Bariatric Food Coach

Bariatric Food Coach Bariatric Dietitian, Steph Wagner MS RD CSOWM www.bariatricfoodcoach.com
Bariatric Resources, Community & Support

Welcome to the page for Bariatric Food Coach! You can visit the webpage for a complete list of recipes, meal plans and services at www.bariatricfoodcoach.com

Any questions or request can be sent to me directly at [email protected]

Love these candid moments from last week’s ASMBS conference in San Antonio! One minute I’m on stage talking about billin...
05/15/2026

Love these candid moments from last week’s ASMBS conference in San Antonio!

One minute I’m on stage talking about billing for dietitian visits and advocating for the value of nutrition care… and the next I’m at lunch with RDs turned real-life friends laughing over who knows what story I’m telling 😆

So grateful for this community, these conversations, and the people helping move obesity care forward together. 🤍 .thompson33

I’m heading back to DC today 🇺🇸I’ll be there with a team of dietitian advocates meeting with lawmakers to expand access ...
04/15/2026

I’m heading back to DC today 🇺🇸

I’ll be there with a team of dietitian advocates meeting with lawmakers to expand access to Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)… and we could really use your voice behind us.

This matters for our patients. It matters for access. It matters for the future of nutrition care.

💛 If you have 2 minutes, here’s how you can help before April 20th:
• Call or email your Senator + Representative
• Complete the action alerts (link below)
• Share this post with another dietitian

Even a quick message makes a difference—it strengthens the conversations happening in those rooms.

Kansas friends: Senator Roger Marshall (MAHA Senate leader) has already signed onto the MNT Act 🙌 Let’s keep the momentum going.

Easy script to use:
“Hi, I’m a constituent from [City]. I’m asking you to support and co-sponsor the MNT Act (S.3934 / HR 6199). It expands access to nutrition therapy for chronic conditions like obesity and heart disease. Thank you!”

Let’s show up together.



https://www.votervoice.net/EATRIGHT/1/Campaigns/134578/Respond

03/11/2026

Happy Registered Dietitian Day.

Confession: early in my career I thought this day felt a little… unnecessary.

Then I got involved in nutrition advocacy and realized something important.
It’s not about celebrating ourselves. It’s about awareness.

Medical Nutrition Therapy from registered dietitians has strong research showing meaningful improvements in chronic disease outcomes and reductions in healthcare costs.

And yet fewer than 7% of people can clearly explain what a dietitian does.

That gap matters.

Because nutrition support isn’t a luxury add-on to healthcare.
For many conditions, it’s part of the treatment.

So today I’m celebrating this profession, the dietitians doing incredible work for patients every day, and continuing to help people understand what we actually do.

Also… I will probably treat myself to an Americano in honor of all that healthcare money we’re saving ☕️

Happy RD Day to my fellow dietitians.

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that deserves evidence-based care, compassion, and access to treatment. That’s wha...
03/06/2026

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that deserves evidence-based care, compassion, and access to treatment. That’s what Obesity Care Week is all about.

As a dietitian specializing in bariatric surgery, medications and weight management, I’m proud to say I Commit to Care — supporting patients with real education, long-term strategies, and respect for the complexity of this disease.

If you’re in the Kansas City area, I’d love to meet you in person. I’ll be speaking at the Your Weight Matters Regional event on March 21. It’s a free event and honestly one of my favorites because it brings together patients, providers, and advocates who care deeply about improving obesity care.

If you or someone you love is affected by obesity, this event is worth attending. 💙

02/11/2026

I’ve spent years sitting with real people navigating obesity, surgery, medications, weight recurrence, fear, and hope.

The turning point is never a new rule.

It’s when they stop believing their body is a personal failure.

When messaging reinforces the idea that weight is simply a choice, it doesn’t motivate people.

It isolates them.

And isolation keeps people from asking for help.

Obesity is a chronic disease.
Shame has never been an effective treatment plan.

If we truly want better health outcomes, we have to replace blame with support.

01/30/2026

Today I picked up a City of Kansas City proclamation recognizing Your Weight Matters Day.

On March 21, the Obesity Action Coalition is hosting Your Weight Matters Kansas City—a free community education event focused on understanding obesity as a disease and reducing stigma.

I’ll be speaking alongside an obesity medicine physician and a behavioral health psychologist to share evidence-based education and practical support.

Free breakfast. Giveaways. No judgment.

Kansas City, you’re invited. 💙

01/27/2026

For bariatric dietitians 👋

When a patient emails six weeks post-op asking about crackers or bread, it’s easy to jump straight into education.
But pause and remember how much they’ve already changed.

Those questions are often about salty, crunchy, normal-feeling food — not rule-breaking.

Encouragement first. Guidance second.

And yes, in-between emails can feel draining. But that support is part of care. It builds trust, improves retention, and keeps patients connected instead of turning to the other sources of information.

Advocate for admin time to do this work well.
And if the volume is too high, advocate for more dietitians.

We are arguably the most relational part of the care team — and relational care takes time.

This is the work.

01/23/2026

There’s a much thinner line between weight loss and maintenance than most people realize. That’s why realistic, consistent eating tends to work better long term than highly restrictive plans. Maintenance doesn’t usually require a whole new approach — it often looks like staying steady with what already works. 💛

01/22/2026

Pre-op and post-op diets matter—but they are not meant to define the rest of your life.
Once healing is complete, the focus shifts to food relationship, habits, environment, sleep, movement, and goals you actually care about.

Restriction is temporary.
Support is long-term.
And your voice matters in the process. 💛

I’d love to hear your thoughts—patient or provider.
Does this approach resonate with you?

01/07/2026

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released today.

And honestly?
There are things I like.
There are things that really surprised me.

One thing I do want to say clearly:
Even if someone followed these guidelines perfectly, it does not guarantee prevention of chronic disease.

Food matters. Nutrition matters.
But biology, genetics, environment, stress, access, sleep, medications, and life all matter too. I wish we were more careful about the promises we attach to food alone—because when disease still happens, people tend to blame themselves.

And that’s not fair. Or accurate.

These guidelines are written for the general population—not for your medical history, your surgery, your medications, or your relationship with food. When we try to translate them without support, things can get confusing fast.

That’s where personalized guidance from a dietitian really matters.
Not more rules—but context, compassion, and care that actually fits you.

More thoughts to come when I have time to unpack it all.
For now, just know this: you’re not meant to figure this out alone 💛

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5505 Foxridge Drive, Suite 105
Mission, KS
66202

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