Edinburgh men at fat-fighting rugby and football clubs team up to shed a quarter of a tonne in 2025.
50 men meeting each week at two sports clubs in Edinburgh, with the aim of losing weight and improving their all-round wellbeing through rugby and football sessions have lost 250kg (a quarter of a tonne) between them, in the last six months.
MAN v FAT runs 165 rugby and football clubs across the UK, however Edinburgh is one of only 15 towns and cities in the country where men can take their pick of rugby or football-based programmes – or choose to play both.
MAN v FAT Football Edinburgh has been running for a number of years, however the city’s rugby club is relatively new, having launched in March 2025. MAN v FAT Rugby Edinburgh takes place every Tuesday evening at Meggetland Sports Complex. While on Thursday evenings, the football club meets at Powerleague on Westbank Street in Portobello.
22 players currently take part in the rugby sessions, while 28 take part in the football club – both evenings currently have spaces for new players who might be interested in joining.
Both MAN v FAT Football and Rugby Edinburgh are specifically aimed at men with a BMI of over 27.5, which NHS guidelines classify as overweight or obese. At a typical session, players arrive and are weighed, tracking their weight loss or gain across a week. After weigh-ins, players battle it out on the pitch in small-sided games of football and touch rugby.
The scores on the pitch combine with an individual’s weight change throughout a week to contribute to league standings within a club – with teams that win matches and whose players lose weight, being awarded more points.
Marc Adams who plays at the rugby club and has lost an impressive 4 stone since joining, explained: “I had been focusing on losing weight for most of last year but found myself stalling. So, when I saw that there was a rugby version of MAN v FAT starting up in Edinburgh, I thought it would be a good way to push myself to keep going – and being in a likeminded group would serve as good motivation.
“It’s been great to play a bit of rugby every week with a group that’s a good laugh and have a similar passion for the game. I’ve also really enjoyed seeing the fantastic progress that other members have been making in moving towards their goals knowing the work it can take myself. I would certainly recommend it to others, the success that everyone has had so far and the better fitness levels week-on-week has been amazing.
“It’s obviously a big mental boost as well when you see the work towards hitting goals paying off. It’s also just been nice to have something to look forward to on a Tuesday night for a bit of rugby.
Euan Campbell, a member of the Edinburgh football club added: ‘’MAN v FAT Football interested me because I was conscious of my weight but wasn’t a fan of the gym and found it hard to motivate myself to exercise on my own.
“I don’t feel judged here and we’re all in the same boat with a focus on weight loss. Being part of a team, with an element of competition motivates me to exercise and keep on top of my weight loss goals. It also helps that losing weight counts as goals for the team!
“Having the session each week keeps me consistent, and our coach, Kris, has given me excellent advice when it comes to adapting my diet. There’s also more to the programme than playing football. I keep track of what I’m eating and drinking, I also have access to excellent online advice for physical and mental health, as well as numerous healthy recipes.
“Since joining eight months ago I have lost over 15 per cent of my body weight and am now very close to a healthy BMI. I’d recommend MAN v FAT to anyone looking to lose weight, as well as the camaraderie and expert support along the way’’.
Kenny Noble, who lost 14 stone with the help of the MAN v FAT Football programme in Scotland now coaches the Edinburgh rugby club. He said: “I am so proud of how supportive the guys are to each other and how they all celebrate each other’s success no matter how small. And they get behind each other to provide encouragement and support if there’s a week where someone gains weight.
“I am surprised at just how quickly the guys are smashing through their milestone percentages. To date we have 15 out of 22 players that have achieved a loss of 5 per cent of their bodyweight since the club launched in March 2025. That’s a phenomenal achievement for the guys involved.”
The total amount of weight lost by MAN v FAT players in the UK currently stands at more than 800,000 pounds. In addition to football sessions, MAN v FAT players receive off-the-pitch support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness. Players also get free access to a bespoke mental health platform through MAN v FAT partners, JAAQ.
Find out more about MAN v FAT Rugby Edinburgh, here: https://manvfatrugby.com/club/edinburgh/
MAN v FAT Football Edinburgh: https://www.manvfatfootball.org/edinburgh
