Well here’s news. Bradley Cooper is alive and well and he’s just pulled off one of the coolest brown suits on the red carpet this year.The award-winning actor attended the premiere of his latest film, ‘A Star Is Born’, alongside co-star Lady Gaga at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. What captured our attention (and it should do the same for you) is the 43-year-old’s immaculate brown suit with subtle Italian detailing.Whilst brown isn’t the most popular colour in men’s suiting these days, if it’s done right it could look just as slick as a tried and tested grey or navy number – with extra points for being original with a touch of old school charm.Cooper’s chocolate brown suit was devoid of any heavy accessorising and was polished off with a simple white shirt, navy tie, brown lace-ups and a beautifully tailored fit. As mentioned the fat lapels evoke a more Italian suiting style whilst double stacked side pockets gives the suit some extra detailing.A closer look though will also reveal Cooper’s wristwear which helps to elevate the whole look – an IWC Big Pilot’s watch complete with a brown leather strap to perfectly match his suit.Lads, we have a winner. If there are any other queries on how to correctly rock a brown suit, jump into the gallery where we’ve also included a few other men like Donald Glover and Joseph Gordon-Levitt who have braved the brown suit and conquered it.RELATED: Khaki Is The Latest Colour To Rock In Men’s Suiting & Here’s How To Do It

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It’s the age-old argument which is still relevant till this day – does spending your hard-earned cash on women (and men) guarantee you dating action?

There is some primal validity to it – women are naturally attracted to security and resources as much as men are naturally attracted to perky boobs and tanned legs.

As a dating coach I often get this question quite a bit so today we’re going to set the record straight before you go ahead and book that lavish dates on daddy’s credit card.

What Flaunting Money Actually Gets You

For one, it gets you attention, no doubt about it. For two, it gets you followers. Let’s face it – people are attracted to shiny shit, and they will happily ride the money train as long as the doors are open.

If a four-foot tall witchy-looking lass hits me up with “Yo sexy, wanna come on an all expenses paid, champagne flowing, trip to Italy?” I’d say yes. But would I bump the midget? No. No I would not. Would I even follow up and see her again? No way.

That’s a weird hypothetical, but it does explain an important point – don’t mix up attention with attraction.

If you’re throwing your cash at women, of course some will follow you. Who wouldn’t? And they’re probably also going to blow rainbows up your arse to keep that cash tap flowing.

But does this mean they will go to bed with you? Maybe, depends on the girl and if she sees it as a worthy exchange.

But obviously, and as cliché as it is there are points to consider:

• Are they banging you, or your wallet?
• Does she actually like you for you?
• Is she or he with all their gold-digging equipment actually blocking the doorway for a person who would actually contribute to your life, rather than just suckling from it?

All are valid questions which lead us to the below.

‘Less Is More’ Is Always Attractive

I once coached a huge property guy in Melbourne; I’m talking wealth to randomly buying a city apartment on a morning walk.

Yet he played his money down. He never mentioned it. He was careful about taking girls to his house, or them finding out about his business life. But even so – did his value radiate from him? Hell yes.

Within a month he had women fighting over him. Because he was rich? No. Because was awesome. He knew his value, he knew his lifestyle, he knew what he was bringing to the table – he didn’t need to bribe women like some needy trust fund baby.

Compare this to another chap who comes to mind, one that I had the pleasure of meeting one night long ago in a bar in the city. My female friend had to deal with him waffling on about his wealth, job and water front apartment.

She was happy to take share in his endless supply of Dom Perignon, but it reached a point where even that wasn’t enough and she bolted, leaving old mate with a lighter wallet scratching his head.

Avoid Laying A Bad Foundation

Love, sex and connection are not things that you should have to buy or bribe from a love interest; those things should be mutually beneficial things.

