Product Review: Bariatric Mindset Book Bundle

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First things first, Bariatric Mindset = Kristin Lloyd Moussa.

Kristin Lloyd Moussa = a post-op who had her surgery in 2013.

Kristin Lloyd Moussa also = a licensed therapist.

So let’s put this all in perspective, shall we? She’s a long-term post-op (so she knows the up’s and down’s of life after surgery) who is also educated in how our minds/thinking work.

Just in case you didn’t come to the same conclusion as me, that means she really gets this.

And I’m not saying other therapists don’t get this. But there’s a certain extra layer of knowledge that comes from actually living the bariatric life. Of getting on the table, having them rearrange your guts, trying to learn how to even eat – much less like – food again, and the struggle of maintaining and regaining.

I’m excited about this review. Let’s get to it.

The Bariatric Mindset book bundle: what the hell is it?

I didn’t know myself until this past summer when I was at the Obesity Action Coalition “Your Weight Matters” convention. A friend of mine had a conversation with Kristin and told me, “You’ve got to meet her!”

Now I was getting around to her. Truth be told, Denver kinda messed me up. (The elevation along with hormonal stuff just had me feeling all types of crazy!) When I finally did get to stop by Kristin’s exhibitor booth, she had stepped away! We had a few more hits and misses and then I finally met her. And I’m really glad I did!

Even before I knew she was a therapist, she seemed like the type of person you could talk to for hours. So when she told me what she does, it all fit!

(Yes, this is a long story but, I promise, I’m getting to the point!)

So after chatting, and telling her about what I do here at Bariatric Foodie, she actually gifted me a book set to try out, with the promise that if I had any feedback to please let her know. Thank you, Kristin!

The bundle comes with three books:

Along with Kristin’s online coaching programs, these books give bariatric post-ops the tools they need to wade through all the mental muck that, yes, does follow us through the recovery room and back into our lives after surgery!

What’s in the books?

As I said, the Bariatric Mindset Success book takes you through Kristin’s struggles with her weight and eating issues. But it also lays out strategies against the most insidious mental hurdles we go through after surgery such as:

  • Self-sabotage
  • Negative self-talk
  • Learning self-compassion and self-love
  • Recognizing your triggers to overeat

Kristin also offers some very practical advice on subjects like how to tell if you are ready to date after weight loss surgery and dealing with naysayers.

The book is 278 pages, cover to cover, but it’s not a dense read at all. Because she weaves in bits of her own experience, it reads more like a conversation than an instruction booklet, which is good. If it had read like an instruction booklet, we may not be here right now!

The three-month accountability workbook is organized to help you set monthly goals, then break them down by week, and even hold yourself accountable. The monthly planning section gives you space to make goals for the month with regards to fitness, habits to build and habits to break. Then, for each week, there’s a pre-weekly check-in, where you lay out where you were at the start of the week, a weekly meal planner (complete with shopping list sheets), a food, vitamin and activity log and, finally, a post-weekly check-in to hold yourself accountable.

I have to admit that when I’m at the top of my game, I much prefer paper workbooks than doing things online. Something about writing with my hands creates a whole different experience for me (science has reasoning for this but I’m too lazy to look it up at this writing!).

The Rediscover You Journal is more than just a journal. You see, just a journal would be a book with some lines in it. Instead of doing that, Kristin gives you prompts to write about. 75 to be exact! Which means that this journal will last you about 2.5 months if you journal every day, and more than a year if you journal weekly.

I gave both the workbook and journal a whirl. The workbook I’m going to have to come back to. Circumstances in my life led me to make many excuses not to plan. (Notice I am owning this fully!) but what I did use of it was very helpful. I personally get a kick out of filling things in on paper. My downfall was with the parts the workbook can’t do for me. Namely, grocery shopping!

The journal I love, love, love! I am a writer by trade. (No…honestly, I am! I have two degrees in it and everything!) As such, I love to write by default but I’m not always the most self-aware person. Kristin’s questions are insightful but also they do really give you a chance to rediscover you. I found myself writing about things I hadn’t thought about for a long time, and remembering things I used to love to do that I’d given up along the way. All in all, the prompts made me want to come back to the journal, and I’m still working my way through it. My only thing with the journal is that I’m an extrovert. So, by nature, if I have a thought I want to share it with absolutely everybody. This journal is also teaching me the value of keeping some thoughts for myself.

The Cost

All three books are available on Amazon. (Yay! Prime shipping!)

Here are the prices:

And just before the writing of this review, Kristin released a Color Your Confidence, Bariatric Mindset Coloring Book! OMG. I’m actually excited to order that one. Coloring has always been a way for me to get out of my own head a bit. It’s called Color Your Confidence and it’s available on Amazon for $9.99.

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