Latest news with #middleagedmen
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
British middle-aged men, this is YOUR time: How the at-risk group is often left out of the conversation on weight loss
Picture a typical ad for a new weight loss product. What kind of person does it show? Is it a paunchy bloke over 40 driving back home knackered after working another gruelling 10-hour shift? No, we didn't think so... If it shows a man at all, he'll almost certainly have a six pack, bulging biceps and either be running or lifting weights. In other words, your average British middle-aged man has been almost entirely left out of the conversation on weight loss. That's despite being the exact group the health and fitness industry should be targeting, with 69 per cent of blokes in England overweight and 55 to 64 considered the worst time for loading on fat¹. Introducing SHED, a new UK weight loss brand behind a range of nutritionally complete meal replacement shakes created specifically for normal men like you. But before we reveal more about them, let's take a step back to look at why they were ever needed in the first place... Explaining the 'middle-aged spread' Know those unflattering photos you see of male politicians at the beach? They're just one example of the middle-aged spread, a trend that sees lots of men start to gain weight from their 30s onwards, particularly around the waist. Believe it or not, there's been a lot of research looking into why this happens, with scientists finding it is mainly down to lifestyle factors, including blokes doing less exercise as they juggle work and family responsibilities. Your weight gain is likely to be worse if you have a job where you sit down a lot, like working in an office. And as you'll know, busy work schedules can make it harder to eat well - especially if the only option is a ham sandwich and packet of crisps at a service station or a greasy canteen fry-up. How normal men got ignored... until now Lots of middle-aged British blokes want to slim down. But when it comes to the health and fitness industry, almost no one is speaking their language. They've long been slimming shakes for women, or foul-tasting science drinks for City slickers, but ordinary working blokes seem to have been abandoned to carb-heavy convenience food. This isn't just a question of presentation, but practicality too. After all, who really has time to stick to a complex diet regime when you're on your feet all the time with 100 other things to do? SHED changes all this by making dieting easy. All you need to do is swap one or two meals per day for a SHED SHAKE, avoid over-indulging elsewhere, and continue eating a full, healthy evening meal. It's that simple... To test out the effectiveness of this approach, 50 regular blokes - a mix of factory workers and the members of a league for fat footballers - were asked to swap one meal a day (either breakfast or lunch) for a SHED SHAKE. Out of those who stuck to this routine for the whole six weeks, 95 per cent lost weight, with the average SHED-ing four kilograms. They also lost 3cm off their waistlines and 33 per cent returned to a healthy waist-to-height ratio. Unsurprisingly, the great majority - 80 per cent - said they would recommend SHED to other men. So... are YOU ready to SHED? Are you a middle-aged British bloke who's piled on a few pounds? Well, pay attention, because your time has come. We know you've been ignored for ages by the diet industry, but that's not the case any longer. SHED's launch range of meal replacement shakes comes in three tasty flavours; Vanilla, Chocolate and Coffee, with 14 servings in each pack. To prepare one, simply add two scoops of SHED to ice cold water or lower-fat milk, give it a shake, and drink up. ¹ NHS Digital, 2023 to 2024. ² Six-week real-world study of 50 British men aged 35-65 (mean age 47), published 13 December 2024.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Testosterone Booster Market Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2032: Personalized Supplementation, Expansion in Emerging Markets, Natural Product Development Bolster Opportunities
The global testosterone booster market is set to grow, driven by increasing health awareness among consumers. Rising from $365.8M in 2025 to $549.98M by 2032, the market thrives on demand from middle-aged men, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts. Key players are leveraging e-commerce and introducing natural formulas. Dublin, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Testosterone Booster Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2032 - By Product, Technology, Grade, Application, End-user, Region: (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa)" has been added to offering. Testosterone booster market will grow from US$365.8 million in 2025 to US$549.98 million by 2032, with a CAGR of 6.00% during the forecast period. The global testosterone booster market is set for steady expansion over the next decade, driven by an increased focus on health, aging populations, and a surge in fitness-oriented lifestyles. With the rising emphasis on men's wellness, these hormonal supplements are gaining popularity among middle-aged men, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts aiming to boost physical performance and vitality. Testosterone boosters are acclaimed for supporting male health, enhancing muscle development, energy levels, libido, and mood regulation. These supplements contain a mix of vitamins, minerals, and plant-based ingredients like ashwagandha and fenugreek, which exhibit testosterone-enhancing properties. The increasing availability of these products via online platforms has broadened market access, as brands pivot towards direct-to-consumer models, significantly boosting market momentum. North America dominates the market due to high healthcare spending and a strong fitness culture, with easy availability through retail and digital channels. Conversely, Latin America is emerging, with increased awareness and social media influence expected to drive adoption. Europe and Asia-Pacific are poised for future growth, backed by a burgeoning middle-class, interest in natural supplements, and nutraceutical sector advancements. Market Drivers Rising Awareness of Men's Health:Men's health issues, particularly declining testosterone levels with age, are under increased scrutiny worldwide. This is spurring the demand for testosterone boosters, particularly those with natural, clinically supported claims. Increased Interest in Fitness and Athletic Performance: The urban fitness boom has bolstered the demand for testosterone boosters, viewed as essential for performance enhancement and muscle recovery. Fitness influencers and social media have further propelled their popularity among amateur and professional athletes. Aging Global Population: As testosterone levels diminish with age, older adults are pursuing hormonal support to maintain vitality, driving substantial demand among men over 40. This trend reflects the global increase in life expectancy, fueling market growth. Preference for Natural and Herbal Products: A shift towards herbal and natural supplements, free from synthetic additives, is notable among consumers. Ingredients like fenugreek, ginseng, and ashwagandha align with this preference, offering plant-based alternatives. Business Opportunities Personalized Supplementation: Technological advancements in personalized health enable tailored supplementation based on genetic profiling and lifestyle data, fostering subscription-based services and new revenue avenues for companies. Natural Product Development: The demand for clean-label and organic formulas presents innovation opportunities. Manufacturers focusing on non-GMO, sustainably sourced ingredients can meet consumer demand for efficacy and holistic health. Expansion in Emerging Markets: While North America leads the market, Latin America and South Asia represent untapped potential, with rising disposable incomes and lifestyle changes enhancing market opportunities. Competitive Landscape Companies are innovating formulations, expanding online sales, and investing in research to validate efficacy. New market entrants with niche natural and organic offerings are gaining traction. Companies Featured GNC Holdings, LLC EVLUTION NUTRITION DR. MOREPEN Roar Ambition Ltd TestoFuel Biotrim Labs Hybrid Nutraceuticals Ramini BioNutrition Pvt Ltd Nutracell Labs Nicholas Pharmaceuticals By Ingredient D-Aspartic Acid Vitamins Zinc Magnesium By Dosage Form Capsule Tablet Softgel By Source Oyster Extract Fenugreek Ginseng Ashwagandha By Region North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific The Middle East & Africa For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Sign in to access your portfolio
Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Strava's valuation boosted to $2.2bn after acquisition of Runna
Strava, the American exercise tracking platform beloved by middle-aged men in lycra, has built on the momentum it gained during the pandemic to reach a valuation of $2.2 billion. It is the first time Strava has disclosed its valuation since a fundraising round in November 2020, when it was valued at $1.5 billion as millions of new subscribers flocked to the platform during Covid lockdowns. Where other pandemic hits have since struggled to attract new subscribers, Strava's growth has continued, driven largely by the popularity of running, with 1 billion runs recorded on the app last year. • Strava buys UK app Runna with multimillion-pound payday for founders The company further bolstered its offering for runners with the acquisition of Runna, a London-based coaching app,
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Some guts, no glory: end of my amateur football career brings a painful realisation
