Mum Sheds 17 Stone After Quitting 14-Year Booze and Drug Binges
A mother-of-two who weighed 26.5 stone and spent 14 years bingeing on alcohol and drugs every weekend has shed an incredible 17 stone following a devastating health wake-up call. Mia Rose, 49, from Weston-super-Mare, would start her weekends as early as Thursday, sometimes consuming up to six grams of cocaine over a single weekend while drinking heavily through to Sunday.
The Turning Point: A Mobility Scooter and a Moment of Clarity
The relentless hangovers caused Mia to pile on the pounds, leading her to turn to junk food for comfort. At her heaviest, she wore a size 32, relied on a shower seat, and was reduced to crawling up the stairs due to severe mobility issues. The pivotal moment arrived in 2021 when Mia was forced to use a mobility scooter after becoming unable to walk five minutes down the road.
Mia said: "When I had to get the mobility scooter, that was it. I sat there and I thought 'I'm not supposed to be like this'. At that point, it was either I die or change and be there for my children and granddaughter. Everything came together and I saw some light at the end of the tunnel."
From Binge Eating to Healthy Habits
Mia's weight gain was fuelled by her substance misuse, which she used to cope with trauma from a difficult childhood. Her mother died when she was young, and her father was a chronic alcoholic. She explained that she would binge on anything she could get her hands on, including whole bottles of vodka, gin, wine, and cider, alongside copious amounts of junk food.
"I think it was a comfort thing - I would binge on the food as well. When you're hungover you binge on the wrong foods, so I was constantly in the binge," Mia added. "It would be anything I could get my hands on - I'd constantly have savoury, sweet, savoury all day long."
A Dramatic Lifestyle Overhaul
In August 2021, Mia decided to transform her life completely. She quit alcohol cold turkey, recognising that she had to stop otherwise she was going to die. She swapped junk food, booze, and cocaine for a diet centred on chicken and vegetables, slashed her calorie intake, and began following YouTube workout videos.
Her initial efforts included using workout bands for 10 minutes and simple exercises like sitting up on the bed. She progressed to 30 minutes of cardio, losing 11 stone over three and a half years through sheer determination. After hitting a plateau at 15 stone, she used Mounjaro to lose the final 7 stone, bringing her total weight loss to 17 stone 6lbs. She now weighs just 8 stone 9lbs and fits into a size 8.
Diet Before and After
Diet before:
- Breakfast: Packet of crisps or chocolate and egg on toast/fry up
- Lunch: Sandwich with chips or deep-fried food/pastries
- Dinner: Large portions of pasta (seconds or thirds)
- Dessert: Chocolate or cakes
Diet after:
- Breakfast: Don't usually have but sometimes a 50-calorie marshmallow wafer
- Lunch: Chicken satay sticks
- Dinner: Chicken, steamed veg and quinoa
- Pudding: Protein pots
Embracing a New Normal
Mia now focuses on Pilates and strength training instead of cardio, and she has adjusted her calorie intake gradually from 3,000 to a lower maintenance level. She credits cognitive behaviour therapy for helping her get into the right mindset to make lasting changes.
"I don't really go out a lot because of the social anxiety, but when I do go out, I feel normal and I don't stand out anymore," Mia said. Her lifestyle transformation has enabled her to feel normal again, overcoming years of self-neglect and health struggles.
