28 MensHealth.com | December 2016Masterfile (man), thelicensingproject.com (dancers), MICHAEL BRANDON MYERS (icons)Useful
StuffPack Your Lunch Hour
Powering through lunch makes you look productive, but you end up tired
and stressed. So take a break and avoid these mistakes. By Megan DiTrolioYou Scarf Your Food
at Your Desk. Sitting all
day has been linked to
heart disease, diabetes,
and premature death.
Aim for at least 30 min-
utes of moderate activity
five days a week. Lunch-
time is perfect for that!
The Fix Take a walk. It’ll
leave you more produc-
tive, enthusiastic, and
relaxed, studies suggest.
If you must work, sched-
ule walking meetings;
research shows that they
fuel creative thinking.You’re Eating Poorly
or Not Enough. Skimp-
ing on lunch can lead to
overeating at night, and
grab-and-go meals can
be nutritionally lacking, so
you crash later on.
The Fix Pack a healthy
combo of protein, carbs,
and fat for energy, says
dietitian Christopher
Mohr, Ph.D. Ro ll up lef tover
rotisserie chicken and
avocado in a whole wheat
wrap; munch on bell
pepper and carrot slices,
and pack an apple too.You Don’t Use the Break
to Do What You Like. If
you’re not in the mood to,
say, join your colleagues
for lunch, then doing that
won’t be as relaxing as
clocking alone time (and
vice versa), studies show.
It may actually fatigue you.
The Fix Engaging in an
activity you enjoy will help
alleviate work stress and
improve your well-being,
research shows. If that
means escaping to your
car for some sports radio
downtime, go for it.You Miss Your Midday
Workout. You’re also
missing out on the brain-
boosting benefits of
increased bloodflow, says
trainer Craig Ballantyne.
The Fix A 15-minute cir-
cui t c an b e as e ffe c ti ve as
a longer, more moderate
routine. Do this four times:
prisoner-style reverse
lunges (30 seconds per
side); pause pushups
(p ause at the b ot to m and
top) for 1 minute; side
plank (30 seconds per
side). Rest for 1 minute.Make Your
Heart Happy
Two cardio workouts, more
fun than the treadmill.WITH THE GUYSWITH HER
G o ahead , get yo ur gro ove
on. In a 10-year study of some
48,000 adults, researchers
linked moderate-intensity
dancing with a lower risk of
dying from heart disease.
It may mimic high-intensity
interval training, says study
author Dafna Merom, Ph.D.
Dancing may also stave off
depression, ease stress,
and save you from social
isolation, all linked to heart
d isease. Shy? G o w i th sim -
ple moves, and lighten up—
no o ne’s laughing at yo u.Learn to love pickup basket-
ball this winter. The constant
up-and-down court activity
can help you reach and
sustain 90 percent of your
maximum heart rate, say sci-
entists in Spain. In the study,
guards and forwards logged
the fastest and farthest runs.
But you weren’t planning to
play center anyway, right?5
Hours of TV a day
that, if exceeded,
could lower a man’s
sperm count. Want
kids? Head for bed,
not the couch.
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology“I’ll be back
w h e n I f e e l l i ke i t.
How’s your ham
sandwich, sucker?”