2022-03-01 Men's Health UK

Capsule Collection

THE EXPERT

Dr Gregory Scott Brown is a
psychiatrist, a Men’s Health adviser
and the founder of the Center for
Green Psychiatry in the US

Ashwagandha L-theanine

Useful for: Stress and Useful for: Performance
anxiety. It might also help anxiety, like doing well in
with insomnia, but don’t a tense meeting or on a test.
expect it to knock you out It may reduce the body’s stress
on the first night. response during those tasks.
What’s the dose? Studies Effects are mild. It may also
tend to use 300mg twice help with attention and
a day for at least six weeks. reaction time.
Take note: Don’t expect What’s the dose? 200mg;
many benefits from adding many studies suggest it can
it to a smoothie at the juice create a calm but alert state
bar; you need it every day in about an hour. (It’s one of
for several weeks for it to my favourite supplements.)
work. Be careful if you’ve Take note: L-theanine
had a hormone-sensitive is in green and black teas,
illness such as prostate but there’s only about 6mg
cancer, as this herb may of L-theanine in a cuppa.
affect hormone levels.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; STUDIO 33; STEVE GALLAGHER. ILLUSTRATION: KYLE HILTON Doctor’s SAM-e Rhodiola Rosea
Orders
Useful for: Mild Useful for: Mild
Keep in mind there depression. This might be depression (again) and
are no magic bullets useful if you can’t use fish mental fatigue, although
for your mental health. oil. (Vegans, take note.) more studies need to be
What’s more, the effects What’s the dose? It can done. Research is mixed
of supplements are boost energy, so start low on whether it can also
milder than prescription and go slow. I suggest help with anxiety.
products. They shouldn’t starting at 200mg per day What’s the dose? Research
be used to treat severe for a week; go to 400mg has found that 340mg once
mental illness without the next week. I don’t  or twice a day for at least
working closely with recommend more than six weeks may boost your
a psychiatrist. Some 800mg twice a day. It can mood and help you feel
conditions can even be take six weeks before you more emotionally stable.
exacerbated by supps, notice a change. Take note: Look for
so self-experimentation Take note: A compound a product that contains
isn’t advised. found naturally in the active ingredients in the
body, SAM-e has been concentrations that have
studied for depression since been studied; that’s one
the 1970s. It’s approved as with 3% rosavins and at
an antidepressant in some least 1% salidrosides.
European countries.

MEN’S HEALTH 51



Head
Strong

How I Keep It Together

Rishi Mandal

Standing out in the home-fitness industry is tough
work. Rishi Mandal, CEO of Future, devised an app
that brings personal trainers to your smartphone.
Here’s how the father of two schedules his day

ILLUSTRATION: JASON RAISH

6.30am MANDAL TRAINS BOTH
HIS BRAIN AND BODY
Get Up And About
WORDS: TAYLYN WASHINGTON-HARMON. PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY; STUDIO 33; GETTY IMAGES. 12pm 2pm 6.15pm
ARTWORK: PETER CROWTHER AT DEBUT ART. ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATION: BEN MOUNSEY-WOOD If Mandal isn’t woken up
by his alarm, he’ll be woken Fit In Some Future Never Not Chef It Up
up by his kids, aged one and Learning
four. He brings them in for On weekdays, he pencils in As well as being a CEO,
some quality time first thing a weightlifting session with Due to the pandemic, Mandal husband and dad, Mandal
in the morning. ‘It’s a little his Future coach to keep adopted a habit of listening takes the role of home chef,
bit of chaos to start every in shape. ‘I never miss to audiobooks after lunch, whipping up an ‘elaborate’
day,’ he says. ‘A time I can [a workout], because compiling his thoughts on meal for his family every
really lean into and enjoy.’ I relentlessly schedule his phone in a running note evening. His baked fish with
he has aptly named ‘TIL’ sherry and a knob of butter
8am everything,’ he says. (Today I Learned). His most is a great hit. ‘I always make
‘I don’t have to think about recent auditory read? The a first course, fast, which
Walk And Talk anything. I just hit start.’ American Story by David M is usually a veg such as
After, he grabs a pre- Rubenstein. ‘Hopefully, romanesco broccoli,’ he says,
He’s on autopilot now, prepped lunch – usually writing down notes embeds to keep the kids from getting
starting with coffee (a salmon and a complex them more deeply,’ he says. hangry. ‘The fish comes out
bright Ethiopian blend) amazing and you have to
and a veggie breakfast carb such as brown do very little.’
burrito like clockwork. His rice, with
first phone meeting of the spinach and 10pm
day, often with Future’s roasted carrots
chief operating officer, – to reduce Puzzle Down
is always a walking one, decision-
no video required. ‘Getting making and Mandal often sleeps poorly,
moving and thinking sets keep himself so he has developed a puzzle
the tone for my day,’ he says. on track. habit to help him get a better
night’s kip. ‘Doing these
9am puzzles helps me stay
engaged and turn off my
Track Random screens,’ he says. By the
Thoughts time he’s done, he’s ready
to drift off.
Mandal doesn’t get many
meeting gaps, leaving little MEN’S HEALTH 53
room to decompress. To
keep track of his thoughts,
he keeps it old school: with
a physical notebook. He
says it helps him step back
and listen more. ‘I have
a three-column system
where I’ll write notes on
the left, feedback in the
middle and random ideas
I have on the right, and
it turns into a timeline
of the day,’ he says.





Alastair Campbell Talking Heads
Journalist, mental Alastair Campbell
health campaigner meets Maro Itoje
and Men’s Health
contributing editor

Lions
King
Having helped Saracens back to
the Premiership and named Player
of the Series in last summer’s Lions tour, England’s
Maro Itoje starts this month’s Six Nations tournament
on a roll. But as associates will tell you, Itoje is more
than just a rugby player. Here, with Alastair Campbell,
he talks brains, brawn and leadership

Photography by Hamish Brown

Thoughtful both on
and off the field, Itoje
is a breaker of moulds

Talking Heads
Alastair Campbell
meets Maro Itoje

W AC: If you had to give percentages Itoje credits his
elcome to a new Men’s Health series, Talking on what makes you a successful success more to
Heads. Don’t worry, this isn’t just an excuse athlete, how much for mental, mental strength
for me to bang on about mental health – though how much for physical? rather than
there will be a bit of that. It’s a series of interviews MI: Wow! (Long pause.) I would say physical ability
with fascinating people, with special focus on 70% mental. Obviously if I didn’t have
the mental and psychological side of what they physical attributes I would not be a STYLING: HAYLEY LAWRENCE. GROOMING: SUSANA MOTA. ILLUSTRATION: NICK HARDCASTLE
do. Inevitably that means sport will figure large. rugby player. I’d maybe be a journalist
It’s odd, when you think about it, that people or politician. (Laughs.) I was fairly late
in sport, primarily a physical enterprise, seem to rugby and it didn’t come naturally
to take the psychological side of things more to me. Speak to coaches from when
seriously than people in politics or business, I was 12 to 15, they would say I was tall,
activities that are primarily cerebral. strong and athletic, but there were
My first guest is Maro Itoje. Perhaps the players far more talented than I was.
country’s best known English rugby player But I surpassed them and had more
since Jonny Wilkinson, certainly England’s success due to how much attention
most prominent black player, and with an image I paid to consistency, work ethic,
far removed from the rugby clichés of old. He my mental approach to the game.
doesn’t like beer, for a start. He’s a big man AC: Define your mental approach.
with a soft voice and a thoughtful manner; an MI: I would say that I make no
art collector; a student with a degree in politics, excuses but leave no stone unturned.
who’s now studying for an MBA between training, I do whatever I can to be in a position
matches and his numerous off-field sponsorship, to perform at my best.
charity and media activities; an Old Harrovian AC: Can there be a ‘good defeat’?
private school boy with deeply progressive views; MI: Fortunately, none of the teams
and a proud Englishman, who is prouder still I play for expect to lose any games.
of his Nigerian heritage. With Saracens, we are competing for
I have known Itoje, now 27, since he first started honours in England and Europe. With
to interest the England selectors, when team England, we are going out to win the
manager Richard Hill brought him to my house Six Nations, World Cup, overseas tours.
to discuss leadership, teamship and strategy, With the Lions, the aim is to win every
based on my experience in politics, and my game. So every defeat hurts. If we lose,
analysis for a book on winning. He was bright, of course it is partly because the other
confident, informed and inquisitive. He’s a team does well, but I always believe it
deep thinker, about many things other than is about us – that we did not play as well
sport, and we have kept in touch. as we can, we were not at our best.
I also did an event on mental health with him AC: Which of these statements
and his Saracens teammates, part of the greater do you subscribe to more? ‘I love
openness about the mind across sport. After he winning’ or ‘I hate losing’.
collected me from the Tube, and then made me MI: I hate losing.
a perfect cup of tea, that theme, the linking of the AC: It’s amazing how many
mental and the physical, is where we began our successful sports stars say that.
discussion, at the north London home he shares MI: You can take winning for granted.
with his older brother Jeremy. Losing ruins everything. I try not to
ride the wave of the winning and losing
cycle, but it is inevitable. If you’re not
careful, you lose control over your
emotional state and how you feel.
AC: Do you need emotion to play well?
MI: You do.
AC: So how do you separate good
and bad emotion?
MI: By being within reason. If you go
so high with the highs and so low with
the lows, you are not stable and that
affects how you train, it affects your

58 MEN’S HEALTH

‘Every defeat
hurts, but
I try not to
ride that wave
of winning
and losing’

‘Everyone has
the scope for

leadership. You
just have to

find a way that
works for you’

Talking Heads
Alastair Campbell
meets Maro Itoje

Focusing only on consistency, it affects relationships outside. It can AC: Would you like me to advise you
the things that are be all encompassing, so you’re either super happy on how to answer tricky questions
within his control has or super sad. I try to hover and not ride the wave. without upsetting your boss? I have
allowed Itoje to move AC: You’re an Arsenal fan. You once told me some experience here.
ever forward about a game when Theo Walcott scored MI: Eddie and I have spoken about the
an amazing goal and you went crazy. Then comments, and I think if you spoke to
Liverpool went on to win the game and you him, he would clarify what’s in the book.
felt so crushed that you took a decision there AC: I am guessing you don’t think
and then not to get so emotionally invested in coaches should write books about
something you couldn’t control. Can you players they are currently coaching?
just switch emotions off like that? MI: (Laughs.) Next question.
MI: Two things stand out there for me. In life, AC: Was there something in the
you can only control what you can control. I can’t central point, that you are very self-
control what you do. I can’t control what others contained, very disciplined about
say about me. I can only control what I do and your performance, and that makes
make peace with that, make peace with who you you focused on yourself rather than
are and try to do the right thing by who you are. driving others, as leaders do?
So that is one part of the answer. Another part is, MI: I understand but disagree. I have
if you want to do something, just get on with it. read your Winners book and you’d
Moping and sulking and dilly-dallying may have agree there are different styles of
a place, but you have to get on with it. leadership. There is no one way to lead.
AC: Have you ever had what I would define Tony Blair led differently to Gordon
as depression? Brown, or to Margaret Thatcher.
MI: No, but I know players who have. AC: Let alone the current clown.
AC: When I did that talk at Saracens, I sensed MI: He is very different, yeah.
one or two who were struggling. Do you think (Laughs.) Even looking at Tony
rugby is more open than other sports? Blair and Margaret Thatcher, take the
MI: The rhetoric around it has changed from when politics out of it and it’s fair to say they
I first played. People are more open, they talk were two very good leaders, but very
about feelings, ask how you feel – and mean it. different. Or look at basketball: Michael
AC: So no saying ‘man up’? Has that gone? Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James
MI: Not gone, but things are better. – all leaders of their teams, all different.
AC: If you were struggling, would you feel Everyone has scope for leadership and
able to tell the coach? you have to find the way it works for you.
MI: I would definitely feel there was someone AC: An excellent diplomatic
in the organisation I could go to. I don’t think response to Mr Jones, Mr Itoje.
it was always like that. You once told me that you try to
AC: Define your own temperament. hurt people, but legitimately. So
MI: Generally well-balanced. I am a cautious that means they are trying to hurt
person by nature. I am deeply thoughtful, prone you. Do you fear getting injured?
to overthinking, maybe. MI: I would never go into a game
AC: Including in the game? thinking I might get injured.
MI: Including in the game, yes. I might sometimes think about the
AC: How does that affect you on the field? ramifications of getting a serious
MI: It means it can take me longer to make a injury, but never when playing.
decision than it should. I might think something AC: What are the limits of the
needs to be said, but I overthink and instead of pain you can inflict on others?
saying it, I hold back, when the right thing would MI: Anything within the law. There
be to say it straight out. are no limits to how hard you can hit
AC: Is that what [England coach] Eddie Jones in a tackle, how hard you run at an
meant when he said you are maybe too opponent when ball-carrying. You
reserved to be a captain? don’t set out to break bones. But you
MI: (Pause, smile, pause.) Well, you know Eddie, hit them as hard as you can. Collision
you have his number, so you will have to ask him is part of the sport. If you dominate the
what he meant. collisions, your team is on the front
AC: I presume you were disappointed that he foot, so you have a better chance to win.
chose to put that kind of criticism into a book?
MI: (Laughs.) So… how can I put this? (Pause.)

