Teagan Hopwood, a 31-year-old mum from Canterbury, Kent, lost five stone (from 16st 4lb to 11st 9lb) in six months without resorting to weight-loss jabs, detox teas, or punishing exercise. She now wears a size 10 and has a toned stomach, achieved through a controlled calorie deficit and strength training.
From catalyst to consistency
The turning point came during the summer of 2022, when Teagan could not fit into her only pair of denim shorts during a heatwave. “I was already unhappy with my weight, however this was the push that made me change for good,” she said. She began researching calorie deficits and decided to build sustainable habits rather than seek quick fixes.
Initially consuming around 2,200 calories per day, she gradually reduced her intake as she lost weight. By the time she reached her goal, she was eating about 1,700 calories daily while still enjoying favourites like Pizza Hut takeaways, homemade chicken burgers, and baked oats.
Mindset and activity
“The biggest change wasn’t just physical, it was my mindset. I stopped comparing myself to others and focused on being consistent, even when progress felt slow,” Teagan said. She weighed herself daily to track weekly averages, noting that weight fluctuates significantly.
She increased her activity with home HIIT workouts during her daughter’s naps and later added strength training four times per week to build muscle. “This is how I look so toned. It’s the result of building muscle through progressive weight training and losing fat through a calorie deficit,” she explained.
Views on weight-loss jabs
Teagan said she would never consider using weight-loss jabs. “Even though I was overweight, I knew I could lose the weight on my own. It was staying consistent that I needed to work on,” she said. “I have nothing against people taking the jab, but I do wish people would actually try doing it themselves first … You have to learn how to keep the weight off.”
She emphasised that her weight loss was a byproduct of sustainable changes, not a rushed process. “My body just happened to drop the weight in that time … If you need the jab for a medical reason then fair be it, but if you are just taking it because you don’t want to put in the work then I don’t agree with it.”
Maintenance and new habits
Teagan has maintained her healthy lifestyle for years, following an 80/20 rule: 80% home-cooked meals and 20% takeaways and chocolate. “I’m still human and still want to enjoy my life,” she said. She plans weekly meals on Sundays and prepares items like chicken burgers, fajita mince with butternut squash, and homemade pizzas.
Her evening treat is a “movie night bowl” of 200g 0% fat Greek yogurt mixed with chocolate protein powder, topped with mini marshmallows, pretzels, M&Ms, and chocolate sauce. “It fits my calories so why not,” she said.
Teagan now shares her journey on TikTok (@teags.weightloss), posting home workout routines and healthy meal ideas. She said her daughter “aspires to be strong like me instead of how I felt growing up wanting to be skinny.”
