As if the bariatric journey is not emotional enough, we can exerpieince grief when anything in our life changes. The loss of a connection to what we knew or the past can trigger the waves of grief, even happy moments or momentous occasions can cause grief to be present in our lives. We want to better understand the waves of grief and leanr how we can grow through the grief, using it as a powerful tool for growth. We sat down with Timisha Malone, a bariatric therapist who specalizes in grief and ...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 167
Walking is one of the most accessible types of movement, yet we often hear bariatric patients downplay the amazing role it can play along our journey. “All I did was walk today” is something we often hear spoken in the community, and we are on a mission to flip that script! Waking has tremendous health benefits that span all facets of our overall well-being. It positively impacts brain and cardiovascular health and can help us eliminate the visceral fat that often leads to dangerous medical issu...
Oct 10, 2023•59 min•Ep. 166
Grief is an emotion that is triggered by the loss of something. Grief indicates a loss of connection, a severance between us and something or someone. Bariatric patients can experience grief along their journey but not realize it in the moment. We can be filled with feelings of sadness, anger, and resentment and wonder why we are feeling these things, especially when we think we should only be feeling happiness and joy after surgery. Turns out, grief is a normal emotion after surgery and recogni...
Oct 04, 2023•47 min•Ep. 165
The season is changing and we are looking fallward! April, Jason, and Natalie sat down for a reflective conversation about the season ahead and what they are hoping it will hold for them. Jason made a big breakthrough during our conversation that he is hopeful will help him get to back to a place of holistic wellness. And all three shared some things that have been making a positive impact on their bariatric journeys! If you have been struggling with some major changes in your personal life and ...
Sep 20, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 143
Self-care is having a *moment*. But for good reason. Our modern lives can make caring for ourselves seem antiquated. There is a feeling that if every second of our lives is not filled with something useful or progressive towards our goals, it is actually empty. This is simply not true. Self-care is not something we do to brush off feelings of pain, anger, or frustration. They are actions we can take that actually make a positiv impact on our life. So what does modern self-care look like? How doe...
Sep 06, 2023•50 min•Ep. 163
How do we know it is time to take that leap of faith and pursue something that is more aligned to our purpose and mission in life? After bariatric surgery, many patients find themselves wanting something more, something bigger. They realize they have been holding back from pursuing their dreams and are no longer satisfied waiting on the sidelines of their own life. Big decisions require some meaningful conversation and our friend and fellow bariatric patient, Kedric Barrent sat down with BariNat...
Aug 16, 2023•58 min•Ep. 162
This week we chatted with BariNation community member, bariatric patient, and dear friend Herb, to chat through how he is choosing himself and his bariatric journey, even when life gets hard. Herb has always shown us what it means to love and be true to ourselves and our hearts, and he shares some of his gems of wisdom with us and you, our listeners! You can follow Herb on Instagram @herbiatric and connect with him in the BariNation community. ____________________________________________________...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 161
This week, we (April, Jason, and Natalie) sat down with each other for a much needed check-in. Having time to have raw and real conversations has been rare these days, so when we had the time we made it happen. Life hasn’t slowed down, in fact it’s only ramped up, this summer and we needed some time to break down the walls and give each other an update. As we spoke, we realized that self-love really isn’t the flashy, toxic positivity we all tend to see online. Instead, it looks like: allowing ou...
Jul 19, 2023•50 min•Ep. 160
Natalie sat down with four BariNation members (Casey, Cyndi, Herb, and Jack) who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ Community to talk about how their bariatric lives and journeys to accepting their sexuality are similar. From realizing that there isn’t one point you come out as LGBTQIA+, to having difficult conversations in order to honor your true self. This conversation is deeply uplifting and sheds a light on this subsect of our bariatric community. Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric jo...
Jun 30, 2023•54 min
We are exceptionally proud to announce the groundbreaking collaboration between BariNation, a renowned provider of educational resources and support, and the esteemed Kentucky Bariatric Institute to revolutionize the field of bariatric medicine. With a shared commitment to transformative change, BariNation and Kentucky Bariatric Institute are poised to make a lasting impact on bariatric lives across the nation and beyond. April, Jason, and Natalie found the aftercare their surgeons provided inad...