MEN’S HEALTH 61

Talking Heads
Alastair Campbell
meets Maro Itoje

AC: Do you ever feel fear in those attacks your character – the very essence Itoje is already
really physical situations? of who you are – and you have no control. planning for his
MI: No. There was just once in my AC: So when someone asks you where life after his rugby-
whole career when I went, ‘Oh shit!’ the milk is when you’re in Waitrose… playing career
when I knew a collision was coming. MI: It has happened so often in my life. I’ll
I was 19 or 20. We had a kick-off, be shopping in the supermarket and because
Alesana Tuilagi caught the ball – I’m black, people think I work there… you
I can’t remember if it was when he was become numb to it after a while.
at Leicester or Newcastle – and he looks AC: Does it linger?
up, comes running at me, high knees, MI: That form of conscious-bias racism, although
fast, and I was thinking, ‘This is really, aggressive, is fairly low-level. Other types of
really going to hurt.’ But I made the racism, such as direct racial abuse, leave more
tackle. It was okay in the end. of an imprint. I have received that, for sure.
AC: A lot of top sportsmen and AC: When it happens, are you not tempted
women really struggle when they just to lay them out?
leave the sport. Are you thinking MI: When I was growing up, I watched a lot of
about post-rugby life yet? American TV. People would use the N-word a
MI: A lot. lot and you would see visceral outbursts, fights
AC: So what seat are you going for? breaking out. For me, I have never done that,
MI: (Laughs.) I started thinking about because it is so far from how I see myself. I don’t
post-rugby a few years ago. How you want to give anyone the power of feeling they can
transition, what I might do, how to have make me react in a certain way. If someone makes
a stable financial situation. People find a racial slur, it’s more reflective of them than me.
the transition so hard, so it’s important AC:  Has it ever happened in a match?
to plan ahead. I try not to be identified MI: Not to me, but I know it’s happened to others.
exclusively as a rugby player. AC: If it happened to you, would you expect
AC: Is that why you do so much your white teammates to get involved?
outside rugby? MI: Sometimes these things are said quietly, but
MI: Partly. I don’t want to just be if it was loud enough and happened to me, I know
a rugby player. I am known as that, my teammates would speak up for me, for sure.
obviously, but I was Maro Itoje before Sport is interesting, in that it tends to be more
I was a rugby player. meritocratic than many other walks of life.
AC: Do you dread being known for I am aware my experience is different to the
the rest of your life as an ‘ex-rugby way other black people will be treated.
player’, like I am ‘Tony Blair’s ex- AC: If you were racially abused by the crowd,
right-hand man’? would you walk off?
MI: I want to be a success in a sphere MI: Context is everything. I would have to give
independent from rugby. I’m interested that further thought. Two immediate arguments
in politics, I am interested in business, come to my mind. First, the whole game should
I am interested in certain charities, I am stop if there is abuse among the crowd. If it
interested in art. I would want to keep is one or two people, remove them. Second,
a connection to rugby, but I won’t be I don’t want to give [racial abusers] the power
a coach, I wouldn’t want to be a pundit. over you as to when you do or don’t play.
I’d maybe do a World Cup or a Lions AC: When [former education secretary]
tour, but not on the circuit. Gavin Williamson confused you with Marcus
AC: So of those – politics, business, Rashford, was that because he knows nothing
charity, art – which holds the about sport, or because he thinks all black
greatest appeal? people look the same?
MI: I see myself doing a bit of all of MI: This goes contrary to the narrative, but
them, a portfolio existence. I will have I actually believe it was a genuine mistake.
my business exploits, I will have my AC: How can he make that mistake? The two
charity interests, maybe delve into of you don’t look alike.
a couple of NGOs… who knows? MI: No, we don’t look alike, we don’t speak alike,
AC: Is racism a mental health issue? but I think it must have been a long interview,
If someone is subject to racist abuse, he got sidetracked and confused. I am giving him
is that detrimental to mental health? the benefit of the doubt. When we spoke, he knew
MI: 100%. Being subject to racism I was me, not Marcus Rashford. The main culprits
here are mainstream media. Black athletes are

62 MEN’S HEALTH

‘I don’t want upper-class person looks down on
anyone to have someone they see as lower class, it has
systemic ramifications. When lower-
the power of class people abuse the elites, while the
feeling they can abuse is still wrong, it doesn’t have the
make me react same structural ramifications. Top-
down abuse is more damaging.
a certain way’ AC: I have just read Sad Little Men
by Richard Beard, which is about
often getting reported as someone else. You the damage done to kids sent away
see a picture of Anthony Joshua and they say to school and the damage done to the
it is Anthony Watson. In rugby, Ellis Genge country because of it. Johnson and
and Lewis Ludlam have been mistaken for Cameron figure large. What is your
each other numerous times. take on the role of private education
AC: Why were you meeting Williamson? in our national life?
MI: We didn’t meet. It was over Zoom. I was MI: I go back and forth on this a lot.
doing the digital divide campaign to get more There is a place for them, but they
tablets into schools. have a responsibility to do more for the
AC: He didn’t ask you what it was like playing communities in which they sit, and the
with Martial and Pogba? other schools in those communities.
MI: He did not. Was it in Spider-Man when Uncle Ben
AC: How else does the media fall short in said, ‘with great power comes great
its reporting of race? responsibility’? They have enormous
MI: A lot of it is about the language and the resources and capacity and I don’t
imagery. A white teenager gets murdered and believe they should sit by themselves
we hear about the great kid from a loving family; and care for themselves.
a black teenager gets murdered and it’s all about AC: Can Johnson even begin to
gangs and hoodies. understand what levelling up
AC: In your house, you cannot be here for more means if that is the kind of
than a minute before noticing your love for education he had, which is
African art. Is that just because you like it more so out of reach of most people?
than other art, or because of your background? MI: It’s for him to define what he means
MI: A bit of both. African art speaks to my soul. by ‘levelling up’.
I have a level of connection to it that is deeper than AC: He won’t talk to me. (Itoje
other artwork. I appreciate all art forms, but I have laughs.) What is your take on
a real connection with this. the current political situation?
AC: If I gave you a Picasso, would you take MI: I feel as if we are in a state where
one of these down and replace it? we don’t have a government that is
MI: I would take it to an auction house! (Laughs.) impressive, but the opposition is not
Or maybe keep it for two years and then sell. Even making a compelling enough case. If
with Picasso, a brilliant artist, or someone like there was an election tomorrow, I think
Banksy today, I see the beauty in what they do, but the Tories would win.
I am not as connected as I am to these Nigerian AC: Last time you told me you voted
pieces. They are all from Nigeria, every single one. Lib Dem. What about now?
Whenever I go there, I make a conscious effort to MI: I would vote Labour this time.
visit the galleries. I think Keir Starmer is a serious
AC: Did you ever get racially abused at Harrow? politician. He doesn’t have the
MI: No. There was a fairly big black community charisma of Johnson, but he is
at Harrow, a lot of Nigerians and other minority a serious and more endearing
ethnic people. politician, with a deeper feel
AC: Do you think class is a mental health issue? and affection for the country.
MI: All discrimination is detrimental. AC: Is there anything else you
AC: If I abuse Old Etonians for ruining the would like to say?
country, is that the same as the rich looking MI: Do you want another cup of tea?
down on the poor?
MI: Abuse is abuse and it’s wrong whatever, but
it’s a different power dynamic. When a perceived

MEN’S HEALTH 63

THE
TESTOSTERO
REVOLUTION

T is everywhere, and it’s
not just for swole lifters
looking to get huge. Online
services are gunning to
make testing your levels
– and topping up – easier
than ever, assisting with
everything from confidence
to weight loss. In the US,
advertising the hormone
to consumers is already
big business. But how
does the science stack up?

WORDS BY BILL GIFFORD

COULD EXTRA T
BUILD UP YOUR
SELF-CONFIDENCE?

Saad Alam was worried. His doctor had called him into the office
to talk about his latest test results. At 35, Alam had been feeling off
his game for a while. His energy level had tanked, his brain was like
a sieve and he had the sex drive of a week-old banana. Worse, despite
working out religiously, he was growing a set of baby love handles.
He’d gone to his doctor to try to figure out what was wrong, and now
he was about to find out. Was it cancer? Something worse?

Nope. The diagnosis: Alam was risk of dangerous side effects than more sauce on their McNuggets. In the
suffering from ‘existential millennial previously believed. late 19th century, a brilliant but bonkers
angst’. Frustrated, he went on to see French scientist, Charles-Édouard
a dozen more specialists before one American companies such as Hone Brown-Séquard, injected himself
finally deduced, via a blood test, are bringing T out of the world of with an extract of mashed-up dog and
that his testosterone level was very sketchy hormone clinics and extreme- guinea pig balls. Then in his seventies,
low. Endocrinology experts say that bodybuilding websites and supplying it he reported an immediate surge in
a healthy man’s testosterone should to stressed-out millennials trying to fix energy and strength, as well as
range from about 264 to 916 nanograms their dad bods. The median age of a man a wickedly improved pee stream.
per decilitre (ng/dL). Alam scored filling a testosterone prescription in the
187. ‘The doctor said, “You’ve got the US is 53. The average age of Hone’s The male sex hormone testosterone
testosterone levels of an 80-year-old nearly 7,000 members is 39 – just old was identified in the early 1930s, and
man,”’ he recalls. enough to feel the pangs of middle age. decades of studies have confirmed what
‘The way I look at it,’ Alam says, ‘is I feel we all know: testosterone helps men (and
If the diagnosis was alarming, the like I’m 25 with the experience of a women) grow and maintain muscle
fix was relatively simple. The doc 40-year-old.’ But is testosterone really, mass, it heightens competitiveness,
prescribed hormone therapy, and as Hone’s website claims, ‘One solution and most of all, it makes you want to go
within three months, Alam says, he to many of life’s problems’? out and have sex – a seductive allure.
felt like his old self again. But the story
does not end there. Four years after Millennial guys are hardly the first But the benefits aren’t just physical.
he walked out of that first doctor’s generation to wish they had a little ‘Testosterone signifies masculinity, and
office, Alam is the founder and CEO
of a US-based tech start-up called Hone STEP 2 8–60:
that offers ‘hormone optimisation’ Normal T count
to men in the throes of middle age. FindOut (adult woman)
IfYourT
Launched in April 2020, the company IsNormal 157
has a sleek website that promises ‘More
energy. More confidence. More drive. ‘Normal T’ isn’t a single AGE 80–89
Delivered to your doorstep.’ Hone number. At every age, the 70–79
resembles other players in the online range of normal is huge 60–69
men’s health space, such as Hims, – and the drop with age 50–59
Manual and Numan, which provide isn’t always as dramatic 40–49
meds for erectile dysfunction and hair (or present) as people 19–39
loss without the need for awkward pushing T might make out.
conversations with your doctor. But The range is a guideline. T COUNT <150 ng/dL:
Hone also represents a new phase No matter your number, Severe low T (adult man)
in the way men view, and use, hormone no doctor would diagnose
replacement therapy. Once the you with low T if you didn’t
favoured elixir of ageing boomers also have symptoms such
and cheating athletes, testosterone as low libido or fatigue
is now being embraced by younger
generations, who find its promised
benefits enticing, especially because
new science reveals there’s also a lower

66 MEN’S HEALTH

MAN POWER

STEP 1 masculinity is power in a lot of ways,’ published in 2020 found that the

FeelingSluggish? says Carole Hooven, an evolutionary average testosterone level in men
NotQuiteYourself?
Get Your T Tested biologist at Harvard and author of T: aged 15 to 39 years old had dropped

You have a range of testing options, but a few The Story Of Testosterone, The Hormone from 605 in 1999-2000 to 451 in
rules apply to all: get two tests on two different
days to arrive at an average, and aim to test That Dominates And Divides Us. ‘It’s 2015-2016, representing a 25% decrease
in the morning when your T level is highest.
Levels can fluctuate up to 40% during the day dominance, it’s powerful, it’s sexy, in just 15 years. A study of Danish men

THE HOME TEST and who doesn’t want more of that?’ showed similar results, with a notable

You can purchase a kit online and take The trouble is, many men see their drop among men born in the 1960s
a pin-prick blood sample, which can be
posted for assessment. Test results T level begin to decline to varying compared with those born in the 1920s.
should always be reviewed by doctors
who can offer follow-up advice. degrees after about age 35, slipping Testosterone deficiency is more likely

THE PRIVATE CLINIC slowly as they ease into midlife. to affect men who have a higher BMI

Many private clinics offer blood tests It becomes harder to keep (or or type 2 diabetes. In the UK, sperm
for a range of biomarkers, including
hormone levels. These can be doneBASIC get) muscle and far ‘Testosterone counts, which
in person, if home tests don’t appeal. easier to accumulate signifies are related to
fat and, perhaps as testosterone, have
THE NHS a result, we, like masculinity, been plummeting
Alam, end up for decades.
If you’re experiencing symptoms
associated with low T, your GP should feeling a bit blah Odds are, your
also look at lifestyle factors such as in various areas
stress, diet and other health concerns. of our lives. which is power ownbodyhas
in a lot of ways’ beennaturally

Officially, he was suppressing your

diagnosed with hypogonadism, T for the past year or two. It’s an

which basically means ‘no balls’. evolutionary imperative in times

It wasn’t that he lacked testicles; it’s of crisis: why make babies when

just that they were failing to produce the world is a mess? Joseph Alukal,

a normal amount of testosterone. head of NewYork-Presbyterian’s

#DeezNuts had checked out. new men’s health programme, has

His situation was not unique. With been telling patients for years that if

a little digging, Alam discovered the Bronx Zoo tested the T level of any

that an estimated 20% of his fellow social animal that’s newly confined,

under-40 men have a low testosterone underfed and agitated – even an

level, defined as below 264. More alpha male – it will have crashed,

BEST concerningly, testosterone levels in because the body curbs the sex drive

younger men appear to have fallen in times of stress. ‘In the last year,

across the board. One US study

2.5 percentile 25 percentile 50 percentile 75 percentile 97.5 percentile

218 362 476 604 913
218 372 477 604 926
219 604 929
374 477 531 605 929
235 374 477 929
267 608 929
386 481 643
424 1,000 ng/dL

150–263 ng/dL: 264–916 ng/dL: MEN’S HEALTH 67
Low T (adult man) Normal T (adult man)

the universe ran this experiment in a group of 790 older men with middle-aged guys? The 39-year-olds
on all of us,’ he says. 
very low T levels. Testosterone who are signing up for testosterone
Covid-related mind-body traumas
and weight gain may be accelerating supplementation was shown to treatment online? ‘We’re doing that
the low-T spiral, particularly for guys
in their forties struggling with other increase bone density and strength, experiment in the wild right now,’
societal stressors, too. ‘Men are
thinking about their changes with and subjects reported improved says Professor Hooven, ‘whether
age and feeling like they’re losing
a bit of their edge, especially in the sexual function in the first year. we admit it or not.’
workplace,’ says Peter Gray, a professor
of anthropology at the University of They also didn’t exhibit increased Alam saw a way to turn his diagnosis
Nevada, Las Vegas. ‘Someone in their
forties might think: I still need to go cardiovascular risk, although the into a business: offer male hormone
prove my worth in society. I’m too
young to give up. But now I fall asleep number of subjects was too low and therapy, but in a clean, safe, medically
early on a Friday night – what’s going
on? And is there something that I can the study too short to draw any firm responsible way. A few quick clicks
take that can help address this?’
conclusions. All in all, Covid-related on Hone’s website and
Indeed, there is. Thanks to the these were some pretty a $45 (around £33)
wonders of modern pharma,
testosterone is available in many forms, amazing findings. mind-body testosterone test kit
from creams to gels to shots in the arm But that same 2016 study traumas may will soon land on
at varying doses. And it’s no longer very be accelerating the enquiring man’s
hard to get, either. Even in the UK, also revealed some of the the low-T spiral doorstep. Users consult
testosterone can easily be purchased ways that testosterone falls a doctor, then squeeze
online. While consulting with your GP short in the miracle-drug a few drops of blood
is advised, anyone with a computer or department. The men
smartphone can get some extra T into
their system with the right website. on testosterone didn’t on to a card and

