A MAN has smashed his weight loss goal with the help of a fat-fighting football team and says his lifestyle is "so much better" because of it.
Ed Fitzsimmons, 63, weighed over 16 stone when he joined Man v Fat Basingstoke in January this year. Now, he weighs in at just over 13 stone.
The Man v Fat Basingstoke club meets every Tuesday evening at The Vyne School, in Vyne Road, and Ed has nothing but praise for the group.
Having spent nearly a year on the FA-accredited football-based healthy lifestyle programme, he says it has made him fitter and helped him improve his golf game as a result.
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He said: "I love playing football and always have. I enjoy the lads I play football with and the banter with the new friends I have made, 100 per cent I would recommend Man v Fat.
"The reason for me taking this on was to lose weight, get fit and healthy. Man v Fat has made my lifestyle so much better, new friends.
"I'm fitter, healthier, and it's made my golf game better as a result, which is a bonus."
So far this year, a total of 145 players at the Basingstoke club have lost a combined 72 stone (459.7kg) between them.
Players are weighed at the beginning of each session, before battling it out on the pitch where the results from matches combine with a player's individual weight loss throughout a week, to contribute to an overall league table.
The programme isn't just about losing weight, however - the men taking part also note mental health benefits and create new friendships.
Find out more information about the club by visiting manvfatfootball.org/basingstoke.
Participants may qualify for funding via Hampshire County Council if they register with a Hampshire County Council Postcode (excluding Portsmouth and Southampton).
Public Health England (PHE) data published in April 2023 suggests that around 67.5 per cent of adults in Basingstoke and Deane are overweight or obese, above the 64 per cent average for England.
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, as well as an extensive well-being platform where they can seek out content about their mental health.
Find out more by visiting www.manvfat.com/football
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