A father-of-two who once weighed over 26 stone has undergone a dramatic transformation, shedding nearly half his body weight after years of struggling with his size.
Dan Shilling, 39, from Norfolk, works as an offshore electrical technician and said his weight problems date back to childhood. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his weight reached its peak at 26st 1lb (166kg), making it difficult for him to meet the helicopter weight limits required for his job on offshore rigs. Friends and colleagues often called him “Big Dan.”
A turning point came in December 2023 when Dan, who is 6ft tall, found himself out of breath and sweating heavily after walking just 50 metres at work. He said he struggled to fasten his seatbelt in the helicopter that day. “That was enough,” he recalled.
Motivated to make a change, Dan joined the Man v Fat Football programme at his local club in January 2024 and began following the Couch to 5K running plan. He also started monitoring his calorie intake, controlling portions, and increasing his daily step count.
In the first three months, he lost over three stone and has now dropped nearly 11 stone in total, weighing around 15st 6lbs (98kg). He said the change has helped him feel “loads better” and allowed him to be a more active father to his two daughters, Betsy, five, and Elsie, four months.
Dan admits the journey has not been easy. During the pandemic, he worked offshore near the Shetland Islands and frequently consumed high-calorie meals provided on-site—ranging from bacon rolls to steak dinners. Combined with little to no exercise and the emotional stress of losing his partner’s father to cancer, he turned to food for comfort. “Instead of talking about my issues, I spiraled,” he said. He was eventually diagnosed with depression and prescribed medication.
A job change in 2023 to a gas platform in the East Irish Sea brought some mental relief, but weight continued to impact his work. He was often left behind due to helicopter fuel and weight limits. “I was the easy one to knock off the list,” he said.
Now, Dan feels healthier, happier, and more in control. He’s even able to fit into clothes he wore in his twenties. “Looking back at everything from then to now, you realise how far you’ve come,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”
With thousands of men like him participating in Man v Fat Football across the UK, Dan’s story is one of hope and proof that change is possible—even after years of struggle.
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