Weight Loss Blog

Charlie Groom, a man who spent 50 years of his life experiencing health issues related to obesity, says that bariatric surgery saved his life. It all started during a Boy Scouts summer camp when Charlie was diagnosed with high blood pressure at the age of 14. After this, Charlie continued to deal with several other…

Keith Hurst constantly takes pictures of himself so he can actually see the results of his weight loss. “I take pictures because when I look in the mirror, I still see a big man, but when I see pictures of myself and compare them to the pictures before surgery, then it becomes real. I actually…

When Deborah Dobyns was first referred to Dr. Varnell at the Center for Bariatrics at Bailey Medical Center, she was nervous. After having a hysterectomy, her OB/GYN encouraged her to consider weight loss surgery because, at her pre-surgery weight, she was at high-risk while on estrogen medications. Deborah researched Dr. Varnell and Bailey Bariatrics and was…

For Lisa Dugan, the choice to have weight loss surgery was the only option if she was going to be there for her family. “I decided to go do the surgery because I wanted to stay alive and be healthy for my children and grandchildren, so this was a personal choice.” Lisa made the decision…

Nicolle Ochoa struggled being overweight for 25 years. After having three children and trying multiple unsuccessful diets, Nicolle wanted a change. “I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, borderline diabetic, and had to have both knees replaced after tripping over gym equipment while I was working out,” Nicolle says. “I gained back all of the weight…

Sam Cowles carries around a reminder of his old life everywhere he goes. “I keep a picture of my ‘old self’ in my wallet and show it to people all the time,” he shares. At more than 400 pounds, Sam had stopped living life. His weight took away big things and small things. “I didn’t…

It’s not always convenient to have food scales, measuring cups, measuring spoons or food labels to help you calculate the protein in food. You can also use common items to be more accurate in tracking your protein intake:  

Bailey Bariatrics dietitian Rene Norman, RD/LD, shares the importance of National Nutrition Month as a reminder of how our mindset towards food affects our nutrition. March is National Nutrition Month.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietitians (AND) picked “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right” for this year’s theme. To help celebrate this theme, AND asked dietitians…

Bailey Bariatrics dietitian Rene Norman, RD/LD, shares this tip to better understand what is really going into your protein shake. Sometimes words can trip you up.  We talk a lot about finding a protein shake that you like.  Generally, a protein supplement is a protein powder and the protein shake is the liquid form, whether…

Bailey Bariatrics dietitian Rene Norman, RD/LD, shares insight into how added sugar infiltrates our diet. She also provides a recipe for Valentine’s Day for both pre-op and post-op patients to enjoy. Too much added sugar in our diets is linked to a higher risk of developing heart disease, belly fat, cancer, liver disease, shortened life…