Weight loss tips Australia: How 38-year-old couple transformed their bodies and lost 95kg after fast food addiction using two simple steps

An Australian couple have revealed how they “completely turned their lives around” at the age of 38 after decades of unhealthy eating, no portion control and mental health issues.

Alisa and George, from Wollongong, New South Wales, spent their meals reaching for buckets of KFC and chocolate bars before choosing to eat clean and take regular walks.

“We lived such a bad lifestyle, we survived on takeout and junk food,” Alisa told FEMAIL.

But Alisa and George have now lost 34kg and 61kg respectively after changing their diet and taking baby steps.

The final straw was when their eight-year-old daughter came home crying after a friend at school bullied her for having “fat parents.”

Alisa’s grandmother also died the same week, and one of her last memories was of the older woman telling her she had “big legs.”

The couple discovered a popular meal replacement shake on podcast the same night and started taking an online order and taking a walk together the next day.

“In the beginning it was very difficult and I was not motivated at all,” said Alisa. “I kept saying I wanted to start losing weight, but I didn’t know how to start.”

While they both work at Coles, Alisa’s workday starts at 3am, which made it difficult for her to follow a “normal” eating schedule.

“I came back from work around 8am, got the kids ready for school, cooked some pasta and ate a block of chocolate,” she said.

‘We loved pasta – we ate a lot of spaghetti and lasagna dishes during the week. It’s so disgusting to think about it now.

“Both of my kids have special needs and have very specific dietary requirements — so it was just easier to do takeout or whip up a pot of pasta or a frozen pizza.”

“I was also an emotional eater, and my weight really took a toll on my mental health, leading me to eat more chocolate.”

Alisa and George first hiked in February 2022 and have since become a great support to each other.

“I noticed a change in the first week,” Alisa revealed.

“I lost 6 kg just by walking, cutting out junk food and eating grilled chicken with steamed vegetables for dinner.

“And within 12 weeks my clothes were loose and started falling off me.”

Now Alisa goes to the gym five or six times a week and follows a high-protein diet.

The couple is still drinking their Man Shakes and Lady Shakes daily and attribute much of their weight loss to the supplements.

They also replaced their usual meals with healthier alternatives, such as cauliflower or broccoli rice and zucchini pasta.

Alisa started buying cauliflower based pizzas – that’s George’s new favorite meal.

“Having my husband with me has been so important to all of this, I honestly think I would have stopped if it wasn’t for him,” she said.

“We’ve had so much time together as a couple, and it’s really nice to get away from the kids for a few hours each week.

“It has brought us so much closer together and we are so much happier and healthier.

“One of the biggest wins is that George can go to normal stores and shop instead of needing special ‘bigger’ departments.”

Alisa also revealed some “shock” side effects of losing weight.

“We had a lot of trouble with our sleep schedule and it was hard to sleep through the night.

“But since we started our fitness journey, such a weight has been lifted off our chests. And George stopped snoring too – which I never expected!’

The mother-of-two said their family and friends have been extremely supportive throughout the process.

“Everyone has been amazing and encouraging. They just can’t believe we’ve lost even more weight each time they see us.”