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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 isHow under-eating can quietly set you up for binge habitsCanada's new low-iron guidelines, and why her blood work suddenly matters a lot moreWhy she'd pick bariatric surgery (and maybe even a revision) over staying on OzempicHer pitch: GLP-1s should come with mandatory nutrition classesAs 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 OzempicThe health struggles that changed everything after bariatric surgeryWhat weight regain looked like (and felt like)What my first Ozempic injection was actually likeMy treatment plan, goals, and what I'll be documenting each weekWhy there's absolutely no shame in using a GLP-1 after surgeryThis 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.

Worried about scars and incisions before your bariatric surgery? You're not alone — it's one of the most Googled (and most fear-inducing) parts of the whole journey. In Episode 55, Hannah and Steph get real about what those 5–6 little incisions are actually like: how much they hurt (spoiler: barely), the gauze-and-tape healing phase, the itchiness no one warns you about, and what to do if one opens up (Hannah's been there — day three!). They also tackle the scary stories floating around Reddit — "worse than childbirth," incisions "ripping skin apart" — and explain why, for a VSG, that's almost never the reality. Plus the no-nonsense scar care that actually works: skip the expensive products, grab some vitamin E oil, and let your belly catch some sun. ☀️ If you're heading into surgery soon, this one's the reassurance you've been looking for. Tell us about your scars — we'd love to hear from you!

Episode 54 and yes, Hannah finally looked at the number this time. Buckle up, because this one starts exactly where you'd hope a bariatric podcast wouldn't: with a deeply unhinged trip down memory lane involving dog food kielbasa (human grade, allegedly), a handful of Whiskas Temptations mistaken for Gravol while the entire room just watched, and a tender childhood tradition of peeling pre-chewed gum off arena benches. We're fine. We turned out fine. Probably. Once the girls scrape themselves off the pet-food tangent, they get to the actual point: running. Steph's four weeks in and shocked at how fast she's improving (when she's not convinced she's going to vomit on the school lawn). Hannah unpacks the brutal first week back, the magic of the run where you stop giving a damn and accidentally set a personal best, and why "I don't give a f**k" is apparently solid therapist-approved sports psychology. You'll also get the real talk on fueling as a bariatric runner — why running on empty might be sabotaging you, the case for a banana and peanut butter, what "bonking" actually means, and the controversial world of running gels (yes, they'll make you poop, no, you probably can't avoid them forever). Plus: interval training that makes you want to cry, the great two-pairs-of-shoes debate, and why you should absolutely not be walking around in your running shoes, you animals. It's gross. It's helpful. It's banter. Welcome back.

Fair. Let me strip it down — no "dig into," no "real one," no "roaring back," no em-dashes doing emotional work. Just how you'd actually describe it. Episode Description Hannah and Steph are back, and neither of them remembers what episode number this is. (It's 53. Probably.) This one starts with both of them admitting that some weeks, recording the podcast is the only time they actually sit down and think about bariatrics. Which is kind of the whole point of the episode: you can't put this on autopilot. Not at one year out, not at three, not at ten. They talk about treating bariatric life like a job (sorry), the mindset people bring into surgery and why "I'm not giving anything up" tends to catch up with people, the 3-5 year mark when hunger hormones come back, transfer addiction, and why tying your self-worth to the scale will wreck you the second the number stops moving. Also covered: Steph storming out of a pizza place over a missing slice, Hannah's therapist making her figure out why she actually runs, and both of them giving themselves homework to pay better attention this week.

Hannah is back from Miami with conference plague and a lot of feelings. Steph just survived her longest run interval to date and nearly died (she didn't). This week we're getting into all of it — what it actually feels like to start running when your whole relationship with exercise has been shaped by being the last kid picked, the one who dreaded track and field day, the one who got yelled at during The Loop. We talk about the treadmill-to-outdoor humbling experience, why "conversational pace" sounds like a personal attack, and what happens when you pass someone in your first 5K and immediately blow your entire race plan because the thrill of not being last is too powerful. Hannah also gets vulnerable about something she hasn't fully admitted until now: she's grieving. Grieving the running version of herself she was building before pneumonia, tanking iron levels, and cardiac scares took it all away. She shares a raw therapy session moment that a lot of you are probably going to relate to — what happens when you realize you're not lazy, you're just carrying a lot. We also shout out Emma Flynn (@itsemflynn) and Tatiana Forbes, two runners worth following who actually keep it real, and talk about why obsession and motivation aren't the same thing — and how confusing the two will make you hate something you used to love. Come run with us. We're slow, we're loud, and we're not stopping.

Episode 51 and we're back with back-to-back weeks — which means we're either very dedicated or very unhinged. Possibly both. This week we're getting into the stuff nobody talks about enough: what it actually feels like to slip, own it, and claw your way back. Hannah gives a raw, honest update on where she's at with her weight, her clothes, and the GLP-1 prescription sitting unused in her drawer. Steph drops the protein ball recipe that her whole family is absolutely devouring (and that Hannah is already obsessed with). We also get into the 10-minute workout rule — the one trick that gets you off the couch even when your brain is screaming at you to stay home — and Steph casually reveals she's training for a 5K. No big deal. We cover: The 10-minute rule for when you really, really don't want to work outSteph's protein ball recipe (and whether they're actually as good for you as they feel)Post-workout protein: 30g in 30 minutes and why it mattersHannah's honest weight check-in: what "regain" looks like after bariatric surgeryGLP-1 fears, side effects, and why Hannah still hasn't taken the plungeSteph's 5:30am running era beginsWhy Steph says: "It's not a regain. It's a re-lose."New page. Let's go.

