Mum ate 50 doughnuts daily, broke 7 beds, now bodybuilder

A mum-of-two who ate 50 Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast and broke seven beds has shed more than 20st without resorting to surgery or weight loss injections. Andreina De Sousa Abreu, 40, reached a size 28 at her heaviest after becoming "addicted" to the sweet treats, taking on two jobs to fund her obsession.

Her eating habits spiralled dramatically during the pandemic, with the 40-year-old getting through an entire loaf of bread at lunchtime and a takeaway every evening. Following a stark warning from doctors that her lifestyle was putting her life in danger, Andreina began following YouTube exercise routines at home, committing to a daily 45-minute Les Mills body pump workout.

From 50 doughnuts a day to 20st lighter

She swapped the £1,260 she was spending monthly on Krispy Kreme doughnuts to pay for therapy, which helped her replace her destructive habits into positive ones, gradually turning her life around. Now a trim 9st (63.2 kilos) and a size XXS (six to eight), Andreina has established herself as an international bodybuilder, claiming eight first-place titles.

—

Wide Pickt banner — collaborative shopping lists app for Telegram, phone mockup with grocery list

The online coach, cleaner and personal trainer from Hounslow, West London, said: "I used to live near a Tesco. I would walk to it every morning and buy around 50 original glazed doughnuts and wash it down with a milkshake. Eating became an addiction. I would eat and eat and eat until I couldn't even recognise myself anymore. I knew deep down it was self-inflicted, but I couldn't stop."

Andreina hadn't always struggled with her weight but a traumatic experience led her to lean on food. She said: "I wasn't always morbidly obese. I used to be fit and healthy. After everything I went through, and then COVID, I secluded myself into this dark little bubble. I didn't want anyone to notice me."

Wake-up call from doctors

At her heaviest, she was unable to fit comfortably in chairs and would spend her days eating and watching TV. She told Sell Us Your Story: "Everything was hard. Walking was hard, getting out of bed was hard, taking my children to school was hard. I felt ashamed to go anywhere and didn't want people looking at me."

Andreina's food addiction dominated both her life and finances. She would buy a 48-pack of original glaze doughnuts from Krispy Kreme a day - which costs £44.97. And sometimes buy extra doughnuts to top up to 50. She said: "I'd snack on chocolate, crisps, more crisps and drink lots of Red Bull. I had to work two jobs - one job was paying for my eating disorder and the other was sustaining my family."

Her turning point came after a visit to the doctor in April 2019. Andreina said: "I hadn't had a period for two years and I thought I had cancer because I had all these strange cysts. The doctor told me it was because of my weight. They said, 'If you carry on like this, you won't be alive.' I remember thinking, 'I don't want to die.'"

Finding a new path

Unable to access a gym during lockdown, Andreina began recording herself doing home workouts and posting them on social media to keep herself accountable. She said: "It was so hard. We're creatures of habit so I kept slipping back into old ways and trying to bargain with myself. So, I had to reflect on why I was doing it. Motivation isn't what gets me out of bed because motivation is just a feeling. It's perseverance. You just keep pushing forward. It's still not easy, but if I can do it, anybody can do it."

"To be honest, I just went all in. I found my why, my reason. I wanted to be the beacon of light for all the women who were in my position. There was a bit of trial and error - my diet definitely wasn't perfect. I thought I had to suppress everything, but I got there eventually."

Andreina lost 20st in just over a year during COVID. Then, in October 2021, Andreina discovered bodybuilding after seeing videos of Brazilian bodybuilder Francielle Mattos on Instagram. She said: "She had this beautiful, muscular but feminine physique. I saved loads of her videos and she became my inspiration. I wanted to know what that feeling was like."

Pickt after-article banner — collaborative shopping lists app with family illustration

New lifestyle and ambitions

Now she goes to the gym every day and does four leg sessions, one upper-body workout and active recovery and mobility work a week - alongside daily posing practice. She starts each morning with water and electrolytes before eating oats with whey protein, cinnamon and banana. Throughout the day she eats lean protein, rice, fish, chicken, vegetables and carefully planned meals to support her training and manage her PCOS.

After losing over half her bodyweight, Andreina has won eight bodybuilding titles and is preparing for her ninth competition of the season, with hopes of earning her IFBB Pro Card and competing at the Arnold Sports Festival in Birmingham in 2028.