Hello Halloween

RISING STAR

HALLOWEEN LESSON FROM TRUDEAU

SPOOKY MYTHS

October 2019. Issue #02

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EDITORS NOTE

004c Mclaughlin College. York University Toronto. ON M3J 1P3

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BEING SAFE IS A TREAT

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RISING STAR

9 10

MOST POPULAR COSTUMES 2019

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HALLOWEEN 2019 PLAYLIST

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HORROR MARATHON

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HALLOWEEN LESSON LEARNED

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SPOOKY FITNESS MYTHS

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

macmedia.eic@gmail.com

OCTOBER HOROSCOPE @MACMEDIAMAG @OFFICIALMACMEDIA MACMEDIA MAGAZINE

EDITOR - IN - CHIEF ......................TONIA GENETE SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ......... KRISTAN BARLAAN

FEATURES .........................................ABDEALI SAHERWALA NEWS ...................................................AMESHA GRAY HUMOUR ............................................ERIC SADHU HEALTH .............................................MATTHEW THOMSON SPORTS ...............................................MATTHEW THOMSON

STAFFÂ WRITER ................................GIL SEGEV

PRODUCTION & LAYOUT .............TONIA GENETE

Letter from the Editor

Tonia Genete

For me, October is the spooky month and the time I spend most of my days curled up in a blanket with a cup of tea watching 'Sabrina' or in coffee shops drinking and eating anything pumpkin flavour. As Halloween is almost here, everyone is running around to find the perfect costume. We can help you with that. In this issue we will give you some quick costume ideas, share movies and music with you, offer some halloween safety tips and an important Halloween lesson. But, that's not all, we also have a special interview and spooky fitness tips. Happy Halloween!

We are also coming out with our "Confession Box', where you can submit your concerns, questions and funny stories and out team, together with special guests, will open and discuss all the submissions in a monthly video that will be on our YouTube channel.

The box will be in the McLaughlin office starting November.

If you are interested in writing or designing for MacMeida you can send us an email at macmedia.eic@gmail.com.

BEING SAFE IS TREAT DURING

'TRICK OR TREAT' ABDEALI SAHERWALA

Every year, we at MacMedia Magazine

Try NOT to be too inebriated: I know

publish a Halloween theme magazine.

drinking is fun. However, being too drunk

This year, we are doing the same thing.

leads to poor decision-making skills. If you

However, this year I want to highlight the importance of SAFETY during the “Trick or Treat” sessions most of us will have in the coming days. Halloween is fun, scary and for some, a slutty time. This season

and your friends consume a decent amount of alcohol, then you all would have directly reduced your chances of doing something risky or outright, dangerous.

brings in the sexy nurses, cowboys, ghouls, goblins, witches, and ghosts. In

Have a PLAN in place: Most young people

this festive and sugar-fueled occasion, it is

do not like planning when they are

important to be safe because, in the world

especially going out to have some fun. But,

of witches and vampires, everyone needs

a plan reduces the chances of someone

to be safe.Here are five tips on how you

being lost or ending up in uncomfortable

all can be safe:

situations. If you are visiting a haunted house or some sort of a ghoulish scene,

Make sure you buddy up: Since Kindergarten, we have been taught to take a friend with us during recess or washroom to prevent us from becoming lost or scared. The same principle applies

make sure you know which location you are going to. Make sure you know how to get there. Again, planning is boring and we see something better to do as we are exploring

here. A friend or group of friends can look

an area. However, on the night of

out for each other, keep each other safe

Halloween. Make sure you have somewhat

and aid in a good decision-making

of a sketched-out plan. So, you and your

process.

friends can be safe.

Make sure your clothes light up: Make

Have FUN!!!

sure you ARE WEARING REFLECTIVE CLOTHING such as colour green or adding reflective tape to your costume.

This helps you and your friends be seen at night and not get hit by cars.

I hope these tips have helped you to have a safer Halloween. Sincerely,

RISING STAR

IN CONVERSATION WITH YORK'S UP AND COMING DRAG QUEEN

BY GIL SEGEV It has been said that there are two types of drag queens: those who get their start at Pride, and those "born" on Halloween. My guest this month belongs to the latter group, getting her start at a Halloween banger. Fast forwrad to now, she's performing alongside some of Toronto's biggest names and even taking over right here at York, all while enrolled in the local theatre program. You may recognize her "mug" from some of her recent gigs, including a "Drag at The Ab" show, a Winters Frosh gig and a headlining show in the YFS's "Dirty Bingo" event in September. I spoke with the incredible Star (AKA Josh when she's not in drag) at the MacMedia office about what it takes to be York's premier Drag Super Star.

