Peterborough man loses a quarter of his body weight through local health and wellbeing driven football club

The Peterborough MAN v FAT Football club, which meets every Monday evening at the Nene Park Academy on Oundle Road, has helped 83 local men lose over 79 stone (502kg) in excess weight between them in the last year.

Luke Manning weighed almost 17 stones (107.6kg) when he first began taking part in MAN v FAT Peterborough in January 2024. A blood pressure check from his wife, who is a nurse, was the moment he knew he needed to sign up.

“I was joking around one day and I asked my wife to check my blood pressure,” says Luke. “When the machine beeped and said it was absolutely sky high, I knew I had to make some changes in my life. It kind of scared me.”

“MAN v FAT has made me a completely different person,” continues Luke. “Before, I didn’t mingle too well with other people and struggled to make new friends as I’m not really a “people person’. But, after spending the last 11 months in my orange team, I’ve made some really good friends and enjoy the whole thing. I’m not the most gifted footballer ever, but I know I can contribute towards my team by losing weight!”

MAN v FAT is a weight loss initiative that aims to help overweight and obese men with a BMI of over 27.5 lose unwanted weight through weekly football and lifestyle coaching sessions.

At sessions, 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. A team’s total weight loss and match scores then contribute to its position within a club’s overall league table.

And, Luke says, it’s given him the appetite to be even more active: “I also now play an additional game of football on a Thursday night with other MAN v FAT players, which helps me keep my fitness up and manage games better, and because of this I’ve also managed to accomplish something in my Iife I never thought I could. I managed to complete a 5K run in 27 mins which for me is a massive achievement. MAN v FAT has helped me create something truly special.”

According to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities in 2023, 64% of adults in Peterborough are classified as overweight or obese.*

Richard Crick, Head of MAN v FAT adds: “Luke and all the guys at our Peterborough club have been drawn to our programme through a love of football and being part of a team. What they gone on to achieve both individually and as a key part of the club we have in Peterborough is fantastic.”

“MAN v FAT players regularly tell us about improving their mental health through the programme, not just because of weight loss – but due to the sense of belonging, community and collaboration that team sports can bring.

“Our Peterborough club has spaces for new players, so if you’re looking to make a positive change to your lifestyle, get in touch!”

8,500 men currently take part at more than 150 MAN v FAT Football clubs across the UK. The programme was created to differ from traditional weight loss classes and combines the beautiful game with achievable weight loss goals for men.

Aimed at men with a BMI of higher than 27.5, the total amount of weight lost by MAN v FAT players in the UK currently stands at more than 750,000 pounds.

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 free access to a bespoke mental health platform through MAN v FAT partners JAAQ.

2025 will see MAN v FAT expand its offering with the launch of 15 new rugby-based weight loss clubs across the UK. The rugby clubs will follow MAN v FAT’s key principles, offering overweight and obese men the opportunity to lose weight at a sustainable pace, through weekly rugby, health and wellbeing sessions.

Find out more at: https://manvfatrugby.com/

To find out more about MAN v FAT Football and to locate your closest club, visit www.manvfat.com/football

* https://lginform.local.gov.uk/reports/lgastandard?mod-metric=10709&mod-period=1&mod-area=E06000031&mod-group=AllSingleTierAndCountyLaInCountry_England&mod-type=namedComparisonGroup