A football match bringing together 22 of the UK’s most ‘Amazing Losers’, who have lost over half a tonne of weight between them in the last year, took place at Sixfields on Tuesday evening.
The inaugural event featured two all-male teams of amateur footballers from the MAN v FAT Football programme, which helps nearly 8,000 men from across the country with a BMI of above 27.5, return to a healthy weight through football and lifestyle advice.
Every player who played on the evening has lost between 25 per cent and 50 per cent of their previous weight, before joining the programme. For many of the men taking part, this represents a total weight loss of between 30kg and 50kg (4.5-8 stone). The total amount of weight shed by the two teams in the last year is in excess of half a tonne.
The two sides were coached by famous footballing faces, legendary manager Ian Holloway and former Wolves and Colchester United hero, George Elokobi. Meanwhile, players wore shirts with their name on the back and the amount of weight lost as their kit number.
Across 2021, MAN v FAT Football helped UK men lose 43 tonnes, or 95,000 pounds of excess weight. The programme takes place at over 160 clubs around the country.
Head of MAN v FAT Football, Richard Crick explains: “The Amazing Losers match was a celebration of MAN v FAT Football’s most amazing losers over the last 12 months.
“There are only a very small number of individuals who have taken on their battle with fat and conquered it with such incredible results. As well as having astonishing personal stories, many of the players taking part in the Amazing Losers fixture are real inspirations to fellow players at their local club.”
At MAN v FAT Football sessions, players are weighed, which is followed by a 30-minute game of six-a-side, with extra goal bonuses awarded to teams based on the amount of weight players have lost. Weight loss and match scores then contribute to teams’ league positions within a club. Players receive additional support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness.
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.