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BariNation Podcast

BariNation Podcast

By BariNation Podcast

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for the disease of obesity, yet only 1% of the people who qualify for this treatment undergo a weight loss procedure. Why? Weight loss surgery can transform your life if you commit to doing the work! The BariNation Podcast deep dives into the most relevant and trending topics and issues important to pre- and post-op bariatric patients and tackles this journey's most complex and challenging parts. Join April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney to hear their personal WLS stories and insightful conversations with bariatric experts.
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040: Rethinking Food with Jana Wolff, RD

BariNation PodcastApr 07, 2021

00:00
01:16:19
190: Walk This Way: How Daily Walks Transformed My Life in 2023 with Lora Grabow, LMSW

190: Walk This Way: How Daily Walks Transformed My Life in 2023 with Lora Grabow, LMSW

Walking is one of the most accessible yet underrated forms of movement. We often tell ourselves and others that we “just” went for a walk, discounting its tremendous physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits. 


In 2023, our friend and BariNation Expert Bariatric Therapist Lora Grabow, LMSW, walked daily and joined us to share her aha moments and most significant takeaways from 365 days of movement. She ran into the same setbacks we all do regarding motivation and willpower and often laced up her shoes mad, angry, and sad. In this episode, she talks about the power of accountability and the many forms it can look and feel like, the importance of community when looking to accomplish a big goal, and why it can be so difficult to keep the promises we make to ourselves. 


We are so thankful that Lora shared her personal walking story with us. We often look to our experts as superhuman figures who do not share our struggles. In this powerful episode, you will learn about Lora’s personal struggles in 2023 and how she used walking to get through it all. 

Members of the BariNation Support Community or a $ 5-a-month Patreon supporters of the BariNation Podcast will get access to the amazing Bonus Episode with Lora. She shares with us some very personal stories of strife and helps us understand how movement can really help us through the darkest of days.

Connect with Lora in the BariNation Support Community, in her online digital courses, and online at @bariatric.therapist on Instagram!

About our Guest: Lora Grabow is a Licensed Master Social Worker with 21 years of experience serving the bariatric community. She is an accomplished practitioner, course author, speaker, and trainer who is on a mission to connect patients with the missing piece she calls Headwork™. Connect with Lora at www.loragrabow.com

 

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram and TikTok, and visit us online at www.barination.com. You can also connect with each of the hosts personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Mar 27, 202444:21
189: Understanding and Honoring Hunger with Jane Stoltze, RD

189: Understanding and Honoring Hunger with Jane Stoltze, RD

Hunger is something every human can experience, but in people who suffer from the disease of obesity, hunger is more than a physical experience. Hunger can be ever-present, insatiable, and a constant worry. Emotional or “head” hunger can drive what many people recognize as “food noise”- the continual thought of food. How can we learn to recognize when our hunger is real or emotional? What can we do to honor not only our physical hunger but our emotional hunger?


We sat down with Jane Stoltz, a Registered Bariatric Dietitian from Australia, to better understand and honor hunger in all the ways we might experience it. Our hunger might completely disappear after surgery or always be present, even when we wake up from our bariatric procedure. We want to help you take the fear out of hunger and give you tools to understand what drives hunger and creative ways you can honor it in ways that are aligned with your bariatric goals. 

Join us for this robust conversation on hunger. We know you will leave this conversation with new insights into your hunger and a fresh perspective on how you can honor it. Follow Jane on Instagram and connect with her online at https://www.bariatricnutritioncoach.com.au/

If you are a member of the BariNation Support Community or a $5 a month Patreon supporter of this podcast, your Bonus Episode will dive deeper into understanding emotional hunger and how the cues are different from physical hunger. She shares some “aha” moments her clients have had over the years and helps us better understand how to control physical hunger with balanced nutrition. 

About our Guest: Jane Stoltze has been a dietitian for nearly 30 years, specializing in bariatric nutrition for the last 6 years. She is passionate about providing excellent nutritional care for people before and after their bariatric surgery. She believes support and education are fundamental to a successful outcome from weight loss surgery.

 

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram and TikTok, and visit us online at www.barination.com. You can also connect with each of the hosts personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Mar 20, 202444:51
188: Why Relationships Change After Bariatric Surgery with Amber Boyd, LMFT

188: Why Relationships Change After Bariatric Surgery with Amber Boyd, LMFT

Our relationships with family and friends can change after bariatric surgery, and we wanted to know why. Many of us feel these changes but struggle to articulate how and why they change. Sometimes, our loved ones will tell us we have changed and express worry about this “new” person they see us becoming. As patients, we go through massive changes that can cause shifts in our relationships. How do we cope with this change, as so much is changing around and in us?

We sat down with Amber Boyd, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, to understand the causes of these relationship changes and how we can navigate them. She helped us understand that some relationships might not be worth saving and that moving on from them might be our best action. She also taught us some fantastic tools for working with our loved ones on our relationship before and after weight loss surgery and offered some personal advice. Amber is a bariatric patient who has experienced these relationship changes. 

Join us for this robust conversation on relationships with expert and fellow patient Aber Boyd. We know you will leave this conversation with new insights into your relationship and actions you can take to strengthen the ones that serve you and move on from the ones that don't. Follow Amber on Instagram and connect with her online at https://amberboydtherapy.com

If you are a member of the BariNation Support Community or a $5 a month Patreon supporter of this podcast, your Bonus Episode will dive deeper into understanding how connected our mindset is to your nutrition and helping us reach those goals, how to ensure we hit our nutritional goals if the medication makes us feel nauseous, and if the medication impacts how our digestive system breaks down food. 

About our Guest: Amber Boyd is a distinguished Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, esteemed CEO/Owner of Healing Through Authenticity, PLLC, accomplished Author, innovative YouTube creator, and engaging Podcast Host, originally from Oakland, CA, now based in Houston, TX. With over a decade of experience in therapy provision, Amber is renowned for her expertise in dispelling the misconception that mental health is dispensable for marginalized and maligned communities. Her practice focuses on addressing a spectrum of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, boundary setting, and trauma, with a commitment to promoting wellness and authenticity in every individual she serves. 

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram and TikTok, and visit us online at www.barination.com. You can also connect with each of the hosts personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Mar 13, 202453:28
187: Beyond the Prescription: How Food Fuels Your GLP-1 Journey with Jeannie Boyer, RD, CSOWM

187: Beyond the Prescription: How Food Fuels Your GLP-1 Journey with Jeannie Boyer, RD, CSOWM

Obesity is a lifelong and chronic disease that millions of Americans battle every day. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment of the disease, but weight loss medication advancements are making them a viable treatment option. A recent Goldman Sachs study estimated that by 2030, 15  million Americans would be taking an anti-obesity medication to treat the disease and live at a weight that allows them to metabolize well. These medications are promising, but are they the “magic pill” many people hope for?

Without focusing on all of the pillars of bariatric success, these medications, like bariatric surgery, will not be as effective or safe. BariNation co-host April Williams sat down with Jeannie Boyter, RD, CSOWM, for a conversation about the importance of nutrition while taking anti-obesity medications. Jeannie explains how these new obesity medications work from a nutritional standpoint, how Setpoint Theory can explain regain (weight recurrence) after surgery, and practice steps we can take to ensure our nutrition adequately fuels our bodies and cells for optimal health when our appetite and capacity have been reduced.

Jeannie is leading a class in the BariNation Support Community on March 26th at 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST about GLP1 Nutrition. If you are taking one of these medications and are worried about hitting your nutritional goals, join BariNation and attend her class! This class will be a fantastic opportunity to learn from an obesity nutrition expert and ask your questions in real-time. Join us today to connect, learn, and grow with experts and bariatric peers. 