Edited for conciseness and clarity.

Instagram: @thatqueenstar

Instagram: @thatqueenstar

GS: When did you first get in drag?

Star: It started October 2014. I've always been super feminine, and the thought of expressing my gender and putting on a wig was iconic. The first look was a witch from "American Horror Story," and everyone was super accepting. It took a while to get started because I didn't know what to name myself!

GS: Where do you get your inspiration?

Star: I look up to the Toronto queens, whom I am friends with now, and RuPaul's

Drag

Race,

obviously.

I

love

performers

like

Alyssa

Edwards,

Aquaria and Shangela. My ideas come from Instagram, YouTube and fashion... even just shopping! I love thrifting and reinventing outfits.

GS: You're known for your sexy costumes and flashy dance moves in your shows. How would you describe your drag?

Star: My drag is very sexy, very dramatic, very "diva." I wanna be a star shiny, in your face!

GS: What is the getting ready process like?

Star: I shower, shave EVERYTHING, then do my makeup. I give myself three to four hours. Hair takes 30 minutes, and then I commute to the gig. I get home around 2AM. I'll do this four to five times per month.

GS: What keeps you motivated despite the challenges?

Star: Drag makes me beyond happy; I value the performance aspect, and the relations and networks I build.

GS: What are the limits of drag? Who can and can't do drag?

Star: I think drag is an art form, and very political. Anyone on the "spectrum" can do it. Straight, cis people can do it too if it's not offensive to anyone.

GS: Do you ever get nervous on stage?

Star: I used to, but now not at all! I'm doing my thing, I'm making people happy, so if you don't like me I just don't care!

GS: Has anything bad ever happened to you when you're doing drag?

Star: I like to do stunts in my shows, and once I hit my head on stage and couldn't see for a few seconds. Another time I did the splits and ended up bleeding. But, I kept going! I wear kneepads now.

Instagram: @thatqueenstar

Instagram: @thatqueenstar

"I wear kneepads now."

GS: What was it like to perform in the YFS's "Dirty Bingo?"

Star: I'm so grateful for that opportunity. It was a student-run event, and the school hired me and my friends. We used to watch this event, and now we're in it. We performed, hosted, interacted with the students... it was more personable since we know our audience and our school.

GS: What is the York drag scene like?

Star: There's a couple of names that have come out of York, especially the art school. The Ugly One, Lucy Flawless, AurÊlie, Aurora Matrix, Henny C. Liqueur... it's very accepting, like a sisterhood.

GS: How does your family feel about your drag?

Star: My parents are beyond supportive of everything I do. With me doing theatre, it kinda led to drag as well. They came out to one of my shows, which was so incredible because it was kinda like a date night for them.

Drag has made my relationship with them stronger because of how open I am about everything.

GS: Do you ever question your gender because of drag?

Star: In drag I identify as she/her, out of drag I am he/him. I am very confident in that. I enjoy playing with the spectrum of gender.

GS: Does drag influence who and how you date?

Star: I'm focusing on me right now. But certainly boys have come up to me when I'm in drag and given me attention because of how I look.

GS: Where do you see Star going in a few years?

Star: It would be so much fun to make a career out of this after school is done. I'd love to branch out and possibly end up on TV... that would be amazing. At the same time, I want to remember who I am and stay humble. Shoot for the stars!

