When life hands you lemons - make lemonade. Listen to Issy's story about curved balls and large life-changing decisions, and how she got to the point of beginning her WLS journey. Jacqui and Issy also discuss the stigma that can come with being overweight, and the support networks needed to get to the end goal. 

Follow Issy's story on Instagram!

When life hands you lemons&nbsp;-&nbsp;make lemonade. Listen to Issy's story about curved balls and large life-changing decisions, and how she got to the point of beginning her WLS journey. Jacqui and Issy also discuss the stigma that can come with being overweight, and the support networks needed to get to the end goal.&nbsp;
Follow Issy's story on Instagram!

On the Australian Weight Loss Surgery Podcast, we share tips, insights and recommendations from leading Bariatric specialists to help you achieve and maintain your weight loss goals and live a life of health and vitality.


Qualified Nutritionist Jacqui Lewis and her guests dive into aspects of diet, fitness, wellbeing, mindset and lifestyle that come together to achieve great results on your Weight Loss Surgery journey.

On the Australian Weight Loss Surgery Podcast, we share tips, insights and recommendations from leading Bariatric specialists to help you achieve and maintain your weight loss goals and live a life of health and vitality.
 Qualified Nutritionist Jacqui Lewis and her guests dive into aspects of diet, fitness, wellbeing, mindset and lifestyle that come together to achieve great results on your Weight Loss Surgery journey.

Australian Weight Loss Surgery Podcast

On the Australian Weight Loss Surgery Podcast we share tips, insights and recommendations from leading bariatric specialists, to help you achieve and maintain your weight loss goals and live a life of health and vitality.


Nutritionist Jacqui Lewis and her guests dive into aspects of diet, fitness, wellbeing, mindset and lifestyle that come together to achieve great results on your weight loss surgery journey.

On the Australian Weight Loss Surgery Podcast we share tips, insights and recommendations from leading bariatric specialists, to help you achieve and maintain your weight loss goals and live a life of health and vitality.
 Nutritionist Jacqui Lewis and her guests dive into aspects of diet, fitness, wellbeing, mindset and lifestyle that come together to achieve great results on your weight loss surgery journey.

Issy's Story

What should women know about preparing for pregnancy after bariatric surgery? And how can nutrition during this time support both maternal health and a baby’s long-term development?

In this episode, Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, Melanie McGrice explains why the period before conception and through a child’s first two years is one of the most important windows for nutrition. She focuses on what women who have had bariatric surgery need to consider when planning a pregnancy, including weight stability, nutrient levels, and timing.

Melanie discusses why weight management can become more complex after pregnancy and how nutritional status before conception can shape fertility outcomes. She also explores how epigenetic programming may influence a baby’s future health.

Melanie breaks down practical guidance for bariatric patients who want to start or grow their family. She explains how to time weight loss before conception, what adequate protein and micronutrient intake looks like with a restricted stomach, and why the folate conversation is more nuanced than many prenatal supplements suggest.

For anyone navigating pregnancy preparation after bariatric surgery, this episode offers clear, evidence-based guidance on supporting both mother and baby during this critical stage.
For health care professionals: Home - Early Life Nutrition Alliance
For public: Nutrition Plus Dietitians - Fertility, PCOS, Pregnancy & Paediatrics

Episode Highlights:
Why women often can't reverse weight changes that started during pregnancy — and the science behind it
What epigenetics actually means, and why the first thousand days sets a child's lifelong health trajectory
The landmark mouse study that changed how we think about what mothers eat during pregnancy
Folate vs. folic acid vs. methylated folate — Melanie's practical middle-ground recommendation
How to manage nausea-driven eating in the first trimester without compromising nutrition
Why bariatric patients need specific micronutrient and protein targets before and during pregnancy
The timing strategy Melanie uses for weight loss before IVF egg collection
Why nutrition should come before IVF — not after multiple failed cycles

About Our Guest:

Melanie McGrice is an advanced accredited practising dietitian and one of Australia’s leading experts in early life nutrition. With over 20 years’ experience, she specialises in fertility, pregnancy, and the first 1,000 days, helping individuals and families optimise health during life’s most influential nutritional window.

Melanie is the founder of the Early Life Nutrition Alliance, a global community of dietitians dedicated to improving health outcomes through evidence-based nutrition care. She also leads consumer-focused services through Nutrition Plus, supporting people with fertility concerns, hormonal health challenges, and complex conditions such as PCOS, Endometriosis, and metabolic changes related to bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications.

