A football club that encourages overweight and obese men to get fit has helped members of the team lose 25 stone of excess weight in 2023.
MAN v FAT Southampton takes place every Tuesday evening at Goals Millbrook, helping players make healthy lifestyle choices.
It comes as Public Health England (PHE) data published earlier this year suggests that around 67 per cent of adults in Southampton are overweight or obese.
READ MORE: Fitness fanatic takes on London to Paris bike ride in latest charity challenge
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.
The total amount of weight lost by MAN v FAT players in the UK currently stands at more than 40,000 stone.
Before matches, players are weighed. This is followed by a 30-minute game of six-a-side football, with extra goal bonuses awarded to teams based on their weight loss.
Weight loss and match scores then contribute to teams’ league positions within a club.
MAN v FAT Football Southampton coach Melanie Bryant was pleased with the team's weight loss so far this year, which equates to 350lbs or the weight of a large fridge freezer.
She said: “We’re so proud of the progress made by the players and the wider team at our Southampton club. The men involved are genuinely changing their lives for the better by improving their physical and mental health, while making new friends and having fun in the process.
“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.
The club is looking for new players to take part. More information can be found at manvfatfootball.org/southampton
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here