SPOOKY SZN: MOST POPULAR HALLOWEEN COSTUMES 2019 Kristian Barlaan

It’s that time of year when you have to decide what you’re going to be for Halloween. We love this time of year when we can dress up like anyone we want to be, outside of ourselves! But why is there always so much pressure on our costume choice every year?! Sometimes we want to be funny, sometimes we want to make a statement, sometimes we want to go the sexy route and, well, sometimes we want to do the most minimal costume we can find. If you’re looking to find out when the best time is to buy your Halloween costume (outside of November 1st), this recent study from Forbes states that 3 full weeks before October 31st, is your best bet. While we totally agree, we also find that starting to look for costume sales starting in August is usually when we’ll find the best deals overall. Now, a benefit of starting early is that you can typically find a decent sale on the classic standard costumes. We’re talking things like the doctor, the nurse, the clown, the nun, etc. But there are also a bunch of popular options from last year that will still resonate this year. That’ll be things like Wonder Woman, the cast of Stranger Things, the cast of Orange is the New Black, Jurassic Park and, of course, Fortnite! The downside of shopping an early sale is that some of the “it” costumes of the new Halloween season may not be released yet. But don’t fret! We can still always get a little creative!

OCTOBER HOROSCOPE LIBRA

VIRGO

The full moon in your relationship house

It’s time to tend to yourself, Virgo.

on the 13th is likely to kick up the need for

Instead of looking for answers to your

confrontation–not a Libran favorite. Be

problems, strive to more deeply

willing to prioritize authenticity over

understand your problems themselves. If

accommodation, and to do the work that

you improperly label your worries you’ll

true intimacy and collaboration requires.

only succeed in further confusing

You don’t need things to be easy in order

yourself. Be brave enough to let things

for them to be healthy, and balance isn’t

unfold without understanding every little

only about peaceful feels. Step into the

thing and how it’s going to play out.

chaos, own your part, and seek healing in

Whenever you can, align yourself with

how you relate to the people you choose to

the big picture and act in support of that

keep in your life, my sweet friend

this month.

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Things are changing all around you and

Rules are enforced in spite of your

it’s requiring you to make some serious

feelings, while boundaries are because of

changes, too. The key here is to allow

them. Strive to show up for yourself in

things to be in a state of flux without

ways that honour your hearts desire, but

assuming that they’ll stay this way. Think

also your needs and limitations,

of October as that period when you’ve

Sagittarius. October comes with some

emptied all the contents of your closet out,

chaotic energy that will knock you off

and you now need to reprioritize and

your centre if you're not careful. Seek

reorganize your suddenly messy room.

independence and authenticity in ways

This is a chance to change your life in a

that feed your life, even if that takes you

meaningful way, but it will require you to

on the path that looks riskier this month.

tolerate some things in disarray for a while.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

When you take on too much, it leaves you

Do you need the people in your life to

with no drive to complete your

understand you and where you’re coming

commitments. Take a break from your

from? This month you have choices to

phone, take a walk in the woods, or just

make around whether you need to slow

hide in bed for a weekend if you can,

down and share your process or if you

Capricorn. It’s not only okay to take

are okay with people being confused by

breaks: it’s totally essential to stay healthy.

your actions. This is a bad time to

One meaningful part of work is getting

abandon thoughts of collaboration, so

things done, but another, equally important

whatever you do, make sure that you're

part, is organizing your energy so that you

not alienating others or leading them to

can complete your tasks and have vitality

feel like they don’t matter, my love.

to spare.

PISCES

ARIES

It’s time to take some calculated risks,

It’s a delicate balance between taking on

Pisces. Prioritize getting grounded and

the stresses of the people around you and

clear about the next steps in front of you

honouring the complexity of how you

because you can achieve what you set out

need to participate in your relationships.

this month—even if it seems like a long

This month you may have to adjust your

shot. You may need to honour your

attitude or actions in response to your

instincts over the counsel of others, and

environment, but it’s an investment worth

while that may create some upsets, you

following through on. Find ways of

really can’t please everyone all the time.

supporting others without doing it at your

Honour your goals and do what needs to

own expense (or visa versa). Be the

get done, my love.

change you want to see in your relationships, Aries.

TAURUS

GEMINI

How you respond to disappointments is so

You need to change, Twin Star, and

much more important than whatever is

while that may be scary, or confusing

upsetting you at this moment. Don’t get

even, it’s not a bad thing. The past

so caught up in the story of your problems

several months have shown you new

that you lose sight of your agency within

ways of being and offered you new

them. October is the time for

ways of looking at life. Now it’s on

decisiveness, so here’s a pro tip to help

you to actually integrate that wisdom

you out: when you focus on scarcity, you

into your thinking, and eventually your

don’t see all of the possibilities around

worldview, so that your actions better

you. Look for the evidence of abundance

reflect the person you want to be. Step

and potential, and orient yourself from

into the unknown with intention this

there, Taurus.

month, my love.

