The BariNation Foundation Podcast

What does it take to decide on weight loss surgery? Therapist Derek Colvin (@giant_therapist) and his wife Sheena share how they each chose sleeve gastrectomy, recorded just two days before their surgery together. Derek is a former basketball player, six foot ten, and a licensed therapist. After three knee surgeries, years of intense workouts, calorie cutting, a carnivore diet, and serious thought about GLP-1 medications, he decided bariatric surgery was the right tool for him. He also had to unlearn two beliefs first: that surgery is "the easy way out," and that he wasn't "big enough" to need it. Sheena wanted surgery for more than ten years. She spent hours at the gym and months on strict diets with results she couldn't see. The operation doesn't scare her. The changes afterward do. Host Jason talks with them about:Getting denied by insurance the day before surgery, and what happened nextEating as part of your identityWhy diet and exercise alone stopped workingGLP-1 medications vs. bariatric surgery, and why both are valid treatmentsThe myth that you have to reach a certain weight to "qualify" for helpSurgery to protect joint health and avoid knee replacements - Sugar cravings and snacking on the pre-op dietGrieving food and the life you had before surgeryAdvice for anyone on the fence about weight loss surgery Whether you're considering surgery, medication, or both, this episode is for anyone on an obesity treatment journey who's still deciding. Follow Derek: @giant_therapist on Instagram and TikTok Meet Derek and Sheena Colvin:Derek and Sheena Colvin have been married for 26 years, raised seven children together, and have spent much of their lives taking care of the people around them. Now, they’re making a major decision together for themselves: undergoing VSG on August 7, 2026.For Sheena, the decision has been years in the making. After four C-sections and struggling with her weight since the birth of their first child, she has also dealt with high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and what she openly recognizes as an unhealthy relationship with sugar.For Derek, a former college basketball player, the decision took longer. At 6'10", being the big guy who could eat a lot had become part of his identity. But after years of trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, recurring knee injuries and three major knee surgeries repeatedly interrupted his progress. Eventually, worsening knee pain, sleep apnea, rising blood pressure, and the emotional toll of no longer recognizing or feeling comfortable with the person he saw in the mirror forced him to reconsider what getting healthy needed to look like.After supporting friends through bariatric surgery and seeing firsthand how life-changing it could be, Derek and Sheena realized it was time to take their own next step. They enter this journey differently, but together—hoping not simply to lose weight, but to reclaim their health, mobility, confidence, and quality of life for themselves, each other, and the family they’ve spent 26 years building.Support the show: The BariNation Podcast is produced by the BariNation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering science-based, stigma-free education and peer support for people living with obesity. Join our Fall Into Giving campaign and become a $10/month donor: https://www.barination.orgJoin the community: https://barination.mn.coWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BariNationThis episode is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Talk with your healthcare team about the treatment options that are right for you.

Movement can be so much more than a way to change your body. In this episode of the BariNation Foundation Podcast, April Williams sits down with psychologist, researcher, and movement expert Dr. Kelly McGonigal and BariNation community member Charity Guerrero to completely rethink the role of movement in the obesity health journey. They discuss the “comfort paradox,” why movement may require us to step into discomfort in service of a more meaningful life, and how reconnecting with our bodies can create hope, joy, confidence, and connection. Dr. McGonigal explains the science behind “hope molecules,” why the most important shift is from nothing to anything, why your brain may need time to learn to reward movement, and how supportive movement communities can help us feel like we belong.What You Will Learn in this Episode:✅ Why movement doesn't have to be about weight, appearance, burning calories, or “fixing” your body, and how it can instead create hope, meaning, joy, and connection.✅ What the “comfort paradox” means and why choosing meaningful discomfort can sometimes open the door to a fuller, more accessible life.✅ How “hope molecules” released by working muscles can support physical, metabolic, immune, cardiovascular, and brain health, and why movement is accessible regardless of age, size, or fitness level.