Wellness Warriors by Felicity Cohen: Recent Episodes
Felicity Cohen
Welcome to Australia’s home of Wellness, Vitality and Personal Growth.
Wellness Warriors is a movement that exists to help you to improve your wellness, lose weight and grow the levels of energy and vitality that feed your life.
Since 2000, Felicity has helped over 12,000 people transform their health and lifestyles as the CEO of WeightLoss Solutions Australia and as a leading pioneer in the movement to end obesity and weight-related disease and illness in children and adults. Join Felicity as she unpacks many of the secrets to transforming your life as a Wellness Warrior.
Discover the power of Lifestyle Modification and many of the healthy habits and practices that, over time, can have a profound effect on your vitality and your ability to keep on top of all aspects of your wellness; physical health, weight management, emotional health and mindset.
Enjoy the Wellness Warriors Podcast as we all take the next step on our Wellness Journey together.
Dr. Gabby is known for her popular Instagram page, The Mindful Doctor, where she shares health information that is evidence-based and easy to understand. As a GP in rural NSW, Dr. Gabby is an advocate for slow, narrative medicine, listening to her patients and prioritising connection so they feel seen, heard and valued.
Jen Dugard is a pre and postnatal educator and business coach with a passion for helping fellow FitPro's create values-driven, mum-focused businesses that serve their whole life. Jen and Felicity discuss the importance of the pelvic floor, how women can safely return to exercise after giving birth and Jen’s personal journey with motherhood, mental health and depression.
With more than thirty years in the health and wellness industry, Kris Abbey is excited that wellness is finally becoming a lifestyle worth investing in. Join her as she chats with Felicity about how she built her incredible career at the intersection of her two passions: preventative health and communication.
Anthony Burke is an Architecture Professor and presenter on Restoration Australia recognised internationally for his work in architectural design, curation and commentary. He and Felicity discuss the importance of restorative architecture, emerging trends in Australian design, and several simple yet powerful things to promote wellbeing in your home.
Peta Shulman founded Goodness Me because natural, wholesome foods helped her take control of her own health, and she wanted to help others learn how and why they should love nourishing their bodies and make healthy eating fun. Today, she’s here to talk about how she’s making whole foods more accessible to everyone.
Sahrys Page is a leading personal trainer and fitness expert with a reputation for distilling the BS around exercise in a refreshingly comedic, relatable voice. Sarhys also has an incredible story of regaining her own health as she struggled with a drinking problem from a younger age. Sarhys is 100% sober today, advocating for healthy lifestyles and is motivated by making others feel good. Join Sarhys and WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen as they discuss Sarhys’ journey to sobriety, how she manages her own wellness, the importance of exercise and what her next steps in the fitness space might be.
Join wife, mother, holistic wellness expert and Move for Mental Health founder Kylianne Farrell and WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen as they discuss Kylianne's unique approach to wellness, spanning everything from eco-therapy, positive psychology and exercise, the mental health continuum, mental resilience and what exactly mental health first aid is and why it’s so important.
Join entrepreneur and holistic life coach Justine Switalla as she talks to WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen about how we approach life and how this plays a massive role in our overall wellness, success and happiness. Listen as they dive into how motherhood has changed Justine’s outlook and perspective on exercise, health and wellbeing, and practical tools we can use to protect and nurture our mindset to make sure we’re living happy and healthy lives.
Psychologist, author and parenting expert Rachel Tomlinson joins Felicity to talk about the changing pressures our children are facing and how we can set them up to live happy, healthy lives as adults. Join as they discuss the impacts COVID has had on our children’s and our own lives, and walk away with a new understanding of how we can empower our children to recognise and process their emotions.
Psychologist, author and parenting expert Rachel Tomlinson joins Felicity to talk about the changing pressures our children are facing and how we can set them up to live happy, healthy lives as adults. Join as they discuss the impacts COVID has had on our children’s and our own lives, and walk away with a new understanding of how we can empower our children to recognise and process their emotions.
Inspired by her mother and grandmother, Felicity has been on a life-long journey to improve the quality and longevity of people’s lives through a holistic approach to weight loss. In this episode, she talks about the stigma around weight-related health concerns, how to open up conversations at home and the WLSA difference in treating obesity.
Inspired by her mother and grandmother, Felicity has been on a life-long journey to improve the quality and longevity of people’s lives through a holistic approach to weight loss. In this episode, she talks about the stigma around weight-related health concerns, how to open up conversations at home and the WLSA difference in treating obesity.
Anna Heinrich's journey into wellness began after experiencing a lack of sleep during her first pregnancy with her daughter Elle, which inspired the birth of INTU Wellness. Anna shares the life experiences that led her on this new path, one where she is the healthiest and happiest she has ever been.
Anna Heinrich's journey into wellness began after experiencing a lack of sleep during her first pregnancy with her daughter Elle, which inspired the birth of INTU Wellness. Anna shares the life experiences that led her on this new path, one where she is the healthiest and happiest she has ever been.
Dr John Demartini's mission is to share knowledge and wisdom that empowers you to become a master of your own life and destiny. He's here to discuss why positive thinking is nothing more than a distraction from achieving your goals.
Dr John Demartini's mission is to share knowledge and wisdom that empowers you to become a master of your own life and destiny. He's here to discuss why positive thinking is nothing more than a distraction from achieving your goals.
RUOK? Ambassador Barry Conrad lets us into his life which has led him down the path of wellness. His mission is to raise awareness surrounding mental health to help de-stigmatise the issue, proudly utilising social media platforms to lead the conversation. No matter what your wellness journey is, let Barry inspire you to find what’s right for you.
RUOK? Ambassador Barry Conrad lets us into his life which has led him down the path of wellness. His mission is to raise awareness surrounding mental health to help de-stigmatise the issue, proudly utilising social media platforms to lead the conversation. No matter what your wellness journey is, let Barry inspire you to find what’s right for you.
Daniel D’Appio has always spent time with the trees and it would be his pleasure to share the major benefits of getting out into nature with you. He’s a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and the Director of Shinrin-Yoku Australia. In this episode, he uncovers everything you need to know about Forrest Bathing; the history, all the benefits, why it’s becoming so popular, and why he is so passionate about it.
Daniel D’Appio has always spent time with the trees and it would be his pleasure to share the major benefits of getting out into nature with you. He’s a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and the Director of Shinrin-Yoku Australia. In this episode, he uncovers everything you need to know about Forrest Bathing; the history, all the benefits, why it’s becoming so popular, and why he is so passionate about it.
Dr Lurve specialises in helping people navigate the science and metaphysics of relationships. A modern-day cupid for individuals discovering self-love, singles ready to find love, and couples ready to make love last forever, she is the singular authority on how to make relationships work. Each relationship we have with family, friends, and colleagues, equates to the quality of our own lives. An episode which is full of insights that will benefit each and every one of us.
Dr Lurve specialises in helping people navigate the science and metaphysics of relationships. A modern-day cupid for individuals discovering self-love, singles ready to find love, and couples ready to make love last forever, she is the singular authority on how to make relationships work. Each relationship we have with family, friends, and colleagues, equates to the quality of our own lives. An episode which is full of insights that will benefit each and every one of us.
Nikki Phillips is a media personality, MC, model, content creator and major talent. She has this enviable cool confidence that has seen her partner with leading brands on ambassadorships and advertising collaborations around the globe. Nikki is also a CEO, with her brand Rattle & Bones, focusing on sun protection for children. An episode not to be missed for any first-time parent!
Nikki Phillips is a media personality, MC, model, content creator and major talent. She has this enviable cool confidence that has seen her partner with leading brands on ambassadorships and advertising collaborations around the globe. Nikki is also a CEO, with her brand Rattle & Bones, focusing on sun protection for children. An episode not to be missed for any first-time parent!
You may remember Blake from My Kitchen Rules Season 10 on Channel 7, but his journey with food didn’t start there. Through a life of many hurdles, Blake shares what he has learnt over the years when it comes to his health and wellness, especially around the major health benefits of food, nutrition, and growing your own fruits and vegetables.
You may remember Blake from My Kitchen Rules Season 10 on Channel 7, but his journey with food didn’t start there. Through a life of many hurdles, Blake shares what he has learnt over the years when it comes to his health and wellness, especially around the major health benefits of food, nutrition, and growing your own fruits and vegetables.
After a diving accident in Bali at the age of 20, Rhiannon was diagnosed as a C-5 quadriplegic and was told she would never walk again. While many may let a life-changing injury hold them back from living their dreams, Rhiannon has used it as further motivation to create a life she loves, helping and inspiring thousands of people along the way.
In a life of adversities and challenges, Suzie managed to stay resilient and open-minded on her journey of self-discovery, and she is sharing that story here with our listeners. She is Australia’s boxing golden girl that staked her claim as one of the nation’s greatest ever female boxers and solidified her Legacy through strength and resilience.
Lisa Messenger needs no introduction but let’s give it a go… Lisa is the vibrant, game-changing founder and CEO of Collective Hub. She has authored a number of best-selling books and has since taken her teachings online into the digital sphere. An episode not to be missed for anyone looking to start up their own business.
Shan Alyce is using her digital platforms to share digestible financial advice to educate and empower people — especially women. Finance is more than just money, it affects our relationships and our mental well-being too. In this episode, Shan breaks down all things finance with some really helpful advice and useful tips.
Alexx Stuart is a columnist for Wellbeing magazine, an author, a mother and also a sought-after speaker and consultant to businesses committing to change for good. For our listeners, Alexx shares how it all began, her personal health struggles, and some really simple tips on living a Low Tox Life.
In this episode, Dr Gamer Verdian gives us a full 1:1 on oral health, and that also means your overall health. Learn how crucial oral care is for our physical and mental wellbeing, and let Dr Verdian explain the best treatment options for everybody. “Dentists treat people, not just teeth, so I make it a priority to help patients feel at ease,” says Dr Verdian.
Yads Cauchi is a qualified beauty journalist and dermal therapist, based in Canberra. She holds two Bachelor’s degrees, an Advanced Diploma in Cosmetic Dermal Science and is currently completing a Masters’s degree in Human Nutrition. Yads has spent almost a decade writing about health and beauty for publications including Cosmopolitan, Shop Til You Drop, Beauticate and Gritty Pretty, but now predominantly writes for Adore Beauty and works closely with Go-To Skincare.
Yads knows how overwhelming and complicated the skincare world is made out to be – but she’s here to tell you it really doesn’t have to be that hard. An episode not to be missed when investing in your skin health!
Why don’t we look after our entire body in the same way we do our face? Understand the importance of caring for your whole body with former model and founder of Fig Femme, Lindy Klim.
Wellness is different for each and every one of us with Lindy discussing what that looks like for her. Sharing about why she chose to move her family to Bali, diving into feminine hygiene, and even sharing some of her personal wellness tips that keep her grounded.
Cherry Dipietrantonio is the newest member of the Real Housewives of Melbourne, bringing with her a refreshing and healthy new outlook to the franchise. Aside from being a reality television star, Cherry is a credible yoga instructor and mindfulness coach, skills she has mastered from her own experiences in life. Now she is giving back to the community through her philanthropy work, hosting her next event ‘Mindful Motion Wellness Day’ with 100% of proceeds going to the St Kilda Mums organisation.
Learn how to unleash the power of your morning as Felicity Cohen reveals her personal morning routine and how we can set ourselves up for the best day ahead.
References:
- 5am Club by Robin Sharma [Book Recommendation]
- The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod [Book Recommendation]
- Felicity’s Smoothie Recipes: Veggie Green Juice, Strawberry Smoothie, Mango Smoothie
Jump To:
- 1:10 / When Felicity first started her business 21 years ago.
- 2:16 / The 5am Club & The Miracle Morning.
- 4:32 / Waking up at 4.10am for a run.
- 7:00 / Going to the gym.
- 9:43 / Other mindful practises to add to your routine.
- 12:02 / Nutrition in the morning.
Sit back and slow down as you take in the latest episode with Euphemia Russell on their new book Slow Pleasure and the health benefits associated with it.
Throughout 2021, Felicity had interviewed some incredible guests for the Wellness Warrior Podcast. At the end of every conversation, she asks this one important question; what does wellness mean to you? And believe it or not, every single response has been so different.
We found it really inspiring to listen to our guests' expression of wellness which give us some insight into what wellness actually means to them. It's so interesting to note that wellness is such an individual thing. It is different for everybody.
What does that look like for you? Is it about your health and wellbeing? Is it spiritual? Is it something more? Is it about your family, your children? Physical, mental, spiritual health, and all of the different components and pillars of wellness that all come together. They are all exceptional with common denominators that are expressed in so many beautiful ways.
We look forward to diving deeper into wellness by bringing you much more variety of exciting episodes in 2022.
We've had so many inspiring and wonderful guests throughout 2021. This episode brings you impactful moments offering you great insights into many different areas of life and wellness. We've had conversations around food, mindfulness, connection, parenting, menopause, fertility and many more that offer techniques to improve the quality of our life.
We've also had many of our patients from Weightloss Solution Australia joining our podcast, sharing their inspiring weight loss journey and what led them to find the right solution for them that had completely transformed their lives.
Watch this compilation to get you motivated for the good changes you can make this year!
We look forward to bringing you many more inspiring conversations in 2022.
Check out all episodes here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/wellness-warriors/
Angela Warm is an environmental scientist turned seasonal health coach, with a passion for helping women in their 40’s and 50’s navigate menopause with ease. After moving to Switzerland with her family, Angela got her health coaching certificate to educate herself and her family, and with what she discovered, she had to share with others.
We go over the simple, yet effective advice Angela shares with her clients, from diet, movement, mindfulness, sleep and how to destress. Outlining the most important topics women need to understand and the symptoms to pay attention to when going through menopause and pre-menopause.
