Success Stories
The real stories of people who have taken control of their health with the help of the Defeat Diabetes Program.
Shane Dobson
26kg2.3HbA1cAfter being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 15 years ago, living with persistently high blood sugar became the norm for Shane, a retiree from Gippsland. After a further diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, then learning he had fatty liver disease and the highest HbA1c in a long time, he knew things were heading in the wrong direction. Since adopting the Defeat Diabetes way of eating, Shane has lost 26kg and now prioritises his diet and daily exercise. As a result, his HbA1c has dropped and he’s reduced his medications, and the benefits don’t stop there.
Rachael Hamilton
5.9kg4HbA1cFor Rachael from Brisbane, weight had never been an issue, but after her husband, Phil, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, it threw her world into disarray. Sitting by Phil's bedside for almost two years, her own health took second place. When Phil passed away, the grief was all-consuming, but she knew she had to be there for her children. After a thorough health check, Rachael was shocked to learn she had pre-diabetes, but a friend recommended the Defeat Diabetes Program, and she's not looked back. After just three months on the Defeat Diabetes Program, Rachael has reached her goal weight, and she's no longer in the range for pre-diabetes.
Toni Bahler
10kgToni is no stranger to the low carb lifestyle; she’d been following this approach for many years. But after relocating to a remote town for her work as a community midwife, Toni found herself so immersed in helping others that she failed to notice her old eating habits creeping back. In a matter of months, she became a "full-on carb addict".
After a routine check-up, she learned that her HbA1c was at 11.1%. The threshold for type 2 diabetes is 7.5%. It was a rude awakening. After joining the Defeat Diabetes Program two months ago, Toni's lost 10kg, her waistline is down 15cms, and her HbA1c is currently at 7... but she's not stopping there.
Abbey Schweitzer
11kgWeighing 115kg, Abbey had type 2 diabetes and had been in and out of the hospital for 18 months with chronic health issues. It wasn’t until a small cut on her finger nearly led to a complete amputation that she realised she needed to turn her life, and her health, around.
After researching the benefits of a low carb diet, and enlisting the help of her father-in-law who is a GP, Abbey has lost 11kg, no longer experiences painful reflux, and has said goodbye to headaches that would last for days.
Maria Frazer
30kgIn spite of her work as a fitness trainer, Maria had struggled with her weight her entire life. With an abnormal blood sugar level, chronic back pain, as well as being on medication for 10 years, Maria wanted to make a change.
After adopting a keto focused approach to eating, and then diving into low carb as well, Maria has successfully lost 30kg, come off medication for good, and now has "boundless energy and mental clarity".
Daniel Holmes
12kgA fit, active and seemingly healthy guy who never suffered any form of illness, a routine health check at age 45 showed Daniel had an average blood sugar level (known as HbA1c) of 7 - well above the recommended average of between 3.5-5.5.
After adopting a low carb approach to eating, along with intermittent fasting, Daniel has been able to fully reverse his HbA1c, experience significant weight loss and has better energy, mental focus and zero food cravings.
Rob McLean
17kgDespite being diagnosed with asthma early in his life, and having to undergo allergy injections, Rob was your typical high school athlete. He was a competitive swimmer, runner, and a very fit and active guy throughout his youth.
Growing older and the stress of Covid-19, as well as the trauma of the recent passing of his father, Rob gained weight and experienced symptoms like shaking, becoming flushed and feeling breathless. A health check with his doctor saw him diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and put on a number of medications.
After seeing Dr. Peter Brukner’s story on ABC’s Catalyst, Rob embarked on a low carb diet, and has successfully come off medication, lowered his HbA1c to 4.8 and lost 17kg.
Matilda Dixon-Smith
5kg2.5HbA1cSuffering from constant fatigue, Matilda couldn’t stay awake long enough to read a page in a book. Eventually, she had to give up work.
She went for a regular doctors check-up to resolve her health issues. With an HbA1c of 9.0, and a fasting glucose level of 15.6, Matilda was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After researching alternative ways to help her type 2 diabetes as opposed to medication, Matilda embarked on her own diet plan while she waited for her dietitian’s appointment.
Fast forward six months, Matilda no longer has daily naps, she is back at work, her mental health is improving each day and her HbA1c is down to 6.5.
Maikol Taseski
40kgWeighing in at 139kg, Maikol was a chronic yoyo-dieter with bad skin conditions including all-over body rashes, lethargy, and insomnia.
A routine health check saw Maikol diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease, prompting him to research the low carb lifestyle after hearing it could help reverse type 2 diabetes.
Fast forward a year, and Maikol has lost 40kg, cleared up his skin conditions, and is enjoying newfound energy and mental clarity as he continues his journey to put his type 2 diabetes into remission.
Michael Futter
17kg3.1HbA1cAs a former Division 1 soccer player, Michael was devastated when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. His GP told him that the condition was progressive, putting him on medication to manage the condition.
After six years of being sick and fed up, Michael heard about Defeat Diabetes on 3AW radio and had a glimpse of hope. But his hope faded after learning his GP wasn't supportive of the approach.
Luckily, Michael trusted his instincts and switched to a health care team that supports the Defeat Diabetes philosophy. Since then, he's lost 17kg, increased his energy levels, and put his type 2 diabetes into remission.
Iain McIntyre
10kg3.1HbA1cDespite being a GP with 46 years of medical experience behind him, Iain didn't believe it was possible to put type 2 diabetes into remission.
He had been trying on his own for years. 'Traditional' treatment methods saw Iain go on an increasing amount of medication, with his HbA1c reaching a frightening 9.9.
After joining Defeat Diabetes in January 2020, Iain has lost 10kg and his HbA1c is sitting at 6.8.
Stephen Fletcher
Stephen’s pre-diabetes markers over the past 10 years had steadily worsened, and his chances of developing type 2 diabetes dramatically increased.
After reading stories and seeing what a low carb diet has done for others, he decided to start living a low carb lifestyle with the goal of achieving a healthy weight.
Stephen has only just begun his journey, and is already feeling “a hell of a lot better”. He has more energy, better sleep and is learning to live without bread!
Tina De-Zen
13kg5HbA1cAs a nurse with a 47-year healthcare career, Tina thought she knew how to manage her type 2 diabetes. For six years, she followed the advice of her diabetes educator as well as her GP, but nothing worked. After trying every ‘diet’ out there and reading an overwhelming amount of information, Tina decided to give Defeat Diabetes a go - after all, she’d tried everything else!
And in just five months, she has lost 13kg and seen her HbA1c go from 8.4 to 5.7.
Recipes to plan and cook at home
Choose from our dietitian-approved simple and delicious recipes with more added every week.