'I lost 11st with basic change after I couldn't get on helicopter'

A 26-stone dad who was often informed that his size barred him from boarding work helicopters due to weight restrictions has lost nearly half his body mass in a transformation that has been "unbelievable". Dan Shilling, 39, an offshore electrical technician, always considered himself "overweight", particularly reaching a peak during the Covid-19 lockdown when he tipped the scales at 26st 1lbs (166kg).

Standing at 6ft tall, Dan was frequently faced with the embarrassing situation of being denied entry onto the helicopter that would take him to his offshore rig, earning the nickname "Big Dan" among mates and co-workers. Things hit home for Dan after becoming breathless and sweaty from a mere 50-metre walk on-site, which jolted him towards enrolling in the Man v Fat classes at his local football club.

Starting in January 2024, Dan managed to shed 10st 9lbs (68kg), bringing his current weight down to 15st 6lbs (98kg). Not only has his clothing size dramatically reduced from a 4XL to XL, but he also boasts 10 inches less around his waistline.

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He relishes feeling "loads better", enabling him to be a more engaged partner to his girlfriend, Emma, and a more active dad to his two kids, Betsy, age five, and Elsie, just four months old.

Dan, who lives in Norfolk, said: "I've actually got a folder on my phone, I've got an album called 'Fat Me'. When you look back over the progress from then until now, it's utterly staggering. I'm still in shock about it, really."

Teenage Dan was "always bigger", despite participating in various sports like rugby, football and squash, yet his battle with weight continued unabated.

"I wouldn't say I was fat as such, but I was always overweight," he confessed. "When I started working properly, I grew into my body, but I was still overweight."

Dan's job on an oil platform west of the Shetland Islands during the Covid-19 pandemic meant frequent trips to Aberdeen and long periods away from home. The self-serve meals on offer offshore were tempting and plentiful, with options like a full English breakfast, bacon rolls, lasagne for lunch and sweet treats like biscuits and cake in the afternoon, followed by hearty dinners of shepherd's pie or steak.

He admitted that his exercise routine was "non-existent" and acknowledged a gradual uptick in his weight – something he didn't notice at the time. "While I'm offshore, if you don't eat at that time, you don't eat as such, so you feel like you have to," he explained.

"I didn't realise how big I was getting and, even though we weigh in – each time you come offshore, you weigh in because they need it for the helicopter weights – I wasn't registering that it was creeping up."

During this challenging period Dan's partner Emma suffered the loss of her father to cancer and Dan himself faced workplace bullying. He revealed that "everything that could go wrong was going wrong", leading to a decline in his mental health.

"Being a typical man, instead of talking about my issues I spiralled and tried to find comfort in food, which led me to piling on the weight and becoming an unpleasant person," he admitted. Dan revealed that despite eating his regular work meals, he was also consuming 1,200-calorie Marabou chocolate bars every evening, balloon up to his maximum weight of 26st 1lbs (166kg).

Following some "a few home truths" from Emma, Dan visited his GP, received a depression diagnosis, and started on anti-depressants. "I wasn't really there, I was just existing," he recounted.

In 2023, a new job opportunity emerged for Dan on a gas platform in the East Irish Sea, flying out of Blackpool, which improved his overall mood making him "generally happier". However, his weight turned into a significant concern, with his size often leading to him being left behind due to helicopter weight restrictions.

"Where I'm working, we fly out each day and they have to be able to carry a certain amount of fuel, they call it the payload," Dan explained. "If I'm sitting in the helicopter weighing 160 kilos, that's quite a lot of weight for the helicopter to have to carry, so I would quite often get left behind because I was the easy one to knock off the list."

During a December 2023 attempt to go offshore, Dan recalled struggling immensely with just a 50-metre walk from the terminal to the helicopter, sweating profusely and panting. Struggling to fasten his seat belt once aboard the chopper was the final straw, leading him to declare: "This is enough."

He took the plunge by joining Man v Fat Norwich West and embracing the Couch to 5K initiative from January 2024, determined to overhaul his lifestyle. About 8,500 men currently take part at more than 150 Man v Fat Football clubs across the UK.

Dan said: "I made a promise to myself that I would no longer be the heaviest person on the team." In tandem, Dan began tracking his caloric intake and managed his portion sizes even during his workdays, while also aiming to up his step tally.

Within the first three months, he said he lost 3st 4lbs (21kg) and, to date, he has lost nearly 11 stone. Dan now weighs about 15st 6lbs (98kg) and is able to wear clothes from when he was 20 years old again.

He reflected: "I've still got some clothes from back then and I'm now wearing them again. I haven't had to buy a new wardrobe because I've still got my old one."

Running has now found its way into Dan's routine and he's gearing up to mark his 40th year with a significant stride - participating in the Rome Marathon in 2026. Although he hasn't completely kicked indulgences – including the odd sweet treat and fast food jaunt – his life now steers towards healthier horizons, stopping antidepressants in the process.

When asked for his advice to others, he recommended, "Just stick to the basics – calories in versus calories out. That's all I've done. I'd be happy eating a KFC as long as I go for a run to cancel it out and I've got the calories spare."

Dan has been selected for Man v Fat Football's annual Amazing Losers match, which this year takes place at Leyton Orient's home ground in Brisbane Road, east London, on May 23.

To find out more, visit manvfat.com/football