Blackpool man loses 7 stone at MAN v FAT football weight loss club

 Christopher Johnstone, who lives in Blackpool has lost seven stone with the help of MAN v FAT Football.

He is now enjoying being able to play football again, as well as the improvements in his physical and mental health.

Chris explains, “Before I joined MAN v FAT Football, I hadn’t played football in five or six years, and I was surprised at the level of the players and how competitive the games are. 

“When I joined, I had moved from Scotland to Blackpool for work and was feeling isolated as I didn’t know anyone in this area.

It’s great to enjoy the sport and benefit from the health improvements, while not being judged in the group about weight, as we are all in the same boat."

The club that encourages overweight and obese men to get fit and adopt healthy lifestyle choices has helped local men lose 250kg (550 pounds) of excess weight in 2023.

 “My health has improved dramatically, I am able to enjoy a more active life with my kids and it has also improved my mental health by giving me more confidence. 

It has also helped me in situations that used to cause me anxiety."

Aimed at men with a BMI of higher than 27.5, MAN v FAT Football has more than 8,000 players taking part in over 150 clubs across the UK.

The programme was created by Andrew Shanahan, who, fed-up with traditional weight loss classes primarily aimed at women, decided to develop a programme that combines the beautiful game with achievable weight loss goals for men.  

MAN v FAT Football Head of Football, Richard Crick explains: “We are so proud of the progress made by the players and the wider team at our Blackpool club.

MAN v FAT isn’t a lose-fat-fast programme, we encourage body positivity and losing weight at a healthy, sustainable pace. While weight loss is the key goal for players, the programme is perfect for men who want to get back into playing football after time away from the game and improve their fitness gradually, without the stress of getting a group together and booking pitches.

MAN v FAT Blackpool takes place every Monday from 7.30pm evening at Blackpool Sports Centre. More information about the club and how to sign-up can be found here: https://www.manvfatfootball.org/blackpool