No matter our age or level of fitness, we can always do a little more to improve. A healthier body not only makes us feel better, it helps keep disease and mental unwellness at bay. But getting fitter and healthier need not be a chore or unpleasant. This month, we look at fun and easy ways to lose tummy fat, get physical, reduce alcohol and, of course, enjoy sexercise!
Physical Fitness, Mental Health
It should be noted at the outset that severe depression, anxiety and other mental health issues cannot be “exercised away” and if you are struggling with these, consulting a GP or other professional is recommended. However, regular exercise is massively beneficial in helping maintain a positive state of mental health. With exercise, your brain releases endorphins that help lift your spirits while reducing stress. Maintaining regular exercise routines will keep the endorphins running, helping reduce anxiety and improving self-esteem and cognitive function.
Researchers in the study The Primary Care Companion To The Journal Of Clinical Psychiatry noted: these improvements in mood are caused by exercise-induced increase in blood circulation to the brain and by an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and, thus, on the physiologic reactivity to stress.
The mind and body are interconnected. Good physical health is important in maintaining good mental health. This means increasing blood flow to the brain helps you function better and can change your outlook for the better. The added benefits don’t stop there. Heading out on a daily jog or working out at the weights benefits your concentration levels and raises your energy.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, you know energy can be hard to come by. Some days it’s hard to even think about getting out of bed, so taking a step out the front door feels impossible. Try taking small steps towards implementing regular exercise into your day. It’s not a race to see who can improve their mental health the fastest. You can always start with a five-minute run and gradually increase each day. Don’t be afraid to start small. Even a brisk walk around the neighbourhood is enough to get your blood pumping. Setting a routine through workouts you enjoy will motivate you to take it to the next level.
If you’re still struggling to get your energy levels up, upping your fitness game will do wonders for your metabolism. Your metabolism is imperative in keeping your body working and your mental game healthy by converting the food you eat into energy or building and repairing the body.
In John P Thyfault and Audrey Bergouignan’s study Exercise And Metabolic Health: Beyond Skeletal Muscle, they explain: “Exercise has powerful effects on metabolism, not only because of its well-known effects on skeletal muscle metabolism, but also because of the metabolic adaptations it confers in multiple other tissues.” This means not only will exercise help modify your skeletal muscle and blood flow, it will ensure that your body can develop enough energy to perform basic human functions.
These benefits are important in avoiding problems with your metabolism. Otherwise, you could be facing countless health issues from a disrupted sleep cycle to serious metabolic complications such as type two diabetes.
Exercise can also be therapeutic. Have you ever been so overwhelmed that you need an escape? Whether you’re running on the treadmill or hitting the mat, exercise can help your mind wander, it can allow you to shut out thoughts of your everyday concerns, or even facilitate visualisation techniques to calm yourself down.
Exercise can help your mind wander, or allow you to shut out thoughts of your everyday concerns, or visualise techniques to help calm you down.
Yoga and Pilates are two popular techniques to promote mindfulness and increased focus. You can also take weekly classes that’ll get you out of the house and into a social atmosphere with a regular routine.
Don’t underestimate the impact being social can have on your mental health. There are plenty of LGBTQIA+ community sports groups looking for new players. You could join the local soccer team and get your heart racing on the field or hit the pool with a swim squad. Community sports have been shown to raise self-esteem levels while also fostering connections, friendships and support networks. Adding this social aspect to your weekly fitness routine will also break up the monotony associated with solo gym sessions.
Team sports and classes are also an opportunity to explore a love for sports that many of us may not have had before. School sports weren’t exactly welcoming to young LGBTQIA+ people, often being straight male-centric and unwelcoming to burgeoning young gay men figuring out their identity. Seeking a queer-centric sports team will help shed the mental baggage of growing up queer in straight male-dominated sports classes, while getting you fit and healthy.
It feels like a mountain to climb at first, but taking steps to improve your mental well-being with regular exercise is worthwhile.
