A MUM trapped in a “vicious cycle”; that saw her reach 18 stone saw four stone drop off her after kicking a key habit.
Kyra Dawson, 31, was a self-confessed “party girl”; throughout her teens and would go out “nearly every night”; in her 20s.
She could easily guzzle down two bottles of prosecco and each time – followed by a full bottle of vodka and shots at the club.
While hungover, Kyra would order up to five – including a full-English for breakfast, a kebab for lunch, a Chinese takeaway for dinner, and snacks like Gregg’s sausages rolls – before starting the cycle again.
At her biggest, she tipped the scales at 18st 5lbs and was struggling to squeeze into a size 18.
Kyra confessed that her drinking “spiralled”; out of control and knew she a “problem”; when she hid her from adoptive mum, Marie Dawson.
In 2021, she discovered she was pregnant with her son, Reo, now three, and said his arrival “saved”; her life.
The mum-of-one credits her weight loss to , saying she started shifting the weight after becoming sober.
She lost a total of nine stone and dropped down to 9st 10lbs, now wearing a size 8 to 10.
Kyra, a beauty therapist, from Loughton, , said: “There is so much sugar in – as soon as I stopped drinking I lost about four stone.
“I really hit rock bottom and knew I had to change.
“I was determined to lose weight and look after myself.
“My little boy saved my life.
“He gave me something to live for and I promised I would be everything he needed.
“At my worst, I was ordering five takeaways a day while hungover.
“I would eat all day and then start drinking in the evening – and repeat the cycle.”;
Drinking to cope
Kyra grew up in , before being adopted at the age of 10 by her mum, Marie.
She admitted being a “difficult”; teenager and using to alcohol to cope.
Kyra said: “I had a tough childhood before being adopted.
“As a teen, I was rebelling against the world. I started drinking aged 15.
“I didn’t know I had a problem, I thought I just liked going out and partying.
“But all of my friends were drinking alco-pops, and I was having vodka.”;
While hungover, Kyra would order up several takeaways a day including donor kebabs, fish and chips, pizzas and burgers.
By the time the evening rolled around, she would go back out with friends and start again.
Tragedy struck in 2018 when Kyra sadly lost her adoptive mum, Marie, after she developed while undergoing chemotherapy.
Kyra said: “I looked after her and I had to make up her .
“It feels unreal, thinking about that time.
“I lost her the day after my birthday, very suddenly, she died in my arms.
“It was so painful and made things worse.
“I partied more, and when I wasn’t drinking, I was ordering takeaways and eating junk food.
“I battled suicidal thoughts and even attempts after losing her.
“Anything to help me cope with the loss.”;
‘Son saved my life’
Around August 2020, Kyra met her ex-partner and made the decision to quit-drinking and to start eating more healthily.
The real turning point came in February 2021, when Kyra found out she was expecting her first child, her son, Reo.
She said: “I’m not with my ex-partner anymore, but we’re still on good terms.
“I was five months sober when I found out I was expecting my son.
“I got pregnant quickly and it really shocked me.
“My little boy arriving saved my life.
“I wanted to do better for him – make sure he didn’t have the childhood I did.”;
I found dancing and moving my body a great way to lose weight, and help my mental health
Kyra
Kyra completely overhauled her diet and started eating more nutritious meals, putting herself in a calorie deficit.
She got herself a gym membership and started going on long walks to help shift some weight, walking up to 10k steps a day.
Kyra also credits “dancing everywhere”; to her weight loss, and she started making videos of her busting a move on her account.
She said: “There was so many calories in alcohol – especially wine and prosecco. As soon as I stopped drinking, the weight fell off.
“Then I ditched the obsession with wanting to eat hungover all the time.
“I loved dancing – music really helped me too. Dancing is like therapy and music was an escape. It got me through some dark situations.
“I found dancing and moving my body a great way to lose weight, and help my mental health.”;
By 2024, Kyra had dropped a whopping nine stone and is now down to 9st 10lbs.
She said: “With recovery, it’s so important to get into AA.
“It’s very hard to quit by yourself and I’ve had huge support from that.
“I can’t believe how far I’ve come looking back.
“I love talking to people and helping them anyway I can.
“Hopefully anyone reading my story will take something positive away from it.
“You can turn things around with the right support.”;
