Articles Tagged with: highlight

Wellbeing Roundup: June 26

Think of this as your team sheet for your mind, where we look back at last month’s action, share the top plays, and spotlight the resources and support that help keep our mental game strong.

June was a busy month on the mental fitness front, and we’ve teamed up with our partners at JAAQ to bring you the stats, top questions, and new conversations you won’t want to miss.

What’s been on your minds?

Last month on JAAQ, our members were digging into some big topics. Here’s the top 5 most searched:

  1. Addiction
  2. BDD
  3. Burnout
  4. Coaching & Career
  5. Anxiety

The most-watched video last month?

Paul Merson on Addiction. In this conversation, Paul speaks openly about the hidden struggles he faced alongside a successful football career. He reflects on the impact of addiction, mental health and anxiety, sharing how these challenges shaped both his life and his time in the game. The conversation offers an honest insight into recovery, resilience and the realities behind life as a professional footballer.

Top Questions asked in June

We get a lot of questions from our members. Here’s the most common mental health challenges you were keen to tackle;

  1. What is mindset?
  2. Did people try and tell you to get help?
  3. How do I know if I have depression?
  4. Is BDD with you all the time?
  5. Does nutrition affect menopause symptoms?
  6. How can I manage my stress levels?
  7. What is the hardest thing about being an addict?
  8. How does BDD affect you daily?
  9. What do you say to yourself when self-doubt creeps in, and how do you keep going?
  10. What happens if I don’t get enough sleep?

If any of these are on your mind, don’t worry,  you’re in good company, and JAAQ have the expert advice to help you tackle them.

New on JAAQ: Conversations worth checking out

Our partners are keeping the mental health ball rolling with fresh discussions:

  • Sophie Leman – Austim PDA
  • Nic Hamilton – Disability & racing
  • Nicole Stevens – ADHD

You can check out all the new and existing conversations by heading to the following page here.

Two must-watch Power Hours this August

Whether you’re looking for practical advice or a fresh perspective, these upcoming Power Hours are well worth adding to your diary.

  • Friday 7th August – 11am
    Autism & Parenthood: You’re not getting it wrong
  • Friday 21st August – 11am
    The Social Media Ban: What every parent actually
    needs to know

Exclusive Nutracheck Offer for MAN v FAT Members

Hundreds of MAN v FAT members have taken advantage of our partnership with Nutracheck to support their weight loss journeys over the past year.

Since teaming up with Nutracheck in 2025, we’ve seen members use the app to build greater awareness of their eating habits, stay accountable and make informed choices that support long-term weight loss success.

To celebrate the partnership approaching its first anniversary, we’re delighted to bring members an exclusive limited-time offer.

Get 12 Months of Nutracheck for Just £15

For the next month only, MAN v FAT members can access a full 12-month Nutracheck subscription for just £15 –  a significant saving on the standard price.

Whether you’re new to calorie tracking or already use Nutracheck as part of your weekly routine, this offer provides an affordable way to access one of the UK’s most popular weight management apps.

Why Use Nutracheck?

Nutracheck helps you stay on top of your nutrition with a range of easy to use tools, including:

  • A comprehensive food and drink diary
  • Barcode scanning for quick food logging
  • Calorie and nutrient tracking
  • Recipe and meal planning tools
  • Progress monitoring and goal setting
  • Access to one of the UK’s largest verified food databases

Many MAN v FAT members have found that combining regular activity on the pitch with consistent nutrition tracking provides a powerful foundation for sustainable weight loss.

One member who has seen the benefits first-hand is Jordan Gough from MAN v FAT Bristol:

“I like it because it’s easy to add your food, you can scan barcodes which is a huge win for me. If I had to search and scroll to find food then I probably wouldn’t worry. The fact it offsets your exercise against your calorie intake encourages you to be a bit more active too, to make sure you end up in deficit. You can also track week-on-week so if you have a competitive streak in you, you can compete against yourself week on week to increase the deficit over 7 days. Because it does that, if you have had a particularly good week in the past, you can go back and see what happened that week and replicate it to achieve similar results. I think it’s a good app, and if you weigh everyday like me, the weight trend is really useful when comparing to the food you’ve eaten. If you don’t track, you don’t get the same result, simple. If you track you’re more aware, you become educated on good and bad foods, which can sometimes be surprising, and something else which is often overlooked is the macros, and ensuring your diet isn’t only low cal but also nutritious enough to support your body. It’s a good app.”

Jordan Gough, MAN v FAT Bristol

How to Claim Your Discount

Redeeming your exclusive MAN v FAT offer is simple:

  1. Visit www.nutracheck.co.uk/promotion/mvf
  2. Enter the promotional code MVFLASH26 and click Confirm
  3. Sign in to your existing Nutracheck account, or select Create account and claim offer to register a new account
  4. Complete your subscription and enjoy 12 months of access for just £15

Don’t Miss Out

This exclusive offer is available from 18th July until 18 August 2026 and is only open to MAN v FAT members.