Reduce The Tummy
Tummy fat is the hardest to lose. Even after hours on the treadmill, your tummy is the last part of your body that burns off stored fat. Why is that? First, let’s break down what tummy fat is. Stomach fat is subcutaneous fat that lies just below the skin, and visceral fat that is deeper within the abdomen and nestles around your organs. Here lies the problem. Visceral fat can cause a range of issues for your body. It can put you at risk of heart disease.
Subcutaneous fat lies just below the skin. Visceral fat is deeper within the abdomen and nestles around your organs. Here lies the problem.
The most effective way to combat visceral fat is through regular exercise and weight training. Maintaining a regular exercise routine and keeping yourself moving helps your body reduce the circulating levels of insulin, which allows your body to use up the fatty acids your body stores after you eat.
Meanwhile, weight training gets your body building muscle mass, which is great for your metabolism and helps prevent your body from storing fat. According to the US Department Of Health And Human Services, the recommended regular weight training per person is at least twice a week. For weekly exercises to maintain your goal weight range, you should average around 150 minutes for moderate-intensity activities such as walking or dancing and 75 minutes for high-intensity activities such as hiking or running, if you are able.
For some, the harder part will be maintaining a healthy diet. This can be tricky, especially if weekly nights out are a part of your routine. The easiest way to start is to remove sugary drinks from the equation straight away. This could mean swapping from vodka cranberry for a vodka soda. If you’re drinking alcohol, make sure regular glasses of water are on hand. This’ll give you the added benefit of hydration, which helps your body tackle and break down fat and turn it into fuel.
Sometimes people think they are hungry when they are actually thirsty. If you find yourself browsing for a snack in the kitchen, try a big glass of water instead. As for what you eat, a diet of heart-healthy protein and fibre will help you lose stomach fat. Add foods such as legumes and leafy greens to your diet as they will make you feel fuller for longer, while cutting down on sugary sweets prevents overeating and gets your body ready to exercise.
Most people assume the easiest way to keep the weight off is to cut all fatty foods from their diet. However, researchers at John Hopkins University in the US found that avoiding carb-heavy foods, such as heavy pastas, white bread and lollies, specifically led to better results. That’s not to say all carbs are bad carbs. Carbs are an important source of your body’s energy and vitamin B intake, as well as contributing to your kidney and heart health. If you’re looking for healthy carb-focused foods to add to your diet, you can always enjoy quinoa or oat-based meals, as well as fruits and vegetables like bananas, sweet potatoes and carrots. Also, if you love your dairy products, low-fat milk and plain yoghurt will also do the trick.
However, none of this will be worthwhile if you aren’t at the top of your sleep game. Sleep is more important for the upkeep of a healthy body than many people realise. In Sleep Medicine‘s study Shorter Sleep Duration Is Associated With Greater Visceral Fat Mass In US Adults, researchers noted that effects of sleep duration on visceral fat mass accumulation may be explained by dysregulated brain activity at regions linked with neurohormonal imbalance. Maintaining a regular sleep cycle of up to eight hours will help you avoid increasing the levels of visceral fat in your tummy.
Stress is also a tummy terror. Stress doesn’t just affect your mental health; it can also take a toll on your body. A cause of weight gain can be the release of the hormone cortisol throughout your body to manage stressful situations. High levels of cortisol make your body crave unhealthy foods while also giving your appetite an unnecessary boost. Finding ways to relieve stress, like masturbation, meditation or exercise, will help you burn up those stress hormones and avoid binge eating unhealthy junk food.
So, how do you implement some of these suggestions into your daily life? Begin by setting a low-impact, gentle exercise routine for yourself, then gradually increase the intensity and duration as you feel you can. The idea is to do a little bit more each day. As for your food intake, do some research. Look up the kinds of foods you like to eat regularly and see how much carbohydrate and hidden sugars they contain. Then see if there are healthier alternatives. Find a healthy diet that works for you and your lifestyle. Don’t be afraid to read the label before you buy! These steps are small but will help you on your way to reducing tummy fat.
