This week’s Newsround is sponsored by words that almost rhyme: Fish, crisps, wish, brisk… We’re looking at the latest healthy lifestyle trend, flavoursome crisps and the new Government guidelines on how much exercise you should be getting a day – which is a step in the right direction (you’ll see what we did there).
A step in the right direction
FROM THE MAN V FAT FOOTBALL LEAGUES
- In case you missed it, we’ve been celebrating this week as we’ve reached a massive milestone – MAN v FAT Football players have lost an incredible 100,000lbs since the first league was launched. One hundred THOUSAND pounds, you guys. Amazing. You can read what founded Andrew Shanahan had to say about it here – plus you can get your free celebratory MAN v FAT Football book, which features inspiring case studies and some very exciting news…
- This week 16 players from the Glaswegian league were representing the MVFF spirit and competed against Scottish charity Recovery Across Mental Health for a charity football match. It was a bit of a corker, with the match ending 4-4 and the MVF lads coming up short. Unlucky lads but thanks for spreading the message that football is for everyone as well as awareness for a great charity.
- A few of the leagues are celebrating their 2 year anniversary but I’m giving a big Newsround shoutout to the Bridgwater league who have collectively lost over 2 tonnes in that timeframe. Wow! Well done guys, I’m hoping that you all continue your losing streak for the foreseeable future.
IN OTHER NEWS…
- Grab your horned helmet, grow your hair and kiss goodbye to the Mediterranean diet – there seems to be growing strength in the ‘Nordic’ diet. Based on the diet of those living in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden if you ), think of your regular fruit and veggies plus lots of fatty fish, root veg, nuts and whole grains. There also a big focus on using rapeseed oil, which according to studies can help reduce your ‘bad’ cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular disease. Beautiful countries, beautiful people – maybe they’ve worked out why!
- Struggling to hit your 10,000 steps a day? Well, maybe now you don’t have to. Public Health England have suggested that a 10-minute brisk walk is far more beneficial than any distance or number of steps. BRB, throwing my Fitbit in the bin.
They’ve also decided that a brisk walk is set at a speed you decide, so long as it elevates your heartbeat. They’ve also released a handy app to help you track your progress if you need a bit more motivation off the pitch. Why not download it and see how brisky (that’s a word, right?) you’re getting during the day. Get all the details here. Is it a step in the right direction? Having to hit that magic 10,000 can sometimes feel a bit unreachable, so if it takes the pressure off and gets more people moving it’s definitely a good thing.
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
- Andrew is doing fantastically but has hit a wall and needs some motivation – hop on over to the forum, tell him your story and what keeps you going through those tough times.
- Can’t cook, won’t cook? Nah – can’t cook, wants to cook! What are your easy go-to recipes? The easier the better, @rkr786 needs help expanding his repertoire.
- Welcome back, @ChevalierTialys – come say hello and offer your support as we all get healthier together.
WHAT WE’RE READING AND WATCHING
- Swap your office chair for a standing desk for massive results. Well, maybe not massive results (at least not overnight) but for some significant calorie burn. According to studies, using your muscles to keep you stood upright, rather than letting your bum go numb could potentially help you lose up to half a stone! Not bad for your normal daily duties.
- Do you ever find yourself ‘rewarding’ yourself for good behaviour by having a binge? Or feel so deflated and/or tired of working out hard and being super strict that you throw it all away at the smell of a slice of pizza? You think you’ve run out of self-control. PsychologyToday has posted an interesting article about ‘self-control’ and suggests that it isn’t a commodity that we run out of but more of a state of mind. If you’re happier and can visualise a positive outlook, your self-control could be limitless.
- The BBC are really spoiling us with food and weight loss related documentaries recently, with the crash diet experiment last week and this week a look at the truth about carbs. The only truth worth knowing about carbs is that they’re delicious though, amiright? Xand van Tulleken would probably disagree. Catch it on iPlayer here.
WHAT WE’RE EATING
- Walkers have just released their new Poppables range of crisps. Apparently, the ‘pop’ in Poppables refer to the sound made when you crunch through these bad boys. At 154 calories per portion, they’re perfect for parties. Just be sure that you weigh your portions, as these moreish little bites are currently only available in share-size bags.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
The quote of the week is one that really resonated with me, sometimes we forget that we need to get ourselves in gear before we can go. Stop hoping that things will happen, and make them happen. Plan for your best performance both on and off the pitch.