Discover Angela’s programs to help you on your journey of health and well-being here, warmwellness.com/
On the surface, Alan has lived a few lives. He has lived in the Himalayas; led a team, designing and building an eco-resort on Ambergris Caye, Belize; he has been a CEO of some of Australia’s most awarded marketing agencies and as a consultant and advisor helping some of the world’s most recognisable brands and businesses find growth in a world and in markets where change is the only constant. Beneath the surface, Alan’s life is directed by two of his guiding principles, to live present and to live a life of purpose.
In this eye-opening episode, Alan shares his journey towards discovering the importance of presence and how that collates with life, work and living in a pandemic, and discover the depth of connection we can feel through everything around us that allows for a more fulfilling and enriched life.
To see more about Alan, partake in his 10 Day of Presence program, or read one of his books, visit www.alanriva.com
With the rise of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Gabriella discusses the missing gaps within the standard treatment, and why there needs to be a holistic, integrative medical model for infertility treatment. We discuss some common issues that cause thyroid imbalances, the importance of diet and lifestyle, but most importantly the mindset when trying to conceive.
Gabriela completed her PhD at Harvard to further help more of those struggling with infertility. With her team, they have developed a program to address every aspect of health possible from the first consultation to treating patients. This precise and extensive system allows them to educate patients and understand how she can best support patients to achieve the desired outcome. To see more of her programs visit https://naturalfertilitybreakthrough.com/
Sarah Callaham shares the fascinating history of Pilates and the philosophy behind it, and how it has progressed over time within the wellness space, explaining the rise of Pilates is due to the realisation that fitness is a more minded approach.
Discovering her passion for sports at a young age, Sarah soon discovered she was experiencing hypermobility within the joints due to it being overworked. After a month of starting Pilates, Sarah could finally walk without any pain, which inspired her work at The Body Method, taking on the vision of being the space for holistic fitness, she ensures that The Body Method's inclusive philosophy and cultural values continue to welcome people into the family. Over the years she has had many little achievements of movements, however, they were massive wins to partially paralysed and quadriplegic patients Sarah treated with Pilates.
To see more about The Body Method, visit www.thebodymethod.com.au
Melo Calarco is a certified mindfulness facilitator and performance coach with over 25 years of experience. Through his work that is based on neuroscience, mindfulness, human behaviour and other unique approaches, Melo continues to transform many lives back to self-awareness, clarity, focus, success, and ultimately wellness of the mind.
Melo draws the lessons he learned from his self-discovery experience cycling and trekking around the world and how mindfulness helped him overcome obstacles including near-death experiences. Melo now shares the wisdom of mindfulness and meditation through his programs with large corporate companies, high-performance athletes, mental health clinics, health retreats and many more.
In this episode, Melo takes us on his evolution and shares what he'd learned along the journey. The valuable messages are simple, yet transformative. This conversation will get you to connect back to your journey and mindfully evaluate the simple things in order to perform at your best and overcome the burnt-out state as we go through the treadmill of life.
Find out more about Melo Calarco and his work here: https://melocalarco.com/
Dr Fiona Tassoni is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine specialising in fertility. As the founder of Solaris Health, a leading fertility health centre for acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine, she integrates these holistic practices to help her patients achieve an optimal level of wellness. Her passion for women’s health and healing over the past 19 years brings a wealth of knowledge in the area of gynaecology and infertility.
Listen to this episode to better understand the practice of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Dr Tassoni's empathic and compassionate approach in prescribing a person’s or couple’s health solution while working intuitively presents a complete integrated perspective.
Discover Dr Fiona Tassoni's Pregnancy Accelerator Program where she helps struggling couples achieve the dream of conceiving a healthy baby: https://fionatassoni.com/
We explore the inspiring lifestyle and mindset of an Australian Football League Women's player, Kate Surman (nicknamed Spud), who is also a physiotherapist. Kate walks us through how she balances the demanding aspects of her life and gives us insights into what it's like to be a competitive sports team player at AFLW.
In this light-hearted conversation, Kate shows us the possibility of achieving greatness whilst enjoying simple things in life. By having core values, consistency in routines and an optimistic outlook, Kate is kicking her goals and showing up strong for her team as her zesty self, while under high pressure to be in her best shape and performance all year round.
Angela Counsel is a clinical Naturopath now incorporating all her health knowledge to support women transition through menopause with ease. For over 20 years, Angela has been primarily in the space of women’s health and well-being. She is a mindset coach and also includes naturopathy and kinesiology to treat her clients to gain a deeper understanding of their health issues.
In this episode, Angela shares her personal journey through menopause, showing us that it is possible to go through menopause; lose weight in the process, and come out the other side living the life she desires. Her main focus is on a healthy diet combined with lifestyle changes, which Angela discusses ‘how’ in detail in this episode.
Watch this episode and view the transcript here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/transition-from-menopause-into-desired-life/
Over 33 years, Graziella Thake, CEO of The Optimisation hub, has worked across multiple industries for 26 multinationals. Combining her expertise, she is now offering a world-first full curriculum of transitional development programs for sportspeople at every level, focusing on improving the mental health needs in the industry.
Through reflections of multi-facets of her life in this episode, Graziella Thake gives us insights into what makes each of us a human being, with the intention that others would see the unique offering they can provide to the world. Her strong urge to help the world from a very early age has taken her down many paths that have been eye-opening for her.
Her people-first lifelong attitude has been proven through her experiences, earning her a reputation for a sought-after ground-breaking leader. Graziella is a well-respected speaker, project and program lead for highly skilled operational risk environments using her training systems for risk prevention strategies for teams and professionals in specialist industries.
Check out The Optimisation Hub for solutions to increase identity resilience, balance and focus for high performance athletes: https://theoptimisationhub.com/
A true wellness warrior, Dan Neuffer, shares with us how he overcomes the biggest battle of his life for 7 years, suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. A former physicist, a young family man, Dan was once bed bounded to the idea of never getting his life back up again. A smile he couldn't fake for his kids at one Christmas dinner, gifted him the determination to find a way to recover.
This episode digs deep into Dan's personal journey dealing with his sickness. He shares insights on the nature of this group of diseases, its conditions, and how he tackled them back to wellness again. Since his full recovery in 2010, he has proven to himself that it is possible to achieve what he once thought was impossible.
Through many years of sharing his story, Dan has created ANS REWIRE a comprehensive online program to support more people with their recovery journey from this syndrome. The program is now being used in over 60 countries around the world to help people recover from these illnesses.
Dan also wrote two books to help others with the disease; CFS Unravelled, and Discover Hope – 7 steps to help you rediscover hope and cope better with Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, POTS, PVFS & MCS.
Check out his program and other resources here: cfsunravelled.com.
For transcript or to watch this episode instead, click here. Shownotes:
01:29 - Start out as a physicist, what drove you into that area of professional space originally?
His love for numbers and his amusement in lasers from a very young age led him to study lasers and optoelectronics.
02:43 - So you were struck down literally with a whole plethora of a disease profile that included, Myalgic and Stefano, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, et cetera, this whole group of diseases. What are some of the contributing factors that can lead to this group of conditions that you were dealing with?
Dan explains the various triggers that can lead to the illness and that’s different for each individual.
04:58 - Can you talk me through why there's so much uncertainty regarding the diagnosis in the first place?
Dan calls it an invisible illness, a disease that its symptoms cannot be easily verified through medical tests. With a variety of symptoms, it is confused into being differentiated into many different illnesses. But from his experience, Dan classifies them under one umbrella when he looks at their causes rather than focusing on the symptoms.
08:30 - So you went on a journey of six and a half to seven years of dealing with being critically unwell. How did you actually cope to survive those?
With honesty, Dan shares the extremely difficult journey he’s gone through with his illness. The severity of his state he discussed here, as he looked back at that time, got him into accepting that he was not going to recover. One Christmas where I couldn’t fake a smile for his kids, got him crawled out of that state to make a conscious decision to seek a way to recovery.
14:50 - So what did you find and how did you actually get to that point in time where you felt that you were well again and obviously functioning as you hoped to?
Through his research, Dan dived deep into the root causes of what he’d experienced. Instead of looking to treat the symptoms, he started to ask why they were happening. That’s when he began to see the solutions, one of those being him learning about the autonomic nervous system.
17:51 - Where do we get our magnesium from in our normal day-to-day dietary intake?
Magnesium can be found in a range of food, however, Dan expresses that to return to wellness, we need to address the root cause.
21:12 - So what were some of the other avenues, pathways and mechanisms for recovery? What did you find?
Dan explains the connection he made through his discoveries in treating his illness. He looked into the cellular metabolism, autonomic nervous system and more importantly through his own observation of his own behaviours. Brain training was a big process he had to learn to manage through difficult times.
30:03 - How are you training people to get through the illness conditions through your program?
Dan shares that his comprehensive program is all about getting people to utilise the strategies provided they can do at home daily. While not having the answer to this complicated illness, having ealistic expectations and complimenting his strategies have proven to improve the health of many.
35:49 - What is your daily practice look like to self-manage now so that you potentially never have a relapse again in the future? What does a normal day look like to you?
With the strategies he had learned and shared with others in his program, Dan is now able to live his life normally without being cautious of his health at all.
38:22 - What is your daily practice look like to self-manage now so that you potentially never have a relapse again in the future? What does a normal day look like to you?
To me, wellness means not knowing about it. Not thinking about it.
That's what wellness means to me. Right. Because I think when you can just engage in life without any awareness of wellness, you've probably got it.
Former extreme sports enthusiast Adam Bowcutt has had a colourful life, from numerous visits to the hospital with chronic depression, an honours degree in Psychology and Sociology from The University of Southampton, England, writing his first book, ‘Confide: The New Psychology of Confidence. How to Power Up after Experiencing Depression’, to eventually being diagnosed with bipolar. Adam has experienced many highs and lows to arrive at this point where he can now share his experiences with the world to help with their own mental health issues through vulnerability, support and hard work.
This episode is a powerful, open and emotional conversation that looks into the life of someone suffering from mental illness. Adam shares his ongoing journey to achieve ultimate balance, confidence and happiness, how he got here and where plans to go next. Currently writing his second book: WORK IS MENTAL: Rethinking Future Workplace Mental Health, Adam continues to work on his men's groups to help build up strength and confidence, with a goal to help 100 people, especially in the workplace.
To hear more about Adam's journey and seek additional advice you can visit his website here https://adambowcutt.com.au/ and as a special gift for our listeners, he has offered a discount for his book here.
For transcript or to watch this episode instead, click here.
Show Notes
01:01 - At what age of your life did you start your extreme sports journey, most specifically with snowboarding?
His passion and 'obsession' with snowboarding begun at the age of 11. Adam shares how his journey progressed as he moved through the mountains.
04:19 - Do you think you were someone who was achieving at such a high level in sport and placed a lot of pressure on yourself to perform, achieve, and excel? And was that linked to how you got into deep dark depression?
Adam believes that although the pressure had allowed him to improve, he stretched himself to the point that it became unhealthy and unbalanced.
06:06 - Do you think we've come a long way to support the mental health of our elite sportspeople?
Adam shares his excitement seeing the significant increase in how sportspeople are being supported mentally compared to when he was heavily involved in the area.
07:53 - At what stage did you decide that you wanted to take up studying psychology and sociology? When did that become a passion for you?
Adam developed his fascination with understanding human behaviours from a very young age. He dived deep into sociology and psychology during his study. And that's where the journey began.
10:37 - Did your knowledge from your study in sociology and psychology help you with your recovery through depression?
His knowledge allowed him to understand his challenges to a certain extent which did help him. However, Adam points out that, partly, it also became counter-productive in his healing process.
12:07 - Was there a specific moment in time that you can pinpoint that was the catalyst for your depression? How did that kind of roll out over time?
Adam shares his recent finding of the history of his depression. This new learning has majorly shifted his views on his past.
His journey in receiving help and giving support to others has played a huge role through his healing also.
18:10 - What did your support network look like outside the professional and hospital setting? And how did that help you with the healing process?
The support from his close friends and his sister had a powerful effect on his journey. Adam and Felicity discuss how a support system outside of medical help is critical and can save lives.
22:48 - At what point do you feel like you had gone through that transition of feeling as though your healing process was complete?
Adam explains that for him, it's continuous progress. However, there was a certain point where he held as the standard of his balance in wellbeing.
25:52 - What are some of the techniques you've put into practice every day to keep you balanced? Did you change your diet?
Besides writing three gratitudes, Adam also embedded a holistic approach to the daily habits in all areas to help him be as close to his optimal self as possible each day.
31:04 - How do you feel that other men can connect with the mindful practices to achieve good health?
The stigma of the past of not being strong and manly has shifted dramatically. Adam shares the empowered stories of men, like himself, leading the way and re-imagining what it is to be a man and share who they are.
34:21 - Tell us about how you recently injured your elbow and ended up having the brace you're wearing proudly now?
Adam tells how he first dislocated his elbow almost 20 years ago during a skateboarding competition. That injury has left weakness on his elbow. From just putting his shoes on too quickly, it had led him to another surgery.
37:30 - Where did your professional career start?
Adam takes us on a ride from his skateboarding career, and through many leaps of faith later, he's now building impactful businesses of his own to help others.
41:45 - What do you see as being your greatest failure that's helped drive success for you?
His greatest failure was not listening to himself sooner, not trusting himself sooner, not having self-awareness sooner. However, it was the right time for him to realise it in hindsight because he was ready to make that one decision now, Adam shares.
45:57 - What inspired the first book, what shaped the first book and how is that helping people here and now?
Adam has always been inspired by public speakers, something he's aspired to be great at himself. Then, at a fateful event, a speaker reminded him of the power of writing, where he remembered how much he used to want to become an author too.
50:36 - Tell me what drew you to the Freemasons and what can you share with us with that secret community?
Adam shares with us as much as he can about his experience being a part of the so-called secret society. At first, he was only seeking ways to network his business without realising that this community would become one of the top three important things in his life.
58:44 - What does wellness mean to you?
