Co Kildare woman lost 6 stone after giving up coke and crisps

A YOUNG woman revealed how she lost six stone by beating her addiction to Coca-Cola and crisps.

Hannah O'Byrne, 23, from Sallins, Co Kildare, got the final push to lose weight when she broke the bed she was lying on.

But she managed to cut out the junk in January and lost more than a third of her body weight.

Trim Hannah, now 12 stone, explained: "I was lying in bed one morning and I turned over and my bed actually snapped in half.

"So I decided then it was time to find a way to sort it out.

"I just want to prove to people that you don't have to go to weight loss groups or the gym every single day. I didn't do any of that and I lost weight.

"Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. I went cold turkey but I had to go to the doctors for relaxers because I was shaking so badly."

And she said for people struggling to lose weight, mental wellness is as a vital tool in the battle.

Hannah, who works for transport company JMC in Co Kildare, was 18.5 stone at her heaviest and believes she had body dysmorphia as she "did not know the size she was."

addicted She said: "I was just purely addicted to sugar and crisps.

"If I was making pasta bake I would put a few crisps underneath the cheese.

"My mam was always on at me for years to stop drinking Coke and she never had rubbish in the house.

"I used to hide slabs of Coke in the boot of my car from her.

"I couldn't function without it. I'd get the shakes if I didn't have one.

"I'm very lucky now that there is nothing health-wise wrong with me. But one of my teeth fell out and I was very close to developing Type 2 diabetes."

Hannah, originally from Dublin's Ballinteer, put her addiction to Coke and crisps down to the clinical depression she has suffered with for many years.

Speaking to Dave Fanning on The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTE Radio 1, she revealed: "As my mental health got worse, so did my addiction.

"From the age of 16 my addiction just took control. I was so miserable for so long and eating and drinking all that Coke was my comfort.

"Since I stopped drinking it my mental health is so much better. I'm happier within myself and I've more confidence."

Hannah credits her personal trainer girlfriend of six months, Deanna Hughes, for being a constant source of support.

She is also happy to share weight loss tips on her Facebook page for other people wishing to shed the pounds.