If you are a member of the BariNation Support Community or a $5 a month Patreon supporter of this podcast, your Bonus Episode will dive deeper into understanding how connected our mindset is to your nutrition and helping us reach those goals, how to ensure we hit our nutritional goals if the medication makes us feel nauseous, and if the medication impacts how our digestive system breaks down food. 

About our Guest: Jeannie Boyer is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management who has over two decades of clinical experience working with bariatric patients. In her one-on-one work with patients, she connects each personal obesity story with their goals to craft nutritional plans that meet their unique needs. Visit Jeannie online at www.bariatricsuccessrd.com to work with Jeannie!

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram and TikTok, and visit us online at www.barination.com. You can also connect with each of the hosts personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Mar 06, 202449:14
186: Muscle Matters: Building a Stronger You After Bariatric Surgery with Dr. Shannon McMann

186: Muscle Matters: Building a Stronger You After Bariatric Surgery with Dr. Shannon McMann

We are told that resistance movement is critically important after weight loss surgery, but why? We had so many questions about this topic. We sat down with Dr. Shannon McMann, a board-certified Internal and Obesity Medicine specialist who is also a bariatric patient, to understand why muscle matters before and after surgery. 

In this conversation, we asked her why maintaining and building muscle is so important for short and long-term recovery and why the quality of our muscles matters. We wanted to know if there were specific kinds of movement that would help us build more high-quality muscle and where the best place to start is. And she helped us understand how tied our nutrition is to our ability to keep and grow our muscles. 

We are so thankful to have such a fantastic expert in BariNation who can help us understand the why’s behind the things we are asked to focus on as patients. Get to know Shannon more in the BariNation Membership Community by attending our weekly support groups, classes, and meetups!

If you are a member of BariNation or a Patreon Supporter, check out this podcast's bonus episode, where April, Jason, and Natalie  learn about tweaks they can and should be making in their movement efforts to maximize muscle retention and growth!

About our Guest: Dr. McMann is a board-certified doctor in both Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. She practices at a teaching clinic where we train medical students and internal medicine residents in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Her undergraduate and medical school was at Michigan State University, and she completed her residency training in 2002 at McLaren Macomb Regional Medical Center. Dr. McMann is also a bariatric patient, undergoing RNY gastric bypass in 2020 with Dr. Carl Pesta. After gaining the upper hand in her lifelong battle against the

disease of obesity, she decided to pursue additional training to help other patients and give back to the bariatric community.

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram and TikTok, and visit us online at www.barination.com. You can also connect with each of the hosts personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Feb 28, 202447:09
185: Leaning Into Our Sexuality: Connecting With Our New Desires After Bariatric Surgery with Rodolfo Alvarez, Sexuality Expert

185: Leaning Into Our Sexuality: Connecting With Our New Desires After Bariatric Surgery with Rodolfo Alvarez, Sexuality Expert

Our lives look and feel so different after bariatric surgery. One area of our life that can change, or we want to see change in, is our sexuality. We might have felt unworthy of these experiences or relationships before surgery because of our size or shape. Maybe we were disconnected from this area of life because the disease of obesity made it seem impossible to connect with. Or perhaps we felt that our size was holding us back from exploring our sexuality in ways that felt authentic to us. We each experience our sexuality in different ways, and our needs, wants, and desires change throughout our lives, just like everything else. 

We sat down with Rodolfo Alvarez, a Certified Wellness Coach who holds a Master in Sexuality, for a conversation on what sexuality is, how it can change our life, the impacts weight loss can have on our desires, and strategies for exploring our sexuality after bariatric surgery. This conversation was grounded in a desire to understand what sexuality means, what it can look like in our life, and how it is, on many levels, a small part of sex. Rodolfo shared with us personal stories of how he discovered his sexuality and the tools he uses to ensure that his needs as an individual and a partner are met. He offered some fantastic questions we can ask ourselves as we open ourselves to exploring what our current needs, wants, and desires are and how we can safely start exploring them on a personal level.

We are so thankful to have such a fantastic expert in BariNation who can help us grow and expand in this critical area of our lives. Get to know Rodolfo more in the BariNation Membership Community by taking one of his upcoming classes! We hope you leave this conversation feeling excited to turn inward and expand your awareness of your sexuality!

If you are a member of BariNation or a Patreon Supporter, be sure you check out the bonus episode of this podcast, where April, Natalie, and Rodolfo share some personal “aha” moments they have recently had about their sexuality and how some “simple” conversations with themselves and partners led to positive changes in their relationships. 

About our Guest: Rodolfo Alvarez is a multi-faceted Wellness Coach who utilizes his engineer background to help individuals break through roadblocks along their wellness journey. Rodolfo holds master's degrees in Sexology and works with organizations, coprotations, small groups, and individuals to identify areas of growth, coaching them to new personal understandings. Follow Rodolfo on Instagram @rodolfoalvarezx.

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram and TikTok, and visit us online at www.barination.com. You can also connect with each of the hosts personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Feb 21, 202440:57
184: Your Bariatric Guide to Plastic Surgery with Dr. Omar Beidas and Stephanie Abeles

184: Your Bariatric Guide to Plastic Surgery with Dr. Omar Beidas and Stephanie Abeles

Is plastic surgery something you are considering after bariatric surgery? Many of us experience loose skin that can impede our day-to-day lives, make us feel uncomfortable, or prevent us from feeling like ourselves. Plastic surgery might be something in your future, and we want to arm you with the most accurate information from the experts themselves!

We sat down with Dr. Omar Beidas, an AdventHealth Orlando board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in procedures after massive weight loss, and Stephanie Abeles, a bariatric patient with several plastic surgeries. We wanted to know what the difference is between plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, and body contouring and why picking the right surgeon with the proper credentials and experiences is so important if we choose to undergo a body modification procedure. We also wanted to know how Stephanie decided to undergo her procedures and understand how she prepared for and cared for herself through her plastic journey. Even if you think plastic surgery might not be in your future, this episode will give you a deeper understanding of the “whys” behind these types of procedures and the power of selecting the right professionals. We know this conversation will help you understand the differences between plastic surgery and body contouring, some of the most common procedures after bariatric surgery, and some insights from the patient's perspective.

AdventHealth Central Florida and BariNation have teamed up to ensure their patients can access outstanding support when and where they need it! If you are a patient of AdventHealth Central Florida, contact your office today by phone or email to access your special BariNation Membership discounted monthly rate! We can’t wait to “see” you in The Nation soon! And be sure you check out the bonus episode with Dr. Beidas and Stephanie in the BariNation Membership Community or our Patreon Community!

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes!

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients committed to living their best bariatric life! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community!

About our Guests: Omar E. Beidas, MD, FACS, is a board-certified plastic surgeon of plastic and reconstructive surgery. His specialties include body contouring after weight loss, aesthetics, and surgical treatment of lipedema. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, where he serves as Vice Chair of the Practice Management Subcommittee, a member of the Clinical Guideline Workgroup for Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy, and previously served on the Young Plastic Surgeons Steering Committee. Dr. Beidas is also a member of The Aesthetic Society and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

At 48 years old, Stephanie Abeles transformed her life by undergoing weight loss surgery. After years of struggling with dieting, Steph opted for bariatric surgery and lost an incredible 116lbs. Maintaining her goal weight for over four years, Steph attributes a healthy, balanced lifestyle and regular weight training to her success. She's had two rounds of plastic surgery to remove excess skin. Steph shares her inspiring journey on Instagram as @metamorphasteph, hoping to help others on their own weight loss and plastic surgery journeys.

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness.

