Diva Taunia

He's fantastic! He's been through so much. He lost his cousin in 2011...and just last year he lost his mom to a drunk driver and his house burned down. Even with all that, he still has this AMAZING and positive spirit. I was so happy to learn that he got a sponsor to fund his new DVD and he's beginnging to work on it now. Such a great and inspiring guy! If anyone wants to hear his interview from last week, you can hear it here: http://tobtr.com/9710483 Next week we have a men's panel (including Bariatric Pal's very own Alex Brecher) to discuss weight and the impact of weight and the perfect of men's body image in society. Would love for you guys to tune in next week for that! Tuesday at NOON PST at www.backstagepassradio.com. But definitely check out Big John's interview. He is so inspiring!

OOOO, I'm so glad you started this topic, Alex! Tomorrow's show on The Backstage Pass Radio Program is all about resolutions. I'd LOVE to know if people 1) believe in resolutions and 2) what they are - particularly if they're related to weight loss surgery. If anyone is interested in tuning in or even wants to call into to the show to talk about their resolutions, it's on at NOON, PST and the call-in # is 347-857-2052. You can listen at http://tobtr.com/9720615 or at www.backstagepassradio.com. You can also watch on Facebook Live @divataunia or @backstagepassradio Me personally? My only resolution is to get rid of the 10 lbs I gained over the holidays. DOH! lol

Hey Everyone! Hope you had a fantastic holiday and new year! I've been away for a while and just found a message in my inbox today about an interview that I did for Man Repeller magazine. I think she did a great job researching and writing this article and wanted to share it with you all. She also gives BariatricPal a shoutout. http://www.manrepeller.com/2016/12/weight-loss-surgery-stories.html I think the other two people in the story may also be from BariatricPal as well, so congrats on your "'press" coverage. lol Happy New Year, everyone!

I agree. I think she did a really great job presenting weight loss surgery in well-researched and realistic light. I wish she had talked a little more about the long-term successes of it (in my case in particular, I'm nine years out in March and I've kept nearly all of my weight off), but I was still happy with the overall tone of the article.

Don't miss the LAST Friday night episode of the Backstage Pass Radio Program tonight! We'll be taking the night off from Facebook live, but replaying our fantastic interview with Founder and CEO of BariatricPal.com and 13 year successful lap band post-op, Alex Brecher! Tune-in tonight at 7:00pm to hear Alex and I talk about his life with lap band, Bariatric Pal and also the new BariatricPal Surgery Team MX bariatric surgery branch in Mexico! After this, we'll be switching to our NEW DAY AND TIME on TUESDAYS AT NOON, PST starting on Tuesday, December 6th! Here's the direct link to listen to Alex's interview tonight! http://tobtr.com/9624451 As a reminder, BariatricPal.com is a very generous sponsor of the program, and you can always use our coupon codes DIVAT or POWERGIRL to shop at store.bariatricpal.com and save 15%! Thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. We think you'll really enjoy this interview with Alex!

You're gorgeous! It's a great idea to keep track of the numbers, the visuals, and the non-scale victories (NSV)! Congratulations and I wish you the best on your journey!

The Backstage Pass Radio Program is sponsored by BariatricPal.com! You can save 15% at store.bariatricpal.com by using the code DIVAT or POWERGIRL at checkout! WANT TO WIN SOME PRIZES TONIGHT? I got you covered! 7pm PST, keep this number handy: 347-857-2052! I am giving away 2 makeup kits, a turquoise necklace set, and a $10 Gift Card of your choice on tonight's show at 7pm! To win, you'll just need to call-in when prompted and give me the name of ONE of tonight's show sponsors (hint: you should say BARIATRICPAL.COM!!!) To listen to the show streaming on any device, simply click on this link: http://tobtr.com/9615387 Or, you can go directly to www.backstagepassradio.com. I'll also be doing a Facebook Live! from my personal page @divataunia and on the radio show page @backstagepassradio I have two big announcements at the top of the show that you don't want to miss! Thanks for sharing and spreading the word. Talk with you tonight at 7pm PST!!

Don't miss our interview with Carnie Wilson that's airing tonight in just 20 minutes on The Backstage Pass Radio Program, sponsored by BariatricPal.com! You can listen to the interview streaming live from any device by clicking on this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatauniaradio/2016/11/12/the-backstage-pass-radio-program-welcomes-carnie-wilson Also, don't forget that you get 15% off in the BariatricPal store by using coupon codes DIVAT or POWERGIRL! Tune in each week to the Backstage Pass Radio Program at www.backstagepassradio.com. And coming in DECEMBER: "Backstage Pass Radio Holiday Idol" singing contest with prizes!!! Thanks for listening!

LOL - Yes, she did. She even apologized on air.

Oops! Forgot the actual time. lol 7PM PST!!

