Weight Lost, Love Found: A Bariatric Love Story [S2E13]

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
None of this conversation shouldbe taken as medical advice for
you. Before starting or changing any
medical or Wellness treatment, always consult your GP and
medical care team. And you're very welcome along to

(00:28):
another episode of The Dose withmyself.
No, I'm not Belinda you. I'm Paddy and that's Belinda
you. Absolutely have to leave that in
now. Yeah, you have to.
Well, you know, maybe at the weekends, maybe, maybe that can
be my alter ego. That's.
Belinda, my life is bad enough, Paddy.

(00:50):
Oh, but what's the crack? How are you this week?
Good, good. I can't.
I can't. I don't even know what date is.
Paddy, what day is it? Monday.
Monday. It's Monday.
Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Thanks. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Today, we nearly always record the podcast on so we ought to
throw you. I ended up on time today, which
was really good. It was actually early, wasn't I?
Yeah, you were, you were. So for folks that may have

(01:14):
listened before and usually it'sa regular occurrence, just
remind Valinda where where she has to be and when she needs to
be and stuff like that. Yeah, Fairpoint, well done.
Nothing strange, Nothing strange.
My end. What about your end, Paddy?
Sure, Jesus, look at I'm just, I'm just rattling people and
annoying people and tunes usually.

(01:34):
So life is good life is good life.
Is good all of the podcast. That's a whole other podcast.
Yeah, but things are good. And you know what?
I'm really looking forward to this episode of our podcast
because we have guests with us again this week.
And I was speaking to somebody over the weekend and they said
they especially love our podcasts.
Move guests on, I don't know if that means, but they love when
we've guests on because I think,again, it brings that kind of

(01:56):
community vibe and helps people know that they're not on a
journey that's kind of just themand that there's other people
they can relate to and that there's more of us out there on
different types of journeys and stuff like that.
So, eh, Without further ado, Jason and Sue, you are very
welcome to the podcast. How are you both?
Welcome, guys. Thanks, Lillian.
Very good. Thank you.

(02:17):
Umm, so we have been in touch for a few weeks and I missed you
because when Sandra got in touchinitially, umm, it was about I
think you're up in my neck of the woods and Sligo and I only
seen the e-mail a week. I think it was a week or two
after that because not great with, with the whole e-mail side
of things at the moment, just with life.
Umm, but yeah, how did you find Sligo, first of all?

(02:39):
Oh, it's fantastic. Oh, Sligo.
Yes. What is a place?
No, no, her editor like so there's not nowhere like it.
Yeah, yeah, it's class. Belinda, you have you.
Ever been? I've never been.
No. Well, I've never been invited.
Now, Paddy, to be honest with you.
Yeah. Oh well.
So. Moving on.

(03:06):
Moving on. So Jason and Sue, do you want to
maybe give us a little bit of anintro about maybe who you are
and maybe, yeah, a little bit about your back or not.
Don't give too much away becauseyou want to have an intro a
little bit, but maybe just give us a little bit of an intro to
yourselves. OK.
I'm Jason. I'm here living in Carlo,

(03:27):
originally from Leash living in Carlo.
I had a gastric sleeve done in 2021.
So I'm just over 4 years out andI had done in Turkey.
So I had and I had a fantastic experience and I have lost
somewhere in the region about 16stone. 15 stone, yeah.

(03:54):
Stop. Wow.
Oh. My God, congratulations.
Thank you very much. Yeah.
So I yeah, I had my gastric sleeve done and it has the sales
transformed my life is an understatement.
It's given me a life, actually. That's the way I can put it as
some does. It hasn't transformed.

(04:14):
It's actually given me a qualityof life that I haven't
experienced since probably ever.And I can silly stuff, like
really silly stuff like winter pennies.
They can pick out clothes off the shelf and stuff like that.
Like I was my heaviest. I was in an 8 XL shirt.

