The BariNation Foundation Podcast

By April WilliamsAlternative Health Health & Fitness Mental Health Education Self-Improvement

The BariNation Foundation Podcast episodes

February 25, 2022 Episode 092: Advocacy and Self-Love with Dr. Russo
Advocacy means public support for something or someone you believe in. Self-advocacy means that public display of support means you are the one standing up for yourself. But this requires some practice as many of us have never advocated for ourselves before. We lived our lives in the shadows, attempting to not draw any more attention to ourselves than what our weight already did. Self-advocacy is a form of self-love and it can help us make progress in every goal we are seeking to achieve.
We sat down with Dr. Russo, a prominent bariatric surgeon in Southern California. He works tirelessly to advocate for his patients and helps them learn to become their own advocates in their own bariatric lives. We wanted to know why he believes it can be difficult for patients to advocate for themselves, how people can practice their advocacy privately before taking it publicly, what questions people should be asking their surgeons, and what the best ways to practice are.
We think you will be surprised at all the ways you are already advocating for yourself and how you can practice that skill in all facets of your life! Follow Dr. Russo on TikTok @weightloss_oc, on Instagram @weightloss_oc, on Facebook @ michael russo md and smart dimensions weight loss and online at www.smartdimensions.com
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and learn more about our amazing membership community at www.barination.com. You can also follow the crew on their personal Instagram pages as well! Find April @activley_april, find Jason @the_smithsonian_, and find Natalie @breakingbari_ers.
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
50 min
February 23, 2022 091: The Growing Pains of Self-Love
The Growing Pains of Self-Love
This is one of the most personal episodes April has ever recorded. We know that learning how to love ourselves is difficult and Mabel gave us a master class in WHY it can be such a painful process. She broke April like a farm-fresh egg getting scrambled in a hot skillet. Mabel was able to identify the reason April struggles to open herself to self-love and helped us understand the many other reasons the practice can feel so uncomfortable. Buckle up friends, Mabel threw down in this episode and we know it will help you identify some of the reasons you might be finding it difficult to practice self- love, too.
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow Mabel on Instagram @beyondthesleeveacademy and visit her website to learn more about her bariatric group coaching! www.beyondthesleeveacademy.com
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and learn more about our amazing membership community at www.barination.com. You can also follow the crew on their personal Instagram pages as well! Find April @activley_april, find Jason @the_smithsonian_, and find Natalie @breakingbari_ers.
1 hr 4 min
February 17, 2022090: Bariatric Self-Love with Dr. Dovec
We were so excited to sit down with the one and only Dr. Dovec to talk about all things bariatric self-love! We wanted to know Dr. Dovec’s definition of self-love and how she practices it in her own life because this woman is BUSY! She is the Medical Director of AdventHealth’s Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgical Centers in Central Florida, she performs hundreds of bariatric surgeries every year, and is raising three amazing children with her husband Aaron!
We also wanted to deep dive into how patients can show themselves love before and after their bariatric surgery. We asked
What are the three most important things patients can do to prepare for their upcoming bariatric procedure?

What do you most successful patients do during the pre-op process that really sets them up well for life after their surgery?

What do you wish patients would stop doing or thinking as they prepare for surgery?

What are your most successful patients doing after surgery to find their happy, healthy weight from the moment they wake up after their procedure to years post-op?

