Woman Who Lost Half Her Weight After Fiance Dumped Her For Being ‘Too Fat’ Wins Miss Great Britain 2020
Hard work, perseverance, and grit lead to success—and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise! That’s one of the lessons that Jen Atkin, the winner of Miss Great Britain 2020, wants the world to know.
Being crowned Miss Great Britain required huge amounts of willpower and effort. To reach this incredible goal, Jen made healthy living her Guiding Star. She completely overhauled her diet, said ‘goodbye’ to a sedentary lifestyle, and lost over 100 pounds in weight.
“I got to a size 22 and my favorite dress didn’t fit anymore and I knew I had to change!” 26-year-old Jen told Bored Panda about the moment that she knew she had no other choice but to change. “It felt incredible winning Miss Great Britain, I never expected it at all.”
“A few years ago, if someone had told me I’d be Miss Great Britain I’d have never believed it!” Scroll down for the rest of our interview with Jen.
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Jen Atkin started exercising and eating well a few years ago
Image credits: jenatkinuk
She lost over 100 pounds in 2 years of disciplined living
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Jen decided enough was enough when she couldn’t fit into her favorite dress and got dumped by her ex-fiance
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Jen goes to the gym 5 times a week now
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Jen told us that the difference between her lifestyle a few years ago and now was like night and day. “I eat so much better, I don’t follow a diet but I think about what I eat so much more. I still enjoy meals out but don’t binge like I used to! I go to the gym 5 times a week now and I love it, it’s become a staple part of my life and has helped me in so many ways.”
She’s very active and is constantly on the move
Image credits: jenatkinuk
All of her hard work paid off
Image credits: jenatkinuk
She’s living proof that perseverance, willpower, and discipline lead to success
Image credits: jenatkinuk
It took her 2 years to go from weighing around 240 pounds to around 125 pounds (that’s about 50 kilograms!). But what do we do if we’d love to follow in Jen’s footsteps but we find ourselves without energy or motivation? Well, Jen told us that it’s all about consistency and small steps.
“My biggest advice would be to take every day as it comes. Imagine where you could be in 3 months time and just keep chipping away! Consistency is key and it’s a lifestyle change!” the aviation administrator from Ulceby told Bored Panda. Now that’s some realistic motivation right there.
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Something else that motivated Jen to change herself was being dumped by her ex-fiance because of her weight. This led to a personal crisis and an opportunity to forge a better, faster, stronger future for herself. As it turns out, it was the start of a hard but fulfilling journey.
Jen was named Miss Scunthorpe and became the runner-up for the title of Miss England in 2018. She then took a break from competing in pageants to get married. It’s a story that makes you believe that “happily ever after” isn’t just a fairytale ending.
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Jen radically changed her life and the effects are obvious to everyone
Image credits: jenatkinuk
She greatly improved the quality of her life
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
The Miss Great Britain contest isn’t just about pageantry, though. The women who participate show real entrepreneurial spirit and work hard to support charities. For example, this year, this event supported the organization Cancer Research UK and Alex’s Wish (which helps treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy), and raised more than 42k pounds for these worthwhile causes.
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
However, Jen still lets herself eat a tiny bit of junk food every now and then
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Eventually, she got married and took a break from competing in pageants
Image credits: jenatkinuk
She was runner-up Miss England in 2018
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Jen was over the Moon that she won the Miss Great Britain 2020 crown!
Image credits: jenatkinuk
Image credits: jenatkinuk
226Kviews
Share on FacebookThe fact that she got a set of veneers, bought a new nose, and had a boob job had nothing to do with it...right? ...///... It's wonderful that she lost the weight. It's not easy to do and most people make excuses rather than admit that their whole lifestyle has to change permanently to make it work, and she managed it beautifully. ...///... There's a lot more to her than winning a bikini contest, though. I wish she knew that.
Do you relize that when you lose that much weight your boobs take a trip to down truing to see your knees and so does your skin, a boob job might have been a nessicary part of it all. trust me
Load More Replies...I'm glad she took better care of her health, but it looks like she became obsessed with her appearance.
