'Fat Club' launches in Louth and Theddlethorpe to fight the 'middle-aged spread'!

Fat Club – East Lindsey was set up by local man Alan Parks for middle-aged gentlemen who want to lose weight and get fitter with no judgement.

The group was set up by Alan following his return to the UK from Andalucia, Spain with his partner Lorna, and their three dogs when they set up home in Mablethorpe 18 months ago.

He said: “I am myself a 44-year-old, overweight man, and throughout my twenties I played football four or five nights a week.

"During our time in Spain, I missed the football - but not only the playing, also the banter and the chat of blokes getting together to play football. I realised there is very little out there for middle aged guys to do. Work and families take over and by the time men find themselves with free time again, what they had when they were younger (sport, football, hobbies) isn’t there any more. You hear very often of the mid life crisis, for me, it’s more of an identity crisis, we lose ourselves.”

Alan has several friends his age suffering with mental health issues, and as a firm believer in the power of group activities as a tool to help mental health, he decided to start a ‘Fat Club’.

"For me it’s like this – I wouldn’t go and sit in a slimming club, or walk into a gym surrounded by youngsters and their Airpods, I want to be around people like me – middle-aged, overweight and probably puffing for air a bit,” he explained.

Alan initially wanted to launch a walking football group in Mablethorpe, but unluckily, was sidelined for a year due to injury and had to postpone plans until January this year.

Upon finding there were little in terms of local groups in the Louth and surrounding areas, Alan began researching available pitches and found one available in Theddlethorpe on a Friday evening at 6.30pm, and due to a high amount of interest, contacted the Meridian Leisure Centre in Louth to hold a group there on a Tuesday night at 7.30pm as well.

Alan said: “I’d like to create a community of men, looking to get fitter and healthier and giving each other support. I’d also like to branch out in other activities such as yoga or circuit training, but aimed specifically at our age range."

Due to high demand, Alan said he is also considering holding groups for men in their 30s

If you are interested in joining one of the groups, please follow the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fatclubeastlindsey/ or email Alan at [email protected].