WHILE Destiny Deakin has a figure many are sure to be envious of, the young woman has battled with her weight for over a decade.
She ballooned to 13 stone at the age of just 13 and her mum, Beverly Deakin, spent a total of £12,000 of taxpayer’s money for her to go to fat camp – not once, but twice.
Destiny, now 25, lost two stone after attending the six-week weight loss programme over two summers.
Rotherham City Council agreed to pay for the expensive course to help Destiny lose weight in 2013 and again in 2014 after she piled the pounds back on.
At the time, Destiny, who is from Dudley in the West Midlands, was a target of relentless bullying at school.
She was an adult size 18 during her teens and was cruelly labelled “beefburger girl.”
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Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, the young woman recalled horrendous memories from her childhood and said: “The boys in my class would bully me, calling me fat or “beefburger girl.” I would put on a brave face, but go home and feel so sad.”
Sharing her unhealthy habits as a child, Destiny acknowledged: “After school, I would spend my pocket money at the corner shop on sweets, energy drinks and chocolate bars and then put the wrappers in the dustbin so my mum wouldn’t see them.”
At the time, when Destiny’s mum would ask if she had eaten anything, she would of course deny it.
But in reality, the youngster had usually consumed her “daily calorie allowance and then some,” before even having dinner.
During her time at fat camp, Destiny followed a portion-controlled diet alongside daily physical activity designed to improve fitness.
A typical day involved swimming, sports such as basketball and dodgeball, as well as running drills.
There were also regular classes on nutrition, lifestyle and body image.
While the fat camp enabled Destiny to learn healthy habits, years later, she piled all the weight back on and topped the scales even heavier than she started, at 16 stone.
But once in her early twenties, Destiny decided enough was enough.
Posting on social media, the 5ft 8in blonde, shared snaps before, during and after her weight loss journey.
At her heaviest, Destiny had “no energy,” “IBS flares constantly” and was often promoting a “fake smile.”
But desperate to turn her life around, Destiny “pushed” until she “couldn’t”.
For two years straight, Destiny went to the gym five, sometimes six times a week.
She drank two litres of water a day and prioritised eating clean, whole food.
Destiny, who now weighs just 9 stone, also took vitamins and did 10,000 steps seven days a week.
After losing seven stone, Destiny “became strong and healthier.”
Not only this, but she was also “happy” when she looked in the mirror and “found herself again.”
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.
Sharing all on her healthy habits, many of which she learned at fat camp, the pharmacy dispenser revealed: “Looking at my lifestyle now, I do 60 minutes of exercise every day. I go to the gym, take my vitamins, drink my water – all things I learned there.”
And despite boasting an enviable figure, balance is key for this young woman, as Destiny admitted she still eats takeaways despite being on a “fitness journey.”
She added: “I still have McDonald’s as a treat, but I always go for a grilled chicken wrap and I always get zero-sugar drinks.”
Getting candid on her recent weight loss transformation, which she did without the use of weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro or Ozempic, Destiny beamed: “People don’t believe I was once a size 18 but I’ve worked really hard not to be that person any more.”
Destiny claimed to have “flipped everything on its head” – her diet, exercise and lifestyle.
Now, Destiny is maintaining her weight whilst “loving life and living well.”
Destiny’s TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @destinydeakin, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 227,900 views.
Social media users were stunned by Destiny’s impressive weight loss and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this.
One person said: “Giving me motivation, you look amazing!”
Another added: “You look fabulous, well done on your journey.”
A third commented: “You are looking stunning.”
Meanwhile, someone else chimed in: “Absolutely smashing it, you stunner.”
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