Safety concerns about possible perform significantly better on most send it back to be tested for eight
increased risk of prostate cancer and
cardiovascular disease, which prompted tests of physical function; they also different hormones and biomarkers
dire warnings for decades, have faded
in the face of more substantial evidence didn’t see much improvement in their (all related to testosterone), with
linking low testosterone levels to
greater risk for all kinds of bad stuff, mood or cognition – two of the oft-cited a follow-up test a couple of weeks later
up to and including early death.
One large Canadian study found that benefits of testosterone therapy. to confirm the results and assess
men who had undergone testosterone
replacement therapy for more than This trial – like most research into prostate and cardiovascular health.
16 months actually had less chance
of prostate cancer, cardiac events testosterone for anti-ageing purposes (In the UK, Superdrug offers a similar
and death than men who’d had it for
shorter periods (or not at all). – was done in a population of older service.) Then comes another

Doctors are also discovering that the men (all over 65) with very low discussion with a doctor to determine
benefits of testosterone – helping men
build muscle and lose fat – could help testosterone. Those men benefit in whether or not hormone therapy is
treat other problems. In a recent clinical
trial in overweight men with metabolic specific ways that might be different required and, if so, what kind is best.
syndrome (a cluster of symptoms related
to metabolic health, including obesity from a younger guy’s experience. So Alam takes a relatively low dose of
and poor cholesterol), testosterone
was found to help prevent them from where are the studies in younger and 50mg per week split between two
diabetes, says study co-author Gary
Wittert, a professor of medicine at the injections (or about half the standard
University of Adelaide in Australia,
who has studied hormones for decades. dose used in testosterone replacement

In a 2016 study, researchers therapy). In comparison, competitive
conducted a series of clinical trials
WHEN I TOOK T... bodybuilders might inject between
500 and 2,000mg per week.
‘I felt the changes
almost instantly’ With testosterone top-ups so
easily available – and seemingly safe
to use – the question then becomes:
why not take it? Answer: because you

Santos Trujillo, 49 might not even need it.

In my early forties, before I left the Lifestyle Matters
Navy SEALs, I noticed major changes,
including memory issues and being tired. Besides the fact that they are about the
I was told my T numbers – low 200s same age, Ryan Hall, 39, has almost
– were still good. Another doctor found nothing in common with Saad Alam.
my triglycerides were over 1,000. I made Whereas Alam is an entrepreneur with
a decision to get my life under control, a master’s in public health and an
and T was a part of that. I take two small MBA, Hall is a former world-class
doses every week, some supplements runner with multiple top-10 finishes
and DHEA. I felt the changes almost at major marathons, including the
instantly. Social changes were the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
biggest – I felt less cranky and more
helpful with others. My goal is to look But just like Alam, Hall was battling
for ways to naturally do the things I’m his own extremely low testosterone
replacing with drugs, but for now, this level. This might seem strange for an
is the next best thing and my life is elite athlete, but during his career, he
back on track. regularly tested in the 150 range, which
is well below the lower end of normal
for a man in his thirties. Even though

68 MEN’S HEALTH

MAN POWER

STEP 3 TYPE DOCTOR’S NOTES UPSIDES TRANSDERMAL LONG-ACTING SHORT-ACTING
GEL INJECTION INJECTION
KnowYour
Boosting Applied daily, at home; Aka testosterone Aka testosterone
Options dose may need to be undecanoate; required enanthate; administered
adjusted over time every 10 to 14 weeks; every 2 to 3 weeks, in
‘Gels and injections dose adjusted to keep a clinic or at home
are the most common levels above 12 nmol/L
treatments for UK men,’
says Clive Morrison, a men’s Works quickly; provides Easier to fit into Frequency can
health specialist at the uniform and normal your routine as it’s sometimes be dropped
Centre for Men’s Health. serum levels for 24 administered less often; to every 3 to 6 weeks
hours; side effects are designed to provide for maintenance once
Other options such as rare but, if experienced, smooth increase in levels are restored
tablets and patches exist, treatment can easily levels with gradual drop
be discontinued off to next injection
but are not widely used.
Testosterone replacement DOWNSIDES Potential skin irritation Possible pain or Possible discomfort
therapy isn’t yet as prevalent at application site; discomfort at the at the injection site;
can be transferred to injection site levels more likely
here as it is in the US, as others via skin-to-skin to fluctuate – men
pharma can’t advertise contact; some men may sometimes report these
direct to patients. ‘Although experience absorption as leading to a ‘spike’
you could argue that this issues, in which case and drop-off in levels
leads to greater awareness, another method
might be better
and more men with
genuinely problematic low
T seeking treatment,’ says

Dr Morrison. Here are his
notes on common therapies

he was finishing marathons with the was causing my low testosterone,’ he hormone replacement, you’re in it
lead pack, he felt terrible. ‘I felt like
a walking dead man, just tired all says. ‘Was it physiological, something for the long haul,’ he says. ‘So why
the time,’ he says. ‘All I did was sleep,
eat and train.’ inside of me? Or was it my lifestyle?’ not first try to raise it naturally and

Anti-doping rules made testosterone Bingo. Multiple studies have found get it into a good spot?’
therapy off-limits while he was
competing, but after he retired in 2016, that high-volume endurance training, Ups And Downs
Hall began looking into it seriously. such as serious running and cycling,
‘I knew I didn’t want to keep living with
such low hormone levels,’ he says. can depress a man’s testosterone level, On his own, Hall had discovered

Testosterone replacement seemed sometimes drastically. Hall stopped a crucial fact about testosterone,
like an obvious, easy solution. But
it also became less enticing when running almost entirely ‘If you start which is that it fluctuates
Hall discovered that taking extra and began lifting weights – continually – in
testosterone has the unfortunate side
effect of suppressing a man’s natural daily. He also worked on hormone response to things that
testosterone production – and, not improving his sleep. As replacement, are happening in the
incidentally, often shrinking the a half-starved endurance you’re in it for body or the environment.
testicles – as the body senses that it athlete, he’d kept himself the long haul’ These changes can
has enough of the hormone already. very light, a skinny 10st occur over months
After a couple of months, testosterone on his 5ft 10in frame. So and years, as they did
and sperm production shut down
completely. Hall found that to be he allowed himself to eat with him, or in mere
a deal breaker. ‘I got curious about what
more calories. Between that and seconds. Did an attractive female walk

the weightlifting, he bulked up to by? Your testosterone probably just

a muscular 13st; in Instagram photos went up. Are you competing with

now, he’s almost unrecognisable another guy for a promotion, or even

compared with his marathoning a parking spot? T boost. Did you win

days. And slowly but surely, his a tennis match against your best

testosterone climbed from below frenemy? T boost. Are you fighting

200 up to 600 – in the normal range

for the first time in his life. ‘If you start

MEN’S HEALTH 69

MAN POWER

a cold or the flu? Your T level is likely WHEN I TOOK T... boost testosterone levels, as Hall
going to take a hit. Even the time of discovered. ‘It’s kind of a chicken-
day matters: testosterone is typically ‘It took a while to and-egg thing,’ says Dr Wittert.
highest in the early morning and then find someone to help
declines steadily throughout the day, as I’m young’ The equation is reversed for fat. ‘If
which is why ‘evening wood’ is not you gain weight, it pushes testosterone
really a thing. Corey Menzinger, 29 down,’ Dr Wittert says. ‘If you lose
weight, it goes up. And if you stay
Even as guys look to testosterone to When I was 23, I had bad depression. perfectly healthy, testosterone levels
revive their flagging libido, it turns out After I’d done a couple years of serious stay perfect.’ Studies in very healthy
that sex itself can boost testosterone weightlifting, I checked my T. The doctor older men reveal no age-related
levels – thinking about it, having it said my numbers – about 320 – were decline in testosterone.
or even just watching it. In one of the normal. In doing my own research, I found
more intrepid hormone studies ever that they were roughly the levels of Bottom line: your testosterone level
done, two female researchers working a 70-year-old. I finally found [a doctor could say more about your general
with Professor Gray ventured into to help me], but he picked up his practice health than it does about your age.
a Las Vegas swingers club armed with and left. A year ago, I came across Many things can drive down T levels
salivary testosterone test kits and, Primebody, where I now get everything – for example, being forced to attend
hopefully, latex gloves. They found – 100mg of testosterone cypionate, plus your sister’s baby shower. Poor sleep
that men who participated in sex 1mg of Arimidex [lowers oestrogen] and and lots of chronic stress can also
acts over the course of the evening 50mg of clomiphene [Clomid] – delivered disrupt testosterone production in the
experienced an average testosterone to my door. My body composition and long-term, adds Peter Attia, a physician
boost of 72%, while those who merely muscular mass have gotten better, but focused on longevity. Sleep and
watched had an average rise of 11%. most importantly, I don’t get anxious stress are the primary drivers of low
Food for thought. over things that would have really testosterone, he says. Deep sleep in
hampered my day before. particular helps recharge the body’s
But on the other hand, if you happen hormonal axis, renewing its supply
to meet Ms or Mr Right and get into to be seeking another mate or getting in of good things such as testosterone
a relationship – well, good for you, other kinds of competitive encounters.’ and human growth hormone. ‘I need
but your testosterone will likely begin a reason before I’m going to treat
to decline. Should you settle down It’s probably also time to drop the someone,’ says Dr Attia. ‘I don’t just
together and have a child, it will fall swingers club membership and, say, join treat the [testosterone] number.
even further; studies have found a gym. Studies have shown that taking And some people with low testosterone
that the more time men spend caring testosterone can increase muscle size levels might not have any symptoms.
for young children, the lower their and strength – but other studies have They feel just fine.’
testosterone level can drop. It’s found that strength training itself can
evolution’s way of telling you to be We’ve talked about Covid stress, but
a good dad, says Professor Gray. ‘If stress in general can knock testosterone
you’ve got a six-month-old that you’re down, through the action of the stress
tending to, that might not be the time hormone cortisol – which is also
elevated by poor sleep hygiene.

STEP 4

Be Aware Of The Risks It’sworthmentioningthattestosteronereplacement
therapy is not entirely without risk. If you experience
any symptoms, speak to your GP

LOW SPERM COUNT MOOD CHANGES WEIGHT GAIN HEART ISSUES

Your natural production Coming off testosterone Gynaecomastia – aka Testosterone replacement
of T will be reduced, can be rough, so it’s not ‘man boobs’ – is another therapy can cause
which can impair sperm a decision to be taken potential side effect. An thickening of the blood,
production and fertility. into lightly. Possible side enzyme in fatty tissue making it more prone to
While most men return effects can also include converts testosterone clotting. Regular blood
to their pre-T baseline depression, restlessness, to oestrogen, which can tests during treatment will
when they stop taking it, irritability, aggression trigger their growth. Juice ensure you’re not at risk
speak to an endocrinologist and fatigue, too. too much and excess of heart troubles or stroke.
if you plan to have kids. T winds up as oestrogen.

70 MEN’S HEALTH

CHECK YOUR STRESS LEVELS
AND SLEEP PATTERNS BEFORE
LEANING ON T THERAPY

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: KEVIN DUPZYK; MADDIE BENDER. PHOTOGRAPHY: C J BURTON. ADDITIONAL IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES The same goes for depression, which WHEN I TOOK T... get a vial of testosterone in the post
many men are reluctant to address. next week. His treatment will depend
‘The injections were on his blood test results– testosterone
Dr Wittert argues that it’s important the scariest part’ is checked twice – and a follow-up
to take inventory of what else might consultation with a physician who asks
be going on before resorting to the JP Piol, 41 questions about all aspects of his life.
quick fix of a T prescription. ‘It’s not
a substitute for eating better… [or] I started to gain weight as I got older, ‘Someone who’s 35 probably isn’t
for fixing your mood disorder, or finding I felt like I had depression and my sex going to want to be on T for the rest
you have sleep apnoea and getting it drive was dwindling. About four years of his life,’ Dr Staheli says. Rather, such
treated, or addressing your dyslipidemia ago, my doctor said my levels were fairly a patient might start off on a drug called
or your lack of physical activity, or for low but that there was nothing he would Clomid, which stimulates the body’s
getting enough sleep,’ he says. ‘It starts do right then. Last year, I heard about own production of testosterone
and ends with lifestyle.’ Opt Health and had my levels tested. without impairing fertility; this is what
I qualified for testosterone replacement Alam’s doctor first prescribed him.
Other doctors see testosterone as therapy because my level was 194. The
a potentially useful treatment for these injections were the scariest part, but ‘We like to focus on the Clomid
symptoms, even as a short-term I decided to try it because it could be a approach first, see if we can get the
jump-start. The average Hone patient, game changer. I used to work out twice natural production up, along with
says the company’s medical director, a day. Now I do one workout and put on lifestyle changes: diet-related, sleeping
Jim Staheli, is ‘a typical young guy even more muscle than before. Instead better and certainly exercise,’ says Dr
who’s married, he has several children, of spending all this time at the gym, I can Staheli. ‘If we can get their testosterone
is overweight, he’s stressed out of his go out and enjoy life. levels up enough that they become
gourd because of his job, he isn’t asymptomatic, then it’s a win-win.’
sleeping, he isn’t eating well – and as a
result… his testosterone has plummeted’. Still, it’s definitely worth figuring
out why your testosterone is low
Not surprising. But, Dr Staheli adds, before clicking ‘checkout’ for that
this guy is not just going to automatically online prescription.