There are the nights when the 10-minute walk to the tube station takes half an hour. There are the crossbow bolts of knee pain at 3am. There are the evenings when you convince yourself the recycling doesn't actually need to be taken out tonight. We can wait a couple of days, squash it down a bit, crush that box flat. And secretly, it's because you can't handle the stairs. There are the mornings when the bus is coming and the kids shout 'Come on!' and start running, but you can't, you just can't, and you don't know how to tell them. There is the very particular indignity of the 39-year-old man crossing the road in socks because blisters and swellings have rendered his boots useless. There are the fitness fads – hot yoga, reformer pilates, cold plunge – adopted at great expense and with the sole purpose of pushing back oblivion, of rendering the intolerable fleetingly tolerable. But in the end there comes a point in the life of every middle-aged male sports columnist when they must succumb to the inevitable ravages of time and torpor, and write the column about their own amateur sporting retirement, usually in the form of a jocular letter to the England manager ('Dear Sven, with regrets, etc'). And with apologies, here is mine. To the fans (none). To the glory (also none). To football. It's been weird. It's been emotional. But it's also been coming for a while. The first thing to say is that, in the grand scheme of things, this is no great loss to the sport. We're not losing Jude Bellingham here. We're not even losing Jobe Bellingham here. We're losing a technically tragic, tactically inept defensive midfielder who you would assume from their leaden right foot must have a zinging left, who you would assume from their lack of natural ability must have an incredible engine, and in fact has neither. We're losing a player for whom 'Did you score today?' has long become a cruel running joke. In short: football, at every level, may just survive. For all this, as we approach farewell season, the point where greats and non-greats alike take their flowers and step away, something about the last few weeks has been hitting slightly different. The sight of Thomas Müller and Joel Ward and Mats Hummels and Jan Vertonghen playing their final games amid a sea of tifos and garlands. The bleak realisation that in a few weeks, ridiculously, inconceivably, my own time will come too. 'I knew it was all over the morning it took me five minutes to get out of bed,' goes the first line of Ian Botham's autobiography. I remember reading those words as a kid and feeling baffled, befuddled, disoriented by them. Confounded by the sheer gulf in time and sensation, by the very idea that sport – this giver of life – might also take it away. Botham was 37 when he wrote those words. I am 39, in possession of zero Test wickets, have in comparison barely exerted myself. Even so, there are some days when five minutes to get out of bed would be classed as a genuine achievement. For this there is nobody to blame but myself. There is no cortisone abuse to report, no class action lawsuit in the offing, just world-class self-neglect. Every Wednesday I play football, and then I go to the pub, where I will have four pints and a chicken basket. Do I warm down? I do not warm down. Do I train? Lol. And in your 20s this is fine: an entire lifestyle built around the idea of your own indestructibility. And by the time it's not fine, it's also too late. No amount of reformer pilates is going to rebuild the knee cartilage you wore down over a decade of forlorn defensive transitions and self-destructive tactical fouling. One by one you watch your peers step away. Wayne Rooney, three weeks older than me and thus my principal sporting avatar, was the first big wake-up call. Luka Modric and Ashley Young are still somehow out there, doing it for the 1985 kids. Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, I have zero desire to extend my career by padding out my stats in a substandard league. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion But of course all these players can reflect on trophies and triumphs, medals and memories, the satisfaction of a sporting life lived to the full. What can I, a footballer who has never played at a level beyond Vauxhall Powerleague Division One, possibly take from these years of sweat and sore ankles and thousands of pounds in subs? What was it all for, in the end? The usual answer at this point is the friends, the comradeship, the ritual. It's a nice answer, but it's not mine. It took a decade of writing about athletes and sport to reconcile myself with the fact that while our achievements might never be alike, while our talents might never be alike, the sacrifice might still be. Pain and punishment are the only ways in which I could ever glimpse what it was like to be great. I will never play like Ledley King, never defend like Ledley King, never scale the peaks like Ledley King. But perhaps one day I might limp like him. There are still a handful of fixtures left this season: a few more salty Wednesday nights, a few more stiff Thursday mornings. Sport, writes David Foster Wallace, is humans' reconciliation with the fact of having a body. Perhaps for many of us, sporting retirement is our reconciliation with the fact that one day it will decay and decline and perish. Cherish yours. Or at least, what's left of it. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Irish Times
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Ford's new Capri catches the eye but lacks the sparkle of past triumphs
