The BariNation Foundation Podcast

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-bein...

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 symp...

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 cardiov...

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...

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 cardiov...

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 fee...

The season is changing and we are looking fallward! April, Jason, and Natalie sat down for a reflective conversation about the season ahead and what they are hoping it will hold for them. Jason made a big breakthrough during our conversation that he is hopeful will help him get to back to a place of holistic wellness. And all three shared some things that have been making a positive impact on thei...

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 ta...

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 mean...

This week we chatted with BariNation community member, bariatric patient, and dear friend Herb, to chat through how he is choosing himself and his bariatric journey, even when life gets hard. Herb has always shown us what it means to love and be true to ourselves and our hearts, and he shares some of his gems of wisdom with us and you, our listeners!  You can follow Herb on Instagram @herbiatric a...

This week, we (April, Jason, and Natalie) sat down with each other for a much needed check-in. Having time to have raw and real conversations has been rare these days, so when we had the time we made it happen. Life hasn’t slowed down, in fact it’s only ramped up, this summer and we needed some time to break down the walls and give each other an update. As we spoke, we realized that self-love real...

Natalie sat down with four BariNation members (Casey, Cyndi, Herb, and Jack) who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ Community to talk about how their bariatric lives and journeys to accepting their sexuality are similar. From realizing that there isn’t one point you come out as LGBTQIA+, to having difficult conversations in order to honor your true self. This conversation is deeply uplifting and sheds a l...

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 acro...

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...

This week, Jason sat down with our friend and bariatric surgeon  Dr. Edmund Chen to talk about how important it is for bariatric patients to take their vitamins pre and post surgery.  We know that bariatric life can be extremely daunting, and we have a lot of daily goals and tasks we need to meet. Vitamins should always be our top priority for life-long health and wellness! No matter your age or s...

This week, BariNation spoke with Jody, a bariatric patient and yogi, all about how utilizing yoga practices has not only become her professional passion, but an incredible tool for navigating life after surgery. From complications to life-changing revelations, Jody tells us how she uses yoga and it’s mindset to spring her forward through all that life has thrown at her.  You can find Jody on insta...

In this week’s episode, we sat down with dear friend and bariatric surgeon, Doctor Eric Smith, to discuss how we can fully utilize our bariatric tools so that we can live our best lives after surgery and beyond.  The conversation took an incredible turn, as always, as we not only acknowledged medical weight loss and being diligent about follow up with our programs, but acknowledging our intentions...

April, Jason and Natalie sat down to check in with each other and to reflect on the amazing strides that BariNation has seen in the last few years.  Spring brings forth change, and change can be scary and daunting if we aren’t looking at it from the perspective of evolving, not just changing for the sake of change. April, Jason and Natalie all had incredible revelations in the last few months. Bar...

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 Lo...

In this episode, we welcomed back dear friend, therapist, and bariatric patient Sarah  Smith for a conversation about peer support. We defined what peer support is, what we gain from peer support, and how peer support has added to our lives.  We learned that peer support is based on its own pillars: experience, strength and hope. When we seek those who have the shared experiences, such as bariatri...

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 l...

Jason sat down with three of our BariNation members, DeAnn, Meagan, and Herb, to talk about what it truly means to commit to their bariatric lives. From coming to the brutal reality that bariatric surgery isn’t a quick fix, to accepting and loving yourself fully, they talk about it all.  We are so grateful for each of these patients and friends, for being vulnerable and sharing all parts of their...

Trigger Warning: Discussions about disordered eating.  Sometimes the universe aligns and turns lemons into lemonade. April was able to sit down with Elle, BariNation community member and bariatric patient for an incredibly impactful conversation about Life in Matinaiance. Elle was on a mission to finally conquer her obesity but discovered something even greater in the process, her truest self. In...

This week, April sat down with three amazing community members who are in the Life in Maintenance stage, Casey, Laura, and Fiona. In this powerful episode, each person shared what Maintenance has meant to them, how different it has ended up appearing in their lives, and how they are living to adjust to all that life is throwing their way. They each will share some powerful insights and the real an...

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...