Wellcultured - Well Cultured is a men’s online magazine with advice and reviews on fashion, dating, finances, health, music, movies and many other topics, as well as a robust message board and the Well Cultured Guide, a freely editable community wiki.

A lot of my friends tell me to eat lots of oatmeal, and that its healthy and helps you weight lift. Is oatmeal good for health? How should I cook it?

Is oatmeal good for a fitness training plan? Absolutely positively yes. But it isn’t some sort of magic potion, and its effects are over-exaggerated in the fitness world nowadays.

Oatmeal is not some sort of magical get-bigger-quicker sort of substance- it’s just oatmeal. The reason most people who do weight lifting and other fitness programs like it is because it’s a phenomenal filler food that’s remarkably healthy. Oatmeal contains only scant amounts of protein and iron, so it’s not entirely a “health food” per se, but it’s the type of thing you can eat and get full on without breaking the bank nutritionally. On top of that, many (including myself) find it makes a great pre-workout snack- it’s stable and thick enough to not interfere with exercising, yet it will still giveyou a nice energy boost. Ultimately, if you weight lift a lot and get hungry a lot, there’s nothing quite as good as oatmeal to fill you up quickly, pending you aren’t specifically looking for the protein.

As for how to cook/eat it, fix it however you like. Don’t listen to the obsessive types who demand you eat raw steel-cut oats without anything in them- that’s both unrealistic and not very tasty. So long as you don’t load it full of sugar or syrup or something, oatmeal is pretty much universally good and filling, and there is no problem with putting a little bit of white or brown sugar in it for flavor. I personally like to put in Splenda artificial sweetener. Though fake sweetener still spikes your insulin and has some of the same effects as sugar, it’s certainly better than the real thing.

In any case, if you’re hungry, feel free to eat oatmeal. You could do MUCH worse.

Though the stereotype exists that most people on the Internet live in their mother’s basement and eat nothing but packaged noodles, this is increasingly far from the truth. A good number of Well Cultured readers live on their own or plan to do so fairly soon- so here are some tips on how to make the experience easy, safe, and relatively pain-free.

Living Room/Office Tips and Optimizations

• If you can, connect your TV to your PC (or have a similar system set up). The technical specifications of this can be either very easy or very complex, but the core idea is to have the two set up in a way to watch your movie collection, listen to music, and access the absolute plethora of online movies and TV shows available online from places like Hulu. Some consoles can handle this, and most video cards also have the ability to do S-Video out. If you’re connected enough, you could entirely go without normal cable TV.
• Organize your cables. Cable ties can be purchased relatively cheaply and will keep your place cleaner (and easier to clean).
• Though obviously hard-wiring is preferable in some cases, because of the advances of wireless technology, try to invest in a wireless router. Most apartment complexes are not wired for (and frown on you trying to wire them for) ethernet. Obviously, password the thing, don’t be stupid- even though WEP and the like are easily cracked, it’s worth it.
• Depending on your monitor, try to build a monitor stand. Raising your monitor, in certain cases, will feel more natural and keep your head at a natural level, in addition to giving you further desk space underneath the stand.
• That being said, this is a bit of a controversial statement, but look into an all-in-one PC, especially if you are willing to take the minor hit in gaming functionality and the raise in price. Their cleanliness (and the ease of moving them) sometimes makes them worth it- the pain of moving a full ATX tower and a widescreen monitor (with all cords) can be a pain.
• This might be a bit fancy for most people’s palate, but look into ambient lighting options, like LED strips. Don’t be ridiculous and invest in “ambient light” TVs or anything- but the idea can be remarkably stylish and a nice way to light an area without using harsh bulbs. The only issue is that few LED strips can be found that don’t require being connected to actual electrical lines (few have plugs).
• Invest in good art. No-one’s asking you to pay a lot of money- oftentimes, it’s cheaper (and kinda cooler) to look into newer emerging artists, or find people through independent sites like Etsy and DeviantArt (though both of those sites are generally more awful than interesting). Worst case scenario, be ghetto and rasterbate an image and print it out for your walls.
• As silly as it sounds to say this, clean regularly. Every week or so, try to do a basic cleaning of your place, but every month or two, do a deep cleaning of your place- vacuum inside your couch, clean baseboards, and do other things you rarely do.
• Try to move to digital where you can. While most are used to collecting and saving DVDs (and more recently, Blu Rays), this activity is increasingly having no purpose. Use services like STEAM, Netflix/Amazon on Demand, and other systems when you can.