We're re-releasing Episode 1 for Matinee Monday — and if you've never heard it, this is your starting point. In our very first episode, Hannah and Steph introduce themselves, break down their bariatric journeys, and give you an honest, no-filter look at what it actually takes to get weight loss surgery in Canada. We cover how we both ended up at the same Ontario clinic, why we chose VSG (vertical sleeve gastrectomy) over bypass, and what the Canadian bariatric process actually looks like — from the referral to orientation to the 8-12 month checklist of bloodwork, dietitian meetings, social worker sessions, and psychological check-ins before anyone lets you near an OR. We also talk about the orientation experience, which... let's just say the chat was a lot. If you've ever wondered whether someone genuinely asked if McDonald's counts as a soft food on a post-op diet, we have your answer. Plus: why Canada's fully covered program changed how we think about surgery, the real talk on why 30% of people regain their weight, and Hannah's hot take on who's actually ready for this surgery and who isn't. Raw, real, and a little chaotic — just like us.

Hannah and Steph are back, one of them sick as a dog and both of them with extremely strong opinions about protein bars. This week kicks off with a little Easter nostalgia — because nothing says "first post-op holiday" like surviving a candy-filled occasion on tuna salad and mashed potatoes. Then things take a turn, as they do, into a PSA about Russell Stover sugar-free chocolate and why Ricola nearly derailed Steph's new job certification call. You'll want to hear this one before Easter weekend. Then we get into the real content: Built Bar Sour Puffs have arrived in Canada and Hannah is having a full moment. Spoiler: they're not actually sour, they taste like Laffy Taffy, and candy is officially back on the tableThe full Built Bar flavour ranking — peanut butter cup cold from the fridge is elite, coconut is cancelled, and birthday cake is a gamble nobody should takeThe Korean pouched protein shake from Costco that went viral and absolutely should not have. Roasted soybean flavour. Does not blend. Genuinely the worst thing either of them has consumed post-opMilton's crackers — Hannah bought three Costco-sized bags and has zero regrets. 10g of protein, great crunch, worth every pennyPrime cookies and cream protein shakes — drink them cold, full stop

Hannah and Steph are back with a jam-packed episode that somehow covers a $5,000 food convention neither of them can afford, the rise of flavoured dates (yes, really), and why protein is absolutely everywhere right now. Hannah's been doing a deep dive on Expo West from her couch and has a LOT of thoughts on egg white chips, oat milk leather (wait, what?), and whether the low-sugar movement is actually it or just a scam wrapped in monk fruit. Steph is trying to figure out if she's actually allergic to monk fruit, and the A&W root beer debate gets personal fast. Plus — Hannah is on a mission to try all 42 classes at Movati. Aqua Bootcamp nearly ended her. Dance class absolutely did. She went in looking like a "flailing f***ing idiot" and somehow came out the other side not caring who was watching. And that's kind of the whole point. We also recap Rob's free 30-minute call (Steph did it, it was great, zero pressure, highly recommend), talk about why gym culture can feel so intimidating — especially post-surgery — and why we're both just trying to figure it out one class at a time. Episode 49, baby. Episode 50 is coming, and we're almost at our ONE YEAR mark. Thank you to every single one of you listening from Canada to the US to New Zealand (we see you and we love you).

Steph and Hannah are joined by bariatric coach and fellow post-op bad-ass Rob DiMedio for one of our most real conversations yet. We’re talking: Why bariatric surgery isn’t a magic pill (and never was)The truth about regain (and why it’s fixable)Strength training without the gym intimidationWhy walking AND lifting both matterHealing your relationship with food before and after surgeryThe mindset shifts that actually stickAnd yes… the “inappropriate honeymoon bikini” story 👀Rob shares his journey from 365 lbs to thriving five years post-op, how COVID delayed his surgery, what he wishes existed when he started, and how he now helps bariatric patients put the whole picture together — fitness, nutrition, habits, and real life. We also dive into: Facebook group chaosPizza math (4 slices vs. 2 slices 👀)Why “I’m only eating 600 calories” might not be the full storyAnd how small, sustainable changes beat extreme resets every single timeIf you’ve ever stalled, struggled, regained, felt intimidated by the gym, or wondered “am I doing this right?” — this episode is for you. No shame. No fluff. Just honest, practical, supportive real talk.

This week on Bariatric Banter, we’re getting honest about something nobody talks about enough: what happens when the bad habits start creeping back in. From “healthy” restaurant traps that are secretly 900+ calories, to under-eating protein, to hitting that bariatric crash where your whole body shuts down — we’ve been there. And we’re talking about it. We dive into: The reality of “zero to hangry” after surgeryWhy you can’t “catch up” on protein or water laterHow eating out too often slowly becomes a problemThe mental battle of feeling judged when you eatGrazing, group pressure, and restaurant cultureLearning to advocate for yourself (even when it’s uncomfortable)This episode is a reminder that you’re not failing — but awareness matters. If you feel like you’ve been slipping a little lately, this conversation is for you. Because bariatric surgery isn’t about going back to old habits without consequences. It’s about learning how to protect your progress — even when it’s inconvenient.