
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
In this episode, I sat down with Derek — a marriage therapist who’s basically the bariatric world’s relationship whisperer — to talk about the real side of love after surgery. We're not sugar-coating it (and you know I don’t do sugar unless it fits my macros).
We got into the messy stuff: how the holidays and politics can turn even strong marriages into silent standoffs, why bariatric surgery can shake up a relationship dynamic fast, and what actually helps couples stay connected when life throws curveballs.
Derek broke down the Four Horsemen of Marriage (spoiler: these bad boys ruin more marriages than carbs), how to rebuild trust through tough conversations, and why rituals of connection — yes, even tiny ones — matter more than grand gestures. This one’s not just for the romantically partnered either. It’s for anyone who's navigating change and doesn’t want to drag relationship chaos along for the ride.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Relationships and Bariatrics
01:24 Navigating Holiday Stress in Relationships
03:27 Political Divides and Relationship Strain
04:49 Effective Communication in Major Life Decisions
06:58 Understanding Fear and Misinformation in Bariatrics
08:57 Ambassadorship in Bariatric Conversations
10:41 Opening Difficult Conversations with Loved Ones
12:45 The Importance of Trust in Relationships
14:11 Navigating Change After Bariatric Surgery
16:17 Finding the Right Time for Difficult Discussions
18:06 Building Connection Through Rituals
22:18 Maintaining Connection Amidst Change
25:16 Balancing Self-Care and Relationship Needs
28:53 Acknowledging and Validating Fears
32:20 The Four Horsemen of Marriage
32:47 The Four Horsemen of Relationship Deterioration
34:47 Understanding and Overcoming Criticism
36:19 The Dangers of Contempt in Relationships
37:12 Defensiveness: A Barrier to Communication
39:37 The Importance of Validation
40:05 Recognizing and Addressing Stonewalling
43:14 The Impact of Past Issues on Present Relationships
45:58 The Role of Therapy in Relationship Healing
47:57 Building Healthy Relationship Habits
49:12 Making Nutrition an Us Journey
50:44 Staying Active Together
51:43 Showing Up for Yourself
54:11 Finding Healthy Sources of Dopamine
5
2727 ratings
In this episode, I sat down with Derek — a marriage therapist who’s basically the bariatric world’s relationship whisperer — to talk about the real side of love after surgery. We're not sugar-coating it (and you know I don’t do sugar unless it fits my macros).
We got into the messy stuff: how the holidays and politics can turn even strong marriages into silent standoffs, why bariatric surgery can shake up a relationship dynamic fast, and what actually helps couples stay connected when life throws curveballs.
Derek broke down the Four Horsemen of Marriage (spoiler: these bad boys ruin more marriages than carbs), how to rebuild trust through tough conversations, and why rituals of connection — yes, even tiny ones — matter more than grand gestures. This one’s not just for the romantically partnered either. It’s for anyone who's navigating change and doesn’t want to drag relationship chaos along for the ride.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Relationships and Bariatrics
01:24 Navigating Holiday Stress in Relationships
03:27 Political Divides and Relationship Strain
04:49 Effective Communication in Major Life Decisions
06:58 Understanding Fear and Misinformation in Bariatrics
08:57 Ambassadorship in Bariatric Conversations
10:41 Opening Difficult Conversations with Loved Ones
12:45 The Importance of Trust in Relationships
14:11 Navigating Change After Bariatric Surgery
16:17 Finding the Right Time for Difficult Discussions
18:06 Building Connection Through Rituals
22:18 Maintaining Connection Amidst Change
25:16 Balancing Self-Care and Relationship Needs
28:53 Acknowledging and Validating Fears
32:20 The Four Horsemen of Marriage
32:47 The Four Horsemen of Relationship Deterioration
34:47 Understanding and Overcoming Criticism
36:19 The Dangers of Contempt in Relationships
37:12 Defensiveness: A Barrier to Communication
39:37 The Importance of Validation
40:05 Recognizing and Addressing Stonewalling
43:14 The Impact of Past Issues on Present Relationships
45:58 The Role of Therapy in Relationship Healing
47:57 Building Healthy Relationship Habits
49:12 Making Nutrition an Us Journey
50:44 Staying Active Together
51:43 Showing Up for Yourself
54:11 Finding Healthy Sources of Dopamine
4,580 Listeners
70 Listeners
7,533 Listeners
96 Listeners
189 Listeners
73 Listeners
502 Listeners
35 Listeners
19,449 Listeners
38 Listeners
6 Listeners
8,046 Listeners
1,412 Listeners
97 Listeners