(04:38):
So I was yeah, my chest, I thinkmeasurement was somewhere in
around 56 inches. I was a big guy.
So yeah, yeah, I ain't gone downnow to maybe an XL2XL type type
scenario now. So I am so yeah, I've, I'm after
having a great successful, eh, journey and I'm really, really

(05:01):
proud of it and really, really happy of what I've achieved.
Like, so yeah, that's me. That's, that's, that's like, I
believe like it's mad when you're talking to people and one
of the things that sometimes sayto you is, oh, that's like a
small child you've lost or that's this or that's a but
Justin, that's a grown adult more than you.
Yeah. Mate, you've lost me.
Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

(05:24):
I know it is like, but like you're gone from simple things
out for you. What now to walk too far now
you're no problem. Yeah, I'll walk over there.
I'll do this and I'm more active.
I'm like, I've gone canoeing. I've I'll go cycling.
Umm, you know I'm doing stuff that trust me a lot who's

(05:44):
talking to talk the odd stormway.
It does not do like it's a bargehe'd need not a canoe like so,
yeah. Yeah, and Jason, you probably
can't even put into words the impact that it's had on your
mental health. I have gone from being on

(06:06):
anything, diabetes tablets, cholesterol tablets, blood
pressure tablets and antidepressants to now take
nothing, barely, barely even take a paracetamol all in the
space of actually in the first six months I was or less couple
of couple of very early in the stage, my doctor actually had me

(06:27):
off all tablets that I didn't need them.
So she did. Well, my mental health, mental
health has changed something unbelievable.
Like, yeah. And I think there's so much
there for us to dig into and find out more about over the
next few out as well. Yeah.
My gosh. And Sue, tell us a little bit of
fish yourself, please. So I'm the choir or one of the

(06:50):
two of us. And so I'm from Dublin, we live
in Carlo. Obviously.
Jason just said that. I had mine in 2022, also in
Turkey, happened to be the same doctor that Jason had his under.
We didn't know each other at thetime and but I had to join over
there, went over on my own. So nobody came with me.

(07:15):
Jason had somebody with him. I went on my own and people
thought I was absolutely nuts. They thought I was crazy.
At that stage I had a disabled badge because I couldn't walk
from here to the front door. I couldn't go shopping, I
couldn't do anything. I had to get assistance in the
airport. Like I literally could not do

(07:37):
anything and I've lost 10 stone so yeah.
Oh, like, unbelievable to like again, no more than just like
that is literally an adult. Like, yeah.
That's yeah, the last. That's unreal.
And so, So what was it? Was it about a year between you

(07:58):
each getting? Your year nearly to the day,
isn't it? I think it's a week in between
something like that. I'm I'm and how long have you
guys been together then? Just almost 2 1/2 years.
Right, OK, OK, so don't worry. You met afterwards, but you were
right and you really rarely you.So you were both still right in

(08:23):
your journeys when you met each other then?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right.
OK. And did you, how did you meet,
was it something in common with the bariatric surgery background
or? Looking at me, what happened?
I know what you're going to say.Tell.
This story. Right before I went from my

(08:44):
surgery, I started fail following.
Somebody called Jason got sleeped so I was following him
for about a year. We met online on an app and we
were chatting away. He was like, look, can I message
on WhatsApp said I don't want anybody know when I'm on this,
like I'm in work and whatever. So I was like, yeah, Grant, you

(09:06):
seemed all right. So then he sent me a voice note
and I kind of went, well, that'sI know that vice.
How do I know that vice from Andthen it clicked with me.
I was like, that's your man. Jason got sleeved so he reckons
I still. Well, you're never going to
admit to that anyway. That is so funny.

(09:30):
So when I met my now husband, Peter, it was about, uh, three,
2-3 months after I'd been on thebiggest loser.
And I met Peter online as well. And we had never spoke about
anything. Like none of that had ever been
brought up. And then the first time I went

(09:52):
down to his, his, uh, where he did what his parents are like,
oh, we all used to watch on the telly and like, and I was like,
I, yeah, now it's all coming out, Peter.
So Peter had been watching you on the.
TV. Never ever come up in
conversation or anything whatsoever like that.
So yeah. Yeah, that's funny, isn't?

