A Cowes man who has lost 9 stone through a local football-based weight loss programme is preparing to take on the Great South Run after transforming his lifestyle.
Jordon Holly, 31, weighed 34 stone – 214.3kg – when he joined MAN v FAT Cowes in August 2023.
He says a broken leg during Covid, combined with poor eating habits and the move into an office job with irregular hours, caused his weight to increase significantly.
Jordon has said:
“I was quite active up before Covid and got myself to a decent weight before I broke my leg. I was unable to do any exercise and just ate poorly. This, coupled with starting an office job with random hours, meant I lost a bit of structure with eating and my weight ballooned.
“Seeing myself in photos at my dad’s wedding really made me upset and uncomfortable. I saw what I had let myself get to.”
He initially feared he would never be able to lose the weight, but says joining MAN v FAT marked a turning point.
Jordon has said:
“I thought I was never going to be able to shift the weight. When I first joined MAN v FAT, I went from barely moving in games, to just playing in goal so I wasn’t a hindrance.
“Now I play multiple times a week, I play squash, I run two or three times a week and I’m doing the Great South Run this month. If you had told me that three years ago, I would have laughed you out of the room.”
Jordon says the programme has also helped improve his confidence and mental health.
He has said:
“I think importantly, it has improved my mental health too. It’s so easy to be bogged down with negative thoughts, but each week I push myself and each week I see results.
“I think about where I was on day one to where I am now. I’d like to think I’ve made friends for life as well.”
MAN v FAT Cowes is part of a nationwide weight loss programme for men with a BMI above 27.5.
Participants attend weekly sessions where they weigh in before taking part in 28-minute small-sided football matches. Teams can earn extra goals based on their combined weight loss.
The Cowes club meets every Friday evening at Cowes Enterprise College.
Funded places at both the Cowes and Sandown MAN v FAT clubs are available through Isle of Wight Council and gloji Isle of Wight for eligible people who live, work or are registered with a GP on the Isle of Wight.
Jordon says the community around the programme has been a major part of his progress.
He has said:
“I think on the Island specifically, because it’s quite a small community, the people really make the difference.
“I’ve had days where I really fancied something naughty and a teammate would remind me what I’m trying to do and keep me on the straight and narrow.
“No one is elitist, everyone wants to win when they play football, but as soon as that final whistle goes, everyone goes back to being a normal person just trying to shift some weight and better their lives.”
Jordon has now been appointed Assistant Coach at the Cowes club and hopes to use his own experience to help others.
He has said:
“When I started, I didn’t think I’d be where I am today. Every time I tried a diet, gym, sport, but it never stuck.
“But since I started MAN v FAT, even though I have more I want to lose, the weight I’ve lost has stayed off. I’ve recently been made Assistant Coach at Cowes, so I want to use my experience in a positive way going forward.
“The worst week will always be the first week. If you come back after that you’re golden!”
MAN v FAT is one of several weight loss services available through gloji Isle of Wight, alongside a digital weight loss programme, Slimming World and a 12-week netball programme based at Ryde School.
More than 7,500 people currently take part in more than 160 MAN v FAT Football and Rugby clubs across the UK, with the organisation saying its players have collectively lost more than 1million pounds.
Further information can be found at www.manvfat.com/football/.