✅ Why the most important movement shift is from “nothing to anything,” how to give yourself space and grace while building a movement habit, and how community can make movement more rewarding.This episode of the BariNation Podcast is produced by the BariNation Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to advancing metabolic wellness for people living with obesity by providing evidence-based education, stigma-free support, and meaningful connections in the moments that shape daily life. Funding comes from generous donations to the BariNation Foundation from listeners and viewers like you, Johnson & Johnson, and the Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery, led by Dr. Joe Cribbins.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Why the brain doesn't immediately reward movement and what it takes to experience the benefits04:07 Meet Dr. Kelly McGonigal and why she sees movement as a vehicle for hope, meaning, and joy08:03 The comfort paradox: why treating obesity for comfort can eventually require us to embrace discomfort14:22 Choosing meaningful discomfort over a life limited by fear and physical discomfort19:59 How the meaning we assign to physical sensations can change our experience of movement24:13 Reconnecting with the body through proprioception and discovering what movement can help you feel33:29 Learning to “befriend” a body that may have felt like a source of shame or betrayal36:43 Hope molecules: how your muscles act like an internal pharmacy when you move41:48 From nothing to anything: understanding the dose and intensity of movement49:34 Why movement may take about six weeks before your brain begins rewarding you for it51:25 The power of moving together: how supportive movement communities create belonging and connection57:14 Finding the right movement community and giving yourself permission to keep looking01:04:21 Rethinking what movement can look like and finding activities connected to your values01:07:00 How movement can help unlock hope, possibility, belonging, and a sense of purpose01:11:24 Dr. McGonigal previews her upcoming book, Joy Is a Risk Worth TakingKEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Movement doesn't have to be about changing your weight or fixing your body. It can be a pathway to hope, joy, meaning, connection, and a greater sense of what your body can do.💎 The most important movement shift is from nothing to anything. You don't have to go from the couch to a 5K to benefit from movement. Start with what your body is capable of doing today.💎 “Hope molecules” are released when muscles contract, giving movement benefits that extend beyond physical fitness and into brain health, resilience, stress, and positive emotions.💎 Your body may have been a source of shame, fear, or disconnection, but movement can help you rebuild a relationship with your body and experience it as a source of possibility rather than something to fight against.ABOUT THE GUEST: Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University, and a leading expert in the new field of “science-help.” She is passionate about translating cutting-edge research from psychology, neuroscience, and medicine into practical strategies for health, happiness, and personal success.https://www.kellymcgonigal.com/https://www.instagram.com/kellymariemcgonigal/?hl=enRESOURCES MENTIONED: BariNation Community - $19 a monthBariNation WebsiteBariNation - EmailBariNation’s How to Find an Obesity Specialist Guide4 Steps to Find an Obesity ProviderFinding Your Holistic Obesity Care TeamSign up for BariNation’s NewslettersJ&JMedTech

What does it actually take to fund the future of obesity treatment? On this episode of The BariNation Podcast, host April Williams sits down with Dr. Carlos Galvani, a bariatric surgeon of over two decades and President of the TREO Foundation (Treatment, Research, and Education to end Obesity), formerly known as the ASMBS Foundation.Click HERE to join our free, virtual TREO Walk team!Dr. Galvani breaks down the three pillars of TREO's work: advocating for insurance access and utilization, funding original research (including the studies that first linked GLP-1 effects to gastric bypass surgery), and educating both patients and providers on obesity as a chronic, treatable disease. April and Dr. Galvani talk candidly about why so few people with obesity actually receive treatment, why obesity should be approached like cancer or diabetes with multiple, personalized treatment pathways, and why obesity walks struggle to draw the same crowds as breast cancer or ALS walks, even though obesity affects roughly 70% of American adults.This conversation also covers TREO's flagship fundraiser, The Walk, including the free, no-pressure Virtual Walk happening September 26th under this year's theme, "No One Left Behind."In this episode:What TREO stands for and how the organization evolved from the ASMBS FoundationHow GLP-1 medications changed the