Man v Fat Football Braintree helps men fight the flab

Man v Fat is an FA-affiliated scheme, which has more than 8,500 players taking part in over 170 clubs across the UK.

The Man v Fat football club meets every Friday evening from 8pm at Halstead Leisure Centre on Colne Road, Halstead, and currently has spaces for new players who want to join. 

The club is aimed at helping overweight and obese men in the Braintree area get fit and learn about healthy lifestyles.

It has helped 30 players lose more than 700lbs of excess weight in 2022.

In addition to football sessions, players also receive off-the-pitch support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness.

In addition, new players with a body mass index of more than 27.5 from certain postcode areas in the Braintree district may be able to benefit from a free first 14-week season funded by the council, which works with Man v Fat.

Jack Huckle has lost a whopping five-and-a-half stone of excess weight with the help of Man v Fat Football’s Braintree club.

He said: “Before I started Man v Fat, I was depressed and unhappy with myself, especially with how I looked. Clothes wouldn’t fit me and I found myself eating more because I was unhappy.

“Man v Fat has helped me achieve so much over the past months and meeting new people has been a key part of that. The lads at Man v Fat are a great bunch - it’s not just a football club, it’s more like a support group.

“I feel better in my clothes, I’m more confident in myself and just generally happier. 

“The club has spaces for new players and I would fully recommend Man v Fat to local men who are looking to shift some excess weight.

“The staff are great. The extras that they offer such as a diet tracking book and the Man v Fat online gym are really useful too.

“The coaches and your teammates don’t make you feel bad if you have an ‘off week’. In fact, if you do, they get behind you and motivate you to do better next week.”

For more information visit manvfatfootball.org.