If you’re buying her time, her sex, her affection – what foundation does that set for the relationship? You’ve just slotted yourself into the provider role. Cool, but when ovulation hits, it’s not you that her animalistic brain is making her crave. Trust me, I see it every weekend when the dolled up housewives of Melbourne come out to play.

Money Can Never Buy You Lasting Sexiness

This bad foundation doesn’t help you, and it certainly doesn’t help her or your own perception to potential lovers.

How can you help a woman grow and develop if she just lives a perfectly cushy life with your coin? Ronda Rousey has awesomely founded the ‘Don’t Be A Do Nothing Bitch’ movement. She gets it.

The “DNB” in the long-run will likely end up crying on the couch, longing for her slimmer glory days, desperately trying to prevent her husband from upgrading with a newer purchase.

No one needs that kind of drama in their lives. Do it once, do it right.

The Right Way To Go About Things

Go about things how you like, I’m not here to tell anyone how to live their life. If you want to Bilzerian it up, awesome. But if you want girls who you can actually tolerate the company of you after sex, it’s probably not the best strategy.

Personally, I think a chill normal date is the way to start. A drink, a coffee. Boring you say? Well it is if YOU’RE boring.

RELATED: A Dating Coach Reveals The Real Reason Why You’re Single & Dateless

Money won’t make you interesting. If you’re awesome and you click, that’s all you need. Who you are, the success you’ve had, the money sitting in your bank account… you’d be surprised at how much this shows through. And a real charmer doesn’t make a big deal of it.

The Money Shot

Be awesome. Don’t buy girls. If you’re dating a girl and she is awesome – buy her unique cool shit, take her cool places, do cool things with her. Be a gentleman but don’t bribe her into a relationship with you. Don’t bribe sex out of her. You’re better than that and so should your future partner.

RELATED: 20 Things That Will Send Women Running

The post A Dating Expert Reveals Why Paying For Your Date Can Ruin Your Chances appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The men of style were out in force this week with multiple awards shows and New York Fashion Week all drawing out big name players in their coolest looks.

The winner? You and your tired old wardrobe.

Russell Westbrook led the way at New York Fashion Week whilst model Lucky Blue Smith, John Legend, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston all showed off their finest tuxedo and cocktail looks.

LeBron James, Henry Golding and the perennially stylish Jeff Goldblum also made an the cut.

The post Russell Westbrook, Chris Hemsworth & Tom Hiddleston Are This Week's Best Dressed Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

What if I told you it was possibly to be universally adored? Girls swooning, guys nodding in solidarity, parents and grandparents in awe of your joie de vivre?

For centuries (alright, years), Australian men have rolled their eyes at the fairer sex’s excitement over the vapid cringe-fest that was reality TV. This year, however, it’s a different story. Thanks to the down-to-earth “honey badger”, male ratings are up, Bachelor group chats have been formed and furtive scans of the gossip mags have given way to ritual viewing and emphatic social media predictions.

In fact, as we speak, training sessions are being cut short and meetings at the pub are being switched for, “Nights in with the boys,” to sit around with mates and crack jokes. To pick favourite contestants, sledge mercilessly, and let loose the banter. Even the Sydney Morning Herald agrees: “The Bachelor (is) actually a prime opportunity to take the piss… What could be more Aussie than that?”

“The Bachelor isn’t a reality show; it’s a spectator sport – as brutal as the rugby Cummins used to play.”

All in all: The Bachelor—especially Nick Cummins—has bridged the Gender Entertainment Gap. In light of this, we thought we’d hit up Nikki Goldstein, a renowned sex therapist, to get some sneaky tips on what the average guy can learn from the honey badger.

Be Funny

Forget good looks; according to Nikki one of the most important traits a bloke can have is a sense of humour. Of course, she admits, Nick Cummins’ body is also amazing, “Very tough and all of that,” but, “His humour is what’s drawing everybody to watch the show.

“He is the recipe for success this season.”

Men are identifying with the honey badger, proving that not taking yourself too seriously could be the key to winning over mates, as well as romantic partners.

