✦  The OptiWeight Journal

Long reads. Plain talk.

Honest writing about weight-loss surgery, the GLP-1 era, recovery, nutrition and the science of why diets fail. Written by Dr Ashok Gunawardene and the OptiWeight clinical team.

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Updated weekly

Honest writing about weight-loss surgery, the GLP-1 era, recovery, nutrition and the science of why diets fail. Written by Dr Ashok Gunawardene and the OptiWeight clinical team.

The honest guide to coming off GLP 1 injections
  • GLP-1

The honest guide to coming off GLP-1 injections

Semaglutide and tirzepatide were designed to be taken forever. Most patients aren't told that, and most don't want that. Here's how we structure a safe (...)
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Sleeve or bypass A practical guide
  • Procedures

Sleeve or bypass? A practical guide

Two procedures. Two-thirds of all bariatric operations performed in Australia. Most patients arrive convinced they want one or the other. Half of them are wrong (...)
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Week by week the first 12 weeks after bariatric surgery
  • Recovery

Week by week: the first 12 weeks after bariatric surgery

A realistic dietitian-led timeline of what to expect in the first twelve weeks after bariatric surgery. What is normal, what isn't, when most patients return (...)
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The protein question How much when and from what
  • Nutrition

The protein question. How much, when, and from what

Why protein is the single most important macronutrient after bariatric surgery, and a practical playbook for hitting your daily target without resorting to powders.. (...)
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What minimally invasive actually means in 2026
  • Surgery

What “minimally invasive” actually means in 2026.

A behind-the-scenes look at modern bariatric theatre technology — powered staplers, intelligent tissue-sensing firing, tristaple reinforcement — and what these mean for your scar, your (...)
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Am I ready A psychologist's lens on bariatric readiness
  • Mindset

Am I ready? A psychologist’s lens on bariatric readiness

Surgery is the easy part. The before, and the long after, take work. A clinical psychologist on the signals that suggest you're ready — and (...)
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Bariatric surgery in a family that loves food
  • Family

Bariatric surgery in a family that loves food

How to navigate Christmas, weddings, big Italian dinners and the well-meaning aunt who keeps offering you seconds — without becoming someone you're not. (...)
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