Latest news with #beautytherapist
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Mum shed 4st ‘almost immediately' after simple tweak when ‘vicious cycle' saw her spiral to 18st
Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter Published: Invalid Date, 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. 13 13 13 13 She could easily guzzle down two bottles of prosecco and wine each time - followed by a full bottle of vodka and shots at the club. While hungover, Kyra would order up to five takeaways - 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 heavy boozing 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 ditching booze, 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, Essex, said: "There is so much sugar in alcohol - 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. I'm a mum of two, did drugs, drank wine everynight and didn't think I had an issue - it wasn't until a night at my parents which made me realise I was a functioning alcoholic "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." 13 13 13 Drinking to cope Kyra grew up in foster homes, 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 binge drinking again. Tragedy struck in 2018 when Kyra sadly lost her adoptive mum, Marie, after she developed sepsis while undergoing chemotherapy. Kyra said: "I looked after her and I had to make up her medicine. "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." 13 13 13 '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 TikTok 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." The NHS 12-step plan to help you lose weight FROM faddy diets to dodgy detoxes - most of us have heard it all before when it comes to weight loss. But burning fat can be easy and mostly free. In fact, the NHS has a whole load of medically-approved tips for weight loss and shedding body fat once and for all... Don't skip breakfast Skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight. You could miss out on essential nutrients and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry. Eat regular meals Eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. Eat plenty of fruit and veg Fruit and veg are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre – 3 essential ingredients for successful weight loss. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals. Get more active Being active is key to losing weight and keeping it off. As well as providing lots of health benefits, exercise can help burn off the excess calories you cannot lose through diet alone. Drink lots of water People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need. Eat high fibre foods Foods containing lots of fibre can help keep you feeling full, which is perfect for losing weight. Fibre is only found in food from plants, such as fruit and veg, oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, and beans, peas and lentils. Read food labels Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options. Use the calorie information to work out how a particular food fits into your daily calorie allowance on the weight loss plan. Use a smaller plate Using smaller plates can help you eat smaller portions. By using smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it's full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full. Don't ban foods Do not ban any foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. There's no reason you cannot enjoy the occasional treat as long as you stay within your daily calorie allowance. Don't stock junk food To avoid temptation, do not stock junk food – such as chocolate, biscuits, crisps and sweet fizzy drinks – at home. Instead, opt for healthy snacks, such as fruit, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, unsalted or unsweetened popcorn, and fruit juice. Cut down on alcohol A standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate. Over time, drinking too much can easily contribute to weight gain. Plan your meals Try to plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week, making sure you stick to your calorie allowance. You may find it helpful to make a weekly shopping list. 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." 13 13 What to do if you think are an alcoholic IF you're struggling with alcohol addiction, the most important thing is to recognise the problem and seek support - You don't have to face it alone. Seek Professional Help GP or Doctor – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. Therapists or Counsellors – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. Rehab or Detox Programmes – If physical dependence is severe, medically supervised detox may be necessary. Consider Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. SMART Recovery – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. Local Support Groups – Many communities have groups tailored to different needs.
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Beauty therapist, 35, dodges jail after attacking FIVE police officers, treating them like 'punch bags' and spitting at them, court hears
A beauty therapist has avoided jail after she assaulted five officers, spat at them and even hit one with a 'donkey kick'. Lucy Theunissen, 35, treated police officers like 'punch bags' in a shocking sustained attack after she caused a blazing row at a Chinese takeaway in Basingstoke, Hants last year. The mother-of-three walked free from Winchester Crown Court after Judge Rufus Taylor who stopped short of imposing a custodial sentence because of her disabilities. The sentencing provoked outrage from Hampshire Police Federation, which represents the rank-and-file and criticised the decision not to jail Theunissen. The court heard Theunissen, a qualified masseuse and beautician, first attacked constables at a Chinese takeaway when 999 was called on her because she was drunkenly abusing customers. Then, in front of her six-year-old child and his friend, she swore and shouted before launching assault on officers by kicking out and trying to bite them while resisting arrest. When back-up arrived at Woo's Chinese Takeaway, the mother-of-three kicked another officer's shin. The assault continued in the back of a police van as she spat at the driver, only for it to land on the protective glass. At the police station, Theunissen 'donkey kicked' a police officer in the torso, the court heard. She then she smacked one officer in the head when they tried to remove her mobile phone in a custody cell. After initially denying the charges, the beautician eventually pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage. The defendant, who sobbed in court as the charges were read out, was sentenced to a two-year community order, with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days for the incident which happened on the evening of April 11, 2024. She must also pay £100 compensation to each of the five officers involved as well as a victim surcharge and a 60-day curfew. Theunissen has three sons, aged 15, 14 and seven, who were not present in court. An impact statement read out on behalf of PC James Pawley said: 'I come to work to serve the community and I wish to do it without fearing assault. 'For too long police have been treated as punching bags for people to take their anger out on. 'The mental anger of this sort of incident will undoubtedly stay with me and I do not enjoy telling my loved ones that I have been assaulted at work. 'I am angry that she felt the necessity to assault me. What she did was not ok and will never be ok.' Justin Johnson, defending, said: 'Miss Theunissen has expressed remorse for what happened. She has apologised to one of the officers and said she is willing to apologise to the others for what happened. 'It was an overreaction from a previous negative experience with the police. 'She had recently suffered the bereavement of her grandmother, one of the few relatives she was in contact with after she left home aged 16. 'I accept that this passes the custodial threshold but I believe it could be suspended due to her low risk to the public.' Judge Rufus Taylor concluded: 'You lashed out, donkey kicked and spat at these officers. It is a pretty bad episode. 'There is a high level of culpability here as it is an instance of multiple prolonged assaults. 'The whole situation is aggravated by the fact it was in front of your son and his friend. 'This case really warrants a custodial sentence but I will step back from that because of your problems.' Upon hearing of the result Spencer Wragg, Chair of the Hampshire Police Federation, said: 'No police officer should come to work expecting to be assaulted. 'No family should expect their loved one to come home with injuries sustained at work as part of the job. 'Being spat at is vile, being struck and kicked whilst answering a call from the public simply isn't acceptable. 'It's not always just the physical injury that affects officers and the psychological impact of incidents can take a lot longer to recover from. 'I am concerned about the message that this sentence gives to officers who are out policing the streets of Hampshire and Isle of Wight today.'