A regular media commentator, researcher, and educator, Melanie is passionate about making high-quality nutrition science accessible, practical, and compassionate. Her work empowers individuals to feel confident, supported, and informed as they navigate significant health decisions and transitions.

Connect with Melanie McGrice
Website | www.melaniemcgrice.com.au
Instagram | www.instagram.com/melaniemcgrice
Facebook | www.facebook.com/MelanieMcGriceDietitian
YouTube | www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMqzbbepjpirMANLvA2TEQ
X (Twitter) | @MelanieMcGrice
LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-mcgrice-91885638/

What should women know about preparing for pregnancy after bariatric surgery? And how can nutrition during this time support both maternal health and a baby&rsquo;s long-term development?
In this episode, Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, Melanie McGrice explains why the period before conception and through a child&rsquo;s first two years is one of the most important windows for nutrition. She focuses on what women who have had bariatric surgery need to consider when planning a pregnancy, including weight stability, nutrient levels, and timing.
Melanie discusses why weight management can become more complex after pregnancy and how nutritional status before conception can shape fertility outcomes. She also explores how epigenetic programming may influence a baby&rsquo;s future health.
Melanie breaks down practical guidance for bariatric patients who want to start or grow their family. She explains how to time weight loss before conception, what adequate protein and micronutrient intake looks like with a restricted stomach, and why the folate conversation is more nuanced than many prenatal supplements suggest.
For anyone navigating pregnancy preparation after bariatric surgery, this episode offers clear, evidence-based guidance on supporting both mother and baby during this critical stage.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">For health care professionals: <a href="https://earlylifenutritionalliance.com/">Home - Early Life Nutrition Alliance</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">For public: <a href="https://www.nutritionplus.com.au/">Nutrition Plus Dietitians - Fertility, PCOS, Pregnancy &amp; Paediatrics</a></li>
</ul>
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why women often can't reverse weight changes that started during pregnancy &mdash; and the science behind it</li>
<li aria-level="1">What epigenetics actually means, and why the first thousand days sets a child's lifelong health trajectory</li>
<li aria-level="1">The landmark mouse study that changed how we think about what mothers eat during pregnancy</li>
<li aria-level="1">Folate vs. folic acid vs. methylated folate &mdash; Melanie's practical middle-ground recommendation</li>
<li aria-level="1">How to manage nausea-driven eating in the first trimester without compromising nutrition</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why bariatric patients need specific micronutrient and protein targets before and during pregnancy</li>
<li aria-level="1">The timing strategy Melanie uses for weight loss before IVF egg collection</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why nutrition should come before IVF &mdash; not after multiple failed cycles</li>
</ul>
About Our Guest:
Melanie McGrice is an advanced accredited practising dietitian and one of Australia&rsquo;s leading experts in early life nutrition. With over 20 years&rsquo; experience, she specialises in fertility, pregnancy, and the first 1,000 days, helping individuals and families optimise health during life&rsquo;s most influential nutritional window.
Melanie is the founder of the Early Life Nutrition Alliance, a global community of dietitians dedicated to improving health outcomes through evidence-based nutrition care. She also leads consumer-focused services through Nutrition Plus, supporting people with fertility concerns, hormonal health challenges, and complex conditions such as PCOS, Endometriosis, and metabolic changes related to bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications.
A regular media commentator, researcher, and educator, Melanie is passionate about making high-quality nutrition science accessible, practical, and compassionate. Her work empowers individuals to feel confident, supported, and informed as they navigate significant health decisions and transitions.
Connect with Melanie McGrice
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Website | <a href="https://www.melaniemcgrice.com.au/">www.melaniemcgrice.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniemcgrice/">www.instagram.com/melaniemcgrice</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Facebook | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MelanieMcGriceDietitian">www.facebook.com/MelanieMcGriceDietitian</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">YouTube | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMqzbbepjpirMANLvA2TEQ">www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMqzbbepjpirMANLvA2TEQ</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">X (Twitter) | <a href="https://twitter.com/MelanieMcGrice">@MelanieMcGrice</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-mcgrice-91885638/">www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-mcgrice-91885638/</a></li>
</ul>

Pregnancy Preparation and Care After Bariatric Surgery with Melanie McGrice

What if everything you've been told about willpower and weight loss is wrong?

Obesity Specialist GP and dietitian Dr. Mais Hussein reveals why obesity isn't a character flaw—it's a chronic disease driven by over 100 hunger hormones working against you. We explore why GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are powerful tools, not magic fixes, and what happens when people use them without proper nutritional support.

