I have struggled with my weight my whole life.
I have had many life changing experiences that resulted in me losing and regaining kilos.
I was anorexic at 21. I managed to turn it around and started seeing a psychologist for help.
Major health issues, relationship loses, deaths of close family and friends, loss of the life I thought I would have versus the reality of what it is, empty nest syndrome all contributed to not just grief and loss of sleep but affected my weight journey.
I put on weight after having children and couldn’t lose it. Part was due to hormones but also had underlying health issues which were contributing to it. I started weightwatchers and had some little success.
I went to the doctor for some help to be told to “get off your backside and go exercise “. That same day in the mailbox there was a pamphlet advertising First Place For Health Program being launched here in Australia. I looked up the website and joined that day. From 2000-2025 I did First Place For Health Program and was asked to lead groups locally and online. I trained other leaders to facilitate the program. But my own weight didn’t move. Many others had successfully lost weight and kept it off. The program also focuses on spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health so although I never lost the weight I gained alot of valuable help from the other areas. The bible studies and the emotional discovery books were life changing for me. To be a whole person not just focusing on my weight. The group support helped me navigate life through the 25yrs and I met some lifelong friends.
I also tried AWW, 12wbt and The Biggest Loser program but nothing budged.
In 2007 I had major heart surgery and in 2009 lung surgery. I lost 35kilos after the bariatric surgeon put me on optifast program prior to lung surgery. I never had bariatric surgery. It was all by diet and exercise and being managed by the endocrinologist. I got within 5kg of my goal weight.
Then I had to have treatment post lung surgery which was to put me on prednisone and cytoxic chemo drug which saw me regaining the 35 kilos I had just lost plus more.
Since then it was a struggle to lose it. Nothing worked no matter what diet I tried.
In 2017 my weight finally began to shift in the right downward slope on keto diet. I was also doing the fast 800 program. It all came to a sudden holt in 2020.
Life circumstances changed again drastically and I put on kilos.
In 2023 It started to just drop off me and I was diagnosed with cancer. 6 months later I had surgery to remove the cancer. At post op appointment I was told I was cancer free and no further treatment needed.
At that same 6 week post op appointment I got covid, which lasted 6+ weeks. I lost all sense of taste and smell and no longer had ability to exercise as I was exhausted. I also had very little appetite.
One of my First Place For Health members in USA sent me a care package. She had knitted a throw rug for me. It lifted my spirits and still to this day keeps me warm.
Somehow though during the recovery time the weight crept upto my all time heaviest in December 2024. I had 55kilos to lose to get back to my goal weight. An impossible task for me.
In July 2025 the day of mum’s funeral, I had a dr appointment and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Dr put me on medication and I was told to see Diabetic Dietician. My A1c was 6.5.
In December I saw the Dietician. She recommended the cgm (continuous glucose monitor) to measure bgl (blood glucose levels). It was a huge game changer for me. I got to see what foods raised my bgl and what were ok. She also told me to go on keto and use the fast 800 program. I had previously done both in 2009-2018 and had little success. Exercise was taken off the table as I still struggled with my energy and had bad knees. So any results would be strictly through diet. Eating normal foods in correct quantities.
I was watching a show and stumbled across Dr Nowzaradan. He treated 600lb people in USA for bariatric surgery. I got his book and started following the diet to kick-start things off. I was having success with my weight.
In January 2026 I was taken off the diabetes medication altogether. Dr wanted to see me in March to repeat bloodwork. I was still losing weight.
I started using the keto and the fast 800 programs again.
At a follow-up appointment in may I was told I was officially no longer diabetic or insulin resistant. I had successfully reversed it completely. All my bloodwork came back to normal. My A1c had dropped to 4.8.
In June I had a follow-up appointment with the Diabetes Dietician and she confirmed that I had successfully reversed the diabetes and was no longer diabetic or needed to see her.
It was at that appointment I learnt grief can affect our weight and sometimes people don’t eat due to being grief stricken. It all made sense as I had alot I’ve had to deal with over the last 40yrs. Lack of sleep was also a key factor in weight issues. The kilos have continued coming off.
See Cook with Barb: Tips To Reverse My Diabetes and Cook with Barb: Eating out cuisine suitable for diabetic
Today’s weigh in saw me reach 20.5 kilos lost in the last 18 months through diet alone. I still have 35kilos to lose to reach my goal weight but it’s a great start and so the journey continues.
Other life lessons I have learnt are
- Appreciate and enjoy the little things in life. Food, shelter, health, finances and family and friends , they are actually the big things in life.
- Life’s circumstances may change you but you can change your attitude in how you deal with them. The future can be changed one step at a time.
- Setbacks are not failures they are stepping stones for learning.
- Life is what it is. You are the only one in control of your life. Your thoughts, actions can be changed. You have the whole future ahead of you. Your past doesn’t define you. Your strength and courage does.
- Take life one hour at a time. Pick yourself up and begin again as many times as you need to.
- ” If you don’t quit you will succeed!”
Cook with Barb 