Welcome to our new weekly news roundup, where we’ll celebrate your progress, bring you news from the MAN v FAT football leagues plus keep you up to date with all the latest goings-on in the world of weight loss, fitness and food.
FROM THE LEAGUES
Image from the Trussell Trust
- MAN v FAT Football players from across the UK will be challenged to clear out their cupboards and bring unhealthy foods along to their local leagues in order to help those in need. The coaches at each league will collect the food and then it’ll be weighed on 10th July to see how much has been collected, and it’ll then all be sent to the Trussell Trust, which runs food banks around the UK and supports people in crisis.
The effect is doubly positive, as players can get rid of foods that can affect their weight loss, while others benefit from it. Big thanks to Chris Johnson, MAN v FAT coach for the Hull league for coming up with the idea. He said: “MAN v FAT is an excellent vehicle for change and goodwill. All of the players who participate in the leagues share one common goal, to make a positive change. The aim is to harness this goodwill and help contributors to those who need it most. We also hope that it will act as another catalyst for change and inspire players from the leagues to clear out their cupboards of the foods they no longer need.” - We’ll be revealing how much we’ve collected in the next two weeks, so keep an eye on the forum to see how we’ve done and start the clear out!
- 31-year old Graeme, an ambulance technician who is part of the Manchester MAN v FAT Football league, played his part in helping on the night of the Manchester attack on the 22nd May. On behalf of all of us at MAN v FAT, a big thank you for all your efforts in helping those in need.
Graeme will be taking part in the Manchester league’s 24-hour match on 1st July in honour of those affected by the attack. He said: “The attack hasn’t just affected me as an individual, it’s affected whole stations, groups and even the [ambulance] service as a whole. It has shown us and the public that we are ready for anything no matter how close to home it happens. I will be playing in the 24-hour event and it’s important for us to all come together at a time like this to help others.”
The players will be fundraising for the British Red Cross and you can donate by heading over to their Just Giving page. - It’s a two horse race with just two weeks to go until the title is handed over in the Bridgwater league. (K).FC are top by two points after beating Fazio 11-7 and The Hendrix Experience thumped Barely Athletic 24-3 as they kept tabs on the top spot. It was a week that saw the best weight loss so far in the league so a big well done to the lads, it’s nice to see that those who have been struggling recently have pulled it back successfully.
NEW PRODUCTS
- Let’s talk cheese! Cottage cheese is a great staple to include in your diet as it’s high in protein and pretty delicious spread on a cracker. Most of us love it, but it’s quite high in fat so we’ve found an alternative that’s fat-free. Waitrose have made a cottage cheese that has only 0.2g of fat and 38 calories per 60g serving compared to 3.3g of fat and 64 calories in regular cottage cheese. But as with all things low in fat, you should be wary of the sugar content as for a 60g serving there’s 2.8g of sugar, which isn’t loads, but make sure it’s all part of a balanced diet. So if you fancy a cheesy treat, you no longer have to be ‘cheesed’ off! Geddit? You can get it at Waitrose for £1.50.
- There’s a new soup on the block – souper! Ahem. Asda’s Slimzone chunky minestrone soup is new to the shelves, with half a pot only 118 cals (so no judgement here if you slurp back the entire pot in one sitting, because who actually listens to those ‘recommended servings’ on packaging?!). It’s also low in saturated fat. Get it from Asda for £1.50.
WHAT WE’RE READING
- If you want to combine healthy eating with respect or the environment you can’t go wrong on a diet of insects, says an academic who has benefited from consuming them. http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/diabetic-finds-insects-make-a-better-diet
- Train operator Virgin Trains has signed the Time to Change pledge, which encourages employers to do more to support workers with their mental health. The company have committed to invest over £700,000 a year to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of its employees. https://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/issues/june-online-2017/virgin-trains-invest-700000-improve-mental-wellbeing-staff/
- Mindfulness can change your DNA http://www.redonline.co.uk/health-self/self/mindfulness-and-meditation-can-change-your-dna
FROM THE FORUM
- Which apps can help you on your way to losing weight? Here’s five of our favourites: https://talk.manvfat.com/t/5-free-apps-that-will-help-you-lose-weight/22795
- Does compression clothing actually improve your performance in exercise? https://talk.manvfat.com/t/compression-clothing-doesnt-work/22782
- How do you eat healthy in a house surrounded by a snack-eating family? https://talk.manvfat.com/t/how-to-eat-healthy/22729