To Adam, wellness means loving yourself and helping others to love themselves cells in a beautiful cycle of love, strength, and health. It's all connected for me. Wellness is a continual cycle severe of strength and energy and beauty and love and all those good things.
In this episode with Dr Peta Stapleton, we are exploring the Effective Freedom Technique (EFT) to deal with stress, anxiety, weight management concerns, chronic pain and so much more. As an outside-the-box-mind psychologist, Peta taps into her researches and studies over the decade. She shares with us the improvement she has seen using EFT in her patients.
Initially, Peta’s dream was to become a lawyer. As fate redirected her to find her true passion in psychology, particularly in EFT, her goal remains to find the right solution to help people. Being an expert in EFT, she sees the opportunity of this “fourth wave” therapy becoming more accessible to all. Peta believes wellness is an all-encompassing concept, and with easy tapping techniques which have been shown to leave a long-lasting improvement on our well-being.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of this treatment, Peta guides the Wellness Warriors podcast host, Felicity Cohen through the tapping technique.
For transcript or to watch this episode:
https://www.felicitycohen.com/tapping-eft-to-transform-wellbeing/
Show Notes: 01:39 - What took you through choosing to take the pathway to psychology?
Dr Peta tells the story of how her plan to get into law redirects her into finding her lifelong passion in psychology.
04:11 - What do you think are some of the things that have shaped the change in the perception towards psychologists?
The wider community starts to have access to psychologists through the Medicare program. It used to be harder for people to access unless they were able to fund themselves or through private health insurance.
06:35 - How has EFT been used effectively with children and in a school setting?
Being recognised by the local schools, Dr Peta and her team helped implement EFT to help students and teachers manage their stress and food cravings. She explains how EFT is a very effective technique for kids as it's very easy for them to do.
10:13 - How you actually entered into the research space with regards to EFT and how did it help grow and evolve the whole movement.
Originally specialised in the eating disorder space, she found that many traditional techniques weren't that effective. As she started to see more clients recovering from their eating disorders through EFT and decided to look deeper into it in her researches. She takes EFT into improving many different health issues over the last 15 years.
13:02 - With your current research project on tapping as the chronic pain intervention, what is your findings?
In her most recent research in 2020, Dr Peta found that there's an absolute reduction in the severity of pain, psychological things like anxiety and depression respond positive as well as the overall quality of life.
17:26 - What have you experienced implementing EFT into the bariatric patient population?
Through her research and working with bariatric patients over the decade, Dr Peta says she has seen a profound impact on those patients using EFT as part of their treatment.
18:58 - Why do you call this type of treatment the fourth wave?
Dr Peta explains that the recent discoveries within the therapy space have shifted into combining a whole range of treatments that involve the semantic and movements to treat patients in different areas.
22:06 - As far as the fourth wave evolution and just continuing its growth, what's the international landscape look like? And how have you impacted that through your research?
Dr Peta shares with us the fact that these practices are becoming more and more recognised worldwide. This includes having EFT being accepted as a safe therapy for veterans and PTSD sufferers.
24:04 - Dr Peta guides us through how quick and effective the treatment is, as experienced first-hand by the host, Felicity Cohen, in this episode.
29:15 - Where would you like to go next with EFT and what areas of research do you feel have been untapped?
Chronic pain space would be Dr Peta's main focus for a while as it's an extremely emerging area currently. She would also love to seek to have EFT approved as a Medicare item so that more would have access to the therapy.
31:11 - Have you seen EFT patients have a reduction in their medications?
In a previous study, they have seen the impact of tapping on the vagal efficiency in people. They also track many physiological measurements as well as people history of medications and how that shifts over time.
33:29 - What does wellness mean to you?
To Dr Peta, wellness is an all-encompassing state of mind.
A boy from a humble farm, an adrenaline-leading broker, and now a meditation coach, writer and producer of The Portal — Tom Cronin takes us along the roller coaster of the work of life in this episode. The highs he experienced through his young adult years, working under immense pressure, led him to the biggest decision in his life. That is choosing whether to break down or make a breakthrough.
Transpired to be walking in the journey of light, luckily, Tom discovered meditation. He learned to adapt to stress better from then onwards, and he could see significant shifts happening.
In this episode, Tom dives deep into the meditation practice, sharing the tremendous amount of benefits it has on our being. He sees how meditation not only improve his own life but of those around him. His aim is to help bring people back to stillness and peace through his current work. He knows meditation is the portal from within that can take us there and he's here to share it all with us.
Tune in to the end of this episode to experience a beautiful 2-minute meditation guided by Tom Cronin.
If you'd like to learn more about meditation practice, check out The Portal book and film, written and produced by Tom Cronin: https://entertheportal.com/
Be inspired to make that life-changing decision, join Tom in The Stillness Project: https://stillnessproject.com/
Show Notes:
2:24 - From growing up in a peaceful environment, what drove you to decide to work under high pressure in the finance industry? The Wolf of Wall Street style career path was something Tom did not plan on doing long-term. He originally wanted to pursue a different path to uphold his values during his early years.
However, the rewards from working on the trading room floor in Sydney kept on extending his stay, running on adrenaline for 26 years.
6:21 - What are some of the biggest things you learned from your time working in finance that you feel like you have translated or utilise now in your work today? Resilience and the ability to let things go were the big parts of what Tom had learned in that industry. He suggests that adaptability is what we all need to work on, now more than ever, to reduce stress in overwhelming experiences.
7:51 - Did you have strategies in dealing with overwhelmed when you were working in the finance industry? Tom shares that, back then, he was using stress management tools that weren't sustainable, which had caused more damage to his nervous system.
8:40 - What was the delineating moment for you that was telling you to make a change? Tom explains that the accumulation of stress responses in his body led to a severe nervous breakdown at the age of 29. That's when the Universe guided him towards the biggest change in his life through meditation.
10:43 - How did you get yourself into that mode of being able to practice meditation successfully? Here he explains how he could have a tangible and distinct experience very quickly through the technique that he learned from a qualified meditation program from the beginning of his journey.
12:54 - Did meditation change your brain chemistry and stress response? How did it alter the relationship within your workspace? Everything drastically changed for Tom. He shares how meditation transformed his biochemicals which moved him out of the sympathetic nervous system. With meditation, he was able to achieve the parasympathetic, which is the peace response.
15:05 - How do you use meditation to improve sleep? Here Tom explains the two reasons poor sleep is one of our greatest epidemics right now; our biochemistry and mental state.
Tom elaborates on how using daily meditation to train and discipline the mind can improve sleep quality.
18:28 - How do we use meditation to manage our stress, anxiety and depression? Tom points out the way we have perceived stress, and by understanding what it means, we can deal with it more freely regardless of the situation.
Here Tom and Felicity discuss the values meditation can bring into the workplace and the potential for meditation to become more recognised in the healthcare industry.
24:15 - What are some of the changes you've seen within the workspace and how you have managed to address them? Tom addresses the adaptability we need when running businesses and how it can help us get through these difficult times.
25:25 - Where did the concept of The Portal come from initially? As the writer and producer of The Portal book and film, Tom dives into the starting point that inspired him to bring together these empowering stories in The Portal. The aim is to provide access to and witness how meditation can transform the lives of those in extreme adversity, Tom states.
27:23 - From a story in The Portal, is it really possible for robotics to have empathy and emotions? What does that actually look like for the future? Tom clarifies whether AI would be capable of the same emotions humans carry. Although, he also states how our emotions keep us stuck in the reactive response unless dealt with a higher sense of awareness.
29:44 - What The Stillness Project is all about, as it is currently one of the most significant parts of your work? With his intention to impact lives globally with The Stillness Project, Tom shares how he believes meditation can make the world a better place and how he plans on achieving that.
32:26 - I'd love to ask you to guide me and in this process and on this podcast today for anyone who's listening who may never have meditated before. A quick meditation guided by Tom Cronin, experience the power of meditation even just in minutes.
35:25 - What does wellness mean to you? Wellness means a healthy mind, healthy body that then translates into a healthy life. So that the things that we attract into our life are the result of our inner state, and when we start to address our inner state, that's a state of mind in our physical, mental, emotional body. We'll start to find that the outside world will naturally start to take care of itself and be aligned with that state of frequency that we've connected with the inside of us. So wellness inside first, the wellness outside second.
Australia's leading facilitators in wellness and pioneers in the fitness industry, Donna and Marcello Abbate share with us how their self-discovering experiences have led them into helping others achieve their health goals.
After so many years within the industry, changing thousands of lives, they have realised that good health is not only about physicality but rather the connection individuals have with themselves. As part of their personal journey, the couple cultivates an all-around holistic health foundation into practice for themselves and deliver that to those around them.
In this episode, we will get an insight into the root of what it means to have a healthy, well-lived life. With the upcoming Wellness Warriors Retreat, Donna and Marcello are excited to inspire, motivate and enhance a new dimension of experience that leverages your well-being journey. They are ready to empower us to come back to our true nature and make a difference in our daily lives after experiencing the retreat together as a community. Donna promises that this will leave you feeling grounded, whole, and inspired. As Marcello mentions, with a clear state of mind, there's no door that's closed. Are you ready to walk through the door of new possibilities to reach another level of wellness?
Join Donna and Marcello at our Wellness Warriors Retreat this November. The door is opened for you: www.wellnesswarriorsretreats.com.au
Back in 2011, Heidi Stepanoff had Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure, a decision that was not taken lightly for someone who always took a more natural approach to things. Luckily for Heidi, she shared a gym with her General Practitioner who noticed her weight gain and ongoing struggles to lose it. After trying every diet and pill known to man, Heidi finally had the courage to see her doctor and seek advice and with the positive support she received, Heidi went to an information night hosted by WeightLoss Solutions Australia where she learned about the surgical options for weight loss and realised it was just another tool to help achieve her goals.
Twenty years later, Heidi has found her true self. Now living life to the fullest with more energy, being an active mother to her two children and setting a healthy example, a strong working single mum and becoming the successful Dive Master she is today. This episode is an eye-opener into the life of someone who was never living their truth, one that was held back by excess weight. Heidi’s journey is just beginning, she plans to continue writing fiction with the hopes to one day be able to take it to publication.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
A psychotherapist, counsellor, trauma specialist and speaker, Heidi Rogers, specialises in children's issues and their solutions. She found her passion in helping others to get through mental health struggles and to come out the other side as she experienced it for herself that it's possible.
After working with children for many years, she quickly realises that the impact is so much more magical when she works directly with the parents. She is now helping parents all over the world to manage meltdowns, improve behaviour, and yell less.
In this episode, Heidi explains the best way for parents to re-establish and maintain healthy relationships with their children. Especially during this unprecedented time where stress, frustration and a sense of disconnection are being heightened in our society. She wants parents to understand their roles through different phases of children and teenagers' life and the importance of connection that is built upon love, compassion and empathy. That way families can come out of this together, bonded more than ever.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 1:26 – Felicity: Why psychotherapy and why did you choose to work in the specific area of working with children and families? Heidi explains how her mental health struggle in her early 20s had pushed her towards sharing the gift of life through her work in therapy. She transitioned from working with children and adolescents to working more with parents instead as she realises how much more powerful the impact is.
4:14 – Felicity: What do you think are some of the greatest challenges that children are facing here and now that is different for you and new in terms of how you treat? Heidi points out the obvious how the pandemic has affected our mental health globally. Backed by statistics and research, she informs us that teenagers within the age bracket of 12 and 25, are the most severely impacted and are going through maladaptive mental health issues more than ever.
5:59 – Felicity: How are you coping with dealing with this and managing and navigating your way through treatment at the moment with children or adolescents and young adults? Heidi tries to still see them in person as it’s not worth it to do it any other way. It’s too hard for her young clients who are already struggling with mental health to get consulted online, displaying more disinterests. People in a helping profession needs to be mindful of their own health. Especially having to pivot to online, which is exhausting even more to work with.
13:46 – Felicity: What are some of the positive things that we can take away from this? In terms of they’re facing adversity now, it’s going to build resilience and strength and possibly some other characteristics that will be more positive in the future. Do you think we can look at this as well from a positive framework? Heidi firmly believes that resilience can only be built, if taught well during the early years. To help enable them to build resilience, it needs to be through connection, not through adversity. Heidi suggests parents facing difficulties in their children’s day-to-day with a curious approach. To get into it with curiosity, empathy and compassion and validation that then makes them able to share.
She hears a lot that parents want to be able to control their kids, which she believes is wrong. She reminds us that you can have influence over them and influence is way more powerful than control. And to be the positive influence children wants to listen to, you would need to establish a relationship and connection with them first.
The work includes being able to recognise our own patterns first and reparenting ourselves and how we deal with negative emotions like anger. Shifting perspective and start showing compassion for yourself within that moment because “Antidote to anger is compassion”, Heidi says.
34:33 – Felicity: The addiction to devices, the addiction to everything that is social media etc we’re seeing right now, what do you think about that? Heidi reminds us that these platforms and devices are specifically designed to keep us addicted. This is the way they can gain that connection and artificially get the dopamine hit through their phone usage in lockdowns. It’s out of their control too and parents need to adjust the expectations that are placed on their children. Realising that they are just getting through and as parents, we need to make it easier on them not harder. Heidi stresses the importance of connection. The need for a collaborative discussion, a compromise, meeting them with empathy in your interactions makes them open up to parents more willingly. Parents can look for ways to provide that experience at home, something that facilitates that connection and the dopamine hit. Transitioning out of being a manager and into a consultant in their lives instead.
44:53 – Felicity: I see this increase and I’ve seen it over the last few years that consistent increase in those diagnoses or are they labels or are children being over-diagnosed with these kinds of conditions? Is there something that you see in your work? Do you see a lot more people presenting saying, oh, my child has this or that? Heidi explains that this is due to the advancement of research and deeper understanding. Labels are just means to address the different spectrums of how our brains operate.
While labels can be helpful for us to understand ourselves more and have compassion, they can be abused into making up excuses. Heidi likes to look at it as we are all on a spectrum of some sort in different degrees. At the end of the day, it’s about acceptance for parents to love and care for the children as they are despite their labels and behaviours to assist them through life.
