‘Just go for it’: The story of MAN v FAT Rugby, the unique way for men to lose weight

‘Just go for it’: The story of MAN v FAT Rugby, the unique way for men to lose weight

Just nine months after joining MAN vs. FAT Rugby, a man from the Midlands has reduced 25% of his body weight.

Adrian Courtney weighed 26 stone in September of last year. He was out of breath as he climbed the stairs, and frequent heart palpitations had become an alarming occurrence.

In the present, the man claims that he is “floating” because of MAN v FAT Rugby, a special weight-loss program that gets past one of the main challenges to weight loss: it makes working out enjoyable.

Heart palpitations from running up stairs

When Adrian was racing his wife up the stairs and nearly passed out, he became acutely aware of his weight gain. His heart was racing through his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe; he was not feeling well.

In a Zoom discussion, he informed me, “I ignored it, as blokes do generally.”

His inability to complete even the simplest aerobic workouts without experiencing what he initially thought was a panic episode worried Adrian more and more.

“My heart went into survival mode after that one trip up the stairs, pumping like I had just run a hundred meters.”

Because of this, the 36-year-old frequently questioned if the following week would be his last. He realised he needed to alter because his weight was the root of the issues.

He stated, “I had to start somewhere because I couldn’t continue like that.”

How did he get into this situation?

“I’ve got the Holy Trinity of bad food habits. I’m a boredom eater, an emotional eater and a comfort eater,” Adrian said.

“Popcorn with a film, but it’s not just popcorn; it’s a massive pizza, two sides, and full-fat full-sugar drinks.”

Adrian searched for a way out after years of putting off reducing weight and nearly internalising the fat, but he knew it wouldn’t be simple to find the proper path.

Regarding a return to activity, he stated, “I felt that the fitness gap was so much so that I couldn’t really go anywhere, and I was worried about re-injury.”

In the end, he discovered his answer only by fortunate happenstance. One day, while browsing Facebook, Adrian came upon the club that would essentially transform his life. It was rugby between MAN and FAT.

He took the initiative to get back into the sport, and MAN v FAT was just what he needed.

What is MAN v FAT?

The goal of MAN v FAT is to help men lose weight by having them play rugby and alter their eating habits together.

There are now 16 MAN vs. FAT rugby clubs, and more are expected to join this year. With three teams, Adrian’s club in Leicester has built a strong community to help one another along the way.

They rotate the teams once a year while playing World Rugby’s T1 rules, which are a variation of touch rugby that includes non-contact scrums and lineouts. This is a fantastic way to meet others who share your interests.

Since both the field and the scales are used to determine points, a team can win even if they lose on the field if they drop more weight on the scales.

The procedure is straightforward but efficient:

Weigh: Men receive bonus points based on how well they lose weight.
Play: They add these to their weekly game’s tries.
Lose: The only rugby league where losers win is MAN vs. FAT!
Win: The club with the highest season-long point total wins leagues.

“You can begin with nothing at all. Some of the guys there have never played rugby. You get the impression that you can make a difference without necessarily scoring tries just by decreasing weight.

“I felt fantastic after having that conversation, laughing, and watching the guys score a try. After I started losing weight, I became addicted to it.

What other changes have been made?

It’s not been easy for Adrian, but thanks to the friendships he’s made and the results he’s had, he remains as motivated as ever to continue this life-changing process.

“It’s a mammoth task, but it’s money in the bank every day I beat my calorie target. I’m like, ‘Right, that’s another day down, bosh, next one’.”

He has taken up a variety of other healthy hobbies, is monitoring his eating patterns, and no longer consumes 3000 calories in a single meal.

“I’m fighting that urge and telling myself, ‘Just see if you can make it to the end of the day, and then that urge will die off before you know it.'”

“I would no longer be hungry. I’ve overcome that psychological obstacle, and I’m not hungry now. I was trembling with hunger and believed I was famished even though it had only been 20 minutes.

In contrast, if my body were truly hungry, it wouldn’t go away and I would know when I needed to refill.

How does he feel now?

Changed. Because I’m moving so much less weight, my resting heart rate has drastically decreased. I don’t fear moving, I have more energy, and I’m sleeping less.

“And then my self-assurance.” Even simply my clothing fit better, but I’m not going to be on the cover of Men’s Health anytime soon. I can now dress in items that I may have worn in my twenties.

Adrian’s metamorphosis has been so complete that he can now pass the police fitness exam with a level 6 on a bleep test.

Advice for others

He responded, “Just go for it,” when asked what guidance he would provide to people who were thinking about MAN vs. FAT Rugby and trying to lose weight. Show up instead of wondering, “What if? What would have happened if I had? What if I had taken this action?

“If it crosses your mind and you’re considering it, it indicates that there’s a tiny seed inside of you that says, ‘I need to get healthier.'”

“Go meet the guys,” I said. Have a good chuckle, and you’ll lose weight.

Adrian is a man whose life and health are on the right track, and it is evident that he is dedicated to living a better life.

Read more news on https://www.sportupdates.co.uk/