MEN’S HEALTH 71

IN THE HOT SEAT
ALASTAIR
CAMPBELL
SHARES INSIGHTS
AND ADVICE
FOR THOSE
LIVING WITH
DEPRESSION

‘Can You

Tell Me

What

Depression

Feels Like?’

A new artificially intelligent therapy service called JAAQ promises
to make a palpable difference to men’s wellbeing, transforming

world-class psychologists, doctors and celebrity campaigners into
your virtual confidants, available to talk at the tap of a screen.
Could this really be the future of mental health treatment?

WORDS BY PAUL WILSON

ne of the world’s foremost A one-to-one with Professor Gilbert is rare. struggling with their mental health can’t get
experts in depression sits facing me, With almost 40 years’ experience as a clinical the care they need because they are, said a
waiting for me to start a conversation. psychologist, he’s worked with thousands of representative of 54 of those NHS trusts, ‘not
I can grill him on his specialist subject patients. But I didn’t have to go on his waiting yet deemed to be unwell enough’.
and he will answer my questions until list, despite one in four UK adults having to wait
I want to stop, not when he or the clock at least three months for treatment to begin after Professor Gilbert sees the problem in starker
says our session is over. I clear my an initial mental health assessment, according terms. ‘It’s very important that we find other
throat and ask him: ‘Am I depressed?’ to an October 2020 poll by the Royal College of ways in which we can help people come together,’
Professor Paul Gilbert shifts slightly Psychiatrists. Nor did I have far to go. We spoke he says, this time speaking to Men’s Health
in his seat, eyes locked on mine, and at my kitchen table; he was on my iPad, his IRL, ‘because we’re never going to sort out the
begins his answer. ‘The question of answers pre-recorded and embedded in JAAQ problems of depression by only going to the GP
whether we know if we have depression (pronounced ‘Jack’), a new online mental or having personal therapy. A lot of depression
is a question that I would bypass, to health platform that launched last October but has to do with social disconnectedness and we
a degree. The most important thing is already radically shifting the conversation have to create new caring communities.’
is that you know that you’re not about how we can deal with mental ill health.
feeling particularly well…’ Danny Gray, the founder of JAAQ, thinks he
Because we absolutely must. In September might be on to something here. JAAQ stands
2021, the official waiting list for NHS mental for ‘just ask a question’ and directly addresses
health care was 1.6m people long, with a further an issue that plagues mental health treatment.
1.5m already in contact with mental health Because if you’re suffering with your mental
services. More disturbingly, NHS mental heath health, then already you know that you should
trusts estimated that a further 8m people talk to someone, start a conversation – just ask
a question. That talking about mental health

74 MEN’S HEALTH

Algorithms & Blues

issues is the first step to dealing with them could psychiatrist Dr Erin Turner and

not be more widely understood. But actually doing actor David Harewood, who had a

it hasn’t become any easier, and in many cases it psychotic breakdown and who made

remains the hardest thing to do, for anyone who a powerful 2019 documentary about

might want to reach out and anyone who might his experience, and that of others.

want to be there to listen. This is especially true To find out about body dysmorphic

for men. In 2018, the Mental Health Foundation disorder, you can quiz Professor David

found that less than a quarter of UK men who Veale, a consultant psychiatrist, or

had felt high levels of stress had discussed it Gray himself, who has suffered with

with a friend or family member. BDD since childhood.

‘What we’re doing with JAAQ,’ says Gray, But JAAQ didn’t happen because

‘is creating a platform where you can get its founder has BDD. Gray, who is 36

access to people, some of whom are and has two young sons
‘We mustworld-leading doctors, others have
with his partner, also
had lived experience of mental founded War Paint,

find newhealth issues. Anyone can go on, the men’s make-up
brand that he pitched
for free, and ask questions and get
the right information. Because if ways to onTVtoDragons’Den
you understand an issue or illness in September 2019.

earlier, then it’s a much quicker connect Twoyearsofrising
process for recovery.’ sales later, he opened

A Problem Shared a store on Carnaby

It works like this: go online to people’ StreetinLondon.
Gray has been upfront
jaaq.co.uk – an app is in the about War Paint being

planning stage – and enter four a direct response to his suffering from

non-identifying personal details: gender, age, BDD. As a teenager with the condition,

ethnicity and location. Then choose the topic brought on by bullying, he borrowed

of conversation, currently depression, psychosis concealer from his sister and the

or body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). (New sections feeling of confidence that wearing it

coming soon are anxiety, eating disorders, gave him manifested itself, eventually,

obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and mental as a business. As War Paint grew, so did

health in sport.) From here, you can choose to ask Gray’s open discussion of his mental

questions of either a specialist or a person who health issues in videos online, in

has lived through, or lives with, the issue at hand. tandem with his business success story.

For depression, it’s Professor Gilbert or In December 2020, Gray was

Alastair Campbell, the writer and former contacted by Sarah Coward, the CEO

director of communications for Downing Street and co-founder of In The Room, which

and the Labour party, who has been dealing developed the technology behind

with depression all of his adult life. Answering JAAQ. It uses AI software to interpret

questions about psychosis are consultant spoken or written questions and choose

the most appropriate response from

TALK IT OUT 150 to 200 filmed answers devised by
THE LIKES OF
DAVID HAREWOOD JAAQ’s on-screen experts, with input
(ABOVE) AND
RUGBY PLAYER from Campbell, Harewood and Gray.
ZAK HARDAKER
(RIGHT)PROVIDE (It took seven to eight hours to film the
YOU WITH A
DIGITAL YET answers, which Gray and Campbell
COMPASSIONATE
SOUNDING BOARD described as gruelling and emotional.)

Initially, Coward wanted to get

entrepreneurs to answer the questions,

for an interactive business insight

experience. She thought of Gray. ‘We

always had healthcare in our grand

plan to make the technology web-

accessible on any device for industry,

entertainment, sport, etc,’ says Coward,

‘but Danny said, “Oh, hold on, this could

be really great for mental health.”’

‘I literally couldn’t sleep after Sarah

showed me the tech,’ Gray recalls. He

had been doing informal private online

MEN’S HEALTH 75

Algorithms & Blues

chats with BDD sufferers, and members Campbell, too, saw the potential in JAAQ

of their support networks, who had immediately. ‘It took me 10 seconds to understand

reached out to him. The feedback he what I was seeing,’ he says. ‘I just was blown

received made him realise how useful away. Since then, I’ve been in touch with people

sharing his story and basic information in government about it. If they’ve got any sense,

about the condition could be. And now, governments and businesses will just pick this

after Coward’s demo, he saw a way for up and run with it. People are interested in the

anyone to benefit. technology side of it and there’s a wow factor to

‘I just saw how it could provide it: you feel like you’re having a real conversation.

access to other people, especially ‘But then, on the more serious side of it: one of

doctors, at scale. I went downstairs the things I know from my own experience, but

and sat on my sofa at half-one in also from lots of other people that now talk to me,

the morning, racking my brain, is that having those first conversations when you

thinking how this could ‘JAAQ think you might be struggling is
change so much – one of the most difficult things
change everything – to do. And a lot of people don’t
for mental health. I just
thought of the name provides want to tell partners, don’t want
to tell friends, don’t want to tell
“Jack” and then thought, colleagues, don’t want to tell a
doctor. But they might, if they
access to“Ohgod,J-A-A-Qis
pronounced “Jack”. doctors knew about JAAQ, just go on there.
I bought the domain ‘Someone got in touch with me
name and thought I
should go to bed, but as to say that they went on there the
soon as I had that name,
at scale’ other day, talking to me. A man
whose wife has got depression and
I could see the website. has been trying for ages to get her

So I sat for six hours and built to accept there might be a problem, accept that it

a very rough template.’ might be worth seeing someone. He didn’t even

Making Connections show it to her, he sent her the link and said, “This
is interesting.” The same day she went on it, she

Gray pitched his concept to the Body arranged to see a doctor.’

Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, of Talking Cures
which he is a patron, and it put him in

touch with Professor David Veale, one Everyone connected to the project has anecdotes a gentle speaking voice and a friendly
face; he’s very reassuring. He gives
of the world’s foremost BDD experts. like this. JAAQ is not a product of a ruthless short answers and some long ones:
anecdotes of relevant case histories;
He agreed, says Gray, to take part start-up culture shamelessly hunting for considered explanations of why
feelings of depression can come about.
straight away. Professor Veale then opportunities in the mental health space. It’s If you get stuck for questions, three
prompts come up on screen. These are
suggested Professor Gilbert, who come about through a series of happy accidents very useful for finding out things off
your radar. I wouldn’t have learned
similarly signed up after one meeting. and coincidences involving people with lived about how being more compassionate
to yourself can be an important step
‘When these top doctors came on experience of mental health, either as experts or in dealing with depression had I not
clicked on ‘What is CFT?’ and listened
board, it made me realise how powerful as sufferers, rather than by healthtech groupthink.

this could be,’ Gray says. ‘So I just This route to market only adds to the feeling that

started banging the phone, reaching JAAQ is authentic and trustworthy, which, more

out to all my network, and through that immediately, you get from experiencing it.

I got a meeting with Alastair Campbell, Once you’ve made your choice of whom to ask

who put me in touch with David questions, you see the person sitting in a chair, an

Harewood, and it went from there.’ oval of grey background behind them, and the rest

of the screen blacked out. Professor Gilbert has

The Paul Salkovskis Jonny Benjamin Janet Treasure Zak Hardaker
Support
Some anxiety is normal – but Suicide may be the most An estimated quarter of those For JAAQ, the rugby league
Squad when it becomes constant, common killer of men under the struggling with eating disorders star will be speaking about how
uncontrollable and interferes sport and exercise can benefit
JAAQ’s team is with your daily life, it’s worth age of 45, but it remains an are men and boys. If you’re
growing. Here incredibly challenging topic concerned, you’re not alone. everyday mental health. He’s
are a few of the seeking help. Professor to discuss. Author, filmmaker From anorexia and bulimia to previously discussed his
mental health Salkovskis, who worked as an and campaigner Benjamin is binge-eating disorder, Professor struggles with alcohol, as
minds coming NHS clinical psychologist and one man who came back from Treasure – a world-leading well as his attention deficit
soon to the screen is now director of the Oxford the brink – and is on hand to psychiatrist specialising in the hyperactivity disorder
in your hands Centre for Psychological Health, topic – can help you decide on (ADHD) diagnosis.
is your (virtual) listening ear. share his story. your next course of action.

76 MEN’S HEALTH

to Professor Gilbert tell me about HEADS UP at work, and the stress when that how and why they’re feeling a certain
compassion-focused therapy. DR ERIN TURNER becomes too much, and then getting way, before assessment and treatment
PROVIDES better at defining and recognising the begins. ‘Professor Gilbert said to me,
Some of the information imparted is EXPERT ADVICE dividing line between the two. “Danny, I can only see so many people,”’
straightforward and you may have heard ON PSYCHOSIS says Gray. ‘People can go on and watch
it before – eating well and exercising Like Professor Gilbert, he offers a YouTube video, right? But that’s
sometimes hard, because it’s just a
are good for mental health – but coming from some tools and tips, including recognising the video. But if you’re asking the questions,
you’re having that interaction. People
professors and real people with real experiences, importance of the things that make him feel good say, “Woah, this feels like I’m having
a conversation.” That’s the start of
it carries more weight. Despite Gray’s insistence and finding the time to do them. ‘Happy things everything we want to do.’

that JAAQ is in no way diagnostic, some tips and make you happy’ is, like the diet-and-exercise line, Professor Gilbert believes JAAQ
could help men, in particular, to
advice are offered. Professor Gilbert’s tip about hardly new, but hearing him say it cements it in deal with mental health problems.
‘There’s a lot of shame and stigma
breathing slower while thinking of friendship gave your mind. More uniquely, he talks about his ‘jam around depression and these other
issues. I’m very keen to de-shame
me an immediate lift on a day when I was feeling jar’ – a conceptual object in which he envisions, and destigmatise, and we have a real
opportunity to do this here. We’re also
unproductive and off-centre. He talks a lot about in layers, all the parts of his life. The less pleasant helping people come together; a lot
of depression has to do with social
self-care and self-realisation; understanding the things he can’t change are at the bottom, and disconnectedness. If JAAQ creates
a sense of being a part of something,
reasons for someone feeling depressed and the the important stuff that makes him feel good is being in it together with others, then
we can support each other. That, for
fact it’s not their fault. That there are alternative stacked on top, where there’s always space for new me, would be great.’

ways to feel and to think about yourself. He has or growing positive elements. It’s powerful stuff. Gray’s biggest challenge now is
to grow JAAQ but also keep it free.
a friendly face and listening to him is calming. All The Right Questions He wants to run it as a not-for-profit
Alastair Campbell’s JAAQ experience is enterprise, and never ask for payment
from someone who needs help. There
disarmingly honest and direct. And very, Listening to Campbell, Harewood and Gray talk are a lot of people who need it. Within
48 hours of launching, the site had
very personal. You can hear him talk about the also gave me more of an idea of what’s needed to 20,000 visitors and 60,000 questions
were asked. ‘It would have taken Paul
dosage of his antidepressants, his behaviours be a good listener: namely that what you shouldn’t Gilbert, based on him doing 15 to 18
sessions a week, two and a half years
and non-behaviours when he’s depressed. What say is perhaps more important than just listening, without any leave to do that,’ says Gray.

a bad day feels like, how it feels ‘lethargic, empty, and to encourage people to seek professional help Artificial intelligence is not going
to replace therapy. (Although it could
useless, hopeless’. How he’s never regretted being as soon as possible. (This advice is also given by make it more efficient: the UK-based
mental health service Ieso is using
open about his illness, or talking to a doctor, or JAAQ’s experts, several times, and links to help machine learning to analyse more than
460,000 hours of anonymised therapy
to spot patterns and offer targeted
treatments to clients.)

But what platforms like JAAQ can
do is to inform and help people who
feel they’re not ready to discuss their
mental health issues, and also help
those around people with problems
to be more understanding and helpful.
It removes a barrier and builds support.
And all you have to do to benefit from
it, is just ask a question.

Visit jaaq.co.uk and start a conversation

asking about medication. services are on the website.)

