This uplifting episode encapsulates the winning moments of our warriors Candice Charles, Jodie Siggers, Adam Bilsy, Paula Joseph and Kaz Dalton. If you are looking for inspiration and a positive perspective on LIFE, tune in to hear the very moment these legends experience joy, satisfaction, confidence and more.One warrior after another, be ready for a burst of hope, excitement and happiness! Warriors Powered by WLSA www.wlsa.com.auShow Notes:Candice Charles0:40 - We talked about the incredible transformation that Candice has had and looked back at all her health issues that have completely disappeared including thyroid problems, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure, diabetes risks, and mental health challenges.Jodie Siggers3:09 - her husband has lost 10kg, a double win for them. The most rewarding outcome is that Jodie's son has become more active, he even competed in the GC 50 and ran the 1km event. As a family, they walked the base of Uluru which was 11km in heat that took up to 3 hours, an accomplishment they would never have been able to do in the past.5:14 - Jodie has overcome her health complication and right now, she no longer shows signs of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) nor has to take medication for her underachieve thyroid.5:53 - apply her knowledge of nutrition while caring for her mother who has put on weight from undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancers. Her mother was able to lose that weight and the nutritional meals helped improve her mobility.7:00 - happily reaping the long-term financial rewards from saving on food, medications, and doctor visits. She is applying the savings towards her wardrobe budget, a very delightful exchange as she is now able to buy clothes from any shops, no longer limited to the plus-size brands.7:48 - With her newfound confidence, Jodie now holds herself and speaks to people differently. Her happy and calm vibes have changed her interactions with friends, family and colleagues dramatically. Previously prone to depression and anxiety, Jodie no longer needs to take medication, instead, she is now able to get out in nature and go for a run to feel that sense of freedom whenever she feels a need to calm her nerves.Adam Bilsy9:42 - Adam started to feel healthier, more confident and happier, with many doors starting to open up for him, like starring on the TV show Lego Masters. He has bought a house, had a baby girl and is getting married.10:36 - Will a grueling film schedule on Lego Masters, Adam confesses that he would not have lasted if he hadn’t had bariatric surgery.Paula Joseph11:20 - For the first time, I’m no longer that sideline mom! Now I’m more active with my kids, like rollerskating, kicking a ball with them at the park, even going on waterslides with them. I never knew I had some of the muscles that I do until now.13:02 - I’m definitely more productive. And with the kind of work I do, it has helped massively as I manage stock which requires me to get low to the ground, so that has become much easier.13:34 - I’ve lost 47kg which is more weight than I expected to lose. One of the biggest surprises for me was the change in my clothing sizes. Kaz Dalton15:00 - First thing I noticed was an issue with my knees, and as I started to lose weight I felt that huge burden off them and they didn’t creek anymore. The biggest change for me was my sleeping pattern as I used to wake up tired all the time, I couldn’t wake up early in the morning and always felt sluggish.18:24 - We considered In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) but there is always a chance that it won’t work, so I’d rather invest that money into my health and hope that could correct some of the issues I had. After losing a massive 45kg 18 months post-surgery, and successfully maintaining that for a further 5 months, I finally fell pregnant on my first try.

This uplifting episode encapsulates the winning moments of our warriors Trish Bridgemand, Richard Smedley, Melinda Adams, Fiona Swadling, Steve Ball and Vicky Bonner. If you are looking for inspiration and a positive perspective on LIFE, tune in to hear the very moment these legends experience joy, satisfaction, confidence and more.One warrior after another, be ready for a burst of hope, excitement and happiness!Warriors Powered by WLSAwlsa.com.auShow Notes:

Trish Bridgemand0:40 - playtime with her grandchildren, being more confident in her career choices and participating in a 10km Noosa triathlon.4:28 - Being able to travel, sit on a plane comfortably, and not have to have additional knee or back surgery due to the weight loss.5:16 - buying clothes easily, dining in a restaurant without having to feel eyes on you.Richard Smedley6:18 - 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.10:31 - #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." Richard Smedley.Melinda Adams11:44 - Melinda explored different careers in life, from being a seamstress to becoming a Camp Manager & a Heavy Rigid Truck Driver at the mines.14:22 - On her love of adventure, Melinda experienced from jumping out of planes, to white water rafting down a seven-metre waterfall in New Zealand.15:17 - How mindset has impacted Melinda's whole pathway and her direction life post weight loss, from her health, wellbeing and also financial health.Fiona Swadling16:44 - Fiona's outlook has changed about exercising and going to the gym, and the positive impacts it has had on her family since .19:03 - With her newfound confidence, Fiona went for a role as Deputy Principal, a role she would have never considered in her old life.Steve Ball

