Simone Anderson

At 23, Simone Anderson began publicly documenting a health programme in Auckland in 2014 after reaching a peak weight of 169 kilograms. She had gastric sleeve surgery after losing about 20 kilograms and lost half her body weight within a year, then went public with photographs of the loose skin left behind and with the operation to remove it, which drew coverage well outside New Zealand. Journey to Health: How I Lost Half My Body Weight and Found a New Way of Life, written with Sarah Ell and issued by Allen & Unwin in 2018, recounts that period. So Delish!: Super Easy, Fresh Meals for Every Day came from the same house in 2020, a collection of everyday recipes together with the sharing platters she had become known for online, where more than 600,000 people follow her food, health and fashion posts.