Be True To Yourself

Also key to his success, says Nikki, is that, “He’s able to show a really honest side of his personality.” In contrast, “If you look at the other bachelors from the past few years, they fit into a category; you get the sense they are playing it safe, playing the role of the bachelor—good looking, quiet but handsome—we didn’t really see a bachelor that’s too cheeky and out there.” 

Cummins, on the other hand, shows you exactly who he is, to the point where, “It feels like a different show.” Although Nick has a particularly compelling “good aussie bloke” persona, Nikki says the key to dating success is not emulate his personality, but to show your own: “If you can be true to yourself—and express it—that’s really attractive.”

“The girls on The Bachelor are always going to swoon over the bachelor, but it’s how engaged everybody else is that shows his success.”

This is reflected in where you take your date: “None of the dates (on this year’s Bachelor) have been, to my knowledge, too wanky or over the top yet,” because Nick is a lovely, down to earth guy. But if you legitimately enjoy the #highlife—and you aren’t just showing off—feel free to show your date a flashy time.   

Don’t Be A Dick

At face value this one’s obvious. But Nikki strongly recommends men in the dating scene take note of the honey badger’s, “Mix of being charming, funny and respectful of women.”

“Here’s a guy that’s actually stepped up to the plate.”

“Some people would just enjoy being fawned over, but he’s a guy who’s actually really respectful of women—while not putting up with catty nonsense—and that is more desirable than being arrogant,” she says.

Be Friendly

Forget stereotypes of the strong, silent type: you should be making sure you’re friendly. Nikki says that this is easy to forget in the dating word, “Because everyone is so sick of being rejected and ghosted that we’ve stopped being friendly characters, putting our phones in our bags and talking to the person next to us.”

“It’s a simple thing, but if you were at a bar and someone next to you just started up a good old fashioned conversation, not with the intent to bed you, but just was talking to you and being friendly—you’d probably take a second glance at that person…”

Do The Simple Things Well

Getting back to the basics could enhance your dating life more than you know. “People value things like that so much,” Nikki says, “Can you go up to someone and say hi, can you open the door for someone, etc.?”

“Being able to put your foot forward and show women who you are goes miles further than trying to ‘play the game’ or sussing out who someone is before you make your move.”

“If you’re friendly and open,” she says, “The other person is going to be friendly and open back; and that’s how your going to know if there’s compatibility in personalities.” Also, showing who you are straight up projects confidence, shows you are genuine and gives an indication of how you might function in life, Nikki added.

“Women find it really attractive when you let your guard down enough to be a bit vulnerable so someone else gets to see who you are.”

RELATED: The Social Media Flirting Rules You Are Probably Getting Wrong 

The post A Sexologist Reveals The "Honey Badger's" Secret To Charming Attractive Women appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’ve all had the epiphany: adults are overgrown children bumbling through life as best they can. However we all also assumed that one day we might actually have our sh*t together. Unsurprisingly, a Reddit thread has revealed: that’s not the case.

Whether it’s because you haven’t lost your 12-year-old penchant for pranks, your 14-year-old self’s dirty mind or your 17-year-old self’s anxiety issues, you will probably relate to a few of these responses—and that’s fine. As user mcrn_marine points out, “I wish more people admitted they’re winging it, too. Everyone’s f*cking doing it. Some are just better at hiding it.” So, here are the best responses to the question: Do all ‘grown’ adults feel like they’re still faking ‘adulting,’ and if so, why is that the case?

From the frenetic pace of 21st century life:

“I’m desperately trying to get a bit more structure in my life, because I’m very disorganised and often struggle to get tasks done. Planning ahead is tough.”

To the sheer terror of being tasked with another human being’s life:

“I remember being shocked when my ex and I left the hospital with our newborn son. They’re just.. leaving us in charge of this new human? Oh my god.”