19:50 - Single Dad Practise Being Present & Active With His Child20:31 - Being able to accept and deal with his own emotional growth and self-love, Steve shares that he is now in a new relationship.Vicky Bonner

21:57 - she’s developed a travel bug and visited America, New Zealand, and Thailand.22:39 - more physically able to be more engaged with her grandchildren, having a positive impact on her family. Even helping out with her and her husband's hobby of vintage cars.24:31 - We dive into all the highlights of Vicky's life over the past 18 years ad how it has changed her health and life for the better.25:35 - Since surgery, Vicky has been able to start a business with her husband that she would not have been able to physically do 18 years ago.

In this interview, Andrew Morello (winner of The Apprentice Australia and Head of Business at The Entourage) revealed all about the weight gain and weight loss he has experienced, many of which are issues that most people still lack understanding in our modern-day lifestyle, including the perspective of life between money, time and health, particularly for men. Denial is the most common factor as to why most men do not do anything about their health until they get sick.

 

For Morello, his biggest catalyst was actually the fact that he did not face health challenges through years of gaining weight and reaching obesity. He is truly a victim of complacency throughout his weight gain. Being a very confident person also made him not a "prime candidate" for weight loss programs. Morello was the vice-captain and an all-round popular boy at high school. which brought him a lot of attention. However, this fostered an environment that no one made him accountable for his weight problems.

 

In the business world that Morello thrives in, there have been inconveniences being a large guy, especially having to ask for an extension seatbelt for all the 100 flights he takes each year. It has become an embarrassment he got so used to. Nice business suits were for his eyes only, as most of them do not fit him.

 

The hectic business lifestyle complemented his long term bad relationship with bad food. More than frequent business travels mean unhealthy food-on-the-go and the habit of eating late whenever he returns to his hotel room after a big day will see him order a big meal from the convenience of room service and head straight to bed.

 

Morello remembered a friend who once said, "You gonna make all this money but you'll gonna die at 50."

 

All along, he thought life was great. To his delight, life after the WLSA Gastric Sleeve and Lifestyle Modification program has been even more incredible. He's not missing out on anything in life and he has nothing to give up on. It's now a fun practise around the dinner table as he "grabs a slice" off everyone's plate. Grazing is his new relationship with food which has proven to be very beneficial for his metabolism. He now consumes less but better food.

 

Today, Morello is enjoying a more fulfilled and successful life, he is truly living the dream. He is an advocate for having bariatric procedures and very proud of this journey he has embarked on. But there is a warning from Morello, especially to men out there - be prepared to have more energy, libido will go up and you will get more attention, particularly the romantic ones!For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.comShow Notes:Denial Is Our Most Damaging Defense MechanismThe Unexpected Catalyst For Radical ChangeCelebrity Story: A Large Guy's Conveniences & InconveniencesWill You Choose Wealth & Die At 50?Entrepreneur's Secret to Living The DreamMorello Warns More Energy, Especially For Men

In this podcast, Priscilla Farry looks back on her childhood, the bad eating habits she formed in high school, which subsequently impacted her weight in her adult life. Priscilla talks about gaining weight post-pregnancy with her first child, and not being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a busy and demanding job within the childcare industry.Having experienced a series of unfortunate events, Priscilla made the decision to turn her life around by approaching WeightLoss Solutions Australia and here she is on the Wellness Warriors Podcast to share her transformation journey with us in the most vulnerable and authentic way.For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.comShow Notes:3:21 - Hiding behind a facade as the funny friend from a young age, Priscilla shares the reasons why she did that, and the long-lasting impact it had on her self image and self-worth,5:23 - Like many teens her age, Priscilla adopted an unhealthy junk food eating, partying and drinking lifestyle.9:01 - Priscilla opens up about her post-pregnancy weight gain, eating whilst sleepwalking, and the bad eating habits she developed in Grade 8.21:32 - As she reached her early twenties, Priscilla found herself withdrawing from her friends and avoiding activities.24:51 - Shocked from seeing how she looked like in a photo her partner had taken of her, Priscilla made a New Year’s resolution to get fit and healthy but had some minor setbacks.35:08 - Once she realised she needed help, Priscilla reached out to WeightLoss Solutions Australia and made a decision to change her life.

