Fast(ing) and furious – #MVFNewsround 21/6

The eternal debate about how to lose weight rumbles on this week with fasting taking on calorie counting in the ring. We’re also expanding the MAN v FAT team and chowing down on TGI Fridays appetizers. Yum. Monday, let’s go.

News from MAN v FAT

The brand new MAN v FAT Shop is now live! We’ve been busy behind the scenes working with sportswear giant Macron to launch the new MAN v FAT shop and it’s now ready for you to shop ’til you drop. Check it out here.

Macron is a huge name in kit throughout Europe, and in the UK they work with Bristol Rovers, Millwall, Nottingham Forest as well as supplying referee uniform for UEFA and La Liga, so we’re pretty excited about the partnership and can’t wait to see how we can work with them further. You can read the partnership announcement here.

We’re launching a MAN v FAT Football league in Havant tonight (Mon 21st)! *insert party emoji here*. We’re looking forward to welcoming new members and getting to know everyone! It’s not too late to join either, so if you’re in the area come and join us – click here for more info. You can see the new leagues we’ve launched in June here.

We’re hiring! At MVF HQ we’re all incredibly grateful that we continue to grow despite the challenges thrown our way by COVID-19. As part of this growth, we’re creating two new roles to help us take MAN v FAT Challenge to new heights – a Challenge lead and a Challenge co-ordinator.

We’re looking for people who are passionate about healthy living and who believe in our quest to improve the health of men around the world. Check out the full job descriptions and apply here: MAN v FAT Challenge Lead | MAN v FAT Challenge Co-Ordinator

In other news...

We’ve heard that fasting is a good way of losing weight for years, but how effective is it vs plain old calorie counting? This is the question researchers at the University of Bath set out to answer recently with a study looking at whether fasting has an upper hand over consistently eating and tracking calories. The answer? It looks like calorie counting is slightly better for weight loss, with study participants losing 4.1lbs after four weeks vs 3.5lbs lost by the fasting group in the same time period. 

The researchers also attributed half of the fasted weight loss to a loss of muscle mass as opposed to reductions in body fat, hypothesizing that this is due to a lack of physical activity undertaken on fasting days. 

As with any study, it’s worth mentioning that there are variables beyond their control that may have had an impact, and this study featured a small cohort of ‘lean, healthy individuals’. But it’s definitely food for thought. Read more about the study here.

Meat alternatives have never been more popular, but are they healthy? 

Short answer: yes.

Longer answer: yes, as they tend to be lower in fat than meat. However, they are generally lower in protein too. So if you’re planning to enjoy a ‘fake’ burger (Co-Op do great frozen ones called The Incredible Burger), read the labels and decide for yourself according to your goals. But it’s all good, they’re not Frankenfoods. 

Ok so remember when I said calorie counting is the way to go? Giles Yeo, a research scientist studying the genetics of obesity, thinks otherwise in this interesting Guardian article where he explains that it’s what you eat that matters, not just how many calories you take in. If only there was a one size fits all, results guaranteed approach to weight loss, eh?

What we're eating

If you’ve been avoiding TGI Fridays because of their huge portions and deep-fried delicacies (read: high calories), get that Friday feeling at home with Iceland’s range of TGIs products. These mac and cheese bites are 77 calories per ball and take just 16 minutes in the oven. Just stick a few numberplates and pictures of Elvis on the wall for that authentic TGIs Americana experience. 

I’ve been enjoying Asda’s Extra Special New York Style hot dogs recently – they’re hands down the best hot dogs I’ve tried, and you’ll never want to touch a tinned dog again if you try these. They’re a whopping 247 calories per dog, so they’re not exactly low in calories. But they are massive and very meaty. One of these in a bun with a squirt of ketchup accompanied by a corn cob is *chef’s kiss*. One for a BBQ treat.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

“Check in with them, ask questions and listen to the answer”.

Many men feel uncomfortable talking about their physical and mental health, and struggle to get the help they need.@xandvt shares advice on how you can support them.

Watch #MensHealthWeek pic.twitter.com/QS2dxT5YwT

— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 18, 2021

Last week was Men’s Health Week, and it was encouraging to see so many men talking openly about their mental health struggles. Here’s a great video from Dr Xand van Tulleken.

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