If you have been wondering how you can show yourself some bariatric self-love, this is the episode for you! A huge thank you to Dr. Dovec for joining us on this important and valuable episode! Follow Dr. Dovec on Instagram @drdovec. Click the link in her bio to learn more about bariatric options in Central Florida!
57 min
February 16, 2022 089: From Self-Harm to Self-Love with Sarah Smith
Trigger Warning: Self-Harm, Drug, and Alcohol Use
Many bariatric patients can trace their obesity to a trauma that was experienced in their past. Our brains are wired to keep us safe, out of harm, and in a place of comfort. When we experience any kind of event that our brains perceive as traumatic, it will immediately triage and do find the quickest path away from that trauma. For many of us, food is that pathway because it is something that humans are almost always around.
But for others, our brains will turn to physical self-harm, drugs, or alcohol. Sarah Smith, Jason's wife, shared with us her story of self-harm and how some experiences in her adolescence triggered a trauma response in her own life. Her powerful story allows us to understand the impact these events can have on our lives and offers us all hope that we can face these past events with open eyes and a determination to live our life differently. This amazing episode will leave you inspired and open to reflecting on your own past traumas in a new, encouraging light.
We thank Sarah for so bravely and openly sharing her story with us. Because of her willingness to share, we create a safe place to help one another. Follow Sarah on Instagram @bari.grateful and find her in the BariNation community as one of our experts!
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online! And continue this conversation online in our membership community! Visit www.barination.com to learn how you can connect, learn, and grow from experts and fellow patients in our safe, online, digital support community!
1 hr 56 min
February 08, 2022 88: Finding Our Self-Love
Knowing the definition of self-love is the first step in actually loving ourselves. But how do we actually get there? How do we get to a place of love and acceptance for ourselves? We sat down with Maddie Spahr, one of our most amazing bariatric friends and creators, and Rodolfo Alvarez, a phenomenal Wellness Coach, to help us understand how we go from having no self-love to a place of acceptance, and eventual love for our bodies and minds.
Acceptance plays a large part in our self-love journey and this conversation really deep dives into what that means and looks like. We also talked about the differences and similarities of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-esteme. Like most of our conversations, this one went deep. We are so thankful our two guests are here for these meaningful conversations and are excited to share so much of their own personal stories with us.
Follow Maddie on Instagram @maddie5088 and visit her online at https://foodfitnessandbeauty.com/ Follow Rofolfo on Instagram @rodolfoalvarezx and book your free discovery session with him today!
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online! And continue this conversation online in our membership community! Visit www.barination.com to learn how you can connect, learn, and grow from experts and fellow patients in our safe, online, digital support community!
58 min
February 02, 2022 087: What is Self-Love
Is loving ourselves selfish or self-centered? Do you think you have ever loved yourself or loved all of yourself? Self-love can be defined as having regard for our own well-being and health, but have we ever actually practiced that definition?
April, Jason, and Natalie sat down to dive into self-love. They wanted to know what it was, how (or if) we practice it in our own lives, and talk about ways we can elevate the love we have for ourselves! And just wait until you hear Natalie’s take on self-love and the role that it played in her decision to have bariatric surgery!
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online! And continue this conversation online in our membership community! Visit www.barination.com to learn how you can connect, learn, and grow from experts and fellow patients in our safe, online, digital support community!
47 min
January 26, 2022 086: Self-Care is Cultural with Kelsie Danielle
Have you ever wondered why self-care is something that seems so foreign to you? Something that always is on your to-do list but never gets checked off? It might be because you grew up in a culture or family where self-care was not practiced or acknowledged. And that could be creating some friction between you and your self-care.
We sat down with Kelsie Danielle, an amazing bariatric patient who has an amazing YouTube channel dedicated to sharing her weight loss surgery life with the world! She often talks about her own self-care and how she came to understand its importance in her own life. Self-care is something she practices daily and she shares with us how she shifted her culture to create a new mindset around self-care.
Follow Kelsie on Instagram @kelsiedanielle_ and subscribe to her YouTube channel by searching Kelsie Danielle!
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online! And continue this conversation online in our membership community! Visit www.barination.com to learn how you can connect, learn, and grow from experts and fellow patients in our safe, online, digital support community!
45 min
January 19, 2022 085: Dental Care is Self-Care with Day
If you think dental care is something you can put off or neglect, we are here to tell you that is a bad idea…ESPECIALLY after having bariatric surgery! Taking care of our physical health and our teeth are two of the most impactful things we can do as a form of self-care.
We recently sat down with Day Sager- a dental assistant who has had years of experience working in the field. Our mouths can act as our personal “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to our overall health. There are some tell-tale signs that we are missing some critical nutrition that are reflected in the health of our teeth and gums. If you have been putting off seeing or finding a dentist because of the stigma that surrounds dental care, today will be a great time to not only listen to this episode but book an appointment with a dentist!
Follow Day on Instagram @melanatedmarket20 and @day_to_daycreations!
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online! And continue this conversation online in our membership community! Visit www.barination.com to learn how you can connect, learn, and grow from experts and fellow patients in our safe, online, digital support community!
47 min
January 12, 2022 084: Self-Care is Healthcare with Ked
There is this idea, thought, or hope, that once we have bariatric surgery, all of our healthcare issues will magically disappear. For many of us, we *do* see certain medical conditions lesson or even completely go away. April’s sleep apnea dissipated two weeks after her VSG procedure and Jason has been able to cut back on many of his medications. In fact, the reversal of medical conditions is one of the top reasons people make the decision to have bariatric surgery.
But in other circumstances, medical conditions persist, or even appear after our procedures and this is a difficult reality to face. Our friend and fellow podcast Kedric Barrett are tackling a new, and scary, medical condition head-on, acknowledging that we might still have a price to pay for how we lived our lives before weight loss surgery.
In this meaningful conversation, Ked shares his diagnosis, his feelings and emotions surrounding his prognosis, and how he is dealing with his new reality with humor, humility, and honesty. He shows us how, and why, healthcare must be a part of our self-care.
Follow Ked on Instagram @sleevedbelievethehype, check out his podcast by looking for the Sleeved Believe The Hype show on your podcast player app, and check out his amazing seasoning line at www.hypeseasonings.com
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online! And continue this conversation online in our membership community! Visit www.barination.com to learn how you can connect, learn, and grow from experts and fellow patients in our safe, online, digital support community!
1 hr 11 min
January 05, 2022 083: What is Self-Care?
Like many conversations we have, we think we will talk about one thing, but we end up talking about something completely different. Self-care can be defined as “The practice of taking action to preserve and improve one’s health.” We love this definition of self-care because it calls us to do several things; practice calls us to actually do self-care, action requires that we actually do those things that are self-care to us, and preserving our health means it is ok to just do what is needed to not go backward.
In this deep conversation, April, Jason, and Natalie break down this definition and share how self-care looks in their lives when they have the time and feel like they don’t have the time. They discuss how self-care has shifted from them in their post-op lives and talk about how there is a societal correlation between self-care and selfishness.
This conversation will leave you thinking about your own self-care and thinking up creative and meaningful ways to make it a part of your life every day.
You’ve got this and we’ve got you!
Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and like and subscribe to their YouTube channel, where you can watch every episode of the podcast and other meaningful supports online!
1 hr 1 min

