What's New in Men's Health? JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU ISSUE INCLUDING:

The Greatest Abs Workout Ever from Get Fit, Stay Fit, the Latest Book from the Author of the Best-Seller

The Abs Diet, Men’s Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko

MH RANKS 100 BEST (AND WORST) CITIES FOR MEN IN 5th ANNUAL SURVEY

San Francisco is the Healthiest City in America, where "Hopper’s Hands" congratulate joggers under the Golden Gate Bridge and the city council hates smoking so much, it was banned at all outdoor public spaces, according the Men’s Health 5th annual ranking of 100 Best (and Worst) Cities for Men. Honolulu, HI (#2); Austin, TX (#3); San Jose, CA (#4); and Salt Lake City, UT (#5) round out the top five that received a final A+ grade. The absolute worst? Charleston, WV (#100), where two Biscuit World chains compete. Montgomery, AL (#99); Detroit, MI (#98); Memphis, TN (#97); and Philadelphia, PA (#96) all received an "F" from the magazine’s editors. The 100 largest cities in America were judged on 25 core criteria in the categories of health, quality of life and fitness. Other winners and losers are revealed in the categories of obesity, heart disease, exercise, high blood pressure, high-tech hospitals, smart single women, and colon, lung and prostate cancer. Also: Cities at risk of nuclear fall-out, a water-system attack, or natural disaster.

"Best & Worst Cities for Men" (p. 128)

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION BREAKTHROUGH: FIVE WEEKS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Want to actually achieve your New Year’s Resolution this year? Focus on sticking with your new change for just five weeks. New research suggests that you can lock in a habit if you get over that key chronological hump, where there’s a shift from initial voluntary control to repeated habitual behavior. MH takes on 5 popular resolutions and provides 5 sure-fire plans to make this year the one you actually keep your resolution.

#1. Get Back Into Shape (p. 102):

Write down a primary goal. Whether you want to lose 20 pounds of fat, gain 10 pounds of muscle, or complete your first triathlon, give yourself one major objective for 2006 and put it on paper.

#2. Recharge Your Sex Life (p. 106):

According to a new MH/MSNBC poll, nearly half of American men aren’t truly happy with their sex lives. MH’s step-by-step guide is sure to rev up a humdrum sex life.

#3. Lose Weight (p. 109):

Clean out your fridge. And your cabinets. Toss out (or give away) any non-diet soda, pasta, or bread that isn’t 100 percent whole wheat, and any cereal that has a cartoon mascot.

#4. Break the Stress Cycle (p. 111):

Smile, sit up in your seat. Psychology follows physiology. Act happy, alert, and relaxed, you'll feel it.

#5. Disease-Proof Your Body (p. 116):

Hide your alarm clock. You won’t be able to hit the snooze button. Research shows that people who sleep 7 hours a night live longer than those who sleep 8.New Year, New You (pp. 101-117)

TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN; MODERN SCIENCE SHOWS YOU HOW

Not happy? Don’t worry, according to scientific research, happiness seems to be a skill we can acquire and develop. MH has your guide to happier days: End on a positive note (we’re far more likely to feel happy about some past experience, and far more willing to go back for more, if the experience ended on a positive note); and use "positive psychology" to increase your happiness quota (write three good things that happen each day). Plus: Who are the happiest citizens of the world? It’s not the good ole USA.

"How Happy Are You?" (p. 118)

Plus: Snoring Products Put to the Test (p. 60);

The Sweet Truth About Popular Sugar Substitutes (p. 91);

Why Using the Military to Stanch the Spread of the Avian Flu is a Flawed Plan (p. 70)

Men's Health DECEMBER 2005