To their incorrigible sense of humour:

“I still feel like a high schooler inside, along with their childish thoughts at times… Heck, even a lot of times.”

The bizarre:

“I’m a 36 year old who routinely creates scenarios where my dog is named Lola P. Barkingsworth and speaks in an upper crust British accent. Usually something about world war two while I talk to her in old radio guy voice.”

To intergenerational advice:

“I asked my dad (who is in his 70’s) when he stopped being a teenager in his head and felt like an adult. His response was both reassuring and scary – he said: Not yet.”

To the droll:

“I don’t feel like I’m faking adulthood as much as that the whole concept of adulthood is a scam.”

Others reckoned our immaturity is something to celebrate.

“NEVER lose those childish thoughts. Maybe manage them but don’t lose them, it’s what keeps life fun and silly.”

The best response, however, came from user menace_64, who captured the brutal truth of feeling like a fraud (at “adulting”) in one simple sentence:

“That feeling wears off once you go a few years without anybody giving a shit about you and you still manage to not be dead in spite of your own unassuming efforts.”

Some, like user Bumpin_Along, disagreed, saying, “I wouldn’t… say people don’t give a shit about you, but that’s close. People get wrapped up in their own world and if you have shown the ability to get things handled, then they probably assume you’ve got sh*t covered.” But most backed menace_64, saying, “I’ve found even when you reach out for help, most people still don’t give a shit,” or “They’ll use your troubles as a way to turn the attention back on themselves.”

“I dunno, I’m people and I don’t give a shit about u/menace64. Seems pretty spot-on to me.” Cue: “Never before have I received such a feeling of validation by being not-shat-about.”

Touche.

“When shit goes down and (your kids) look to you. That’s a pretty adult moment. You might be terrified inside but you can’t break down. You have to stay in control.”

And.

“I learned a few months back that I am fortunately fairly calm in a crisis. Daughter split her head open jumping on the bed. It was a bad cut, she needed staples to close it, and it was gushing blood. My immediate thought after ‘oh shit’ was ‘Gotta stay calm, because if she sees you panicking, she’s going to lose it…”

Some epiphanies were more gradual:

“I just got bored of gaming and drinking all the time. I feel like I found things I enjoy that are ‘adult’ things, and my career is just going along so I don’t feel like I have to prove myself at home or at work. I just kind of do whatever is getting me to my goals and it doesn’t feel like faking anything now.”

And.

“Legit enjoying ‘adult’ things I’m right there with ya man. I seriously enjoy fixing things and getting things setup/in order for whatever reason. On paper it sounds lifeless and mundane, but in practice it’s super rewarding.”

Others had heartfelt words of advice for fledgling “adults.”

“Substance abuse counselor here. I feel the same way, like I’m just winging it every day. I try to practice what I teach and take everything in my life one day or one hour at a time and I don’t get the overwhelming fear I’m doing wrong in this world but also make sure I take a minimum of one step, no matter how small, toward my short term goals every day as a way to keep an eye on my future.”

Other handy advice included:

• By constantly trying to imagine what tomorrow will look like, you’ll end up with no answers and in a constant loophole.
• Once you get older you realize there’s no big plan to how things are set out, you’re just winging it everyday.
• Pay taxes, watch Netflix and drink beer.
• Today is where the changes happen, tomorrow is just the consequence of today’s action.
• There’s always someone ahead—the race is long, and in the end is only with yourself.

More responses that hit us in the ~feels~ included:

• Those older than me always seem to want to know what my plan is. What I want to be and do work-wise etc, and criticize and punish you for not knowing… B*tch you’re 10 years older than me, you’re winging it too! You’re barely over 40. Just because I’m over 30 now doesn’t mean I’m doing a job I always dreamed of or even KNOW what I want to do.
• “Just find your passion”, f*ck off it’s not hidden behind the couch. How many people work in their passions? Not bloody many.
• I am a math professor. Students occasionally ask something along the lines of; “Am I going to use this in the real world?” I’ve defaulted to: “No, because the real world doesn’t exist.”

