Empowerment, Community, Guidance.

Welcome to BariNation, your ultimate destination for empowerment through community and expert guidance on your bariatric journey!

Obesity is an isolating disease that has no cure.

But we can treat our disease with community.

We are on a mission to empower individuals through community to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find personal wellness.  In BariNation, individuals and members come together to learn new things, share experiences, and inspire one another to reach new heights. As patients, we are experts in our own lived experiences. But we might not be an expert in nutrition or movement. That’s why we partner with leading professionals from the bariatric spaces to create and deliver expert support and education when and where you need it. 

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Join us today and become a part of our growing family.
We can build a strong foundation for personal growth, foster meaningful relationships,
and empower each other to find and maintain personal wellness. 

In BariNation, you BELONG.

What is BariNation?

BariNation is a mission-driven, patient-led organization focused on improving the lives of people battling the lifelong and chronic disease of obesity. The disease impacts so many facets of our life, and the shame and stigma that shrouds the disease is difficult to break free of.

When people struggling with the disease connect with others who are successfully treating their disease and thriving, amazing things happen!

BariNation is an educational resource destination where the most relevant, accurate, and meaningful information is brought together and delivered in ways that are accessible and understandable to everyone. Instead of sifting through thousands of chat rooms, blog posts, unkind Facebook groups, and unsettling (and often incorrect) information, you can turn to BariNation. The information we curate and share is vetted for accuracy by our experts and deemed helpful from patient feedback.

BariNation is where you can turn to when you want to tune out the noise and focus on what is most important, you and the treatment of your disease.

How We Support Patients:

Community

Our award-winning membership community allows members to connect, learn, and grow from experts and their fellow patients in a safe, inclusive, and welcoming digital space. Members can attend unlimited support groups led by a bariatric therapist, educational classes taught by credentialed professionals, and social meetups led by trained patient hosts. Many of our professional experts are bariatric patients themselves, which helps them connect on much deeper levels with our community members.

BariNation Podcast

Our award-winning podcast brings together patients and experts to discuss topics of significant meaning to any bariatric patient. Our conversational format, direct questions, and deep dives into meaningful topics leave listeners (and watchers) inspired, empowered, and uplifted. When we know better, we can all do better.

Social Media

We utilize our social media platforms to connect with fellow patients, share relevant and meaningful educational content, and spread the word about BariNation! It all started on Instagram for BariNation, where we love meeting new people and patients. 

Live, In-Person & Virtual Events

We love to travel and connect with fellow patients as often as possible. We have been featured speakers at The Bariatric Society’s Annual Retreat and other national bariatric events. We also host free live, virtual support events that are open to bariatric patients. Our Virtual Bariatric Meetups (VMB) allow patients to connect with experts in the bariatric community in real time. We love hosting support groups and meetups for clinics around the country. Ask your surgeon or center to invite BariNation to one of your upcoming support events!

Meet Our Founders

  • April Williams

    The disease of obesity has impacted April's life from a very young age. She was always the largest child in her class, her hunger seemed insatiable, and her weight affected her health and happiness no matter how active or "clean" she ate. After a friend shared her bariatric story, April was inspired to pursue surgery. She underwent a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy in July 2019 in Washington State. April has lost over 120 pounds and has maintained that loss by living the BariNation pillars and making the community a part of her daily life. She is on a mission to inspire others to fight back against their disease and connect them with the treatments needed to find metabolic wellness and finally live the life they have always wanted.

  • Jason Smith

    Jason is a devoted father, grandfather, and husband to his wife, Sarah, of over 20 years. He had Bariatric surgery in March 2020, just before the pandemic hit and the world shut down. Jason found a virtual bariatric meet-up scrolling VSG hashtags on Instagram and met April. They learned they shared a common vision to create an inclusive community where patients feel accepted and supported at any stage. Together, they launched East2WestWLS podcast in May 2020, and in 2021, it became BariNation. Jason is committed to sharing his story, breaking the weight loss surgery stigma, and reinventing postop care worldwide. 

  • Natalie Tierney

    Natalie has struggled with obesity her entire life, and at age 15 and 350 pounds, she decided to pursue the LapBand. After losing over 200 pounds, she had severe complications and had an emergency removal, and later had a plication done to maintain her weight loss. In the years following, she struggled to keep the weight off and gained all of the weight back and then some, crawling up to 403 pounds. She decided it was time to take her health into her own hands, and on September 28, 2020, she had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and lost and maintained a 140-pound weight loss. With the help of BariNation, Natalie believes success and metabolic wellness are possible and achievable, and she is on a mission to help educate and guide more patients to find their best bariatric lives.

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Educational Collaborator

Kentucky Bariatric Institute

Dr. Eric Smith

"We are excited to partner with Bari Nation in our ongoing commitment to improve patient outcomes. This collaboration will significantly enhance our ability to educate and support our patients throughout their weight loss journey. By combining our clinical expertise with Bari Nation's comprehensive educational platform, we can provide our patients with a holistic approach to weight loss and long-term success." - Dr. Smith

Educational Collaborator

Texas Center for Bariatrics and Advanced Surgery

Dr. Joseph Cribbins and Dr. Edmund Chen

Dr. Joe and Dr. Chen collaborate with BariNation in various and meaningful ways on social media, at in-person and virtual events, in the Membership Community, and on the podcast! Meet Dr. Chen at an upcoming Lunch and Learn Meetup in the BariNation Membership Community!

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Educational Collaborator

Tuscon Weight Loss Surgery

Dr. Matthew Weiner

Dr. Matthew Weiner understands that bariatric surgery will not be enough for patients to find and maintain personal wellness. He advocates for patients to access and utilize many tools, including community and obesity management medications. We recently partnered to host a fantastic Metabolic Wellness webinar that discussed the power of obesity medications before and after bariatric surgery. 

Watch Our Webinar Here

Support Collaborator

ProCare Health

ProCare Health is the official vitamin of BariNation for many reasons! Their formulas meet and exceed ASMBS standards, are third-party quality tested and are designed specifically for bariatric needs. We also partner on monthly virtual support opportunities and are a part of the ProCare BariConnect program, which allows customers to access exclusive Membership Community savings!

ProCare Health
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