Ep 77: Client Spotlight | Chanteya Shares Her Bariatric Journey 5 Years Post-Surgery
This post is a companion to Episode 77 of the Bariatric Nutrition Coach Podcast. Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
In this episode I was joined by the wonderful Chanteya — who is approaching five years since her bariatric surgery, and who I actually had the privilege of supporting from the very beginning of her journey when I was working at a bariatric centre in Perth. Her surgery week coincided with the start of COVID lockdowns in WA — she made a last-minute call to get in early, and it changed everything.
A Lifelong Journey
Chanteya describes her bariatric experience as a journey that never quite reaches completion — and she means that in the most positive way. Five years on, she is still learning, still growing, still working through decades of patterns around food and body image. She says it is going to be a lifelong journey of overcoming issues that do not disappear quickly. But life is great. She loves life. And she wishes she had taken control sooner.
What Five Years Looks Like
Chanteya is candid about the fact that the journey has had its ups and downs. The early days were hard — especially navigating them during lockdown without access to normal support structures. But she built her habits, got her protein in, kept reaching out, and over time found her footing. Five years on, she is a powerful example of what is possible when you commit to the long game.
What She Would Tell Someone Just Starting Out
Lean into the support that is available to you from day one. Use the early days — when the tool is working at its strongest — to build the habits that will carry you forward. And be patient with yourself. The deeper work — shifting your relationship with food, your body, your sense of worth — takes time. But it is absolutely worth doing.
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