Feb 14, 202446:22
183: Unlock Growth: How Daily Practices Supercharge Habits and Routines

183: Unlock Growth: How Daily Practices Supercharge Habits and Routines

How many times have you attempted to institute new habits or rouintes, but find yourself never being able to stick with them? Are you frustrated and feeling like you are always “falling back into old habits?” Dont worry, we feel and experience the same thing when we attempt to establish a bew bariatric-aligned routine. 

April sat down with Aransas Savas, a personal development expert with decades of experience helping people move past their personal barriers and create lasting change in their lives. April wanted to know if there is a better way to really change what we do and how we do it. Turns out, there is. Focusing on practices, not establishing new routines and habits, is the best path to lasting change. 

In this episode, Aransas breaks down the differences between habits, routines, and practices and shares strategies for identifying our reasons behind the change and how building routines from practices is actually how to create a new and lasting habit. .  

We know you will leave this episode ready to take a personal inventory on your own habits and perhaps shift your mindset around practices. And be sure you check out the bonus episode with Aransas in the BariNation Membership Community or our Patreon Community!

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients who are committed to decluttering along their bariatric journey And in January, you can join fellow members in our Decluttering Challenge! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest: Aransas Savas is a  veteran Wellbeing and Leadership Coach, and has spent her career at the intersection of research, behavior change, and coaching. She created a uniquely holistic and proven approach to coaching that blends practical, science-backed techniques with energy coaching. Aransas has partnered with companies like Weight Watchers, Best Buy, Truist, Edward Jones, US Bank, and many more, to create transformative experiences. 

Follow Aransas in all the following places:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aransas_savas/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_uplifters_podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theuplifterspodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aransas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aransassavas/

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Feb 07, 202451:39
182: Feeling Full with Less- Community Decluttering Stories

182: Feeling Full with Less- Community Decluttering Stories

 Are you tired of feeling “stuffed” all the time? Everywhere you look, you see and feel stuffed with things, with memories, with things that you think you should be doing but don’t have the time or energy to do? Yeah, we know the feeling too.

We recently welcomed a new Expert in the BariNation Membership Community who is a professionally trained organizer. Her name is Spring Coourtright and she was trained by one of the world's most recognized organizer, Marie Konda. Spring has been leading a Decluttering Challenge in the BariNation Community and the impacts have been deep and meaningful. She is showing us all how decluttering and organizing can actually help us feel full, feel satisfied and content by decluttering.

We sat down with two of our Community members, April and Chylynn, to hear the impacts decluttering is having on their lives and their bariatric journeys. In this episode, they share how they have started decluttering the spaces in their lives and found areas where they can grow and expand. They also share the similarities they are finding between decluttering and their bariatric journey and how cleaning out the spaces in their homes has opened up opportunities to clear out space in their mindset too.  

You will leave this episode with some “aha” moments and connections that can help you begin your own decluttering journey! Join April, Chylynn, and Spring in the BariNation Membership Community  if you are ready for some guided Decluttering help along your own journey! 

If you are a Patreon supporter of the podcast or you are a member of our BariNation Support Community, you will get access to a fantastic bonus podcast episode where April and Chylynn talk in-depth about the bariatric connections they have made and what they are discovering about themselves through the Decluttering Challenge.  

Our Podcast supporters get to submit questions for future episodes, get access to bonus episodes with our amazing guests, and are invited to join us at our Community-only Struggle Bus Lives twice a month! Support the BariNation Podcast by becoming a $5 supporter today! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients who are committed to decluttering along their bariatric journey And in January, you can join fellow members in our Decluttering Challenge! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest: April and Chylynn are bariatric patients who are committed to lifelong treatment of the disease of obesity. They are active members of the community who attend weekly groups, classes, and meetups. They are patient advocates and share their stories and experiences with anyone who is ready to change their life through bariatric surgery. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Jan 31, 202435:50
181: Making Room for Movement with Monique Coleman

181: Making Room for Movement with Monique Coleman

Movement is one of our pillars of bariatric life. It is something that is a critical and integral part of our journey. But for many of us, movement has not been something that is joyful or exciting; it is seem as something we “have” to do or a way we punished ourselves for food choices in the past. If we want to live our Movement pillar, we need to shift our mindset around movement and find creative and fun ways to move everyday.

In this episode, we sit down with Monique Coleman, a certified dance movement instructor, bariatric patient, and BariNation Expert to learn how we can make room in our life for movement.

For us, movement is any type of movement that is above and beyond your daily activities and is accessible to you in the moment. Movement is not bound by time or type, meaning any moments of movement are important and meaningful and that we should not judge ourselves for the movement that we can or cannot do. Movement is all about what we can do now, not what we used to be able to do or what we hope to do in the future. When we start moving and meeting ourselves in the moment, we are making room for movement.  

We hope you leave this episode feeling empowered to find creative and easy ways to make movement a part of each day and that you are inspired to move with us, today! We invite you to join Moniques Movement Meetups in BariNation, hosted every other Friday. Connect with fellow patients and members to talk about movement and tap into the inspiration and motivation of our amazing community! 

If you are a Patreon supporter of the podcast or you are a member of our BariNation Support Community, you will get access to a fantastic bonus podcast episode where Monique answered some insightful questions and shares more of her personal bariatric story. 

Our Podcast supporters get to submit questions for future episodes, get access to bonus episodes with our amazing guests, and are invited to join us at our Community-only Struggle Bus Lives twice a month! Support the BariNation Podcast by becoming a $5 supporter today! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients who are committed to decluttering along their bariatric journey And in January, you can join fellow members in our Decluttering Challenge! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest: Monique Coleman is a bariatric patient and founder of ThickChic Fitness, a company focused on creating and providing movement for people of every age and size. She is an advocate for patients seeking to incoprorate movement and rest into their lives. She is a Fabletics Fitness Partner and an Expert int he BariNation Members Community. Connect with Monique at https://www.thethickchixx.com/and on Instagram!

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Jan 23, 202450:41
180: Saying No To Certain Foods with Connie Stapleton, Ph, D

180: Saying No To Certain Foods with Connie Stapleton, Ph, D

Welcome to another insightful episode of the BariNation Podcast. In this week's discussion, we dive deep into a topic that resonates with many in the bariatric realm: food addiction and abstinence post-surgery. Many weight loss surgery patients worry or wonder if they will ever be able to enjoy the foods they love after surgery. Some even have a “food funeral” before surgery as a way to mark the change in their lives. But what do we do if we have difficulty with certain foods? What do we do if we can’t enjoy just one of them? Does it make us a bad person if certain foods trigger disordered or unhealthy eating patterns? 

Many of us enter our weight loss surgery journeys with the idea that we will never think about food, never have cravings again, and never struggle with food as something we rely on to soothe ourselves. The reality? Many of us have used food for years to comfort, distract, and numb, and that will not change after surgery without intentional mindset work.

In this episode, Dr. Stapleton elaborates on why we experience food addiction, and how we can choose to say no to certain foods harming our progress. We answer our BariNation community member’s question: “How do I know I need to abstain from certain foods?”  

We hope you leave this episode feeling validated and empowered to tackle the disease of obesity and the disease of addiction - and we encourage you not to tackle this beast alone. By utilizing the community and experts like Dr. Connie Stapleton, you can work through your food addiction. 

If you are a Patreon supporter of the podcast or you are a member of our BariNation Support Community, you will get access to a fantastic bonus podcast episode where Dr. Stapleton answered some insightful questions, like given the biological need to eat to sustain life - unlike some other addictions, are there suggestions on how to navigate this - as you can’t go “cold-turkey”?

