Kenny Higgins said he could “barely walk” at his heaviest
Kenny Higgins said he could “barely walk” at his heaviest
A dad lost 22 stone after he ditched a £140 a week habit. Kenny Higgins, 48, who at his heaviest tipped the scales at 34st 7lbs, made the life-changing decision to lose weight after he collapsed in a supermarket while with his young daughter, Hope.
Now weighing 12st 7lb, Kenny has lost nearly two-thirds of his body weight. Reflecting on his transformation, he said: “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.
“I also don’t have to think twice about simple tasks that once felt impossible – like doing my food shopping or tying my shoelaces. Being able to fit in the chairs comfortably is the best feeling too.”
The dad opened up about his past struggles with bullying due to his size and how it contributed to his escalating weight issues as he aged, reports Lancs Live.
Kenny said: “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 them. I was barely living – 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 also reached a point where all my health problems became too overwhelming.”
The dad was battling “severe” back pain and “out of control” asthma, which led to a constant fight against chest infections. Despite trying various weight loss methods, Kenny found nothing worked in the long term.
He said: “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.”
Previously, the dad had lost 17st with Slimming World 10 years ago in 2015, but admitted that “life got in the way” and he “stopped going”, leading him to regain the weight. Slimming World is recognised as the leading weight loss organisation in the UK and Ireland.
But for Kenny falling seriously ill whilst on a day trip with his daughter in 2023 that kicked started a new slim down. He said he recorded a “goodbye message” for his loved ones after being rushed to hospital.
Recounting the experience, Kenny said: “I was rushed to hospital and the doctors told me I was the verge of having a heart attack. 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 wakeup call I needed to make a change this time for good. “
After spending three weeks in an Intensive Care Unit, Kenny’s friend Bev Houlihan encouraged him to rejoin Slimming World and together they attended a group in Blackpool. He 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 focus on 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 was crowned Slimming World’s Greatest Loser 2025, an accolade given to the member with the most significant weight loss across the organisation’s 13,000 groups.
Kenny said: “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 discovered that silver lining that people talked about and it is just the beginning for me.”