If you’ve been thinking about giving Nutracheck a try, or you’re looking for an extra tool to support your weight loss goals, now is the perfect opportunity to get started.

Claim your discount today and see how Nutracheck can help you stay on track both on and off the pitch.


Top 5 Snacks to Grab Before Rugby

There’s nothing worse than turning up to rugby ravenous. Your body needs fuel to score those winning tries. Rather than grabbing a pack of crisps or a chocolate bar in a race to club night, get your mitts on one of these snacks that your body will thank you for.

Apple and peanut butter

Simple but effective. Cut an apple into pieces and pair it with a fan favourite, peanut butter. Around 2 teaspoons or 30-35g is a great portion size to make you feel satisfied and full while keeping the calories on the lower side. Be careful though, peanut butter can have added sugar, salt and oil so pick your brand carefully and go for one that’s purely peanuts.

Nutritional benefits:

  • Tick 1 of your 5 a day

  • Source of fibre and protein to keep you feeling full

  • Source of monounsaturated fat – the good sort of fat we need in small amounts

Banana on toast

What’s not to like? Banana… good. Toast… gooood! Grab a medium sized banana, chop it up and spread it over a slice of toast. An average banana and one slice of toast keeps the calories down but again is geared to help you feel topped up. Want a healthy option again? Aim for wholemeal bread.

Nutritional benefits:

  • Tick 1 of your 5 a day

  • Source of fibre (for fullness)

  • Source of potassium (for energy and endurance)

Almonds

Around 20 almonds count as a serving. Perfect snack for having on the go and the health benefits are well worth considering.

Nutritional benefits:

  • Packed with magnesium (improves exercise performance) and potassium (energy and endurance)

  • Source of monounsaturated fat (good fats)

Hummus with…

Okay let’s take a second to confess our undying love for hummus. It’s just so damn versatile. The choice is yours. Scoop it up with sticks of carrot, cucumber or pepper. Bonus points awarded for a little of each. Cut up one of each and put the rest in Tupperware to snack on tomorrow. Sly meal prepping you’re getting in there. Win win.

Nutritional benefits:

  • Source of protein (great for building muscle)

  • Source of fat (giving you energy aplenty)

  • 1 (or more) of your 5 a day

Protein shakes/bars

Protein and exercise go hand-in-hand, with good reason. It helps you build muscle and keeps the wolf from the door and you feeling full. You can get protein from lots of sources but bars and shakes are convenient and can be tasty. Just be sure to check the labels as bars in particular can be higher in sugar and calories than you’d expect. Here’s a few of our favourites and how they stack up.

  • Clif Bar Whey protein and salted caramel cashew flavour. 1 bar contains 250 calories, 11g fat, 25g carbs and 14g protein. Nice.

  • RXBar Chocolate sea salt flavour. 1 bar contains 210 calories, 9g fat, 24g carbs and 12g protein. Tidy.

  • MyProtein Protein Latte. A high protein hot drink made with coffee to really boost your energy pre-match. 1 serving contains 79 cals, 0.3g fat, 4.8g carbs and 15g protein.

Of course what’s delicious to one guy is disgusting to another so experiment until you find a combo of snacks that you love and that will get you ready for action.


Recipe: Chicken Sausage Casserole

This is your fella if you’re after a hearty meal packed with meat, pulses and vegetables to provide plenty of healthy nutrients.
 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
  2. Place the sausages in a pan with the oil and fry for around 5-10 minutes over a medium heat.
  3. Add the chopped onion and soften for a few minutes.
  4. Add all the other ingredients apart from the potatoes to the pot with the sausage and onion, making sure the stock covers the vegetables.
  5. Place the slices of potato over the top of the other ingredients to cover.
  6. Place the pot in the oven (without the lid) for around 60 minutes or until the potatoes are browning and soft.

tips and tweaks:

Swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes for an extra bang of colour and fibre.

 

Servings: 6
Time: 70 mins

What’s in a serving:

Calories: 385
Fat: 9.4g
Sugars: 13g
Salts: 1.7g

Ingredients:

  • 12 chicken sausages
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • ¾ tin baked beans
  • 1 tin mixed beans
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 1 tsp rapeseed oil
  • 750ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2-3 sliced potatoes

Lose weight, Play Rugby

Secure your spot

MAN v FAT Rugby is for men with a BMI of 27.5 or over. Over 90% of players lose weight and get fitter, why not join them.

Contact

Email: rugby@manvfat.com

Phone: 0345 163 0042

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