A retired nurse living in Tasmania, Kate had struggled with her weight all her life and was a yo-yo dieter from the age of 10. When she turned 54, she was diagnosed with prediabetes, but like many people, Kate buried her head in the sand and refused to take it seriously. Six years later, the inevitable happened. She learned her HbA1c was 6.5%, and she was officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 

Unable to ignore her condition any longer and desperate to avoid going on medications, Kate did some Googling and discovered Defeat Diabetes. 

“When I was diagnosed in December 2022, I considered joining Diabetes Tasmania, but I wanted to experiment with a low carb approach first. I found the Defeat Diabetes Progam and discovered it had been developed by Dr Peter Brukner, who I recognised from the days when he looked after the Australian Cricket Team. 

“I started the two-week trial and stuck to the meal plans religiously. In 14 days, I lost 2 kgs. It felt effortless, and I enjoyed it so much. I thought it was great value at $99 for a 12-month subscription with all the resources, and signed up straight away!

“Three months later, I had another HbA1c test. I was so nervous; I thought it couldn’t be this easy to reverse type 2. I was absolutely delighted when the results came back at 5.9%, well below the type 2 diabetes threshold. The weight was just falling off - I had lost 9 kgs in three months, and my waist was down 8 cm. I was in remission and never felt better. 

“Years of nursing, gardening, and even building my own home had taken their toll, and I had lived for 8 years with excruciating back pain. But since following the Defeat Diabetes Program, my back feels back to normal. I’m even doing yoga and can’t believe I can now do things that were once impossible.

“What has helped me stick to the program and see such great results is that there are so many commercially available options for low carb food. I love bread and would find it hard to live without a sandwich, but you can buy seed crackers and low carb bread at the supermarket, and they’re so good to have on hand. 

“And, of course, I love the Defeat Diabetes Program recipes and being inspired. Some particular favourites are the Sticky Chicken Wings, Zucchini Feta Fritters and the stir fries and cauli rice - even the Cheesy Creamed Spinach is a big win! 

“Some people might think, “Oh, I can’t eat like this for the rest of my life,” but I can tell you it’s better than dying of type 2 complications. As a nurse, I’ve seen it first-hand; it starts with a toe off, then a foot and from there, it’s a slippery slope. Don’t think it won’t happen to you. 

“The truth is YOU can control diabetes by what you eat and how you live. The Defeat Diabetes Program has shown me how - and it can help you, too.”