Our Podcast supporters get to submit questions for future episodes, get access to bonus episodes with our amazing guests, and are invited to join us at our Community-only Struggle Bus Lives twice a month! Support the BariNation Podcast by becoming a $5 supporter today! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients who are committed to decluttering along their bariatric journey And in January, you can join fellow members in our Decluttering Challenge! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest:  Doctor Connie Stapleton is an educational and inspirational speaker, with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. She is also an author of several books, including “Weight Loss Surgery Does NOT Treat Food Addiction” and “Mind Prep The Book: How To Prepare for Bariatric Surgery and Live as a Healthy Post-Op.” Connie also has her own podcast called “BariAftercare” where she delves into the mindset work of life post-operative weight loss surgery. She is a catalyst in the community as well, co-authoring several articles and research studies from the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it.

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Jan 23, 202441:59
179: Unlocking Weight Loss Surgery Success: Understand the BariNation Pillars of Bariatric Success

179: Unlocking Weight Loss Surgery Success: Understand the BariNation Pillars of Bariatric Success

Life after weight loss surgery can feel overwhelming. There are vitamins to schedule, meals to plan, macros to count, water goals to hit, exercise milestones to reach, and so many other things that fall into the “lifestyle change” category. It can (and sometimes is) a full-time job learning how to be a bariatric patient. And on top of all of the things we need to do, there is a fear that we will do it wrong, or mess up along the way, and all of our weight will return. We worry that if we don’t do everything perfectly, we will fail. And that failure can sometimes parallelize us. 

Jason, Natalie, and April have been living as bariatric patients now for years, and they have learned so much about what it really takes to be a bariatric patient. Through their lived experiences, they developed the BariNation Pillars of Bariatric Success out of need and necessity. But we knew there must be a better way, a simplified guide, a bariatric way of living that helped us lower our temperature, not raise it. 

We turned to the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Patient Guidelines, we talked with countless experts in their respective fields, and reached the research studies ourselves. Bariatric success after surgery comes down to focus and compliance in four major areas- movement, mindset, metabolic wellness, and community. That’s it. Really. 

In this episode, the BariNation crew will break down what each of these pillars is all about; what they mean to them, why it is important to focus in these four areas every day, and what it looks like to live the BariNation Pillars of Bariatric Success before and after surgery. What makes the Pillars so powerful is that they flex to meet you where you are at. They are designed to grow with you and remain the powerful and steadfast supports that allow you to live the live of your dreams. When the Pillars are set in the foundation of Community, you can achieve anything. 

Subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey. If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. You can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people working through weight recurrence. We offer Regain support groups led by bariatric therapists and meetups where you can connect with other people just like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Jan 10, 202401:13:34
178: A Revisionist Story: How Jason Made the Decision To Undergo Bariatric Revision Surgery

178: A Revisionist Story: How Jason Made the Decision To Undergo Bariatric Revision Surgery

Many of us went into weight loss surgery believing not only that surgery would be the only “thing” we needed to find and maintain a healthy weight, but that having a second bariatric surgery was not even on our radar. But for thousands of bariatric patients every year, revisional surgeries are medically needed and necessary. 

A “revisionist” has a revisited attitude to a previously accepted situation or point of view. A Revisionist is someone who never stops seeking answers and is open to new and different possibilities. A Revisionist is someone who never gives up on themselves, and in today's episode, you will learn how Jason became a Revisionist. 

Bariatric revision surgeries are needed for many different reasons. Some patients experience the onset or return of acid reflux or GERD, others have complications that are related to or unrelated to surgery, and other patients see the result of metabolic conditions, syndromes, or disease or the onset of these issues after their procedure. Sometimes, patients cannot reach a weight that would allow them to be metabolically well, and other times it is a combination of factors that require revision surgery. No matter the reason, patients need to be supported, seen, and heard throughout their lifetime if they are to continue to access the care and treatment needed to manage their lifelong and chronic disease of obesity. 

In this episode, Jason shares his Revisionist story, explaining how we went from never wanting another surgery to being on the path to a revision from VSG to SADI. He talks about the mindset shifts he had to make and the conversations he needed to have with himself and others that made this change possible. He will share what he wishes he had done the first time around and the changes he plans on making after surgery to do all that he can to treat his disease. 

A revision might not be in your future. But learning and the struggles of other members of our greater bariatric community will only add to your understanding of the disease of obesity and help you become an ally for those who are working so hard to onboard the treatment the disease of obesity requires. If you think a revision might be in your future, this episode will empower you to become a Revisionist through self-reflection and patient advocacy. 

Subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey. If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. You can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com, become a supporter, and help us share bariatric education and stories to those who need it most. 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people working through weight recurrence. We offer Regain support groups led by bariatric therapists and meetups where you can connect with other people just like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Jan 03, 202401:00:19
177 - Our Year in Review with April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney

177 - Our Year in Review with April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney

As this year comes to a close, BariNation co-hosts April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney sit down to reflect on this year, and predict what is to come in 2024. 

This year was full of learning, growth, some turbulence, and best of all: community. The three co-hosts discuss how leaning on their support systems and their bariatric community have helped them navigate some intense moments this year. April and Natalie both made the taxing decisions to leave their jobs and continue to build the BariNation support community on a volunteer basis, while Jason pursued and had his revision in December. 

We are elated to take on the next year that is to come, and we are grateful to have all of you, our listeners, viewers, podcast supporters and support community members along for the ride.

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes! 

Our Podcast supporters get to submit questions for future episodes, get access to bonus episodes with our amazing guests, and are invited to join us at our Community-only Struggle Bus Lives twice a month! Support the BariNation Podcast by becoming a $5 supporter today! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients who are committed to decluttering along their bariatric journey And in January, you can join fellow members in our Decluttering Challenge! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest: Spring Courtright is a Marie Kondo-trained organizational expert who is passionate about helping people reclaim the calm in their lives through decluttering and organization. She is a compassionate expert who meets clients where they are and gently walks them through the decluttering process. Visit Spring online at https://www.tidywild.com/, subscribe to her newsletter, or work with her in a one-on-one capacity. 

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Dec 27, 202354:38
176- Decluttering the Bariatric Path: Shedding More Than Pounds, Navigating the Journey to Lift Emotional Weights with Spring Courtright

176- Decluttering the Bariatric Path: Shedding More Than Pounds, Navigating the Journey to Lift Emotional Weights with Spring Courtright

Welcome to a clutter-free episode of The BariNation Podcast, where we take a deep dive into decluttering with our special guest, Spring Courtright, a Marie Kondo-trained organizing expert. In this insightful episode, we delve into decluttering, unraveling the mysteries of what clutter is, why it accumulates, and how to initiate the transformative process.

Spring Courtright defines clutter as anything that no longer serves a purpose or brings joy. Together, we explore clutter's psychological and emotional impact, understanding its roots and the reasons behind our tendency to accumulate it. From sentimental attachments to the fear of letting go, our clutter often reflects deeper aspects of our lives.

Spring shares practical strategies, drawing from the principles of Marie Kondo's renowned KonMari Method. April and Natalie shared their own personal experiences with clutter and then the work they have done to clear it from their lives. But what if your family members are not on board with the decluttering mission? Spring offers invaluable insights on involving your loved ones, even if they're hesitant. Discover strategies to navigate differing perspectives on clutter and foster a collaborative approach to creating an organized, harmonious living space.

And as many of us know, its one thing to get a space decluttered, it is another thing to keep it that way. In this episode, you will learn the importance of celebrating small victories and cultivating a mindset shift. The journey is not just about physical spaces but also about mental and emotional well-being. We hope you leave this episode inspired to clean out some of the clutter in your own life and join BariNation Community Members in our upcoming Decluttering Challenge in January! 

Did you have an “aha” moment from this episode? Leave us a message and share your takeaways from this episode or any past episodes of the BariNation Podcast! Head to anchor.fm/barination/message and leave us a message that we can incorporate into future episodes! 

