All through the course of 2025, we’ve shared a bunch of outstanding tales from inside our group. Tales of weight reduction, life transformations and an enormous step in the proper path for males’s wellbeing.
We finish the yr with considered one of our most spectacular tales of the yr – and doubtlessly since MAN v FAT obtained began in 2016.
George Ferreira, of our Borehamwood membership, has misplaced in extra of 20 stone on MAN v FAT, supported by his coach Victor and his teammates on the membership.
Towards the top of the yr, George reached 50% weight reduction since getting began on the programme and his weight reduction whole of 124.8kg – or 275lbs – is the most important particular person loss within the historical past of MAN v FAT.
That weight reduction has include a variety of onerous work, endeavour and in the end an enormous dedication by George to himself to show his life round.
Trying again initially of his journey, he informed us: “I used to be in a nasty place plain and easy. I had misplaced all construction in my life and any sense of regular routine.
“I barely left the home except I completely needed to, my sleep sample was a multitude, my eating regimen had no limits and most days simply blurred into one another. I wasn’t working in the direction of something and I wasn’t dwelling an actual life anymore. I used to be hiding from it.”
“Each a part of life was affected. Strolling brief distances exhausted me. Sitting in chairs or getting up was uncomfortable. I didn’t match into regular garments or regular areas. I averted mirrors, averted cameras, averted going out and I felt embarrassed simply present in public. The psychological aspect was worse than the bodily fixed disgrace, self-disgust and paranoia about how I regarded and the way individuals may see me. My confidence was utterly gone.”
Over the course of the final couple of years, the chance to assist weight reduction by means of weight reduction injections has been an enormous a part of the information and well being agenda.
26-year-old George was offered with that chance and determined that he wanted to do issues his personal method.
He added: “Docs have been beginning to speak about weight reduction surgical procedure or potential weight reduction injections. The considered surgical procedure terrified me and I completely didn’t need to go down the route of medicine or injections both. That was a get up name. I realised I had two choices: let another person attempt to repair me or attempt to save myself. It wasn’t confidence or motivation, it was pure concern of the longer term I used to be heading in the direction of.”
MAN v FAT offered itself as an possibility for George to make the adjustments he was in search of. And while his present place is emblematic of serious progress, that hasn’t been a linear course of and there have been many challenges alongside the way in which.
He defined: “On my very first weigh-in at MAN v FAT, the size learn 249kg. I hadn’t weighed myself in round 8 years earlier than that and seeing that quantity genuinely destroyed me.
“It has been a psychological battle. The loneliness, the self hate, the disgrace and the sensation of being totally different or not belonging. Turning up week after week surrounded by individuals however nonetheless feeling utterly alone in your head is one thing you don’t neglect. I didn’t defeat that with positivity, I defeated it by refusing to cease displaying up even after I didn’t like myself.”
“Being with MAN v FAT hasn’t all the time been a fairytale. There have been supportive and motivating moments but additionally moments of isolation, awkwardness and feeling misunderstood. It hasn’t all the time felt like a heat “group”, typically it felt extra like survival. But it surely is likely one of the issues that stopped me from giving up utterly.”
“On the very starting Victor our coach confirmed perception in me at a time after I had completely none in myself. Even once we haven’t all the time seen eye to eye he has continued to reply my questions, assist the place he can and has typically pulled strings behind the scenes to maintain me settled on the membership throughout my lowest factors. That assist mattered greater than he in all probability realises.
“One second that caught with me was my very first session. I broke down pitch aspect after not with the ability to play for greater than 2 minutes and being in excessive ache. At that time I genuinely didn’t assume I might come again. Victor was there with me whereas I cried and pushed me to maintain going as a substitute of strolling away. I didn’t overcome that second with positivity, I overcame it by being pushed by means of it even after I didn’t need to be there.”
2026 seems like it’ll begin on a brighter notice for George, who continues to progress and prosper with Victor’s assist.
Reflecting on his eating regimen and train now, he mentioned: “Now it’s managed and disciplined. I’m extraordinarily conscious of what I eat, how a lot I eat and why I’m consuming. I don’t depend on motivation I merely depend on routine. Soccer is my most important type of train together with strolling and motion is now one thing I make a part of my life as a substitute of avoiding it.
“Bodily life is less complicated in nearly each method. I can transfer, breathe, sleep, match into garments and performance extra comfortably. I don’t keep away from the world as a lot anymore.
“Mentally it’s nonetheless a piece in progress. Shedding weight doesn’t erase years of injury to your self picture. But it surely has not less than given me an opportunity to begin rebuilding.
“Everybody at MAN v FAT is combating one thing whether or not they present it or not. That made me really feel much less alone within the wrestle.
“You both hold turning up otherwise you disappear. And I selected to not disappear.”
Impressed by George?
If you wish to observe in George’s footsteps, you possibly can learn extra about our MAN v FAT programme right here. We’d like to assist you!