Former Australian Captain Meg Lanning Says Weight Loss and insomnia led her retirement

Meg Lanning reveals that her connection with food and exercise took a negative turn, ultimately resulting in her unexpected international retirement.

32-year-old former Australia captain Lanning announced her retirement in November 2023 due to medical reasons, which caused her to miss the Ashes that summer.

According to her, she was running up to 90 kilometres a week and maintaining a diet of only two small meals a day.

“I was pushing myself too hard physically and not eating enough,” Lanning shared during an interview on the Howie Games podcast.

“It kind of took a negative turn and I refused to accept it, despite the repeated warnings from others that something was amiss.

“I wasn’t in a position to participate in the tour and cricket matches, and provide the necessary mental and physical dedication for that Ashes series.”

Lanning’s retirement marks the end of an illustrious career, where she achieved remarkable success as both a player and captain. She guided her team to victory in the 50-over World Cup in 2022, secured four T20 titles, and clinched the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the same year.

She made her Australia debut in 2010 at the age of 18 and went on to accumulate an impressive 241 international appearances for her country.

However, as her illustrious career drew to a close, Lanning expressed a sense of imbalance and a noticeable change in her demeanour.

“It became a bit of a fixation,” she added. “It provided me with a mental escape.” I would get rid of the headphones. I’d leave my phone behind. I thoroughly enjoyed that experience as it made me feel empowered.”

Lanning explains that while she didn’t explicitly identify her struggles as an eating disorder, she did reach out for assistance. She now shares that she is in a positive state after grappling with insomnia as well.

“I used to dread night time because I knew I would go to bed and struggle to fall asleep,” she said.

“I became distant from friends and family. I didn’t realise that I was doing this and it kind of became the norm.

“However, I have come to realise the power of engaging in conversations and sharing information with others, which can truly make a difference.”

Lanning remains active in domestic cricket, recently captaining Delhi Capitals to the Women’s Premier League final. Additionally, she has been recruited by London Spirit to participate in The Hundred for the upcoming summer, marking her debut in the tournament.