If you’re stuck in a runt and need inspiration and motivation to work out look at the pictures below for encouragement. With a proper diet, dedication, and a lot of hard work you can also be a success story. The real question is do you have the self motivation to do it?

According to Men’s Health one can boost their I.Q. by drinking water. Well, at least it wasn’t alcohol they said that could boost your I.Q.

As the New Year unfolds, millions of people set goals to lose weight…but sadly few are successful. If you are one of the millions of people attempting to change your lifestyle, you are about to learn a simple, but powerful framework to help you not only lose weight, but also keep it off for the rest of your life. It’s not smoke and mirrors, it’s not about promising you fast, easy results, and it’s not about crash dieting. This article is a do-it-yourself guide to help you lose weight safely, naturally, and sustainably.

Hair in a can, the Flowbee and ExtenZe.  How do they all fit together?  I’ll save you a bit of head scratching:  They’re products that offer incredible results, but generally fall flat on their faces in the delivery department… not that I’ve ever tried any of them.  Ever.  Ahem, moving right along.

As men with disposable income, we’re subjected to a near constant barrage of crap that will do anything from grow muscles, grow a “muscle” or cure us of some menial chore that only seems to be difficult for actors on infomercials.  Generally, it’s pretty easy to weed out the chaff and move on with our day.  However, what happens when you come across something that is cause for a bit more attention?  Something like one of the candies from a company called Snap Infusion?

Let’s say you were out one night until an irresponsible hour (I know, such a thing would never happen), and let’s say that during your nocturnal sojourn you imbibed more than your fair share of scotch.  The following morning when you wake up to go help rebuild the orphanage and rescue kittens from trees you may be suffering from a hangover.  Standard cure?  Pop two aspirin, pound back some coffee, take a shower and get yourself some bacon and eggs.  Maybe a hash-brown if you’re feeling frisky.  Some prefer a certain sport beverage hocked by their athletic idols, but really… you’re a grown man of refined taste, surely you can do better.  Which is when you reach for the jelly beans you keep on the nightstand.

Snap Infusion is selling itself as a bit of a candy-miracle-cure-all.  Here are a few quotes from the product’s website, and no, I’m not making these up:

“You could climb an entire mountain while chewing our Gum and have enough energy left to blow a celebratory bubble at the summit.”

“…its true calling is to help you run, jump, play, shoot and shred with an advanced degree of awesome.”

Personally, I’ve only got a B.A. in Awesome and could use the more advanced degree.  Are these the words of a modern day snake-oil saleman?  Each of Snap Infusion’s candies use “super science to squeeze massive flavor into a small space”.  I have no idea what that means.  That said, here’s some of what they boast:  all-natural ingredients, no HFCS, B-vitamins, electrolytes and antioxidants.  I dig it and maybe this isn’t just a passing fad.  Instead of popping an actual handful of jelly beans or gnawing our way through some caramel we can have a “candy” that gives a little back.

I don’t think that chewing on a piece of gum is going to cure a hangover, but neither will the shower, the bacon and eggs (regardless of quantity) or massive cup of coffee.  Time cures hangover.  What Snap Infusion is offering is a little bit of a boost to help you along the way.  Certainly something to consider before your next night out.

Image by Cornell University Library via Flickr

Right about now you are probably doing everything you can to get out of the gym and into the outdoors but you don’t want to completely give up your workouts. So, here are a few summer fitness tips that will take you outside for some enjoyable and healthy activities.

Most experts agree that a well rounded fitness and/or diet program begins with breakfast every morning. There is the excuse in winter that you are just too warm and comfortable in your bed to get up and make breakfast; however, during the summer there is no reason not to get up and make a nutritious breakfast.

Along those same lines with summer comes an endless supply of many different types of vegetables and fruits and you should try to include a minimum of five servings a day. Be sure to try different things so that you can get the benefit of many nutrients.

Why not try learning a new water sport or reviving an old one? Head out to a local lake or river and test your canoeing or kayaking skills. This will provide a great core and upper body workout while keeping you cool.

If you are looking to develop more power then you may want to check out plyometrics; it is a great way boost power and muscle mass and can be done outside. A fast workout would include jump squats, clap pushups, burpees and jump lunges; all designed to burn fat.

Another quick way to get in shape and add muscle definition to the upper body is to rock climb. Invest in some lessons first and then head out to a real mountain to tryout your new skills.

If you are a parent then summer is the perfect time for spending quality time with your child. Plan a camping or fishing trip or just go for a long hike; great as a way to get some exercise while teaching them about the great outdoors.

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For many men a visit to the doctors office is only done when necessary, when something is not right; very rarely is it self initiated. It really makes no difference whether this is due to a lack of time on your part or perhaps it is no real motivation because no one should care more about your health than you. So, set aside all of your excuses, man-up and start following a health screening regimen.

You should have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 to 3 years throughout your life since high blood pressure is a huge risk factor when it comes to stroke, kidney damage and heart attack. You should also have a lipid panel test done about every 4 years to test your cholesterol. This test will show the amount of lipids (fat) that is in your blood; unwanted levels are a risk factor of both strokes and heart attacks.

By having a fasting blood sugar test every three years, or less, you will be able to tell fairly early if you have diabetes, it should be completed even more often if there is a family history. Other factors that determine if you should be tested include obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

You should have your eyes checked every year, especially if you are in the high risk group for glaucoma. Some of those risks include severe myopia, those with diabetes, those with a family history of the disease and those that are over 40 years old. If you have a family history of melanoma, have a serious sunburn or are subjected to frequent sun exposure you will want to get a full body exam for skin cancer at least every 4 to 5 years.

