The 12-Month Body Tune-up
(Photo by Getty Images)
Welcome to GQ’s yearlong quest to really, seriously, finally get in shape. In the following dozen stories, we’ll cover everything you need to know, from the gym to the kitchen to the bedroom.
JANUARY: MAKE YOUR DOCTOR EARN THAT CO-PAY
It’s time for a head-to-spleen checkup. Here, Max Silvestri reveals how to make the most of that appointment
FEBRUARY: THE FOCUSED MAN’S GUIDE TO THE GYM
Everyone loves to say they’re going to the gym. But with so much useless equipment and so many opportunities for distraction, burning more than just time takes knowledge, willpower, and a real game plan. Here’s yours
MARCH: THE 10 HABITS OF HIGHLY UNFLABBY PEOPLE
So you want to keep an eye on the old waistline, but you hate diets. Join the club. Rather than give you recipes for yummy quinoa-kelp granola, we suggest following these simple rules, rituals, and metabolic sleights of hand. You’ll eat better, eat less, and burn calories all day long, even while checking your e-mail
APRIL: TO BURN FAT FAST, SPRINT, RECOVER, AND REPEAT
Wanna know why your gut still jiggles despite hours of exercise? It’s all that tedious, molasses-pace jogging. If you want to go shirtless by Memorial Day and cut your workout time in half, say good-bye to five-mile runs and hello to high-intensity interval training
MAY: THE PERPETUALLY TIRED MAN’S GUIDE TO A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
Pretty much everyone says they’re not getting enough z’s, and we can relate: Who’s got time between work, family, and Game of Thrones? But you can get the kind of deep, restful, just plain better sleep that will make your waking hours a whole lot happier. Turn out the lights and prepare to upgrade your downtime
JUNE: I FOUND MY MOJO AT THE DOJO
Six months into your fitter life and you’re looking to break the monotony of wind sprints and power squats. That’s when you follow the lead of Luke Zaleski, who discovered that if you’re willing to try something new—like, say, karate at 40—you’ll get plenty of the glory, and lose some of the gut
JULY: HOW TO TURN THE BEACH INTO YOUR GYM
You spent the first half of the year training for this very shirtless moment, so don’t squander it by loafing through vacation. Every beautiful stretch of sand doubles as a gym
AUGUST: A LITTLE BIKE-CURIOUS? HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET INTO CYCLING
You want to get into cycling, but wow, when did buying a bike become so tricky? And why are cyclists so weirdly intense? And is DayGlo spandex that necessary? We’ve got answers—and the only info you actually need to burn up the road (and the calories)
SEPTEMBER: DUMP THE GATORADE AND TOAST YOUR WORKOUT WITH A BEER
And while you’re at it, would you like some guacamole? New science shows that all the foods we try to avoid—fats and carbs and even brewskis—are exactly the workout fuel we need to get the most out of a sweat-slinging, pec-blasting gym session
OCTOBER: MAKE THERAPY ACTUALLY WORK
Your brain needs as much upkeep as the body you’ve been honing all year. And just as you wouldn’t ask your poker buddy to be your CrossFit coach, you need an impartial pro to help keep you sane. Here’s how to find yourself a therapist and then make every single session count
NOVEMBER: HOME SWEET DISGUSTING HOME
Don’t panic, but right now, in your own cozy house, you’re probably breathing polluted air, eating off bacteria-laced dishes, and sleeping in an invisible pile of dust-mite crap. It’s gross, and it may be hurting your health—but it’s also easy enough to fix, once you know how
DECEMBER: YOUR NEXT VACATION SHOULD BE YOUR SWEATIEST EVER
You spent 2014 getting into shape, so how do you carry that momentum into 2015? Sign up—like, today—for a race next year. And not an electrified mud bath with some tough mudderfuckers, but a competition you’ll actually enjoy, held in a city where you can eat, drink, and recuperate like a champ.
Without a tangible goal, exercise can start to feel like a grueling, pointless slog. (Abstract concepts like “feeling better” and “living longer” make for poor motivators.) What you need is an organized race, something to stoke your competitive instincts, push your regimen forward, and test just how fit you really are. Seeing that race date on the calendar will keep you honest about working out in dreary-ass winter. And if you plan it right, the big day won’t be something to dread—it’ll be a launching pad into a vacation.
More from GQ:
9 Things Every Man Should Have in His Pockets
The 30 Least Influential People of 2014
Hottest Women of 2014 (So Far)
Exhausted? Transform Your Sleep in Just 7 Days
12 New Rules of Healthy Eating
Gamechanger of the Year: Michael Sam
