Bariatric Banter Podcast | Podcast on RSS.com

Bariatric Banter Podcast

Bariatric Banter Podcast

by Hannah Cameron

Health & Fitness Society & Culture

Season 1

Ep 2. Regain Is Not Failure: Week Two on Ozempic (GLP1's After Surgery)

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.

Ep 1. GLP-1s After Surgery: My Ozempic Journey Begins

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.

Episode 55: "The Truth About Bariatric Incisions (They're Tinier Than You Think)"

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: Sorry this might be a running podcast now (and how we survived eating cat food)

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 fuck" 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.

Episode 53: The Bariatric Life Isn't a Side Quest

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.

Ep 52: We're Baby Runners and We're Not Okay (But Also We Are)

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.

Ep 51: Protein Balls, a 5K Announcement & Hannah's Honest Weight Check-In

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 out Steph'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 matters Hannah's honest weight check-in: what "regain" looks like after bariatric surgery GLP-1 fears, side effects, and why Hannah still hasn't taken the plunge Steph's 5:30am running era begins Why Steph says: "It's not a regain. It's a re-lose." New page. Let's go.

[Matinee Monday] Episode 50: Our Very First Bariatric Banter Podcast Episode

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.

Episode 49: Hot Takes, Sour Puffs & One Very Bad Korean Protein Shake

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 table The 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 take The 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-op Milton's crackers — Hannah bought three Costco-sized bags and has zero regrets. 10g of protein, great crunch, worth every penny Prime cookies and cream protein shakes — drink them cold, full stop

Episode 48: Dates, Dance Class, and Things We Found on the Internet

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).

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