Latest news with #Shephard
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Ben Shephard's secret to lean muscle and low body fat for men in their fifties
Making his second appearance on the cover of Men's Health 13 years after the first one, the This Morning presenter looks more muscular (and only slightly less lean) at 50 than he did at 37. Shephard credits his physique to planning, protein and consistency, with four strength sessions and plenty of 'lung-busting' cardio planned out by trainer Steve Coleman – and, to be clear, he's working with a capacity for training that's been built up over years of hard work. But if you're a non-celebrity with the typical array of commitments, how fit can you really be in your fifties? Is trying to recapture your youthful best just a fast track to frustration? And how should you change your training to maximise your results while minimising your injury risk? Let's dive right in – after some light stretching, obviously. One of the biggest challenges for both men and women in their fifties are changing hormone levels, which can hamper training and recovery. Menopause in women causes a sharp drop in estrogen and progesterone, leading to the loss of lean muscle mass, reduced bone density and increased abdominal fat storage, alongside sleep issues and energy level fluctuations. For men, the issue is testosterone: levels start to decline about 1 per cent a year from the age of 30 to 40, though studies suggest that fatherhood also correlates with a drop in testosterone too. Muscle loss, or sarcopenia, also starts after we hit 30, our tendons start to lose some of their elasticity, and joints start to show signs of wear and tear – all of which can make injuries more likely, and less manageable. If you've twisted a knee at five-a-side or been sitting with bad posture for years, it's in our forties and fifties where that starts to add up, leading to surgery or pain when we move – making us more cautious about the sorts of physical challenges that we'll actually tackle. More than anything, it's this that causes slowing of the metabolism as you age: with less muscle mass to burn calories, and less everyday movement going on (whether because you've given up rugby or because you don't go dancing any more), you tend to put on fat even if you're eating the same as you always have. On top of all that, the chronic stresses of everyday life can elevate cortisol levels (leading to increased fat storage around your midriff), and interfere with your sleep (affecting recovery). It's a bleak picture, but some men – like Shephard – seem able to redraw it. So how can you do the same? Here's the plan. Maintain, don't gain The first thing to say is that it's a lot easier to hold onto all of our youthful attributes – appreciable amounts of muscle, a fast metabolism, and healthy joints – than it is to try and get them for the first time in the second half of your life. So, the most important thing you can do is to find some sustainable fitness habits as soon as you can and keep them up – whether you're in your twenties, forties, or sixties. That ought to mean doing some sort of strength training and some sort of cardio every week. Even a couple of 30-minute strength sessions a week can be enough to keep you in shape, while cardio is the gift that keeps on giving – you should do as much as you can (we'll get to how intense that should be shortly). Finally, you should definitely include some sort of mobility work in your regimen every week – that could be a few dynamic stretches around your workouts (the Cossack squat is a great bang-for-your-buck option), or a dedicated session like yoga or Pilates. Don't get injured This gets much more important as you get older and don't bounce back from injuries as quickly. One key is to warm up – a good warmup gradually increases heart rate and circulation, which can suffer from age, while also raising muscle temperature, which improves elasticity and efficiency. It also activates your nervous system, enhancing your coordination and reducing your risk of taking a tumble. It doesn't have to be too complicated – if your gym has one, the SkiErg is a great choice, as it gets your blood flowing, uses all your large muscle groups, warms up your shoulders and helps your coordination. The second part of not getting injured is choosing moves that are low-risk, high-reward. For instance, I don't bench press any more – it's stressful on the shoulders, easy to overload, and it doesn't do much for your chest and arms that a not-too-serious lifter can't get from different types of press-ups. In general, try to avoid high-impact moves (the odd box jump is fine, but don't ping your Achilles tendon by doing 50 of them in one workout), and forget the one-rep maxes. But that said… Lift weights 'This is really what makes the difference in how you look,' says Sarah Lindsay, CEO of Roar Fitness. 