Our Podcast supporters get to submit questions for future episodes, get access to bonus episodes with our amazing guests, and are invited to join us at our Community-only Struggle Bus Lives twice a month! Support the BariNation Podcast by becoming a $5 supporter today! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with patients who are committed to decluttering along their bariatric journey And in January, you can join fellow members in our Decluttering Challenge! Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest: Spring Courtright is a Marie Kondo-trained organizational expert who is passionate about helping people reclaim the calm in their lives through decluttering and organization. She is a compassionate expert who meets clients where they are and gently walks them through the decluttering process. Visit Spring online at https://www.tidywild.com/, subscribe to her newsletter, or work with her in a one-on-one capacity. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Dec 20, 202358:04
175- Breaking Free: A Guide for Bariatric Patients to Lift and Move Beyond Shame with Dr. Eric Smith, DO

175- Breaking Free: A Guide for Bariatric Patients to Lift and Move Beyond Shame with Dr. Eric Smith, DO

Welcome to a transformative episode of The BariNation Podcast, a show dedicated to supporting individuals on their bariatric and weight loss journey. In this episode, we explore the pivotal topic of lifting the heavy burden of shame. We draw inspiration and insights from Dr. Eric Smith, the Director of the Kentucky Bariatric Institute and BariNation co-founders and hosts April Williams and Natalie Tierney.

Dr. Brené Brown defines shame as “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging—something we’ve experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection.” As patients, we have experienced this shame for years, if not decades, before our bariatric surgery. We often call this the “work of weight loss surgery,” and in this episode, Dr. Smith shares how has learned from the shame he has experienced in his own, personal life and helps his patients utilize those lessons. 

Join us as we delve into the strategies employed by Dr. Eric Smith, April, and Natalie to lift the weight of shame. By fostering empathy and understanding, destigmatizing weight issues, promoting self-compassion, celebrating victories, sharing our shame and struggles with a trusted community, and redefining success, bariatric patients can navigate their transformative journey with resilience and pride.

It is in a community like BariNation that you can begin to foster a sense of community and break the isolation that shame can breed.

Subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey. If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. You can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

You're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people working through weight recurrence. We offer Regain support groups led by bariatric therapists and meetups where you can connect with other people just like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

About our Guest: Dr. Eric Smith, DO is the Medical Director of the Kentucky Bariatric Institute and a Key Opinion Leader in Bariatric Medicine and Robotic Surgery. He is a National proctor, speaker, and teacher for Intuitive Surgical in the specialty of robotic bariatric surgery and is board-certified in bariatric and robotic surgery. He is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons (ASMBS). He is an engaged, caring, and dedicated physician who has completed thousands of bariatric surgeries since 2006.

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. Connect with us personally on Instagram; April @actively_april, Jason @tha_smithsonian, and Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Dec 12, 202345:56
174: Beyond the Scale: Understanding Weight Regain After Weight Loss Surgery with Dr. Robert Kushner

174: Beyond the Scale: Understanding Weight Regain After Weight Loss Surgery with Dr. Robert Kushner

Regain, now known as weight recurrence in the medical community, is something most bariatric patients worry about. In today's episode, we deeply dive with obesity doctor and researcher Dr. Robert Kushner, to understand why patients regain weight after bariatric surgery. We want you to leave this episode with an understanding of why weight recurrence happens, why it is not something to be ashamed of, and some steps you can take to reverse any regain you might experience. 

Weight recurrence happens for many reasons, and most are out of a patient’s control. Our body has a weight set point, and as soon as we start to lose weight rapidly, our bodies are triggered to hold on to or return us to our previous high weight. Our weight is also impacted by the medications we take, our life stage, and our biology. Behavioral actions and changes affect our weight as well. If we notice that we are struggling with emotional or binge eating or that our life has been more stressful than in the past and are not taking action to mitigate these behaviors, we could experience weight reoccurrence.

With so many factors contributing to weight recurrence, it is essential to know that, as a patient, it is not your fault or something to be ashamed of. Regain is a part of the bariatric journey and indicates that our disease is once again active in our lives. It just means that it is time to onboard more treatments to help you manage your chronic and lifelong disease of obesity. If you are struggling with regain, we hope you leave this conversation with fresh hope and a pathway forward. 

Remember, you're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people working through weight recurrence. We offer Regain support groups led by bariatric therapists and meetups where you can connect with other people just like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

Subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey. If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. You can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

About our Guest: Dr. Kushner is a Professor of Medicine and Medical Education at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL An obesity researcher, educator, and clinician for the past 40 years. He is a published researcher, author, and esteemed medical professional passionate about serving his patients.

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Dec 06, 202354:00
173: Fueling for Movement  with Kim Tirapelle, MS, RD, CSSM

173: Fueling for Movement  with Kim Tirapelle, MS, RD, CSSM

Movement is a pillar of bariatric success, but increased movement can mean we also need to increase our nutritional intake. For pre and post-op weight loss surgery patients, this can be a scary undertaking. Surgery reduces the amount of food we can take in at one time, and knowing how to fuel our bodies for movement can be triggering for so many reasons. What kinds of foods do we need to include? How much will be too much or excessive? How will we know when it is time to increase our intake? These are some big, scary questions that many patients ask when they start to increase or add movement back into their lives.
April, Jason, and Natalie sat down with our friend and bariatric dietitian Kim Tirapelle, Ms, RD, CSSM, and our friend, patient, professional chef and BariNation expert Stephanie Mitchell to answer all questions! After surgery, Stephanie becme a runner but was noticing that her hunger levels, intake requirements, and general energy levels changed as she added more minutes and miles to her movement practice. She turned to BariNation for support and we turned to Kim to get answers to all of these questions, and more!
In this amazing episode, you will learn what it means to fuel our bariatric bodies for movement and some creative and healthy ways that we can meet our increased energy needs. You will leave this conversation empowered to safely up your macro’s when the time is right and fuel your movement with confidence!
Remember, you're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people working through weight recurrence. We offer nutritional support led by bariatric nutritionists and meetups where you can connect with other people just like you. Visit us at
barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! Subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey.
Subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey. If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. And you can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter!
About our Guest: Kim Tirapelle is a Registered Dietitian, with 16 years of experience working with bariatric individuals who want to level up their nutrition to meet their training goals. She can help you to bridge the gap between your bariatric nutrition guidelines and sports nutrition guidelines to save you time and frustration. Visit her online at www.activebariatricnutrition.com and follow her on Instagram @activebariatric
About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers.
About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians.
Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Nov 29, 202301:18:40
172: Growing Into Gratitude with Katie Booker, LCSW

172: Growing Into Gratitude with Katie Booker, LCSW

What do you notice when you look at pictures of your heavier self?  Like many of us, you might notice harsh, critical, or judgemental thoughts or feelings.  The sensations in your body may feel uncomfortable causing feelings of shame or disgust.  We have spent months, years, or even decades, trying to hide, ignore, or push away our “old self”.  The tricky part is that the old version of ourselves still lives inside of us.  When we speak unkindly and without compassion to our “old self”, they can hear & feel it.  It resonates and vibrates in and all around you impacting our present self whether you recognize it or not.  Our thoughts impact our actions, which impact our behaviors. Being unkind to any version of yourself (past, present, or future) will keep us trapped, stuck, and paralyzed along our bariatric journey.  In this episode, April and Jason sat down with Katie Booker, a licensed trauma therapist, BariNation Expert, and bariatric patient, to understand how we can uncover gratitude and use it to find connectedness and curiosity throughout our bariatric journey. She will teach us how to lean into kindness and compassion for all parts of ourselves and help us understand how negative self-talk not only holds us back, but also powers our disease. You will leave this conversation with actionable steps you can take to shift your mindset and start finding gratitude for the person you are.  Remember, you're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people growing in gratitude. We offer coping skills classes taught by experts like Katie, support groups led by bariatric therapists, and meetups where you can connect with people like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community!  If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. And you can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! Remember to subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey. About our Guest: Katie Booker, LCSW, is a private practice therapist licensed in New York State.  She specializes in trauma therapy utilizing research-based therapies with children, adolescents, teens, and adults.  Katie is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) through EMDRIA, is a Registered Play TherapistTM certified through the Association for Play Therapy, and completes psychological evaluations for pre-surgery approval.   About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers.  About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians.  Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers. You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Nov 22, 202301:00:27
171-Holiday Survival Guide: How to Navigate Holiday Hotspots 

