A retired police officer who nearly died when his heart stopped for 10 minutes has been named Slimming World's Man of the Year after shedding an incredible nine stone.
Former detective Ken McLeod, 62, topped the scales at 23 stone at his heaviest after he started gaining weight when his role with Bedfordshire Police became less active.
He said: "I began to put on weight, but it appeared so gradual I failed to pay much attention to it.
"My job became more office based and semi-retired I found I had more time to eat out and socialise, I hadn’t realised just how unwell I was becoming.
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"I used to love gardening and tinkering in the garage on old cars but I would get so breathless and struggle to get up from the floor that I started to lose interest in doing the things I loved the most."
After a trip to Scotland with his wife, Jeanette, Ken realised something needed to change.
"I felt like we missed out on so much because I was unable to walk far and enjoy the beautiful scenery."
Then, on the morning of their 39th wedding anniversary, Ken woke up with excruciating pain in his calf.
He said: "I decided to go for a walk to try and ease the pain but became so unwell I collapsed in the street. I had developed thrombosis which led to a pulmonary embolism.
"During my journey to hospital, I suffered a cardiac arrest and my heart stopped for 10 minutes.
"Miraculously I survived my ordeal, but it took me over twelve months to fully recover mainly due to me being so overweight and unfit."
Knowing he had to make a change, Ken took inspiration from one of his friends who had lose weight through Slimming World. Spurred on by Jeanette, he decided to try it.
In August 2019 he went to his first meeting - and he admits he was quite nervous. However, after settling in at meetings, he says he felt welcomed.
He said: "As nervous as I was the first time I walked into the group I was met with the warmest welcome and soon started to look forward to Monday mornings."
When lockdown hit in March 2020 and the meetings were forced to move online, Ken kept going to a virtual Slimming World group.
He thinks the support he's received from his group has been key to his success, keeping him motivated when he needed it.
Have you had an incredible body transformation? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com
Ae he lost weight, Ken developed a new passion - walking.
He said: "My weight had really affected my mobility and even the shortest walks had become such a challenge.
"Since losing weight I walk as much as possible, living in the countryside and near the sea means I can enjoy exploring lots of new places.
"I’ve found it’s had such a positive impact on my physical and mental wellbeing. I’ve also started enjoying all my favourite past times again, gardening and working on my cars in the garage."
Flaunting his new slender frame of 14st 5lbs, Ken says his "whole life has changed" in the last 18 months.
He said: "Losing 9 stone has given me a renewed sense of confidence, vigour and zest for life.
"I’ve been given another chance at life and I feel like the man I was in my 30’s. My ambition now is to live my life to the fullest – there’s no turning back."
