How I Turned My Fatty Liver Diagnosis Into a Wake-Up Call I Couldn’t Ignore

In 2017, I was 42 years old, busy juggling my work as a marketing consultant and keeping up with my two teenagers. My lifestyle? Let’s just say it was less than ideal. My diet was more "grab-and-go" than thoughtful, with processed snacks and sugary drinks filling the gaps between tasks. I wasn’t exactly a couch potato, but I wasn’t exercising consistently either. That year, I started noticing this nagging pain on my right side, usually after I ate. I brushed it off for months, chalking it up to gas or maybe a bad case of indigestion. But the pain didn’t go away—it got worse.

Finally, I went to see a doctor. After a few tests, including an ultrasound, I got the news: fatty liver disease.

“Fatty liver disease isn’t just for people who drink.”

When I heard the diagnosis, I was confused. I wasn’t a big drinker. In fact, I rarely drank at all, so how could my liver be in trouble? That’s when my doctor explained that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly common, especially in people who are overweight or have unhealthy diets—like me. I had never thought of my health in such stark terms. I wasn’t morbidly obese, but I was about 90kg, far from the healthiest version of myself. And while I knew my diet wasn’t great, I never imagined it could lead to something as serious as liver disease.

The thing about NAFLD is that it’s sneaky. You can feel relatively fine while your liver is quietly suffering. It wasn’t until I looked back that I realized how long I’d been ignoring the subtle signs my body was giving me.

“I thought I could manage, but life caught up with me.”

At first, I didn’t take the diagnosis too seriously. I promised myself I’d eat better, but the changes I made were half-hearted at best. A salad here, a green smoothie there, but I wasn’t truly committed. I didn’t feel sick—just tired, which I blamed on work stress. But a year after my diagnosis, everything started spiraling. The fatigue became constant. My usual pep was gone, replaced by a dull sense of exhaustion that no amount of sleep seemed to fix. I also noticed I was gaining weight, even though I wasn’t eating any more than usual.

I went back to my doctor, and the news wasn’t good. The fatty liver had progressed, and now I was facing the risk of more severe liver damage if I didn’t make some real changes. That was my wake-up call. It was no longer about vanity or fitting into a certain size—it was about my life, my future, and my family.

“The day I took control was the day I stopped making excuses.”

From that point on, I committed fully to turning my health around. I started small. My doctor had advised me to cut down on sugar and processed carbs, so I did just that. I began meal prepping on Sundays, making sure I had plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats ready to go. Saying goodbye to my favorite pastries and sugary coffee drinks was harder than I expected, but I pushed through.

Exercise became a daily ritual. I wasn’t ready to run marathons, but I started walking every day—just 30 minutes at first. Eventually, I added in strength training. I’ll be honest: the first few weeks were brutal. My body was used to taking the easy route, and changing that was physically and mentally exhausting. But slowly, I began to notice the difference. I wasn’t as tired. My mood lifted. That persistent ache on my side? Gone.

Around six months in, I went back for another round of tests. My liver enzymes were back in a healthy range. It felt like a victory—not just over the disease but over my own bad habits.

“Fatty liver doesn’t have to be a life sentence.”

The thing that amazes me most about this journey is how resilient the liver is. It can heal if you give it the chance, and that’s exactly what I did. My liver didn’t get this way overnight, and the recovery wasn’t instant either. It took months of discipline and self-reflection. I had to face the fact that my lifestyle was damaging not just my liver but my overall well-being.

These days, I’m about 15kg lighter, and my energy levels are higher than they’ve been in years. I continue to eat a mostly whole-food, plant-based diet with lean proteins. I’ve even gotten into making my own fermented foods like sauerkraut to boost my gut health, which plays a role in liver health too.

There’s no denying that managing fatty liver is a lifelong commitment. Even now, I have moments where I slip back into old habits. But I’ve learned to forgive myself and get back on track without letting guilt or frustration take over.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone struggling with fatty liver or at risk of it, it’s this: don’t wait until it gets worse. Make small changes now, and don’t underestimate the power of consistency. Fatty liver disease isn’t a death sentence. It’s a wake-up call—and for me, it came just in time.

I’m sharing my story because I know how easy it is to ignore the signs, especially when life is hectic and you’re trying to balance a million things. But if my experience can help even one person take action before it’s too late, then I’m glad to put it all out there.