171-Holiday Survival Guide: How to Navigate Holiday Hotspots 

The holiday season can be stressful, especially for bariatric surgery patients. The added emphasis on food and family can kick our stress levels into overdrive. We might be seeing people who are not supportive of our journey, or we are worried about being pressured into eating foods that are not aligned with our bariatric life. Throw in grief, shame, and worry; you have a recipe for a not-so-merry and bright season. 

For some patients, their decision to undergo weight loss surgery is private. We can panic when questions and comments are asked at these events, and we don’t know how to respond. Or when we think about how we will turn down our Aunt’s famous jello salad, our brain goes blank. These are the moments, the hotspots, we can and should prepare for. 

In this episode, your hosts, April, Jason, and Natalie, sit down with BariNation Expert and bariatric therapist Lora Grabow, LMSW, to help us learn how to identify and navigate these “holiday hotspots.” A “hotspot” is an event or moment where our emotions are at play and risk. We worry about these moments because we are unsure how we will react or respond. They are called “hotspots” because we can get burned if we are not careful. 

If we think about our upcoming holiday and identify some hotspots that might be ahead, we can plan for them so that our actions or reactions at the moment are aligned with our bariatric life and goals. Lora will introduce us all to the work of Dr. Beck and her Priorities chart. She will teach us how to identify essential, highly desirable, and desirable actions to help us lower the temperature surrounding these hotspots and move through the season with space and grace. 

Remember, you're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people working through holiday hotspots. We partner with experts like Lora to offer support groups, classes, and meetups where you can connect with other people just like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! Remember to subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey.

If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. And you can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! 

About our Guest: Lora Grabow, LMSW, is a seasoned bariatric therapist with 20 years of clinical and patient experience. She is an educator and course creator, public speaker, patient advocate, and educator. She is an expert leader in BariNation and has been featured on multiple podcasts. Visit her online at www.loragrabow.com to connect with her!

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney were all bariatric patients inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation hosts an online membership support community led by experts and patients and produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms.

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Nov 16, 202301:03:21
170: Mindful Holidays: Navigating Stress and Celebrations with Kayla Girgen

170: Mindful Holidays: Navigating Stress and Celebrations with Kayla Girgen

The holiday season is upon us, and it's a time of joy, celebration, and yes, some unique challenges. In this episode of The BariNation Podcast, we explore the power of mindfulness and how it can be your guiding light during this festive time.

Returning podcast guest and BariNation Expert Kayla Girgen, RD joined April and Jason who kick off the discussion by diving deep into the concept of mindfulness. What does it really mean to be "mindful"? Discover how being fully present in the moment, aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, can be the key to making intentional choices during the holidays.

But why do the holidays often seem more stressful than other times of the year? Is it something we create in our heads? Can this added stress become an excuse to overindulge in foods that don't align with your bariatric journey? Join us as we unravel the factors contributing to holiday stress and how to make mindful choices.

We also discuss how this might be the only time of the year to enjoy certain foods and the company of friends and family, making it hard to imagine celebrating without food as the "main dish." Can we find a balance between tradition and our bariatric goals?

When life gets busy and stressful, it's easy to neglect movement and meal choices. In this episode, we share strategies for staying mindful about movement and meals. Understand why movement is a "non-negotiable" and discover how it can lower stress, help you process emotions, and uplift your mood. And don't stress about holiday meals - most are protein-forward.

It is important to know that a few meals this season will not derail all of the progres you have made. They discuss the importance of trusting yourself to make the right food choices and, if necessary, making the decision to forgo certain events or foods.

The mantra "Enjoy, Pass, Tweak" becomes your holiday survival guide. Sometimes, nothing but the "real" thing will do, and that's okay. Remember, it's alright to have different holidays before and after surgery, and your journey is unique.

The big takeaways from this episode emphasize the significance of being mindful about your emotions in the moment, especially when triggered by food or people. Discover how having game plans ready can help you make mindful choices. And don't miss the chance to share your favorite non-food-related holiday memory or tradition; it's our listener question on Spotify!

This holiday season, join us as we embark on a mindful journey to navigate the festivities with intention and joy. Tune in The BariNation Podcast and let mindfulness be your holiday superpower.

Nov 07, 202340:15
169 Mabel: Surviving Holiday Judgment: Navigating the Season as a Bariatric Patient

169 Mabel: Surviving Holiday Judgment: Navigating the Season as a Bariatric Patient

In this thought-provoking episode, Bariatric Coach Mabel Joseph deep dives into the concept of judgment – what it is, why it's an intrinsic part of being human, and how it affects those on a bariatric journey. Judgment is a normal brain behavior, a mechanism through which we comprehend the world, determine safety, define right from wrong, and make efficient decisions to safeguard our well-being. It is a very normal human behavior. But when our loved ones judge our decision to undergo weight loss surgery and the life we lead after our procedure, our reactions to it can cause us harm. 

In this episode, we will explore how judgment weaves its way into our lives during our bariatric journey and holidays, how it can influence our choices, behaviors, and actions, and the steps we can take to move through judgment in positive and profound ways.

Join hosts April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney for this meaningful and timely discussion. Tune in to gain a profound understanding of judgment, its roots in human psychology, and how it plays a role in the lives of bariatric patients. Learn strategies to navigate judgment, build resilience, and move forward on your transformative journey toward better health and well-being.

If you want to continue this conversation, join us in the BariNation Community! You can help build BariNation by becoming a podcast supporter for $5 a month or join our Support Community and access and attend over 80 live support groups, classes, and meetups a month, all from the comfort of your own home. Join us today by visiting www.barinationpodcast.com to learn more. 

About our Guest:

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients on a mission to connect patients with the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. They created BariNation to empower people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. BariNAtion understands that every patient's end goal is metabolic wellness. While each patient will take a different road to this destination, the stops along the journey will be similar. BariNation aims to connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast that is distributed on all major podcast and video platforms, host a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us on Instgram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, ,follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers, and follow Mabel @beyondthesleeveacademy

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Nov 01, 202350:49
168: Understanding Bariatric Revisions: When and Why It's Necessary with  Dr. Cribbins and Dr. Chen

168: Understanding Bariatric Revisions: When and Why It's Necessary with  Dr. Cribbins and Dr. Chen

If you've been listening to or watching the BariNation podcast for a while, you've heard us say obesity is a chronic and lifelong disease and that bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment. But what happens when our first surgery is not enough? What happens when our surgery does not get to a point where we are metabolically well or our first surgery triggers new and unwelcomed symptoms or complications? Revision surgery is something many patients will go through, yet it is surrounded in shame, guilt, and fear. 

