Starting something new is always daunting, and you might be wondering what your time at MAN v FAT Soccer is going to be like. We get it, and while it’s easy for us to tell you ‘it’ll all be fine!’, it’s much better to hear it from people who’ve been in your shoes.
So we asked our MAN v FAT Soccer players in the UK for the advice they’d give to guys just starting out, and this is what they said.
You get what you put in
“MAN v FAT is a journey you’re in control of” says Lee, who thrived on how good it feels to be improving your health. “Choices will be hard, but the feel-good factor when you achieve your targets and people start to notice your change is something you won’t experience anywhere else.”
Similarly, Nathan is keen to point out the importance of prioritizing weight loss. He’s been a MAN v FAT player for over 7 years but didn’t take it seriously at first. “I prioritized the soccer first, so I yo-yoed in weight, never really getting anywhere. But then I finally started to focus on weight loss.”
He’s now lost over 70lbs, and knows a lot about the challenges of staying consistent. “It’s not a race, it’s not about who loses it the quickest. You will fall off the wagon at some point, it’s just about getting back on. You’ve got to keep going, make it a lifestyle change”.
Support Each other
One thing that makes MAN v FAT Soccer so successful in the UK is the community the clubs create. Making the most of it is key to your long-term success, says Alan. “Build a good community within your club, not only with your own team but with everyone. Support each other with weight loss, meal ideas, mental health, everything. When there’s an excellent support network available, weight loss will be easier.”
Ryan agrees and credits his MAN v FAT community with being a big part of his weight loss success. “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s a great community, the team spirit you build is second to none.”
Go at your own pace
“Once I had lost 10% of my starting weight, I slowly introduced extra physical activities which then helped push me to losing 15% of my body weight” says Andrew.
But remember to listen to your body, and don’t push yourself if you’re not ready. If you’ve not worked out since you were in high school, you’re not going to suddenly be a pro soccer star. Anthony stresses the importance of remembering this: “Stretch those hamstrings, you’re no longer a teenager!”
Alan agrees, and says “You’ll remember that you’re not a kid anymore and you’ll be tired out after 5-10 minutes at your first game. Enjoy yourself but remember to listen to your body. We’ve all been there pushing through it trying to look good!”
Enjoy it!
MAN v FAT Soccer is a great way of losing weight and improving your health, and one of the best things about it is that it’s actually fun! Above all, we hope you have a great time getting to know your teammates and getting out there on the field.
We’ll leave it to Nathan to sum it all up:
My advice is to do it now, take the risk, feel uncomfortable at your first weigh in but after that if you’re driven and committed and are consistent with your efforts, enjoy your soccer and the rest will come.
And of course, if you ever want a friendly game, we’ve had loads of offers to swap rainy old England for Florida.