CANCER

LEO

Self-reliance isn’t equal to loneliness. The

AIf you allow yourself to act out in

friendship that you have with yourself is

frustration you’ll only succeed in

foundational to all of your other

making matters less satisfying, Leo.

relationships, Moonchild. If you can’t be

This month is a powerful (if not kind

attentive to your own needs and instincts,

of annoying) time to slow down and

how can you really show up with others,

get grounded. If you can prioritize

and give them an honest chance at

identifying the truth for you at this

showing up for you? Don’t expect your

time you will shift your focus from

loved ones to do more for you than you

looking for “the right answer” to the

are doing for yourself this month; your

right answer for you. Practice having

best life starts within.

healthy boundaries with yourself so that you act in ways that reflect your hopes, and not your fears.

Halloween 2019 Music Playlist Eric Sadhu

There are many things to admire about the month of October, such as the weather, the holiday of Thanksgiving, the beautiful autumn landscapes, and the hoodies to break out. That said, there is one major component that many people, young and old alike, adore about this month Halloween! This holiday is very much adored for the traditions that have been adapted by nations across the world, from horror movie marathons, to trick-or-treating, taking on costumes of fictional and real personnel across modern pop culture, and engaging in other festivities for children and adults alike.

Another component that adds to the joy of Halloween spirit is the seasonal music that makes its annual appearance. A good Halloween song is recognized by its lyrical content, its music video to follow, and / or the reactions the song emits, or any memories that can be triggered upon hearing the song, such as the “80’s vibe” songs featured in the soundtracks of classic slashers.

Compiled below is a list of personal favourites that can aid you in expanding your seasonal / regular music playlists, or enhancing your amusement for Halloween 2019! Happy haunting…

1. “Devil Devil” - MILCK

11. “Sweet but Psycho” - Ava Max

2. “Before I Ever Met You” - Banks

12. “Midnight City” - M83

3. “Void” - The Neighbourhood

13. “Haunted” - Evanescence

4. “Scary Love” - The Neighbourhood

14. “The Monster” - Rihanna, Eminem

5. “Bury A Friend” - Billie Eilish

15. “Stabbing in the Dark” Ice Nine Kills

6. “Disturbia” - Rihanna

16. “Somebody’s Watching Me” - Rockwell

7. “Miss Murder” - AFI

17. “There will be Blood” - Kim Petras”

8. “Cannibal” - Kesha

18. “Spooky” - LOVECRAFT

9. “Just Dance” - Lady Gaga

19. “Thriller” - Michael Jackson

10. “Runnin’ With the Devil” - Van Halen

20. “Wrong Turn” - Kim Petras

Horror marathon There are many things to admire about the month of October, from the fall weather, to the beautiful autumn landscapes from falling leaves coloured with warm reds and oranges, and the hoodies to break out. That said, there is one major component many adore about October, recognized as Halloween! This holiday is very much adored for the traditions that have been adapted by nations across the world, from horror movie marathons, to trick-ortreating, channelling the likes of fictional and real personnel across modern pop culture, and engaging in other festivities for children and adults alike.

Horror movies assist in fuelling the atmospheres and Halloween spirits many have come to know and love, from the many sub-genres within the horror genre itself, from classic slasher flicks, to the recent works of James Wan’s paranormal pieces, as well as movie adaptations and dark television series. Despite how dark they can be, horror movies have seen a light in recent years, many of which have been coined as modern classics. Hence, to further add to the Halloween festivities highly anticipated as we closer approach the holiday, here is a list compiled of films and series to last until the night of tricks and treats!

MA

IT

HUSH

SHINING

LIGHTS OUT

US

SCREAM

THE EXORCIST

GET OUT

Which one scares you the most?