He makes an interesting distinction between Gray and Professor Gilbert liken JAAQ to the

the good sort of pressure under which he thrives first sessions of therapy, which tend to be the

therapist helping the patient to better understand

MEN’S HEALTH 77

he Hadza hunter-gatherer tribe depend in one way or another on exercise being ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: RILEY MACLEAN
in east Africa averages more a great tool for weight loss; the other is the keto
physical activity in a day than and carnivore bros, who don’t want to hear that CLIP IN, YOU’RE GOING FOR
typical westerners do in a week we didn’t evolve to eat 100% meat. AN EDUCATIONAL SPIN
– but they don’t burn any more
calories. That’s because, as Dr Herman Why is metabolism so misunderstood?
Pontzer explains in his book Burn: The Metabolism is the work that your cells do
Misunderstood Science Of Metabolism all day, but we’re only consciously aware
(Allen Lane), ‘the armchair mechanic’s of a small fraction of that. We’re aware of the
view’ of your body as a simple machine energy we spend exercising
isn’t how it actually works. Your body is and of the calories we put
a dynamic organism evolved to match in with our food, but the
energy expenditure to fluctuating food rest is unseen.
intake, manipulating your metabolism People tend
accordingly. After all, burning more to be told that
calories than you eat forces your body metabolism is
to consume itself, eventually to death. synonymous with
If anything, says Dr Pontzer, your body exercise or diet, but it’s
is like a business with a fixed energy a lot more than just that.
budget: exercise suppresses operations
that might otherwise run riot, such Short of handing them a copy of your
as inflammation and stress response. book, how do you help people understand
But overtraining can hamper essential metabolism at, say, a dinner party?
functions, which means that it’s not so First of all, I explain to them the Hadza work. I think
smart for weight loss. that makes it very real. You can have this group of
people who are incredibly physically active, yet their
Your book challenges most people’s bodies burn the same number of calories every day
understanding of the metabolism. as you and me. People find that hard to believe.
What’s been the feedback?
A lot of folks were positive and thought And then I say, ‘Actually, if you look across
it was a really new take. People generally species, even within the human population as
felt I make the case pretty strongly, with they get enrolled into exercise programmes, you
evidence. There have been two areas of see much the same thing: exercise doesn’t change
pushback: one is people whose careers how many calories you spend, it changes how you
spend them.’ People don’t always buy it, but at
least they understand what I’m trying to say.

78 MEN’S HEALTH

Dr Herman
Pontzer
is associate
professor of
evolutionary
anthropology at
Duke University,
North Carolina

‘Exercise doesn’t change How do we fix obesity, individually
how many calories you spend, and societally?
it changes how you spend them’ The foods that are the most dangerous
for weight gain are the ultra-processed,
And then they say, ‘But what about cyclists designed-in-a-laboratory foods. I think
in the Tour de France?’ we need to set up supermarkets so that
There’s a sort of sloping metabolic ceiling that the societal costs of foods are included.
we all have to live under. Over a week or a month, I’m a believer that economic incentives,
we can push our energy expenditures up to 5,000 pushes and pulls, could indeed change
to 6,000 calories a day. But over the long term, behaviour. There’s some evidence that
everyone lives under the same low roof. So yeah, taxes on sugary beverages, for example,
you can absolutely push it to do the Tour de France, work reasonably well.
but you can’t push it at that rate for any longer.
If we come home with food we know
So, I can give my metabolism a temporary we’ll overeat, we shouldn’t be surprised
boost, but eventually it will rebalance? when we overeat them. If the idea is that
We burn a lot of calories while we’re exercising. you’re going to buy the doughnuts, but
For instance, a three-mile run will burn about only have a little bit every day, that isn’t
300 calories for a typical adult. But if you exercise going to work. The brain is a master
regularly, your body adjusts by reducing energy of rationalisation over these things.
expenditure on other tasks. This can take a few
months, but the result is surprising: if you add If our brains actively work to reverse
300 calories of exercise to your daily routine, after weight-loss efforts, what can we do?
your body adjusts to it you might only be burning If you’re miserable and hungry on your
around 100 calories more than before you started diet, it’s not going to work for you long
the exercise programme. Yes, really. term. The reason that people are so
excited about keto and low-carb diets
I’ve had a number of clinicians say, ‘Now our is they’ve finally found a diet that feels
patients don’t have to feel like they’re like they’re not starving themselves.
failing at exercise because they’re Even though they’re eating fewer calories
not seeing continued weight and that’s why they’re losing weight, for
loss as their body them it feels like magic. And people have
adjusts.’ Because the same experience on plant-based or
the implication of Mediterranean diets. But don’t expect
the message we get that if it works for somebody else, it has
nowadays is that if you’re to work for you. If keto makes you
not losing weight, then you’re miserable, then switch it up.
not exercising correctly. The NHS,
World Health Organization (WHO) How do you eat and exercise when
and Centers for Disease Control And you’re not following the Hadza?
I try to eat healthily, which to me means
Prevention (CDC) all say that if you really want eating lots of meats, vegetables and
to combat obesity, then you’ve got to watch what whole foods. I enjoy beer and snacks
you eat and do more exercise. Well, okay, I can see as much as the next person, so I’m not
where they’re coming from. But if it’s 95% diet and perfect, but I do try for the majority of my
5% activity we’re talking about? Come on. We can’t diet to be stuff that my grandparents
possibly put them on an even footing because would recognise as food. And I’m lucky
that’s just not accurate at all. that I like to exercise: I like to run; I go
mountain biking. I like to be outside –
I find that lends itself to being active.

MEN’S HEALTH 79

80

SHAQ

&THE WAR ON AGEING

At 50 years old, sporting giant and NBA
legend SHAQUILLE O’NEAL has a plan
to achieve the best shape of his life. The Big
Aristotle has already lost over 22kg – but he
won’t stop until he’s carved eight-pack abs

Words by Jewel Wicker
Photography by Andrew Hetherington

LORD OF THE MANOR SHAQ POSES IN THE 30-ACRE BACK GARDEN

OF HIS HOME NEAR ATLANTA. (THE ALLIGATOR, WE SHOULD ADD, IS FAKE)

t’s the first week of November, his faults and his differences. He’s not afraid to be like, “I’m bigger than
and Shaquille O’Neal is standing most.” He embraces everything that he is, which most people don’t do.’
on the front lawn of his 30-acre
property, dressed in a black tank Even if you don’t always agree with all the things Shaq does or says,
top and matching gym shorts. it’s likely you would want to have a drink with him. It would probably
Shaq has been known to whisper have to be non-alcoholic, though. Shaq has never really enjoyed drinking.
during interviews when he’s not When he was 13, his adoptive father, an Army sergeant, caught him with
interested in talking, but out here a beer and made him chug it. He’s barely touched the stuff since.
his deep voice carries across the
grass as he greets me. SHAQ, WHO CAN flip from serious to silly to philosophical

I’m here, walking around his compound – past the tree house, then to (wilfully) oblivious from sentence to sentence, tells me in serious-ish
mode that he has been thinking a lot about something Deon Cole, a
through the backyard where he hopes to one day add a path for riding comedian and an actor in The Harder They Fall, says in his 2019 Netflix
special, Cole Hearted. Cole asks everyone in their forties to make some
dirt bikes – to see how the 7ft 1in NBA legend views himself today. As noise. Then, as the crowd begins to settle down, he reminds them
of their mortality with one simple sentence. ‘You got 30 summers left,’
someone whose body has always been up for public scrutiny as a result he says, widening his eyes and cocking his head. Cole later clarified the
statement, which he turned into a hashtag on Twitter. ‘When I say
of his profession, what is a going-on-50-year-old Shaq’s philosophy 30 summers left, I don’t mean to die. I mean I have 30 summers left
to do whatever I want in a vibrant, energised manner,’ he posted.
on health and wellness? How are his priorities changing? How is
This moment stuck with Shaq, although his memory of it is a little off.
someone known for being a big kid grappling with growing older? He remembers Cole, who turns 50 just a few months before Shaq does,
referring to 15 remaining summers. ‘For me, [in] 15 summers, I’ll be 65,’
As a child, Shaq dreamed about being a basketball champion, Shaq says. ‘I’ll be an old fucking man. I never thought about it until he said
it.’ Of course, it’s absolutely possible to still have a ‘vibrant, energised’ life
a successful rapper and DJ, and a TV star. He’s accomplished all this after 65, although Shaq’s definition might be more intense than yours.

and much more. Today, he isn’t just an analyst on TNT’s Inside The Speaking of energy, Shaq’s been burning serious calories lately in his
home gym. During the pandemic, his weight crept up to around 29st 7lb.
NBA. He’s also a DJ known as Diesel (he plays EDM); a sheriff’s deputy (His playing weight was closer to 23st.) He typically trains four days a week
now for about an hour, blasting through 20 minutes of cardio and banging
hoping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community; out 40 minutes of strength work. He wants to slim down to 25st and be
ripped enough to ‘go topless’ and post an Instagram thirst trap for his
a producer of the animated short film Headnoise, about anxiety; an 50th birthday in March. His fitness goal, he elaborates, is to make sure
his stomach doesn’t hang over his belt. He doesn’t want to develop the
owner of various fast-food franchises; and arguably America’s top dreaded ‘OTBB’, or ‘over-the-belt Barkley’, as he puts it. (This is a reference
to his friend and Inside The NBA colleague Charles Barkley. The two
athlete turned pitchman, hawking everything from insurance and regularly riff with each other on many topics, including their weight.)

Icy Hot to printers and Papa John’s. Just how many brands Shaq is This, along with protecting his endurance and vitality, is what Shaq
was trying to prevent when he went to visit a doctor for the first time
endorsing is hard to keep up with – he’s constantly unveiling new in his life about two years ago. When he says this, I ask him to repeat
it to make sure I heard him correctly. Shaq had never been to a doctor
partnerships and cashing out old ones. His net worth is estimated before? Ever? Correct, he says. Outside of the medical care he received
as a professional athlete, Shaq had only recently taken himself in for
to be around $400 million (£293 million). a check-up. He says the doctor had a list of things he needed to improve.
As a man whose NBA diet consisted of burgers from McDonald’s or
Shaq has transcended sports fame and become a beloved public figure ‘a turkey club sandwich with extra mayo and two pineapple sodas’,
he would need to limit his snacking. In an attempt to stay ‘slim’
even at a time when America is more divided than ever. Part of that and ‘presentable’, Shaq says he began taking supplements but soon

appeal may have to do with his authenticity, as Kenny Smith, a former

NBA player and Shaq’s colleague on Inside The NBA, points out. ‘Shaq’s

unapologetic about who he is,’ Smith says. ‘He embraces his greatness,

82 MEN’S HEALTH

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL

encountered another problem. number of deals. ‘The demand

‘I was taking a competitor’s for Shaquille as a business partner

supplement and it stopped is unprecedented,’ he says. ‘He’s

everything. I mean everything. transitioned from one of the

Nothing was working,’ he says, greatest NBA centres of all time

growing more and more serious to one of the best businessmen

with each suggestive sentence. of all time.’

Ever the businessman, Shaq Back in the kitchen, one of the

started to think about how many producers from Men’s Health, 

other men in their forties could who’s prepping for a video

probably benefit from a new kind interview later, asks him what

of supplement. This is what inspired guidance he might have for her

him to begin working with Novex thirtysomething boyfriend,

Biotech in early 2021 to promote who’s feeling stuck. ‘My advice

the company’s GF-9 diet pill. The is you have to get him to realise

home page for the brand, which you don’t care. [As] men, we

features before-and-after photos have to worry about us and then

and an endorsement quote from we have to worry about y’all. If

Shaq, says a clinical trial for the you let him know, “Baby, I love you

supplement showed it ‘increase[s] and I don’t care what you do,” that

mean, serum (blood) growth will start to ease the pressure,’ he

hormone levels by 682%’. Shaq’s says. ‘And then, at night when

health and wellness business he gets home, put it on him.’

endeavours don’t stop there, Shaq says that young people,

though. He also began endorsing typically men, ask him for advice

Alkaline88, advertised as a perfectly all the time. ‘I’ve made a lot of

pH-balanced alkaline water mistakes, so I have the answers,’

enhanced with minerals and he says. Plus, he understands

electrolytes, while he was trying what it’s like to feel the weight

to eliminate fizzy drinks from his of providing for an entire family,

life. Even on his current health having been responsible for his

kick, Shaq admits he’s not perfect six children. When he’s not

when it comes to his diet. He still dishing out advice, he’s handing

dislikes vegetables and enjoys THE BIG ARISTOTLE SHAQ IS TRAINING TO BE LEAN ENOUGH out gifts to unsuspecting strangers.
snacking… in moderation, of course. Early in 2021, a video of Shaq
FOR A SHIRTLESS SELFIE WHEN HE TURNS 50 ON 6 MARCH

Advertising as a celebrity can be helping a young man pay for an

full of pitfalls, and that’s especially true when getting involved engagement ring went viral. But Shaq says this happens more often than

with supplement brands, which can market their products using cameras can capture. And usually it involves a mum and a young child.

misleading or inaccurate claims that are not always supported by ‘My mum is my go-to for inspiration,’ he says about Lucille O’Neal,

science. The Mayo Clinic, for example, says that for most people who raised him in Newark, New Jersey, and now lives in Atlanta.

regular water is just as good as, or perhaps better than, alkaline ‘Whenever I go somewhere, I try to look for her and me.’ Recently,

water. About supplements that increase human growth hormone Shaq was in an electronics shop and saw a woman and her son

(HGH), such as the ones sold by Novex, experts at Mayo say that thumbing through coupons to buy a 45-inch television. He upgraded

‘some dietary supplements that claim to boost levels of HGH come the TV size for the family and handled the bill. Another time, he saw

in pill form, but research doesn’t show a benefit’. a woman trying to pay a £378 debt at Walmart around the holiday

SHAQ SAYS he realises there’s a perception that he season. He took care of that, too. ‘That used to be us, and that could
still be us,’ he says, perhaps giving a glimpse into why he continues

advertises for a lot of businesses, but he insists that they’re all brands to work so hard. Even for a man who has been wealthy far longer

he genuinely believes in (even if the clinical trial the company did than he was ever struggling, the trauma of poverty has convinced

was tiny, with a sample size of 16). ‘I can’t not like a product and then him that he could still be back to putting things on a buy now, pay

turn around and make you like it. It’s not good business,’ he says. ‘It’s later plan with just a few business missteps.