'The stronger you are, the more intensity you can create, and the more stimulus you're going to be providing to your muscles. Learn to lift heavy, and track your progress – if the weights go up, that's very motivating.' If you're pressed for time on strength training, don't waste any of it on barbell curls or situps: spend as much of it as possible on exercises that work multiple areas of your body at once. Press-ups work your shoulders and core as well as your chest – goblet squats work all of your leg muscles, but also test your biceps. Aim to use a weight that's moderately challenging for 5-10 repetitions, and do two or three sets. Do a lot of Nepa (non-exercise physical activity) This basically means all of the things you wouldn't get changed to go and do: walking your kids to school or doing the gardening are both Nepa, and a key benefit of both is that they're not difficult to do, and aren't likely to lead to food cravings later in the day (unlike, say, high-intensity cardio). If you want to, you can also add a bit of difficulty to your everyday movements – say, by throwing a couple of books in a rucksack when you take the dog for a walk. It definitely adds up. Eat well – most of the time One of the simplest ways is to aim to eat well 80 per cent of the time (and not worry too much the rest of the time). You'll eat roughly 21 meals a week – so around 17 of those should be reasonably 'healthy'. What's healthy? A decent chunk of protein – around 20-30g – is a good start, alongside a bit of veg (or fruit, but not every time). And don't ignore carbs! 'Eat for energy so that you can train hard, and to recover from your workout, and so that your next training session is good,' says Lindsay. 'If you're eating with performance in mind, you won't go far wrong.' …and don't look back If you looked good, lifted big or ran fast in your twenties and thirties, it's tempting to tell yourself you can recapture those glory days – but going hard in every workout in the attempt is a shortcut to frustration and injuries. Avoid rear-view mirror syndrome by re-framing your efforts as something you're doing for the future: you're aiming to live a healthy, active life for as long as you can, not beat your old Parkrun PB. And unless you're starting an Insta account, being in good shape for your fifties is a great place to be.
Los Angeles Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Inside the buzzy closet sale for L.A. fashion ‘it' girls
Some advice: If you love something, set it free — even the Miu Miu heels. This was the notion that two friends, Quinn Shephard and Francesca Goncalves, were discussing in a sun-kissed setting (a 'pool somewhere,' Shephard recalls). They wanted to barter their old clothing, but that was a sticky prospect in Los Angeles — the scene is riddled with suspicious stares from thrift store employees and digital cold wars with teenagers on Depop. There's pomp and circumstance at every turn. 'So many people are like: I go to Wasteland or Crossroads and I get $3,' Shephard explains. 'They're not nice to me.' Shephard and Goncalves wanted to start a closet sale that felt more like a fun hangout with friends. So one day last summer, Shephard and Goncalves hit the streets of Silver Lake, asking small businesses if they'd host an event that they were calling Outfit Repeater L.A. Shephard jokes that Goncalves is the 'mayor of Silver Lake' — the kind of Gatsby-like woman who makes Los Angeles feel like a small town, chatting with strangers with an endearing openness. Finally, they arrived at Constellation Coffee, a contemporary, sleek coffee shop. To their surprise, the manager agreed to host Outfit Repeater L.A. that upcoming Sunday. 'She's used to indie filmmaking, where you have to go up and ask people for things, and there's power in that,' Goncalves says of Shephard, the director of TV shows including the Hulu drama 'Under the Bridge.' Goncalves works in Stanford Medicine's genetics department. With their event fast approaching, Shephard and Goncalves created a blitzkrieg of advertisements across social media and posted fliers on lampposts throughout the neighborhood to drum up excitement. 'We literally put up fliers until 2 am. It's so funny because Quinn doesn't do anything unless it's 100%, and I'm like that too,' says Goncalves. The first Outfit Repeater L.A. event was a success, drawing a crowd of fashion enthusiasts and women who wanted to sell their beloved wardrobes directly to buyers, bypassing the intermediary of a thrift store. Women attendees eagerly inquired about selling their own clothes at the next event, offering up locations and contacts. 'New coffee shops wanted to host us, and new girls wanted to sell,' Goncalves says. 'It snowballed into this thing where it's just getting bigger and bigger, completely by accident.' Since then, Outfit Repeater L.A. has garnered a reputation as the Eastside's hippest trading post for 'it' girls, creatives and fashion trendsetters. Sellers have included independent film darlings like Geraldine Viswanathan and Francesca Reale, as well as fashion influencers with enviable style, such as Macy Eleni. Despite its newfound fame, at its core, the closet sale is inclusive and accessible to people of all income levels. 'I wanted to keep it very accessible. I charge a seller fee that's so low, just to cover expenses. It's not just vintage resellers or influencers that can afford to sell,' says Goncalves. Goncalves attributes the success of the event to a hunger for social events that offer an alternative to the monotony of bar hangs. 'People are tired of the bar scene,' she says. Shephard explains that the appeal is simple: 'It's like going to a party with your friends for the day, plus you make money.' At a recent Outfit Repeater L.A. event at Lamill Coffee in Silver Lake, actor Kate Mansi was selling her wardrobe after discovering the event through a friend's recommendation. 