Shane Lekata hosts the "Coffee Talk with Liquid Shano 1973" Podcast," in which he gives his musings on life and weight loss over a morning cup of joe. He is also one of the founders and admins of No Finish Line Nation, a thriving weight loss community, and the co-host of "Two Kitchen Tables, One Mic", a video podcast which he co-hosts with Jonathan Giordano aka Mudhustler.

He has a lot going on. So I really appreciated the time he took to tell me about his time in the Navy, his feelings on social media, his decision to live a healthier life, and his unfortunate love for the Patriots.

Listen to Shane's Podcast at https://liquidshano1973coffeetalk.podbean.com/
Check out 2KTOM at https://themudhustler.com/2ktm-video

Visit our sponsor, Bariatric Pal, and use the promo codes given in the episode for discounts on delicious snacks, vitamins, and other weight loss tools!

store.bariatricpal.com 

Amanda Johnson currently stars on TLC's hit show, "Family By the Ton.", in which she  bravely shares her journey as both a food addict and a cancer patient.  

When I met her two years ago, she was a sassy graphic designer with perfect makeup and a short temper, who had no time for nonsense or ignorance. 

She's still all of those things and more.  She's also my friend, and I couldn't have been happier to speak with her in her first off-camera interview since Family by the Ton started airing. In true Amanda fashion, she held nothing back. 

Follow Amanda at https://www.instagram.com/amandabytheton/ 
Shop at Bariatric Pal at www.store.bariatricpal.com 

Use code "Amanda20" for 20% off your first Subscription Box
Use code "Amanda15" For 15% off BariatricPal Brand Products 

Michael Buckley joins me live for a Christmas Special. Special guest star: my kid. 

Angela Benedict is a YouTuber with around 50,000 followers. She is also my cousin.

She and I have led separate, but eerily parallel lives, always staying in touch but just out of reach. This is what happened when we finally sat down and talked about our pasts.

With the Holidays approaching, I wanted you to hear what one version of a family sounds like.

Check out Angela's Youtube Channel right here

Be sure to go to BariatricPal and enter code "LighterSide15" for 15% off your first order,
"Lighterside20" for 20% off of all BariatricPal branded products, or "LightersideBox" for 50% off of your first Box of the Month. 

I sit down with my wife as she fields questions about me, my weight loss, and our family. We manage to stay married. 

Don't forget to visit store.bariatricpal.com and use the code "lightersidebox" for 50% off of your first Box of the Month! A huge value!

Lisa Sharon Belkin wrote the book on cooking for yourself and others after bariatric surgery. Literally, she wrote a book. It's called Comfort Cooking for Bariatric Post Ops and Everyone Else, and it looks delicious.

She was 393 lbs. She had the lapband done and lost 165lbs. Then she gained some back, freaked out, and went on a quest for a solution. Her book is the result of that quest.

She's also been married four times and is from Canada. It was a great talk!

Check out her book here https://goo.gl/tX9cJ4

Dont' forget to check out store.bariatricpal.com and enter promo code "LighterSideBox" for 50% off of your first Box of the Month order!

Jay returns from a somewhat harrowing Thanksgiving break to talk to Elissa Maxwell, a 36 year old nurse from Iowa who had gastric bypass surgery in July and has lost 130 lbs. We talked about her rare and terrifying health concerns, her past abusive relationships, and her cat. 

I would also like to announce that Alana King is the winner of this week's Bariatric Pal Box! Keep an eye on our social media pages (Facebook: https://bit.ly/2DYToh9  Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thelightersidepodcast/) for the next contest. 

Check out store.bariatricpal.com and enter code "lighterside15" for a 15% discount on your order. 

It's Thanksgiving! Show regular Michael Buckley returns to dissect the best side dishes, the worst topics of conversation, and tips for getting through the Holiday without qualifying as a float in the Parade. 

Buckley Body Solutions is offering huge discounts for Black Friday. Check them all out at http://buckleybodysolutions.com/buck-friday-sale/

Kathy Rodriguez is not Mexican. Everyone always thinks she is. But Kathy has really made a habit of not being who you think she should be.

Through a difficult childhood, a devastating loss, and a littany of health issues, Kathy has managed to remain endlessly optimistic. Her positive attitude will make you feel bad about yourself. But in a good way.

This week's BariatricPal contest:

Go to either https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lighter-side-real-stories-of-transformation/id
Or https://www.facebook.com/The-Lighter-Side-Podcast-3310056975892378/

And leave the beeeest five star review you can muster for the podcast. One reviewer will win a free BariatricPal Box!

You know that I like Sam Worthley because she told me she doesn't like lasagna and I continued the conversation. She's a dental hygienist from South Dakota who lived in Alaska for a year, lost 70 lbs, and spends most of her days surrounded by gigantic dogs. She opened up to me about the frustration and heartbreak of infertility, and inspired me with her determination to stay positive and productive.

I also had a special guest drop by to announce our Bariatric Pal Subscription Box Contest! Answer the questions at this link right here for a chance to win a free month of delicious snacks from Bariatric Pal.

You can also save 15% at store.bariatricpal.com by entering the code "lighterside15"