(10:12):
It the joys of the Internet. So OK, no, I want, I want to
know more about this, which means.
So how long were this is like silly, silly.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So like how long were you
measuring that before you met upor what was that like?
Yeah, Oh. Right, Two hours.
Really A. Day.

(10:33):
A day, yeah. You.
Start shopping. Then they met each other.
Like, we live, we live literally6.
We used to live 6-7 minutes awayfrom each other.
Didn't even know that. Thank you.
Like chatting. What?
Yeah, yeah, we're literally fat.Why?
I was living too far. So that's how close he actually.
Yeah, are only up there else, yeah.

(10:54):
Yeah, and. So that's mad.
Sue, when that clicked with you,then you obviously knew about
some of Jason's journey. And Jason, had you known much
about Sue's journey at that point?
No, umm, what happened was in inthe first day we were talking,
Sue said to me that she had madesome massive changes in her life

(11:14):
in the last year and my brain went Oh my God, wouldn't it be
deadly if she had the sleeve or she had bariatric surgery
because it'd be so much easier. And what I mean by that is like
Nuke. Well, for meal, the man is
supposed to eat the big dinner. The girl is interested like in
the old fashioned way. You know what I mean is girl

(11:35):
eats a smaller portion. The man needs to big Porsche.
No big Hardy man, but I was going to be going out with a
girl and I was going to be eating half a side plate and I
just went imagine. And it was later on that day or
at night, and she said to me that she had a sleeve and I was
going, Oh my God, this is absolutely like made like this
is. So, Sue, had it dawned on you

(11:58):
previous to that that it was Jason got sleeved?
Yeah, Well, no, I kind of coppedon in and around just after he
sent the vice note. I went, Oh my God, his voice.
Yeah. Yeah.
That was last. Stories, Yeah, that's amazing.
So and at this point then umm sorry, so had you had your

(12:21):
procedure. Yeah, I had had.
Yeah, I've had a year before. OK.
Where were you in terms of like were you both in a place at that
stage where you were feeling comfortable with how your
journeys were going that they were going successful for you?
Was there any kind of challengesyou were having post surgery or
what was it like for you both? I was having challenges because

(12:42):
I had my gallbladder out, so I had my surgery in the February,
I had my gallbladder out in October.
So people don't really talk about.
Yeah. When you have your gallbladder
out, it's so much harder to loseweight then after that.
So I've kind of really stalled since then and I went on
Ozempic, I've been on Manjaro and then now they don't work for

(13:04):
me. Like they just, I was on them
before I had surgery. Like I I didn't go straight to
surgery. I did try injectables first.
Yeah, yeah. And how long in total did you
spend say on Ozempic beforehand or?
Beforehand as probably about 6-8months on it.

(13:26):
OK, OK. And then nothing.
And then after surgery, was it Ozempic you went back?
On. I was on that for a bit.
Year and a half maybe, is it? Yeah, about a year and a half.
And then it did try Mangero, butthe cost of Mangero is just.
Yeah. It's ridiculous.

(13:46):
Yeah, it is, it's, it's, yeah, it is one of the things that I
know we spoke about before that there's such a huge difference
between even Ireland and the UK.And then again, if you look at
America like it's, it's, it's crazy, like just the the
differences of that and Munjaro then.
So how long did you spend a major?
Are you still in Manjaro or haveyou stopped all those?
Yeah. I stopped Manjaro because I'm

(14:06):
going to go for revision. Yes.
I'm going to go for revision. Explain.
Right. Explain that kind of journey.
To them. So I've had the sleeve, so
that's 8% of your stomach taken away.
So now I'm going to revise that to a bypass.
So that could be bypassing the stomach.

(14:28):
Umm. I just felt the cost of the
Manjaro and injectables and everything.
It was just just wasn't feasible.
And I think particularly if you,if you're not getting that as,
as I recall, like that kind of therapeutic response that you
should be or that, you know, youhope to get from the medication.
And I know it's something, yeah,like when we spoke to some of

(14:51):
like the doctors and stuff that like that before on the podcast
and that like they'll, you know,tell you as well that there is
going to be about 1/3 of people that this won't be effective for
and that that's where the bariatric options will be the
route for, you know, for some ofthose people.
So in terms of what's involved and with that bypass then, yeah.