Dr Karen Coates is an internationally respected integrative medical doctor and naturopathic physician. As a medical advisor to some of Australia's highest-profile celebrities and elite athletes, Dr Coates has over 30 years of experience in the health arena, with degrees in Medicine and Surgery, postgraduate qualifications in Obstetrics, Nutritional, and Environment Medicine. 

An advocate for self-responsibility in health, she has a passion for teaching and a gift for explaining complex health concepts in easy-to-understand terminology, which she goes into detail in this episode. Dr Coates covered the five foundational pillars of wellbeing which include nourishment, movement, stress management, sleep and minimising toxins. Her work now aims to provide longterm solutions instead of fad diets to cure Hashimoto disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, sleep apnoea and stress.

Dr Coates has a daughter with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It was their journey together that became the foundation of her unique management plans for women with PCOS. This inspired her to write the bestselling women’s health book ‘Embracing the Warrior’ – an essential guide for women and has been teaching women proven paths to PCOS wellness.

Get to know more about your health through DNA and let Dr Coates provide the best solutions to optimal wellness here https://www.felicitycohen.com/curing-disease-through-nutrition-dr-karen-coates/

 

Show Notes:Question - At what point in your career did you start to think about things that might not have been within the traditional scope of the normal general practitioner's lifestyle?1:10 - I had a couple of incidents with patients where my mind was open to the possibility that there were other ways of treating them. One woman had symptoms of bladder urgency, and I thought she had a urinary tract infection. Turns out I was right but when I contacted her to come to pick up her prescriptions, there was a pause on the end of the line. She took the courage to say no, and that she would look into alternative options. She decided to see a Chinese herbalist and when her results came back after a few weeks, her urinary track was completely cleared. For someone with a medical mind, it really shook me. That’s when I contacted her Chinese herbalist to start the conversation, which then lasted for years as I studied alternative options to prescribed medication.Question - When a lot of people think integrative medicine, what does that actually mean?5:02 - Integrative medicine is choosing the best of both worlds, but as a medical doctor, my decisions are always based on facts. For example, when treating mild, to moderate depression, often I will prescribe medical marijuana rather than prescription medicine, which has the same results with less harm. With saying that though, there are some circumstances you have to bypass the natural and go straight to the medicine because it’s the right decision for that particular clinical scenario in that person.Felicity - Can those things sometimes work in combination?6:51 - Sometimes interactive doctors forget about basic biochemistry, both naturopaths and doctors should know when is the right time to take prescribed medication and how they’ll interact with one another. At the end of the day, let’s say you’re zinc, iron or vitamin D deficient, you’re unable to make these hormones that support mood and reduce anxiety, so if you’re not fuelling your body with the right foods, you’re not going to get the optimal results through prescribed medication and natural medicine.Question - What do you think about using things like IV nutrient therapies? Is that something that you feel is relevant and worth exploring further?9:15 - When looking at someone who is struggling to maintain their body weight, often it’s not a case of being malnourished, but they are micro malnourished, so they are unable to absorb the sufficient trace minerals to support everything their body needs.

Dr Gina Cleo has a PhD in habit change and is a Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Bond University. She also holds a Bachelor in Health Sciences with a double major in Biomedical & Sport Science & a Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics. As a dietitian, and having worked in clinics and hospitals, Gina’s passion for wellbeing extends beyond just what we eat; rather she has dedicated her career to helping people understand their habits and how small consistent steps impact long-term health and wellbeing. Her research has been published in medical journals globally and she has appeared for over 150 news outlets including many of Australia’s major television networks and has featured in numerous publications.In this episode, Gina breaks down those myths surrounding habit change and goes into depth about the three components of a habit, which include, trigger, routine, and award. Gina now has the honour of running the Habit Change Institute where she teaches evidence-based strategies for achieving long-term, success through the power of habits, from breaking old habits to forming new habits and understanding motivation. With all the big lifestyle changes we have recently undergone, now is a great time to create those new healthy habits.If you’re interested to learn more about changing habits and keen to get certified as a habit practitioner, visit https://www.felicitycohen.com/power-of-habits-dr-gina-cleo/ to know more.