April and Jason sat down with Dr. Joe Cribbins and Dr. Edmund Chen, two board-certified bariatric surgeons, to discuss revision surgery. We explore why revision surgery is sometimes necessary and needed and, we can identify when a revision might be required and better understand the steps we can take to begin the conversation with our medical teams. We spent time understanding how Jason came to his decision to pursue bariatric surgery and the guilt and shame he had to work through to find his bariatric hope again. As patients, we have to recognize that our disease will continue to progress in our lives, despite doing everything “right” and that the only way to live with the disease is to continue to treat it.

If you're pre-op, we hope you leave this conversation with a better understanding of being an engaged, informed, and educated bariatric patient. If you're post-op and struggling with weight recurrence, the return or continuation of co-morbidities, or the onset of new conditions, you can find your hope again, like Jason, and pursue different treatment options. 

Thank you for listening and watching the BariNation podcast! If you find this show valuable, become a supporter of the show. Your $5 a month helps us produce this podcast and keep the support available for patients everywhere. Visit us at www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter today. 

About our Guest: Dr. Cribbings and Dr. Chen are board-certified robotic bariatric surgeons in Dallas, Texas. Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery is the trusted destination for weight loss. Dr. Joe Cribbins is a highly sought-after, award-winning bariatric surgeon with over 23 years of experience. He exclusively uses the ultra minimally invasive Da Vinci Xi® surgical system for bariatric and weight loss surgeries like gastric bypasses. Using the Da Vinci Xi system, Dr. Cribbins & Dr. Chen provide more precise and less invasive weight loss procedures so patients can experience less pain, faster recoveries, and better results. Follow Dr. Cribbins and Dr. Chen on Instagram @one_operation_changes_life and online at https://www.texascenterforsurgery.com/

About Your Hosts: April, Jason, and Natalie are all bariatric patients on a mission to connect patients with the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. They created BariNation to empower people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. BariNation understands that every patient's end goal is metabolic wellness. While each patient will take a different road to this destination, the stops along the journey will be similar. BariNation aims to connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!

Oct 25, 202346:14
166: Walking Power With Drs. Pesta and McMann

166: Walking Power With Drs. Pesta and McMann

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 issues. Walking truly is a powerful form of movement that is simple to incorporate into our day, free to everyone, and easy to enjoy in the company of others!

Dr. Pesta and Dr. McMann join us for this amazing conversation about the power of walking and introduce us to the TREO Foundation, an organization on a mission to raise obesity awareness and power medical research that is making positive and profound impacts on patients' lives. Their virtual Walk From Obesity is happening on November 4th, 2023, and BariNation is proud to be hosting a virtual walking team! We are raising funds for this important research and moving together for a great cause! Click HERE to learn more about the TREO Foundation and join the Barination Virtual Walk Team! 

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If our podcast has helped you along your bariatric journey, help support it by becoming a monthly donor! Your support helps us fuel this labor of love and ensures that it reaches patients when and where they need it the most. Click the link in the show notes on our Spotify homepage and be the future of BariNation!

Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days free, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Oct 24, 202357:14
167: Growing Through Bariatric Grief with Timisha Malone, LISCW

167: Growing Through Bariatric Grief with Timisha Malone, LISCW

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 a patient herself. She has over a decade of experience walking people through grief and helping them harness the powerful momentfum grief can create in our life. And becuase she is also a bariatric patient, she is able to offer us specific and targeted suggestions for every step of our bariatric life. She helps us understand that moving through grief actually requires stillness, a willingness to find stillness, name our feelings, and connect with a peer community to help us navigate the emotional changes. 

If you have been wondering “why am I feeling this way” and can’t quite put your finger on what is causing your feelings or emotions, this episode is for you! We invite you to connect and grow with Timisha in the BariNation Support Communtiy, where she leds our bi-monthly Bariatric Grief Support Group. This group is designed to help fellow patients undertand grief, its many waves, and provide a safe place to practice the stillness needed to move though grief. Join Timisah and hundreds of fellow patients at www.barination.mn.co

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If our podcast has helped you along your bariatric journey, help support it by becoming a subscriber! For $5 a month, you can help grow the BariNation podcast and ensure it continues to help the thousands and thousands of patients who rely on it. Your support helps us fuel this labor of love and ensures that it reaches patients when and where they need it the most. Become a supporter at www.barination.mn.co.

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow hosts April Williams @actively_april, follow Jason Smith @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie Tierney @breakingbari_ers

Oct 18, 202301:02:58
166: Walking Power With Drs. Pesta and McMann

166: Walking Power With Drs. Pesta and McMann

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 issues. Walking truly is a powerful form of movement that is simple to incorporate into our day, free to everyone, and easy to enjoy in the company of others!

Dr. Pesta and Dr. McMann join us for this amazing conversation about the power of walking and introduce us to the TREO Foundation, an organization on a mission to raise obesity awareness and power medical research that is making positive and profound impacts on patients' lives. Their virtual Walk From Obesity is happening on November 4th, 2023, and BariNation is proud to be hosting a virtual walking team! We are raising funds for this important research and moving together for a great cause! Click HERE to learn more about the TREO Foundation and join the Barination Virtual Walk Team! 

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If our podcast has helped you along your bariatric journey, help support it by becoming a monthly donor! Your support helps us fuel this labor of love and ensures that it reaches patients when and where they need it the most. Click the link in the show notes on our Spotify homepage and be the future of BariNation!

Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days free, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Oct 10, 202358:52
165: Bariatric Grief with Lora Grabow

165: Bariatric Grief with Lora Grabow

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 recognizing it is the first step to move through it.

In this episode, we sat down with Lora Grabow, an amazing bariatric therapist and expert in the BariNation Support Community to understand grief from our bariatric lens. We wanted to know why it happens, how to recognize it, and what we can do to move through it. We invite you to join Lora in her upcoming Growing Through Grief class on Thursday, October 17th at 4:30pm PST / 7:30 pm EST in our Support Community. Learn in real time from the experts, with the support of your bariatric peers! Visit www.barination.mn.co to become a member and RSVP to the class! Follow Lora on Instagram @bariatric.therapist and visit her online at loragrabow.com

Have you experienced grief along your bariatric journey? Was the emotion of grief something you expected to encounter in your post op life? Respond to these questions on our Spotify homepage or keep the conversation going in the Community! 

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If our podcast has helped you along your bariatric journey, help support it by becoming a monthly donor! Your support helps us fuel this labor of love and ensures that it reaches patients when and where they need it the most. Click the link in the show notes on our Spotify homepage and be the future of BariNation!

Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days free, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co


Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Oct 04, 202347:25
Episode 164: Looking Fallward
Sep 20, 202301:27:46
Episode 163: Modern Self-Care with Stephanie Ristow

Episode 163: Modern Self-Care with Stephanie Ristow

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 does a busy mom of two, entrepreneur of multiple thriving businesses, active wife, aunt, and adult child do to show reguard for her own health? You might be suprised! Listen or watch on to find out! Spoiler alert- hanging out with your friends, specifically your bari friends made the list :) We also had a wonderful conversation about the upcoming fall Bariatric Soceity Retreat in San Antonio, Texas! JOIN US! 

For more information about this amazing Retreat and to purchase tickets, visit www.bariatricsociety/retreat. Use code BariNation when you check out for $20 off your ticket!

Follow Stephanie on Instagram at @one_hungry_mother and on her business page, Bariatric Society, at @bariatricsoceity. 

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For 10% off all ProCare Vitamins and supplements, use code BariNation. And if your purchase a vitamin subscription, you can get access to a 4-week trial and a discounted monthly rate!Join our Patreon to help support the podcast by going to patreon.com/BariNationPodcast.

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days free, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co


Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Sep 06, 202350:10
Episode 162: Taking a Leap of Faith with Chef Ked 

Episode 162: Taking a Leap of Faith with Chef Ked 

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 BariNation to explain exactly how he did it! Follow Kedric on Instagram @keduncut and let him know how his story inspires you to take your own leap of faith!