I don't think it's just obsession when weight can change your entire life: marriage, jobs, how strangers react to you, and of course health. What is obsessive is how mean a lot of people are to anyone who is overweight, but especially to women.
Load More Replies...I’m overweight and seeing posts like this depress me not motivate me. Why you ask? Because being thin and beautiful is waaaaay more important than being happy with who you are as you are. Give me a story from someone overweight who was told they’d die if they didn’t lose weight not someone who did it all for vanity. There’s a huge difference between losing weight for vanity and for health.
But losing weight for vanity can positively affect your health. And losing weight for health can positively affect your self image. The two quite often go hand in hand
Load More Replies...Okay, I get it. She seems to have only pursued a healthier lifestyle due being dumped for her size, and she appears to have become obsessed about her looks. But why are people hating on her for that? It's sad. Not something to get angry or judgmental about. That poor girl suffered a major emotional trauma. Imagine being engaged to someone you love, thinking you will love each other for the rest of your lives, just to be dumped solely because of your appearance. Of course she became obsessed with her looks. I can imagine she deals with feelings of unworthiness and feels she needs validation or approval from others to feel worthy. Is that healthy? No. But it is the way she has responded to a major and personal rejection.
Fully agree, the hateful comments in this post are no better than the hateful people in her life that made her feel like this. It's really sad that people can't just be happy for her
Load More Replies...As someone that grew up really skinny (and got bullied for it), then gained weight and then some after having my son, I can honestly say that being a certain weight does not guarantee happiness. I'm happy that she is happy, but it is her life and she decided what to do with it. Don't ever let anyone else decide what you should be happy with, though.
I like that she didn't edit her stretch marks. She has the scras to show her journey and doesn't hide them. While I think pageants are one of the most useless inventions, ever, I have a large amount of respect for that.
The title may say that it was because of her ex, but she was also upset with her lifestyle and that she couldn’t fit into her favorite dress. I know not many people read things and just jump into the post, especially with the “clickbait-like” titles, but maybe it would benefit you to read before you comment. Just an honest mistake, so there’s really no need to apologize for something so small on the internet
Load More Replies...The only good example I take away from this is that she didn't wallow in depression or blame others when she hit rock bottom, she changed her lifestyle for the better. Beauty is skin deep and tends to fade, but a good self-improvement ethic can last a lifetime.
Getting obsessed and performing lots of plastic surgery, isn't something I would label as "for the better" though.. it's not healthy.
Load More Replies...Good for her! Perseverance is crucial. Some days are great, some days are good, some are bad and some are disasters. Success involves getting up after falling down, dusting yourself off and continuing on the road.
I think she kicks butt and is awesome. Everyone complaining about being depressed /sad because of some (insert fake reason here,) is just covering up their own lack of motivation to put down the Twinkie and start working out. I'm not buying any of your sob stories because I have been fat and worked hard to get the weight off. Get over yourselves. No one is buying your fake virtue signaling justifications you are pontificating.
wow that's so awsome that she started to take better care of herself
Whoop-de-doo from chubby and cute to shallow and obnoxious. Fake lips, teeth, nose, boobs and god knows what else? Lipo? All to what? Get that idiotic "revenge body"? Rolling my eyes hard over here.
Same here. From one bad habit (over eating) to another (looks obsession).
Load More Replies...How is she a "Miss" anything if she took off time to get married?
Probably recovering from one of her MANY plastic surgeries.. 🙄
Load More Replies...Don’t wanna be mean, don’t get me wrong, she is gorgeous now. But she was beautiful before... I think just the weight loss would have been enough for her confidence... not the “extras”. But if this is what makes her feel good... then kudos
if she was as beautiful before, she wouldn't of got dumped for her looks
Load More Replies...I think that its great that she is happy and she feels healthy! I too need to get off the computer and get moving. However, I agree with many of the comments, she is beginning to look a bit plastic - or maybe just over filtering? Question: if she got married, how can she be a Miss Britain? Here in the USA, there is a Mrs. USA and a Miss USA competition. If you are married, you can't participate in the Miss pageants.