49:33 – Felicity: Heidi, in your total parenting transformation program, runs for nine weeks. What do parents expect to gain out of a nine-week program working with you? Heidi focuses on improvement overall. From understanding how we were parented, and what we could do differently for our kids. She provides the parenting style that leans towards vulnerability, compassion, and empathy. Through her academic research and background, she is able to provide parents with ways that will prevent kids mental health and how to support them with what they go through right now.
54:29 – Felicity: What does wellness mean to you, Heidi? Wellness to me means wholeness. And wholeness means if there are all the different parts of me that make me up. I like to use a boardroom table analogy that we have all these little board members that sit around this table and I have present me, little me, anxious me, angry me, mum, friend, sister, daughter, therapist, like all the different parts of myself.
The parts of me that I find hard to love, the parts of me that I want to reject your abandoned, that I go find them. I recover them. I allow them to sit at the table. I reconcile with them and I integrate with them. So that could be things I’m ashamed of that I’ve done that have happened to me. Parts of me that I struggle with, lazy me, or any of those kinds of parts of me that I find hard to love.
I think wellness means wholeness, that all of those parts of me are allowed to sit at the table. All of those parts are loved, welcomed, receive compassion. And that then the wholeness is what equals wellness.
Former NRL rugby league player Chris Walker completed his 2.5million step expedition in July 2021, he walked from Cairns to the Gold Coast to raise money for charity and raised an amazing $200k in total. Chris covered a brutal 1900 kilometres over 71 days to raise awareness for charities: Beyond Blue, RizeUp Australia and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Demand for specialist services offered by all three charities has been at record levels over the past 18 months, due to the mental health challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker has partnered with the new charity fundraising platform Fund My Challenge, a challenge-based charity app which has been created to revolutionise the giving process.
Get to know the life of this incredible man, from his upbringing as one of four very competitive boys (they are all professional athletes), his journey as a NRL rugby player, what inspired his epic trek and where he plans to go next as continues to give back to the community.
Chris is taking part in the “Face Your Fears” campaign, aimed at raising funds and awareness for domestic and family violence charity, RizeUp Australia this September. The challenge aims to encourage other people to join the campaign, RizeUp and face their own fears in the name of charity, visit www.felicitycohen.com/chris-walker-walk-of-a-lifetime/ to donate for a great cause.
In this digital age, there are an abundance of resources and options when it comes to weight loss and treating obesity. WeightLoss Solutions Australia's bariatric nurse Casey Quinn breaks down the surgical and non-surgical options available for lasting and sustainable results. Casey shares her love of a patient's transformation and the importance of a long term bariatric intervention as a proven successful lifestyle modification.
Casey prides herself on helping patients choose the right solution to achieve their weight loss goals by connecting emotionally with people so they feel understood, valued and supported, then evaluating the way they behave so she can suggest the best procedure accordingly.
In this episode, Casey explains the various intra-gastric balloons currently on the market because not all balloons are created equal. There are so many different procedures now ranging from Orbera to Spatz and the new and exciting Elipse Balloon which is a real game changer in the field of bariatrics this year. Casey describes this new approach to weight loss in an honest and easy manner, to help us better understand the opportunity to create a healthier life through the revolutionary Elipse Balloon Program.
If sustainable weight loss is your next journey, visit www.wlsa.com.au/procedures/elipse-balloon/ to find out more.
Prosperity effects all aspects of life and not just money. Father, grandfather, best selling author and speaker Pat Mesiti shares his sought after advice on how to achieve overall prosperity. In this episode, Pat covers everything from self-love and self-worth, the art of giving, making the most of your failures and how to pivot in a post COVID-19 world.
Most inspiring, Pat gives some very useful advice on how we can help the youth, not just as parents but as leaders. We need to give the youth hope and inspiration by having some absolutes in their life and creating traditions, which helps them stay connected with us and disconnected to what’s happening out there.
A gift for our listening, Pat has graciously given an audio copy of his book “Unbreakable” here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/pearls-of-wisdom-author-prosperity-activist-pat-mesiti/
Olivia Scott is a well known morning radio presenter at Hot Tomato, a radio station on the Gold Coast, Australia. In this open and honest interview, Olivia shares how she doesn’t hold back on life being a mother of two as well as a morning radio presenter. We delve into how her career started, her history of travelling and working in regional areas, then starting a family and making her way back to living on the beautiful Gold Coast.
We all love radio as it’s instant coverage from headline news to celebrity gossips, which makes for a great medium. Olivia shares how she stay connected with the community through events and fundraising but most importantly how she manages a healthy work life balance during a pandemic and Queensland lockdowns.
Tune in to Olivia Scott on Hot Tomato 102.9fm between 9am to 12pm. https://www.felicitycohen.com/juggling-life-breakfast-radio-presenter/
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.au
Show Notes: Candice Charles 0:40 - 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 Siggers 3:09 - 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 Bilsy 9:42 - 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 Joseph 11:20 - 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 Dalton 15:00 - 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 WLSA wlsa.com.au
Show Notes:
Trish Bridgemand 0:40 - 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 Smedley 6:18 - 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 Adams 11:44 - 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 Swadling 16:44 - 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 Child 20:31 - 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.com
Show Notes: Denial Is Our Most Damaging Defense Mechanism The Unexpected Catalyst For Radical Change Celebrity Story: A Large Guy's Conveniences & Inconveniences Will You Choose Wealth & Die At 50? Entrepreneur's Secret to Living The Dream Morello 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.com
Show 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. IV nutrient therapy and oral supplements are great ways to fill in those nutritional gaps when you’re working on diet and nutrition, whether the goal is weight loss or optimal wellness.
Question - What other kinds of nutrition can we look at to help someone stabilise their mood? 10:30 - For women, most commonly we will look into iron deficiency especially with heavy periods. Another one to look at is magnesium deficiency, when checking a patients blood test, I will look at their red cell magnesium results, as the red cells are where the action happens in immune support for the body. IV nutrient therapy is a great way to have those nutrients go directly into the bloodstream, giving your body a kickstart for the biochemical pathways, from there, once the body starts to feel well, it can give you the motivation to continue your journey towards a healthier you. When someone is overweight, their bodies are inflamed, and that will actually chew up most of those micronutrients, so when trying to lose weight, you’re food intake is restricted, so IV nutrient therapy is a great way for the body to get those micronutrients, minerals and vitamins we need.
Question - Why was that such an important element and why should we think about selenium as being important in our diet? 12:22 - Most of the soils in Australia are selenium deficient, and also boron deficient and lacking a few other little trace minerals, but selenium from the point of view of weight management is a really important player for thyroid support. When it comes to weight management, selenium and vitamin D are major players, not only do they support good health, but also the thyroid which is your metabolic system.
Question - What do you think has given rise to such an increase in all of these thyroid and metabolic type conditions? 13:39 - There is no evidence yet to answer that question, but one thing I do know for sure is that, if we’re not nourishing the thyroid cells in our bodies, our immune system is more likely to be attracted to an unhealthy thyroid cell tag, which attracts our immune system to that cell in order to get rid of it. We currently have a big issue in our society when it comes to auto-immune issues, like Hashimoto’s and inflation of the thyroid, these issues prevent the thyroid from producing any of the hormones that we need, something I have seen more commonly in women over the past decade. At the end of the day it all comes down to diet, especially for those on a restricted diet, paleo for example, over time you will become deficient in those macro and micronutrients like iodine.
Question - I think also for so many people, they think, okay, I've got maybe Hashimoto's or I've got type two diabetes, but it's under control because I'm on medication. Where do you think the trap is there, and how do we get people to understand that that's not a good place to stay in? 15:52 - I think there is a difference between how your body is behaving and what your blood results show. You could have the perfect blood sugars results and still be at risk of long-term medical issues, like type 2 diabetes, especially if you’re not nourishing your body well, or being active. And those on restricted diets for long periods of time can have their bodies go into starvation mode in an effort to survive the famine that they have created internally through restricted food intake, most commonly is with calorie restriction.
Question - I'm so interested to hear your definition and your take on how we should actually interpret pathology. What does that look like and how did the pathology labs set that standard deviation in terms of how that's read. Can you give us a bit of a rundown on your take on pathology? 18:12 - Pathology results are determined by population averages, rather than optimal wellness, and these are conducted by each nutrient, so when people come in for testing they usually are already deficient, so that then determines the low and high end of the reference range. When I first started in the eighties, zinc deficiency for example was between 15 to 35, nowadays it’s between 9 to 19, so back then if your zinc results came in at 10, you would be classified as zinc deficient, but today you would be in the range, so over the years these results get cross-referenced and changed again. This is something that we’re seeing time and time again with these really important nutrients to determine long-term health and wellbeing.
Question - How do we challenge that, what do we do next? 20:41 - I think it’s best to make sure you’re in that top 10% of the range when you get your blood results. Vitamin D for example, the minimum is 40, so if you hit that, you’re classified as fine, but that just means you won’t suffer from rickets which is a terrible deformity of your bones, but for women with menopause, if they hit 75, they’ll be losing bone density much more rapidly then other women who have hit 100. It’s best to find that sweet spot, at the end of the day you don’t want too much or too little of something.
Question - That's so relevant and a great lesson for all of us to be really mindful of how we interpret the pathology results. To also take control of that and take some action and to explore it and to really think it through, optimal well-being obviously being the one thing that all of us would like to achieve for longevity and living well. 22:21 - I think the problem that we have, and having been a very mainstream medical doctor for a lot of my career, is that our job is to diagnose disease and to treat disease. We very rarely have the luxury of spending sufficient time to actually give the message of preventive medicine and lifestyle changes as well. If optimal wellness is what you’re after, it’s best to find an integrated doctor than can give you an hour of their time or a naturopath, rather than expect your GP to put aside that time to focus on preventative health.
Question - Something else that you talk about a lot that I would really like to touch on are sleep, stress and sugar. These are three things that I think that we are all so impacted by, first of all with sleep. 25:05 - It’s a vicious cycle, say you don’t get enough sleep, the next morning you will go straight for a cup of coffee to get you through the day, but those dealt a poor genetic card in regards to caffeine metabolism, that one shot of espresso can still interrupt sleep 17 hours later because their bodies naturally are unable to to get rid of the caffeine. Developing a restorative sleep pattern is really important and can be achieved through herbal strategies and lifestyle changes, those changes I like the call the ‘five fundamental pillars of wellbeing’ which include, nourishment, movement, stress management, minimising toxins and of course sleep.
Question - I like people to start thinking well beyond their forties and fifties when they're talking to us because I feel that a lot of people don't have that vision of where they're going to be at 70+ early enough. 27:19 - We work hard to save all this money for retirement, but if you haven’t got your health, you won’t be able to enjoy it. So you really need to start looking at your health and health maintenance as early as possible, and I would like to see that in people in their twenties. In my practice, I have noticed more of the younger generation trying to find ways of dodging blood pressure, heart and diabetic medications that they see commonly used by their parents. It’s also good to keep in mind the environment you are exposed to, when I lived in the USA for 12 months, I gained 14kg, even though I was still heavily active and eating the best I could, if you don’t have access to the best food, ultimately you don’t have a chance for the best outcome.
Question - Is that the unfortunate trend that you've seen when you remember life in your family growing up that eating clean was fairly normal? 30:01 - Growing up it was meat and three vegetables and if you’re lucky a dessert once a week. Once in America, I noticed that the style of eating was more instant and on the go, like breakfast, for example, would be Pop Tarts, it was high energy food, even when I had a salad, it would be drench in thousand island dressing. Luckily I had learnt what good health and good food choices from a young age, so I never had any issue with weight management.
Question - That really confirms the saying that we hear a lot, that you can't out train a bad diet. 31:09 - Somewhere along the line, that nasal metabolic dial has been turned down, especially with women. You could have great training with a balanced diet but to really achieve weight management, you have to adapt and be able to make those healthy lifestyle changes.
Question - Tell me about your story and how you came to drive a program to support women with PCOS? 32:08 - It started with my personal experience after a diagnosed my daughter with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She started showing symptoms around 14 or 15, and it was confirmed once she was 18, so I started looking into options that didn’t involve medication, because at such a young age I didn’t want her to become dependant on prescribed medicines. One of the biggest ways to help with PCOS is weight management and healthy food and lifestyle choices, then to figure out the potential genetic origins. History shows the PCOS started in a woman thousands of years ago, which stems from survival at a certain stage of human existence, through times of long-term drought, famine and war. These women would be the last ones standing as they weren’t falling pregnant during bad environmental times, but when things were good and they were able to fall pregnant again, they passed those genes on to the next generation.
Question - Do you have a preference for a certain style of eating? We know that Mediterranean diets are a very popular way of eating or a style of eating, do you have a personal preference for something that you believe really encourages optimum wellbeing? 36:45 - The first thing I would look into is your ancestral heritage, someone from Europe or the United Kingdom would be suited for a Mediterranean diet, but I wouldn’t advise that for someone with an Asian background because our genes are set up to deal with food in a different way. For example when South American dietitians introduced high legume and bean diets to Australians, basically it only caused distress as our gut, and the microbiome is not set up to be able to digest such a high intake of legumes and beans. When we look at diet, it’s best to eat right for your genes rather than eat right for your blood type, and to take what is best from what country of origin you're dealing with. If I was to give general advise in terms of diet, I would suggest that you eat 650 grams of green vegetables daily, it sounds a lot if you’re trying to achieve that with lettuce alone, but it can easily be achieved with things like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. The second thing I would advise is that deep-fried foods should never be a part of a healthy diet, regardless of whether you’re genetically prone to inflammation, we know that when consuming deep-fried foods, that inflammation can last for days after consumption.