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For 10% off all ProCare Vitamins and supplements, use code BariNation.Join our Patreon to help support the podcast by going to patreon.com/BariNationPodcast.

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days free, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co


Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Aug 16, 202358:00
Episode 161: Committing to Our Bariatric Life with Herb Lentz
Aug 01, 202301:06:02
160: Summer Check-In: How We’re Showing Ourselves Love

160: Summer Check-In: How We’re Showing Ourselves Love

Jul 19, 202350:13
BONUS EPISODE: LGBTQIA+ And Bariatric Journeys
Jun 30, 202354:00
Episode 158: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 

Episode 158: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 

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 inadequate. When their search came up dry, they sought out to create exactly what they needed: a safe and educational online community platform where they could continue their journey to metabolic wellness alongside their bariatric peers. 

Our visionary approach to education and support finds a perfect match in the distinguished Kentucky Bariatric Institute. By combining the power of a digital learning community and the extensive resources with Doctor Eric Smith's exceptional patient care and surgical excellence, this combination will create an all-encompassing experience that truly puts patients at the center of their care plan.

We are thrilled to embark on this groundbreaking collaboration; the future shines bright for individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle. BariNation and Kentucky Bariatric Institute are poised to inspire transformative change, paving the way for a healthier, happier future.

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Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Join today for a 14 day trial, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Would you like to help support the BariNation podcast? Maybe you’re looking for more support but not quite ready to join the membership community. Join our Patreon for additional content, community, and support along your bariatric journey. Click this link to join now (https://patreon.com/BariNationPodcast?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link


Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Jun 27, 202332:27
157: Eating with the Seasons, with Kayla Girgen, RD

157: Eating with the Seasons, with Kayla Girgen, RD

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 incredible classes in the BariNation community! 

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Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Join today for a 14 day trial, then it’s just $39 a month! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Would you like to help support the BariNation podcast? Maybe you’re looking for more support but not quite ready to join the membership community. Join our Patreon for additional content, community, and support along your bariatric journey. Click this link to join now (https://patreon.com/BariNationPodcast?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers


Jun 21, 202341:29
156: The Importance of Vitamins with Dr. Edmund Chen, MD

156: The Importance of Vitamins with Dr. Edmund Chen, MD

Jun 07, 202335:52
Episode 155: Yoga as a Mindset Tool with Jody Bonansinga, RYT 200
May 17, 202356:37
Episode 154: Utilizing our Tools with Dr. Eric Smith
May 03, 202301:11:07
Episode 153: Springing Forward Check-in with April, Jason and Nat
Apr 26, 202301:04:26
Episode 152: Tackling Emotional Eating with Lora Grabow, LMSW

Episode 152: Tackling Emotional Eating with Lora Grabow, LMSW

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” online at www.loragrabow.com. Lora also leads four support groups a week in the BariNation membership community built around emotional eating support as well as support in navigating life pre and post surgery.

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days! After that it’s just $39 a month. Find us at https://barination.mn.co


Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Apr 19, 202352:44
Episode 151: Utilizing Peer Support Along our Bariatric Journey

Episode 151: Utilizing Peer Support Along our Bariatric Journey

Apr 12, 202301:41:36
150: Moving Through WLS Complications with Melanie Lindell, Therapist

150: Moving Through WLS Complications with Melanie Lindell, Therapist

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 how patients can navigate these uncharted waters in healthy and effective ways. If you have not experienced WLS complications but are living in a heightened state of stress, anxiety, or worry, this episode is for you, too. April has been struggling to find balance in her life, and in this episode, Melanie and Jason help her unpack some of the reasons. Learning to let go of our fight-or-flight responses is something we can all work on, and Melanie expertly guides us through that process. 

Melanie will host a bi-weekly Complications Support Group in BariNation starting on Monday, April 10th. If you are navigating WLS complications alone, join us. Here you will find a safe and supportive environment to share your story, contain your emotions, and learn to navigate this period of your journey with love and support. Connect with Melanie in the BariNation Membership Community on Instagram at @myroux_n_why and online at https://lindellcounseling.com/

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days to see if it is right for you! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers


Apr 05, 202301:22:38
Episode 149: What We Wish We Knew: The Commitment 
Mar 30, 202301:01:57
Episode 148: What We Wish We Knew: Life in Maintenance with Elle
Mar 24, 202359:34
Episode 147: What We Wish We Knew: Life in Maintenance
Mar 22, 202301:24:56
Episode 146: What We Wish We Knew: The Honeymoon

Episode 146: What We Wish We Knew: The Honeymoon

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 is a lover of bright colors and eyeglass frames, 41 year old mom of 2 toddlers and a bonus Army of 1. Always the tallest and largest in her class, Alycia always knew she was meant to stand out. After her second delivery, Alycia had reached her highest weight and wasn’t able to do a lot of day to day things without physical and physiological struggles. Fast forward to 12/15/21, dubbed her other (re)birthday, Alycia had RNY and hasn’t looked back. She founded F.A.B. Fitness May ‘22 and hopes to make a positive impact in the Bariatric community and beyond. You can visit her website at Www.fabfitnessllc.com.

James is a mid-thirties bariatric dad that decided to change his life after learning he'd become a girl-dad. James works every day to stay committed to the bariatric lifestyle with a little humor, lots of sweat, and a nice cigar.

Lori had RNY at age 60 and at 14 months post-op she is loving the life she is making for herself. Lori goes to CrossFit three times a week and walks or goes to Zumba twice a week. At almost 100lbs down Lori is looking at living her best story yet!

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days to see if it is right for you! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Mar 15, 202344:54
Episode 145: What We Wish We Knew: Pre-Op

Episode 145: What We Wish We Knew: Pre-Op

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 (including too much true crime), watching reality tv, and learning about/trying new things. Ashley’s hoping VSG helps fight the fatigue that holds her back from doing things she wants to do. She’s looking forward to spending this summer working on and caring for herself and being active with her kids and husband.

Helina struggled with her weight for as long as she can remember and tried just about every diet out there. Over a year ago she started researching WLS, got referred to OHSU in February 2022, went through personal hardships, was waitlisted for the program at OHSU, but was finally able to start her pre-op journey on 07/12/22. She’s struggled with a food addiction for a long time and has found food as a comfort. But with going back to therapy and mindset work she knows she can do the hard things. She also knows and believes she’s worthy and deserving of choosing herself and her health.

Lisa has been working through a lot of mindset work to prepare for her journey. She has been involved in the BariNation community, and is looking forward to the rest of her life.

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days to see if it is right for you! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Mar 08, 202344:08
Episode 144: Pre-Op Love (What We Wish We Knew)
Mar 01, 202301:16:06
142: The Power of Resistance Movement
Feb 14, 202301:02:54
141: Weight Loss Medications

141: Weight Loss Medications

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 their regained weight or reach a weight that allows them to be metabolically well.

Bariatric surgeon, Dr. Matthew Weiner, and Clair Paulye, PA-C, joined us to talk about how these medications work and why they are such a powerful treatment option for anyone struggling to manage their disease of obesity. Follow Dr. Weiner on Instagram @drmatthewweiner and visit him online at www.poundofcureweightloss.com.

Are you feeling alone or stuck in your bariatric journey? Connect with fellow patients and experts in the BariNation Membership Community! As a member, you can access virtual support led by bariatric therapists, registered dietitians, wellness coaches, movement experts, and patient moderators. Try our community for 14 days to see if it is right for you! Find us at https://barination.mn.co

Follow BariNation on Instagram @bari.nation for continued support aligned with your bariatric journey. Follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian_, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers

Feb 08, 202354:31