10 signs you're a healthy guy

1. You have a resting heart rate of about 70 bpm

The first health check to look at is your resting heart rate. Ideally your resting heart rate should be around 70 beats per minute or lower. If it’s higher than this take it as a sign it may be time to devote a little more time to your cardiovascular training to make your heart stronger and more efficient.

2. You're within 5kgs of your ideal body weight

Your body weight is the next health standard that you must assess if you want to check your overall health level. A great idea is having your BMI assessed, as this is the medical standard that places you either in the underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese categories. Additionally, you should also have a body-fat test taken. These two together can be much more telling than the BMI alone, which can place more muscular individuals in the overweight category.

A healthy male under 40 should have 8- 19% body fat and those over 41 should be in the 11-22% range.

3. You can run 2kms within 15 minutes

To test your cardiovascular fitness on the other hand, try a 2km. If it takes you longer than 15 minutes to complete, you’re below average in your fitness level. The faster you can run the 2km and the lower your heart rate after running, the better physical conditioning you’re in.

4. You can perform 20 push-ups

One great health standard is how many push ups you can perform in a row, without rest while maintaining proper form. Performing 20 straight full push ups, maybe even during a lunchtime workout at the office, is a good benchmark of what a typical male should be able to complete. If you come in at less than this, it might be time to devote a little more effort to your strength-training routine.

5. Your urine is the colour of a manila folder

While it may be the last thing you want to do, checking the colour of your urine after you use the bathroom is a great way to tell if you’re hydrated. If your urine is a deep yellow colour, you’re not taking in enough clear fluids. Additionally, if you notice any change in odour or any spots of blood in the urine, this is definitely reason enough to seek out a physician.

6. You have pink firm fingernails

While you’d never think your fingernails are a sign of good health, they are very telling of your current health condition. You ideally want them to be pink in colour, firm to touch and have a smooth surface. If you have white spots or a few ripples, it may be time to speak to your doctor as this could point to diabetes. If your nails are yellow, this can indicate respiratory disease, so take care immediately.

7. You are able to wake-up at the same time daily without an alarm

Staying well-rested is very critical to good health as not only does lack of sleep cause you to feel mentally fatigued during the day, but lack of sleep is a sign you may be at risk of having a stroke, obesity or heart disease. If you’re well-rested, your internal rhythm should be functioning effectively and you should easily be able to wake up naturally without an alarm at around the same time each morning.

If you can’t remember the last time you woke up without a buzzer ringing in your ear, it may be time to consider calling it a night a few hours earlier. Remember that making up for sleep on the weekends is not an effective strategy to overcome sleep deprivation.

8. You have bowel movements at the same time daily

In a body that’s healthy and functioning properly, bowel movements should be a very regular thing, occurring each day at the same time. If yours only occur periodically or are often too hard or soft, it may be cause for alarm. Check your fibre intake, make a few changes as needed and then reassess the situation before seeking medical advice.

9. After a cardio session your heart rate returns to normal within 5 minutes

Our next quick and easy assessment of your health is to time how long it takes for your heart rate to return back down to normal after completing a cardiovascular session. The sooner it springs back down, the better shape you’re in. Ideally it should return to resting in 5 minutes or less.

10. You know the date of your last medical check-up

Finally, last but not least, ask yourself if you know when you had your last medical. A full medical is something that far too many men put off for years and this is one big reason why unexpected health concerns come about. While it may feel like a nuisance to do and something you dread, it’s a must.

If you can’t remember your last date with your doctor, it’s time to schedule one. So there you have some of the top signs that you’re a healthy guy. If you’re falling short on any of these, it’s time to look at making a few changes to your diet, workout or lifestyle to get yourself in better overall shape.