EP13: A Junk Food Addict Transformed Into A Lifelong Wellness Warrior

In this episode, I caught up with Candice Charles to talk about how her weight loss and wellness journey has been in the 12 months since she’s had her bariatric surgery, a life-changing experience she shared with her husband, Andrew. Candice dived deep into how she turned her addiction to sugar, using the support she has intentionally placed around her to achieve her transformation, and becoming the healthy person she is now, thriving every day with an active, and fit lifestyle, both mentally and physically.

Continue reading

EP12: Busting Diet Myths & Breaking Down Common Fears With Dietitian Jen Hoult

In this episode, I caught up with WeightLoss Solutions Australia accredited practising dietitian, Jen Hoult to talk about all things diets and wellness. This interesting conversation breaks down the most common fears when one first started on a diet and how getting back to the basics with all the different types of diets available is essential.

Continue reading

EP11: A Trailblazer of Lap Band Surgery Reveals Her 18 Years of Weight Loss Journey

In this episode, I catch up with Vicky Bonner. One of the first people to take up gastric lap band surgery back in 2002. We talk about how much the landscape has changed with the advent of new bariatric surgeries, and how the perception amongst General Practitioners and the wider community has shifted to become more accepting and embracing of weight loss surgeries.

Continue reading

EP10: Dive Into The World of Bariatrics with WLSA Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Reza Adib

Join me as I delve into the world of bariatric surgeries with Brisbane’s renowned surgeon, Dr Reza Adib, who is also the General and Laparoscopic Surgeon. Dr. Adib has studied across Australia, England, Scotland, France, and Austria, and to date, he has performed over 4000 weight loss procedures.

Continue reading

EP7: Andrew Morello on Health & Wealth – A Celebrity’s Journey through Entrepreneurship, Weight Loss & More

In this episode, I sat down with Andrew Morello, winner of the first Apprentice Australia, to talk about his own experience with weight loss, as well as the incredible work he does as the Head of Business Development at The Entourage, Australia’s largest training institution for entrepreneurs and business owners.

Continue reading

EP5: Melinda Adams: From A Stationary Seamstress To The Ultimate Thrillseeker!

Melinda Adams: From A Stationary Seamstress To The Ultimate Thrillseeker!

I caught up with #WeightLossWarrior Melinda Adams and talk about how her trajectory in life has changed a million per cent since she began her weight loss journey in 2004 via a gastric band procedure that was the only bariatric solution available at that time. Melinda regained her functional fitness which enabled her to try out different careers to building up a financial property portfolio, to travelling around the world. Ever the avid thrillseeker, Melinda shares her passion for all things adrenaline including white water rafting and jumping out of planes!

A big takeaway for anyone considering bariatric solutions to achieve sustainable weight loss, take a moment to think about this: If in your thirties, you couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs yet in your fifties, you’re doing whitewater rafting, that’s a massive polarisation between those two points in time.

The lap band weight loss solution and Melinda’s 3Ps – Positive, Persistent and Perseverance, has given her the most amazing opportunity to live a full, active and incredible life.

CHECK OUT THIS EPISODE ON THE WELLNESS WARRIORS PODCAST

Show Notes:

1:22 – A surgical weight loss journey that started in 2004, when it was relatively new.

3:20 – Melinda’s first milestone achieved was when she went from three to two figures on the weighing scale over the Christmas holidays.

5:53 – Melinda explored different careers in life, from being a seamstress to becoming a Camp Manager & a Heavy Rigid Truck Driver at the mines.

7:40 – On her love of adventure, Melinda experienced from jumping out of planes, to white water rafting down a seven-metre waterfall in New Zealand.

8:51 – Looking back at some of the challenges and obstacles she used to have prior to her weight loss surgery, Melinda shares how she struggled walking upstairs, with the heat, buying new clothes, fitting into a chair at restaurants and travelling.

17:01 – How mindset has impacted Melinda’s whole pathway and her direction life post weight loss, from her health, wellbeing and also financial health.

24:17 – Melinda’s experience with gastric band surgery back in 2004, that was the only surgical weight loss option available, and how that’s turned Melinda’s life around for the better.

27:17 – Where will Melinda be in her 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond?

EP4: A Painful End of Life From Living In Denial vs. A Thriving Lifestyle From Breaking Bad Habits

A Painful End of Life From Living In Denial vs. A Thriving Lifestyle From Breaking Bad Habits

Bariatric patient Richard Smedley shares his weight loss journey through the last 3 years. Richard reveals the personal story of his own sister who was, unfortunately, unable to take actions to better her lifestyle choices, and the outcome of that inability to change the mindset led to her sufferings and subsequently her end of life. Richard talks about how overweight crept into his life from when he was a teenager and how he adopted a different approach, through the support and guidance of WeightLoss Solutions Australia, he is now living his best life. With #YesYouCan mantra, he is doing the wonderful healthy things he could never have done before, including Salsa dancing, running, jet-skiing, target pistol shooting and travelling.

“3 years ago, I was 200 kilos. I’m now sitting at roughly just under 95, quite happy about it. I’m extremely active. ” Weight Loss Warrior, Richard Smedley. 

CHECK OUT THIS EPISODE ON THE WELLNESS WARRIORS PODCAST

Show Notes:

5:02 – I tried many things over the time with gyms and losing weight and did it quite successfully, but then something happens and you get back on the sliding scale again, usually, an injury or something happens that puts you out of whack for a while, and you get back into the wrong food choices again. 

7:05 – I believe it’s an internal voice that’s in your mind, that’s telling you it’s okay to keep eating the wrong foods. You need those foods.

7:23 – It’s that denial thing of not realising that you are that big because I didn’t think I was that big, even though I knew what size clothing I was buying and the amount of food I was eating. 

8:59 – With family life, it was hard to see where the problems were because when you’re getting into that relationship and the comfort, my wife was also gaining weight through poor food choices and we both gained significant weight. 

10:26 – My sister’s weight probably worsened when she got into a stable relationship, her weight issues remained unchecked and she developed diabetes.

13:54 – All these things happened a couple of years ago when there was the possibility of reversing, some of the effects before they got too bad, but that denial factor of her, she didn’t do it, and hence why it has led to now, this final outcome.

26:23 – With my approach to the weight loss surgery, I was told about WeightLoss Solutions Australia and got in contact with them, and I found a solution there.

28:46 – Activity days include functions with high-level chefs providing meal solutions and paddle boarding. WeightLoss Solutions Australia sponsored the #WeightLossWarriors community to train and participate in the Gold Coast Marathon.

36:13 – My life now is so totally different from having lost weight. The biggest thing, it’s far easier to travel. I looked up and found a local salsa dancing group, it’s a lot of fun, one of the things with that is it’s called muscle training.

42:19 – #YesYouCan now fit into a toilet on the airplane without many worries, yes you can sit on an airline seat without having to overcrowd the person beside you. Yes, you can go on amusement park rides and know that they can sit the bar on you without having to say, “Sorry, sir.  You can’t go on this ride.”