unethical and it’s something I would never do. I have enough money Shaq’s upbringing influenced most of his beliefs about life,

where I don’t have to take your money and then fake people out.’ not just his financial and philanthropic outlooks. He has long been

Nick Woodhouse, the president and chief marketing officer of open about the fact that he was raised by a stepfather who was a drill

Authentic Brand Groups, the company to which Shaq sold the rights sergeant and has other family members who work in law enforcement.

to his name brand in 2015, says that ‘America’s greatest pitchman’ may One family friend, Jerome, worked as his bodyguard throughout his

work with a lot of companies, but he also turns down a ‘tremendous’ career and still lives with him. Shaq’s own involvement with law

enforcement has been well-documented. He’s been a reserve officer

84 MEN’S HEALTH

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL

in Miami, for the Port of Los Angeles and elsewhere. He’s also an Office, there are some limits to his law-enforcement goals. He had

honorary U S deputy marshal and became a sworn deputy in Georgia’s previously planned to run for sheriff in a few years but has since

Clayton County in 2016. decided against the move. He likes Henry County’s current sheriff,

Today, he works for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office as a community Reginald Scandrett, and wants to support him. Plus, he says, ‘The

relations director, hosting events such as a ‘Ride 4 Unity’ motorcycle climate’s too hot right now.’

gathering this past summer. ‘I would love for the community and law Shaq’s army-brat upbringing has informed his philosophies on

enforcement to get back together,’ Shaq says. He says he recognises mental health, too. ‘I’m programmed by my military father. You don’t

how controversial his love of law enforcement has become at a time worry about the problems; you worry about the solution. Whatever

when there is increased awareness about police brutality against black the problem is, I’ll stay here for a while, and then the solution…’

Americans. ‘I understand both sides, trust me.’ Even as a notable figure Shaq snaps his finger as if the answer has appeared right in front

and a member of law enforcement, of him. ‘My solution if I can’t

Shaq says he’s often pulled over by MAN OF THE PEOPLE SHAQ IN HIS ROLE AS A DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY figure it out is [telling myself] it
cops when he visits places outside could be worse. Once I say that,
metro Atlanta. When he stopped for RELATIONS; DROPPING DANCE TUNES AS DJ DIESEL IN MIAMI; AND TEAMING all of my problems are over.’
UP WITH OREO TO GIVE AWAY A MILLION CHOCOLATE BARS

gas once in Valdosta, Georgia, more It may seem like every issue has

than 200 miles away, he says he saw an easy solution for Shaq, but there

an officer hit a U-turn and drive up are certain occurrences that even the

behind his car to pull him over. He most optimistic personality cannot

also recalls a time when an officer account for. He says that he’s still

pulled him over with his gun drawn. having a difficult time processing

‘I asked him, “Why you got your gun the death of his sister to cancer

out?” He said, “I’m sorry. Last time in 2019, three months before the

I stopped a big guy, we had to fight.” death of his Lakers teammate Kobe

That got me thinking, you don’t know Bryant. (An autographed portrait

what these people have been through.’ of Bryant jumping into his arms

Shaq says he knows people don’t after the pair won their first NBA

love his point of view on this, and it’s championship is one of the first

not an exaggeration to say this kind images you see when you walk into

of thinking can have extremely Shaq’s home.) ‘When my sister was

dangerous implications. This type here, it was a bunch of “I’ll call her

of profiling from officers who are tomorrow. I’ll call her tomorrow.

tasked with protecting and serving I’ll call her tomorrow.” Now I can’t

can lead – and has led – to fatal call her ever again,’ he says.

outcomes for the black people who He has similar feelings about

are on the receiving end of such bias. Kobe. ‘I didn’t see Kobe at all. We

There will be those who feel didn’t call or text,’ he continues.

dismayed that these experiences of ‘That’s fucking with me. I don’t have

being profiled have made him more a solution for that. I would never

empathetic about these officers’ imagine them gone before me.’ A few

behaviour instead of concerned days before our chat, Snoop Dogg

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; ALYSSA POINTER/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION about the potentially deadly impact. announced that his mother had
VIA AP. STYLING: RENEE BROWN. GROOMING: WILLIAM LOWRY
But as with most things, Shaq’s died. As a friend of the rapper and

outlook on this can be traced back a self-described ‘mama’s boy’, Shaq

to his childhood. In Shaq Uncut,  started thinking about his own mum.

his 2011 autobiography, he wrote In many ways, he’s still eager to

that he didn’t grow up in a household please her and leave a legacy that

where race was regularly discussed. will make her proud.

Still, this dark-skinned black man ‘I just want people to say Shaq was

has been larger than average his a nice guy,’ he says. ‘I want them

entire life. When he was just 10 to see someone that mostly did the

years old, he was already 6ft 4in. In right thing. I don’t promote myself as

a society in which his size can make perfect, but I take care of my family.

him a huge target, perhaps Shaq’s I love people. I respect people. And

perspective and his efforts to disarm I love black women.’ Shaq’s second

people with a joke and a smile have act is nowhere near over, though.

been his way of surviving. In his mind, he still has 15 – or 30 –

Still, while he continues to work Shaqtastic summers to live.

with the Henry County Sheriff’s

MEN’S HEALTH 85

LEFT BEHIND
BY 2019, A MAN
LIVING IN ONE OF
BLACKPOOL’S MORE
DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES COULD
EXPECT TO LIVE
FOR 68.3 YEARS

86 MEN’S HEALTH

For over a century, life expectancy in Britain was
increasing rapidly – until it came to a crashing halt.
Today, a man living in a poorer part of the country is
likely to die 27 years sooner than someone in a more
affluent region – and the impact of the pandemic
threatens to widen the gap further still.
Where did we go wrong, asks Richard Godwin,
and how do we restore parity across the nation?

Artwork by Peter Crowther

ON THE UP
IN WEALTHIER LONDON

NEIGHBOURHOODS,
LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS
CONTINUED TO RISE,
NOW EXCEEDING 95 YEARS

Last September, Deaths Of Despair
life-expectancy
It was Professor Majid Ezzati, chair in
researchers global environmental health at Imperial
made a discovery College London, who first brought the
that ought to have 27-year disparity to light. He conducted
been shocking – what’s known in the trade as a ‘high-
resolution spatiotemporal analysis’
except that it wasn’t shocking to the people revolution, plus incremental on all 8.6 million deaths in England
between 2002 and 2019, assigning
who study these numbers for a living. They found improvements in nutrition, sanitation, each individual to one of 6,791 local
communities so he could work out
that British male life expectancy had gone into healthcare, housing conditions, who was dying where, when. What he
found was that between 2002 and 2010,
reverse. The average British man born in 2018 working conditions, education, air the vast majority of communities, rich
and poor, saw an increase in life
to 2020 could expect to live for 79.0 years – seven quality and so on. Life expectancy expectancy – not all of them at the same
rate, but mostly in line with the overall
weeks less than the average man born in 2015 works on a social gradient – the richer upwards trend. However, after 2010,
longevity began to stall in the poorest
to 2017. It was the first time such a reversal had you are, the longer you can generally communities. And between 2014 and
2019 – long before Covid – male life
happened in the 40 years that the government expect to live. But over the past 100 expectancy fell in 11% of communities,
with female life expectancy falling in
has been collecting data in this way. years, it has been the poorest who have 18% of communities. Central Blackpool
saw the steepest declines among men
I know what you’re thinking: Covid-19. ‘Once seen the greatest relative gains. ‘For a in this period, who lost 0.4 years of life
between 2002 and 2019. Women in the
the coronavirus pandemic has ended and its century, we saw an improvement of one most deprived area of Leeds, meanwhile,
lost an astonishing three years of life
consequences for future mortality are known, extra year of life every four years – that’s expectancy in the same period.

it’s possible that life expectancy will return dramatic,’ Professor Marmot says. ‘Over ‘For health to be getting worse in a
wealthy country outside of a pandemic
to an improving trend in the future,’ said a century, that’s 25 years. And then, in – that is not something that any
government wants to hear,’ says
a government statistician when ‘Austerity 2010, it slowed down Professor Ezzati. ‘This is something
the data was released. made the UK and just about ground that we need to take a lot more
to a halt. So, important seriously.’ And yet, when I ask him if he
Note the ‘possible’ in that look more question: what was surprised at the results, his answer
sentence. While the global like America’ happened in 2010?’           is: ‘Frankly? Not really.’ He has spent
pandemic certainly didn’t much of his career in the US, the
help, the reversal has, in fact, What happened world’s richest country, but also among
been a long time coming. ‘All to the numbers was the world’s most unequal societies.
coronavirus did was expose that the richest in American male life expectancy
declined for three consecutive years
and amplify the underlying society continued prior to the pandemic (which lopped
off an extra 2.2 years). The decline is
inequalities in our society,’ says Professor Sir to become healthier. Much healthier. largely attributed to middle-aged men
dying early, particularly in the
Michael Marmot, founder of the Institute of If you’re a man living in the vicinity of deindustrialised areas known as the
Rust Belt, where millions of skilled jobs
Health Equity and a leading expert on public Sloane Square in the London Borough have been lost with little to replace
them. It’s estimated that in 2017,
health. He alights on 2010 – not 2020 – as the of Kensington and Chelsea, you can 150,000 Americans died of what the
Nobel Prize-winning economist Sir
year that the society-wide gains made over now expect to live to be 95. However, Angus Deaton has termed ‘deaths of
despair’ – suicide, drug overdoses,
the previous decades began to stall. if you’re a man living in central Blackpool, alcohol-related liver poisoning.

Life expectancy (and particularly healthy one of the poorest parts of the country, Deindustrialisation is a long-term
trend. However, there are things that
life expectancy) is important in two ways, you can expect to live to be 68. And the

he points out. One is obvious: most of us gap is widening.

would prefer to live a longer, healthier life ‘It’s astonishing that there hasn’t been

than a shorter, unhealthier life. But two, it’s more outrage about this,’ says Jonathan

a useful indicator of the overall health of a Portes, a former government adviser

society. Ever since late Victorian times, life who’s now an economist at King’s College

expectancy in Britain has been steadily London. ‘We had been making slow and

ticking up due to reduced infant mortality, patchy progress at reducing inequality

fewer deaths in childbirth, the antibiotics and the ills that result from it. This has

now stopped and gone into reverse.’

88 MEN’S HEALTH

Unequal Measures

MIND THE GAP
BETWEEN 2017 AND
2019, LIFE EXPECTANCY
INCREASED IN SOUTHERN

REGIONS, WHILE
FORGOTTEN TOWNS IN THE

NORTH SAW A DECLINE

LONDON
SOUTH EAST

NORTH WEST
NORTH EAST

governments could have been doing to cushion the direction. And given that they the drug addicts, the homelessness,
the suicides in the multistorey car
decline, such as benefit payments, education went in the wrong direction, it’s parks. ‘Blackpool has always had a bad
press,’ she says. ‘I remember going to
programmes and targeted support. In his 2010 likely that the consequences health conferences when I worked
for Blackpool Council and I can recall
report, Fair Society, Healthy Lives, Professor Marmot were as we predicted.’ people saying: “If you’re a man in
your twenties, your life expectancy
identified six areas that would need to improve if we Professor Ezzati agrees. ‘The is really low.” To be honest, your eyes
glaze over after a while.’
were to close the health gap between rich and poor austerity period in the UK made it
A colleague who grew up in Blackpool
in the UK. These were: early years development, look more and more like America,’ says he has watched its decline through
visits over the years – though many of
education, working opportunities and conditions, he says. ‘People are less stable, they his friends have long since left. ‘There
are two Blackpools: one receiving
income, housing and environment, and what a don’t have secure jobs. They’re massive investment to pimp and primp
the facade for tourists; the other, two
left-wing person would call ‘social determinants’ suddenly poorer because the streets behind, a broken-down rookery
of squats and abandoned B&Bs serving
– factors such as smoking, gambling and eating government has taken away state as hostels – official or otherwise.
“Dickensian” is a cliché, but to step
healthily – and a right-wing person would call support. On top of that, local services, behind the curtain in Blackpool,

‘personal responsibility’. Whatever: almost all of primary care, GPs, addiction services

the services that worked to address these issues had and mental health services all have had

their funding cut under the austerity programme their budgets cut. The post-2010 era

implemented by the Conservative-led coalition is when these things happen all at once.’

that came to power in 2010. And while the present The Forgotten Town
government has declared an ‘end to austerity’,

none have had their funding restored. By now the people of Blackpool have become

‘This is not a science experiment – we can’t be resigned to being held up as a symbol of

100% sure of cause and effect,’ says Professor everything that has gone wrong in English

Marmot. ‘But we can say that the things we society. Linzi Cason, a charity worker who

recommended in the 2010 report to reduce health lives and works in the town, says she sighs when

inequalities pretty much all went in the opposite she hears people talking about all the problems:

MEN’S HEALTH 89

Unequal Measures

among the chain-smoking walking wounded, WESTMINSTER
really is like a falling back a century.’ HARROW
BLACKPOOL
At least Blackpool is forgotten no longer. It
contains two of those Red Wall constituencies GLASGOW
that the Conservatives won from Labour in the
general election of 2019, which centred so heavily on about high employment – you scratch beneath it’s by the sea, it’s lively, it’s friendly
Brexit. The health secretary, Sajid Javid, referenced
Blackpool’s low life expectancy in a speech at the surface and there are no guarantees these – and it’s also quite cheap for someone
the Conservative party conference last October
and spoke of the need to ‘level up’ on health. people are actually getting work.’ who wants to make a fresh start (as

He could have cited any number of other Flanagan feels that the ‘skivers versus little as £25 a night for a hotel room).
figures. The town has eight out of 10 of the most
deprived wards in England and the highest strivers’ narrative pushed by certain politicians Cason remembers one particular man
number of Universal Credit claimants in the
country, numbered at 22% of the workforce. has only worsened the mental burden for those she worked with in her time at the
According to Public Health England data, 26%
of Blackpool’s children are born into low-income who suddenly find themselves unable to Red Cross. ‘His words were: “I’ve
families and 24% of year-six pupils are classed
as obese. As for those social determinants, in support their families. ‘We’re finding a higher come here to die.” He was having
everything from hospital admissions for self-
harm to people killed on roads, the prevalence proportion of men coming forward finding chemotherapy treatment but he
of smoking among adults to hip fractures in older
people, and violent crime to loneliness, Blackpool themselves with significant reductions in wanted specifically to live on the
rates ‘significantly worse’ than the national
average. In most cases, the situation is worsening. household income through no fault of their promenade. He got himself a bedsit

