Interview by Liv Williams
First things first – congratulations on baby number two! How are you feeling this time around, especially knowing you’re having a little boy?
I am so excited! Being a mum is the best thing ever, and I can’t wait to see Gigi as a big sister. I’m nervous to jump back into the newborn phase again because Gigi is finally feeling like a breeze, but I just know how much love we have to give and how our little family will be when he arrives. It’s going to be so special. I’m so happy it’s a boy, I think one of each is so wonderful, he’s truly going to fit our puzzle perfectly.
You’ve decided to stay in Queensland for now, what led to that choice, and how has life been treating you up there?
We needed a change, and my sister had moved up a year prior so we just thought while the kids aren’t in school yet and we’re not ‘locked’ into a place for their schooling, it was almost now or never! I truly love it up here, it feels very suited to our lifestyle and the weather is just incredible. I miss my family, but I think we’re almost convincing them to come up!
The new BARE app has been five years in the making, that’s huge! Can you tell us what users can expect and how it supports people in tailoring nutrition to their own needs?
Gosh, it’s been too long! The BARE app is going to be ever evolving, I want to continually build it to be the best possible resource for anyone and everyone to use when it comes to their nutrition. I want people to feel like they have help at their fingertips, no matter their journey. To start with, we are going to be focused on general healthy eating and weight loss as that’s what our guides are based around now, and then build out specific nutritional needs like pregnancy assistance, PCOS, coeliac etc and assist people who really need the help when it comes to their nutritional needs. All will be in time of course, but I can’t wait to see the evolution.
Let’s talk about your beautiful new project – a kids’ book! You’ve mentioned it’s a story you used to tell Gigi on tough nights. Can you share a little more about how the story came to life and what it means to you to see it in print?
My gosh, I am so excited about it! When my daughter was born, I naively thought it would be an easy birth, take her home and start out life together. It didn’t go that way, with our daughter spending time in special care. This was of course, a huge life flip that I was not ready for – or felt like I was equipped to deal with as a new mum.
To skip forward a long journey, when my daughter would feed overnight, she would have to be held upright for at least an hour (sometimes more) and would always be wriggly and sad. It was so mentally tough so to get by I would tell her stories to help her calm down, and eventually fall back asleep.
The stories I would tell would be wild, completely made up, made no sense and eventually she would settle and drift off to sleep – and there was one story in particular about a bear and a banana that has always stuck with me because it truly went on forever. Each night I would make a joke to my husband and say “oh I wonder who the bears are gonna visit tonight!!” And it became a thing in our house because we knew we were in for a rough night. I remember telling her the stories during the night so vividly, it truly brought me joy in a time where life felt really difficult.
Every night for as long as I can remember with my daughter, we read her stories, and more recently I’ve started coming up with more random stories and I start them with “one day…” and now she turns to me in bed and goes “mummy, can I please have one more one day story?!?” And it feels like life has truly come full circle.
So I’m so excited to actually write out the Mr Bear and Banana as a “one day” story for Gigi. On the back, my hope for this book is that we open up conversations, get mums talking about their journeys and promote reading to children.
Writing a children’s book feels like a big shift from recipes and meal plans; was it a natural pivot for you, or did it come out of the blue?
Oh, this was not a natural pivot at all, and honestly, it’s a bit of a fun project. I really like trying new things, challenging myself and doing what I feel is natural to me, and this felt like a soul project, it just so happens that a publisher wanted to pick it up! I commissioned my own designer from a website I found so she could bring it to life…and I cried when I first saw it!
Do you see yourself doing more creative projects like this, or was this one just really close to your heart?
This was so close to my heart, but I’d love to do more creative projects in this space. I’d love to do more charity work with these types of projects (hoping this one does well) and give back to mums who are struggling, just as I was, to hopefully make a difference.
You’re clearly juggling so much… What helps you stay grounded through all the chaos?
My family. My parents are incredibly supportive, and my husband Mitch is a literal angel – everyone helps each other in our family so while it might look chaotic, it feels calm (or maybe i’ve just learnt to live in the calm haha!)
With all these exciting things happening, what are you most looking forward to over the next six months?
Honestly I’m just excited for mum-life. There’s nothing quite like meeting your child for the first time, but watching them grow, seeing their wonderful personalities evolve. I truly can’t wait, I feel like it’s harder to wait this time because now I know how incredible they make your life!
Finally, what do you hope people – whether they’re users of the BARE app or readers of your kids’ book – take away from the work you’re putting into the world right now?
I feel for most of my life, I’ve always just tried to make people feel good. Whether that be making them laugh, doing something for them, creating a space where they feel comfortable/normal – I just want people to feel like they are good enough for this world, and in turn I hope they pass on that message to the next person.
Itsines Family Recipes
The Itsines Family Recipes e-book brings together 55+ cherished dishes from Leah, her sister Kayla, Mama Itsines and Yiayia—celebrating the flavours, stories and love passed down through generations. Designed to make meaningful, family‑inspired cooking accessible, meaningful and fun—no fuss, just good food from the heart.
- Why you’ll love it: Family favourites rewritten for the modern home kitchen: simple, nutritious, flavourful and full of heart.
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