So she only won Miss Great Britain after losing weight? So she got back at her ex by proving to him that she thought he was right?
High praise for not being fat! Woo woo. Worst thing ever! Even at this lower weight she has to use makeup to make her face more contourex, which in some images come through as having a smudgy dirty face. How about not choosing creeps who diminish you and not loving you for who you are? Bored Panda, you disappoint.
And here am I, got dumped by my ex girlfriend a year ago. Lost 60 kg since then (around 120 pounds) but never felt the need to enter any contest. Still insecure about my body too.
I get what you are saying and I hope you feel happier in your body soon, but maybe she entered the contests to get a chance to show off her new lifestyle change, and maybe she just wants to feel worthy, and don't we all just want to feel worthy. For some it is easy to feel enough, but for some it's really hard. So maybe she wanted to have a chance to feel really good about herself, being dumped sometimes hurts you and makes you feel invalid especially when you think you are going to be with them forever. Thank you for your time.
Load More Replies...How do you win a contest as "Miss Anything" if you're married. "Mrs." maybe, but "Miss?"
I'm not fan of shows where the living creatures are showcased like a thing, be it a woman or a dog, etc. especially when they are "made up"; the former one has a choice, the latter does not. Besides that, I admire this woman, her hard work and perseverance (shouldn't she thank a little to her ex-boyfriend?) My advice to anybody: do not let your weight go too far up, it's that harder to lose it.
Good for you, darling girl. He was a jerk and you're better off without him. Regardless, a smiling pretty lady before and after.
Basically, once again, if you're pretty ( with society's standards), you are successful.
The main thing is that she got serious and lost the weight. Good for her. The money she spent to add to her looks is great, if you can afford it. I really admire the strength and perseverance it took to lose so much weight!!
I cant trust you even if you haven’t gone to it once... probably true...
Load More Replies...Her drive was impressive but it seems that she went to the other extreme of unhealthiness -- complete artificial phoniness. Can she live the rest of her life without being obsessed by her physical appearance? What happens when she starts aging? Let's check again in 10 years. Also, pizza is not junk food. It is fast food, but it still can have nutrition. Junk food is like candy. All taste, zero nutrition and no resemblance to any real food.
I bet her ex-fiance who dumped her for being too fat is kicking himself now seeing how she has changed herself for the better.
Dumped by "ex-fiance" ? How is that possible? If he is an ex, then they are no longer dating, and therefore cannot dump her again. The only person in this scenario who could dump her would be her fiance. But, that aside, she is well shot of this shallow twit. Good on you girl, be happy!
I hope she thanked the ex boy friend for igniting the motivation needed to get herself healthy and in shape. The man deserves a medal.
i would say she was better before, Dont give a f**k about other's opinion. Fat doesn't always means unhealthy. what about people who cant afford healthy food & gym instructor.
Thank you BoredPanda for showing us what true beauty really is. Remember when someone criticizes your looks you should focus all your energies on remedying your flaws, that way you can show them up in the end. And parading around in a swimsuit in front of strangers is the sweetest revenge (there should be more beauty pageants so all you ladies get a chance to glow): that ex must be burning with regret these days. Thank you Jesus!
Great she looks like a actual human being now instead of a beach ball. But in end the breakup was something for the better not everyone can take a hit and use the momentum ti turn themselves around. Most people even myself just take a hit in life and go down
Thanks for the heads up. I was under the impression that beauty pageant winners make appearances as part of their contractual obligations for the year. I stand corrected, as you've obviously done your research.
Load More Replies...The fact that she got a set of veneers, bought a new nose, and had a boob job had nothing to do with it...right? ...///... It's wonderful that she lost the weight. It's not easy to do and most people make excuses rather than admit that their whole lifestyle has to change permanently to make it work, and she managed it beautifully. ...///... There's a lot more to her than winning a bikini contest, though. I wish she knew that.
