How football helped Chester man shed over 4.5 stone in just 7 months
"If you had told me in January this year that I would have dropped three trouser sizes... I would have called you nuts"
A Chester resident has explained how football helped him at one of his lowest points - and enabled him to shed more than four and a half stone in the process. Colin Whelan has dropped three trouser sizes over the last seven months thanks to the power of the beautiful game.
The 53-year-old, who is part of MAN v FAT, started his weight-loss journey back in February. He weighed more than 18 stone and was at a low point in his life.
"I was going through a difficult time," admits Colin. "My mental health and weight were spiralling to their lowest and highest points respectively. My wife encouraged me to get a hobby, to get me off the couch and out of the house; something that would help me start feeling better.
"I kept getting MAN v FAT Football adverts on Facebook, and although I haven’t played football since my mid 20s, I thought ‘let's give it a go, it can't be that bad. If I don't like it, I'll just stop.’ Looking back, seven months later, I can say I never stopped."
MAN v FAT Football is a weight loss programme for men with a BMI over 27.5, Players attend weekly meetings where they weigh in and play 28-minute games of small-sided football.
Extra goals are awarded to teams with the greatest total weight-loss. Both a team’s total weight lost and goals scored contribute to a team’s standing in the club’s league table.
"When I started playing, I discovered that the camaraderie is incredible," said Colin. "I was shocked when I got my five per cent certificate and strangers in the club sought me out and congratulated me, I never realised how a milestone was celebrated. It let me drop my new boy’s guard, and it was exactly what I needed to push on.
"I thought it was all diet, weigh ins, I didn’t realise it was a group supporting and helping each other." Despite it only having been just over seven months since joining, Colin is keen to tell others about MAN v FAT, and encourage them to give it a go.
“I advertise MAN v FAT, I share updates with my colleagues in the US and celebrate the changes brought to my life," he said. "I'm a 53-year-old goalkeeper! Quite a good one, it turns out! If you had told me in January this year that I would have dropped three trouser sizes and would be throwing myself on the floor twice a week - and doing so happily - I would have called you nuts.
"But now, I love it. The lads, the community, the elevens, I wish I had something like this in my life for the last 10-15 years." It’s not just Colin who has benefitted, Chester ’s MAN v FAT club’s 60 players have lost over 290 kilograms so far in 2025.
The club meets weekly at Goals Chester from 7.30pm every Wednesday. The coach of Chester’s MAN v FAT Football is Victoria Fisher, herself a former player. She said: "One of the best decisions I ever made was to join MAN v FAT as a player. I was slowly eating myself to death and had no confidence. MAN v FAT changed all that for me, and I know it will for you too."
In addition to football sessions, MAN v FAT players 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.
You can find out more about MAN v FAT at manvfat.com/football