Cindy’s Premier Access Membership Review!
Why I Subscribe to Bariatric Food Coach a Premier Access Member Story
I came for the recipes…and stayed for everything else!
It has been nearly a year since I discovered Bariatric Food Coach, and it is not overstating to say that it has changed the course of my life. I was about 5 years out from gastric bypass surgery at the time. My initial weight loss was over 220 pounds, but I had regained about 70 pounds. I was starting to feel desperate but didn’t know how to turn things around.
My bariatric program suggested that I take another look at Baritastic as a food tracker.
I noticed that Baritastic had a link for recipes. Many of the recipes they linked to came from FoodCoach.me (now known as Bariatric Food Coach.) When I went to the Bariatric Food Coach website I found that access to premium recipes was available for members. The membership fee was small, so I thought I would give it a try for a month or two. It turns out that was an excellent decision!
There are many reasons why I stay with BFC.
Reason 1: Personal attention
For the first few months of my membership I used some of the recipes, but I wasn’t a full participant. That changed when I paid attention to an email I got from the site inviting me to participate in an activity. I got an email where Steph Wagner invited me to introduce myself. I did, and got a personal response from her. That got my attention! There was a real person behind the site and she took time to write to me! Steph and her small-but-mighty team are there to support members in their journey with expert advice and emotional support.
Reason 2: Recipes
I love the recipes. There is a lot of variety, many of them use few ingredients and are very simple to follow. I think of a lot of the recipes as bariatric cooking lessons (which I needed!) I can adapt the recipes in many ways, which keeps me interested.
Reason 3: Courses
Steph has developed a large number of courses covering a variety of topics of interest to bariatric patients. They are self-paced, and can be accessed any time. My personal favorite is “After the Honeymoon: Managing Regain After Surgery.” If you’ve experienced weight gain, I highly recommend it. My main takeaway from this course was that I haven’t broken anything…my pouch is still okay, and I can lose the weight I regained by returning to the good habits I learned during the initial weight-loss phase.
Reason 4: Activities and Challenges
Every month there are activities and challenges that help members focus on habits that will lead to success. My personal turnaround started by participating in the 10-day Habit Refresh in January, 2023. This was followed by the Winter 2023 Challenge, which was about the pillars of success. The activities and challenges are fun and help keep participants focused on the skills needed for success.
Reason 5: Menu Planner
I think this feature is one of the most overlooked features on the site, but one that I count on every week! This feature allows you to generate your own meal plan, either from the recipes on the site or from your own custom recipes. There are templates for dinners only or for 3 meals a day. You can also use the pre-built menus that Steph provides. Once you have your menu developed, you can generate a shopping list from the menu, and print the menu and shopping list. This feature is a real time-saver.
Reason 7: Emails, Blogs, and Zoom Calls
Steph sends out weekly emails and blog posts full of information. If you have a question, it is likely you can find the answers in the blogs. And if you still have questions, there are monthly “ask me anything” zoom calls where you can get live answers to your questions.
Reason 8: Community
The community is the hub for members. It features discussion boards, links to all of the activities and challenges, and direct messaging. There are also groups based on how long it has been since surgery, since the experience can be different at different phases. The community depends on active participation from the members. I appreciate the opportunity to share with others whose experiences are similar to mine.
Summary
Being an active participant in Bariatric Food Coach keeps my goals front and center in my mind.It is the best investment I’ve made in myself since my decision to have surgery.
My involvement has led to new insights about myself and my weight-loss journey. Those insights have helped me lose much of my regained weight, and I believe will help me maintain that loss long-term. Steph is in this business for the right reasons – she is here to help people. She keeps the prices affordable and offers longer-term plans at reduced rates.
It is not hyperbole when I say that subscribing to Bariatric Food Coach has changed my life. It can change yours too!