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!