Question - When we look at what's happened in Southeast Asian populations and the introduction of a Western diet, even just looking at dairy, because they're so often dairy intolerant, and now we see these high incidents of type two diabetes in India, for example. 41:05 - Just recently there was a research article on Tanzanians, where they studied chronic disease in tribes on a natural diet compared to those relatives that had moved to the city, and by definition was starting to get into that processed, fast-food diet. Within four years of moving from village life to urban life, they had basically the same incidence of type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
42:46 - For me, wellness means that you’re able to get out of bed and move your body, regardless of age and disabilities, but to be able to move the way you want to, and to have a buoyant and optimistic approach to whatever lays ahead.
Question - What do you think are some of the barriers that people are dealing with right here and now in terms of having that notion of what functional fitness looks like for the future? 43:38 - We do too much sitting! It’s not just about going to the gym, it’s about moving your body, taking that time here and there to just get up and move around a bit, get some fresh air, and walking. Take those opportunities to move and apply it to your day so you are functionally moving a lot more.
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 was hard, I even cried on day 3, but after 15 days I had lost 7kg and really started to notice how much I actually thought about food and when my next meal was. I’m now 6 years post-op, and I still have my days where I want to eat my feelings, but I have a buffer that I stick to, so if I gain that extra 4kg, I go back to the start of the pre-op diet. From my perception, weight loss surgery can change how much food you can consume but it’s hard to change the way you think about food.
Felicity: When you got to the point where you were ready to think about weight loss surgery, what were some of the most important things that you were looking to achieve?
9:59 - I’ve always been fairly confident, because I always thought that my personality would make up for where I lacked in my looks, so having weight loss surgery was never a superficial concept for me. For me, it was because I was unable to conceive for over four years and was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS). 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.
Felicity: Do you notice a big difference in your day to day wellbeing now?
13:26 - 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.
Felicity: Your nutritional intake would have changed at the same time, so you would have been consuming foods that are fuelling your body better?
14:38 - I’m big on salads! For me now, I have that satisfaction of the mind when I see a big salad and I know it’s good for me. Since weight loss surgery, I’ve also had to up my supplement intake, especially with iron as my family suffer from anaemia.
Felicity: Let's talk a little bit about your career journey.
15:57 - I worked for men’s magazines for about 10 years in sales and marketing which I loved, but when I had my son, Bear, I moved from full time to contract work which I still do now. With my past experience and new life as inspiration, I have also written two children’s books and just launched an online homewares store.
Felicity: Let's talk about the books, the first one I think was inspired by your beautiful dog?
16:58 - With my history of working in publishing, I thought why not. Growing up, I always loved Dr Seuss, and inspired by my two French Bulldogs, I wrote my first book “I Just Came to See Your Dog” in the style of rhyming and literation to help kids learn to read.
Felicity: Your second book was inspired by your beautiful son Bear?
18:16 - When Bear was about 17 months old we noticed some changes in him. He wasn’t engaging as much, he didn’t crawl until he was 11 and half months and didn’t walk until he was 18 months old. We knew in our hearts something wasn’t quite right, and by 20 months he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) category 2. For Bear, his biggest struggles are communication and awareness, but he also has Savant Syndrome which makes him extremely intelligent so he won’t have a problem there, but he will definitely struggle when it comes to the social side of things. As a social butterfly myself, I didn’t want it to be hard for him, and it was my husband who suggested that I write about it, which turned out to be good therapy for me. “A Boy Named Bear” is about the life through the eyes of an autistic child and how he sees the world differently. I always struggled to find appropriate books on autism for children as they were always based around something “strange” when for me they’re actually amazing. So I wanted this book to remind children with autism that everybody is different, and everyone is perfect the way they are.
Felicity: Do you feel as though there are a lot more diagnoses of children on the spectrum?
21:35 - We certainly know more about it now, there are some great Paediatric Urologists around now, but unfortunately I don’t think we’ll ever fully understand autism. My husband has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) which is classified as being on the spectrum also, and thanks to Bear he was able to learn more about his own condition and how to handle it. I find there are more diagnoses because there is more understanding from mild to extreme cases. It wasn’t until I had Bear that I wanted to find out more, so I’m learning every day.
Felicity: Therefore being limited with the potential for falling pregnant actually led you to the surgical path for weight loss?
25:12 - I could have easily spent the money on In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) but there are no guarantees, so to me, I’d rather spend the money from my super on my health. The decision to have the surgery was mainly for my health, I was taking Metformin for insulin resistance which is very common with Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS) several months post weight loss surgery I didn’t need it anymore and haven’t been on it since.
Felicity: What do your sisters think?
26:05 - All three of us have had different journeys. One lives in America working for Sony so she is under the spotlight, she was the first to lose weight back in high school when we split up and has been able to maintain that since then. My other sister has gone from the biggest of big to the smallest of small, but she is more determined to lose weight through lifestyle change, believing that exercise is just as nourishing for her mind and body. They are both very supportive of my decision to undergo surgery, always having my back, even when people make comments like I had taken the easy way out.
Felicity: That's just a lot to do with breaking down the stigma because for a long time, people used to see this [bariatric surgery] as the easy way out and it's not.
27:39 - People don’t realise that it is major surgery with a long-term commitment. For me, because it was an investment, it made me respect it so much more. I co-funded with my super because if I hadn’t had the surgery, I wouldn’t have survived long enough to be able to spend the money.
Felicity: Back to your career, you've now just launched this beautiful new online shop. So that's your creative personality coming out in home decor and things like that. Where did that idea come from?
30:58 - I’ve always worked from home, so I created a place that I loved being in. This business has been 6 months in the making, but styling and design has always been a big passion of mine. With having autistic child, they don’t always have the best sleep, and once they wake up there is no getting them back to sleep. For a while there, Bear was getting up regularly at 1 AM, so eventually, I had no choice but to resign when I was only getting about 30 hours of sleep a week.
Felicity: What does wellness mean to you?
33:12 - For me, wellness is a state of being and asking for help, especially when it comes to those dealing with mental health and overweight issues, as we struggle in silence and try to manage it on our own
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 couldn’t physically sleep by herself. It was not in my realm of dealing with, but what I saw was this poor girl who’s had no self regulation skill and needed to have an attachment with somebody else because she didn’t know how to manage her own emotions.
Q: Device technology is a big issue and that sending a child to bed on an iPad or with a phone, the blue light and all those problems and I know it’s a problem for adults as well who have those concerns, but with children, it’s that allowing that exposure to too much time on devices can also be very negative in terms of impact on sleep behaviour.
21:31 – I’ve have an 11 year old, and I know that everybody with children, it’s a constant battle of controlling how much they’re exposed to. I do not recommend devices. I don’t recommend TV before two years of age. For me, when my daughter was little, I let her watch Wiggles and Play School and they were the only things that I would let her watch up until she was about three. And the main reason I allowed that was because they are people doing rhymes and repetition and dancing and make belief. And then slowly we’d add different things on.
Q: What I see often when that cycle of behavior with sleep apnoea is that your poor quality sleep, low daytime energy, reach for the next quick fix to get you through that day and that cycle of behavior is so hard to break. And then conversely, what we see is once patients start to regain their health and wellbeing and through weight loss, sleep is all of a sudden better. And life moves forward.
25:17 – I don’t think there’s any way that you can possibly lose any weight if you’re tired. If you’re stressed and you’re tired, you’re exhausted. What ends up happening is that you will go on a weight loss program, you will try and eat healthy. You’ll feel depleted because you’re tired and you’re not getting the sugar fixes that you were getting. And you’re also not seeing the results on the scales, which is demoralizing.
27:01 – I was a very busy young mum, running my own business and I thought I’ve got the best of both worlds because my baby’s sleeping while I’m working and I’m looking after my child when I’m not. And I’d also have her at daycare two days a week, but slowly, my health was suffering.
When I was in Canberra, I lost my hearing. I also found that I was having trouble seeing. It wasn’t until one night when I realised I burnt my arm but I hadn’t known I’d burnt it.
After doing some tests, they realised that I was just so tired and exhausted that my body was slowly shutting down and I was showing symptoms of MS. My husband’s got Crohn’s disease, so thinking two parents with autoimmune conditions, we have to do something about this.
Q: What do you think was the biggest lesson for you that you actually are able to teach mums now?
31:34 – A: Eat well, look after your own health, out when your baby sleeps. I don’t tell mums to sleep when baby sleeps, cause let’s be honest, that doesn’t happen.
But if you are the type that is just going, “When they’re asleep, I’m going to lie on the sofa for half an hour,” or “I’m going to take that time to have a cup of tea and scroll through my Instagram,” if that’s your self care. Hiding in the toilet for five minutes is not self care. That’s a cry for help. You see these Instagram posts that say, “Mum self care is five minutes on the toilet or a shower alone in peace.” That’s not self-care. That’s should be a God-given right or human right is trying to give yourself proper self care.
34:01 – I read Dr. Libby Weaver’s book “The Rushing Woman Syndrome” and I cried so much through it because I was like, that’s me, that’s me, that’s me, that’s me. And I really took on board the breathing, stop and breathe, cut down the caffeine, instead of doing a hit workout and do some yoga.
If your body’s already stressed, then putting more stress on it by doing a hit workout is not going to do you any favours. And I’ve seen that.
Q: What tips do you have in place for getting a better night sleep or better quality sleep as an adult, do you use?
35:37 – We need a good routine at bedtime, and you need to have that wind down. If you’re finding it difficult to shut down, just putting your brain into fantasy or fiction or something else is going to allow you some time to just get away from that. From there, you can practise to breathe, learn how to take some long, deep breaths. So the basic principles of good sleep hygiene, a nice routine that is geared towards relaxation and shutting your mind and your body down.
Paula Joseph underwent weight loss surgery and successfully lost a total of 47kg. In this episode, she talks about why she finally decided to have this transformative surgery and how it has impacted her life for the better. Luckily for Paula, she didn’t have any major health issues, except for Plantar Fasciitis which hasn’t flared up since she has lost the excess weight.
Now, Paula lives her life with hope for longevity as she enjoys spending more time getting active with her kids. For Paula, it was more about prevention rather than finding the cure. She is close to her goal weight of being under 100kg and now has the desire to achieve more great moments in life, like participating in the Gold Coast Marathon.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes: 1:35 - For me, it started in 2003 when I was working with kids on cruise ships, and part of my job was to take them to have their meals when it became apparent that we were only served things like hamburgers and pizza’s for five years. Over the course of this time, I had put on a fair amount of weight which I tried to lose by trying a number of diet fads and shakes upon coming back to shore every 8 months. Once returning to Australia for good, I fell pregnant and gained a lot of weight, which was incredibly difficult to lose. 3:48 - It was hard to lose that weight as I was already in a bad cycle to start off with, and the limited healthy options made it even harder. This is something that we tried to fight for on the cruise ships, as even our staff meals were things like cheese lasagna. 5:49 - In some ways, but it wasn’t until I went over to America and noticed how bad childhood obesity really is over there compared to Australia. I have an 8 and a 10-year-old, that I’m always mindful of what they eat 6:35 - Yes and no. I do a lot more meal prepping now, rather than just sort of eating things on the fly. Now that I have more energy, my family and I eat more home-cooked meals compared to having take-away. 7:23 - The biggest for me was suffering from plantar fasciitis, especially because I work a physical job that requires me to be on my feet for long periods of time. Luckily I hadn’t been diagnosed with diabetes or high blood pressure, but I knew I was going down that path. When I was on my pre-op diet, I had lost 13kg and around the 10kg mark, I could already feel a difference with the pain subsiding. 9:47 - Due to the pain from plantar fasciitis, I wasn’t able to help my kids as much, and relied on them to be more self-sufficient. Now that I’m living pain-free, I’m able to help them out more. The pain was also an excuse for me not to be more physical and to exercise which also added to the weight gain. 11:10 - I’ve always had a high threshold of pain but since losing the weight I haven’t experienced an episode yet. Winters were always the hardest and I’ve just survived my first winter. 11:40 - 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. 13:27 - I was fortunate that my husband and parents were very supportive throughout the whole process. One of our close friends had weight loss surgery himself, and seeing the changes in him and having his support was also an inspiration to have the surgery myself. 15:23 - 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. 15:49 - In the past 12 months post weight loss surgery, 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. 16:46 - They are very well aware, especially when it comes to me being more active with them. My 10 year old always mention's when I’m doing the things I was unable to do before that I wouldn't have been doing that a year ago. 18:16 - When you’re that person who is bigger in size, it is something that is always on your mind. I was always that person in the back of photographs and used the excuse of being the tallest when in reality it was about being the biggest and wanting to hide that. It was when a photo was taken of me at Christmas with the kids that I had no idea about that really opened my eyes to how big I actually was and that I needed to do something about it. 19:27 - I was actually quite excited because I was more focused on the changes that were about to happen and how the weight loss would benefit my future, so luckily for me, I didn’t have any nerves. 19:41 - Since I’m alone with the kids quite a bit, I’m unable to find the time to get to the gym, but I would really like the participate in the Gold Coast Marathon and do the 5.7km, it would be great to get the kids involved too. 20:54 - For me, it’s about growing old and being around for my kids, and to be happy and healthy together. When I was questioned about why I would access my super for the surgery, it was a simple response, why not use it now then not be able to use it all.
Warren Artz has experienced many physical and mental setbacks growing up, from being born deaf and two broken legs due to a car accident. He was able to overcome being perceived as somebody who was different and pushed past those boundaries, eventually playing top-level soccer around the world. It’s from his own personal experiences that he has become the remarkable psychologist he is today, approaching treatment to patients through psychoeducation.
