Football weight loss group opens new club in Clacton

Man v Fat is encouraging overweight and obese men to get fit and adopt healthy lifestyle choices. 

Now, a new group will be set up in Clacton following the success of the programme across the county which helped men to lose one tonne of unhealthy weight last year. 

The Clacton football club will add to the existing groups in Colchester, Chelmsford, Southend, Basildon and Harlow, and will offer sessions on a weekly basis. 

Man v Fat Football clubs were created for men with a BMI above 27.5 and have more than 8,000 players in more than 150 clubs across the UK. 

Players are weighed to monitor their weight loss progress across the weeks, followed by a 30-minute game of six-a-side football. 

Then extra goal bonuses are awarded to the teams based on their weight loss. 

The team’s combined weight loss and match score contribute to its league position within the club. 

Colchester member Reece Currie joined the club after he felt like he had “reached rock bottom”. With the help of the group, he managed to lose more than six stone in 2023. 

He said: “The thing I love most about Man v Fat is the camaraderie between fellow players. If a player is out injured or ill, other members will jump in and help at any point, meeting new people has been an eye-opener for me too.” 

Man v Fat Football head of football, Richard Crick said: “The tonne of weight lost by men at our Essex clubs is testament to the sheer hard work and determination shown by the players taking part and our incredible coaching teams, who lead the programme across the county. 

“While the main aim of the programme is to help men lose weight, MAN v FAT is about so much more than that. Lifelong friendships are formed at our clubs and thousands of players across the UK have benefited from an improvement in their mental wellbeing, as well as their physical health. 

The Man v Fat football club will launch at Clacton Leisure Centre on February 23.