It has also suffered disproportionately from own,’ he says. ‘That then has knock-on effects so he could look out at the sea and
cuts imposed since 2010. Professor Marmot
notes that local government funding in the least on family life and everything else. They often the lights. That was his dying wish.’
deprived areas went down by 16% per person
under austerity; in the most deprived areas, it can’t believe that they’ve found themselves That might sound rather
went down by 32% per person. Mike Crowther,
the CEO of local charity Empowerment, reckons in this position – there’s pride involved.’ And depressing, but there are many
that Blackpool Council has had over £1 billion
removed from its budget under the ongoing once they’re not earning enough money, who benefit from the fresh
austerity programme; in 2017, it was forced to
sell 30,000 deckchairs to help fund the shortfall things can spiral. ‘There’s a five-week delay Lancastrian sea air. ‘We’ve seen
to its services. And yet for all the talk of ‘levelling
up’, it’s not clear what the current administration between applying for Universal Credit and people make so many changes
is willing to do to reverse that disparity. Javid,
in his speech, went on to lower expectations: getting your first payment, so people are in their lives and developing
‘Government shouldn’t own all risks and
responsibilities in life. We as citizens have to finding themselves very quickly in debt.’ and going on to help other
take some responsibility for our health, too.’
Those Left Behind people,’ explains Cason. ‘I see
The problem with such statements is that the so much positivity in this
people of Blackpool will tell you they are taking
responsibility. David Flanagan, who runs the There is another Blackpool-specific problem: community.’ She connects me
Blackpool Centre for the Unemployed on Waterloo
Road, is thinking of changing the name of the it’s a net exporter of people with ambitions with Ellis, 29, who came to one of
charity because around 85% of the people who
walk through his door are, technically, employed. and a net importer of people with issues. ‘A the drop-in centres that she runs
It’s just that they don’t get paid enough to live on.
lot of the people I’ve worked with have been for isolated men in Claremont,
‘One of my bugbears is the insecure
employment here in Blackpool,’ he says. ‘We find single men who had come to Blackpool in one of the most deprived areas
really poor employment terms here, zero-hours
contracts, low pay, bad conditions.’ Blackpool, he later life for whatever reason,’ says Cason. of the town. He arrived in
points out, is highly dependent on tourism. But
the number of day-trippers fell through the floor ‘There might have been a tragedy or a Blackpool from Toxteth in
during the pandemic. The seasonal nature of the
work makes for lean times during the winter, too. breakdown or addiction and they have fond Liverpool in early 2020, citing
‘It frustrates me when I see local figures boasting
memories of Blackpool as a child.’ Blackpool family problems. He chose
90 MEN’S HEALTH
is a happy place for a lot of people, she says;

FALLING SHORT There’s a fierce pride evident in on GB News and attending various
EVEN WHEN
LOOKING AT LARGER Blackpool – a pride that comes from sporting events as a guest of the
COMMUNITIES, THE
LIFE EXPECTANCY GAP people looking out for each other gambling industry – for whom he is an
BETWEEN DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE UK IS when others aren’t. And yet in blunt enthusiastic champion. His plan for
MORE THAN A DECADE
statistical terms, Ellis isn’t doing Blackpool appears to be: build a casino.
Blackpool because rents were cheap
– ‘very, very cheap’ – and the estate Blackpool any favours. He’s been But Mike Crowther, the CEO of
agent got back to him quickly.
signed off work with anxiety and Empowerment, the charity that
However, he doesn’t recognise the
grim picture that others paint of his depression, and so is one of those launched the sessions Ellis attended,
new home. Compared with Toxteth, it’s
paradise. ‘Where I’m from is generally Universal Credit claimants. He’s feels there’s a lot more to his town than
regarded as one of the worst places you
could be, so moving from somewhere also had to absorb a £20 cut to his is captured in the statistics. ‘Blackpool
like that to Blackpool was just so nice.
It’s quiet. People are friendly enough. payment recently – ‘a big chunk of does have some serious issues around
It’s close to the sea, which is lovely. I’m
pretty much in the town centre. I felt my money’, he admits – which means social deprivation,’ he says. ‘The
safe walking the streets. But there
was just a general feeling of moving he isn’t always able to make the sort disparity in male life expectancy
somewhere positive.’ While he
experienced extreme feelings of of choices he’d like to make. ‘I’m not between Blackpool and Chelsea is stark.
isolation during the pandemic – the
lockdown didn’t help with his general as reliant on it as ‘It’s not a lack It’s real. But you have
anxiety – he has connected with other other people might to take on board
men in the area via the extensive
network of support services that Cason be. I live on my own. of personal people’s lived
has helped to set up. ‘I ended up talking I don’t spend much experience. What do
with this fellow there, John, for two
hours,’ says Ellis. ‘I was so excited to responsibility.on travelling because people feel? What’s
talk to somebody that I wouldn’t shut their experience of
up. It’s at a point now where it’s the I don’t go anywhere
highlight of my week going there. It’s and food-wise I get It’s poverty’ living in the town?
helping with my anxiety, too. I really the basics.’ He does Lots of people do truly
wasn’t going anywhere but it’s helping
reintroduce me to society.’ say that he doesn’t eat love living here.

too well, though. ‘I’ve tried every There’s also incredible creativity and

now and again. But the price of an innovation here. I’ve never experienced

unhealthy meal compared to one such compassion and care as I have

that is healthy is drastic, I would working in Blackpool and that never

say. It’s not too surprising that I’ve comes across in the reporting.’

got a belly on me.’

This is one of those classic ‘social Beacons Of Hope

determinants’ of health – a Sajid Of course, there are areas within the

Javid might be inclined to say that locality where life expectancy is going

Ellis should take more responsibility in the right direction, just as there are

for his diet. However, the evidence areas within the Royal Borough of

suggests that merely urging people Kensington and Chelsea where life

to make better choices isn’t going expectancy is low (around Grenfell Tower,

to do much. ‘Look at the NHS’s for example). Overall, Professor Marmot

healthy-eating guide,’ says cautions against despair. He says he’s now

Professor Marmot. ‘If you’re in the approached weekly by local authorities,

top 10% for household income, large and small, who want to follow his

you’d need to spend 6% of your metrics for measuring and improving

household income in order to eat health: Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater

healthily. If you’re in the bottom Manchester, Coventry, Clacton-on-Sea…

10% for household income, you’ll ‘It doesn’t let central government off the

have to use 74% of your income. hook,’ he’s quick to point out. ‘But there’s

That’s not lack of personal plenty that local authorities can do to

responsibility. That’s poverty. address social determinants of health

And more than half the people and that does give me hope.’

who are in poverty have at least And while all this seems incredibly

one adult in the household in complicated – everything causes everything

work. These people aren’t lazy or else – on another level it’s quite simple,

feckless. They’re poorly paid.’ says Professor Portes. ‘Everything we

I contact Scott Benton, the know suggests that if you radically reduce

MP for Blackpool South, to see income inequality, that would lead to

what he has to say – since he a radical reduction in health inequalities.

has frequently expressed the If you really want to do something about

opinion that men’s health it, you just have to make Britain a more

problems are ignored by the equal society. Simple as that.’

mainstream media. He doesn’t

get back to me. He seems to be

more interested in appearing

MEN’S HEALTH 91

THE CHAN
The person you are today needn’t be the person you’ll become tomorrow. Whether
there’s a practical way to get where you want to go. We asked six men to share their

92 MEN’S HEALTH

GING MAN

you’re searching for gains or losses, eager to quit vices or pick up new habits,
stories of transformation. Heed their advice – then start your own journey

SFORMAT

NSFORMAT
TRAN
IONS
IONS
TRA

‘I HAD TO GET If you’ve never seen Zion Clark
CREATIVE TO wrestling, there nearly always comes
a moment when he looks just like
REINVENT every other competitor: in the down
MYSELF’ position, flexing his broad chest,
massive arms and sculpted back as
ZION CLARK MAY SOON BE THE FIRST PERSON TO he fights to gain the advantage. But
COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS AND THE PARALYMPICS once he does, it becomes clear how
IN TWO DIFFERENT SPORTS. BUT HE REFUSES TO BE he’s different: Clark, 24, has no legs,
DEFINED BY THAT GOAL ALONE – HE HAS A GREATER due to a rare condition called caudal
regression syndrome. He is well aware
PHILOSOPHY ABOUT SUCCESS that this makes him unique, but he’s
adamant about not being treated
differently because of it.
‘What I’m doing blows most people’s
minds,’ says Clark, who lives and
trains in San Diego, on a Zoom call
in October. ‘The first thing they’re
thinking is, “Holy crap, he doesn’t
have legs.” And then next, it’s, “Holy
crap, he’s actually beating this dude
up.”’ But in Clark’s eyes, he’s supposed
to do that. He’s developed the life
philosophy of ‘be greater than’ – as in
be greater than whoever you are today,
or your last accomplishment, or your

MEN’S HEALTH 93

TRANSFORM YOURSELF CLARK HAS BECOME A TRUE
POLY-ATHLETE, EXCELLING
IN MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES

self-doubt. That mentality has kept him expertly plays the drums, crushes photo book, Zion Unmatched.) Clark WORDS: JULIAN KIMBLE; MARTY MUNSON; GINA LOVELESS; EMILY SHIFFER; JESSE HICKS. CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY
motivated as he works towards the 2024 battle-rope workouts and box jumps ended the year with a 33–15 record and BY SANDY HUFFAKER. COURTESY SUBJECT (CLARK, 2016; PARALYMPIC TRAINING). MIRANDA ADEJARE (HURD)
Olympics, where he hopes to become and even skateboards, all while continued wrestling while pursuing
the first American to make both the offering more inspirational maxims a business degree at Kent State
Olympic and the Paralympic teams in similar to what you might hear during University at Tuscarawas.
two separate sports – wrestling in the his motivational-speaking gigs. And
former, wheelchair racing in the latter. just a few months ago, Clark set the By the spring of 2020, he had bulked
Guinness World Record for the fastest up to 8st 9lb and was preparing to
In the meantime, there are plenty of 20m dash on two hands, with an wrestle in the US Olympic team trials
ways to see Clark’s indomitable spirit in impressive 4.78 seconds. In the video ahead of the Tokyo Games when he
action. You can watch him in the 2018 he shared, you can see that his first tweaked his shoulder, which he has to be
Emmy-winning Netflix documentary time was actually faster, but he had very careful with because he walks using
Zion, which chronicles his life and his to run the event again because he his arms. That, along with Covid-19
high-school wrestling career in Ohio. accidentally ducked beneath the regulations, prevented him from staying
There, Clark, at 3ft tall and 6st 4lb, sensor at the finish line. in wrestling shape, since he couldn’t
wrestled opponents who towered over train with others, so he decided to focus
and outweighed him, yet, as a senior, Clark’s other motto – ‘no excuses’ – on wheelchair racing, something he’d
he was one point away from making is tattooed across his back. And while excelled at in high school. ‘I had to get
it to the state championship. You can he might lean on platitudes, his creative to reinvent myself,’ he says. ‘I
tune into his YouTube channel, where authenticity and depth surface when wasn’t competing, but I was advancing
he provides a carefully curated look at he talks about past experiences and my skills behind closed doors.’
his world, in which he dives into a pool, future goals. He grew up in Ohio’s
foster-care system after being put He began a cross-training regimen
up for adoption as an infant. Ohio that he maintains today. ‘All of his
is a wrestling state, so Clark began sports rely on explosive athletic
competing in second grade, in part to
channel his energy and aggression. He
lost nearly all of his wrestling matches
until 2015, when, during his senior year
of high school, he grew strong enough
to compensate for his lack of leverage
and started to pin opponents. That
same year, Clark was adopted by
Kimberly Hawkins, his foster mother,
and her advice – ‘If they’re going to look
at you, make sure they remember your
name’ – helped motivate him even
more. (It’s also featured in his new

SFORMAT
TRAN
IONS
IONS AGENTS OF CHANGE
TRA
NSFORMAT ‘I LOST 180KG WITH
on the wheel,’ he says. PORTION CONTROL
‘A lot of people will just – AND A LOT OF
DISCIPLINE’
think, “Ah, I failed,”
JORDON HURD, 48
and feel sorry for
BEFORE
themselves. I think, 47ST 2LB

“Ah, I failed – but I’m CURRENT
18ST 3LB
going to do this better
LOST
next time.”’ 28ST 13LB

Today, Clark says he At my heaviest, I was 47st 2lb. I loved
going to the shooting range with my
feels healthier than ever. friends, but in January 2019, I remember
thinking that I never wanted to do that
‘In wrestling, I’m faster again because of how much pain I was in.

and quicker in general, My first step, and probably the
most helpful, was buying a food scale.
my hand speed is faster I had no idea what a healthy portion
looked like. By measuring food,
and the execution of counting macronutrients and reducing
my average daily calorie intake to
my takedowns and 2,000 and eventually 1,200, I lost
10st 10lb in 12 months prior to having
submissions is faster,’ gastric-sleeve surgery.

he says. ‘At the end of It seems a lot of people go into
surgery with the mindset that it will
the day, my technique solve their problems. It will not. All their
eating issues will still be there. I think
is nothing if I’m not fast.’ that changing my diet ahead of it made
things much easier for me. I also started
He continues to rely on working out a few minutes every couple
of days before surgery; now I work out
certain affirmations to for 30 minutes six days a week.

keep himself going. ‘I’m Discipline is very important. On
days I don’t want to work out or track
going to get up today. I’m going to be macros, I tell myself, ‘Don’t let your
weaker self win. Get up. Do the work.’
strong. I’m going after what I believe I’m 18st 3lb now, and the daily pain
and struggles from being morbidly
in – even if I fail,’ he says. ‘Once you get obese have gone away.

the “I am” mindset, nothing can break MEN’S HEALTH 95

that.’ But he bristles at the idea that

his story fits the kind of archetypal

motivational-porn narrative of

adversity overcome that’s attached

to so many black athletes. He wants

to make clear that he’s far more than

the sum of his traumas or whatever

exceptionalism surrounds his

movement, so [his training] involves achievements. ‘When some people
replicating a lot of that,’ says Craig
Levinson, a former professional see my story, it’s almost like, “Oh, I feel
basketball player who’s Clark’s manager
and trainer. For example, Levinson bad for you and I’m sorry those things
will drop a medicine ball over Clark’s
chest and have him catch it, then jump happened to you.” And I understand
into an upright position. ‘We’ll do
dumbbell presses on the floor, which that, but at the same time, I’m not
don’t require as much core instability.
It’s upper-body plyometrics, almost: that kid. I really want to be known
a lot of box jumps that involve
exploding with his hands.’  for what I’m doing and who I am.’