Warren has helped over four and a half thousand people in his 14-year career as a bariatric psychologist at WeightLoss Solutions Australia. In this episode, Warren shares his extensive knowledge when it comes to treating patients suffering from overweight and obesity. He explains the importance of resilience and commitment pre and post weight loss surgery, and how the mindset has changed over the years when it comes to acceptance and willingness to see a psychologist for support to be the best version of themselves.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes: 1:48 – Warren was born in South Africa. As a young boy, he played soccer, eventually playing top-level when moved to the United Kingdom. In 1991 he ended up in the United States where he got a scholarship and decided to study psychology and got his bachelor’s and master degree at the University of Southern Mississippi. After suffering from a knee injury, Warren eventually moved to Australia where he started his career as a bariatric psychologist. 5:20 – He shares his own personal struggles that inspired him to become a psychologist. He was born deaf and as a persistent child, Warren was able to work hard out of special needs classes and join mainstream education by his early teens, determined not to be held back. Unfortunately, he was hit by a car as a child, resulting in two broken legs and the loss of his left knee cap. He had to have a second operation in High school, and due to the lack of muscle from his injury, Warren had to work harder and eventually played top-level soccer in the South African national league. 9:36 – When Warren had to partake for two years in the military due to citizenship requirements in South Africa, he joined the Air Force where they offered him an office job because of his injury. He was determined not to be classified as somebody who was remarkably different and pushed through military training which gave him the confidence that he could get through anything. This experience also gave him insights into psychology and how resilient human beings are. 13:04 – We discuss some of the mental struggles when it comes to people suffering from overweight and obesity. A common issue is around the unclear message of what is expected from them when trying numerous diets and exercise programs. Warren’s approach to physiology focuses on psychoeducation around weight loss and why it’s so difficult to not only lose weight but to keep it off, he notes how patients need people around them that also believe in them which makes a big difference. 18:08 – Warren explains how critical the first 12 to 18 months are post weight loss surgery to make some concrete changes in a patients lifestyle because weight loss alone will not make you happier. It ranges from sleeping better, reducing alcohol intake, avoiding preservatives and processed foods, as well as regaining those healthy habits like creative pursuits and exercise. It’s an important time for a patient as they have the motivation post weight loss surgery after seeing the weight drop off. 23:15 – Fourteen years as a bariatric psychologist, Warren has helped over four and a half thousand people. One of his most inspiring cases was with a gentleman who didn’t necessarily have an abundance of excess weight or health-related issues but came in with the enthusiasm to learn more about what he needed to do to improve his longevity and the commitment to do so. 27:39 – Warren’s approach to psychology has evolved over the years. He remembers a time when you would just assess a patient on a clinical scale, often resulting in potentially losing them. Now he approaches his patients in a therapeutic way by establishing a healthy relationship to get to know them and vice versa to build that trust. 31:09 – Warren shares his love for swimming and how important it is to find an activity that works with your capabilities. As a psychologist, he talks to people every day and finds that time for himself when he’s in the water. Noting that you should find something that is not only good for you physically but also mentally. 34:06 – For someone in their fifties, Warren reminds us that age shouldn’t limit us and that there are many options for one to partake in physical activities. He believes in setting your own goals and finding what works best for you. 36:30 – As a dedicated father, Warren shares his approach to parenting. Most important to him is being open and listening, so you can give your kids the confidence to confide in you. He also talks about understanding compromise in a household structure and leading by example. 38:27 – Wellness for Warren means to be both physically and mentally healthy as they are both equally important. He discusses how easy it is to take medication for mental issues when a lot of these problems can be solved with physical activity. For him, it’s about understanding the correlation between the two as one can’t live without the other.
Six months post weight loss surgery Mary Barker has lost 37kg but gained an abundance of energy. She now has the urge to run, so much so that she has competed in the Gold Coast Marathon 2019.
Mary had an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease which ultimately lead to her decision to undergo weight loss surgery with the support from a few colleagues who had embarked on the same path.
Her biggest goal is to live a long, healthy life which she couldn’t foresee achieving when she was 50kg overweight. Now she can comfortably buckle up on a plane and has even stopped snoring!
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 00:58 - Mary shares why she started to explore losing weight and weight loss surgery. After turning 50, she realised she didn’t want to spend the second half of her life with bad knees and diabetes or increased health risks. 1:24 - There was a moment at work for Mary when not just one but two of her colleges had mentioned they had weight loss surgery which piqued her interest to undergo weight loss surgery herself. 3:17 - For Mary the community support was critical in her decision to undergo weight loss surgery, noting it's about finding the tool that works for you. 3:49 - Mary was aware that she had an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease and knew that losing weight was the best option in preventing it. She was also concerned about her joints as she desired to live a long and healthy life. 4:24 - Six months post weight loss surgery, Mary has lost 37kg and has noticed that she has stopped snoring. She is also more aware of the space around her. 5:14 - Mary competed in the Gold Coast Marathon in 2019 and shares her positive experience with the WeightLoss Solutions team. This was an experience she wanted to prove to herself that she could do it and will defiantly be doing it again. 6:51 - We look into what the future looks like for Mary, who wants to live a long and healthy life. Focussing on family and business now she has the energy to do so. 8:24 - Mary shares how her family didn’t originally support her idea to undergo weight loss surgery. But with the amazing success and healthier life she leads, she now has their full support. Reminding us that it’s not about how you look but who you are.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and fertility coach Sujatha Gopalakrishnan discuss some hard truths about what many women suffer from when it comes to infertility. The challenges include PCOS and endometriosis, frequently associated with being overweight or morbidly obese.
In this episode, Sujatha shares her own personal experience of being diagnosed with PCOS and the fascinating journey she went on after making massive lifestyle changes which resulted in her falling pregnant successfully. It was her documentation of this journey that led her to become a PCOS and fertility coach, in which she developed a brilliant program focusing on the 5 aspects of a woman’s journey to fertility and motherhood. From nutrition and eating habits, activity level, movement tracking, supplements, detox and distressing, this episode gives you incredible insights and practical knowledge to help manage fertility problems.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 1:00 – Sujatha Gopalakrishnan went on a journey herself trying to conceive, soon discovering that she had PCOS. We dived into the realities for women who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a common issue is being overweight, whereby losing the excess weight is the first step to improving the condition. 4:06 – Suffering from malnutrition and low progesterone, Sujatha made some lifestyle changes and 6 months later, she finally fell pregnant, with a healthy daughter who is now 3 years old. 5:03 – Sujatha shares how she first discovered she had PCOS. From mood swings, weight gain, mental health issues and irregular period cycles. She was fortunate to have a doctor (GP) that was concerned with women’s health, noting that one of the biggest issues is lack of diagnosis. 8:38 – After making some significant lifestyle changes, Sujatha shares how her period cycle changed to become more regular and naturally knew when she was ovulating. As she is still practising living a healthier lifestyle, 3 years since having her baby, she still has the same cycle. 11:28 – Sujatha shares how she suffered from inflammation which is a common issue associated with infertility and losing weight. We discuss the importance of losing weight to prevent infertility and metabolic diseases and how a poorly managed PCOS diagnosis can lead to other diseases like steatosis (fatty liver) mental health issues and vitamin deficiency. 15:52 – We get to know a bit more about Sujatha’s background growing up in India with an orthodox brahmin family. She moved to the Middle East for 7 years to start her career in advertising. Eventually moving back to India, Sujatha met her husband through an arranged marriage. Progressing in her career, they moved to Australia where she worked as an accountant. 21:59 – Sujatha shares how it was her husband who suggested she track her journey to fall pregnant. It was from that documentation that led her to become a PCOS and fertility coach. Noting she had a smooth pregnancy except for gestational diabetes, which after the lifestyle changes she had made she only had to have the least amount of insulin. 25:00 – We discuss in detail about the anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and how that affects a babies predisposition to PCOS, and the importance of regulating those levels of AMH in women. 28:01 – Sujatha tells us about her process as a PCOS and fertility coach, focussing on the 5 aspects of a women’s journey towards fertility and being a mom. From food, activity, tracking, supplements, detox and destress. 33:07 – Sujatha shares her parenting tips since conceiving, like giving them the attention they need and developing healthy food habits from a young age. We also discuss the issues with addiction to technology, with Sujatha sharing limiting her daughter’s usage by limiting screen time and not allowing access to those devices, but also focussing on sharing more educational content. 37:02 – Wellness for Sujatha is to be able to have the best health to live life to the fullest and to have the confidence to face what life throws at you.
Adam (Bilsborough) Bilsy is a man of many hidden talents. Two years after undergoing bariatric surgery and successfully losing a massive 65kg, he finally gained the confidence and physical fitness to be able to pursue bigger ambitions in life; including going on the popular LEGO Masters Australia TV show and planning his dream wedding in New York.
In this interview, he shared how his life has changed dramatically and for the better since his Gastric Sleeve surgery. Adam is proud of his weight loss transformation and continues to inspire others on his journey in the most unfiltered way.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes: 2:39 - Adam is 2 years post-bariatric surgery, losing a total of 65kg. With outstanding results, 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.
4:46 - Will a gruelling film schedule on Lego Masters, Adam confesses that he would not have lasted if he hadn’t had bariatric surgery. From his exposure from being on the show, Adam is proud to share his backstory in order to inspire others to lose weight. With the support of mainstream media, focusing more on his weight loss journey rather than his new celebrity status by featuring in magazines like TV News Week.
7:36 - Adam talks about his newfound celebrity status after appearing on Lego Masters. With more confidence than ever, Adam desires to be on television more with a dream of becoming a children’s TV presenter.
9:09 - On a personal note, Adam shares the disadvantages of being obese for him, like the inability to go on rides at theme parks and being "that" big guy people didn’t want to sit next to on flights.
11:53 - From day one, Adam wanted to be open and transparent, so he started his own Youtube channel, “Loser Bench AU” to document his weight loss journey. Since launching he has inspired many to lose weight and has been able to educate those on bariatric surgery from a personal perspective.
14:12 - As a leading advocate for weight loss surgery, Adam lets us know about the common fears people have, like judgment from friends and family, to as extreme as complications from surgery. He shares why he has no regrets and how the benefits outweigh the odds from several points of view, from medical to social.
Kat Cacavas is an extraordinary woman who is changing lives for the better in rural communities and in our schools. After living in Alice Springs, Kat has found ways of getting the whole indigenous community involved and excited about eating healthier through education and activities. She has also set up a marathon program in Sierra Leone which gives back to the orphanage, with plans to set up the first not-for-profit sports store.
As an African dance teacher, yoga instructor, dietitian and primary school teacher, she has been able to combine all of her skills and experiences by giving back to the community. With her latest project focussing on the rise of childhood overweight and obesity, working with primary schools across Queensland to better educate children, their parents and carers on healthier food choices.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes: 1:28 - Kat starts off our conversation by paying respect to the traditional custodians from the Yugambeh speaking country of the Bundjalung nation, past and present. Sharing how she has always been exposed to the awareness of our indigenous communities in Australia which is now reflected in her work. Expressing her privilege of being able to work with lots of indigenous communities in urban, rural and remote areas of the country. 4:03 - We get right into Kat’s history of being a dancer before she became a runner. From various forms of dancing, she had the opportunity to learn to move her body and become more aware of it. Come primary school, Kat discovered her love of running and athletics, shortly after, she found herself running 10km to a full marathon. 5:29 - Running has always been a part of Kat’s life. As we discuss our communal love for the craft, Kat lets us know just how much running has taught her about her life, especially the community aspect of it. Sharing how she has been a part of many running communities in Australia and internationally. 8:46 - Soon after Kat returned to Australia, she moved to Alice Springs, working as a dietitian and public health nutritionist. Assessing the quality, affordability and variety of foods in rural communities. Even starting a men’s cooking group which had 20% of the men reluctantly given their yearly health checks prior to the program, resulting in 90% then feeling comfortable doing so after the program. 17:08 - After working with the kids in rural communities, the rates of childhood overweight and obesity became more apparent. From this experience, it led Kat back to university to get her degree in master of teaching. 21:50 - What started off as a 6month volunteer trip to Sierra Leone, Kat ended up living there for 3 and a half years, working as a teacher for grade two students during the day and teaching adults health and nutrition in the evenings. 24:03 - Kat Started her running program in Sierra Leone after working with orphans. Two years after going on her first run with the kids, Kat competed in her first marathon in the Sierra Leone marathon where the kids also joined. Using this opportunity to raise $10’000 that went directly back into the orphanages. Since then Kat has made sure the kids were able to travel and compete in the marathon, even sending the children running gear. 27:25 - We discuss Kat’s plans for the future with a return trip to Sierra Leone to continue her Marathon Project. Bringing on a group of other enthusiasts from the UK and USA. With restrictions on travel, Kat was able to load 15 bags of donations, including running shoes, clothes, hats and water bottles to send back to the kids in the villages. With so many donations coming through, she plans to set up Sierra Leone’s very first not-for-profit sports store. 32:06 - Kat's journey soon turned to yoga. After years of deepening her practice and understanding of the art, from practising in India, on helipads in Sierra Leone to Bali, she eventually found teachers she wanted to learn from and become a yoga instructor herself. She has since been able to build her own community in person and online, with people joining from the Torres State Islands all the way to Canada. 39:06 - We talk about the many benefits of yoga, from building strength, mobility, injury and chronic disease management. But also the huge benefits for managing mental by aiding with anxiety, helping us to keep focused and calm and dealing with things like adrenal fatigue. 42:34 - From all of her experiences, Kat’s current career has expanded to become a dietitian and a teacher in a really meaningful way. With plans of launching a nutrition education program in schools in some disadvantaged areas of Queensland in a program called “Pick of the Crop” a holistic approach to nutrition in schools. Working alongside local farmers and growers whilst teaching kids about where their food comes from. 44:47 - We talk about all things kids and diets. With the high rates of childhood overweight and obesity, Kat aims to teach kids more about nutrition by bringing more fruits and vegetables into the schools. But most importantly educating the kids, their parents and carers on the benefits of healthier food consumption. 49:54 - Wellness for Kat is a sense of love for one's self and to enjoy every experience with others and most importantly, yourself.
2 years ago, Gold Coast woman Jodie Siggers underwent weight loss surgery, successfully lost an incredible 63kg and has never looked back since. This phenomenal transformation not only dramatically changed her life for the better, but she has also inspired her family, friends, and colleagues to live healthier lives through her leading by example. Jodie truly lives by the saying: A Family That Trains Together, Stays Together.