Don't miss our interview with Carnie Wilson that's airing tonight in just 20 minutes on The Backstage Pass Radio Program, sponsored by BariatricPal.com! You can listen to the interview streaming live from any device by clicking on this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatauniaradio/2016/11/12/the-backstage-pass-radio-program-welcomes-carnie-wilson Also, don't forget that you get 15% off in the BariatricPal Store by using coupon codes DIVAT or POWERGIRL! Tune in each week to the Backstage Pass Radio Program at www.backstagepassradio.com. And coming in DECEMBER: "Backstage Pass Radio Holiday Idol" singing contest with prizes!!! Thanks for listening!

Why this made me tear up, I don't know, but it did. I appreciate the support. I've been considering finding a therapist that treats food addiction, because Lord knows I have one. Maybe I need to do more than just consider it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App Taking the step to go to therapy is a big one. It's weird to go sit in a room with someone you don't know and tell them intimate and personal things about yourself, I totally get that. I think everyone does and that's why a lot of people don't go. But honestly, after I got over the initial "weirdness" of it, I looked forward to my appointments. It was a place where I could "purge" everything emotionally and walk away feeling like I knew what I had to do to move forward in a positive way, and I always felt changed for the better. Just having someone completely objective to talk with that knows how to handle the things you're going through and struggling with -it's huge. I always felt like the emotional side of things was harder than anything else for me, but that was my journey. In any case, I wish you the very best in whatever you decide. Just know that even though there's struggles, it gets better. It's hard to see when you're in the muck of it, but it does. You're going to be ok.

What you are experiencing is completely normal. It's "buyer's remorse" in the weight loss surgery world, and we all go through it in one form or another. The first year is really the toughest with the physical and emotional changes - you're going through a LOT. You think that life will never feel "normal" again, but it will. You have to treat your body and yourself with kid gloves, and it's a lot of work and can wear on you emotionally. I'm not sure what your post-care plan is, but one of the best things that I did for myself was regular weekly therapy to deal with all of the massive changes in my life. I really didn't want to go at first, but I found that it was one of the best tools that I had to deal with coping and working through everything. If your insurance doesn't cover it, there are many therapists that work on a sliding scale fee. Even if you can get a once a month appointment could work wonders. If you're going to post-op support groups, this only doubles up on the amount of support you get and you'll be able to rock it! I'm almost nine years out. I remember having buyers remorse a LOT in the first year. I remember thinking life would never be normal again. I promise you, it will be. Hang in there!

I'm going to assume that since you chose to quote my post, that you're directing this at me. Helping someone justify potato chips at five weeks out, Swedish fish at five days out, alcohol at three days out, etc. is not **MY** idea of compassion or kindness. It doesn't help them and it especially doesn't help others reading, researching, absorbing. That's a pretty significant leap you've taken there and one that I am completely boggled by. So instead of anger and vitriol, the only other option is compassion that helps justify potato chips and swedish fish? That's ludicrous. It also helps no one out - ESPECIALLY new people navigating their way through their world just after a surgery, probably with a lot of negativity in their life already, to come to a place that's supposed to be supportive to find threads like these. And for the record, nowhere did I suggest that anyone should be coddled/applauded/passified in any way for dangerous or foolish behaviors. I merely suggested that anger and vitriol is not useful. Compassion, understanding, extending kindness IS. That can be done without enabling or coddling someone. Are we really suggesting that it's NOT possible? That's it's really that black and white? Compassion worked for the John F. Kennedy, Dalai Lama, Ghandi, Einstein, and a number of other amazing notable people in our history. None of whom coddled anyone, but all of whom saw the value in lifting their fellow man up instead of kicking them when they're down. Anyone can criticize, it's easy. I think Mother Theresa said it best: "I would rather make mistakes in kindness and compassion than work miracles in unkindness and hardness."

Hi Alfred, First of all - congrats on your surgery date! I really hope everything goes well for you and that the coordinating part of things goes as smoothly as possible. Next, you probably already know about this, but as far as transportation goes, is Uber and/or Lyft an option for you? I use them ALL the time and find them incredibly reliable and a great way to travel. Lyft offers better rates but sometimes doesn't have as many drives available. Both offer first-time rider discounts, though. Feel free to private message me if you want any more info on them. I use them all the time. I'm an 8.5 year gastric bypass post-op and I've got a couple of suggestions that may or may not help with the cravings situation. They worked for me, but some people may think they're a bad idea. It really depends on the individual, I think....but I thought it was at least worth mentioning. I kept sugar-free popsicles, fudgicles, and Jello in the house. If I absolutely HAD to have something, I knew I could have one of those without completely ruining things. As long as you think you can handle it without binging, that might be a good "save" just in case. The other thing that worked for me was...watching food. I watched the Food Network and cooking shows. It kept my brain occupied in a different way with food and I was distracted so I didn't think about eating because I was watching it instead. I love to cook, so watching shows like Chopped and Barefoot Contessa and can keep me distracted and engaged and out of the fridge. If you have On Demand or something similar with your cable service, you can find those shows on there at any time. I don't know if those suggestions will help, but I hope they might. Either way, I wish you the best of luck!

