Growing up in a generation that idolized Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol, worshipping physical strength comes naturally to us. As kids we fantasized about becoming S-T-R-O-N-G! This childhood dream instilled in us a macho desire to be the protectors of our tribe.

What they told us

But later in our lives, we were told that brawn is no match for the brain, and we were preached the famous ‘pen is mightier than the sword’ adage. We were brainwashed into believing that we must be sensitive, and that being sensitive and manly were not compatible. You know what? That is complete BS! Men can have feelings and can still be manly.

When someone says something negative about you, you can and should defend yourself instead of crying about it alone at night. Instead, we are taught to be “politically correct” all the time, when we could simply get rid of a lot of problems in our lives by speaking our minds and letting the other person know that we are not pushovers.

Ladies’ man

Every straight, red-blooded male wants a hot female/s in his life. Unfortunately, today many men try to impress women by trying to look good and by dressing well; in other words, by becoming metrosexuals.

I have nothing against metrosexuals. But, if you really want to impress a woman then have the guts to ask her out, instead of trying to dress up and hope that she will come running after you. Women still love men with powerful personalities, who can ask them out, rather than someone who spends hours trying to pick the right.

Muscle talk

Moving onto the fitness world, as an instructor I hate men who are the typical “I don’t do weights, I only do cardio” crowd! It’s hard for me to hide my disgust, and very often I don’t. Especially, when I see men who are into aerobics and dancing, and avoid strength training because it’s “too barbaric” and “primitive”.

I am not implying that men should be selfish, rude and uncaring. Yes, men are supposed to care for their family and friends, but they should also not be wimps and definitely should not be vulnerable to insults.

Getting testy

Testosterone is the hormone that is known to make us manly and bring about an urge to dominate and be the best that we can. The benefits of having high testosterone levels are:

• Better sexual health
• Reduced chances of having a heart attack
• Better bone health
• Greater stamina and strength
• Better mood

It helps in being more productive, and competitive. Compared to that a guy with low testosterone will often be a pushover with many health complications like being fat, weak, having poor sexual health, fatigued, depressed, etc. So what do you want to be?

It is clear that being manly and taking charge of your life equals great health. Hence, your blood work is going to be great, and so is your mood. And more success you get in life the better it gets, as your T levels also rise.

To improve your manliness and overall health, keep these points in mind –

Living and psychologically

• Take charge of your life and the responsibilities that come with it.
• Don’t become a pushover. Often times standing up to a challenge brings about a lot of pleasant changes rather than being a doormat.
• Be competitive and goal oriented in your life. You don’t necessarily have to compete with someone else; you can often be your own biggest competition.
• Have (safe) sex more often.
• Reduce stress, and get rid of the unnecessary junk in your life. Try meditation.
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
• Avoid smoking.
• Keep body fat in control. The fatter you are, the greater the estrogen dominance in your body.

Nutrition

• Don’t restrict your food intake a lot for too long. Eat enough high quality food to get the required nutrition in your body.
• Keep your fat intake around 25-30 % in your daily food intake. Whole eggs, red meat, coconut oil, nuts, dairy are all good for you in limited quantities.
• Include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc in your diet.
• Avoid processed foods and most simple sugars.
• Limit your consumption of alcohol and soy products.

Training

• Keep your training short and intense. Marathons are not great for your T levels.
• Engage in intense weight training and lift heavy weights that do not allow more than 10 reps.
• Stick to heavy compound movements like rows, pull ups, squats, clean and press, dead lifts, etc.
• Avoid overtraining.
• Focus on getting stronger.

Remember that our modern lifestyle makes it easier for us to be estrogen-dominated men with poor health. Never let things like andropause or hormone replacement therapy become part of your life. Take charge of your life and make things happen rather than blame others for your misfortune. After all it is what real men do!

fitness, manly, testosterone, gym, workout, weights, cardio, metrosexual, andropause

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