Men in their 50’s should be screened for rectal and colon cancer; although 50 is the recommended age those that are at higher risk should begin their testing earlier. This would include those with a family history, any kind of inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and polyps. The same holds true for prostate cancer screening, it usually begins around 50 but you may want to start earlier as all of these have a better chance of treatment when they are caught early.

No one is going to force you to seek out any kind of screening or testing, it is up to you to take care of your health.

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Trying to improve your eating habits does not mean that you will need to start some kind of draconian deprivations and start to scrutinize what you eat, looking for everything over the calorie limit. If you make a few simple adjustments to your eating habits you will see the results within a few weeks. And, by following these tips you will not have to let your friends know that you are trying to watch what you eat nor will your next date think you are a pickier eater than she is for asking for anything low calorie.

Most people do not enjoy having to drink water all day; there is no flavor or perhaps it just doesn’t quench your thirst like a soda or juice would. If you happen to be big on drinking juice then find one that has lots of pulp; this is because the pulp will help to fill you up quicker meaning you will drink less and reduce your calorie intake.

Your next tip is to use whole wheat bread, bagels and crackers; just stay away from white bread. The additional fiber found in whole wheat helps to kill the appetite much quicker so rather than eating another portion of white bread products you will likely eat less which again reduces your calorie intake. An added bonus is that items that contain whole wheat help keep your blood sugar level more stable over a much longer amount of time.

If you are one of those that brings your lunch to work and you include a sandwich in that lunch that means that you are eating at least 5 sandwiches during the week so you will need to cut down on the fat and calorie content that is in the sandwich while still maintaining some kind of flavor. The first thing to do is to not include cheese or at least cut down on the amount of cheese that you use; instead of using sliced cheese try using shaved or shredded cheese, it covers the same amount of area but you will use less.

While it is a fact that most often it just is not a sandwich without mayonnaise, however men have a tendency to use a lot of it. The next time you make a sandwich pay attention to the amount of mayo that you use, that is a lot of calories; by simply cutting it down some you will lower your calorie intake and before you know it you may even me switching to a light mayonnaise. You can see that these simple tips are not going to completely complicate your eating habits they will only help you to shed a few of those unwanted pounds.

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It happens to everyone. You are in a restaurant or in the car, trying to read a map or any other number of scenarios and of course you can’t find your glasses. Well, then you should definitely check out CliC glasses and see just what all the fuss is about over this amazing eyewear.

CliC glasses hang around your neck on a very comfortable and springy band (no more of those “granny” chains hanging around your neck) and have a front magnetic closure so that you just grab them, bring them together across the bridge of your nose and “clic” them into place; you will never again have to fumble around for your reading glasses. They are also available in sunglass form so you can easily and comfortably read while sitting at the beach, pool, or marking your scorecard out on the golf course.

For those with a really active lifestyle they also come as goggles. The patented magnets that are used in CliC’s stay together even up to 130 mph, which should be enough for any sport that you participate in.

These readers come in six different magnification powers so that you are sure to find what you need. The frames come in several colors including transparent for those that prefer it. They are fashionable, unisex, and are one size fits all. Go check them out, buy a pair and then wonder how you ever got along without them.

Interestingly enough the American Medical Association actually stepped back and took another look at “medicinal marijuana” in November of 2009 and as a result they have decided that perhaps it does warrant further investigation and clinical research in order for the plant to be used for medicinal purposes. They even asked the government to re-think their classification of the stuff as a Schedule I form of a controlled substance that lumps the plant in with many dangerous narcotics such as LSD and heroin. The group pointed out that there have only been a very few controlled studies done on smoked marijuana even though there has been ongoing clinical research for over 30 years and are now encouraging further research to be done.

Even the Obama administration, earlier this year, demanded that narcotics agents no longer prosecute those users of medicinal marijuana in the states that do allow its use. This is a big change from the strict opposition of previous administrations even in those states where it is legal. There are 13 states that currently allow the use of medicinal marijuana but there are about 12 or more that are beginning to consider allowing its use.

Of course all of the marijuana advocacy organizations are thrilled with the American Medical Association’s revised position and also with the shift in general about people’s attitude toward the use of medicinal marijuana. Even though the federal policy does still oppose this legalization, citing the Federal Drug Administration’s judgment in opposition of its safe use as medicine, the popular opinion seems to swing toward favoring the continuation of research and its medicinal usage.

Photo Courtesy of “Caveman 92223″ via Flickr.

Quite possibly every males’ worst nightmare is to find out that in the heat of the moment they are not able to perform, unable to get an erection. Fortunately we are in the 21st century where all of the medical research is really starting to pay off as there are a number of different remedies available for erectile dysfunction and even some quick fixes as a temporary solution.

One such solution was introduced in March of 1998 in the form of a pill called Viagra; a drug that claimed to be somewhere between 70 and 80% effective in helping men suffering from impotence. It was predicted that it may just become the number one seller in the pharmaceuticals industry, predicting as much as $3 billion dollars a year in sales.

Even though only about half of all men between 40 and 70 years old state they have trouble getting or keeping an erection the rush for this drug does indeed suggest that it is probably a higher percentage citing that impotence is a fragile subject for most men so it is very likely that it is under reported.

It didn’t take long for men to start heading to their doctor’s office for this pill; as a matter of fact as quickly as the middle of April 1998 they were already approximately 40,000 prescriptions being written every day; topped only by Prozac (the best selling antidepressant in the world) which boasts about 70,000 prescriptions a day. Of course when you consider some of the other treatments available prior to this pill, like implant surgery, injections of different drugs and genital suppositories, it is no wonder that there was a huge rush for this wonder drug.

You can thank the men participating in clinical trials for angina and chest pain treatments as this is what the drug was originally intended to treat. While those results were disappointing they did notice some rather interesting side effects which included prolonged and increased erections. Yep, rather than sending more blood to the heart it increased the blood flowing to the penis. Thank you clinical trials!