Lesson Learned from Trudeau AMESHA GRAY

This Halloween as you get dressed up and ready to party think about your costume. Halloween us the time of the year where you get to dress up and be someone else. Recently, the media released a photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau painted his face brown. The photo was titled “Brownface� for someone this costume but for others it is an act of racial insensitive. In the photo, Prime Minister Trudeau has his face painted black wearing an Aladdin costume and his arm wrapped around unknown female.The history behind 'blackface' stems from racial stereotypes of African Americans. These blackface paintings became popular in the 19th century. These images further perpetuate the stereotypes and marginalization of minority groups that are of darker complexion. Our prime minister never thought that anyone would have seen that photo. The fact the he may have painted his face as a joke, turns to have centuries of history behind it. Wearing costume that perpetuates stereotypes and racism is and will never be a joke. As you take part in your Halloween celebration this year think to yourself, if a photo of my costume was to be released in the media, would it affect my career choices in anyway and would it send the wrong messages?

We live in a technological era where everything is captured and recorded using our devices.

They have become tools in how society form opinions of the type of person they think we are supposed to be. Once it is out there, you cannot take it back. As the old saying goes, a photo is worth a thousand words. You are being judged based on what they see. A costume is not a joke if it causes hurt or harm to other. That is the lesson learned from our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Fitness Myths, and The Truths Behind Them Matthew Thomson It’s October and that means it’s spooky season, so here are some spooky fitness myths (seriously, how far can we drag this theme through the mud) and some of the truths behind them.

Pre-spooky warning about spookery: I pre-apologize. There, I said it. A lot of what follows comes as a direct result of specific questions I’ve heard, over and over, over the last four years working with Dynamacs. To be abundantly clear, I’m going to say a lot about bodies and what people should and shouldn’t do with them, so here’s the detail: If your goal is either to reduce the fat on your body, or to increase the muscle on your body? I’m talking to you. - If neither of those goals are your goals? I’m not talking to you, I’m not telling you how to live your life, or what you should do with your body. I’m literally responding to questions and trying to clear some confusion. Ok that’s my pre-apology. On to the spookery.

Spooky Exercise Myths Exercise can make up for bad eating habits!Aka: You can outrun a bad diet

i hear this one a lot when it comes to desired fat loss, people want to lose some weight and so they ask me what exercises they should be doing. The simple fact is that you can’t use exercise to outrun calories, you’ll never catch up. This myth is the reason experts and trainers keep repeating that same thing about how health is 25% exercise and 75% nutrition.

Women should work out differently than men to avoid masculine bodiesAka: Lifting heavy will bulk you up

When people ask me about this one, I lowkey get a little offended, as if picking up a barbell will spontaneously get anyone jacked. Like I’m reasonably well known for my beasty legs, but you’re talking about a decade of heavy lifting to get them here. I simplify it and respond that for your average female to get as bulky as me, you’d have to actually be on steroids, and working out twice as much as I do, and it would still take you literally years of painful dedication to get here. (And understand that this is coming from a simple cisgendered view, insofar that I’m only talking about body mechanics and no more.) From a more practical side of advice, if the two ends of the spectrum are Strength training and Hypertrophy, where strength makes you strong and hypertrophy makes you big? Your best bet is to focus on more heavy compound lifts to get the strength and the calorie burn in, and leave hypertrophy for just the isolation moves. You won’t get big. You’ll get strong.

You should do ab work to get absAka: You can spot reduce fat

You absolutely cannot spot burn fat. You. Cannot. If that is your goal, the best you can do it seek to burn calories in general such that your body fat percentage consistently lowers in a healthy way. If you want your abs to pop? Yeah do ab work, absolutely. But more important to that goal is being in a calorie deficit so that fat loss is happening.

You should always stretch before a workoutI’

I'll grant that everyone should stretch after a workout. It’s a fantastic way to keep your mobility up and extend longevity. But stretching before a workout is a tricky thing. Some studies indicate that it can weaken your muscles up to 30%, which is dangerous and counterproductive.The consensus seems to be that a dynamic warm up is the best thing before a workout.Try 5-10 minutes

Spooky Nutrition Myths Eating healthy is the same thing as fat loss

One of the most common questions I get is “I’m eating healthy, why aren’t I losing weight?” and to that I say: eating healthy isn’t necessarily eating for fat loss, and eating for fat loss isn’t necessarily eating healthy. Healthy generally means less processed, more whole foods, less refined sugar, a little less meat, a lot more veggies and fruits, you get the idea. More ingredients, less packages. But, you can still gain weigh while eating healthy, that’s literally what “clean bulking” is. If your goal is healthy eating and fat loss, then you have to include macro and calorie tracking and be in a consistent calorie deficit, or hope that you’ve been blessed by the fitness gods such that you’re naturally right on that line.

