Michael Collins, a 41-year-old chef from Bromsgrove, has lost more than eight stone after fearing he would leave his children without a father. He weighed 23st 2lb in 2024 and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. By this year, he had dropped to 14st 13lb (95kg) through a combination of diet, football and gym sessions, and his health issues have reversed.
A Turning Point on Holiday
Collins, who is married to Milena, 38, and has two children, Emrys, eight, and Emilia, seven, said he felt "depressed" and avoided socialising at his heaviest. He told PA Real Life: "I felt depressed – I think if I didn't have kids, something worse might have come of it. I couldn't go swimming with them because I was too embarrassed to get in my trunks. I thought something had to change otherwise I was going to have a major heart attack and die, my kids were going to grow up without a father."
His weight gain was fuelled by years of binge eating, often starting the day with a sausage, bacon and egg sandwich made with four slices of bread. For lunch, he would frequently eat four sausage rolls from Greggs, and dinner was usually a takeaway. He could "quite easily" eat a large Domino's pizza, chicken dippers and cookies, followed by a tub of ice cream, consuming a minimum of 4,000 calories a day.
Joining Man v Fat
While on holiday with his family in summer 2024, Collins saw an advert for Man v Fat, a weight-loss programme where men play weekly football matches alongside losing weight. After returning home, he decided to join. He followed a "strict" diet, cut out alcohol, and typically ate eggs for breakfast, chicken and salad for lunch, and another protein-heavy snack later in the day. Twice a week, he allowed himself "extra treats", including a takeaway or some ice cream.
He lost around 4.4lbs a week on average and, after becoming "great friends" with his fellow players, began playing football another three times a week alongside three gym sessions. His "rapid" weight loss meant he had to spend "hundreds" on new clothes. He was offered a gastric band but said: "I wanted to do it on my own. I worked in stressful kitchens and I think that contributed to my binging."
Health Reversed and New Confidence
Collins now wears a medium, has a 34-inch waist, and is focused on maintaining his weight. He said: "I feel more confident, happier and less tired. I don't feel sad all the time and I've had counselling. I take my kids swimming and I take my son to football with me, and the fog has lifted." His blood pressure, cholesterol and lung capacity are now at normal levels, and he has reversed his pre-diabetes.
He is now planning to launch his own business selling dry rubs, something he said he "never would have done before". He added: "Losing weight has made me be more open with my feelings and talking about stuff…all my family are really proud." To others wanting to lose weight, he said: "I would just say give it a go, open yourself up, you never know until you try. You've got nothing to lose apart from weight!"
Collins shared his experience as part of Benenden Health's The Wake-Up Call campaign, which explores why many men only take action over their health after something significant happens. New research among 2,000 UK men aged 30 to 55 found 66 per cent had experienced a health-related "wake-up call" that made them take their health more seriously. The most common triggers were their own health scare or seeing someone close to them become seriously ill.