'I'm always selling stuff on Instagram,' Mansi says. 'It's nice to do it face to face. Clothes have a story. It's nice to hear the story of the piece you're inheriting.' Mansi adds, 'I have a very Virgo system with my closet where I turn the hanger backwards if it's something I haven't worn, and if in a year, I still haven't worn it, it must go.' On this Sunday, one of those items was a well-loved blue polka-dot romper with puff sleeves, which Mansi found at a vintage store years earlier, and she sold it for $20. Another was an All Saints trenchcoat, priced at $40, and a gray A.L.C. blouse, for $30. A classic denim Levi's jacket found a new home for $30. Mansi parted ways with a black dress by Jonathan Simkhai, one of her favorite designers. To the woman who bought it, Mansi wisely prescribed that she wear the dress casually with flats or boots. At a time when fashion retail has shifted online due to the pandemic, an in-person thrifting event has been warmly received by the community. 'I'm focused on each sale being a unique thing that people walk away from, having gotten a cool piece and making a few new friends and maybe a lover or boyfriend,' says Goncalves. Alena Nemitz, who has been creating social media content for Outfit Repeater L.A., met her partner of five months at one of the events. 'I was selling, and they were walking through and introduced themselves to me,' she says. 'Now we're dating, which is so cute.' Eleni, who wrote a book on thrifting called 'Second Chances,' was one of Outfit Repeater's earliest sellers and champions. Growing up with a single mother in Dayton, Ohio, Eleni explains that she was bullied for thrifting during her childhood and is overjoyed to see a new generation embrace it. She believes some of the newfound eagerness for thrifting comes from an increased awareness of the devastating impact of fast fashion. 'When I was a teenager, I wasn't seeing videos on my phone of the inside of a Shein factory,' she says. 'The curtains have been lifted, and there's no way to claim ignorance as to where things are coming from anymore.' Outfit Repeater L.A. has built a community of shoppers excited about clothing, Eleni explains. 'Everyone is gassing each other up about how fabulous they look,' she says. 'I love seeing people's faces light up over other people's things that they're ready to be done with. It's less [about] people trying to flip a profit and more people just trying to swap their clothes, share their clothes with each other.' Goncalves describes the endearing experience of spotting items she sold from her closet on other women around Silver Lake. The world suddenly feels smaller and warmer. 'I think clothes are so personal, but they are fleeting in a way,' she says. You love something and you want to pass it on, but it's still your life and your ecosystem, even if it's not right for you anymore.'
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Coles shoppers lose their minds after spotting popular item finally back on shelves for $2: 'I started crying'
Shoppers are flocking to supermarkets to stock up on the much-loved Hass avocados after a less popular season of the Shepard variety. Coles and Woolworths have delighted fans with the return of the fan favourite Hass avocados, which are now back in season from May through to January. During its absence, the controversial green-skinned Shepard variety takes over the fruit and vegetable aisles between February and April. After a long three-month wait, avocado fans are thrilled to see the ever-popular Hass back on shelves. 'I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Hass at Coles - I thought I was dreaming. It's been a painful couple of months without them,' a shopper told FEMAIL. 'I can't stand Shepard avocados. No matter how long I wait for them to ripen, they never taste as creamy or delicious as Hass. I've been avoiding buying avocados for the past three months... Until now.' Dozens of fans have expressed their excitement over the return of the Hass variety. 'Almost shed a tear finding Hass avocados at Woolies today... There's light at the end of the tunnel. It is a weekend for miracles,' one said. 'The way I just started crying,' another shared. 'This has relieved my Shepard depression,' one revealed. 'Yay! I have missed avocados,' another added. Many joked the 'war is over' while another pointed out: 'It's a good day to be in Australia' after spotting Hass at their local supermarket. 'Goodbye Shepard avocados and hello Hass I say,' one said. 'About time... I was sick of crunchy avocado,' another shared. However, some were sympathetic towards Shephard, with one saying: 'I feel bad for Shepard avocados… it's not their fault they are inferior to the Hass avos.' Every year, Australians vent their frustration at Shepard avocados, which are notoriously hard to tell when ripe. 'I had a bag of Shepherd avocados sitting on my counter for 15 days and they never ripened. Hard as a rock,' one said. 'In the history of the world has a Shepard avocado ever ripened because I've never seen one ripe,' another claimed. 'Shepard avocados are so much harder to get nice and ripe. I left one out for four days and when I opened it, it wasn't ripe enough and tasted like plastic,' one said. 'I wouldn't even call Shepherds a real Avocado - it has the consistency of a candle. Hass all the way,' another added. Shepard always stays green, even when ripe, while Hass changes colour as it ripens - going from a green to purple black. Hass has a creamy texture and taste while Shepard, which is less prone to bruising, has a nutty flavour and butter texture. Keeping avocados in a fruit bowl or brown paper bag with bananas can help speed up the ripening process.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Married fighter pilots with Sterling ties soar the skies side by side over Japan
