The BariNation Foundation Podcast

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

The BariNation Foundation Podcast episodes

November 30, 2020STRUGGLE BUS- Get on the WLS Struggle Bus With Us!
Are you struggling with something along your bariatric journey? Do you not know where to turn for support? GET ON THE STRUGGLE BUS WITH US! We are so excited to be rolling out a *new* way to support you along your weight loss surgery journey. Each week, we will share the struggles of this community and talk about ways we can fight back, overcome, and move beyond the struggles and set us on a road to success!
There are a few ways you can share your struggle with us:
Leave us a voice message right on the Anchor app! We can then include your message in our podcast and answer your question or address your struggle directly!

Join us on our Struggle Bus Instagram Live every Tuesday at 4:30 pm PST / 7:30pm EST and type your struggle in the chat

Send us a DM on our Instagram page @east2west_wls

Send us an email at [email protected]

In our first episode, we talk about 4 of the biggest struggles we encounter in the bariatric community.
Regret after WLS

Feel defeated with "only lost" thinking

Working from home and dealing with snack attacks

hitting water and protein goals

Listen on to see how the East2est_WLS crew suggests we work through these struggles and get us moving in the right direction. So hop on and stay a while...the ride is free and we think you will hop off with some new ideas, insights, and inspiration!
You've got this and we've got you!
56 min
November 23, 2020 017: You vs. Food- How to Overcome Food Pressure and Find Success After WLS
Food is more than nutrition. Food- and the pressure that can come from and with food- is emotional. With the holiday’s right around the corner or that big celebration coming up, we are feeling the “food pressure”. Life after bariatric surgery requires that we develop and maintain a different relationship with food. Understanding how food can be used against us and then utilizing tools to help us fight back against this pressure is key to our long term success after weight loss surgery.
Episode Topics:
Why we have an emotional connection to food
The importance of redefining our relationship with food
Social, emotional, and physical ideas for building your new relationship with food in ways that support your weight loss goals
We also encourage you to VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. We shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen and enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback!
Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Website: www.east2westwls.com
Instagram: @east2west_wls
YouTube: East2West_WLS
57 min
November 16, 2020016: Community Spotlight- Perseverance and the Power of Gratitude with Natalie
Fate introduced us to Natalie, an active member of the bariatric community on Instagram. Her humor is infectious, her positive attitude uplifts the community and her dedication to living her life at a healthy weight is unparalleled. In this episode, Natalie describes the long and twisted bariatric path that has to lead her to the present moment and how she is moving into her new life with persistence and gratitude. Natalie is so passionate about giving back to this community. She has created a meaningful way to help others struggling along their bariatric journey- a WLS Venmo Challenge to help people who are financially struggling after bariatric surgery. We are inspired by Natalie and we know you will be too.
Episode Topics:
Bariatric failures

The unintended impact our weight has on our loved ones

Knowing you are ready for bariatric surgery

The power of gratitude

Episode Mentions:
Obesity Control Center

Natalie's WLS Venmo Challenge

Gratitude Journal

We encourage you to VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. We shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen and enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Natalie: @breakingbari_ers/
Thank you for being the best part of this community!
1 hr 18 min
November 11, 2020 015 (Trailer): Happiness Before and After WLS
Happiness- what does it mean and how do we each define it? We start our conversation there and dive deep into how we can find lasting happiness before and after WLS! Check out the full episode for some deep and meaningful conversations about happiness.
3 min
November 09, 2020015: Happiness Before and After WLS
People often ask us, “Will I be happier after WLS?” or “Will I find happiness after WLS”. Our short answer is no. Our long answer is yes. Happiness- what it is and what it looks like, is unique to you. But it is something we are all seeking. The key to finding happiness, living a life of fullness and contentment is to define what being happy means to you, and taking active steps to live and feel that way.
In this episode, Jason and April deep dive into happiness- what it is, how we each define it, and how we found it before and after bariatric surgery. If you are struggling to find your happiness or are worried you will not achieve it after bariatric surgery, this episode is for you. No matter where you are in your bariatric journey, we hope this episode brings you new learning and inspires you to find your happiness now, regardless of what you weigh.
Episode Topics:
Defining happiness

Happiness before and after WLS

Finding happiness now

We also encourage you to VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. We shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen and enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
Website: www.east2west_wls.com
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Thank you for being the best part of this community! Remember, you've got this and we've got you!
1 hr 10 min
November 03, 2020014: Tracking
Tracking...the bane of our existence. For some people, tracking is easy and natural. It’s just what they do. For many of us, tracking is just a giant pain in the ass. It’s time-consuming, can be confusing, and when we track, we have to face the reality of our decisions. If we don’t track, we can tell ourselves stories about why we are not losing weight or regaining our weight. It can be easier to listen to our lies than to do the work to track and make changes.
In this episode, April and Jason take a hard look at tracking- what it is, why it is essential, and the many different ways we can use tracking to help us reach our weight loss goals. If you struggle to track, this episode is for you!
Episode Topics:
What is tracking

Why tracking is important

What and how you can track

Our favorite tracking tools and tricks

Episode Mentions:
WW

Wendy Rawlings

Baritastic App

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Bullet Journal

Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Dotted Journal- (April’s preferred journal)

