I went from a size 20 to a toned size 10 in just six months WITHOUT fat jabs or crash diets...this is what most people get wrong about weight loss

A woman who lost over 30kg and went from a size 20 to a size 10 in just six months without fat jabs or fad diets has revealed the secret of her dramatic postpartum transformation as a consistent calorie deficit. Teagan Hopwood, from Canterbury, Kent, said 'I knew I could lose weight on my own' after she tipped the scales at 16st 4lb (almost 104kg), adding 'I do wish people would try doing it themselves' before turning to quick fixes like Mounjaro or extreme detoxes. Now she weighs 11st 9lbs (73kg) and has a toned stomach, after eating while maintaining a controlled calorie deficit, initially consuming around 2,200 calories per day before gradually reducing that amount as she lost weight.By the time she reached her goal weight, she was eating around 1,700 calories a day while still enjoying many of her favourite foods.And it's a loss she has been able to maintain for years – unlike weight loss jabs, which carry the risk of piling back on the pounds after stopping use.'I can safely say I would never have even considered doing that [using jabs],' Teagan, 31, said. 'Even though I was overweight, I knew I could lose the weight on my own.'I have nothing against people taking the jab, but I do wish people would actually try doing it themselves first, though, instead of thinking they are taking the easy route. '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.' A woman who lost over 30kg and went from a size 20 to a size 10 in just six months without fat jabs or fad diets has revealed the secret of her dramatic postpartum transformation as a consistent calorie deficit Now Teagan Hopwood weighs 11st 9lbs (73kg) and has a toned stomach, after eating while maintaining a controlled calorie deficitTeagan said she started gaining weight during pregnancy and continued to overeat afterwards. Teagan Hopwood, from Canterbury, Kent, tipped the scales at 16st 4lb (almost 104 kg) after gaining weight during pregnancy and continuing to overeat afterwards, adding that large portion sizes and bags of chocolate were her downfall. She said: 'I wasn't tracking anything and would make four fajita wraps, but would have about three wraps, which adds up.'I never really used to eat breakfast, but loved bags of chocolates in the evening.'It was never much about what I was eating, just how much I was eating.'I gained the weight through pregnancy and sort of used it as an excuse to overeat since I was going to get big anyway.Then I guess I just continued eating in that way,' she continued. Standing at 5ft 9in, Teagan was deeply unhappy with her appearance, and one small moment during the summer of 2022 became the catalyst for a complete lifestyle overhaul. The barista said: 'It was the first heatwave of 2022, and I couldn't fit into the only pair of denim shorts that I owned.'I was already unhappy with my weight; however, this was the push that made me change for good.'I had just had enough, and this time I'd seen so many videos about calorie deficits that I actually understood what I needed to do now.' Teagan said she followed the 80/20 rule of eating, which means sticking to homemade meals 80 per cent of the time while allowing yourself to indulge 20 per cent of the time. Teagan has documented her dramatic transformation on TikTok 'I prioritised protein at every meal, making smart swaps and still eating all the food I love, like Pizza Hut takeaways, homemade chicken burgers, and I perfected my baked oats recipes,' she explained. In addition to maintaining a calorie deficit, Teagan also 'upped my activity level', including two high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts 'while my daughter napped' and 'some weights at home'. 'I strength trained four times per week after I lost the weight to build muscle and change my body composition,' she shared. '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,' Teagan said, adding her advice is to build sustainable habits rather than turning to quick fixes. Rather than following a plan, 'it was staying consistent that I needed to work on', she reflected. 'The biggest change wasn't just physical, it was my mindset,' Teagan added. 'It was never that I couldn't lose the weight, it was that I wasn't in the right mindset to do so – I had to be ready.'You have to learn how to keep the weight off. Yes, I lost weight quite quickly, but that was never my intention. I wanted to lose it steadily in a sustainable way.'My body just happened to drop the weight in that time.'Maybe I was in too big a deficit for my body, however, I was still eating a lot and fuelling my body.She also 'stopped comparing myself to others' and focused on being consistent before the results snuck up on her. 'Some weeks I wouldn't see any weight change, and some weeks there was a big weight drop,' Teagan explained. 'I weigh myself daily to get my weekly average, as weight fluctuates so much during the week.'You could be weighing in a high fluctuation day when really you've lost 2lbs.The mum-of-one began documenting her fitness journey on her TikTok account @‌teags.weightloss, where she shared home workout routines and healthy meal ideas.Teagan says she has completely transformed her relationship with food.She said: 'I'm happy, way more confident, and I can safely say I love my body. Despite the stretch marks and saggy skin from the weight loss, I am the most confident I have ever been.'I'm more active, made new friends at the gym, and my daughter aspires to be strong like me instead of how I felt growing up wanting to be skinny.Teagan added that balance is the key to her healthy lifestyle. 'Yes, I eat processed food, but I also plan out my weekly meals on a Sunday before I do the food shop.'I have things like chicken burgers, fajita mince with butternut squash, homemade pizzas, chicken skewers with rice and veggies.'I love making egg wraps for lunch and filling them with chicken, wafers, mustard and lettuce. And I always have light Babybel and kiwi with lunch,' she shared what a typical day of eating looks like for her. 'I enjoy a sweet treat in the evenings, I make something I like to call a movie night bowl which is 200g 0% fat Greek yoghurt mixed with chocolate protein powder, topped with mini marshmallows, pretzels, M&Ms and chocolate sauce.'It fits my calories, so why not?'