Ricky is in a league of his own when it comes to losing weight

Smaller portions: Pictures of chef Ricky Emery at 20st and right, at 14st

- NEIL SHAW [e-mail]

A MAN who decided to lose weight so he could take part in a rugby match in honour of his brother managed to ditch six stone in 18 months.

Ricky Emery, 40 from Bridgend has lost over 6 stone with the help of his local Man v Fat Football club, since starting the programme 18 months ago.

Ricky said: “My 15 year-old brother sadly passed away in the summer of 2023, and in his memory, our community organised a memorial rugby match that was due to take place on Boxing Day later that year.

“It was a bit of a wake-up call to be honest, as I knew that I needed to get fit and shift weight fast.

“So, I joined Man v Fat Bridgend, a local club that helps men in the area lose weight through weekly football and healthy lifestyle coaching sessions.

“Joining Man v Fat was a revelation. The mix of playing team sports again and the incentive of losing weight through doing so was a brilliant motivation factor for me.

“The best thing about Man v Fat is all abilities can join and contribute, whether you are young or old. And it’s not just about the scores on the pitch, because how you do during the week in terms of your own weight loss matters as well. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking to lose weight, in fact I have - and a few of my mates have joined the club too.”

Around 8,500 men currently take part at more than 150 Man v Fat Football clubs across the UK.