I guess what I'm trying to understand is why there's so much anger and vitriol instead of compassion and more understanding. None of us get to a place where we need surgery because we've made good choices or had 100% transparency or honesty with ourselves or with others. Sometimes there are issues that run a lot deeper with some folks than others. You just never know a person's background or story. I also know from my own past (I'm almost nine years out) and many of my friends in the WLS community we all had experiences where when we first had surgery and were doing remarkably well, we felt invincible and full of conviction and top of the world with our choices and actions. It's easy to get to a place of high-ground when you feel that way, which is why I think it's important to remember that it doesn't always stay that way. There are always going to be times when you question others actions, and that's normal and fine. But remember, there are probably others doing the same to you. Extend the same kindness you'd want for yourself. Being judgemental with each other NEVER helps. Support is not judgemental. Support is support. You're there through the good times and the bad listening, lending an ear, giving the best advice you can through a supportive and encouraging lens that won't further damage someone(s) already struggling.

I followed my doctor's plan to the letter as far as eating and nutrition was concerned. I did go to the gym at first, but I just didn't like the gym. What I found that I loved was dancing. I started going swing and latin dancing a couple times a week, also tried Zumba, did some dance classes - just loved all of it. I eventually ended up choreographing all my own shows (I'm a musician) and that kept me in the best shape of my entire life! I've kept my weight off for almost nine years and I credit dancing!

Each week, I do a contest that's ONLY for BariatricPal.com forum readers, and announce the winner on Friday's show on The Backstage Pass Radio Program. Since Halloween is coming up on Monday, AND since I'm going to do the Facebook live feed this week in costume, I thought it would be fun to have a "guess my/our costume contest"! So here goes... PRIZE: $20 Target Gift Card (mail from me to you) CONTEST: Guess both my costume and Jean Powergirl's costume below in the comments section. You only get one guess (don't worry, I'll give you a hint in a minute). The first person to guess it correctly wins the gift card! Jean Costume Hint: Jean is from Texas. Her costume is pretty straightforward. She is pretty much just being a girl from her state with her hat. And yes,it's as easy as it seems. Taunia Costume Hint: My costume is female-gender and considered colorful. WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: The winner will be announced on the show tomorrow night. Tomorrow night is also a great time to listen in because it's Powergirl's BIRTHDAY BASH! It's her birthday and not only is SHE getting presents, but callers are too! We'll be doing giveaways all night (both male and female gifts), so you can win some pretty rockin' stuff if you listen to the show and call-in (347-857-2052)! The show starts at 7pm PST. It streams live at www.backstagepassradio.com, but we also go live on Facebook and hang out and chat with everyone (which is honestly the most fun part). Feel free to add us as friends on Facebook and come hang with us! @divataunia @backstagepassradio Looking forward to seeing your costume guesses and announcing the $20 Target Gift Card winner tomorrow night!

Well, my friends, hopefully you tuned in tonight...but if not: And the winner is: @@MindyMe !!!! Mindy, please either send me a PM with your mailing address or you can email me at info@divataunia.com and I'll send the card out to you. Congratulations! Thanks to everyone who played along. Stay tuned for next week's contest!

I am loving all the guesses! We'll find out tonight! By the way, here's a full list of all the prizes we're giving out tonight on the show. If you tune in and listen tonight, you just need to call-in when prompted to win at 347-857-2052: FULL LIST OF PRIZES (click on each one to go to their website): $20 Target Gift Card (this thread prize) $50 Gift Card to Daddy O's Men & Women's Rockabilly Clothing $50 Gift Card to Slimpressions.com $25 Gift Card to my Poshmark Store Portion 8 by BariWare Full-Kit Starter Kit (worth $50) pumpkin Spice Gift Set Makeup Gift Set

I'm sort-of, kinda new to Bariatric Pal and I have practically no friends on here. Wanna be friends? I haven't been on/in forums for a while, so I'm out of the loop on adding new friends, but please friend me if you'd like to keep in touch and stuff on here. Also, so I don't feel like the loser kid in the corner scuffing my feet (oh, hi, middle school!).

@@MindyMe Yep! The show (audio) will stream live on www.backstagepassradio.com. About 15 minutes before the show starts, we also go live on Facebook at @divataunia and @backstagepassradio @jean.h.power. We'll let everyone know who wins this contest during the show tomorrow night - on both the audio and visual portion. (But obviously, if you tune into our Facebook live feed, you'll know in advance before the show even starts who won! lol)