I thought it might be a good time to properly introduce myself and share my journey so far. When I turned 40 I weighed about 110kgs (242lbs) and was in hospital with massive gallstones. The doctor said my weight had contributed to the problem, so I knew it was time to finally do something more radical. I had tried every diet in the book between the ages of 18 to 40, and had just got fatter and fatter over that time. I visited a local surgeon to talk about surgical options. I took the option of a gastric band and lost 40 kgs (88lbs). At the time I had also started studying counselling/psychology, and began to realise that many of my previous issues with food were psychological (I knew what I SHOULD be doing, but always seemed to self sabotage). I had a traumatic childhood, developed binge eating disorder, and many issues needed to be resolved from that time! Once I had my degree I undertook further study into eating disorders, obesity and nutrition. I talked myself into a job with the surgeon that has fitted my gastric band and was now supporting other patients through the process. I lived with the band for 8 years, then swapped to a sleeve gastrectomy as that seemed to be a much more 'livable' solution (IT DEFINITELY WAS!). That swap was nearly 9 years ago, so for 17 years now, I've maintained this smaller body. I'm now 57 years old, I work in 2 multidisciplinary bariatric teams and I've coached thousands of people through surgery, and more recently started supporting people using one of the GLP-1 agonists such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro. I have an award winning podcast called Change your Relationship with Food and I'm the Director of the Australian Centre of Eating Behaviour. I have always wanted to build an amazing community of people who are willing to share struggles and triumphs with each other. I'm so glad you are here!

To keep this community supportive, safe, and actually helpful, we have a few simple rules: 🧠 Lead With Compassion Everyone here is at a different stage—pre-op, post-op, on a GLP-1 medication, long-term, struggling, thriving, or all of the above at once. Speak from your own experience, not from a place of judgement. If it wouldn’t help you on a hard day, don’t post it. 💬 Respect each other We don’t do shame, fear-mongering, food policing, or “well I never…” energy here. 🤝 Support, Don’t Solve (Unless Asked) Sometimes people want advice. Sometimes they just want to be heard. Ask before fixing. Validate before advising. Empathy first, solutions second. 🚫 No Diet Wars or Medical Policing There is no single “right” weight loss path. No surgery/medication shaming, no food morality, no unsolicited medical advice. What worked for you may not work for someone else—and that’s okay. 🔒 Privacy Is Sacred What’s shared here stays here. Screenshots, sharing posts elsewhere, or retelling others’ stories is a hard no. 🧑‍⚖️ I am Not the Food Police—But I am the Vibe Police If a post harms the tone, safety, or integrity of the group, it may be removed. Repeated issues may result in removal from the group. Boundaries keep communities healthy. 💛 Be the Person You’d Want in Your Corner Cheer wins (big and small), hold space for struggles, and remember: this journey messes with bodies and feelings. If you can be kind, curious, and human—you’ll fit right in!

This is your community, not mine. I need to know what you want it to be and I'll deliver. Want Q & A's? How often? Need education? What about? This is going to be a place to connect, laugh, learn, and love the new life you are living!