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Blackburn Rovers and FIT FANS has given Scott a second chance at life

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FIT ROVERS gave Scott a new positive outlook on his future after a difficult period of mental health issues and substance abuse.

Scott enrolled in the FIT FANS initiative after having to start his life over again at the age of 40 due to drug and alcohol dependency.

Prior to the programme, Scott was unemployed, unable to see his son, and unsure in what direction his life was going to continue but one thing was certain for him and that was that change was needed.

Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss is sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount.  Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, and reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in blood pressure and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures.

The course’s practical and educational benefits were at the forefront of Scott’s progress in his physical and mental well-being where he learned and implemented a balanced lifestyle regime whilst adapting methods to ensure he was able to manage his mental health. However, the biggest impact on Scott was his ability to meet a whole new group of people without fear of judgment.

He said: “I had lost everything, you never judged or discriminated against me and gave me a chance to come on the course which I’m very grateful for because FIT FANS has given me so much.”

As a result, he was more motivated and positive than ever as his whole lifestyle and well-being were focused on positive environments. On the back of this development, Scott was successfully offered a job as a Community Sports Coach at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust where he hopes to create an impact on younger generations.

He explained: “No words can describe what it means to work for the club I’ve grown up supporting and to try and make a difference to children and young people in the community to hopefully help them not take the path I, unfortunately, fell down.”

Scott’s mental health has, in his own words has ‘improved so much’ and his journey to the position he finds himself in today started at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust.

The life Scott once lived is a thing of the past as he is due to begin a whole new, more positive chapter in his journey with his son back in his life and aims of becoming a primary school teacher, Scott has enrolled on to a university course.

Find out more about FIT FANS

FIT BANTAMS helped Bradford City supporter Paul accumulate enough exercise miles to travel virtually to Lake Garda.

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Paul like many of us throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period had positive intentions of getting fit but as a sufferer of seasonal affective disorder, he was left with very little motivation or direction in his well being journey.

As a follower of Bradford City, he came across FIT BANTAMS through a friend from a previous cohort. As he enrolled on his journey, Paul had two main goals he wanted to achieve, the first being to lose 12kg and the other was to accumulate cycling and walking distances to get virtually to Paris.

Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss is sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount. Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in blood pressure and improvement in self-reported mental well-being measures.

Paul said: “Meeting likeminded people on the course gave me the confidence I needed, exchanging ideas on eating habits, exercise regimes and of course the guidance from the tutors was invaluable.”

The engagement and support of the cohort and programme leaders proved pivotal for Paul to ensure he remained consistently engaged so much so even after the 12 weeks he still regularly meets up with other members to play football.

With the help of FIT FANS, Paul was able to continue his healthier lifestyle all whilst smashing his original targets as he lost 14kg and managed enough exercise mileage to surpass Paris making his way to Lake Garda in Italy.

Find out more about FIT FANS

FIT MAGPIES helped Hayden get into the best shape of his life whilst combating his own mental health

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FIT FANS gave Hayden the motivation to improve his lifestyle, health and wellbeing.

Prior to enrolling on the programme, Hayden struggled with self-motivation and had very little energy to exercise. Consequently, he fell into a constant cycle of procrastination that caused him to battle his own mental health with problems stemming from his negative feelings around his weight and image.

Hayden found FIT FANS as a method of hope that a group of likeminded individuals with similar goals would aid him in his journey of consistent improvement in all aspects of his life. FIT FANS is centered around an educational approach of small, manageable lifestyle changes that can be implemented long-term.

He said: “It has been a revelation… I have been able to incorporate this into my lifestyle now.”

Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss is sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount.  Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in blood pressure and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures.

Hayden’s enthusiasm and dedication to the programme and his own development saw him set his own challenges too; he cycled the ‘Coast to Coast to Coast’ route that took him from Hexham to Tynemouth to Whitehaven.

He explains: “The course was not only offered an exercise programme- but also an educational one, and that is where I felt I could get a lot of benefit regarding understanding what I’m eating and how it can affect you.”

FIT MAGPIES has helped not only Hayden notice changes in himself but his wife recognises he is now in the best shape he has been for many years.

Find out more about FIT FANS

FIT FANS gave Jonathan’s children a fitter, happier dad

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The pandemic caused many of us to fall into a pit of anxiety and stress and for Jonathan Sutcliffe this was no different. To combat these overriding emotions, he turned to increase his workload and left little time to look after himself or spend time with his children.

As he noticed this trend, he came across Bradford City Community Foundation’s FIT BANTAMS on Facebook but remained apprehensive for a while even after attending the programme, but he credits the staff’s approach to ensure all participants are welcomed.

FIT BANTAMS is a sector of the EFL Trust FIT FANS programme, which is funded by Sport England through the National Lottery and run at around 40 EFL Clubs across the country.

With the programmes approach to education and adaptation through small, manageable changes Jonathan first notably saw his step count increase from just an average of 500 per day to 20,000 per day.

“I am now doing regular 3-mile walks, attending the weekly FIT BANTAMS football session every week and playing football with the kids a lot more.”

But most importantly, through exercise and playing sport with his children, his stress levels decreased so not only has his life benefited from these changes, but his kids now have a more active, happier dad.

“I now play football with my kids on a regular basis and my family, friends and colleagues have all mentioned how much more relaxed I am.”

Although Jonathan’s successes extended to both his working and personal life, he has also seen drastic developments in his weight. His weight has dropped by a stone, and it has continued in this steady trajectory as Jonathan is at his lowest weight in over a decade.

 

Find out more about FIT FANS here

FIT ROVERS changed Rita’s world

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“Now I am not going to go back because now I finally understand…. my journey is not done yet.”

Having lost a stone and three inches off her waist, Rita, a member of the Rovers Community Trust health and wellbeing programme, FIT ROVERS is determined that this lifestyle change is for life.

After trying numerous diet cultures in a yo-yo cycle, FIT FANS has helped Rita change her habits for good. The programme is a FREE health programme for men and women aged 35-65 who are looking to lose weight, get fitter and lead a more active life.

This positive trajectory is a whole different world to one that Rita has previously experienced. In 1993, her working commitments left her with no time for herself and engulfed in stress. As a consequence of her lifestyle her weight reached 22 stone, but a deeper issue would arise.

As Rita sat in for a job interview with hope of a better work-life balance, she would experience a brain hemorrhaged that would go unnoticed for hours. She fell numerous times on her travels home and those around her dismissed her as being a stereotypical drunk.

Her husband and sister later realised something untoward and rang 999. They later found had been suffering a brain hemorrhage, drifting in and out of consciousness- the path ahead looked dark.

After being admitted to Manchester Hope Hospital for 4 weeks, Rita returned home but her speech took 6 months to return before she could build any confidence in entering the outside world again.

Rita states: “this was 28 years ago but it took this serious illness to wake me up.”

Consequently, she knew her health and wellbeing must be prioritised and found herself joining Weight Watchers and Slimming World programmes, but the story remained the same; lose weight, gain weight, lose weight, gain weight.

All until she received an email from the Rovers Fit Fans programme whereby the programmes educational platform has allowed her to learn about a balanced lifestyle and how to implement this into her everyday life.

Since completing the programme, Rita has continued her progress and even walks 20,000 steps across the weekend having previously not been able to walk for a short distance without getting breathless.

Find out More about FIT FANS