Peter Gabbott, 29, from Preston, has lost 40kg (6st 2lbs) in less than 12 months after joining MAN v FAT Football. The simple change of swapping takeaways for football has transformed his health ahead of his wedding in March 2025.
Peter admitted he had known for a while that he needed to do something about his weight. While his partner was going to the gym at 5am, he was ordering takeaways. By January 2024, his partner had lost two stone, which motivated him to make a change.
Having enjoyed playing football as a youngster, signing up to MAN v FAT Football in late January seemed like a no-brainer. “I have not looked back since and remain as committed as I was in my first week; I'm making good progress ahead of the wedding,” said Peter.
In 12 months, Peter went from 147kg in January to 109kg as of October 2024. He now plays football twice a week, runs at least 5k once a week, and eats much healthier, batch cooking instead of having weekly takeaways.
Peter even plays with other members of MAN v FAT Football outside of the weekly game. “Honestly, I dread to think where I would be had I not found MAN v FAT Football and not found my partner,” he said, thanking the entire Preston group for their support.
Around 8,400 men currently take part at more than 150 MAN v FAT Football clubs across the UK. The programme is designed for overweight and obese men with a BMI above 27.5, combining football with achievable weight loss goals.
