Andrew Rowley, 37, joined Newport's Man v Fat football weight loss program after mental health issues started affecting his weight.
When Mr Rowley joined the scheme in October 2021, he weighed 27st, his heaviest ever. Now, a year and a half later, he stands at 18.4 stone.
a father told Agus How Man v Fat helped change his life and improve his health.
Mr. Rowley holds a 30% milestone certificate from Man V Fat in Newport.Image: Andrew Rowley
He said: “I was suffering from depression and anxiety, I would eat to feel better and I was at the highest weight I'd ever been.
“I had severe back problems, it was difficult for me to walk up stairs, and I was easily out of breath.
“Sometimes I would take weeks off work because my back pain was getting worse and going on for a long time.
“I've struggled with my weight for years, trying countless diets, only to fall off the wagon and put on more weight from where I started.”
Food Mr. Rowley ate before starting the Man v Fat program.Image: Andrew Rowley
On a typical day, before joining Man v Fat in 2021, Mr Rowley would eat a bacon wrap for breakfast, a large sausage with large chips and curry sauce for lunch, and a large pizza with garlic bread in the evening. A course, nachos or chicken strips, with four biscuits for dessert, two bars of chocolate and up to three bags of chips during the day.
Diet after joining the Man V Fat weight loss program.Image: Andrew Bowley
Now, his typical daily diet consists of bran flakes with yogurt for breakfast, chicken salad with pita bread for lunch, steak and chips cooked in the air fryer in the evening, and fruit when he needs a snack.
Mr Rowley, from Abercynon, has now switched from 4XL to XL and has seen great improvements in his mental health and back pain.
He added: “It's a nice sense of accomplishment to reach a goal or see a drop in weight, and now I've dropped some clothing sizes.
“My mental health is better with the support of the group.
“I even ruptured my Achilles after scoring a great goal six weeks into the team and I was leaving.
“I love the Newport family, everyone supports each other, not only their team, but the community as a whole.
“There's a man v fat club near my house, but I feel like I belong in Newport.
“I can't think of going anywhere else.”
