A critically obese man who was eating himself to death has revealed how he shed half of his bodyweight in less than two years.
George Ferreira, 26, a freelance social media manager, weighed nearly 40 stone (560lbs/254 kg) at his heaviest, blaming an addiction to takeaways and sugary drinks which began when he was still at school.
He said: ‘At my worst, I was stressed, and I ate. I’m depressed, and I ate.
‘I was probably eating my way to an early grave.
‘My family were really worried, and they told me “You’ve got to speak to a doctor”.
‘I spoke to one and he talked about operations but the thought of being put to sleep at that weight scared me.
‘There was talk of injections and I didn’t want to do them either.
‘I thought “if I don’t help myself here, I’m not going to be here for much longer.”‘
Mr George Ferreira (pictured before and after) has revealed adding a simple exercise to his routine, alongside a healthy new diet, has helped him lose nearly half his body weight
Mr Ferreira (pictured after his weight loss) says despite initial hesitance, joining a football initiative for men trying to lose weight helped him shed the pounds
In 2023, Mr Ferreira found the charity MANvFAT Football, but delayed joining for a year because he felt ‘daunted’ by the prospect of facing up to his weight gain.
Eventually, in March 2024 he plucked up the courage to attend a session at Boreham Wood FC.
Mr Ferreira says he hit ‘rock bottom’ on the first day when the scales showed 39.2 stone (548lb/249kg) and he broke down pitch-side after he couldn’t keep up with the pace.
But with the backing from coach Victor, who helped him to pick himself up, he has since, alongside healthy diet changes, managed to shed the pounds.
Through the sport and simple diet changes he now weighs 21 stone (294lbs/133kg) and has gone from wearing 68 trousers to size 44.
‘I remember just everything leading up to it being really daunting, even being added to the team,’ he said.
‘I think just being a big guy at that weight, I was already closed off and trying to hide myself. I was really quiet, but everyone made me feel welcome at the time.’
The initiative involves regular weigh-ins and six-a-side matches, where the weight loss scores and the results of the game contribute to the team’s position in an overall league table.
Mr Ferreira (pictured before his weight loss) says he previously would eat lots of food in a day including two cheese toasties for breakfast
Now he says he eats just one meal a day and has swapped his full fat Coke for diet ones
Winning teams and players are celebrated at the end of the season and those taking part also receive healthy meal recipe ideas.
Previously he would eat foods like ham and cheese toasties for breakfast washed down with a full fat Coke, followed by hefty lunches and chicken wings for dinner.
He’d also snack on Haribo Starmix sharing packs, cakes, sausage rolls, full tubs of ice cream and Monster energy drinks.
Now he has one meal a day, either at lunch or dinner, depending on if it is a football day, which typically includes a MyProtein ready meal with Coke Zero, and has swapped his unhealthy snacks for Babybel Lights, Muller Light Yoghurt and bananas.
He said: ‘Lunch is my anchor meal – something balanced like chicken, rice and beans, salmon with salad or a MyProtein ready meal because they are calorie controlled, taste great and remove the hassle of measuring everything.’
However, while some say the ‘one meal a day diet’, OMAD, has helped them lose weight, experts have warned it could contribute to disordered eating, fuel hormone imbalances and disrupt sleep.
Of how he put on the weight, he said: ‘I was in sixth form of school – that freedom of “I can go out now and I can eat what I want, when I want.”
‘And around school, I remember there was a chippy, chicken shops, pizza. I ate without a thought really.
He says the weight loss has completely changed his life – with basic tasks like walking up stairs and buying clothes now seamless.
On his future goals, he said: ‘I think at one point I’d like to try Sunday League to see it I could play a full 90-minute match.
George’s diet now
BREAKFAST: Just water
LUNCH: (non-football days) MyProtein ready meal with coke zero
DINNER: (only when playing football) MyProtein ready meal with coke zero
SNACKS: Babybel Light, Muller Light Yoghurt, banana
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George’s diet before
BREAKFAST: Two ham and cheese toasties with full fat coke
LUNCH: Pasta or chips with lots of mead, bread and butter on the side and full fat coke
DINNER: 10 chicken wings, three pieces of chicken and chips
SNACKS: Haribo Starmix sharing pack, cakes, sausage rolls, full tub of ice cream, Monster energy drink
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‘Next year, they’re talking about the national “big loser” game where they get 11 men from the north and from the south who have lost the most weight and they get a proper match at a proper stadium with former managers.
‘That’s like a childhood dream to play at a stadium.’
The Benefica and QPR fan added: ‘I don’t think I’ll ever hit my [recommended] BMI weight. I think 85 to 90 kilos would be my sweet spot.
‘Part of being a bigger dude is what made me who I am today. I’ve developed humour, I’m caring and kind because I’ve been that guy.
‘My advice for anyone else looking to make a change in their life would be that you don’t need anything dramatic.
‘You either keep turning up or you disappear and I chose not to disappear.’