RELATED: Ryan Reynolds’ Battle With Anxiety Is A Tipping Point For Men’s Mental Health 

The post Grown Men Open Up About Why They Don't Feel Like Real Adults appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

All eyes were on the John Elliott show during New York Fashion Week overnight and it was all about the three guys in the front row – and the runway clothes too.

Elliott’s SS19 collection drew in some big celebrity names but the trio who rocked the best streetwear were front and centre. LeBron James, Ben Simmons and Justin Bieber were all decked out in their own unique looks which featured some of the most hyped sneakers on the scene.

LeBron James opted for a JustDon denim shirt paired with Gucci jeans and a Hermes cap worn backwards. His footwear was an Undercover Lab x Nike collaboration in the React element 87 silhouette. Ben Simmons meanwhile wore fitted jeans with rolled cuffs, Atmos x Nike Air Max 1 “Animal” sneakers and a Guess fanny pack.

Justin Bieber meanwhile wore a sleeveless shirt with oversized legged trousers, a Lakers cap and Off-White x Jumpman23 sneakers.

So there you have it. Three unique looks with three unique sneaker styles. The take away message from this? Bright colours are in.

Thankfully we’ve also got a guide on how to pull it off.

The post LeBron James, Ben Simmons & Justin Bieber's Sneaker Game Is Next Level At NYFW appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Once the saviour of reluctant antibiotic takers everywhere, it turns out probiotics are not the magic solution to restoring healthy gut bacteria. Unless you are in the minority of the population who has the genes to process them, scientists have found that probiotics are pointless at best and damaging at worst. Further, the only way to find out if you’ve been wasting your money or not is to take an invasive test only available in Israel.

So how did we get this question so badly wrong? After all: probiotics are highly encouraged after a script of antibiotics. Well, as it turns out, the current method of “gut bacteria” testing (taking faecal samples) is flawed—as a study conducted by immunologist Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, has just shown.

“Probiotics are living micro-organisms that are taken by millions of people to boost their microbiome or to restore their gut ecosystem after a dose of antibiotics. Yet questions remain about whether they actually work (New Scientist).”

To find out what really happens when you take probiotics, the team of Israli scientists sampled the microbiome of healthy volunteers directly using endoscopies and colonoscopies (previous microbiome research has relied on “indirect” stool samples). They then fed 15 of the subjects either a commercially available probiotic or a placebo. The direct method of testing led to the discovery that the microbes found in faeces were not representative of those that had colonised the gut.

“Relying on faecal samples as an indicator of what goes on inside the gut is inaccurate and wrong,” (Elinav).

The research also revealed that although probiotics colonise the gastrointestinal tract of a lucky few, most people’s gut micro-biome straight up expel them. And the “invasive” method of testing is the only way to tell this, as both colonised and non colonised guts produce similar stool samples. From this they concluded that probiotic colonisation patterns are “highly dependent” on the individual, and the idea that everyone can benefit from a universal probiotic is, “Empirically wrong.”

“Some people accept probiotics in their gut, while others just pass them from one end to the other,” (Elinav).

The researchers also measured what happens to the microbiome of people who take probiotics after a course of antibiotics. As reported by New Scientist, “Twenty-one volunteers took an identical course of antibiotics, and were then assigned to one of three groups. The microbiome of the first group was allowed to recover by itself, whereas the second group was given probiotics. The third group was treated with a dose of their own original pre-antibiotic microbiome by a faecal microbiota transplant (FMT).”

Probiotic bacteria successfully colonised the gut of everyone in the second group. Which is good, right? Wrong. In an unlikely twist, this “potently and persistently” prevented the return of the person’s normal microbiome for up to six months. “This was very surprising and alarming to us,” said Elinav, “This adverse effect has not been described to date.”

