Pot Bellies Warn of Later Problems

You were a pretty good jock in high school, and in your 20s you tried everything from racquetball to running. But in middle age, even your softball glove is gathering dust. For recreation, you surf -- the Web, not the waves.

It's all part of that cavalier male attitude toward health that also makes men less likely than women to see a doctor.

The fact is, you might not care as much about looks as your wife does, but that fat around your abdomen is no laughing matter. A man's potbelly often warns of later problems ranging from heart disease to cancer, diabetes, arthritis, back pain and sleep apnea.

"We can predict with a fair degree of accuracy who's going to have a heart attack," says Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and a professor of kinesiology, health and nutrition at Georgia State University. "It would be those who don't have a very healthy diet, have hypertension or are obese -- which characterizes about 85 percent of the middle-aged male population between the ages of 35 or 40 and 60."

Not all of them will have heart attacks, of course, but it's still enough to worry even a manly man like you. Fortunately, says Dr. Thompson, you can do something about it without running marathons and living on bean sprouts. Small changes in habits can pay big dividends.

Psychotherapist Connie Tyne, L.M.S.W., executive director of the Cooper Wellness Program, says men often tell her: "I'm totally in control of my environment, I've got a fabulous career, but I feel like I'm completely out of control with my body."

"Making these choices -- losing fat and gaining muscle -- makes you powerful, both physically and mentally," she says.

Men on the move

You don't have to run a marathon every day to improve your health. A growing body of evidence indicates that just half an hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week can cut your blood pressure and body fat and improve your cardiopulmonary fitness. You don't even need 30 minutes straight. Three 10-minute chunks will work fine.

Here's some advice to run with:

• Consult your doctor first. Don't start a fitness program until you do.

• Build activity into your day. Take stairs, not elevators. Park farther away so you'll walk more. Trade the riding mower for one you push.

• Consider hiring a trainer. Make sure a reputable group, such as the American College of Sports Medicine, certifies the trainer.

• Find an exercise buddy. Your pal can move you to exercise when you don't feel like it.

• Join a fitness club. The camaraderie and classes may help keep you on a schedule.

• Find weekend fitness fun. An activity such as canoeing, hiking or camping is an incentive to work out during the week to get ready.

• If you golf, forget the cart. If carrying a bag is too demanding, use a pull-cart or a caddy.

• Look for age-specific leagues or outdoor clubs. Try tennis, golf, basketball, softball, bicycling, hiking -- whatever you enjoy.

• Volunteer to coach your children. Don't watch from the bleachers. Get physically involved in practices and workouts.

• Set a goal. Sign up for a long bike ride, for instance, then use that as a training incentive.

Real men, real menus

"Low-quality, high-fat foods would fatten up any human being," says Ms. Tyne. "Treat yourself to high-quality foods that nourish your body and help you get from one meal to the next without creating cravings that lead you to eat anything you can find."

Heed these tips:

• Divide your plate into quarters. Fill one quarter with lean meat and another quarter with a piece of bread and a little pasta, rice or potato, and half the plate with vegetables, salad or fruit.

• Aim for less saturated fat. That's the kind found in fatty cuts of meat, baked goods and full-fat dairy products.

• Switch to lean meats.

• Use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They lower cholesterol and heart-disease risk. You'll find them in milk, nuts, avocados, olives, soybeans and vegetable oils made from soy, flaxseed, corn and canola.

• Add fiber, fruits and vegetables. Raw produce is especially good.

• Cut back on sugars. Avoid foods with lots of sugar, such as soda, candy and cookies.