Alcohol
Let’s look at the pros and cons of a break with liquor. First, the positives. The physical effects are almost too good to pass up. Your skin will be clearer. Your body will be slimmer. Your body odour will be more pleasant. Then there are the mental improvements. Your sleep cycle will be longer and less disrupted. Your mood will be more positive. The absence of hangovers means no more next-morning anxiety. It all sounds good, doesn’t it?
Giving up can have profound benefits on your physical and mental health. But for many, life without any alcohol is hard to imagine.
Well, going cold turkey from alcohol isn’t as simple as you’d think. Even the local cafe offers a tempting range of delicious cocktails. Then there’s the connection alcohol has to the gay community. Many of us find our tribe in commercial gay venues where alcohol is served. And how many of us have had to have a “shot of courage” to talk to that hot guy? It’s great getting loose and hooking up with a hottie after you’ve thrown back a couple of shots.
We love a boozy brunch on a Sunday morning after a night out, and it’s hard to be the sober one when your friends are ordering another round of mimosas. This social pressure is enough to break any booze-free commitment you may have previously made to yourself.
But are we talking about complete abstinence or just cutting back? Here’s the thing, you’re more likely to say no to the first gin and tonic than stopping after one. The drunker you get, the higher the chances are that you’ll continue drinking without a second thought. Abstinence is easier than moderation. So don’t be tempted by the invitation to “just have one.”
Have you ever woken up the next day thinking, why did I drink so much? I was only going to have a couple. Here’s where alternatives can make the choice simpler. Mocktails exist for a reason. Taking advantage of the non-alcoholic menu will help you feel included while not affecting your sobriety. You can even grab a bottle of zero-per cent alcohol wine or spirits from the local grocery store. They taste and look similar while containing less calories.
If you’re still struggling to remain sober when invited on a night out, there’s no harm in taking a break from your social life until you feel comfortable being in these spaces.
If abstinence is a no-go, there are still benefits to drinking in moderation. In the study Reduced Stress-Related Neural Network Activity Mediates The Effect Of Alcohol On Cardiovascular Risk, researchers explain: “given the acute anxiolytic effects of alcohol, we posited that chronic light/moderate alcohol consumption confers cardiovascular benefits, in part, by reducing activation of these pathological, stress-associated mechanisms.” In other words, if alcohol consumption leads to reduced stress and improved heart health, does this mean moderation is better than abstinence?
Well, don’t be so fast popping open that champagne. An analysis by the University Of Victoria offers a different take. After pooling results from over 107 cohort studies, researchers found that moderate drinkers did not have a lower mortality risk compared to non-drinkers. Speaking with NBC News, co-author of the analysis, Tim Stockwell stated, “The evidence of health benefits has become increasingly weak… we need to be very sceptical of scientific evidence or scientific studies suggesting there are health benefits.”
So, what are the cons? It’s widely thought that red wine carries antioxidants that are beneficial to your health. Add to that, compounds found in wine that may help to combat inflammation. So, should we indulge in a glass of pinot noir at dinner? Maybe put the bottle down before you pop that cork. Both the World Health Organisation and The National Institute Of Alcohol And Alcoholism (USA) state that no amount of alcohol is safe. In fact, constant alcohol intake can lead to severe health detractors that’ll affect your quality of life.
Should we be avoiding alcohol altogether? Researchers believe the best way to maintain heart health is a diet of fruits and vegetables as well as regular exercise. Abstaining from alcohol is an added benefit in helping your body feel good and energised throughout the day. It may not be possible to avoid alcohol completely but reducing your intake and taking a break every now and then is a huge step forward in keeping your heart and liver healthy.
Have More Sex, Burn More Calories?
Who doesn’t love a bit of sex? It’s fun. It’s hot. And it’s a great way to get active. But is a regular fuck better than a jog on the treadmill?
