Ex-Footballer Brad Rogers Overcomes Severe Obesity After Diets Failed for Decades

Brad Rogers stands five feet eight inches tall. At 54 years old, he is a chief executive from Minster in Kent. He carried weight from childhood but once became a semi-professional footballer during his twenties. That era ended ten years ago. Brad stopped moving and started ordering takeaways instead. His body began to swell steadily.

By 2021, the struggle had reached its peak. He weighed 26 stone and seven pounds, or roughly 168.3 kilograms. Walking became difficult. Running was impossible. Playing with his son felt like a distant memory. A size 4XL shirt barely fit him. His BMI hit 56.4, marking severe obesity.

"I struggled to walk very far or even breathe properly," Brad said. "My son was getting older and I couldn't play football with him." He admitted he never lacked confidence in his personality. Friends surrounded him always. Yet health worries outweighed vanity concerns.

He needed a change badly. Every diet under the sun had failed previously. Keto, Slimming World, and WeightWatchers left no lasting mark. Then came a new path in August 2024. Brad joined Man v Fat, a football-based weight-loss programme. He avoided carbohydrates as much as possible from that point forward.

The plan required eating identical meals every single day. Exercise happened only once weekly. Within six months, he dropped two stone or 12.7 kilograms. Two years later, the scale showed another miracle. He had shed 15 stone, totaling 95.3 kilograms. His new weight sits at 11 stone and seven pounds, or about 73 kilograms.

The menu remained stubbornly simple throughout this journey. Brunch featured two slices of bacon, two eggs, baked beans, and toast. Lunch arrived as a latte. Dinner offered a choice of chicken salad, ham salad, steak with eggs, or similar protein-focused options. He kept the same food for brunch, lunch, and dinner repeatedly.

"I've gone from having to shop in Sainsbury's and Tesco to shopping in Next," he noted. Life had transformed completely. Even as a child, Brad faced bullying at primary school due to his size. A summer diet before secondary school helped him reach 11 stone or 69.9 kilograms. He kept that weight off for years while playing football for Dagenham and Redbridge FC.

Gradual gain returned over the next decade anyway. Takeaways dominated the kitchen again. Snacks like chocolate and crisps filled the gaps between meals. He spent nearly £8,000 annually on McDonald's alone. Lockdown sealed his fate at 26st 7lbs before he decided enough was enough.

He now swears by a weekly football routine alongside swimming and running. Thinking stops when the menu stays fixed. It just works for him. The dad-of-one regained energy levels too. He coaches his son in football today rather than watching from the sidelines.

Brad says he saved a fortune on takeaways since stopping his old habits. He spent roughly £8,000 annually eating at McDonalds before making the switch. Strangers walked right past him without recognizing the star anymore. The Man v Fat programme also got Brad kicking a football again. Players meet every week to weigh in and play 28-minute games of small-sided football. Teams that lose the most weight earn extra goals, which shifts their position in the club league table. Winners get crowned after 14-week seasons. Brad admitted he could barely run for more than a minute or two at first, yet he knew instantly that he loved the game. He noted that everyone was in the same boat and the camaraderie felt fantastic. They all shared a deep love of football and a desire to shed pounds. It felt like something he had needed to belong to for a long time. Alongside weekly matches, Brad hit the gym, went running, took swims, and walked more often. He lost between 2lb and 4lb each week without fail. After six months of playing football weekly and changing his diet, he shed two stone or 12.7kg. Brad now weighs 11st 7lb which is about 73kg, wears a size medium shirt, plays three times a week, and goes to the gym daily. His BMI is 24.5, putting him at a healthy weight. Although his weight has plateaued since January, he now focuses on building muscle by eating more protein and calories rather than watching the number on the scales. Looking back, he said the program brought him and his son closer together because they both play football with him coaching the boy. To other men hoping to lose weight, he urged them to try Man v Fat and suggested GPs should prescribe it. He insists the change has transformed his life entirely.