Kitchen and Dining Tips and Tricks

• Despite what most may argue, cheap food is not necessarily bad food. Though many claim to be able to “tell the difference”, for a lot of things (notably some produce and meats), there is little to no difference. Do not feel guilty shopping for cheap food.
• You really don’t need a huge number of kitchen gadgets. You probably don’t even need half of what most have. Find yourself a good checklist, and go through it, discarding everything you absolutely don’t need. Even cookbooks can be discarded- the internet is a fine replacement.
• Learn to open a bottle of wine. Don’t buy an overpriced electric offering- a Waiter’s Corkscrew will work just fine. You can also use a variety of other items, including anything from a screwdriver to a plain knife. There are so many ridiculous options that they would require an article of their own- Google is your friend.
• When shopping, make a list and shop when you have already eaten. The former prevents you from making ridiculous expensive/pointless purchases, whereas the latter keeps you from purchasing too much.
• Disinfect. As often as you can. Having mold and germs in your kitchen can be dangerous, and having any sort of meat residue laying around is INCREDIBLY dangerous. Get a good disinfectant and use it.
• Learn to use a really sharp knife. Dull knives are dangerous and pointless- educate yourself. Hell, just learn how to buy and use a knife at all.
• If you like coffee, buy a good coffee maker or french press, depending on the quantity you drink. A french press is a great option for a single person, but if you need both scheduled coffee and lots of it, go for an electric coffee maker.
• Believe it or not, chopsticks can make eating some things (notably salad and smaller meals) easier. Once you learn how to use them, they become invaluable.
• Slightly lazy? Boiling water can sometimes help clean off gunk stuck on the bottom of your sink. Just take boiling water and pour it on- with a little bit of scrubbing, most of everything will come off easily.
• Freeze your meat. If you don’t do this, you probably should- for obvious reasons, it lasts longer. If you buy chicken breasts, for example, place it in plastic bags (with as little air as possible) and freeze it. You can also buy pre-frozen chicken breasts, which are actually a bit cheaper anyway- not as high quality, but good enough for most.

General Safety Tips

• If at all possible, if you live in an apartment complex, try to live on an upper floor. Though it is harder to move in and out, it is generally safer- it is much more difficult for thieves to steal from an upper floor. In addition, it will keep people from potentially shining car lights in your windows.
• If you can, find an apartment with a washer and dryer inside the apartment itself. It may be hard, but it will keep your clothes safer, and be ultimately more convenient.
• For obvious reasons, avoid pasting your name on the outside of your door, your mailbox, or the like.
• Every so often, take an inventory of your possessions. The best way to do this is to make a list of serial numbers of expensive items (game consoles, PCs, TVs, etc), then use a digital camera to take photos of everything in your apartment. Store these online somewhere you can find them later, like an online storage service.
• Leave a light on. While this isn’t entirely eco-friendly, if you purchase a good fluorescent light bulb and stick it in a small lamp, it will be sufficient, and deter possible break-ins.
• If you can, have an alarm system set up. This may not be worth it for small rentals, but for longer-term rentals, it is almost undoubtedly worth it.
• If you feel as if your safety has been compromised (for example, if you may have lost a key, have a vindictive ex-girlfriend with a key, etc), ask your landlord to swap out the locks. It is worth it.

General All-Around Apartment Tips

• Though most tend to believe bigger is better, you may find that a smaller apartment may ultimately be better than a larger one, for both cleaning and general upkeep.
• For things like clothing and books- donate or sell what you don’t use. Not only will this put extra cash in your pocket, but it will eliminate clutter and keep you from needing too much space for extra storage.
• Create or buy a small docking station (or at least a little power station thing) to put your various small powered items, like your iPod and cell phone. Keeping everything in one place is very convenient.
• An ironing board and an iron are two things you absolutely need to have and learn to use. Unless you make a ridiculous amount of money, there is no point in paying someone else to do something so simple. A sewing kit is also something nice to have.
• For both geeky reasons and space reasons, it’s generally easier to have flat screen TVs and monitors rather than traditional CRT tube televisions. Still, the price of the former make them somewhat hard to switch to easily.
• Open windows to allow more ambient light, which is both good for saving electricity and giving yourself a mental boost. Mirrors also help spread light and give the illusion of more space.
• Wash your sheets often- every two to three weeks. This is not only nice and clean, but it also keeps your skin nice. Flip your mattress occasionally.