Do you relize that when you lose that much weight your boobs take a trip to down truing to see your knees and so does your skin, a boob job might have been a nessicary part of it all. trust me
Load More Replies...I'm glad she took better care of her health, but it looks like she became obsessed with her appearance.
I don't think it's just obsession when weight can change your entire life: marriage, jobs, how strangers react to you, and of course health. What is obsessive is how mean a lot of people are to anyone who is overweight, but especially to women.
Load More Replies...I’m overweight and seeing posts like this depress me not motivate me. Why you ask? Because being thin and beautiful is waaaaay more important than being happy with who you are as you are. Give me a story from someone overweight who was told they’d die if they didn’t lose weight not someone who did it all for vanity. There’s a huge difference between losing weight for vanity and for health.
But losing weight for vanity can positively affect your health. And losing weight for health can positively affect your self image. The two quite often go hand in hand
Load More Replies...Okay, I get it. She seems to have only pursued a healthier lifestyle due being dumped for her size, and she appears to have become obsessed about her looks. But why are people hating on her for that? It's sad. Not something to get angry or judgmental about. That poor girl suffered a major emotional trauma. Imagine being engaged to someone you love, thinking you will love each other for the rest of your lives, just to be dumped solely because of your appearance. Of course she became obsessed with her looks. I can imagine she deals with feelings of unworthiness and feels she needs validation or approval from others to feel worthy. Is that healthy? No. But it is the way she has responded to a major and personal rejection.
Fully agree, the hateful comments in this post are no better than the hateful people in her life that made her feel like this. It's really sad that people can't just be happy for her
Load More Replies...As someone that grew up really skinny (and got bullied for it), then gained weight and then some after having my son, I can honestly say that being a certain weight does not guarantee happiness. I'm happy that she is happy, but it is her life and she decided what to do with it. Don't ever let anyone else decide what you should be happy with, though.
I like that she didn't edit her stretch marks. She has the scras to show her journey and doesn't hide them. While I think pageants are one of the most useless inventions, ever, I have a large amount of respect for that.
The title may say that it was because of her ex, but she was also upset with her lifestyle and that she couldn’t fit into her favorite dress. I know not many people read things and just jump into the post, especially with the “clickbait-like” titles, but maybe it would benefit you to read before you comment. Just an honest mistake, so there’s really no need to apologize for something so small on the internet
Load More Replies...The only good example I take away from this is that she didn't wallow in depression or blame others when she hit rock bottom, she changed her lifestyle for the better. Beauty is skin deep and tends to fade, but a good self-improvement ethic can last a lifetime.
Getting obsessed and performing lots of plastic surgery, isn't something I would label as "for the better" though.. it's not healthy.
Load More Replies...Good for her! Perseverance is crucial. Some days are great, some days are good, some are bad and some are disasters. Success involves getting up after falling down, dusting yourself off and continuing on the road.
I think she kicks butt and is awesome. Everyone complaining about being depressed /sad because of some (insert fake reason here,) is just covering up their own lack of motivation to put down the Twinkie and start working out. I'm not buying any of your sob stories because I have been fat and worked hard to get the weight off. Get over yourselves. No one is buying your fake virtue signaling justifications you are pontificating.
wow that's so awsome that she started to take better care of herself
Whoop-de-doo from chubby and cute to shallow and obnoxious. Fake lips, teeth, nose, boobs and god knows what else? Lipo? All to what? Get that idiotic "revenge body"? Rolling my eyes hard over here.
Same here. From one bad habit (over eating) to another (looks obsession).
Load More Replies...How is she a "Miss" anything if she took off time to get married?