We also encourage you to VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. We shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen and enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
Website: www.east2west_wls.com
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Thank you for being the best part of this community!
1 hr 27 min
October 26, 2020013: Fresh Out of Post-Op
It is one thing to research and connect and prepare for life after your bariatric surgery. It is another thing to live through it. In Episode 13 of the East2West_WLS podcast, Jason and April sit down with Becca @ refreshing.becca to talk about her -very current- post-op life!
We have all received "the handbook" from our surgeon, filled with tangible information needed to succeed after weight loss surgery. What you can and cannot eat before and after surgery, how much water and protein you need to consume each day, and what kinds of vitamins you need to take. But your "bariatric bible" will not include information on how to overcome feelings of shame, guilt, and regret. It will not help you navigate your altered relationship with food. It will not discuss how to seek out and maintain supports after your procedure. You might even think you were not prepared for life after bariatric surgery, and that is not a fun place to find yourself.
That's where we come in! In this episode, Jason and April sit down with Becca to discuss her post-op experiences. Becca was two-weeks post-op at the time of this recording and worked her way through her recovery. They discuss everything from physical preparations, emotional changes, and ways to make your post-op life as enjoyable as you can. As always, nothing is held back, and no question is too personal. If you are in the beginning stages of your bariatric journey and have a surgery date, this podcast is for you!
Episode Topics:
Recap of our personal post-op experiences.

Making the hospital stay short and sweet.

Advocating for your needs pre-and post-op.

Challenges and celebrations two weeks post-op.

Working through emotional and physical changes.

Episode Mentions:
East2West_WLS Website

WW

Wendy Rawlings

Baritastic App

We also encourage you to VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. We shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen and enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Becca: @refreshing.becca
Thank you for being the best part of this community!
1 hr 46 min
October 20, 2020012: Normalcy
Welcome to Season 2 of the East2West _WLS podcast! We are so excited to continue to dive deep into topics that are important to the bariatric community! This season, we will be talking with our community members about their journeys, discussing how to handle small ups and downs, explore how the stories we tell ourselves hold us back, and clear up some common misconceptions about bariatric surgery.
To kick off this season, Jason and April explore what happens when we start to feel "normal" after weight loss surgery. Feeling back to normal is a good thing! But it can lead our brains to push us back into old habits and old ways of thinking. If we want to be successful after our procedure, we have to act differently; we have to live our lives in a way we have lived before. This change can have use craving our old ways, push us to seek our old patterns. Welcome to what we have started to call "The Danger Zone"of bariatric recovery- when we feel normal and allow our old habits and patterns to creep back into our lives.
Listen on to hear how we have both April and Jason found themselves in the middle of the danger zone and what they are doing to get themselves out of it.
Episode Topics:
The Danger Zone of Bariatric recovery

How to recognize you are in The Danger Zone

How to get back on track

How April and Jason are focusing on getting back on track and holding each other accountable.

Episode Mentions:
WW

Wendy Rawlings

Baritastic App

We also encourage you to VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. We shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen and enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Thank you for being the best part of this community!
1 hr 29 min
June 30, 2020011: Episode 11- Stalls
Stall: When something stops running, typically because of an overload the system; to stop or cause something to stop making progress. Synonyms: obstruct, impede, interrupt, hinder, hamper, frustrate, sabotage, slow, delay. In our bariatric world, a stall can refer to points in your recovery where you stop losing or gain weight, resulting in holes being punched in your walls.

Stalls after bariatric surgery can be the most *frustrating* part of your recovery. You are eating so little yet the number on the scale remains the same for days, weeks, even months. Stalls are a normal and natural part of the weight loss surgery journey and can be caused by internal and external factors. Our short and long term success depends on our ability to recognize a stall and work our way out of it. THIS is where the real work of bariatric surgery comes in- you have to live differently for your procedure to be a success and what you do to break out of a stall is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. In this episode, Jason and April deconstruct the stall and discuss ways to work through it that focus on your health and happiness.

Episode Topics:
Defining a stall

Differentiating stalls up to 6-months and beyond 6-months post-op

Strategies for breaking a stall

Keys to success

Episode Mentions
Baritastic App

Bullet Journal

WW (Weight Watchers)

Premier Protein

BEAM Protein (Use code APRIL10 at checkout for 10% off your order!)

Purple Carrot

Wendy Rawlings

Layout App

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man- Emanual Acho

We also encourage to you VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. During the show, we shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen also enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Thank you for being the best part of this community!
1 hr 14 min
June 23, 2020010: Episode 10- Post-Op
Life changes the moment you wake up from your bariatric procedure- your physical self has changed and the lens' that you use to view your life change too. In this episode, Jason and April dive deep in life after weight loss surgery, exploring the physical and emotional changes they experienced after their VSG procedures. And what makes the conversation interesting is learning how their different reasons lead to the same decision to have bariatric surgery. While their recoveries were similar, they were very different. The power of conversation is on full display in this episode!
Episode Mentions:
Physical Changes

Emotional Changes

Keys to Success After WLS

Added Value Mentions
Weekend Getaways

White Fragility by Beverly DiAngelo

Juneteenth

We also encourage to you VIEW this podcast on our YouTube channel. During the show, we shared some graphics and images that aid our visual learners who listen also enjoy listening! If you like what you hear and see, follow/subscribe to the feed and leave us a review!
Our goal is to create content that is of value to our community. If you have a topic, idea, question, or threat you would like us to explore in-depth, please leave us a comment on whatever platform you are listening to or watching from or message us directly on Instagram! We are @east2west_wls and welcome your feedback! Please like, share, and review this podcast- your review helps us grow and reach more people.
Where to follow along:
Instagram: @east2west_wls
YouTube: East2West_WLS
Jason: @tha_smithsonian
April: @actively_april
Thank you for being the best part of this community!
1 hr 4 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