Size 26 woman who downed 15 pints of cider a week loses ELEVEN STONE after falling off a chair on a night out because she was 'so massive'

  • Verity Kenney, 27, reached 23st by the age of 24 after weekend binges
  • She vowed to change after falling and slipping a disc on a night out
  • Teacher from Leicester lost nearly 11st in three years after diet overhaul

A 23 stone woman who drank up to 15 pints of cider at the weekend was shocked into losing nearly 11st after slipping a disc on a night out.

Verity Kenney, 27, had been partying with her work colleague when she fell off a chair after 'a little too much to drink'.

It was only the next morning that the head of year at a secondary school in Leicester realised she had seriously injured herself in the tumble.

Verity Kenney, 27, from Leicester was shocked into losing almost 11st after she slipped a disc in her back on a night out

Verity Kenney, 27, from Leicester was shocked into losing almost 11st after she slipped a disc in her back on a night out

She explained: 'I was literally just leaning over to make my bed, when I heard a "pop" sound in my spine. I screamed out loud - I was in agony.

'I couldn't straighten my back. It was utterly ridiculous - I'd have laughed out loud had I not been in so much pain.'

Managing to shuffle downstairs, she took a taxi to her local GP who confirmed she had slipped a disc in her back.

Verity said: 'She explained that basically the outer portion of my disc had torn and that the inner portion was putting pressure on my nerves.

'It all sounded so horrible. I don't think I've ever regretted having a few too many so much in my entire life.'

Due to the severity of her injury, Verity was prescribed strong painkillers and advised to rest at home for four weeks. 

The head of year at a secondary school could drink up to 15 pints of cider in a weekend
She decided she needed to lose weight for the sake of her health after hearing her back go 'pop'

The head of year at a seconday school, pictured on nights out, could drink up to 15 pints of cider in a weekend

At age 14 Verity weighed 19st and by the time she was preparing to leave university she was more than 23st

At age 14 Verity weighed 19st and by the time she was preparing to leave university she was more than 23st

It was while she was laid up, watching box set after box set, that she vowed to transform her body.

'It was like a light-bulb moment,' she said. 'I realised my weight must have been what did the damage.

'I'd begun to diet and lost a little weight, but I was still 19st 13lb. I was still massive.'

Verity says she started gaining weight as a teenager, weighing 19st at the age of 14.

She said: 'I was 5ft 11in so carried my weight well. I had gone through school getting called various nicknames, like 'Man beast' and had developed a thick skin.

'My love of food had always been there. I would spend any pocket money I had stocking up on chocolate bars and would wolf down four in one go.

Verity from Leicester would often eat kebabs and fattening takeaways following an alcohol-fuelled night

Verity from Leicester would often eat kebabs and fattening takeaways following an alcohol-fuelled night

'I was pretty tall so at first you didn't see the weight start to pile on. I'd stuff myself at mealtimes, even when I started to feel nauseous.

'My body never told me, "That's enough now". I would just kept going.'

Though Verity's parents encouraged her to eat more healthily and do some exercise, it was not enough to make her change her ways.

'By the time I was in my mid-teens, the fact I was tall couldn't hide my size any more,' she said.

Verity overhauled her diet and signed up to the gym to lose almost 11st in three years

Verity overhauled her diet and signed up to the gym to lose almost 11st in three years

'A group of kids at school even started calling me The Elephant Man. It was mortifying. I had a circle of great friends and put a brave face on it, but inside I felt awful.'

Despite the cruel taunts, Verity was still not spurred on to diet or exercise. She started at the University of Northampton and became the life and soul of the party instead, which saw her waistband expand even further.

'I could easily down 15 pints of cider on the weekend and the drinks would inevitably be followed by a kebab or some other takeaway food,' she said.

'By the time I was preparing to leave uni, I was 23st 7lb. I was a size 26 and it was becoming very difficult to find nice clothes that would fit me. Anything I did find was totally stretched across my flabby bits.'

Verity said her boyfriend at the time would drop her off at work, so she never did any walking.

It was when her engagement ended in March 2012 that she began to look at where her life was going.

She continued: 'Sat in my room, completely heartbroken, I stared at myself in a full-length mirror for the first time in years.

'I couldn't believe the woman that stared back at me. I was 24, massive and suddenly single – I had to turn my life around.

'That night I took a deep breath and stepped on the scales. When they hit 23st 9lb, I thought I was seeing things.

'But I didn't get depressed – I decided there and then that I was going to stop making excuses and lose this weight.'

Verity overhauled her diet, swapping chocolate bars for fruit, and greasy takeaways for chicken and veg. By December 2012, she had got down to 19st 13lb.

It was while she was toasting her weight loss that she suffered her spinal injury on a night out.

She said: 'I was out celebrating the slimmer me with Kim from school when I fell. 

'My back 'popping' the next day really shocked me – and slipping a disc just because I leaned over to make my bed made me realise I wanted to lose a lot more.'

Verity continued to diet and signed up to the gym as soon as her back was better.

'It was really scary at first, but in next to no time I was doing cardio and weights like it was second nature,' she said. 'Working out gave me more energy, so I started to go running as well.'

By December 2014, Verity had shrunk to 14st 8lb and was wearing size 16 jeans. Still she kept going, hitting 12st 13lb and a size 14 in May this year.

Verity said: 'I remember a time when people couldn't squeeze past me in the supermarket aisle. I couldn't go to the corner shop for a pint of milk without wheezing.

'Now, I either swim, cycle or run every weekly. I couldn't do without exercise.'

Verity has lost a total of ten-and-a half stone, and her back no longer gives her any problems. She said she hopes to lose another stone to reach her ideal weight.

'I've also got a gorgeous new boyfriend who adores me', she confessed. 'Yep, life couldn't really get much better.'

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