Jun 27, 2023•32 min•Ep. 158
Jason and Natalie sat down with Kayla Girgen, RD - one of our incredible dietitian experts in the membership community - to discuss how our eating can change with the seasons, both on the calendar and within our bariatric life. They delved into how important it is to check-in with yourself every so often, to not give up when something doesn’t sit well, and how to really make sure you are eating a well rounded plate. You can follow Kayla on Instagram at @kaylagirgenrd, and you can take one of her...
Jun 21, 2023•41 min•Ep. 157
This week, Jason sat down with our friend and bariatric surgeon Dr. Edmund Chen to talk about how important it is for bariatric patients to take their vitamins pre and post surgery. We know that bariatric life can be extremely daunting, and we have a lot of daily goals and tasks we need to meet. Vitamins should always be our top priority for life-long health and wellness! No matter your age or stage, you never outgrow your need for vitamins! ______________________________________ Are you feeling...
Jun 07, 2023•36 min•Ep. 156
This week, BariNation spoke with Jody, a bariatric patient and yogi, all about how utilizing yoga practices has not only become her professional passion, but an incredible tool for navigating life after surgery. From complications to life-changing revelations, Jody tells us how she uses yoga and it’s mindset to spring her forward through all that life has thrown at her. You can find Jody on instagram @jodybyoga for more information on her and her practice. She is also hosting a yoga retreat in t...
May 17, 2023•57 min•Ep. 155
In this week’s episode, we sat down with dear friend and bariatric surgeon, Doctor Eric Smith, to discuss how we can fully utilize our bariatric tools so that we can live our best lives after surgery and beyond. The conversation took an incredible turn, as always, as we not only acknowledged medical weight loss and being diligent about follow up with our programs, but acknowledging our intentions behind our bariatric journey. Are we setting ourselves up for failure by expecting this to be easy, ...
May 03, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 154
April, Jason and Natalie sat down to check in with each other and to reflect on the amazing strides that BariNation has seen in the last few years. Spring brings forth change, and change can be scary and daunting if we aren’t looking at it from the perspective of evolving, not just changing for the sake of change. April, Jason and Natalie all had incredible revelations in the last few months. BariNation is growing and evolving, and the three founders are needing to release some control and learn...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 153
In this episode, Jason and Natalie sat down with Lora Grabow, LMSW; bariatric therapist and BariNation mindset expert to decode, define, and talk through the mountain that is emotional eating. Emotional eating affects everyone, bariatric and non-bariatric, and doing the headwork and work of weight loss surgery is vital to our success before and after surgery, as well as our life beyond. Follow Lora on Instagram @bariatric.therapist and check out her online course “Headwork for Healthy Weightloss...
Apr 19, 2023•53 min•Ep. 152
In this episode, we welcomed back dear friend, therapist, and bariatric patient Sarah Smith for a conversation about peer support. We defined what peer support is, what we gain from peer support, and how peer support has added to our lives. We learned that peer support is based on its own pillars: experience, strength and hope. When we seek those who have the shared experiences, such as bariatric surgery or weight loss medications, we find strength in seeing how they live their journeys, and fin...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 151
Most bariatric patients will not experience any complications after their surgery but 1% will. Complications can happen at any stage of your journey, even years or decades after. Complications present patients with a landscape they never envisioned living in and require a great deal of strength, support, and care to navigate through. Melanie Lindell, a bariatric patient and trauma therapist, has lived through and is currently living through her own WLS complications. She joined us to talk about ...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 150
Jason sat down with three of our BariNation members, DeAnn, Meagan, and Herb, to talk about what it truly means to commit to their bariatric lives. From coming to the brutal reality that bariatric surgery isn’t a quick fix, to accepting and loving yourself fully, they talk about it all. We are so grateful for each of these patients and friends, for being vulnerable and sharing all parts of their journey. Be sure to follow their journeys on Instagram!DeAnn: @d_Ann_PNWMeagan: @sleevedlifeofmegsHer...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 149
Trigger Warning: Discussions about disordered eating. Sometimes the universe aligns and turns lemons into lemonade. April was able to sit down with Elle, BariNation community member and bariatric patient for an incredibly impactful conversation about Life in Matinaiance. Elle was on a mission to finally conquer her obesity but discovered something even greater in the process, her truest self. In this episode, she will share how she has flipped her understanding of what it means to be living a li...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 148
This week, April sat down with three amazing community members who are in the Life in Maintenance stage, Casey, Laura, and Fiona. In this powerful episode, each person shared what Maintenance has meant to them, how different it has ended up appearing in their lives, and how they are living to adjust to all that life is throwing their way. They each will share some powerful insights and the real and raw aspects of their journeys. While each person’s path to Maintenance has looked very different, ...