Delia McCabe holds a Masters in Psychology and a PhD, which focuses on the neurobiology of stress and nutrition among women. Nutritional neuroscience has been Delia’s research focus for over 25 years. Using her psychology background, in combination with her neurological and nutritional knowledge, Delia provides a unique perspective on improving cognitive function, including focus, concentration, and learning capacity, shifting mood, enhancing our ability to manage stress, and creating new habits with ease. 

 

As a neuroscientist and stress resiliency consultant, Delia has authored two phenomenal books penned from her years of research and experience. In her first book, ‘Feed Your Brain – 7 Steps to a Lighter, Brighter You!’ Delia examines the science behind how nutrition impacts brain function. Delia’s second book, ‘Feed Your Brain – The Cookbook’ brings this science into your kitchen and reveals how delicious, even decadent meals and snacks can support your optimal brain health.

 

For our lucky listeners, Delia has a special gift, a 2-for-1 offer on her books: www.felicitycohen.com/optimal-brain-function-and-nutritional-neuroscience-with-dr-delia-mccabe/

Dr Liz Isenring is a Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist, author and speaker. In this highly informative episode, Dr Liz shares how nutrition can help with leading a long and healthy life. She started her career as a hospital dietitian supporting people with cancer to improve their quality of life via medical nutrition therapy. Over the next 20 years Dr Liz worked in university, hospital and research fellow positions including at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology. Most recently Dr Liz was Head of Program for the newly established Master of Nutrition and Dietetics Practice program at Bond University where she led a high performance team to gain full accreditation. Recognised as an international nutrition and wellness expert, Dr Liz has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers and an Amazon bestselling book.During a time when two friends were diagnosed with cancer, Dr Liz was inspired to start “LINC Nutrition”, a consultation program designed to be the link between hospital and at home care. Over this period, she experienced burnout and after rediscovering the power of nutrition, Dr Liz improved her energy and fitness and was motivated to help other busy leaders get healthy and stay healthy, with a focus on work-life balance, stress, anxiety and depression. Dr Liz shares the 3 pillars of mindset, menu and movement as part of her program and also the importance of gut health.Download your free copies of her book “The Path to a Stronger Immune System” and her informative infographic “The Gut Map” here: www.felicitycohen.com/longevity-through-nutrition-with-dr-liz-isenring/

In this uplifting episode with #WeightLossWarrior Kaz Dalton, we dived into the epic milestones she has achieved post-bariatric surgery, from improving her relationship with her husband, to successfully conceiving her first child and starting her own business. Like many of the weight loss stories we have uncovered, Kaz too made the life-changing decision to undergo gastric sleeve surgery after learning about her infertility following her diagnosis with polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS). 18 months later, she successfully lost a massive 45kg and within 5 months of maintaining her weight, she finally fell pregnant on her first try post-bariatric surgery. This raw and deeply genuine conversation led us to break down the difference between the benefits and the stigmas of weight loss surgery.This year (2021) marks 4 years since we met Kaz Dalton, who now runs her own business with an online store, happily pursuing her passion in interior design and styling. She has also written and published two children’s books, with one title inspired by her son, Bear, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This book "A Boy Named Bear" (currently sold out) presents life through the eyes of an autistic child, with the goal to remind kids that they are all different and are all perfect.To pre-order a copy of "A Boy Named Bear" visit https://www.felicitycohen.com/author-and-mother-kaz-dalton-journey-of-writing-her-sell-out-book-a-boy-named-bear/

Show Notes:Felicity: What was life like for you growing up and where do you think some of those foundation behaviours may have resulted in an issue for you?

1:17 - When you're a triplet, there is always that sort of competitive nature to what you do, but there's also the, "I want to do the same as what my sisters are doing". Growing up with a single mother, food was always comforting for us and we ate what we had, in a generation that was told to finish off our plates, and being competitive with my sisters, we made sure we did. Once we got to school, the other kids started to comment on our weight, but since the three of us were going through it together, we were able to brush it off and support one another, which made it easy to get out of control as we had nobody to tell us our health was a problem.

Felicity: What would you want to see for your own child now?

