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 surgery
• Why you can’t “catch up” on protein or water later
• How eating out too often slowly becomes a problem
• The mental battle of feeling judged when you eat
• Grazing, group pressure, and restaurant culture
• Learning 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.

The honeymoon phase is real… and so is what comes after it.

In this episode of Bariatric Banter, Hannah and Steph get brutally honest about what life looks like 2–3+ years post-op — when routines slip, food noise creeps back in, hormones rear their ugly heads, and consistency suddenly feels a lot harder than it used to.

They talk about:

• Why the habits that felt easy in year one don’t always cut it later
• The reality of regain (and why no one prepares you for it)
• Exercise expectations vs. what’s actually sustainable
• Hormones, PCOS, perimenopause, and why it’s not “just you”
• The fine line between giving yourself grace and making excuses

This episode isn’t about fear — it’s about discipline, honesty, and protecting the life you worked so hard to build. If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or wondering why things suddenly feel harder… you’re not alone.

Grab your coffee, lace up your runners (or don’t 😅), and let’s banter.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room that nobody warned you about before surgery: being a bariatric patient is EXPENSIVE. And not just in the obvious ways.

In this episode, Hannah and Steph get real about the hidden costs of bariatric life in Canada – from $60 bottles of Fairlife protein to the mental load of meal prepping for work trips. They're diving into why it's so damn hard to hit your protein goals when chicken breast costs $42, why most protein products taste like cardboard (sorry not sorry), and how grocery shopping has become a strategic mission of hunting down that magical 50% off sticker.

But it's not all doom and gloom! They're also sharing their best tips for making it work on a budget, from protein prep strategies to finding the rare products that actually taste good (shoutout to Built Bars and Vector cereal for being the real MVPs).

Plus, they're calling out the good food/bad food nonsense, discussing why sometimes you just need to eat half a real muffin instead of a $12 protein one, and announcing their plans to test all the viral bariatric recipes and products YOU want to see.

Whether you're pre-op, post-op, or just bariatric-curious, this episode is a refreshingly honest conversation about navigating the financial and logistical realities of life after weight loss surgery. No sugar-coating here – just two friends keeping it real about the struggle bus that is trying to eat 80+ grams of protein a day without going broke.

Topics covered:

• The shocking cost of bariatric-friendly groceries in Canada
• Meal prep strategies that actually work (and won't make you cry)
• Why protein products taste terrible (and the rare exceptions)
• Traveling as a bariatric patient without losing your mind
• The one-bad-day-won't-ruin-everything pep talk you needed