When Rev Mike Meachin hung up his Royal Navy clerical shirt for the last time, he’d lost two inches off his collar size and shed 41/2st – and he’s now feeling fitter than ever as he charts a course for new adventures
Reverend Mike Meachin, 59, lives in Barnham, West Sussex, with his wife Clare.
They have two grown-up children, Rebekah and Peter
Scrolling through photos after a trip to America with my wife Claire it hit me – I needed to do something about my weight.
I knew my size was beginning to take a toll on my health and back then, in November 2018, with my 60th birthday just a few years off, it felt like now or never.
I was tipping the scales at 20st 3lbs, and had been telling myself for years that, because I was fit and strong, my increasing waistline didn’t matter.
I’d spent 35 years as a Royal Navy chaplain as part of the crew on 30 ships and travelled the world.
My job, although not as physically rigorous as many of the roles on board, meant I was still required to pass an annual fitness test. I did so every year but my weight was making it harder.
It was a family tragedy that made me very aware of my own mortality. That, alongside a severe health scare for a friend who had struggled with his weight, felt like a warning sign.
When Clare suggested joining Slimming World, I had my doubts but I knew something needed to change.
So that November I reluctantly walked into our local Slimming World group. I was relieved to discover there were a few other men there.
And our Consultant Kirsty was so welcoming. From the moment I met her I felt inspired. She made it clear from the start that this was a supportive environment where everyone looked out for each other.
Slimming World very quickly became part of everyday life. Clare and I, and our daughter Rebekah, would all eat the same dinners.
I’d always enjoyed cooking, so planning menus and food preparation wasn’t new to me. In the past, though, I’d made creamy curries with naan breads, or lasagne or spaghetti bolognese using lots of oil and cheese. I quickly discovered a new love of roasted veg in all its forms.
Another way my attitude to food started to change was around what it meant to feel full. Over the years in the Navy –especially when I’d been at sea – I ate three large meals every day.
There was always a cooked breakfast, followed by a hearty lunch and a three-course dinner, usually rounded off with something like a sponge pudding. In between, I’d have meetings and chats with officers and crew that often involved cups of tea, cake and biscuits.
A lot of the time I felt so full I couldn’t eat any more.
Kirsty explained how truly appreciating food helped you to realise when your hunger had been satisfied, so you didn’t end up eating so much you felt uncomfortable. I soon got the balance right with my meals, eating until I felt properly satisfied.
By early 2019 I was 2st lighter, and I already felt different. The knee problem that had dogged me for years had disappeared as I’d lightened the burden on my joints, and there was a literal spring in my step.
I started running again and got out on my bike.
Bit by bit my weight continued to go down.
People started noticing a difference in me at work. In March last year when the country went into lockdown, I decided to take positive action to make sure I wasn’t thrown off course by the sudden change.
As well as sticking to the Food Optimising plan, I decided to ramp up my activity by weight training at home in our garage, and I also bought a turbo trainer so I could turn my bike into a stationary one.
Just as the first lockdown was easing last summer, I hit my target weight.
As the group smiled and clapped in our virtual meeting, I wished I could’ve been there in person to give a warm thank you to everyone, especially Kirsty for her phenomenal motivation.
Soon after, I bought myself the kind of new wardrobe I could never have dreamed of wearing before. I modelled a pair of skinny chinos, which fitted amazingly well, in front of Rebekah, and got a good-natured ‘Well look at you, Mr Slim’ back.
She may have been teasing me, but I know how relieved she is deep down to see her mum, who has lost 2½st, and I heading into our later years both in better shape.
This April, I hung up my Royal Navy clerical shirt for the last time. It was a wrench after 35 years, but I’m looking forward to my semi-retirement, feeling the fittest I’ve ever been in my life.
I’ll be joining the pastoral team at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth part-time, but there will still be my favourite pastimes, which include yachting and scuba diving.
It’s much easier moving around on a boat, and in the water, now that I’m slimmer and fitter.
Clare and I are planning a sailing holiday in Greece this summer if travel restrictions allow, and we can’t wait to enjoy that time together feeling our absolute best. Although my working life at sea may be over, I’m definitely not ready to sail into the sunset just yet. I have a lot of life to live and thanks to
Slimming World, retirement feels like the start of a new adventure.
- Mike is a member of Kirsty Cheyne’s Slimming World group in Yapton, West Sussex.
Mike’s story originally featured in Slimming World Magazine. The latest edition is available to buy on newsstands now. To find out more about Slimming World and how to join, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or slimmingworld.ie, or call 0344 897 8000 or 01 656 9696.
