A young woman who feared flaunting her body on holiday is unrecognisable after swapping daily for the gym. Tegan Calder, 23, regularly gorged on double cheeseburgers and sugary drinks before becoming too insecure to wear certain clothes. The hospitality worker, who is from Bristol, has now slimmed down and has shown off her muscular and toned physique on
Social Media. And speaking to Daily Star, she told us: “I am proud of myself and I am so much more body confident. If you told me that I was going on holiday tomorrow then I wouldn’t be scared and I wouldn’t be unsure of how I look. “I don’t have the fear of whether I can wear this or I can’t put this dress on so it gives you that ultimate freedom within yourself. It is a good feeling to know you can put on what you want and still feel confident.” This wasn't always the case for Tegan, who became suddenly uncomfortable about the weight around her stomach when she was trying on bikinis for a trip to Marbella. She described that moment as sparking an insecurity she previously didn’t know she had – and gave a candid insight into her former diet. “Before 2023 I literally never cooked and I basically didn’t have a clue about calories,” she said. “I just ordered takeaways and lived off takeaway food, burgers, everything. I should have been a lot bigger. “I would wake up and I basically didn’t have a clue about calories. I would either have no breakfast or I would just have a chocolate bar or crisps or whatever and I lived off McDonalds. I would usually have a chicken meal, a double cheeseburger, large fries, large Coke, mozzarella sticks and a McFlurry. “It wasn’t that I was unaware what I was consuming but I didn’t understand the impact it would have. I was also a big snacker too and if there was a packet of chocolates in front of me I would eat the entire thing.” Her transformation began gradually by reducing her alcohol intake with less nights out while embracing home cooked meals. She also faced her fears by going to the weight lifting section of the gym. Tegan did this with a pal because she felt “scared and intimidated” and she said: “I didn’t want to look stupid and all of that imposter syndrome and I didn’t want people to laugh at me because I didn’t know what I was doing. But in reality nobody is actually looking at you and everyone is very selfish in the gym and nobody cares.” Working out soon became part of her routine and she said this had a life changing impact on her physical and mental health. She now shares her remarkable progress on
Instagram, X and and said some followers have told her they have taken inspiration to make changes themselves – something she described as filling her heart with joy. Tegan, who once thought it would be “Impossible” to lose weight, now starts her days with 50 grams of oats, chocolate protein powder and some fruit and honey. But she said lunches and dinners were more exciting and said this can range from spaghetti bolognese to chicken and rice, fajitas and fish. Despite clearing up her diet, it is not all about goals and gains for Tegan who said she still allows herself the odd Maccy D's. Laughing, she concluded: “I still won’t say no if my
Friends want to go out to dinner – I think it is just about the amount you are actually consuming and what you are putting into your body that really makes a difference.”