🎧 Episode Description

In this reflective episode, Laura sits down with Kathryn Thomas to talk about change - the kind you choose, the kind that’s forced upon you, and the kind that quietly reshapes you over time. Kathryn shares her journey through career transitions, from national broadcasting to creative independence, and what it’s like to make bold decisions in midlife while balancing motherhood, identity, and self-trust.

Much of the conversation centres on health and how our understanding of it has evolved. Kathryn speaks openly about her years on Operation Transformation, the backlash she faced, and why she felt compelled to explore the science and controversy around GLP-1 medications and Ozempic through documentary work. Together, they unpack how the obesity conversation has shifted, including the role of biology, food environments, and access in shaping long-term health.

The episode also moves into ageing, menopause, sleep, aesthetics, and longevity. Kathryn reflects honestly on contradiction - wanting to age well while questioning the systems that profit from fear - and on the small, practical changes that have made the biggest difference to her wellbeing. Grounded, thoughtful, and deeply human, this is a conversation about agency, perspective, and learning when to let go of certainty.

🔑 Key Points

Choosing change later in life

Kathryn reflects on making major career decisions in her mid-40s and stepping outside long-established systems.

The cost of visibility

Public scrutiny, online criticism, and resilience are explored through Kathryn’s lived experience.

Operation Transformation revisited

A nuanced look back at the show’s evolution, cultural impact, and the stigma that surrounded it.

Rethinking obesity

The conversation moves beyond willpower, focusing on biology, metabolic adaptation, and prevention.

Food deserts and ultra-processed foods

Kathryn and Laura discuss how access, environment, and the dominance of ultra-processed food shape health outcomes, particularly for children, highlighting why individual choice alone is an incomplete explanation.

GLP-1 medications and Ozempic

Kathryn explains why open, responsible discussion around these treatments matters.

Health, hormones, and sleep

Menopause, exhaustion, and the underestimated power of routine and rest are discussed honestly.

Ageing, aesthetics, and contradiction

From Botox to longevity science, the episode holds space for complexity rather than judgement.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introductions and setting the tone

03:00 – Career longevity and public visibility

06:00 – Leaving RTÉ and taking a midlife leap

09:30 – Operation Transformation and public scrutiny

13:30 – How the weight conversation has changed

18:00 – GLP-1 medications and Ozempic

23:30 – Metabolic adaptation, food environments, and prevention

30:30 – Food deserts, inequality, and access

35:00 – Ageing, aesthetics, and contradiction

40:00 – Longevity, medicine, and living well

46:00 – Menopause, sleep, and routine

Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations.

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