When Kayleen caught a glimpse of herself in pictures, she realised she needed to lose weight - after she no longer recognised the person staring back at her.
The size 22 retail assistant, from South Australia, was looking at her wedding pictures when she was struck by a confronting thought about herself.
'On my first wedding anniversary, I was looking at our photos and I felt so disgusted with myself. It made me question why my husband would want to marry me in the first place,' Kayleen told Daily Mail.
'We were having discussions about starting a family and I knew this was not the way I wanted to do it. I wanted to be a good role model for our future kids and I knew that I never wanted them to feel the way I did as a kid. It was time to change.'
Her 'moment of truth' came a few months after she quit her extremely stressful job at the start of 2020 - a decision that finally gave the self-described 'serial snacker' the determination to turn her life around.
'I was in a very demanding job that led me to a depressed headspace,' Kayleen said.
'The job was causing me a lot of stress. After quitting, I finally had time to focus on myself and my major focus was to get my happiness back.'
Astonishingly, Kayleen went from a size 22 to a size 10-12 after losing an incredible 51kg in just 54 weeks - all naturally, without ever setting foot in a gym.
Before her body transformation, Kayleen had been overweight most of her life.
'I have always been overweight - even as a child I was always the "fat kid". Growing up we ate lots of vegetables every day, but we also ate lots of junk food and our portions were too large,' she recalled.
During her adult years, she said she never focused on doing anything for herself.
'I was always looking after everyone else. I was too exhausted all the time to even think about eating healthy,' Kayleen said.
'I would buy my lunch nearly every day at work and when I came home it was just anything that I could find to throw together for dinner. I was also a serial snacker so I'd turn to chocolate, chips, energy drinks and iced coffee.'
She knew she needed to overcome her unhealthy eating habits to lose weight.
Kayleen had tried other diets but nothing seemed to work.
'I always struggled with knowing what to eat for health, being consistent, and wanting a "quick fix". I had also always tried to lose weight for my appearance only,' she said.
'But this final time, I needed to do it for my health.'
She managed to shed six dress sizes while enjoying her favourite food, within reason.
Kayleen - who's now a doting mum to a two-year-old daughter with a second baby on the way - said she feels happier and healthier than ever before.
She discovered the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet after spotting a man's 100kg weight loss on the scientifically formulated weight loss program during a TV segment.
'My brother had also tried it and I knew it worked for him,' she said.
'After chatting with him about how it worked, it sounded like something that would be effective and sustainable for me. My mum has also since gone on the program and lost weight - it's truly a family affair.'
Developed by scientists at Australia's national science agency, the diet focuses on a higher protein, low GI meal plan designed to help you shed kilos by reducing cravings and keeping you feeling fuller for longer.
'I learnt about what to eat for a balanced diet. Rather than a "quick fix", I was gaining the knowledge to live healthier,' she said.
'I did also lose weight quickly once I started, this gave me a boost of motivation to keep going and be consistent.'
After 54 weeks, Kayleen shed more than 50kg.
'I truly committed to the changes I needed to make and I think that made a huge difference,' she said.
Kayleen was determined to lose weight and improve her health in preparation for starting a family. She now has a two-year-old daughter with a second baby on the way.
Kayleen's healthy day on a plate
- BREAKFAST: Ricotta hotcakes with berries and yoghurt or fried or scrambled eggs on crumpets
- LUNCH: Salads in summer; homemade pumpkin soup with some A toastie or frittata in winter
- DINNER: Paella, barramundi curry with snake beans or veal cutlets with tomato risotto.
- DESSERT: Fruit and yoghurt
'Exercise wasn't a big part of my weight loss journey. I really just focused on what I was eating. These days, I'll go for the occasional walk but it’s my toddler that really keeps me active.
'The reason other diets had failed for me in the past was that they were too restrictive. I loved that CSIRO fits into my lifestyle, that I could eat all of my favourite foods, and not feel deprived.
'My relationship to food is now so balanced and organised. I meal plan for the week, and if I'm going out for lunch or dinner, I just think about what I might have so I can adjust the rest of my day accordingly.'
Her favourite breakfasts include ricotta hotcakes with berries and yoghurt or simple fried or scrambled eggs on crumpets.
'If I am starting work at 5am I have banana or berry smoothies,' she said.
For lunch, she enjoys a fresh salad in a mixing bowl over summer and homemade pumpkin soup with a toastie or frittata in winter.
Her go-to dinner options include paella, barramundi curry with snake beans or veal cutlets with tomato risotto.
After dinner, she typically enjoys fruit and yoghurt for dessert to 'make up my units for the day'.
These days, the only 'exercise' she does is the 'occasional walk'.
Before her body transformation, Kayleen had been overweight most of her life.
Kayleen said she was determined to be a 'good role model' for her kids, so they wouldn't grow up with the same unhealthy eating habits she did.
Kayleen - who's now a doting mum to a two-year-old daughter with a second baby on the way - said she feels happier and healthier than ever before.
'My life is so different now,' she said.
'Not only do I feel better in myself and have more confidence, but the main reason I signed up for the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet was because my husband and I wanted to start a family.'
'I did not want to do that until I was a healthy weight to make pregnancy and chasing after a little one easier but also so I could set a healthy example for my future children.'
'I look forward to teaching my daughter how to feed her body the nutrients it needs to be healthy but also that you can have those "naughty" foods sometimes and it's okay.'
For those struggling to lose weight, Kayleen said:
'My advice is to just trust the science. I cannot stress that enough.'
'The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet is backed by credible research that means the journey is a healthy and happy one.'
'Do not try to bring "Oh but I did this and that on another diet and it worked for me" into it. There is a reason you are no longer doing that diet.'
'So just trust the science, follow the units, and start by following the meal plans before you try to freestyle. This way, you'll truly understand what the program is about.'