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!