Show Notes
Welcome to the first Bariatric Banter episode of 2026! Hannah and Steph kick off the year with some real talk about the dangers of pushing your body too hard post-surgery, the pressure of New Year's goals, and why slowing down isn't failure—it's necessary. Hannah opens up about her incredibly challenging 2025, from severe pneumonia to cardiac issues, blood sugar crashes, and ultimately hitting a wall of complete burnout. Through raw honesty, she shares how refusing to process her illness and grief led her body to essentially force a shutdown. Steph chimes in with her own experiences of feeling guilty for resting during illness and the realization that our bodies can take 12-18 months (or more!) to fully recover from major events like surgery. The duo tackles the tricky topic of New Year's resolutions, vision boards, and goal-setting—questioning whether these well-intentioned practices actually set us up for disappointment. They discuss the pitfalls of comparing ourselves to social media influencers whose full-time job is creating content, and why it's okay to skip the elaborate goal-setting entirely. Plus: Hannah reviews Kirkland protein shakes and Cobb's new protein bread, announces their 30-day sugar reset challenge, and both hosts commit to focusing on gratitude, realistic expectations, and learning to appreciate stillness in 2026. Key Takeaways: Your body needs WAY more recovery time than you think Control issues often stem from our pre-surgery lives Small, achievable goals beat ambitious vision boards Taking a break isn't failure—it's self-preservation Going slow helps you go fast in the long run
More from Bariatric Banter Podcast
Grab a coffee, because Hannah's back with a little flu hangover and a lot to say. 🎙️ It's been two months on Ozempic. The result is about 15 pounds down, and Hannah has zero desire to eat. Her breakfast is sitting next to her, cold, while she records this episode. A food journal she kept with her dietitian showed she was getting only 800 calories a day. She was also wiped out, her joints ached, her hair was falling out, and her anxiety went way up. So she's calling it: this GLP-1 experiment is not the journey for her. In this episode, Hannah gets into: Why "I wish I didn't want to eat" is NOT the flex people think it is How under-eating can quietly set you up for binge habits Canada's new low-iron guidelines, and why her blood work suddenly matters a lot more Why she'd pick bariatric surgery (and maybe even a revision) over staying on Ozempic Her pitch: GLP-1s should come with mandatory nutrition classes As always, this is one person's real experience, not medical advice. Work with your doctor, a dietitian and a therapist, and get your blood work done. Now it's your turn. Have you had a revision? Did you beat your regain without one? Slide into our DMs, because Hannah wants your stories, tips and tricks. 💬
Six weeks on Ozempic, nearly 15 pounds down, and suddenly the scale has decided it has nothing left to say to me. In this episode, I’m talking honestly about using a GLP-1 after bariatric surgery, trying to lose regain, and why years three through five after surgery really are a whole different beast. I’m also sharing what I’m learning from my new bariatric dietitian, why I’m getting a very thorough round of bloodwork, and the uncomfortable realization that tracking my food may need to be a lifelong habit. Plus, I went running again. My brain loved it. My body reacted like I had been hit by a Mack truck. This one is about weight regain, nutrition, Ozempic, rebuilding old habits, and trying to find the joy in running again when every run currently feels like starting from zero.
Okay so... I gained 40 pounds back. There, I said it. 😅 In this episode I'm getting really honest about why — spoiler, it wasn't a "failure of surgery," it was just life creeping back in (looking at you, pneumonia hospital stay and abandoned gym routine). So one month ago I started Ozempic to help kickstart things again, and I'm bringing you along for the ride, warts and all. We're talking the good (I'm not gonna lie, the "surging with adrenaline, let's do 6K walks" phase was fun), the ugly (my period showed up a week late with a side of dizziness and nausea that had me questioning my life choices), and the downright weird (bariatric multivitamins that smell — and I quote myself — "like crawling inside of a horse's butt." Reddit warned me. I didn't listen). I also get into something I don't think gets talked about enough: the health anxiety of starting an injectable, why I'm nervous about my delayed period and what it might mean for my hormones, and a very important PSA for anyone with a history of disordered eating, because representation and honesty matter to me here. This one's messy and real, like always. Come hang out with me while I figure it out in real time.
Well, week one on Ozempic is officially over—and I’ve lost almost six pounds, acquired a bruise roughly the size of a small country, and discovered that remembering to eat is apparently a full-time job now. In episode two of GLP-1s After Surgery, I’m sharing everything that happened after my first injection: the almost nonexistent nausea, the weird abdominal pressure, the day-five anxiety and the complete disappearance of my hunger cues. Turns out, not thinking about food sounds fantastic until it’s 7 p.m., you’ve survived on protein coffee and audacity, and you’re wondering why you feel exhausted. I’m also walking 6K again, challenging the fear that I can’t trust my body—and, for one tiny moment, wondering if I might actually run again someday. This week wasn’t perfect. There were freezer meals, emergency protein snacks and a very serious conversation with myself about ordering A&W. But there was also something I haven’t felt in a while: hope. Regain isn’t failure. It’s life. And I’m finding my way back—one walk, one snack and one tiny injection at a time.
After almost a year of staring at an Ozempic pen in my fridge, I finally took my first injection. In this deeply personal first episode of my new GLP-1s After Surgery mini-series, I'm sharing the story I've been avoiding: how severe pneumonia, ongoing health challenges, stress, burnout, and life changes led to a 40-pound weight regain after bariatric surgery—and why I've decided it's time to ask for another tool. This isn't a success story... yet. It's the beginning of one. I'll take you through: Why I waited nearly a year to start Ozempic The health struggles that changed everything after bariatric surgery What weight regain looked like (and felt like) What my first Ozempic injection was actually like My treatment plan, goals, and what I'll be documenting each week Why there's absolutely no shame in using a GLP-1 after surgery This series will be completely honest—the good, the bad, the side effects, the wins, and the setbacks. If you've been considering a GLP-1 after bariatric surgery or you're struggling with regain yourself, I hope you'll follow along. You're not alone.