Eating too few calories will put you in starvation mode

DOES. NOT. EXIST. Ok so the theory goes like this, if you’re trying to cut fat, you have to be in a calorie deficit. But don’t go too deep into a deficit, or your body will think you’re stranded on an island and literally starving so it will hold on to those calories. Ok so like, game this out with me.

Using the most vague scientific understanding, explain it to me. Your body realises its not getting food energy, so instead of breaking down fat cells to use those for energy with which to survive, your body just magically doesn’t need energy? No. Utter nonsense. Want to know what happens when you cut a little too deep? You lose fat faster, but also some muscle if you’re

not careful. Want to know what happens when you cut way too deep? You fucking die. That's how people starve to death. Where’s the magical starvation mode there, punk. One of light to medium cardio, just enough to get a light sweat going. The warmer your muscles are, the more ready they’ll be to pick up the weights, but avoid stretching them unless you have severe tension issues.

You can’t build muscle on the vegan diet

Shut up Jaskarn, I’ve had enough out of you. Look at these legs, I AM THE QUADFATHER.

This diet is better than that diet

Low-carb? Keto? Plant-based? Atkins? Carnivore? Paleo? The short version is best summarized by my man Aadam (of @physioqonomics) who said that “Every diet works. All diets work by, one way or another, whether they admit it or not, having you control your calorie intake.” So every one of these diets does the same god damned thing, by telling you to cut out something.

The second part of the truth is that the diet only works insofar as we don’t then replace the thing we cut out with something else. Say you’re eating Low-carb for fat loss, so you order your burger without the bun, and you replace your fries with salad. Good start. But then you drench the salad in calorie-heavy dressing, and order two burgers because that’s just protein right? Ok so you went from a 600 calorie meal, down to maybe 450, and then you brought it right back up to 600 again. You’re eating Low-carb, but you’re not in a deficit, so you won’t burn that fat.There is, for you. my dear reader, a “best diet” for fat loss. And that is the diet that you enjoy the most, such that being on it doesn’t make you hate life. That diet, whatever it is, will allow you to stay on track with your goals longer. But all of that only works as long as you’re tracking macros and calories. The diet itself is really just a food theme. The work happens in the math. Do the math.

You should eat 5 small meals per day

Sort of literally doesn’t matter. Similar to the previous myth, you should eat however many meals as helps you stick to your macro plan, so maybe that is in fact 5, maybe it’s 2, really it's just up to you and your body. There is some science that indicates that eating smaller meals actually taxes your body less, in that it takes less effort to digest the smaller portions. But in this case, effort = calories burned, so strictly speaking, if all else is exactly the same, eating more meals means burning less calories throughout the day. The sort of exception is as it relates to protein being absorbed by the body. It is indeed ideal to have that spread out, but then we’re talking about optimizing absorption. For most people, most of the time? Eating a few meals through the day, when you feel like it, and including protein in each meal? That’s perfect. Again, whether cutting or bulking, calorie is king. Timing is just another part of the food theme.

Fasting helps to (insert basically magical levels of bullshittery)

Ok so do I personally think intermittent fasting is great? Yes. But does it do all those things that all them fancy youtube-experts and instagram-experts say it does? No. There are a weirdly wide range of claims about what fasting does. Work out fasted to increase the efficiency of resistance training by 200%. Nope. Do cardio fasted to increase calorie burn by 80% in women and 110% in men. Nope. Big nope. Nutritionally speaking, fasting does one, single, useful thing. It lets you cram your entire day’s worth of calories into a smaller space, such that you get to enjoy more calories/meal, during a calorie deficit. Ok so all of my meals fill me up, even though my maintenance calories sit somewhere in the 2500-2800c/d range, and I eat in the 1900-2000c/d range. This happens because from waking up until about 2pm, I’m not consuming anything other than black coffee. Literally.. Fasting helps me maintain my calorie deficit, while eating bigger meals and staying full longer into my evening than I could if my food was spread out through my day. I’d be hungrier and want to eat more. But I fast, and so I don’t. Also, who the hell has time for breakfast anymore. Fasting gives skipping breakfast direction and purpose!