Meet James Crockett from the Bridgend club. James joined MAN v FAT in January of 2023, realising that he had to make a change from his old methods to lose weight and keep it off.
He said: “Joining wasn’t a sudden decision, but more of a gradual realisation that I needed to make a change. I’d reached a point where I was tired of feeling stuck, feeling really negative about life and how I looked to other people.
“I have tried many diets over the years before joining. I could lose some weight but would always yo-yo up and down, eventually putting the weight back on.
“I heard about MAN v FAT Football from my best mate, who had already signed up a few weeks before. It sounded like exactly what I needed, a way to combine my love of football with the support and accountability to lose weight.”
Joining the club, James found a winning play for his weight loss struggles, as the support of the team passed him a clear shot to reach his goal. He added: “The team spirit and the togetherness is incredible. Everyone’s in it for the same reason, we all want to get healthier and that creates such a supportive and motivating atmosphere. The weekly weigh-ins, the football, and the camaraderie in and out of all the group chats keeps me focused and enjoying the journey.
“It all helps massively with motivation and consistency. It doesn’t feel like a ‘diet club’ it feels like being part of a proper team and community.
“I would say MAN v FAT Bridgend is a very special place. The club is filled with so many different personalities with so many different stories. The camaraderie runs through the club with laughter from the start of the session at 7pm through till 9pm, come rain or shine. After a real difficult week whether it’s scales-based or general life difficulties laugher it absolutely needed. There’s so many people I can call friends for life now even after only knowing them for two years.
“I’ve lost 36.2kg, over 30% of my starting body weight. I feel so much fitter, happier, healthier and more confident than I have in years. I’ve made new friends, discovered a real passion for regular exercise again, and my mental health has improved massively over the last few years. I am now aiming to achieve BMI Boss which sounds crazy considering that I started the journey at 120kg two years ago.”
James also highlights how MAN v FAT has helped him to change his relationship with food, to finally kick the habits that saw his weight go up and down before, saying: “My diet prior to joining MAN v FAT looking back was really poor. Takeaways most days, sometimes twice, or even three times a day, just for the quick fix and the satisfaction it gives you.
“The difference I have found since joining has been that I’m much more regimented, and I’ve learnt a lot about the value of tracking calories and meals. I still enjoy a takeaway on the weekends, but it’s all tracked and I never feel guilty for enjoying it anymore. The advice that I have picked up on is that you are allowed to eat the so-called naughty foods as long as it’s been accounted for and you are being honest with the calories on the tracking app every day.”
Now, James has a trophy cabinet of memories to look back on with MAN v FAT, saying: “A big highlight for me was captaining KFC Scoffenheim to winning a Team of the Year award at the MAN v FAT Awards this year outside the London Stadium.
“The team had all the attributes that I would say a MAN v FAT team should consist of, whether it’s togetherness, friendliness, caring, supportive and the countless different stories. The team won a few leagues within the Bridgend seasons but it was members of this group that have really helped me push on to my milestones and being so consistent. I was very lucky with this team. The memories are something I will always remember.
“The club is a very giving place, we’ve done countless amounts of charity work, from duck races to support other clubs in the MAN v FAT community to Christmas and Easter chocolate collections. The club is something I’m very proud to talk about in my day-to-day life spreading all the great stuff MAN v FAT is about, I feel very honoured and grateful to be a member of this club!”
Want to join James at Bridgend?
The Bridgend club is one of a number in Wales and you can take a look at your options here!