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 25 min
This week, Natalie sat down with Alycia, James, and Lori to discuss what life is like at what we call “The Honeymoon.” This stage can be during the first year or two after surgery, when things seem easier, weight comes off, restriction is still strong, and the zest for bariatric life is there. However, the three of them explained that the honeymoon doesn’t always mean it’s easy all the time! They chat about mindset work, ordering at restaurants, and the struggles when restriction lessens. Alycia...
Mar 15, 2023•45 min•Ep. 146
This week Natalie sat down with three pre-op patients and BariNation community members Ashley, Helina, and Lisa. They chatted about all things pre-op, including what they wish they knew before taking the leap into the bariatric journey. From not realizing how tedious the process could be, to learning that mindset work is a vital component to success. Ashley is a wife, mom of two (2yrs and 5yrs), and school psychologist in NY. Her VSG is scheduled for 4/5/23. She enjoys watching documentaries (in...
Mar 08, 2023•44 min•Ep. 145
TRIGGER WARNING: Addiction and substance abuse is mentioned! This month on BariNation, we are focusing on pre-op love! Our pre-surgery selves play a vital role in our lives. They fought for surgery, they battled food addiction, and they shaped the life we are living today. April, Jason, and Natalie reflected on what they wish they knew prior to committing to surgery. From realizing they had a food addiction, to “damn, I wish I knew headwork was a thing!” they get deep into their “Why” of having ...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 144
Jason and Natalie sat down with Kylie Hansen, a bariatric patient, and Certified Personal Trainer, to talk about what resistance movement is, why it is so important for us as bariatric patients to focus on, and what that could look like at different stages post-op. Kylie also explained how resistance movement was key to her success as a bariatric patient, and how she turned that into her passion for helping others learn to love moving their bodies. Jason and Natalie made some key connections as ...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 142
Obesity is a chronic, lifelong disease with no known cure. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for the disease and has the highest and longest treatment efficacy rates. But new medications have been developed that support the treatment of the disease in multiple ways. These new GLP-1 medications work in multiple ways in our bodies and are proving to be a powerful adjunct or secondary treatment for the disease. Many post-op patients are onboarding these medications to help them lose...
Feb 08, 2023•55 min•Ep. 141
Jason and Natalie sat down with Chris Baker, a bariatric patient, philanthropist, father and husband. Chris is the founder and Executive Director of The Other Ones Foundation, a nonprofit on a mission to transition Austin's unhoused neighbors into an engaged community through shelter, opportunity, and support. He started The Other Ones Foundation in the summer of 2017 to bring his innovative ideas for addressing homelessness to life via a client-centered, people-first approach. They talked about...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 143
Bariatric surgery will not be the only thing that helps us find and maintain our happy, healthy weight. As patients, many of us believe that surgery will be the one thing, the only thing that will get us to a low and sustainable weight. Sure, we know there will be challenges and changes ahead, but surgery will be “the ticket” out of obesity and into our goal pants. We are here to tell you this is categorically false. Surgery will be the primary treatment you will onboard to treat your disease of...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 140
It’s one thing to have a goal; it is another thing to achieve it. April, Jason, and Natalie are on a mission to achieve some big thing this year, and they sat down to review how it has all been going. They shared what has been working well for them and what has stopped them in their tracks. Join the BariNation crew for an insightful conversation about growth, change, and decision making. Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the Bar...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 139
Why do we make “bad” decisions? Why is it so hard sometimes to make decisions aligned to our goals? Why is it easier on some days and harder on others? Well…humans, on average, make 35,000 unique decisions every day, and at least 227 of them are food-related. That’s A LOT of thinking. No wonder we reach a decision-making breaking point and rely on our automatic choices! To reach our goals, we have to become the person who thinks and does things aligned with that goal. We need to make decisions a...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 138
