Married At First Sight bride Katie Johnston has unveiled her jaw-dropping transformation after dropping 26 kilos in just three months.
The 37-year-old, who was paired with teacher Tim Gromie on the most recent season, said the show marked a turning point in her life as she slipped back into her wedding dress.
‘I woke up one day and I realised I was getting older. I wanted to put myself out there for dating and had no idea how to do it,’ Katie told Woman’s Day.
She admitted she entered the experiment aware that she had gained weight, but hopeful her groom would see beyond appearances.
Unfortunately, her fears were realised when Tim openly said he preferred ‘petite blondes’ – a remark that devastated Katie and ultimately led her to walk away from the marriage.
‘I never want to be in a dynamic with somebody like that,’ she said. ‘No matter what shape I am, I’m still good enough.’
Married At First Sight bride Katie Johnston unveiled her jaw-dropping transformation after dropping 26 kilos in just three months as she posed in her TV wedding dress (pictured)
The 37-year-old, who was paired with teacher Tim Gromie (right) on the most recent season, said the show marked a turning point in her life. Pictured on MAFS
Katie revealed she had neglected her health for years, deliberately gaining weight as a way to make herself less desirable.
Behind the scenes, she lived with constant anxiety about how others perceived her, bracing for judgement that would trigger old cycles of self-doubt.
Determined to change, she consulted a doctor and underwent a DEXA scan, which revealed her internal body composition.
The results were alarming, with dangerously high levels of visceral fat putting her at risk of serious health complications.
‘I knew I was overweight – it was visually obvious,’ she admitted.
‘But the scan told me my visceral fat levels were dangerously high. That basically means early death. That was the shock that I needed to take this journey very seriously.’
From that moment, Katie committed to turning her life around. She said the decision was no longer about appearance but about survival, describing her efforts as a bid to reclaim her health and save her life.
In just three months, Katie lost an incredible 26 kilos.
In just three months, Katie lost an incredible 26 kilos. Pictured on the show
In just three months, Katie lost an incredible 26 kilos. Pictured on the show
To mark the milestone, she slipped back into her MAFS wedding gown – a powerful symbol of how far she has come since leaving the experiment.
The bride said the journey has left her feeling stronger, healthier and far more confident, crediting her transformation to not only physical changes but also a newfound resilience.
In an emotional sit-down interview at the Daily Mail, Katie previously opened up about the moment her world came crashing down – and how her journey on MAFS triggered a reckoning that helped her begin to take back her power.
Katie revealed she was just three months shy of her 21st birthday when a man she trusted violently raped her.
The weight became her protection – a barrier between herself and a world she no longer trusted.
Even when she appeared on MAFS in 2025, she thought she was ‘healed’ – until she watched herself back on screen.
‘I saw myself being triggered, affected by someone whose opinion shouldn’t have mattered,’ she said of her match on the show.
‘That’s when I realised – I still had work to do. My self-esteem wasn’t where I thought it was.’
Katie said the wake-up call came not from social pressure or looks – but a scan that revealed her visceral fat levels were dangerously high
Katie said the wake-up call came not from social pressure or looks – but a scan that revealed her visceral fat levels were dangerously high
Katie said the wake-up call came not from social pressure or looks – but a scan that revealed her visceral fat levels were dangerously high.
‘My bio-age was older than my actual age. The fat around my organs was a massive red flag,’ she said.
‘That’s when it clicked – I’ve been carrying this weight like a punishment. But I was slowly killing myself. That terrified me.’
Determined to reclaim her health, Katie made a commitment to not just lose weight, but to truly live.
‘This isn’t about vanity,’ she said firmly. ‘It’s about survival.’
Katie initially tried weight-loss injections, including Mounjaro, but struggled with fatigue and sickness.
Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, is often used for type 2 diabetes and also causes weight loss – much like Ozempic, which is also known as semaglutide.
‘I didn’t feel alive. I was shrinking physically, but I had no energy – no spark,’ she said.
She then resumed Mounjaro with a supplement that she says helped with side effects.
‘It changed everything,’ Katie said.
‘I felt energised, excited to work out, and like I was finally living again.’
