Nutrition
I turned 60 in 2012. It was time to take stock. I was unhealthy – obese and metabolically unwell. Having been alerted to the fact that we had potentially been following the wrong dietary advice for 40 years, that it was carbs that were the problem not fat. I did hours of research, changed my diet and within three months reversed all my health problems.
When something like that happens you have two choices, you can keep it to yourself or you can share the experience with others. I decided on the latter course of action.
I started to give talks and write about my own experience and the evidence supporting the low carb approach to eating. I have spoken at numerous conferences in Australia and internationally as well as giving several talks to community organisations such as schools, sporting clubs, Rotary clubs, Mens Sheds and business organisations.
In 2016 I started the not for profit organisation SugarByHalf with the aim of reducing the intake of added sugar (currently about 18 teaspoons a day inc Australia) down towards the WHO-recommended target of no more than 6 teaspoons SugarByHalf has been pushing out the reduced sugar message whenever possible. In conjunction with Cool Australia we have created a series of school lessons promoting the reduced sugar approach. Over 3000 teachers have downloaded these lessons and half a million Australian school students have received these lessons. It is amazing the impact that children can have on a family’s eating habits!
In 2017 I was approached by the publisher at Penguin Random House to see if I was interested in writing a book about my dietary beliefs. My initial response was that the last thing the world needed was “another bloody diet book”, but they convinced me that there were very few by doctors especially Australian doctors. The result was A Fat Lot of Good which amazingly went straight onto the Best Sellers list and stayed there for a few months. It continues to sell well. The proceeds have all gone to SugarByHalf. Australian Test cricketer Shane Watson was kind enough to write the foreword to the book.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects nearly 2 million Australians, with another 2 million at risk. Traditionally considered a chronic, progressive disease requiring lifelong medication, groundbreaking evidence now shows that adopting a low-carbohydrate lifestyle can improve blood sugar control and, in many cases, put T2D into remission. Recognizing this, alongside Dr. Paul Mason and dietitian Nicole Moore, I developed the Defeat Diabetes program— a comprehensive app and web-based initiative featuring videos, articles, meal plans, cooking demos, and more. With over 12,000 Australians already benefiting, the program has delivered remarkable results, mirroring global successes, by empowering participants to manage and even reverse their diabetes. A La Trobe University study further validates the program’s effectiveness, offering hope to those with T2D and pre-diabetes. Learn more at Defeat Diabetes.
The Diabetes Plan
To complement the Defeat Diabetes program, I wrote and published The Diabetes Plan in 2023. I also host regular webinars with a range of Australian and International guests.