Dr. Mais breaks down the three critical pathways GLP-1s work on—inflammation, hunger suppression, and food addiction—and why pairing them with resistance training and adequate protein is non-negotiable. She shares why eating very little is actually your worst enemy, how emotional eating is a symptom, and what post-bariatric patients need to know about long-term support.

If you've been stuck in the diet-shame-motivation cycle or wondering whether GLP-1s are right for you, this conversation offers a science-backed path forward that treats obesity as the treatable chronic disease it actually is.

 

Episode Highlights:
Why GLP-1s are tools, not solutions—and what happens when used without lifestyle support
The three pathways GLP-1s work on: inflammation, hunger hormones, and reward systems
Why muscle loss is inevitable with any weight loss method—and how to prevent it
How hunger levels differ between people with and without obesity
Why "eat less, move more" fails when you're fighting 100 hormones
The shocking truth about food addiction and emotional eating
What bariatric surgery patients need to know about lifelong vulnerability

About Our Guest:

Dr Mais Hussein is a medical doctor with 16 years of experience and an obesity specialist for the past 3 years, with a strong background in nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

She works at the intersection of medicine, metabolism, and real life , translating complex clinical frameworks into practical, sustainable strategies.

Her upcoming program, Weight Loss & Beyond, is designed to move people past generic advice and endless trial-and-error, offering evidence-based guidance without extremes, shame, or quick fixes — focusing on long-term health, not just the number on the scale.

 

Connect with Dr. Mais Hussein
Website | www.weightlossandbeyond.com.au

What if everything you've been told about willpower and weight loss is wrong?
Obesity Specialist GP and dietitian Dr. Mais Hussein reveals why obesity isn't a character flaw&mdash;it's a chronic disease driven by over 100 hunger hormones working against you. We explore why GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are powerful tools, not magic fixes, and what happens when people use them without proper nutritional support.
Dr. Mais breaks down the three critical pathways GLP-1s work on&mdash;inflammation, hunger suppression, and food addiction&mdash;and why pairing them with resistance training and adequate protein is non-negotiable. She shares why eating very little is actually your worst enemy, how emotional eating is a symptom, and what post-bariatric patients need to know about long-term support.
If you've been stuck in the diet-shame-motivation cycle or wondering whether GLP-1s are right for you, this conversation offers a science-backed path forward that treats obesity as the treatable chronic disease it actually is.
&nbsp;
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why GLP-1s are tools, not solutions&mdash;and what happens when used without lifestyle support</li>
<li aria-level="1">The three pathways GLP-1s work on: inflammation, hunger hormones, and reward systems</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why muscle loss is inevitable with any weight loss method&mdash;and how to prevent it</li>
<li aria-level="1">How hunger levels differ between people with and without obesity</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why "eat less, move more" fails when you're fighting 100 hormones</li>
<li aria-level="1">The shocking truth about food addiction and emotional eating</li>
<li aria-level="1">What bariatric surgery patients need to know about lifelong vulnerability</li>
</ul>
About Our Guest:
Dr Mais Hussein is a medical doctor with 16 years of experience and an obesity specialist for the past 3 years, with a strong background in nutrition and lifestyle medicine.
She works at the intersection of medicine, metabolism, and real life , translating complex clinical frameworks into practical, sustainable strategies.
Her upcoming program, Weight Loss &amp; Beyond, is designed to move people past generic advice and endless trial-and-error, offering evidence-based guidance without extremes, shame, or quick fixes &mdash; focusing on long-term health, not just the number on the scale.
&nbsp;
Connect with Dr. Mais Hussein
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Website | <a href="https://www.weightlossandbeyond.com.au/">www.weightlossandbeyond.com.au</a></li>
</ul>

GLP-1 are Not a Magic Wand - Here's Why You Need More Than Just the Injection

You take your vitamins religiously for the first year after surgery, your labs look fine, so you stop. What could go wrong?

Kate Fuss, Physician Assistant-Certified and founder of Banana Bariatrics, has watched patients arrive at clinics unable to walk straight down the hallway, their teeth cracking, skin deteriorating—all because they believed vitamins were temporary. 

In this episode, she reveals why your "normal" lab results might be hiding serious deficiencies, what irreversible brain damage from thiamine deficiency actually looks like, and why your body will break down your bones before letting your calcium levels drop. She also shares myths that leave patients vulnerable years after surgery. Kate explains why eating healthy will never be enough, how to spot vitamin deficiencies before they become emergencies, and why one patient's hair loss was actually the least of her problems. 

