Brendan Broadhead from Leeds has shed more than 21 stone with the help of dieting, exercise and a gastric bypass, saying he feels like a “new man” and can now run around and play with his children.
The father of three, who weighed 37st 2lbs (236kg) at his heaviest, told PA Real Life he still has doubts about the surgery but reminds himself he did it for his kids.
A Turning Point With His Son
After becoming a father for the first time at age 19 in 2015, Brendan said he stopped prioritising himself and turned to food for “comfort”, relying on takeaways. As the years passed and he had another child, he became increasingly anxious and began avoiding social situations.
By 2017, he said he lost “many friends” after cancelling plans, and weighed 19st 5lbs (123kg), before reaching 25st 7lbs (162kg) the following year. In 2018, he visited his GP about his weight and was referred to a weight management programme, where he was placed on a waiting list for weight-loss surgery.
After his son was born in 2020, Brendan began to realise he needed to make a change. “I’m a big Leeds United fan and I wanted to play football with my son, but knew I couldn’t – that was a big turning point for me,” he explained.
Joining Man v Fat and the Keto Diet
He joined Man v Fat, a weight-loss programme for men which involves playing football, in 2021, and later tried the keto diet, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating plan, but said he often “fell off the wagon”.
At the beginning of 2023, Brendan said he reached his heaviest weight of 37st 2lbs (236kg) and was wearing a 7XL. He added: “My kids missed out on so much stuff – I didn’t take them to the park because, if they ran and fell over, I wouldn’t be able to run over and make sure they’re alright.”
By this point, Brendan said he was “avoiding food”, eating just one meal a day because he was “so conscious” of his size. His daily meal generally consisted of a large takeaway pizza and a kebab. “I felt like I was being a burden on my children. I didn’t want my kids to be getting picked on at school because of my size,” he said.
Weight Loss and Surgery
Later that year, Brendan moved back in with his mother after going through a break up, and he lost some weight after cutting down on treats and having more home cooked meals. By May 2023, he had reached 31st 2lbs (198kg) and returned to Man v Fat. He began dropping a “few pounds” each week and said he made “friends for life” through the group.
Brendan reached 26st 10lbs (170kg) in 2025 but said his weight plateaued, despite exercising and focusing on eating protein and vegetables. In October 2025, through the NHS, he underwent a gastric bypass, which makes the stomach smaller, and he said this helped accelerate his weight loss while he continued attending Man v Fat.
Brendan said it was a “massive sigh of relief” seeing his weight go down. “Things were finally working and I knew I was going to get my life back.”
Life After Weight Loss
Brendan now weighs 16st 5lbs (104kg) and wears a size XL, but his BMI is currently 30.2, which is classified as obese. On a typical day, he has a protein shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch and chicken and vegetables for dinner, followed by a protein bar as a snack.
“A lot of people think surgery is the easy way out but it isn’t,” Brendan said. “If you’ve pushed yourself and eaten a little bit too much, that’s it, you feel awful and are sick. But I can give my children the life they deserve now.”
Since losing weight, Brendan said his life has “changed tremendously”. He no longer feels anxious about leaving the house and is able to play with his children. Brendan has also launched a football team, White Rose Leodis FC, which plays in the Yorkshire XL11’s FA league for men who struggle with their weight.
Earlier this month, Brendan joined some of Man v Fat’s other players at the Houses of Parliament for an event celebrating its members losing a combined one million pounds of excess weight. “It just felt amazing to be part of it, and I couldn’t believe I was there,” he explained. To others looking to lose weight, he said: “Just go for it – my only regret is that I didn’t do something about it sooner.”
