are higher in lycopene, vitamin C, and total phenols and flavonoids than tomatoes that were picked green. And those compounds can have a wide range of benefits. In a study from Finland, men who consumed high amounts of lycopene had a significantly lower risk of stroke. In Japan, researchers found that a compound in tomatoes can help break down lipids in the bloodstream, reducing the risk of vascular diseases. And frequent tomato consumption may even improve prostate health,…

No more burnt burgers! Savor the season by mastering the tips, techniques, and tech of outdoor cooking. The crackle of charcoal, the woodsy perfume of smoldering hickory, and the taste—praise heavens, the taste!— of juicy, charred steak and tender, smoky pork. Summer cookout season has arrived, and it’s time to gear up. We put the newest outdoor-cooking products to the fire—and found the toys that will raise your grill game to blockbuster status. Got a match? SMOKE! Tender, tasty barbecue takes time and technique to pull off well. These sidekicks give you an edge, helping you control temperature, test doneness, and have a hell of a lot of fun as heat meets meat. Best Hard-Core Smoker YODER SMOKERS YS1320 PELLET COOKER This 600-pound behemoth offers selectable temperatures ranging from 175°…

It’s a bright, blue morning in San Francisco when Sandro Salvetti, a California Highway Patrol bicycle officer on the Golden Gate Bridge, keys in on a guy standing a few feet from the rail. The man looks to be in his 50s, with graying facial hair. He’s wearing a green jacket and a fishing hat./Something about the guy doesn’t fit. You learn what to look for in this job—someone standing alone, no camera, no water bottle, looking not out, but down. Salvetti moves in, aiming his front wheel between the man and the rail, but the guy sees him coming and gets there first./“Wait wait wait talk to me!” Salvetti cries. The guy throws a leg over and pushes off without saying a word. Four seconds later, there’s a foom…