I’m 48 and was barely living at my heaviest – here’s the tried and tested method I used to shed 22 stone without Ozempic or surgery so I could be the best dad for my daughter
A father who was so overweight that he collapsed in a supermarket and came close to a heart attack has lost 22 stone – shedding almost two thirds of his body weight.
Kenny Higgins, from Blackpool, was ‘barely living’ when he was at his heaviest of 34st 7lbs.
He was struggling to cope with ‘overwhelming’ health problems, ranging from severe joint pain to frequent chest infections.
When the 48-year-old was shopping with his daughter, Hope, six, he collapsed in the supermarket and was rushed to hospital, where he spent three weeks in Intensive Care.
The situation appeared so grave that Kenny, who relied on food for ‘comfort’, even recorded a ‘goodbye message’ for his loved ones.
Yet the experience proved to be a turning point for Kenny, who used to live on junk food and takeaways – spending at least £140 a week on the unhealthy meals – and gave him the ‘wake-up call’ he needed to finally lose weight.
‘I was rushed to hospital and the doctors told me I was the verge of having a heart attack,’ Kenny said.
‘I was initially put on a “Do Not Resuscitate” order because they didn’t believe I’d be able to survive.
‘By some miracle, I managed to pull through. This was the wake-up call I needed to make a change – and this time, for good.’
Kenny Higgins (pictured) weighed 34st 7lbs at his heaviest and was struggling to cope with ‘overwhelming’ health issues
He relied on food as ‘a source of comfort’ and would spend a minimum of £140 on takeaways every week
But, when Kenny (pictured post his 22st weight loss) came close to a heart attack after collapsing in a supermarket, he became determined to lose weight and improve his life
Kenny’s incredible weight loss won him the title of Slimming World’s Greatest Loser 2025, which is awarded to the member with the biggest weight loss across the organisation’s 13,000 groups.
He said: ‘I was always the “biggest” kid at school and was bullied because of it – and it only continued to get worse as I got older.
‘I was barely living before joining Slimming World.
‘I was too scared to leave the house, and when I did, it was usually for one of my many visits to the hospital.
‘I reached a point where all my health problems became too overwhelming.
‘The extra weight I was carrying caused so much pain in my joints, I could barely walk down the road without struggling.
‘On top of that, I suffered from severe back pain, my asthma was out of control and I was constantly battling chest infections.’
While Kenny had tried various weight-loss methods in the past, nothing worked for him long-term.
When he was severely overweight, Kenny had to make frequent hospital visits and was suffering with severe joint pain, asthma and recurrent chest infections
He lived on junk food and takeaways before he joined Slimming World
He explained: ‘I had been referred to nutritionists and other weight-loss groups through my doctor in the past, however I never felt like I was getting any actual support.
‘In the end I’d revert back to my old habits and would be back at square one in no time.’
Kenny had been a Slimming World member 10 years ago and lost 17st on the programme.
Unfortunately, however, ‘life got in the way’. Kenny stopped going to the group and found it hard to keep going without the support of his fellow members.
A few weeks after his hospital dash and serious health scare, Kenny’s friend, Bev Houlihan, encouraged him to attend Slimming World again and the pair joined a group in Blackpool.
Kenny said: ‘I was worried I’d be judged for regaining the weight I’d lost all those years ago, but I needn’t have been.
‘My Consultant, Natalie, helped me look at the positives and reminded me that as I’d done it once before, I could do it again – and that’s stuck with me throughout my whole journey.’
Kenny set a weight he wanted to achieve and hasn’t looked back since.
Kenny lost 22st through Slimming World, shedding almost two thirds of his body weight
‘Being able to chat to some of the other members about their journeys gave me the boost I needed to stay hopeful, especially in those early weeks,’ he said.
‘I was so lonely before joining my group, and for the first time in a long time, I felt part of a community of people who understood me – it was the best feeling knowing that everyone is genuinely rooting for you.
‘We help keep each other accountable too – something I know I’d struggle with on my own.’
Familiar with the programme from his previous attempt, Kenny was able to embrace the healthy eating plan right away.
He explained: ‘In the beginning, I felt too embarrassed to go to the shops in case I couldn’t manage the walk.
‘So, instead, I did an online food shop and stocked up on some meals from the Slimming World Free Food range, from my local Iceland store, to get me through the days when cooking wasn’t an option.
‘And as I started losing weight and feeling more confident – both in myself and in the kitchen – I began walking to the shops to pick up the ingredients to make my own version of some of my favourite meals, like the Chicken Madras, from scratch, in the air fryer.
‘I’ll still keep a bag of Slimming World Chips in the freezer for those days when I need something quick to throw in with my dinner.’
Reflecting on the Slimming World programme, Kenny added: ‘To this day, one of the things I love most about Food Optimising is that I never feel restricted, and that I can enjoy tasty, real food that I actually want to eat – like a lasagne or chicken curry.
‘So many weight loss methods focus on limiting what you eat or suppressing your appetite, but I know that wouldn’t have worked for me at all.
Post weight loss, Kenny stands at a very healthy 12st 7lbs and feels confident in his body
‘With Slimming World, I’ve learned how to consume fewer calories in a way that doesn’t make me feel deprived – quite the opposite in fact, I’d say I enjoy food more nowadays.
‘Looking back, I realise I used food as a source of comfort, and lived on takeaways and junk food.
‘I used to spend a minimum of £140 a week on takeaways, when I stopped getting them the takeaway owner actually contacted me to check I was okay.
‘Now, I have a better relationship with food and make sure I’m filling myself with healthier, more nutritious food.’
With the help of Slimming World’s physical activity support programme, Kenny was able to steadily incorporate more activity into his day.
He recalled: ‘At the start, I couldn’t even entertain the idea of any exercise. As time went on though, I noticed I had more energy and began walking.
‘Each week I’d walk for a little longer, and now I can easily walk five miles a day. I recently started running too, and I’m working my way up to a 5k.’
Since his weight loss, Kenny’s life has transformed and he’s excited about making new memories.
‘My health has improved dramatically. I’m able to move now without being in crippling pain, and I’m no longer dependent on other people to help me get by,’ he enthused.
‘I also don’t have to think twice about simple tasks that once felt impossible – like doing my food shopping or tying my shoelaces.
‘I used to fear going out in public before, now one of my favourite things to do is treating myself to a nice coffee from my local coffee shop – being able to fit in the chairs comfortably is the best feeling too.’
Kenny concluded: ‘I wanted to be the best dad I could be for my children, and now I can be the version they deserve. I’ve finally found that silver lining that people talked about – this is just the beginning for me.’