Probably recovering from one of her MANY plastic surgeries.. 🙄
Load More Replies...Don’t wanna be mean, don’t get me wrong, she is gorgeous now. But she was beautiful before... I think just the weight loss would have been enough for her confidence... not the “extras”. But if this is what makes her feel good... then kudos
if she was as beautiful before, she wouldn't of got dumped for her looks
Load More Replies...I think that its great that she is happy and she feels healthy! I too need to get off the computer and get moving. However, I agree with many of the comments, she is beginning to look a bit plastic - or maybe just over filtering? Question: if she got married, how can she be a Miss Britain? Here in the USA, there is a Mrs. USA and a Miss USA competition. If you are married, you can't participate in the Miss pageants.
So she only won Miss Great Britain after losing weight? So she got back at her ex by proving to him that she thought he was right?
High praise for not being fat! Woo woo. Worst thing ever! Even at this lower weight she has to use makeup to make her face more contourex, which in some images come through as having a smudgy dirty face. How about not choosing creeps who diminish you and not loving you for who you are? Bored Panda, you disappoint.
And here am I, got dumped by my ex girlfriend a year ago. Lost 60 kg since then (around 120 pounds) but never felt the need to enter any contest. Still insecure about my body too.
I get what you are saying and I hope you feel happier in your body soon, but maybe she entered the contests to get a chance to show off her new lifestyle change, and maybe she just wants to feel worthy, and don't we all just want to feel worthy. For some it is easy to feel enough, but for some it's really hard. So maybe she wanted to have a chance to feel really good about herself, being dumped sometimes hurts you and makes you feel invalid especially when you think you are going to be with them forever. Thank you for your time.
Load More Replies...How do you win a contest as "Miss Anything" if you're married. "Mrs." maybe, but "Miss?"
I'm not fan of shows where the living creatures are showcased like a thing, be it a woman or a dog, etc. especially when they are "made up"; the former one has a choice, the latter does not. Besides that, I admire this woman, her hard work and perseverance (shouldn't she thank a little to her ex-boyfriend?) My advice to anybody: do not let your weight go too far up, it's that harder to lose it.
Good for you, darling girl. He was a jerk and you're better off without him. Regardless, a smiling pretty lady before and after.
Basically, once again, if you're pretty ( with society's standards), you are successful.
The main thing is that she got serious and lost the weight. Good for her. The money she spent to add to her looks is great, if you can afford it. I really admire the strength and perseverance it took to lose so much weight!!
I cant trust you even if you haven’t gone to it once... probably true...
Load More Replies...Her drive was impressive but it seems that she went to the other extreme of unhealthiness -- complete artificial phoniness. Can she live the rest of her life without being obsessed by her physical appearance? What happens when she starts aging? Let's check again in 10 years. Also, pizza is not junk food. It is fast food, but it still can have nutrition. Junk food is like candy. All taste, zero nutrition and no resemblance to any real food.
I bet her ex-fiance who dumped her for being too fat is kicking himself now seeing how she has changed herself for the better.
Dumped by "ex-fiance" ? How is that possible? If he is an ex, then they are no longer dating, and therefore cannot dump her again. The only person in this scenario who could dump her would be her fiance. But, that aside, she is well shot of this shallow twit. Good on you girl, be happy!
I hope she thanked the ex boy friend for igniting the motivation needed to get herself healthy and in shape. The man deserves a medal.
i would say she was better before, Dont give a f**k about other's opinion. Fat doesn't always means unhealthy. what about people who cant afford healthy food & gym instructor.
Thank you BoredPanda for showing us what true beauty really is. Remember when someone criticizes your looks you should focus all your energies on remedying your flaws, that way you can show them up in the end. And parading around in a swimsuit in front of strangers is the sweetest revenge (there should be more beauty pageants so all you ladies get a chance to glow): that ex must be burning with regret these days. Thank you Jesus!
Great she looks like a actual human being now instead of a beach ball. But in end the breakup was something for the better not everyone can take a hit and use the momentum ti turn themselves around. Most people even myself just take a hit in life and go down
Thanks for the heads up. I was under the impression that beauty pageant winners make appearances as part of their contractual obligations for the year. I stand corrected, as you've obviously done your research.
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