I want to weight lift and look muscular, but not massive and nasty. Think Ryan Reynolds, not those guys in those weightlifting magazines. How do I do it?

The anwer is simple: the same way the weightlifting magazine guys do, sans the roids and the overeating.

There’s a silly presumption (especially among women) that weightlifting in any fashion will make you some sort of roided out freak- which simply is not true. Realistially, if you maintain a normal lfiestyle and avoid doing any sort of crash diets or taking any sort of drugs, your body will naturally maintain a very nice size- that is to say, unless you have some massive bearmode genes, you aren’t going to become some sort of massive roided out freak in two seconds.

The way those guys in the magazines becoem big is 100% drugs and/or other forms of supplements, often aided by good genes. In all honesty, it is very unlikely you will EVER become like that without injecting heavy amounts of drugs into yourself: it isn’t sustainable or easy. A scant percentage of the population can indeed get this big, but it’s very likely not you.

That being said, embrace powerlifting and the legitimate weight lifting- don’t do silly little “lean muscle” exerises because you’re afraid of becoming Ronnie Coleman or something. Stick to the basics, and build muscle naturally. Obviously, don’t take steroids, and avoid overeating. You’ll turn out fine.

Hi, I’m not going to beat around the bush, I’m just going to say it:

I’m fat. Not Jabba the Hutt fat, but if I were to compare myself to an actor, I’d say Ricky Gervais size, possibly slightly larger.

This is causing problems for me, as I don’t know what to wear. with a 40″ wasit size, I’m not 100% confident with myself.

Having just gotten out of a 17 month relationship (with the other half now being “happier than she has been in over a year” and interested in someone else), I’m interested to start dressing more fashionably, but I don’t really know what to shop for. The articles have helped a little, but seemingly not for the larger person.

So, I ask you. What should I wear?

Being heavier set can cause some trouble, fashion-wise. Ironically, you have the same issue as super skinny guys: because most fashion out on the racks is for some generic sizes, you are going to have a horrible time finding stuff that legitimately fits you. Regardless, there are some rules and shopping methods you can follow/use to really make use of your body type.

So what are some fashion rules to keep in mind?:

• Keep things relatively fitted, not loose or tight. It may seem hard to wear something that’s fitted (that may expose your stomach or something), but it is leagues better than going super-baggy. In the same vein, don’t go super-tight- give yourself room, lest you look like you are exploding out of your clothing.
• Avoid bold patterns, bowling/Hawaiian shirts, or other stereotypical looks. Bold patterns make you look even bigger. Bowling shirts and Hawaiian shirts are not only stereotypical and horrible (avoid looking like a character from a 90s sitcom), but they also violate the bold pattern rule. In a similar vein, avoid dressing like mafioso or anything because bigger guys on TV do so- it’s a bad idea.
• Avoid pleats and baggy pants like the plague- try to elongate your legs. Too many people will tell you to go for pleats- DO NOT. These make your waist look fat, even on the skinniest of men. Similarly, baggy pants (like “easy” or “loose” fit jeans) will have a similar result. Instead, focus on having longer pants with a longer hemline, and focus on trying to keep a long, natural legline- think flat front pants and/or straight leg jeans.
• Elongate your chest. V-neck t-shirts, henleys, three button blazers, and even slightly unbuttoned dress shirts elongate your neck/chest, and can sometimes hide an unsightly belly. Don’t go overboard and start wearing 80s-era padded shoulders- just find something reasonable in between. Supposedly, low-rise pants are supposed to help with this, but I haven’t seen them work- give them a shot anyway.
• Focus on dressing well, period. Oftentimes, the presumption with guys who are larger is laziness- combat this by dressing a shade better than you normally would. Err towards casual-professional- think snappy, stylish clothing, not t-shirts and beater jeans. Get great shoes, nice coats, and the like- really show off that you aren’t a slob.