In this episode, we discussed all the accomplishments Jodie has achieved post-op and what led her to make that monumental decision. The most rewarding part of the journey so far is finally becoming the runner she always aspired to be. Jodie has since competed in numerous events including the Gold Coast Marathon and she is only getting stronger and better every day.
My favourite part of our conversation is when we talked about the long term financial benefits from saving on food, medications, and doctor visits, and shifting it to her wardrobe budget - a newfound life pleasure as she is now able to shop anywhere, no longer limited to oversized clothing brands.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 0:59 - We get to know Jodie and the many hats she wears as a full-time worker, student, mother, and carer for her mother. She is 20 months post-op and has lost a staggering 63kg. 2:04 - Going back 20 months ago, we discuss what inspired Jodie to have surgery and the options available. It wasn't until she confided in a friend who underwent weight-loss surgery and decided to make the call, from there it all just happened. 3:02 - Jodie always had a passion to be a runner but was held back due to her weight as she was unable to run very far without losing her breath. Now she has competed in numerous events like the Q1 Stair Challenge, which’s about 1300 steps up to the 77th floor, the 10km at the Gold Coat Marathon, Color Run, GC Run and is aiming to compete in the Resolution Run and also doing the 21km in the next Gold Coast Marathon. 6:04 - We talk about all things diets. Jodie shares how she is now focusing on the food that fuels her body, eating six to seven meals a day and getting plenty of proteins. 7:28 - With the support from her husband and son, they too now move around more and eat smaller portions, with her husband also losing around 10kg. Her son has become more active just by supporting Jodie, even competing in the GC 50 and running the 1km. As a family, they walked the base of Uluru which was 11km in heat and took up to three hours, an accomplishment they would never have been able to do in the past. 9:34 - Jodie shares how heart disease runs in her family, which was always on the back of her mind to get healthier. Since weight loss surgery she doesn’t have to take medication for her underachieve thyroid and is no longer showing signs of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) 10:15 - We discuss what wellness means to Jodie. With her sharing that her motto to wellness and life is simply being fitter, stronger, and more motivated in life. 10:55 - Jodie shares how her family and friends have been ongoing support and the benefits of surrounding yourself with positive supportive people whilst working together as a team. Even inspiring those around her to rethink how they manage their day-to-day lives too. Noting a big shift in the culture of her friends as they are now more social and exercising together. 14:38 - Not only did Jodie have support from family and friends but she got lucky to have the support from her GP too, even though he was a bit skeptical at first, after seeing the results post-op it really helped him change his perspective. She also expresses how she believes in the bigger picture of weight loss surgery, which is not about being skinny or looking a certain way but being healthier. 16:46 - Jodie confesses that she didn’t know how to react the first time she started to receive a bunch of compliments as she had rarely received them in the past and how it was awkward. Thanks to one of the nurses at WLSA, Jodie had to learn to just say “thank you” and adjust her way of thinking. 18:24 - We talk about the challenges Jodie faced when deciding to have weight loss surgery. Confessing how she doesn’t have body image issues but she was concerned about the loose skin from the surgery but would rather that than the extra 63 kilos. 19:14 - On a personal topic Jodie shares what is like being a mom and personal carer to her mother who has suffered from a few cancer issues. After putting on weight from chemo, her mother was able to lose that weight thanks to Jodie's knowledge of nutrition and having smaller, more nutritional meals giving her more mobility. 20:21 - We talk about finance outcomes post-surgery and how the benefits can be long-term from saving on food, medications, and doctor visits. Jodie lets us know that from the money she saved she was able to shift that to her wardrobe budget as she is now able to shop anywhere with more options of clothes. 22:49 - Since having weight loss surgery, Jodie has more confidence, holds herself differently, and also speaks to people differently. Now that she is happy and calmer her interaction with friends, family and colleagues have changed dramatically. Prone to depression and anxiety, Jodie no longer needs to take medication, instead is now able to get out in nature and go for a run to feel that sense of freedom to calm her nerves. 25:24 - We look into the next 5 to 10 years for Jodie, nothing that she wants to keep running! Even investing in a running coach. She also wants to do her first triathlon so is learning to swim long distance. Jodie wants to inspire others to look into other options to a healthier life and get away from the fad diets as she doesn’t believe in that being long-term.
I had the great opportunity to sit down with ex-hurdler, movement specialist and author Ellice De Giovanni, to talk about mobility and movement. We started off by uncovering her background as an athlete and her life as a paramedic that led her to create a very unique joint mobility program that has helped many people.
We went into detail about the importance of mobility and the connection between our joints and our brains. With her techniques that can be performed by anyone, you can simplify your health and magnify your life. This conversation is invaluable and worth sharing.
Ellice De Giovanni's book, Wtf: I Can't Even Deal is available at https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/wtf-14
Discover movement with Ellice De Giovanni at https://www.ellicedegiovanni.com/
Show Notes:
1:32 – After competing in World Juniors as a professional athlete in hurdling, Ellice contemplated on how she could teach others why she loved doing sports. Being very active from a young age means she learnt the discipline and the importance of being goal-orientated, two critical traits that she thrives with in her everyday life.
3:44 – Ellice made the shift from being a professional athlete to becoming a paramedic. Once completed university, she was taught by some of the best trauma physicians and doctors like Steven Rashford.
5:16 – We discussed the work-life balance of a paramedic and the mental health issues associated with it. Ellice shared her natural ability to separate the anatomy from the emotion, noting that the hardest part was adjusting to working 12-hour days, 5 days a week.
7:07 – Ellice shared the effects shift work had on her health and the lack of education surrounding it, like what to eat during the night when you’re meant to be asleep. Working late nights can affect sleep patterns which in turn can cause issues like sleep apnoea and eventually lead to weight-related medical comorbidities.
9:08 – Suffering from asthma and learning that it was an allergen, the experience taught Ellice the importance of what you consume. But it wasn’t until her son, who had head-to-toe eczema from 6 months old, tried and failed with creams and steroids, that it truly sunk in and lead to a change in her perception of medicine and healthy alternatives.
11:02 – Ellice is a successful author of two books. She shared what inspired them both, starting from being a paramedic and wanting to help the youth, then with such great reviews wrote her second book with more focus on adults. The books covered everything from natural ways to mend our mental and physical state to a strong focus on our central nervous systems.
13:20 – We went in-depth about the benefits of joint mobility and improving our central nervous systems naturally, as we have become accustomed to being too comfortable, which creates a habitat in our bodies that can easily create diseases.
16:18 – The brain is a powerful organ and mobility is a key tool to moving our joint structures which assist in brain function. Ellice explained in detail the benefits of movement and how a lack of mobility can actually trigger a threat response in our brains.
17:47 – Ellice shared her top 10 tools that have helped her through wellness, fitness, exercise, mindset and movement like hot-cold therapy. She explained how it kills those pathogens we create in our bodies from being stagnant.
19:59 – As an athlete, Ellice learnt how joint structures switch the left and right of our brains, making for better performance with speed, agility and movement. This knowledge and her time as a paramedic, lead Ellice to design her unique joint mobility program which includes functional fitness and joint mobility techniques.
23:33 – Ellice noted how important our feet are and how they are connected to our brains. It’s been proven that wearing shoes actually stops the integration between your left and right brain, which when they’re not working together, you can become more fatigued.
25:54 – We talked about inflammatory type diseases like arthritis and how stretching your joints can stop further deterioration. Movement can take over pain receptors and that’s exactly why we want to move all those joint structures to suppress pain inflammation responses to getting into the brain.
27:54 – Ellice shared the greatest changes she has seen in her clients, like going from not being able to bend over to pick something off the ground, to being able to get up with ease after sitting cross-legged. Her greatest pride is seeing the confidence that comes from realising how able you are after some joint therapy.
31:24 – I asked Ellice how to get started with joint mobility exercises and she explained that it starts with understanding how the joint works simply by starting to move it.
33:22 – Simply put, wellness to Ellice lies in her true appreciation of the makeup of the human body. She shared a beautiful analogy on how our bodies are our real estate.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 1:32 - After competing in World Juniors as a professional athlete in hurdling, Ellice contemplated on how she could teach others why she loved doing sports. Being very active from a young age means she learnt the discipline and the importance of being goal-orientated, two critical traits that she thrives with in her everyday life.
3:44 - Ellice made the shift from being a professional athlete to becoming a paramedic. Once completed university, she was taught by some of the best trauma physicians and doctors like Steven Rashford.
5:16 - We discussed the work-life balance of a paramedic and the mental health issues associated with it. Ellice shared her natural ability to separate the anatomy from the emotion, noting that the hardest part was adjusting to working 12-hour days, 5 days a week.
7:07 - Ellice shared the effects shift work had on her health and the lack of education surrounding it, like what to eat during the night when you’re meant to be asleep. Working late nights can affect sleep patterns which in turn can cause issues like sleep apnoea and eventually lead to weight-related medical comorbidities.
9:08 - Suffering from asthma and learning that it was an allergen, the experience taught Ellice the importance of what you consume. But it wasn't until her son, who had head-to-toe eczema from 6 months old, tried and failed with creams and steroids, that it truly sunk in and lead to a change in her perception of medicine and healthy alternatives.
11:02 - Ellice is a successful author of two books. She shared what inspired them both, starting from being a paramedic and wanting to help the youth, then with such great reviews wrote her second book with more focus on adults. The books covered everything from natural ways to mend our mental and physical state to a strong focus on our central nervous systems.
13:20 - We went in-depth about the benefits of joint mobility and improving our central nervous systems naturally, as we have become accustomed to being too comfortable, which creates a habitat in our bodies that can easily create diseases.
16:18 - The brain is a powerful organ and mobility is a key tool to moving our joint structures which assist in brain function. Ellice explained in detail the benefits of movement and how a lack of mobility can actually trigger a threat response in our brains.
17:47 - Ellice shared her top 10 tools that have helped her through wellness, fitness, exercise, mindset and movement like hot-cold therapy. She explained how it kills those pathogens we create in our bodies from being stagnant.
19:59 - As an athlete, Ellice learnt how joint structures switch the left and right of our brains, making for better performance with speed, agility and movement. This knowledge and her time as a paramedic, lead Ellice to design her unique joint mobility program which includes functional fitness and joint mobility techniques.
23:33 - Ellice noted how important our feet are and how they are connected to our brains. It’s been proven that wearing shoes actually stops the integration between your left and right brain, which when they're not working together, you can become more fatigued.
25:54 - We talked about inflammatory type diseases like arthritis and how stretching your joints can stop further deterioration. Movement can take over pain receptors and that's exactly why we want to move all those joint structures to suppress pain inflammation responses to getting into the brain.
27:54 - Ellice shared the greatest changes she has seen in her clients, like going from not being able to bend over to pick something off the ground, to being able to get up with ease after sitting cross-legged. Her greatest pride is seeing the confidence that comes from realising how able you are after some joint therapy.
31:24 - I asked Ellice how to get started with joint mobility exercises and she explained that it starts with understanding how the joint works simply by starting to move it.
33:22 - Simply put, wellness to Ellice lies in her true appreciation of the makeup of the human body. She shared a beautiful analogy on how our bodies are our real estate.
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.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes:
1:35 - Candice starts the conversation about the common struggle with eating unhealthy foods due to convenience, taking us back to how it all started for her from a young age and carried through to her adulthood, causing social anxiety and how she had always felt very down emotionally and not ready to make that change. 4:55 - Candice recalled her addiction to junk food, in particular with sugar and how it made her feel. Her mental struggles and shame were the key points that led to junk food addiction. 8:35 - As the health issues started to pile up for Candice, such as high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, she had to sleep with a CPAP machine, her hormones were out of balance and thyroid problems occurred which all contributed to further complications when dealing with her mental health challenges, like depression and social anxiety. She wasn't comfortable. This is when she had to draw a line in the sand and made the life-changing decision to break her addiction. 12:53 - 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. 15:46 - After reaching her goal weight, Candice plans to participate in the 10km Gold Coast Marathon event. She will focus more on strengthening her body as she is no longer feeling lethargic and wakes up with more energy than ever before. 17:50 - Candice was not alone in this life-changing journey, embarking on it with her husband, just like teammates. No longer feeling ashamed or embarrassed, they find themselves getting outdoors and socialising more. 19:40 - We discussed the bias on people having weight loss surgery, how Candice is learning to eliminate the negativity around her and turning her focus on the outpouring of support from the community. 21:19 - One of the reasons why both Candice and her husband, Andrew, decided to go on this wellness journey, was to start a family. She shared her personal experience of exploring IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) and how she needed to lose weight in order to be suitable for IVF treatment. 24:08 - Candice had fears triggered by how her family and friends feel about her post weight loss surgery. But once she let go of that fear to make that change, she was able to have good mental clarity which resulted in improvements in her work and lifestyle. 27:29 - It is important to take care of yourself, including financially investing in your wellbeing. 29:18 - Wellness can have different meanings to each individual. For Candice, it's about being physically and mentally active, with the ability to push herself to do more than ever before. This weight loss journey has helped her remove the fears she has lived with and enabled her to pursue a life of wellness.
In this episode, I caught up with WeightLoss Solutions Australia 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.
But first, we look at how Jen got started in her career as a dietitian, her life experience in Singapore and how she was exposed to many ethnicities and regions which taught her even more about food. We also explored her love for running and the superpower of being organised.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 1:07 - Coming from a very active family, Jen’s mum encouraged her to pursue a career in dietetics. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team at Nepean Hospital and North Shore Hospital provided Jen with a wealth of experience and knowledge.
4:30 - Jen shares about her move to Singapore, where she spent 11 years with her husband, and four children, setting up her own business and volunteering with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and how working with many ethnicities and religions taught her more about food.