About The BariNation Foundation Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The BariNation Foundation Podcast, where you’ll hear real talk about bariatric surgery, obesity medicine, medical weight loss, metabolic health, weight management, and lifelong obesity care. Whether you're considering bariatric surgery, preparing for weight loss surgery, recovering after surgery, or looking for evidence-based strategies to maintain long-term weight loss, this podcast gives you the education, support, and community you need to succeed.

Hosted by members of the bariatric community who are living the journey themselves, The BariNation Foundation Podcast brings together leading bariatric surgeons, obesity medicine physicians, registered dietitians, psychologists, exercise specialists, and real patients to share practical advice, inspiring stories, and the latest research in obesity treatment.

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease, and lasting success requires more than a procedure. Every episode explores the science, strategies, and mindset behind sustainable weight management. We discuss bariatric surgery, gastric bypass,vertical sleeve gastrectomy, duodenal switch SADI, revision/conversion surgeries, medical weight loss, bariatric nutrition, healthy weight loss, obesity medicine, lifestyle medicine, metabolic health, obesity care, emotional eating, body image, mental health, exercise, protein, vitamins, supplementation, meal planning, and long-term success after surgery.

You'll also hear honest conversations about the challenges that many people face, including weight reoccurrence, plateaus, transfer addiction, emotional health, relationships, loose skin, excess skin surgery, fertility, pregnancy after bariatric surgery, hormone changes, body confidence, and navigating life before and after surgery as well as GLP1’s. Our goal is to provide realistic expectations, expert guidance, and encouragement so you never feel like you're facing your journey alone.

As obesity treatment continues to evolve, we also explore the latest advances in obesity medicine, including GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, and emerging therapies, while helping you understand how these medications may fit alongside bariatric surgery and comprehensive medical weight loss. We break down the latest research into practical, easy-to-understand conversations that empower you to make informed decisions with your healthcare team.

Where ever you are in seeking treatment for the chronic disease of obesity, be it researching bariatric surgery for the first time, preparing for your procedure, celebrating major milestones, overcoming setbacks, or supporting a friend or family member through their journey, you'll find expert interviews, patient success stories, nutritional guidance, motivation, and actionable strategies that help you build healthy habits for life.

The BariNation Foundation Podcast is more than a podcast. It's a supportive community built on education, compassion, accountability, and hope. We believe every person deserves access to trusted information, meaningful support, and evidence-based resources that improve health and quality of life.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon or wherever you listen to podcasts, and join thousands of people committed to improving their metabolic health, achieving sustainable weight loss, and thriving after bariatric surgery. No matter where you are on your journey, BariNation is here to help you take the next step with confidence.

Website: https://www.barination.com