Crunch time for moobs
Go By Damien Maher
Wednesday August 29 2007
Too many nights on the beer and sedentary lifestyles are turning men into women. With firm pecs being replaced by saggy man boobs, it’s time for guys to take action
The author of Paleo Diet, Loren Cordain,says that the DNA of man has only changed 0.02pc in the last 40,000 years. However, sometimes you’d never guess this, especially if you visit a gym. The term “moobs”, or man boobs, is used to describe the transformation of the normally hard chest muscles of men (called pectorals) into the softer female-like appearance of boobs.When your pecs have gained more body fat than the backs of your arms (i.e, triceps), it’s a sign that you are converting the male hormone testosterone into the female hormone oestrogen. There are a number of factors contributing to this phenomenon.
More and more men are sacrificing sporting activities in search of wealth, family life or the comfort of the couch. Nights of soccer,Gaelic or rugby training have been replaced with evenings sitting on bar stools drinking beer. Men tend to be reactive rather than proactive and wait for ill health or disease to hit before kick-starting a health programme.
But remember guys, prevention is far better than cure. Fat tissue in your body stores toxins but also produces oestrogen. High oestrogen levels have been linked to male breast cancer. While this is still rare, health experts fear that the rise in the number of obese men will see a rise in the disease.
Also of concern is the use and abuse of alcohol, especiallyan over indulgence in beer. Beer contains xeno-estrogens, which mimic the female hormone oestrogen. This overload leads to a conversion of testosterone into oestrogen, giving men female-like qualities. Male training programmes can also contribute to the man boob syndrome.
If pecs and abs are over trained, the muscles pull the body into a forward, droopy appearance, letting the pecs become softer.The solution is to train the upper back muscles that will pull the shoulders back, lifting the chestmuscles and lengthening your torso, making it appearmore toned.
Testosterone levels in males have also decreased by 20pc in the last 20 years, as an active day pushing a wheelbarrow has been replaced by men pushing biros in offices. This does not look like a problem that is going to go away. Children today are more interested in recreating the actions of their heroes in computer games than their soccer, Gaelic or rugby heroes on playing fields.
So guys, your aim should be to raise the levels of that hormone that you ought be abundant in – testosterone. American author on health Dr Johnny Bowden has listed five ways to help your levels soar:
1. Avoid a low-fat diet and supplement it with Omega 3 to decrease inflammation and keep your heart healthy.
2. Eat a diet rich in protein: Studies on low protein diets have shown that they lead to lower testosterone counts and lower sex drives.
3. Lift weights: use compound exercises that use lots of muscle like squats and dead lifts.
4. Get sleeping: your body releases growth hormone in the first 30-60 minutes of sleep and it particularly benefits from sleep between the hours of 10pm and 2am.
5. Take a break from alcohol .Other ways to increase your activity levels are to, first and foremost, make time for it. Make health a priority. Train early in the morning, play five a-side football and initiate changes in nutrition. Consult an expert in health or weights and get a training partner. Choose someone stronger, who will make youe xceed your expectations. Now is the time to get lean,strong and, most importantly,active!
- Damien Maher
Go By Damien Maher
Wednesday August 29 2007
Too many nights on the beer and sedentary lifestyles are turning men into women. With firm pecs being replaced by saggy man boobs, it’s time for guys to take action
The author of Paleo Diet, Loren Cordain,says that the DNA of man has only changed 0.02pc in the last 40,000 years. However, sometimes you’d never guess this, especially if you visit a gym. The term “moobs”, or man boobs, is used to describe the transformation of the normally hard chest muscles of men (called pectorals) into the softer female-like appearance of boobs.When your pecs have gained more body fat than the backs of your arms (i.e, triceps), it’s a sign that you are converting the male hormone testosterone into the female hormone oestrogen. There are a number of factors contributing to this phenomenon.
More and more men are sacrificing sporting activities in search of wealth, family life or the comfort of the couch. Nights of soccer,Gaelic or rugby training have been replaced with evenings sitting on bar stools drinking beer. Men tend to be reactive rather than proactive and wait for ill health or disease to hit before kick-starting a health programme.
But remember guys, prevention is far better than cure. Fat tissue in your body stores toxins but also produces oestrogen. High oestrogen levels have been linked to male breast cancer. While this is still rare, health experts fear that the rise in the number of obese men will see a rise in the disease.
Also of concern is the use and abuse of alcohol, especiallyan over indulgence in beer. Beer contains xeno-estrogens, which mimic the female hormone oestrogen. This overload leads to a conversion of testosterone into oestrogen, giving men female-like qualities. Male training programmes can also contribute to the man boob syndrome.
If pecs and abs are over trained, the muscles pull the body into a forward, droopy appearance, letting the pecs become softer.The solution is to train the upper back muscles that will pull the shoulders back, lifting the chestmuscles and lengthening your torso, making it appearmore toned.
Testosterone levels in males have also decreased by 20pc in the last 20 years, as an active day pushing a wheelbarrow has been replaced by men pushing biros in offices. This does not look like a problem that is going to go away. Children today are more interested in recreating the actions of their heroes in computer games than their soccer, Gaelic or rugby heroes on playing fields.
So guys, your aim should be to raise the levels of that hormone that you ought be abundant in – testosterone. American author on health Dr Johnny Bowden has listed five ways to help your levels soar:
1. Avoid a low-fat diet and supplement it with Omega 3 to decrease inflammation and keep your heart healthy.
2. Eat a diet rich in protein: Studies on low protein diets have shown that they lead to lower testosterone counts and lower sex drives.
3. Lift weights: use compound exercises that use lots of muscle like squats and dead lifts.
4. Get sleeping: your body releases growth hormone in the first 30-60 minutes of sleep and it particularly benefits from sleep between the hours of 10pm and 2am.
5. Take a break from alcohol .Other ways to increase your activity levels are to, first and foremost, make time for it. Make health a priority. Train early in the morning, play five a-side football and initiate changes in nutrition. Consult an expert in health or weights and get a training partner. Choose someone stronger, who will make youe xceed your expectations. Now is the time to get lean,strong and, most importantly,active!
- Damien Maher