Firstly, sex is a great way to increase your heart rate. Raising your heart rate also raises the intensity of the workout which, in turn, helps you burn fat. Unfortunately, it takes more than doing it doggy style to feel any positive long-term effects on your body.
However, if you want to tone those arms or define your abs, switching up positions and trying different ways of physically connecting with your partner can stretch and strengthen, especially if it requires utilising your core muscles. Lifting your partner takes strength, gets your muscles moving and adds a bit of physical spice. Try sex positions that require holding them up against a wall or in the air where both of you support each other’s body weight. This may require one or both of you to have prepared with some weight-training sessions beforehand to avoid injury and, remember, lift with your knees not your back!
What about your legs? Can sexercise get you those tree trunk thighs you’ve always dreamed of? Short answer: no. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t gain anything from working hard during sex. Adding squats to your regular sexual activities could be tricky, but supporting your own or your partner’s weight puts your thighs and glutes to work. Riding your man when he’s on his back and you’re straddling him in the cowboy position requires you to use your thighs and glutes.
If you’re topping, your abs are going to get a good workout. Rigorous thrusting for a long period of time is a great abs crunch workout. The stronger your abs, the better you’ll thrust. The more you thrust, the stronger your abs become. There’s a sexercise win-win.
Thrusting also requires tops to have thighs and glutes with staying power, and often tops need to be able to support their own body weight while in, say, a missionary position.
The stronger your abs, the better you’ll thrust. The more you thrust, the stronger your abs become.
There’s also the added benefit of sexercise on your dick. In a study published by The British Journal Of Sport Medicine, researchers reported that regular aerobatic exercise improved erectile function, not to mention the positive improvements additional pelvic exercise added to the overall sexual experience and performance. You’ll want your pelvic floor in tip-top shape if sexercise is going to become a regular part of your fitness routine.
If you’re looking to burn some calories solo, masturbation also has physical benefits. Not everyone has sex with another person, but there are still sexercise options. A hot masturbation session burns calories, raises the heart rate and stimulates blood circulation plus, studies have shown that jerking off can help boost your immune system while strengthening your pelvic and anal muscles.
However, to truly shed some calories before you climax, switch things up and add some toys into the mix. A long edging session takes energy, and breath control and can be extremely pleasurable as a bonus – certainly more fun than the equivalent amount of time on the treadmill. The more you put your body to work, the more calories you’ll burn.
Sexercise isn’t all about making your body sweat in gymnastic positions. There are other ways you can improve your physical health in the bedroom. Breaking out the oils to give your partner a sensual massage will stimulate blood flow throughout the body. Your muscles need fresh blood and oxygen to stay on top of their game. Sexy massage stimulation will help you remain active while improving your body’s waste management. And it’s much nicer than overworking your body on a long jog.
But let’s be clear, even regular, vigorous sex isn’t going to keep you slim if that’s your only exercise. Sexercise only burns around five calories per minute. Not a lot compared to the calories you burn doing regular everyday chores around the house. By comparison, you can average around eight calories burned per minute during a brisk walk around the neighbourhood. An active sex life can be very healthy but, unfortunately, you can’t bang your way to a six-pack.
Adding a regular workout into your daily life is what’s really going to make the difference. In fact, the fitter you are, the better your sex life is likely to be. Those daily squats, leg workouts and crunches will serve you and your partner well in the bedroom. Plus, there are the benefits of increased stamina, flexibility and even heightened self-esteem.
Fit To Party
Sportswear as party wear is a thing! Even if you’re not hitting the gym or head down and bum up in the rugby scrum, it doesn’t mean you can’t slip on some sports kit. With short-shorts, jockstraps, and body-hugging nylon, it makes sense to climb into sporty gear for a big night out – you’re probably going to end up smelly and sweaty anyway, and burn some calories.
Event: BRUTE.CLUB presents Throbb at ARQ, Sydney. Photography: Mark Dickson, Deep Field Photography (deepfieldphotography.com)