The most effective way to restore a person’s normal gut bacteria was to give them a dose of their own pre-antibiotic microbiome via FMT (fecal microbiota transplant). In these volunteers, gut microbiome returned to normal within days.

Although the researchers did not measure the clinical impact of the microbiome disturbance, previous studies have found a link between prolonged disruption and obesity, allergies and inflammation. “It’s potentially harmful,” said Elinav.

The conclusion? Probiotics aren’t necessarily worth their weight in dollars, and to be effective, their formula needs to be highly tailored to the individual. And in serious cases of gut disruption an FMT is a better option.

The post Pointless At Best & Damaging At Worst: Study Reveals Probiotics Are A Hoax appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Besides being a sure-fire way to prove how ahead of the curve you are (and save money on breakfast), intermittent fasting is slowly but surely proving the, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” adage to be, if not bullsh*t, at least up for debate.Intermittent fasters say not eating until lunchtime gives you crystalline focus throughout the morning, helps you lose weight, and fine tunes your body. Conventional wisdom, however, says that skipping breakfast can actually cause you to put on more weight. So what’s the truth?No matter where you stand on the issue, this guide will inform you on what intermittent fasting really is, how to implement it correctly, and whether it is a good fit for your lifestyle. Whether you’re just starting to look into it, or whether you are already ‘Ketones’ deep in the low-carb rabbit hole, let us walk you through the concept of intermittent fasting (and the low carb diets that often go with it).

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you alternate cycles of fasting and eating. It does not dictate which foods you should eat, but rather when you should eat them. That said, it is often accompanied by a low-carb diet, as together this helps you lose weight and keep your blood sugar and insulin levels low.There are several different types of intermittent fasting that all—in some way or another—extend the body’s natural “fast,” which occurs every day while you sleep. The most popular way is to skip breakfast, eating your first meal at 12pm, and your last meal at 8pm. This means you’re fasting for 16 hours every day, and restricting your eating to an 8-hour time-slot—hence the “16/8 method” label.No food is allowed during the fasting period, but you can drink water, tea, coffee and other non-caloric beverages. Likewise, taking supplements and vitamins is generally allowed—as long as there are no calories in them. Some forms of intermittent fasting also allow small amounts of low-calorie foods during the fasting period, but most recommend you steer clear.

Intermittent Fasting Benefits

Various processes in the body change when we don’t eat for a while. This is to do with hormones, genes and cellular repair processes that evolved to cope with famine. Here’s a comprehensive list of the benefits you get from hacking/activating them with intermittent fasting. We should also point out that these benefits depend on having a healthy diet outside of the fasting hours.

• Your blood sugar levels remain constant throughout the morning—so Ritalin and donuts will be a thing of the past.
• Many people also report increased wellbeing, and having more energy.
• Also, once your body is used to it (i.e. you’ve tweaked your diet so you’ve stopped getting hunger pangs), you should feel an increased ability to focus.
• Significant reductions in insulin levels, as well as an increase in human growth hormone (the repair hormone that keeps you looking young).
• Weight loss.
• Speeds up your metabolism.
• Could increase stem cell production.
• Some studies suggests it could help you live longer.
• Convenient – one meal less a day to cook and clean up after!

We also hit up Anthony Minichiello, rugby league legend and founder of Minifit, and committed intermittent faster, to ask about the benefits of this eating pattern. As well as being, “The best way for the body to fight infection and decrease inflammation,” Anthony told us, “The body is better at repairing itself when it’s in a fast state.”

“The longer you go in a fast the more the body will produce self eating and cleansing cells, so old DNA, protein, white blood cells, all that will be eaten by the body and transformed—it’s a cleansing process.”

“The longer I’m in a fast the clearer I get, the more focussed I am and the more energy I get,” he added. There was also data to back up his feelings of wellbeing: “I had a blood test before and after a 24 hour fast, and the next day my growth hormone—which fights ageing and keeps you young—had been stimulated.” He also credits fasting with helping him overcome a broken disk in his back.

