Leeds United star Dan James was the special guest on a video zoom call recently with a group of participants from one of the Leeds United Foundation health and wellbeing programmes.

As part of a Fit Fans reunion session, with current and past participants both in attendance, members were able to welcome the Wales international online during their evening session and were given the chance to ask a number of questions around his life as a professional footballer.

The exclusive Q and A with the pacey winger enabled the members to get a real insight into life at Leeds United, learning more about his diet, favourite foods, and daily routine, how he keeps himself motivated day to day and how the team deal with life under Marcelo Bielsa.

Speaking to the group, the 24-year-old said: "I think it’s important to remember that although you can have a routine and structure, you are going to have days that are off plan, similar to us as players when we have a day off or time off at the end of a season. It can sometimes be difficult to get back on track after that but with a bit of willpower and taking part in sessions like this, speaking to other people, you can always get back on track.”

Rachel Newman, Health and Wellbeing Officer at the Leeds United Foundation, added: "Having Dan James on the call with us tonight was just brilliant, I've already received some great feedback from the participants who loved hearing from him, and I know it will help to motivate them and inspire them to keep going and push themselves even further.”

The Fit Fans initiative has been running for the last few years with men and women aged 35 to 60, taking part in a free 12-week weight management programme, that is based around helping people in the local community maintain good mental health along with leading a healthier lifestyle.

Sessions are currently being held weekly at Elland Road, with each session involving discussions around diet, weight management, how to stick to healthy eating habits and looking at your intake of alcohol as well as looking at your mental health and speaking about how to stay motivated. The sessions also involve a physical element, encouraging the participants to take part in regular exercise that will help them to improve their quality of life.

If you would like to get involved in future cohorts or find out more information about the Fit Fans programme, please contact [email protected].