Ben Kane lost the weight on a football-based healthy lifestyle programme after mental health issues and excessive weight gain during the Covid pandemic persuaded him to sign on with Man v Fat Aldershot.
Ben, from Aldershot, joined the programme in September 2023, weighing over 16 and a half stone (105.7kg).
Since then, he has lost nearly 3.5 stone (22.1kg).
READ MORE: Sixteen-stone man’s life improved as fat-fighting football team help him lose weight
Ben Kane lost the weight on the Man v Fat programme (Image: Man v Fat) The 43-year-old said: “I had put on around five stone. I’d never been as heavy and I felt awful.
“I tried the gym and felt embarrassed; I tried running and I got injured.
“In general, I just never felt comfortable doing anything in my own skin anymore.
“Football has always been my escape, my happy place.
“To be able to couple football and weight loss with a group of like-minded people in similar situations was exactly what I needed.
“I feel like Man v Fat saved me from serious health issues.
“I’d developed a number of chronic conditions, and my doctor warned that if I carried on the way I was, I was going to end up very seriously unwell.”
SEE MORE: Basingstoke Man v Fat claim double glory as they celebrate weight loss milestone
Ben said the camaraderie was a key motivator for him (Image: Man v Fat) At Man v Fat football sessions, participants are weighed, and match results are combined with individual weight loss to contribute to an overall league table.
The programme is not just about losing weight, though, as it also provides mental health benefits and helps participants form new friendships.
Ben said the camaraderie was a key motivator for him.
He continued: “The community and camaraderie between the lads there is amazing.
“Everyone is supportive, we all celebrate health and weight loss together, and everyone drives each other on.
“The weekly accountability and chance to score points for a team keeps me driven.
“As someone who has suffered from depression and anxiety, Man v Fat has been such a natural relief and escape.
“It’s enabled me to breathe again.”
Ben says the programme has made a positive change in his lifestyle.
He said: “I’ve made new friends in a new area and my mental health has never been better in terms of anxiety, a lot of which came down to excessive weight gain.
“Add to this that some of the chronic health issues I had developed have now all completely cleared up, I feel amazing.”
In addition to the football sessions, Man v Fat players also receive off-the-pitch support, including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness.
They also get free access to a bespoke mental health platform through Man v Fat partners JAAQ.