conversation around obesity as a diseaseWhy only 20 to 25% of people with obesity are receiving any treatment at allThe research TREO has funded connecting bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medications, and cancer protectionWhy a standardized obesity treatment pathway (similar to breast cancer care) is comingHow stigma keeps people from showing up to obesity awareness walksHow to join the TREO Foundation's free Virtual Walk on September 26thObesity is a chronic disease that deserves the same research investment, treatment pathways, and community support as any other chronic condition. This episode is for anyone considering treatment, currently in treatment, or supporting someone who is.Links:TREO Foundation: www.treofoundation.org Join BariNation's Virtual Walk team: https://fundraise.treofoundation.org/teams/7573 Find an in-person walk near you: https://fundraise.treofoundation.org/walk2026 Email us: [email protected] this episode resonated with you, subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more conversations on obesity treatment, bariatric surgery, and GLP-1 care, and follow BariNation for community support, education, and events.http://barination.orgThe BariNation Foundation is a federally recognized 501(c)(3). All donations are tax-deductible, and no services were exchanged in the production of this episode.#ObesityTreatment #BariatricSurgery #TREOFoundationParticipation is the prescription. See you in The Nation, soon.#BariNation #TREOFoundation #ObesityTreatment #BariatricSurgery #GLP1 #ObesityIsADisease #WeightRegain #NoOneLeftBehind

Obesity is a chronic, lifelong disease, not a failure of willpower. In this episode of the BariNation Foundation Podcast, April Williams sits down with bariatric surgeon Dr. Monique Hassan and BariNation community member Jasmine Fernandez to challenge the idea that one tool can treat obesity. They discuss the full range of surgical options: surgery, GLP-1s, mindset, movement, community, self-advocacy, and overcoming shame while treating obesity as a chronic, lifelong disease. If you've ever felt shame about needing more than one treatment, this conversation offers permission to stop apologizing and start healing.What You Will Learn in this Episode:✅ How bariatric surgery options like sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch compare, explained through a simple car analogy.✅ Why GLP-1 medication works for some patients and not others, and how it fits into a full obesity treatment plan.✅ How to build self-advocacy skills and find a comprehensive care team that treats the whole person.✅ Why emotional eating, mindset work, and support groups matter just as much as any medical or surgical tool.This episode of the BariNation Podcast is produced by the BariNation Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to advancing metabolic wellness for people living with obesity by providing evidence-based education, stigma-free support, and meaningful connections in the moments that shape daily life. Funding comes from generous donations to the BariNation Foundation from listeners and viewers like you, Johnson & Johnson, and the Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery, led by Dr. Joe Cribbins. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Bariatric surgeon Dr. Hassan shares her magic wand question for setting real weight loss goals04:07 Why one thing is not enough to treat obesity 05:20 Meet Dr. Monique Hassan, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and Jasmine Fernandez, longtime BariNation member and gastric bypass patient08:09 Why willpower alone never cures the chronic disease of obesity10:47 Jasmine's winding path to gastric bypass surgery in 202114:54 Naming the inner critic and staying accountable after surgery18:37 Walking through goals with your doctor and advocating for yourself31:00 The “fight” and journey of obesity 43:42 Selecting the right tool for you to fight obesity45:41 The car analogy: sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch compared56:48 How to find a comprehensive bariatric surgery provider near youKEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Obesity is a chronic, lifelong disease, so bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medication, and mindset work have to work together, not against each other.💎 A good bariatric surgeon asks about your real-life goals before ever discussing a treatment plan.💎 Naming your inner critic takes away its power and makes it easier to catch emotional eating before it starts.