“A year and a half ago I had the L4/5 disk break off, and had one centimetre in diameter floating around my lower back. Doctors were saying, ‘You’ve got to get that taken out, it’s giving you trouble,’ but that’s when I really deep dived into the fasting thing, to try and metabolise it – and break it down naturally. They said, ‘Good luck.’ I went back 12 months later, had an MRI – and the piece had completely gone.”

Intermittent Fasting Risks

Many of the risks associated with intermittent fasting come from not doing it properly. However, even (especially) among medical professionals there is some disagreement over the potential dangers of intermittent fasting. Here are a few to watch out for—and how to mitigate them.

• Fasting leaves you prone to dehydration, because your body is not getting any fluid from food. To counteract this: consume plenty of water.
• Hunger. This one’s fairly obvious, but if you are not used to it, fasting makes you hungry, which can lead to increased stress levels and disrupted sleep.
• Heartburn: smelling food or even thinking about it during fasting periods can trigger the brain into telling the stomach to produce more acid—leading to heartburn.
• Some health professionals believe intermittent fasting may steer people away from healthy eating recommendations, such as eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, and trigger episodes of binge eating (it should be noted though that this is not a direct risk, but more of a knock on effect).
• For someone with an eating disorder, intermittent fasting could amplify the issue.
• Generally speaking, individuals under the age of 18, pregnant women, people with type 1 diabetes and individuals recovering from surgery shouldn’t try intermittent fasting.
• Extended periods of fasting (24 hours and beyond) could trigger your body’s survival (calorie conservation) mechanism, slowing your metabolism.

Types Of Intermittent Fasting

• The 16/8 Method: The most popular type of intermittent fasting, the 16/8 method involves not eating for 16 hours each day (typically between 8pm each night and noon the next day).
• Eat-Stop-Eat: Once or twice a week, don’t eat anything from dinner one day, until dinner the next day (a 24 hour fast). Side note: although studies have shown intermittent fasting with a low sugar and low carb diet rich in fruit, veg and meat to be good for your insulin levels, some studies have linked this particular method with a higher risk of diabetes (in rats).
• The 5:2 Diet: During 2 days of the week, eat only about 500–600 calories.

Anthony Minichiello follows 16/8 method, as he finds it, “The simplest and the easiest to stick to.”

“I pretty much naturally eat this way. I am usually not very hungry in the morning, and don’t feel compelled to eat until about 1 pm… Then I eat my last meal somewhere between 6–9 pm, so I end up instinctively fasting for 16–19 hours every day.”

Tips & Tricks

Intermittent fasting is easier than you may think. Although hunger can be a problem in the beginning, if you eat a healthy diet high in fruit, vegetables and good quality protein and fats, this should help prevent serious food cravings. However, as Anthony pointed out, “For people on a standard Aussie diet high in carbs… it’s a big adjustment.”

• Newbies should start with a 12 hour break (delay breakfast by three hours instead of skipping it completely), cut out snacking and drink plenty of water.
• If you’re really hungry—just eat, don’t force yourself. But if you’re feeling energised and you want to extend the fast then go for it; extend it to lunch.
• Remember: you are your own test case, so listen to your body and understand that slightly different variations will suit different people.
• For your first meal of the day, to break the fast, Anthony Minichiello recommends, “Something with pasture raised protein with fruit and veg, and/or a nutrient rich smoothie.”
• Focus on building a strong foundation Monday to Friday so that you can indulge every once in a while on the weekend (Anthony’s one vice is sough dough bread).

RELATED: The Ketogenic Diet – The Truth About How It Will Impact Your Health 

The post Intermittent Fasting: Everything You Need To Know In 5 Minutes appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Most smartphone-era humans harbour entrepreneurial ambitions. Whether or not they translate into a billion dollar unicorn depends on myriad reasons.

