My Journey: Becoming Coach D. and Finding Active Life

Hello, I'm Denise Destin and if you're reading this, you might be looking for a change—just like I was.

My story isn't just about weight loss; it's about rebuilding a life that felt completely shattered.

The last decade was, to put it mildly, an absolute storm. It began in 2012 when a visit home from Nashville, TN to Hattiesburg, MS made it clear I needed to move back to care for my wonderful father, whose health was failing.

Coach Denise
Over the next several years, my family endured heart-wrenching loss:
  • 2014: I lost my Daddy.
  • 2016: My only other living brother succumbed to colon cancer (my eldest brother was lost tragically in a military crash in 1988).
  • 2019: We said goodbye to my beloved Aunt AND my only sister.
  • 2020: The brutal COVID year.
  • 2022: I received my own challenging diagnosis: breast cancer, leading to a double mastectomy and reconstruction.
Amidst this relentless series of events, a severe, often crippling anxiety took hold.

Then came the blow that nearly broke me. Just weeks before my one-year cancer diagnosis anniversary, I lost my precious Mom. She wasn't just my mother; after everything we had endured together, she had become my best friend and fiercest supporter. Finding her and performing CPR left me profoundly devastated for a long, long time.

The Turning Point

Losing Mom left me at my lowest point: 213 lbs, miserable, on the verge of congestive heart failure, and prediabetic. I knew I was heading down a dangerous path. I had to do something.

My first step was meeting a young personal trainer at a local restaurant. Giving him a chance changed everything. He trained me for a few months and, when he moved on, he connected me with an amazing Active Life Professional named Billy.

That connection was gold. I'm now approaching my second anniversary of working with Billy, and my life is forever changed. 

Coach Denise then and now

The Transformation

Let's look at the incredible difference two years of consistent, guided effort can make:

My Life in 2022 (Starting Point):

My Life in 2025 (Today):

Weight/Size: 213 lbs, size 18-20

Weight/Size: Down to size 8-10!

Anxiety Meds: 3 different medications

Anxiety Meds: Off all of them! 

Heart Meds: 4 different heart/BP meds

Heart Meds: About to get off the last one.

Energy/Life: Crippling anxiety, stuck in the house.

Energy/Life: More energy than I've had in years, living a life free from crippling anxiety!

My New Purpose

Even with all this progress, I still felt a pull—a missing piece. Then, it hit me like a lightning bolt from above: I am going to become an Active Life Professional!

I want to give others the same life-changing guidance, tools, and support network that my coach and wellness team gave me. Getting and staying healthy is a team effort, and I want to be an essential part of your team.

My goal is simple: to provide you with the connections, guidance, and tools you need to accomplish a life without compromise! 

Does this hit home? My inbox is always open for a chat.