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

What is it really like to support someone through bariatric surgery?

In this special mini matinee episode of Bariatric Banter, Hannah is joined by a very special guest—her mom, Mary Ann—for an honest, down-to-earth conversation about what it looks like to be on the other side of the bariatric journey.

From the moment Hannah announced she was having surgery, to attending surgeon appointments, navigating holidays, changing family eating habits, and learning how to support without judgment, this episode dives into the role family plays in long-term success.

They talk about:

• How family members actually feel when surgery is announced
• Why support doesn’t have to mean completely changing how everyone eats
• Reading labels, portion sizes, and avoiding “diet culture traps”
• Navigating holidays, desserts, and traditions after surgery
• Why communication and respect go both ways

Whether you’re considering bariatric surgery, already post-op, or supporting someone you love—this episode is for you.

This week on Bariatric Banter, we’re cozying up with tea (lots of it), navigating rogue stomach gurgles, laughing through unexpected burps, and sharing our top bariatric-friendly food gift ideas for the holiday season. 🌲✨

From Smart Sweets to collagen powders, protein hot chocolate, condiment must-haves, edamame snacks, and the stocking stuffers we wish we had early post-op — we’re giving you the full holiday guide.

We also chat caffeine sensitivity, sipping-while-eating confessions, crunchy knees, naming your stomach noises (shoutout to Gurgling Greta), and staying on track when the season gets hectic.

Whether you’re shopping for someone bariatric or you are the someone, this episode is full of cozy vibes, laughs, and legit helpful ideas.

🎧 Tune in now & get your holiday list started!