I think the big lesson here is, like anyone else, you have to wear your fashion with confidence- don’t worry yourself to the point where you become a fashion hermit. Face the facts- there are no ways in which you can instantly, with fashion, make yourself skinny, so just rock what you wear and accept your shape. Trying to hide it is going to seem contrived- dress well and rock anything. You’ll be respected more.

In general, though, as you’re probably expecting me to say, I think it may be adviseable for you to start a good exercise plan, if at all possible. While most of the science on weight (Especially in regards to BMI) is utter bullshit, a good exercise campaign that helps you lose weight will help you feel better, give you more options clothing-wise, and just make you generally healthier. Even if you don’t exercise, try to eat healthier- all of us, large or not, could use that.

Good luck!

Too many guys know about managing their health too late. It’s not uncommon for me to recieve e-mails with questions begging for advice on how to lose a beer gut- or worse, how to deal with dieting after getting diabetes due to bad “gamer” eating habits caught up with them.

Let’s cut the crap for a second. Unlike what fast food commercials and bad American sitcoms would like you to believe, real men are healthy, and they proactively work towards being healthy. Real men do not need a triple-stacked hamburger with extra cheese to be men (because apparently in the world of Hardees, “Man” and “Heart Attack” are synonymous). Sure, we all like good food now and then- but too many guys are buying the concept of health stoicism so much, they end up regretting it later in life.

So let’s cut that out right now. In this article, I’m going to address the very basics of keeping healthy- things you absolutely need to know right now about eating, exercise, and even a little bit of sexual health. You don’t really know how little you know until you think about it.

Fact 1: You need to be eating healthy right now.

Metabolism be damned. I don’t care if you can eat raw lard and stay skinny: eating healthy is going to pay back both now and in the future. Sodas, while extremely tasty, should be sparingly drank, as with alcohol and any other high sugar drinks (this includes Vitamin Water). You do not need a plate loaded with food- eating smaller portions more often is better for your metabolism and it gives you more energy. Junk food (chips, candy, and virtually anything else you can imagine a fat trucker eating) should be eaten sparingly. No-one’s saying you can’t have a good old burger every once in a while- but when you eat them regularly, you WILL get fat- even if right now you aren’t visibly packing on the pounds.

One point about this: once you lose a battle, you do not lose the war. All of us have had days where we have chugged 30 sodas or consumed two boxes of Krispy Kreme- this does not mean you must give up on your diet plan. One of the best dieting plans I have ever heard (which was written in an ancient book about weight training) was simple: eat healthy 6 days of the week, and give yourself a reward on the seventh. Even if you can go all seven days healthily, don’t consider it the end of the world if you eat poorly: just get back on track ASAP.

Fact 2: You need to be exercising right now.

One of my biggest gripes as of recent is that many guys think that “healthy” is the same as “as skinny as humanly possible”. This is not true. Being skinny or underweight does not mean that you are exempt from exercising- exercising is for everyone, no matter what. You should be doing a balanced exercise routine at LEAST twice a week to maintain body health- the effects will be easily noticeable when you begin. Fat or thin, muscular or weak, you need to have a good weight lifting/cardio/stretching routine- not to “get buff” or “get thin”, but just to stay healthy. We will have articles on how to get muscular- but right now, just accept that even if you want to keep a skinny weakling body type (for whatever strange reason you may have), you still need to be pumping some iron, just not 300lbs.

Fact 3: You need to be sleeping better.

I soundlike a hypocrite saying this with my late nights often spent writing articles for Well Cultured, but you need to get more sleep. Sleep is the glue that holds everything together- and trust me, going without will destroy you in ways you cannot even imagine. The lack of sleep will lead to poor mental performance, poor physical performance (this includes sex), and overall poor hygeine. Consequently, oversleeping will make you sluggish and lazy, and in some rare cases (like if you sleep after eating), it can even contribute to weight gain.

Fact 4: Stop masturbating so much.