If you've ever thought "my calcium is always normal" means you could skip supplements, or wondered why you're exhausted despite eating well, this episode could prevent serious complications.

$1 for a week trial membership

Episode Highlights:
Why "normal" lab ranges don't tell the whole story for bariatric patients
The two-week thiamine window that separates prevention from brain damage
How your body sacrifices bone health to maintain blood calcium levels
Warning signs of vitamin deficiency that mimic other conditions
Why malabsorptive procedures require different supplementation than gastric sleeve
The real cost of skipping vitamins: from hospital admissions to irreversible damage

About Our Guest:

Kate Fuss, PA-C is a Surgical Residency trained Physician Assistant from Yale / Norwalk hospitals in Connecticut. She obtained her Masters of Medical Science at Wake Forest School of Medicine in NC.

Kate has over 12 years of clinical and operative experience in Bariatrics, General, and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. She additional obtained a Board Certification as a Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management.

Her passion lies in serving weight loss surgery patients throughout their entire operative journey. She carries a special interest in serving those struggling with post-operative weight regain and believes in a whole foods nutritional approach for overall health and wellness.

When Kate has extra time on her hands, she enjoys pouring it inside Banana, being present with her two daughters and husband, and traveling the world with her family to experience new cultures and cuisines.

 

Connect with Kate Fuss
Website | bananabariatrics.com
Instagram | @banana.bariatrics
Facebook | www.facebook.com/groups/bariatricweightlosssurgery

Providers | bananabariatrics.com/private-practice/

You take your vitamins religiously for the first year after surgery, your labs look fine, so you stop. What could go wrong?
Kate Fuss, Physician Assistant-Certified and founder of Banana Bariatrics, has watched patients arrive at clinics unable to walk straight down the hallway, their teeth cracking, skin deteriorating&mdash;all because they believed vitamins were temporary.&nbsp;
In this episode, she reveals why your "normal" lab results might be hiding serious deficiencies, what irreversible brain damage from thiamine deficiency actually looks like, and why your body will break down your bones before letting your calcium levels drop. She also shares myths that leave patients vulnerable years after surgery. Kate explains why eating healthy will never be enough, how to spot vitamin deficiencies before they become emergencies, and why one patient's hair loss was actually the least of her problems.&nbsp;
If you've ever thought "my calcium is always normal" means you could skip supplements, or wondered why you're exhausted despite eating well, this episode could prevent serious complications.
<a href="https://bananabariatrics.com/">$1 for a week trial membership</a>
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why "normal" lab ranges don't tell the whole story for bariatric patients</li>
<li aria-level="1">The two-week thiamine window that separates prevention from brain damage</li>
<li aria-level="1">How your body sacrifices bone health to maintain blood calcium levels</li>
<li aria-level="1">Warning signs of vitamin deficiency that mimic other conditions</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why malabsorptive procedures require different supplementation than gastric sleeve</li>
<li aria-level="1">The real cost of skipping vitamins: from hospital admissions to irreversible damage</li>
</ul>
About Our Guest:
Kate Fuss, PA-C is a Surgical Residency trained Physician Assistant from Yale / Norwalk hospitals in Connecticut. She obtained her Masters of Medical Science at Wake Forest School of Medicine in NC.
Kate has over 12 years of clinical and operative experience in Bariatrics, General, and Plastic &amp; Reconstructive Surgery. She additional obtained a Board Certification as a Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management.
Her passion lies in serving weight loss surgery patients throughout their entire operative journey. She carries a special interest in serving those struggling with post-operative weight regain and believes in a whole foods nutritional approach for overall health and wellness.
When Kate has extra time on her hands, she enjoys pouring it inside Banana, being present with her two daughters and husband, and traveling the world with her family to experience new cultures and cuisines.
&nbsp;
Connect with Kate Fuss
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Website | <a href="https://bananabariatrics.com/">bananabariatrics.com</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/banana.bariatrics/?hl=en">@banana.bariatrics</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Facebook | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/bariatricweightlosssurgery">www.facebook.com/groups/bariatricweightlosssurgery</a></li>
</ul>
Providers | <a href="http://bananabariatrics.com/private-practice/">bananabariatrics.com/private-practice/</a>

Issy's Story

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Australian Weight Loss Surgery Podcast

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