Top of the Pops: #MVFNewsround 22/11/19

It’s been very tempting to sit at home in front of the fire (I lie, I don’t have a fire and instead wear 37 layers and stand in front of the radiator) because it’s been sooo very cold here in the UK. Nevertheless, I have been forcing myself to get up and get active and you should too – moving around actually warms you up, who knew?! Here’s what else we’ve been up to this week…

FROM THE MAN V FAT FOOTBALL LEAGUES

We’ve long been a fan of MAN v FAT Footballer Andy Boland’s Instagram page, where he shares his weight loss progress with refreshing honesty, so we were flabbergasted (although not entirely surprised, as Andy works SO HARD at this weight loss malarky) this week to learn that he has now lost 50% of his starting weight. That’s right, FIFTY PERCENT. He is quite literally half the man he used to be(!)

Andy is running the Olympic Park 5k in December and is fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support – you can find his fundraising page and support him here. Congratulations Andy for this astonishing achievement and good luck with the 5k!

IN OTHER NEWS…

Our bodies start to ‘fall apart’ in our forties, according to a survey commissioned by vitamin and supplement company Healthspan and published in The Express this week. The poll found that on average, our knees start creaking at the age of 47, we start losing our hearing at the age of 49 and our backs give out around the age of 44. Gulp. So how can you avoid succumbing to groaning every time you get up off the sofa? Keep active and take vitamins. There.

Those pesky millennials are killing off all sorts of industries, being blamed for the drop in sales of diamonds, the decline of the paper napkin industry and the closure of restaurants. Now Gen Z (that’s those born since 2000) are killing things off left right and centre too, with recent research finding that 35% of 16-24-year-olds don’t know what an oatcake is. Hint: they’re flatbreads made with oats, kind of like a rough cracker.

Bad news for Nairn’s, who commissioned the survey – but they have tips for how to enjoy the Scottish staple, mainly: top with cheese and pickle, or with peanut butter and banana for a protein boost. Yum.

Christmas drinks are out in Starbucks and Costa and I don’t know about you, but every year I end up getting one because who can resist?! They’re not everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee, fnar) but if you’re a fan, check out our 2019 guide to the calories in Christmas drinks from Costa and Starbucks here.

WHAT WE’RE READING

Finally Getting in Shape: the Japanese Rule to a Healthy Diet on Medium. In short, Harahachi-bunme is a Japanese saying that translates to eating until you are 80% full, instead of stuffing yourself to the brim.

If you’re in your 40s and your back has started to give up on you (see above), or if you find yourself feeling stiff after a long hard day of sitting down at a desk, check out this simple stretch to help from Men’s Health.

These are 5 of the best foods to buy when you’re on a budget, according to The Kitchn. It’s US-centric but still has some good ideas. No spoilers, but my go-to 40p bag of Tesco Value rice doesn’t make the cut.

WHAT WE’RE EATING

 

A bagel with Philly slapped on and topped with cucumber (and sometimes smoked salmon, if we’re feeling fancy) is a staple lunch here, and we’re definitely going to be adding a little kick to that with the new limited edition jalapeno Philadelphia. It’s part of their Philadelphia Light offering (although confusingly it doesn’t actually state that on the packaging) and is 40 cals for 30g.

Plant Pops are another healthier snacking alternative soon to be launched in the UK. They’re popped lotus seeds that are vegan, gluten-free and 99 calories or under per bag. The company say they’re light and quite like popcorn, and they only use sustainable ingredients grown in India. They come in three flavours – smoked chilli, Himalayan sea salt and peanut butter and you’ll be able to get them from Simply Fresh, with ‘major retailers’ coming soon.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

If you’ve been craving hot dogs, or have been wondering how to make your own to rival Ye Olde Oak’s finest tinned delicacies, this video from Tastemade is for you. And yes, that is an empty bottle of pop.

 

 

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