The topic of fat has never been more political, whether debating the obesity crisis, our strained NHS, the rise of stigmatisation or the deification of the avocado.
So, where are the answers we’re hungry for? MH consults the authorities to get the skinny on fat
01 Your Body Type Isn’t Written into Your DNA
The idea that our physiques follow a fixed genetic blueprint is both comforting and frustrating. It offers an excuse, sure, but it also removes agency. The truth lies somewhere in the doughy middle. “So far, more than 100 gene variants have been discovered that affect how much fat is stored, and where in our bodies it is deposited,” says Professor John Mathers, director at the Human Nutrition Research Centre at Newcastle University. The catch? “Most of these have minimal effect and, even collectively, their influence is modest.” A variant in the FTO gene, for example, might make people hungrier – but it doesn’t make healthy eating and exercise protocols any less effective. Patterns within families, then, are more likely a result of their environment, habits and the resources available to them.
YOUR MOVE? The good news is the latest research shows that a host of factors can, as Mathers puts it, “switch genes on and off”. Everything from exposing your skin to natural light on a daily basis to eating a wider variety of foods and reducing your stress levels can deactivate genes linked to fat storage. The next generation will thank you for it.
02 Being “Skinny Fat” Is a Real Thing
And it’s just as damaging as any other kind of fat. Body fat isn’t merely insulation: it’s stored energy. Even fairly trim men carry around more than 80,000kcal worth of fuel, to be broken down and burned up when needed. Think of it as your emergency race-day energy gel.
Denne historien er fra April 2019-utgaven av Men's Health UK.
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Denne historien er fra April 2019-utgaven av Men's Health UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Every Question You Ever Had About Really Eating Well
Nutrition is a maddening business. Foods are in one day, compost the next; vitamins that cured ills last week are promptly debunked. We all want to eat better, but who has the time to sift fact from fad? Rest easy because this is your easily digestible, bite-sized guide to doing precisely that
The False Prophets Of Wellness
Muscle, fat loss, wisdom… Whatever you seek, there is now an entrepreneurial guru armed with hashtags who claims to have the answer. But is it gospel?
The Brexit Diet
Whether you voted Leave or Remain, the EU has transformed the way we eat – and crashing out threatens to deal a mighty blow to both our palates and our nutritional health. MH spoke to the experts worried that the true impact of Brexit will leave a very bad taste in our mouths.
Stamina? It's As Easy As Pie
Don’t flake on post-workout pastry. Pie and mash is your new performance enhancer
The Trip Treatment
Once the poison of the counterculture, psychedelic drugs are gaining credibility as a powerful, viable mental health tool that could transform the way we understand ourselves. Are you ready to turn on, tune in and dose up?
The Gastropub Nutrition Plan
New research suggests you don’t need to cut back on flavour either to satisfy your cravings or to cook off kilos. Better pass that piccalilli
Your Detox Doner Card
The vilified sat fat in your kebab is actually the antidote to offset booze’s impact on your liver. How convenient
Reach For The Stars
He has crossed the Atlantic, from Peckham to Hollywood, carrying multiple blockbusters on his newly broad shoulders. But while John Boyega’s star is in the ascendant, his feet remain firmly on the ground – thanks to a few fundamental life lessons learned along the way. Take note and look up.
One Word Answer #43
As tedious as they might have seemed at the time, most of the lessons our parents taught us as kids were worthy of adherence. Sit up straight at the table; look people in the eye when you thank them; try not to spit at strangers – even as an adult, these are values to live by.
Son Of A Gun
For most men, joining the family business is the easier option. Not so for Scott Eastwood, a man whose father might just be the most iconic Hollywood hard man ever. But while he is, in many ways, a chip off the old block, the firebrand’s son has his own life well figured out
