We give you information and support so you thrive at Bariatric living

ABOUT ME

My story began years ago, as a child from a mother and a father with history of obesity and I had a burning desire to eat in excess. While most overweight children seem to be able to lose weight around adolescence, this wasn’t my case. I suffered bullying regarding my weight. I yearned to feel “normal”, but I felt like I was genetically “designed” to be anything but. This feeling of resignment led to complacency, a sentiment I kept for years as I tried to enjoy my life as best as I could.  

I wanted to leave my mark on this planet by helping others feel better, so I became a Nurse in the United States in 2006. I then got married to a wonderful man called Celedonio (Cele, for short).   

My family have suffered from obesity ever since I was a baby. After many health complications, including obesity and a series of heart attacks, unfortunately dad passed away at age of 62. That’s when I decided to have the Bariatric surgery…but, Bariatric surgery was not the magical solution I had expected.

Upon having the surgery, I found myself constantly hungry, confused, and felt like nobody understood the challenges I was facing. I became isolated as feelings of weakness and depression stalked me on a daily basis. The surgery had drastically changed my life. Yes, I was thinner, but unhappy. 

Therefore, I sought help.

I joined a Bariatric Support Group and realized, to my surprise, that my challenges were one of the lesser ones in the group! I later joined other Bariatric Support groups, lead and co-lead them. I found myself in absolute awe of how we were all lost and clueless as to how to get our lives together. .

I set out to learn all I could about Bariatric surgery lifestyle. I noticed that there were no straightforward resources for Bariatric individuals to cope with all the obstacles, demands, ups and downs of Bariatric surgery lifestyle. Hence, I went to World Bariatric Congresses, met with many Bariatric surgeons from all over the globe, and read a lot about the Bariatric surgery. And I learned more and more. I improved the way I took care of my body, relationships, hunger, and impulses. I understood, coped, strived and rose above my Bariatric challenges.

While working at Stanford University Hospital in the Silicon Valley, holding positions such as a Nurse, Clinical Informatics Educator and Manager, I never stopped studying and was always searching for more information. I obatined a Certification as a Neuro Linguistic Practitioner. One of the classes I took at Stanford was regarding Coaching, and fasting forward, I became a Certified Caritas Coach (I implement Loving Caring into my Coaching sessions). To take Bari Better as far as I wanted, I felt the need to formalize my knowledge, so I earned a Certificate in Bariatric Coaching. I decided to get my Master’s of Science in Nursing and as I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, I was invited to join Sigma (Global Nursing Excellence, International Honor Society of Nursing) and became a Nursing University Professor. I did my thesis in Bariatric Coaching and it was selected for a Conference oral presentation in Abu Dhabi

Plain and simple, I turned my life around.

Imbued by the knowledge I had amassed, my confidence reached new heights. I felt empowered to travel the world, speak my mind, and cultivate meaningful relationships. Yet as I marched forward, I couldn’t help but look back and see a wake of Bariatric individuals who were in the same position I was in the past. Ultimately, the only thing I could imagine myself doing was sharing my knowledge and dedicating my life to improve the lives of others like me, my Bariatric peers.

That’s how the idea of Bari Better was born, with its mission to provide Bariatric Coaching and impart knowledge on how to live a better life, to enable people to enjoy a healthier lifestyle by providing practical information and general wellness support.

That brings us back to that whole “making others feel better” desire I mentioned earlier, and after being a Nurse for many years, I can now say that there is no going back for me, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is possible to enjoy Bariatric life! I empathetic listen, I seek first to understand others. Now, I devote my life to Bariatric Coaching. During my Coaching sessions with my Bariatric clients, I see a daughter, a sister, a human being who inspires people to take control over their lives. I see a child who overcame obesity and who is now able to be surrounded by mindfulness eating, who accepts, nourishes and no longer damages her own body with unhealthy food choices. And I see an entrepreneur who helps people become the best version of themselves and who has the vision of impacting many lives.

Leadership