Ford Capri Year : 2025 Fuel : Electric Verdict : Park the naming controversy and you have a roomy car with good range at a competitive price The new Ford Capri is a magnet for middle-aged men. Wherever you park, you'll find one or two of them loitering around the car upon your return. And the commentary will be the same: 'That's the new Capri? That's no Capri.' This is immediately followed by anecdotes from the 1970s and 1980s. Clearly, the car meant a lot to people. Yet Ford's decision to update 'the working man's Porsche' for the electric age feels more like necromancy than nostalgia. There has been a motoring media pile-on over Ford's decision to reinvent the Capri as an electric SUV. We've joined in as well, reflecting our frustration with a brand we've held in such high esteem for decades. The cardinal sin here is that the new Capri is a crossover. That's the term for the moment when the design department gives up and the marketing department takes over. The original Capri was all bonnet and bravado. This car is just another lump of mobile metal, lost in the car park of heavy-set EVs, identified only by the nameplate on the back and the occasional splash of boldly coloured paint. READ MORE Inside, it's standard fare for a modern car: infuriating lack of tactile buttons and an enormous touchscreen which, in response to no one's request, can be slid up and down to reveal a small storage compartment. New Ford Capri It has too many buttons and annoying foibles borrowed from the Volkswagen parts bin – which is appropriate, considering it shares its batteries, electric motors and platform with the German car giant. Ford has bought in VW's MEB electric car platform under licence, and so the Capri is closely related to the VW ID.4 and ID.5, the Skoda Enyaq and the Cupra Tavascan. That's not a bad approach, given the potential savings and the fact that the VW platform is competent in its own right. When Ford first announced the revival plan and showcased the crossover, doubts crept in. But it was worth holding fire until it took to the road. After all, if it's not prepared to build a car from scratch, Ford can still lean on a long-time speciality: chassis development. The magic of the Focus was only really apparent on the road – otherwise, it was just another run-of-the-mill hatchback. Could Ford work its magic on VW's bits and pieces? Judged against its EV rivals, it comes pretty close. Certainly, the steering feel is smoother and more communicative than several of its competitors, while the ride quality is nicely balanced between comfort and rigidity. New Ford Capri Flick it into Sport mode and there's a whoosh towards the horizon. On dirty back roads you even get a little rear-wheel spin – the mildest hint that the tail might flit out. But of course, nothing that anarchic would be permitted in the age of algorithms. A time of 6.4 seconds from a standing start to 100km/h is quick – particularly for a single-motor set-up – but it never really feels aggressive. It just feels heavy and fast. So the new Capri bears none of the sparkle of past Ford cars, particularly those that packed a performance punch. The root cause of the issue is weight. It's hard to make a car this bulky feel nimble and energetic. It's like asking a heavyweight fighter to dance ballet on a tightrope – possible in theory, but every move is a negotiation with gravity. For an EV crossover, it does relatively well. But it's not fulfilling the promise. Don't get me wrong: the original Capri had multiple flaws. I drove the wild 2.8-litre version from a heritage fleet several years ago, and it was a timely reminder of just how erratic and feral the Capri could be. But whatever its foibles, it undoubtedly had real character. This car, while delivering faint glimmers of hope, is more of a chatbot. New Ford Capri Returning to the positives, the range is genuinely impressive. With the Extended Range version claiming 627km, our test car showed a consumption figure of 16.7kWh/100km after 1,051km. With 77kWh of usable capacity in the battery, that suggests that with a little more frugal driving – and less strain on the air conditioning – this car will comfortably deliver 500km from a full charge. That makes the Capri a better performer than the Germans who built the parts that underpin this Ford. It's also very spacious, with a boot that boasts 627 litres and enough legroom front and rear to confidently accommodate tall adults. New Ford Capri There's no doubt the Capri will find its market. It's priced well, starting at €46,000 – if you can consider that a good price for a family car these days. It's roomy, safe, refined enough for long journeys – and you can forget all the talk about heritage, passion or even fun. If Ford wanted to stir up a bit of controversy and get middle-aged men reminiscing about a time when the Blue Oval was a big gun in the motoring world, then it's worked. If it wanted to honour the heritage of a now-classic, then it's wildly off-target. Lowdown: Ford Capri Select RWD extended Range Power 210kW e-motor developing 286hp and 545Nm of torque, powering the rear wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission. Extended range version comes with battery pack offering 77kWh of usable storage. CO2 emissions (annual motor tax) 0g/km (€120). Electric consumption 13.8 kWh/100km (WLTP). Electric range 627km (WLTP) 0-100km/h 6.4sec. Price €47,270 as tested, Capri starts from €45,798.