This doesn’t need to be said in more detail than this: overdoing anything will have bad consequences. While you’re certainly not going to grow hair on your palms, you can easily desensitize yourself, both physically and mentally.

Fact 5: Your skin needs to be treated too.

As I’ve said on here before, I am 110% against makeup of all kinds for men (for women, it is good and sometimes desperately needed). Still, that doesn’t mean you don’t keep care of your skin. If you have acne, purchase a good cleansing solution and use it correctly. If acne is not a problem, make sure to rub some lotion on your hands/face/wherever fairly often. This will not give you skin “like a woman”- rather, it will just keep it from getting nasty.

Also, I’m going to basically send a big middle finger to the paranoid people out there. Get a tan. For most of us pitiful Anglo-Saxons, we are much paler than we think we are- and trust me, even the “pale” actors/models have at least a base tan at all times. Don’t go oompa-loompa orange- just get yourself a bit of sun. It will look (and feel) healthy. Trust me, humans crawled outside for hundreds of years under the sun, going out to the beach once in a while is not going to give you skin cancer- put on some sunscreen and just enjoy it.

Fact 6: Treat your hair right.

Excessive hair abuse (or hair neglect) will make you look stupid. Wash your hair often and this will not be a problem. Don’t get excessive hair coloring done or obsess over heavy product (the more firm the gel, the more your hair is abused, really). While this shouldn’t apply to most of our readers, don’t nuke your hair or do anything crazy- trust me, for some of us, we won’t have that hair forever.

That being said, the second you begin to go bald, go to a good stylist and have her work with it, or just shave it bald. Bald is confident. Combovers are not.

Fact 7: Wear good clothing.

This applies to shoes more than anything else. Wear shoes that feel good and let your feet breathe and walk naturally- avoid wearing sandals or other poorly fitted shoes. Many good shoe stores will now assist you with finding your “fit”, and make getting shoes that feel comfortable and let your feet breathe a breeze.

Also, with general clothing, NEVER go too tight. Fitted is good, skin-tight, blood-vessel-constricting wear is not. I am not kidding when I have heard horror stories about what happens to your package when you wear tight “girl jeans”. Avoid that for your future children, or even just your future sex life.

Fact 8: Shave like you mean it.

When you shave, shave well- don’t just go over your face quickly with no shaving gel, you will get ingrown hairs (and in many cases, cut yourself). Make shaving a pleasant ritual- it’s generally best to do so after showering. Use warm water, lather up with a good shaving cream, and follow the grain of the hair as best you can. Your face will thank you.

Fact 9: Have good posture.

Good posture is confidence. I’m not kidding. Not only does good posture keep you from having to go to a chiropractor later in your life, but good posture projects confidence and strength- so it’s a damn important thing for both your social and physical health.

Okay, let’s do a test right now. If you are sitting down right now, check your posture. Are you leaning back far into the chair, hunched back, or somehow sliding down the chair? Then you have bad posture. While most of us geek types have devised some interesting ways to get comfortable in computer chairs (or beds, or whatever), it’s not good for the back, or even your arms/wrists as you twist and contort to type.

Similarly, even your stance while walking is a factor in good posture. Keep your shoulders back, eyes out, and avoid slouching. The era of the “teen geek slouch” with your hands jammed into your pockets and your eyes at the floor is over. Walk around like you own the floor you stand on.

Fact 10: Keep good mental health.

As silly as this sounds, your physical body also reacts to your mental health. Be it trying to jog a mile or make love to a beautiful woman, if you don’t have good mental health, you won’t have good physical health no matter how hard you try. Keep studying, reading, writing, meeting new people, and keep yourself mentally healthy overall, and you will have a much better time with any of the facts above, bar none. If you are depressed, there is no way in hell you will perform to the top of your abilities: so sort out mental issues with the same fervor you do physical ones. Trust me, it helps.

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One important thing about this list is that it is not in any order- everything I’m telling you is important in it’s own way. While it seems daunting to see such a list full of requirements and demands, trust me- things like these become natural, and doing things like exercising and eating healthy become so commonplace that you’ll forget you ever ate poorly. Focus on each item individually, and eventually your future self will thank you.