May 3—STERLING — For Air Force Capts. Tanner "Brüt" Massey and Sydney "Menace" Shephard, the view from 30,000 feet is not only a mission — it's a shared way of life. The married fighter pilots, both currently stationed in northern Japan, fly F-16 training missions together, serving their country while navigating military life side by side in the air and at home. Massey, a 2015 Sterling High School graduate, and Shephard have been in the Air Force for about five years. They met as cadets in the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where what started as a college friendship eventually turned into a lifelong partnership. "It definitely wasn't love at first sight — at least not for her," Massey recalled. "I had to work harder to get her attention than anything else I'd ever done." Shephard jokingly agrees, saying their relationship started when "a boy invited himself to a girl's family Christmas and then never left." The couple married in March 2020, just before Shephard's graduation and their move to their first duty station for pilot training. Despite the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, they launched into a demanding but rewarding military journey, one that has taken them across the globe — from training in the U.S. to deployments in South Korea and now Japan. Known as the "Mighty Viper," flying F-16s is a dream the two share. "It's a welcome challenge," Shephard said. "It's like flying down a backroad listening to 'Thunderstruck.'" Massey echoed her sentiment, calling the aircraft a "phenomenal" multirole fighter that remains one of the most lethal platforms despite being fourth generation. The pair flies missions in the same formation, something few military couples get to experience. "It's a cool and unique experience to get to fly alongside your spouse," Shephard said. "You get a front-row seat to their growth as a pilot, which is awesome, and you also get to see all of their funny little mistakes to tease them about later." Although they fly in separate jets, their bond translates into an intuitive partnership in the skies. "The real advantage with Sydney is more personal — it's the ability to read subtle cues, like a slight change in her tone over the radio," Massey said. "Usually, it's when I'm pushing her patience a little too far." However, both Shephard and Massey emphasized that all fighter pilots they serve with are highly trained and capable, and personal familiarity is only one part of a larger team effort. The couple has flown "too many training missions together to count," said Shephard, with Massey logging almost 470 flying hours to date. The pair has been stationed in Japan since late 2024 and is currently immersed in frequent flight training and preparing for pilot upgrades. Off duty, they have been settling into their home and enjoying winter sports and travel. "We're diving into the local culture," Massey said. Future travel plans include destinations such as Bali, Vietnam and New Zealand. Their future in the Air Force remains open-ended. Both have about six years left in their initial 10-year pilot commitments and are considering continuing active duty or transitioning to the Air National Guard. "We will stay in the military as long as it still fits our lifestyle and family goals," Shephard said. For now, the pair continues to dominate the skies together.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
East Texas man gets 25 year sentence for narcotics possession in Henderson County, officials say
HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — An East Texas man received a 25 year prison sentence in Henderson County for possession of controlled substance, officials said. Crockett man arrested after police chase ends in drug bust James Russell Shephard II was arrested on April 25, 2023 after a Henderson County Sheriff's Office investigator found digital scales, syringes, a backpack with narcotics and three pistols in Shephard's vehicle, according to a Facebook post from the Henderson County District Attorney. A person called authorities claiming Shephard was high on fentanyl and making threats inside a vehicle. According to the post, the Department of Public Safety tested the narcotics Shephard possessed and confirmed them as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and phenazepam. Shepard also served a previous prison sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. 'Fentanyl is not only incredibly dangerous to those who use it, but also to everyone around them,' Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer said. 'We've seen how quickly it can turn a situation violent or deadly. Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who traffic in these poisons and endanger our community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