In June, Clark competed in the US So he’s looking forwards, not
Paralympic track-and-field team trials
for the Tokyo Games, but he might have backwards. In recent months, that’s
pushed himself too hard, aggravating
his shoulder and back just before the meant training for javelin throwing
event. Despite having the fourth-best
time in the country, he was one spot – another potential Olympic sport for
short of making the team. In response,
he opted to change his approach to him – and sparring with some MMA
establishing and re-establishing goals.
He’s stopped viewing success and athletes. And he remains clear-headed
failure as black and white. Instead, he
looks for lessons from each experience. about the fine line between Zion Clark
‘Next race, let’s try to get faster with the
hand speed and more accurate strikes the person and Zion Clark the athlete.

‘I might be a wrestler, a track athlete

and all these great things, but at the

same time, I’d like to say that I’m a

decent drummer – or just an all-around

decent musician,’ says Clark, who also

plays the piano and trumpet. And he

believes he can still be greater than all

that. ‘The people in my circle expect

me to win,’ he says. ‘They expect me

to be successful all the time because

they’re right there working with me.’

TRANSFORM YOURSELF

BATALON CRUSHING IT
AT A SHOOT HE NEVER
THOUGHT HE’D CRUSH

SFORMAT The beautiful people are everywhere.
They’re on the movie posters, the red
carpets, the covers of magazines. Marvel
actor Jacob Batalon – who was cast at 19
to play Spider-Man’s best friend, Ned
Leeds, and later became one of Spider-Man
portrayer Tom Holland’s actual best friends
– says he’s not one of them. Not during
photo shoots with his Adonis-like
IONSTRAN castmates. Not when he watches himself
TRA IONS on Jimmy Kimmel. Not when he and
NSFORMAT Tom are filming a car advert and
BATALON PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHAD GRIFFITH. GROOMING: MIKA SHIMODA/ART DEPARTMENT. COURTESY MARVEL STUDIOS
(SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING). COURTESY SUBJECT (ABOELNAGA). ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: DAN MATTHEWS; STUDIO 33FaceTiming Robert Downey Jr, who’s on

a yacht, and RDJ says, ‘Bro, Jacob, what

the fuck’s up, man? Everyone knows

your fucking name now.’ Not even then.

And especially not now, a day before

his photo shoot for this magazine –

even though the 25-year-old is 3st 8lb

‘YOU WANT TO lighter than he was when he joined the
TREAT YOUR Marvel Cinematic Universe.
BODY LIKE YOU
‘I’m honestly pretty nervous,’ Batalon
says. ‘I feel like every time I watch a Men’s
Health video, everyone in the video is
already pretty jacked. I wish this was right
at the peak of when I was working out
super-duper hard, because I looked way

LOVE IT’ better.’ He says he’s anxious about the
photo shoot for Men’s Health because he’s
always hated them. He was in LA in early
2020, shooting a cover for Teen Vogue.

SPIDER-MAN ACTOR JACOB BATALON LOST NEARLY Beforehand, he looked in the mirror and
thought, ‘This is not good.’ When his

8ST THROUGH HARD GRAFT AND SELF-EDUCATION – AND picture from the shoot came out, he says

THAT PART IS UNDER HIS CONTROL. EVERYTHING ELSE? he felt embarrassed about his weight.
WELL, HE’S WORKING ON IT Batalon adds that he was damaging his

health for years. ‘As a kid, you don’t really

96 MEN’S HEALTH

BATALON ALONGSIDE
TOM HOLLAND IN 2017’S
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING

know how to process,’ he says, recently scored his first lead role, in it shit – that’s not loving your
explaining how food became a TV adaptation of the Fat Vampire body. That’s not loving yourself.’
a remedy for private stressors novel series. So he had to gain some
within his family. ‘I never really weight back. And fans who once At the end of the day, Batalon
fixed that trauma. Until now, thought he was too heavy to play says, as much as you want to
food was that [fix] for me.’ That is, a Marvel sidekick now wrote, ‘Hey, love yourself, it’s hard to face cameras
until Batalon started to exercise. you’re too skinny to play a fat vampire.’ for photo shoots and actually feel
Now his workouts have turned into worthy. And so he’s nervous about his
his therapy, he says. Batalon says he’s returned to his photo shoot – and not just because it’s
diet after wrapping Reginald The for a brand whose videos he watched
The actor’s weight-loss journey Vampire, but keeping the weight off while trying to lose weight. He says he
contains all the familiar aspects. He will be his ongoing struggle – both knows the journey isn’t over yet. He’s
stopped eating junk. He started eating physically and mentally. still re-evaluating his relationship
fewer, smaller meals and focused on with food. But he has a response for
lean protein and vegetables. He ‘You want to love yourself, love your whoever wants to guess just why he
exercised six days a week, sometimes body,’ he says. ‘But you also want to treat did what he did: ultimately, he did it
doing non-traditional workouts in his your body like you love it. And feeding for himself – no one else. ‘Yeah, I lost
backyard, with a medicine ball and a a fucking shit ton of weight,’ he says
bench, that ‘looked like I was humping with a Tony Stark–confident grin,
the ground’. He dropped 5lb, and then ‘because I’m a fucking G.’
he thought, ‘Why not another five?’
So he did that until it was another JACOB BREAKFAST: LUNCH: SNACK:
10, and then 15, and you get it. BATALON’S
MEAL PLAN Two pieces of multigrain Lean protein, such Protein bar, fruit.
But what’s different about Batalon’s toast, three hard-boiled as chicken or fish,
story is how the internet responded. eggs. with white rice and DINNER:
‘Being a fat person, you’re only ever the vegetables.
butt of the joke,’ he says. ‘You can never SNACK: Lean protein, such as
win everyone’s love.’ He says he’s tried chicken or fish, with
hard to represent every community to Fruit, rice rice and vegetables.
which he belongs, but ‘I don’t want to crackers with
get back to where I was. And I literally peanut butter.
cannot consciously tell people to not
be healthy.’ In an ironic twist, Batalon

AGENTS OF CHANGE BEFORE I tried to run at lunch, but
13ST 5LB my runs would get thrown
‘RUNNING off by work, so I began
HELPED ME GET CURRENT running early in the
HEALTHY FOR MY 10ST 13LB morning. That means
getting up around 4am, but
DAUGHTER’ LOST it works. I can count on one
2ST 6LB hand the number of runs
SHARIF ABOELNAGA, 48 I’ve missed in the past few
After an annual physical 10 years that I needed years. I now do marathons
in January 2016, I received to run more consistently, and ran my first ultra in
my usual bad results: I was but never managed to November 2020. It helps
overweight by more than do it. That year, I made me stick to a schedule and
2st 2lb and my cholesterol a resolution and started gives me time alone to
was high. I had a six-month- running five or six days think about things, such as
old daughter and realised a week, about four miles how to be a better person,
I needed to do something a day, slowly building to husband and father.
about my health if I wanted six. The weight started
to see her grow up. coming off and I started I’ve lost almost 2st 7lb,
feeling and sleeping better. and my cholesterol is back
I was doing the occasional to a healthy range. The
5K and half marathon, and The key to staying with key to being consistent
I’d been telling myself for it is finding a time to work when you’re starting is to
out that works. Initially, just get out there frequently.

MEN’S HEALTH 97

TRANSFORM YOURSELF

BELTRAN TACKLING

THE FIRST WORKOUT

OF THE DAY IN MIAMI

INSET: THE CHEF IN

2017, NEAR HIS PEAK

WEIGHT OF 26ST

en hours before chef Michael Beltran, combination. ‘What it really boils down BELTRAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYAN CEREIJO. LINETTE CAIRO (BELTRAN, 2017). COURTESY SUBJECT (OZA)
36, begins an all-night shift at his to is: if you yourself are better as a
acclaimed Miami seafood restaurant human, you can lead people better,’ he
Navé, he backs his ’61 Cadillac out of says. ‘I’m a much more confident leader
and have a far better understanding of
‘BOXING the garage and then slips on a pair of the shit I can do right and wrong.’

boxing gloves to start his day off right. Growing up in Miami’s Little Havana,
Soon, he’s striking his gloved fists into Beltran was always the chubby kid,
never saying no to his mum’s rich
CHALLENGETD mittsheldbytrainerJacobHasbrouck cooking. On the fifth day of high school,
ME TO DO as they spin on a concrete floor that’s he showed up late to class holding a
stained with motor oil. Hasbrouck chocolate Chug (a brand of milkshake)
SOMETHING calls out punches – jab, cross, uppercut, and his teacher said, ‘Hey, chug-a-lug,
jab, jab, jab – and when he eventually you want to tell everyone why you’re
gives Beltran a one-minute break, the late?’ The nickname stuck: Chug went
I NEVER chef says, ‘Thank fucking god.’ on to play defensive tackle in his
THOUGHT The pace keeps up for an hour. school’s American football team –
a position reserved for the bigger
And it’s just the first of three workouts players – and hit 20st at university.
Beltran will face on this day. In the
afternoon, a second trainer will guide In college, Beltran got his first job,
him through an hour-long core workout at a bar and grill. Once he began cooking
before he finally begins the kitchen in increasingly esteemed kitchens, he
adopted the hard-partying lifestyle that
I COULD’ work, an endurance event that he sees often accompanies restaurant work.
as both exhausting and energising. He smoked a pack and a half a day, and
he’d drown post-shift adrenaline with
Today, Beltran stands 5ft 10in and Jameson and Guinness, topped off
weighs 13st 13lb. But at his heaviest, just with burgers or a big breakfast at dawn.

CHEF MICHAEL ‘CHUG’ BELTRAN SHED AN five years ago, he hit 26st. Now that he’s By January 2016, he had achieved the
ENTIRE PERSON’S WORTH OF WEIGHT TO cut out junk food and started working dream of every chef: opening his own
BECOME A STRONGER VERSION OF HIMSELF out five or six days a week, his tattooed restaurant, the Cuban American
arms ripple with muscle and his

shoulders stretch his hoodie. By losing

more than 12st, he gained a new

appreciation for how working out and

stress relief are a powerful one-two

98 MEN’S HEALTH

AGENTS OF CHANGE

fine-dining spot Ariete in Coconut earning rave reviews from local critics, ‘REACHING OUT
Grove, Florida. But after six months, he and two years later the James Beard HELPED ME STOP
looked out from the kitchen to see the Foundation chose him as a semi- DRINKING’
place largely empty. He was stressed, finalist for its regional best-chef award.
burned out and temperamental. He’s since expanded his empire, JAY OZA, 34
opening Navé and a Cuban American
One day, on his drive to work, diner he named Chug’s. During the BEFORE
Beltran was about to open a new lockdown, he decided to prioritise 13ST 3LB
packet of cigarettes when he realised his health even more by jumping into
he resented just how much he craved the ring. Learning how to avoid a jab CURRENT
them. He tossed the pack out the and, when that fails, take the punch 11ST 11LB
window and quit cold turkey. A few has taught him as much as anything
weeks later, he cut back on booze to about surviving different obstacles LOST
regain more control of his life. Two in life. ‘Boxing challenged me to do 1ST 6LB
months after that, he headed to something I never thought I could
a boxing gym for the first time. do. For my mental health, it’s
incredibly important.’
He met Hasbrouck during that first
Monday-morning boxing class at a When Beltran finally arrives at
Miami gym called Punch. ‘That first Navé for his shift, he moves briskly
time working out, he’s not going to around the restaurant. ‘Hey, this looks
have much in the gas tank,’ the trainer like fucking good food,’ he shouts
remembers thinking. ‘So I had to work back to the kitchen as plates head
him out just enough to where he’ll towards the crowded dining room.
burn calories but also come back.’
‘Just like that the rest of the night.’ SFORMAT
The new Beltran relies on double TRAN
espressos to perk up and eats in a way IONS
anyone can copy: in the morning, he IONS
slathers a protein waffle with peanut TRA
butter. After his workout, he downs a NSFORMAT
protein shake, followed by a lunch of In college, I drank at parties. When
a simple protein, like chicken breast. LEFT: BELTRAN GOES HARD I graduated into adult life, I didn’t stop
If he’s doing a two-a-day workout, DURING A HOME WORKOUT drinking, and it crept into the week. I
he’ll have protein cookies for quick WITH HIS TRAINER was groggy and less efficient at work.
energy and after dinner service ends, ABOVE: HIS ROUTINE My father had travelled a similar path,
he’ll reward himself with a salad and INCLUDES BOXING AND dying of complications of cirrhosis.
another simple protein. If he’s sampling CORE STRENGTH WORK, I was also overweight, so I started
new menu items, he exercises extra PLUS A HEALTHY DIET intermittent fasting and saw results.
hard the day before. TO HELP HIM STAY LEAN I wondered how much better I could
do by cutting calories from alcohol.
As he started getting healthy, ‘my
confidence in myself and my food After a couple of months of trying to
changed’, he says. By 2018, Beltran was stop drinking, I realised that I’d need
some sort of help. I got a referral to
a men’s recovery group and joined the
StopDrinking subreddit. I got support
from my wife, who was also quitting.
It helps a lot to know you’re not the
only one out there trying to quit.

To manage cravings, I’d drink
seltzer, and I discovered that little
things such as chewing gum,
sunflower seeds and decaf coffee
would go a long way. Breathing
exercises worked if I was out and
about. Sometimes, I’d consciously
remind myself of all the progress I’d
made. I’ve been sober for three years,
which has allowed me to eat a proper
diet, and once I stopped drinking,
I pledged to work out every day.
Breaking any bad habit is hard; it helped
that I didn’t have to do it alone.

MEN’S HEALTH 99