What is certain, however, is that you won’t make it to the top if you pick a dud business partner or 2IC. Many companies started off the back of friendship: but struggle when it turns out they don’t have complementary skill sets.

Other founders meet each other via applications like Networkr or Ripple (like Tinder but for business networking) and maintain ‘perfectly’ professional relationships. This can cause problems though too, because even the most compatible skill sets can’t compensate for a lack of passion, or different visions for a company.

So what’s an aspiring Steve Jobs to do? How do you find “the one?” We talked to Stevan Premutico, founder of Dimmi, a restaurant reservation app (which he sold to Tripadvisor in 2017), and Marty Spargo, co-founder of REIZE, a powdered energy drink company, to get the lowdown.

Aligned Values

As Stevan Premutico told us, having shared values is crucial. “One of the key things that I looked for when finding the right board members was if they saw what I saw. By that I mean: were our visions aligned, and did they see the same future that I saw?” This is a critical part of the start-up process; foundations can fall off very easily if you both see two very different worlds.

Complementary Skills

It’s hard to be an expert at everything. In 1976 Steve Jobs knew virtually nothing about computers compared to (Apple co-founder) Steve Wozniak. And Wozniak hadn’t even considered selling what he had created—the first ever Apple computer—until Jobs suggested it. This is why it’s important to choose a business partner who can act as the yin to your yang.

“Find someone who has complimentary skills to plug your weaknesses and bring value to the team,” Marty Spargo advised.

Stevan Premutico agreed, explaining how throughout his start-up journey he, “Spread the technical expertise,” so that he had, “Representation at the board level covering all the key things that matter—M&A, sales & marketing, tech and industry expertise.”

“As founders we are always in survival mode so getting the board together once a month to think bigger & more strategically became a critical pillar of our success.”

Passion

“I would say you want to find someone who is as passionate as you are about the project,” Marty told us. “That’s by far the most important thing.” Why? Because if someone views it as a job, “They are unlikely to stick it out through the inevitable tough times.”

Steven revealed that he took a similar approach, when bringing people on board; “You want to work with people you like, you trust and you know they have your best intentions at heart, and vice versa, because things won’t always be good and you want to know that they will have your back when you need help and support.”

 “I have a simple philosophy that in life you want great friends, in biz you want great people…it’s no different.”

Credibility & Connections

An often overlooked asset is someone’s social capital and business network. A good partner, according to Stevan, “Should add a cache of credibility over the business and help with capital raising, partnerships and sales.” It’s also helpful if people you bring on board are well connected and can open doors for you.

“A start-up knocking on the doors of a big corporate goes no-where so leveraging some long-standing relationships with your board can be a massive help.”

“I was lucky enough to have recruited one of the best start-up boards in this country including the likes of Cliff Rosenberg (former MD of LinkedIn), William Easton (MD of Facebook Australia) and Glen Butler (divisional director of Macquarie bank),” Stevan told us, so “When TripAdvisor came knocking… I was able to lean on the board for support, guidance and direction to ensure we secured the best possible deal.”

So there’s your criteria. But the work doesn’t end there. In order to maintain a successful relationship with a co-founder, here are two bonus tips.

Make ‘Fun’ Time

Although you don’t need to “tippy toe around issues because you already know each other well enough to shoot straight,” Marty Spargo, who founded REIZE with childhood friend, Steve MacDonald, says that—just like any other relationship—you should dedicate time to still hang out as friends. This is because, “Work will inevitably creep more and more into all facets of your interactions,  encroaching on time that used to be for fun things together.”

Communicate

To keep the relationship healthy, communication is key. Particularly regarding would-be awkward topics. “Have a dialogue about everything that is pulling each of you in different directions and obviously also communicate about everything that is pulling the business in different directions,” Marty told us.

“Periods without much communication can be toxic and lead to surprises from both sides.”

Now you have the inside scoop on how to choose the ideal business partner, all you need is a million dollar idea…

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