💎 Progress over perfection matters more than any number on the scale, especially in long-term obesity treatment.ABOUT THE GUEST: Monique Hassan, MD, is a bariatric and metabolic surgeon who serves as the Division Director of Bariatric and General Surgery and Director of Obesity Medicine at Baylor Scott & White – Temple, and is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at The Baylor College of Medicine - Temple Campus.Dr. Monique Hassan - InstagramDr. Monique Hassan - FacebookJasmine Fernandez is a wife, mom of two, operations and logistics leader, and someone who completely transformed her health. Her journey hasn’t been about chasing perfection; it’s been about choosing herself every day. Through gastric bypass surgery, lifestyle changes, therapy, and perseverance, she discovered that lasting change comes from consistency, not quick fixes. “I hope that by sharing my story honestly, I can encourage others to believe that no matter where they start, a healthier and happier life is possible.”RESOURCES MENTIONED: BariNation Community - $19 a monthBariNation WebsiteBariNation - EmailBariNation’s How to Find an Obesity Specialist Guide4 Steps to Find an Obesity ProviderFinding Your Holistic Obesity Care TeamSign up for BariNation’s NewslettersJ&JMedTechBariNation, Bariatric Surgery, NSVS, GLP-1, VSG, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, Lapband, Roux-en-Y, Gastric Bypass, Sadi-S, Obesity Treatment, GLP-1 Medication, Duodenal Switch, Weight Loss Surgery, Obesity Medicine, Chronic Disease, Metabolic Wellness, Emotional Eating, Inner Critic, Self Advocacy, weight loss mindset, obesity treatment options, BariNation Foundation

Bariatric surgeon Dr. Eric Smith joins the BariNation Foundation Podcast to continue the six-part series on the Levers of Control. Today's episode is about the second lever: Whole Food Nutrition. Dr. Eric Smith speaks with April Williams and Melanie Lindell to reveal why whole foods quiet food noise, how ultra-processed foods were engineered for overconsumption, and what it takes to build a sustainable, whole-food nutrition-based life after bariatric surgery and while pursuing a medically based weight loss program. Don’t miss our first episode in the Levers series: Ep 287 - Mastering Your Metabolic Health and Weight Management What You Will Learn in this Episode:✅ Why GLP-1 medications blunt cravings for most foods but not for whole foods, easing food noise✅ How ultra-processed foods are engineered to keep cravings coming back✅ The link between emotional eating and metabolic wellness, and how to tell comfort from nourishment✅ Simple, budget-friendly ways to start whole food nutrition without overhauling your whole weight loss journeyThis episode of the BariNation Podcast is produced by the BariNation Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to advancing metabolic wellness for people living with obesity by providing evidence-based education, stigma-free support, and meaningful connections in the moments that shape daily life. Funding is provided by the generous donations to the BariNation Foundation from listeners and viewers like you, Johnson & Johnson, and the Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery, led by Dr. Joe Cribbins. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Dr. Smith defines whole food nutrition as food with minimal change from nature, not a specific grocery store07:27 Why the source of sugar changes how the body responds, not just the gram count09:07 What makes a food ultra-processed, and how convenience and shelf life reshaped the American plate15:36 Why everything in moderation only holds when the diet is built on whole foods, not engineered snacks20:52 Food as comfort: unpacking emotional eating, addiction transfer and where cravings really come from25:29 The Nature magazine study explained: GLP-1 medications blunt cravings for most foods except whole produce35:46 The big tobacco parallel and why fixing the processed food industry matters as much as new treatments38:51 Admitting some foods are eaten for pleasure, the results of taking on big tobacco and getting to the root of the problem45:59 The cost of whole foods and the nutritional cost weighed49:24 Examples of the perspective of eating59:51 Practical, budget-friendly steps to start whole food nutrition today, one small swap at a timeKEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Diet soda and other zero-calorie tricks can quietly reignite cravings even without added calories💎 Bariatric patients often lean on protein bars and shakes early on, but lasting health depends on shifting toward real food💎 True healing from hedonic hunger means removing the trigger, not just numbing it with medication💎 A foundation of healthy eating habits built on whole food nutrition is the best defense against obesity treatment relapseABOUT THE GUEST: Eric F. Smith, DO, FASMBS, CAQ-MBSDr. Smith is a board-certified general, bariatric and robotic surgeon who has been in practice since 2006.Kentucky Bariatric Institute - WebsiteDr. Eric Smith - Instagram Hyper-Palatable Foods: Development of a Quantitative Definition and Application to the US Food System Database - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.22639RESOURCES MENTIONED: BariNation Community - $19 a monthBariNation WebsiteBariNation - EmailBariNation’s How to Find an Obesity Specialist GuideSign up for BariNation’s Newsletters