Ep 36: Client Spotlight | Maryah at 2 Weeks Post Bariatric Surgery
This post is a companion to Episode 36 of the Bariatric Nutrition Coach Podcast. Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
In this episode I spoke with Maryah — a 31-year-old from Oregon who is just two weeks post bariatric surgery. Our phone conversation was so rich that I invited her onto the podcast mid-call. Her insights are thoughtful, raw, and incredibly valuable for anyone in the early days.
Maryah's Journey to Surgery
Maryah had been looking into bariatric surgery for two years. She had tried appetite suppressant injections, medications, and various programs — all of which felt nauseous and unsustainable. Coming up to the two-year mark, she decided to commit. What stands out is how much mental preparation she did before surgery — she started therapy specifically to develop new coping mechanisms, knowing she was an emotional eater and that surgery alone would not be enough.
Getting to Know Her New Stomach
At two weeks post-op, Maryah is navigating the early stages with curiosity rather than fear. She described the sensations of fullness — pressure in the chest near the collarbone, a feeling that things are not settling — with remarkable self-awareness. She is learning that some foods work some days and not others, using small sips and small bites, and genuinely listening to what her body is telling her.
Her Relationship With Food
Maryah reflected honestly on her childhood relationship with food — eating out of boredom and loneliness, finding comfort in it. She is now actively working on shifting her approach: seeing food as fuel and medicine rather than something to restrict or fear. She does not want to demonise food. She wants to find balance. At two weeks post-surgery, that clarity is remarkable.
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