6:07 - Obesity is an issue worldwide and we discuss how the practice and management are the same as are the medical comorbidities in things like type two diabetes that the incidence is so prevalent in a much lower BMI.
7:57 - On the topic of a healthy mind, we talk about our mutual love of running and nature, how we are early starters, and how that sets us up for success, and for the day.
11:05 - Jen shares why she thinks she has got the best job in the world and the magic of witnessing a patients transformation! We discuss the success of combining surgery and diets and how it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and how patients can eventually come off medications to improve their quality of life.
13:34 - We talk about the overwhelming amount of different diets, and messaging there is out there. Jen’s advice is to bring it back to basics, is the diet healthy and balanced?
17:36 - Being a busy mom and managing patients Jen shares her secret to a work-life balance by being organised and being able to manage time well is her key to wellness.
20:15 - When it comes to dieting we all have common fears, so we breakdown all the myths when you approach your first diet.
21:28 - There are many different aspects when it comes to wellness and each of us are different. Here Jen lets us know what wellness means to her and her family.
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.
As a leading advocate for 18 years, she continues to inspire others around Australia by attending seminars and sharing her story - a genuine trailblazer when it comes to weight loss surgery.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com
Show Notes: 2:03 - Looking back to 2002 before social media, we talk about the difficulties and challenges of finding information and GP's lack of knowledge around weight-loss surgeries with only the gastric band available at the time. 4:06 - Vicky expresses her issues when it comes to ordering food in a society that still doesn't understand the importance of meal portions. 5:33 - We discuss the other options that are readily available now with weight loss surgery, with Vicky sharing her love of her gastric lap band. 6:51 - With more information available, the attitudes of General Practitioners (GP) have changed over the years through patients like Vicky who have been strong advocates and early educators in this space. 9:59 - The stigma surrounding surgery still exists in society and the medical industry to date. Vicky shares her struggles with her GP and even her friend's pre and post-surgery. 12:53 - We discuss any medical concerns that were impacting her life before having surgery at a time of little knowledge. But it was her weight that was the biggest concern. 14:03 - Vicky’s first plane flight, was to run a seminar with the WLSA team in Wollongong. Since then, she’s developed a travel bug and visited America, New Zealand, and Thailand. 14:49 - Post-surgery, Vicky has found herself 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. 16:34 - 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. 18:51 - 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. 19:33 - Vicky shares some advice for others and how she is now able to have open conversations about weight loss surgery. 21:14 - Suffering from deep vein thrombosis in her legs she wasn't able to do much exercise but that didn't stop her from walking her dogs 3-5k's daily. 22:10 - Vicky's story is one of longevity and she shares her joy of meeting new people from all over Australia at seminars. She even competed in the Gold Coast Marathon one year! 25:38 - Since her journey begun she has made life long friends and has become a part of the WLSA family through staying connected.
Join me as I delve into the world of bariatric surgeries with renowned WLSA Laparoscopic Surgeon, Dr. Reza Adib. Dr. Adib has studied across Australia, England, Scotland, France, and Austria, and to date, he has performed over 4000 weight loss procedures.
In this interview, we talked about the changes in the perception of obesity both within the medical community and the wider public, the advancement of bariatric intervention surgery, the award-wining multidisciplinary team at WeightLoss Solutions Australia that works tirelessly to support the #WellnessWarriors on their journey, and thus became the leading weight loss clinic in Australia, and more.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes: 1:49 - Get to know Dr. Reza Adib and his extensive knowledge about bariatric surgery from years of training and experiences. 04:20 - The changing perception of the medical community in recognising that obesity is a disease and how it is much more than just surgery that is required for lasting results. 6:30 - Social media and communities created online have contributed to expanding the knowledge patients are exposed to, enabling them to have more conversations through sharing their personal experiences. 9:20 - We break down the numbers surrounding obesity as morbid obesity statistics continue to grow with over 1 million people with BMI more than 40, who are eligible and ready to have operations, yet out of 50, 49 are still missing out. 11:12 - How the technological advancement around bariatric intervention surgery, from the equipment to the trained staff, the care of patients from pre to post procedures has evolved in the past 20 years. 15:05 - The importance of having a multidisciplinary team to support patients throughout their journey, a proprietary method that has led WLSA to become the pioneer of the weight management industry in Australia. 17:59 - Dr. Reza Adib talks the talk and walks the walk - he shares how he keeps active and fit by participating in the Gold Coast Marathon, triathlons, and cycling 40kms with his children around the Brisbane River. 25:12 - A work-life balance is important, no matter what field you work in and Dr. Reza Adib describes how grateful he is to have found that balance and is able to influence his children, inspired daily by the work he does. 27:20 - A well-trained team and well-informed patients have created a smooth operation from the first consultation, to the operating room and post-surgery. Some describing it as "an orchestra, everyone's playing their instrument" 30:29 - Dr. Adib’s vision for the future and his forecast on the direction of bariatric procedures 10 years from now and beyond. 36:14 - Wellness comes in many forms, Dr. Adib describes exactly what wellness means to him. 36:14 - Wellness comes in many forms, Dr. Adib describes exactly what wellness means to him.
In this episode, I get deep and personal with single dad, Steve Ball. He's had an incredible weight loss journey and a huge positive change to his health and life since undergoing gastric sleeve surgery and WLSA Lifestyle Modification Program.
Steve talks about his tumultuous childhood, overcoming his substance abuse and eating disorders, all factors that contributed to his obesity, and what finally triggered him to make a permanent change for the better.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes: 2:18 - Steve shares his troublesome and abusive childhood, and talks about the negative coping mechanisms he used as a result of these experiences. 5:25 - After coming to terms with his substance abuse, Steve decided to focus on his academia but found a new vice in the form of food and overeating. 8:38 - Having his 5-year-old son question why Steve couldn’t play football with him, was a trigger that made Steve decide to make that life-changing decision and improve his health. 10:17 - Suffering from sleep apnea, Steve wondered if he would wake up the next morning. Stressful jobs and an unhealthy marriage were all drivers for Steve to finally undergo weight loss surgery. 15:22 - Knowing that he needed to set an example for his 4 children, Steve shares with us their active lifestyles, and how he is now able to keep up with them. 19:03 - Being able to accept and deal with his own emotional growth and self-love, Steve shares that he is now in a new relationship. 20:36 - We talk about the impact and experiences that Steve has experienced and how that relates to the work that he is doing as a case manager with Bravehearts. 22:55 - Steve is now exercising regularly, which has had a massive positive impact on his physical and mental health. We discuss how this has changed his mornings and relationships with his children.
An inspiring conversation with Fiona Swadling, one of our #WeightlossWarriors who was suffering from plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. Fiona started her weight loss journey over 2 years ago and with her newfound confidence, her life has changed completely.
We talked about the many struggles she had to face to get started on her transformation, through to the positive impacts it has had on her family, love life, career, overall health and well-being.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Note: 1:49 – How Fiona overcome her fear to undergo surgery and decided to take action to change her life. 3:55 – Reflecting back, Fiona describes her relationship with her partner and how their love language was through food. She talks about how they’ve had to readjust that mindset, and how both their lives have been impacted for the better. 8:04 – Touching on the subject of self-confidence and physical appearance, Fiona shares how her outlook has changed about exercising and going to the gym, and the positive impacts it has had on her family since adopting a more active lifestyle. 12:05 – Fiona’s health concerns including plantar fasciitis and joint pain prior to her surgery, and how that has all gone away now. So much so, she looks forward to participating in our annual Gold Coast Marathon. 23:23 – With her newfound confidence, Fiona went for a role as Deputy Principal, a role she would have never considered in her old life. 24:52 – The importance of Project GRIT, mental health issues amongst children, and how we need to focus more on outdoor activities for school children.
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.
Andrew is one that will not hold back on sharing his wisdom and experiences, from how obesity started for him from his childhood to his famed appearance on a major TV show, his public and private life, and his love for adventures from completing the Kokoda Trail to summiting Mount Kinabalu. Be ready to learn about the critical mindset shift that will transform your health and wealth, from the man that is larger than life and living the dream.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Note:
0:58 What's the impact of having a surgical weight loss procedure and how does that look like when we are talking about shifting our mindset to improve financial health and wellbeing?
3:18 - The question that got Andrew Morello to shift his mindset about how he can take his success to a whole new level, by improving his well-being.
5:25 - Andrew talks about the real estate industry and the challenges that surround such an image-based environment where opportunities do go towards those who present themselves well.
8:48 - Andrew's views on health and well-being, particularly around the younger generation within the business community.
13:33 - On the subject of mental health, Andrew shares the importance of incorporating a positive lifestyle change as a first option before reaching out for medications.
18:40 - Andrew raises the importance of increasing awareness of men’s health issues and not leaving it till too late.
23:07 - Andrew's incredible insights and plans for the next 10 years, including a focus on his philanthropic work and continuing on his active adventure-filled life, a path that he recommends for all Australians.
In this episode, I interviewed the founder and president of Women of Influence, Georgia Lane. Georgia shares with us how she started this renowned non-for-profit organisation called Women of Influence 15 years ago. Georgia also shares her own experiences with self-care, wellness, after a major health scare 6 years ago, and provides some advice and tips for overall well-being, especially for women juggling and maintaining the balance between work and family life.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Check out his website: https://womenofinfluence.org.au/
Show Notes: 1:19 - What is Women of Influence? 4:22 - Women overcoming the challenges in their career and personal life. 8:04 - Learning to build connections and lean on other women for support is the first steps to self-care. 10:41 - There is a lot more celebration when a woman succeeds and more women supporting women. 13:29 - Are women too busy? How women can find the right balance, to look after oneself, and allowing the time to do so. 11:56 - Who is the ultimate woman of influence, what does she look like? 14:32 - It is in women's nature to multitask. How can women focus on the really important things? 16:16 - Fitting in family, relationships, the husband. 22:45 - Georgia reveals her experience surviving breast cancer and taking the opportunity to re-evaluate her life and prioritise the important things in life. 26:46 - The mindfulness practices that Georgia has put in place to help with her stress management.
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.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
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.”
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.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
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.
11:07 – see my notes, use this as one burst of stories!
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?
In this episode, we look back at the life-changing decision Trish Bridgement made when she elected to go for Bariatric surgery in 2002. Trish wasn’t able to do the things that she had wanted to do and decided to change her health, wellness and life for the better. 18 years on, Trish leads an active lifestyle, playing with her grandchildren, travelling the world with her husband, Ron, and enjoying all that life has to give.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes:
2:32 – Trish made the life-changing decision for bariatric surgery in 2002, a revolutionary procedure for that time
5:13 – Tragic personal circumstances and stressors that led to Trish’s weight gain
7:09 – Life-changing benefits in Trish’s life post-bariatric surgery, including playtime with her grandchildren, being more confident in her career choices and participating in a 10km Noosa triathlon
12:10 – Being able to travel, sit on a plane comfortably, and not have to have additional knee or back surgery due to the weight loss
15:57 – Positive experiences now include buying clothes easily, dining in a restaurant without having to feel eyes on you, and eating healthier.
18:37 – Trish shares the positive impact her lifestyle change has had not only with her children but with her grandchildren
28:06 – Looking to the future, Trish shares what her plans are post-retirement.
In this episode, we meet with Dr. Skye Marshall, Scientific and Education Director at Nutrition Research Australia, and talk about how she got started in her journey on becoming a dietitian and researcher. Dr. Marshall also touches on the importance of studies that she has been involved in together with WeightLoss Solutions Australia, particularly with the ENvISage Project and Project GRIT.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Show Notes:
1:38 – Dr. Marshall talks about how she went from a family of artists, Dr. Marshall to taking on an interest in photography and finally settling on nutrition and food science as a career.
8:29 – After working in rural country New South Wales as a dietitian for a few years, Dr. Marshall delved into the world of research, particularly in the area of bariatrics.
10:21 – ENvISaGE is a joint study being carried out with Dr. Marshall at the Bond University and WLSA, to explore endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.
15:53 – The focus on the ENvISaGE study is not focused on weight loss, but how the quality of life has improved for people that have decided to explore the laparoscopic sleeve or ESG.
20:26 – Project GRIT, is a childhood obesity prevention study. GRIT stands for Growth, Resilience, Insights, and Thrive, and is a project by initiated by WLSA where children and adolescents aged between 9-15 were provided with exercise training, nutrition awareness and mindfulness techniques.
25:43 – Dr. Marshall shares what her tips are on achieving wellness in life such as connecting with oneself, connecting with family, and connecting with nature.
My first Wellness Warriors Podcast guest is the multi-award-winning Executive Chef Mark Normoyle. Mark has been working with me over the years to help inspire Australians to learn about our country's amazing fresh produce, how to cook healthy meals at home and explore the flavours of the world through traditional and modern cuisines.
In this episode, we discussed food trends in Australia over the decades, how the hospitality industry caters to and influence consumers, our country's farming technology, food waste, and what does organic really mean.
For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com/
Check out his website: www.marknormoyle.com
Show Notes:
1:40 – How you see food change over the period of time in Australia?
3:52 – The upsize culture where value for money means a bigger portion on the plate.
5:53 – The challenges with fast food, energy drinks and convenience.
8:54 – The landscape of fresh produce in Australia: Farming & Technology.
10:42 – Is it important to buy organic? Do we really understand what does organic mean and why is it important?
12:31 – When you hear the word Wellness relating to food, what are some of the things that come to mind for you?
13:21 – Mark’s chef journey and the change in cuisine.
16:09 – Are we evolving Australian signature cuisine?
17:12 – What is actually being done through hospitality venues to actually minimize food waste?
20:52 – Leftover Food For Charities That Feed Homeless.
23:08 – Helping Bariatric Patients Take Away The Fear of What Food Looks Like, To Teach #WeightLossWarriors That Food Is Fun, Delicious & Nutritious.
27:03 – Mark Normoyle’s view of “Wellness” and re-establishing that core value of eating around a dining table as a family.
27:54 – Re-establishing that core value of eating around a dining table as a family.