Aylesbury footballers shed nearly 14 stones of unhealthy weight in twelve months

MAN v FAT Aylesbury takes place every Monday evening at Aylesbury RFC, Ostler's Field and the club’s organisers are currently looking for new players to take part. More information can be found here: manvfatfootball.org/aylesbury

The latest data from Buckinghamshire Council shows that three out of five adults (60 per cent) aged 18 and over are overweight or obese in Buckinghamshire, which could equate to as many as 39,000 adults in Aylesbury.

Recent research from the National Food Strategy review estimates that every unit of body mass index put on by every individual raises the UK’s annual healthcare costs by £16.**

MAN v FAT Football currently has 8,200 players taking part in more than 150 leagues 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 650,000 pounds. It is aimed at men with a BMI of higher than 27.5.

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.

Aylesbury MAN v FAT coach Lamínn-Thaynt McMahon says:

“In addition to achieving weight loss, doing so with the no-pressure enjoyment of playing football in a welcoming environment for those of all abilities, age and levels of overweight is really important. It provides men with a social connection and friendships that we know improves mental wellbeing.”

And the club is ambitious for the year ahead.

“We are looking to prioritise a health and fitness mindset over and above just playing football,” continues Laminn. “This means more focus on diet and lifestyle improvements and making use of the Dugout, online facility available to members with lots of resources including an online gym and a mental wellbeing app. In this way, we will see players gradually improving their health, weight and fitness, which will also help us grow the club, bring more players on board and add more teams.”

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

“We’re looking for new players to join our club, so if you think MAN v FAT might be for you, get in touch.”

In addition to football sessions, MAN v FAT players also receive off-the-pitch support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness. Players also get full access to MAN v FAT online gym, so they can train in their own time at home.

To find your closest MAN v FAT Football club, visit: https://www.manvfatfootball.org/Leagues/FindALeague