3:53 - I have confidence that society has a better grasp on bullying, but then there is cyberbullying. My son is four and he’s on the spectrum, suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) he is also predisposed to weight gain from both his parents' genetics, so I am worried about bullying for him. From what I’ve learnt growing up, I’m teaching my son healthy eating habits.

Felicity: After grade four or five, when you were starting to notice the way you were perceived in school, what happened from there on?

5:08 - Growing up, my sisters and I just kept getting bigger and bigger. Our school was very focused on sports, which we always failed at but didn’t care because we excelled at English and drama. It wasn’t until grade 11, that our mother could see that personality wise, we were getting lumped together, so she decided to split us up between different schools. From there we started to develop our own character but I was also able to see that I had an issue with my weight. So I took up ballet and basketball which aided in some weight loss. I also changed my eating habits by consuming smaller portions. It wasn’t until I left high school and joined the workforce that my old eating habits of consuming something quick whilst finishing off my plate returned. I decided to consider bariatric surgery as I realised I couldn’t control my portion sizes.

Felicity: If you feel like you're never satiated and you constantly got that issue with hunger, weight loss surgery works from that perspective.

7:28 - The first two weeks on the post-surgery diet was the best for me because it made me realise how much the hunger was in my head. It wa

Elaine Harvey is a Pediatric Sleep Consultant who has been helping parents find their own parenting power. Since establishing Lullababy SOS, Elaine have worked with over 10,000 families, both in Australia and globally, helping mums and dads with all things baby and toddler related with a particular focus on sleep, settling and routine.In this fascinating interview, Elaine shared many stories from her decades of experience in teaching babies how to sleep, from musical beds to mothers being able to sit down to eat their first full meal. Elaine also revealed about her personal health scares that ultimately led her to listen to what she has been preaching to mum that came to her for help, and that is "to look after yourself first."If you've been through, going through or about to start your parenting journey, this is one episode that you will truly enjoy listening to.You can find more information about Elaine Harvey and her Lullaby SOS program here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/why-we-must-sleep-better-wtih-baby-whisperer-elaine-harvey/

 

Show Notes:Q: How did you actually end up working as a pediatric sleep consultant?1:24 – In 2000, I started working as a nanny in London and quickly moved into working as a maternity nurse in the UK. We moved here in 2006, I started working in a childcare center where in two weeks, I had all of my babies on a beautiful routine and they were all sleeping better. From then, I started showing mums how to support and teach their babies to sleep at home, that’s where Lullaby SOS started.

Q: Do you think that’s a big problem in terms of learning routine, that we’ve become a little bit too complacent with the “anything for peace” approach of letting kids stay up until they can drop dead and fall asleep at night?

7:15 – There’s so many little points in there. First thing is mums will put everyone else before herself. It’s amazing how much a mum can put themselves through and still get through every day. Obviously your body is just going into that fight and flight mode, your sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive and even if you try to lose weight, and your body is not going to because it’s in survival mode. So if you’re not looking after youself, then you’re not going to be able to achieve anything in the weight loss area.

Q: Give me a couple of examples of families where you’ve seen some really good outcomes that you’ve worked with.

11:24 – I have got so many amazing stories about babies. One of the biggest things that I love about what I do is the impact that it has on parents and families long-term. I will have parents message me five years later and say, “you do not understand how much of an impact you had on our family and how highly we praise you in our family.”

One of my most memorable ones was a baby in Canberra. Mum had a lot of food allergies and her son had also got really severe reflux. It was heartbreaking how physically exhausted mum was. She had lost so much weight. The baby made such a huge turnaround within 24 hours that on the third day we were just celebrating, how relieved they were to have mum out of the bedroom and being able to sit down and have a meal with her husband, without having to sit in the dark, eating rice and tuna while her son was attached to her.

Q: How damaging do you think musical beds routine can be when you’ve got this whole kind of charade going on right throughout the night. How do you break that habit and get the child to sleep in its own room when it’s had this ongoing routine for such a long time?

17:06 – If it’s not okay for your marriage, for your relationship, for your child, well, then, doing something about it and actually making conscious steps to do something about it.

I was working with a client whose husband was a musician and did a lot of travels through Europe. Their daughter traveled a lot with her, the band, and always co-sleot with them. When she was 14, her parents had the second baby and her anxiety levels were so high that she