(15:11):
And the revision, how big of a procedure is that in comparison
to what you had done before? Pretty much to.
Say ask as well, Sue. So you're saying the sleeve you
had 80% of your stomach removed?Yeah.
And now you're going for the revision and that's going,
that's going to bypass the 20% that's left there.

(15:33):
Or there, yeah. So it'll just bypass it.
You don't absorb as well after having bypass.
So you're on a lot more vitaminsand things like that.
Yeah, Failed to me, like people say, I won't be able to eat
anything at all. But food.
To me, I don't get dry out of food.
I'm a real plain eater. I like it.

(15:56):
Doesn't do anything like I don't.
I overeat. Yeah, but that's more
comforting. That's an emotional thing.
Yeah. Where?
Yeah, I think if somebody who really loves their food, yeah,
that might be a problem. But for me, for it's not going
to bother me at all. Yeah.
And I'd love to know like how have you found and are you going

(16:20):
back to the same place in Turkeyto get that done again?
I'm not, I decide now and it's not because I didn't like
Turkey. Turkey were amazing and I was
only there recently as a companion for two other people
who were treated in the same hospital with the same doctor
and got an absolutely fantastic.They even looked after me lovely

(16:41):
and the reason I'm I'm going to go to a European country so I
can use the cross borders directive.
Yeah, yes, yeah, yeah. Makes sense.
Yeah, absolutely. And how have you found or have
you engaged with maybe with the cross-border you've had to, I'm

(17:02):
not sure, but say even back in the early days when you were
going for your initial procedure, is that something
that you would have found you had support from your own kind
of care team here at home as well kind of beforehand or?
Yeah, my doctor was great. My doctor was great too, isn't?
It Yeah, two of them are very good.
That's brilliant. There's never been a problem
getting Bloodstone that you needto send back to Turkey.

(17:25):
Never has never been an issue. Wholly support.
Wholly supported, yeah. For both.
My doctor was a very, very same 100% umm, I came back when I
came back. You come from missile from so
you come back with a folder fullof notes and my doctor, I gave
mint to her when I came back. I think I went back in a month,

(17:46):
three weeks to a month later formy check up.
And she actually I remember her telling me I've actually stood
up last night reading to your notes.
Oh my God, they're fantastic. Like there were, there was tests
upon tests for literally tests for testing, tests like that,
she said. The north and the test they
don't were second to none. But that's our experience of

(18:07):
where we went, like, you know. Yeah.
And that's so reassuring to hearbecause all you hear sometimes
about going abroad to other countries is the horror stories.
Do you know what I mean? Like so I think it's brilliant.
Yeah, yeah, because all people want to do is sensationalize it
on social media and it's all clickbait at the end of the day.
And it's there is horror storieshere in Ireland.

(18:29):
I know there is. And they're never on the
headlines. They never make the headlines.
Yeah, which is? Bad because for some people
their only option because it's not available here so easily is
to go away. They wouldn't be able to have it
any other way. But it's a phenomenal amount.
There's it's a phenomenal amountof money here though, isn't it?

(18:52):
Oh, you're talking like between 60 and 20,000 like.
Thousand. Yeah.
Yeah, that's what I thought because I looked into it as well
over here. There was no way that I was
going to travel, I couldn't afford to take that amount of
time out of my life. We have 3 foster children here
in the house and our, our world and our life is just mental most

(19:15):
of the time. So if I was going to have it
done I would have had to have itdone here in Ireland.
But fortunately, umm, I found the injectables, you know,
before. Like it's something I've spoke
about before is that like aroundthis time last year, May last
year, I was at the point wherebyI thought that bariatric surgery
was going to be the route for me.

(19:36):
Umm, I didn't know a huge amountaround kind of the other
medicated options that were available then.
And it was only through then kind of, you know, finding out a
bit more and doing a bit more research and talking to some of
the doctors. It's like, oh, actually OK, it
might be this thing I can try and touch wood Like it, it's
something that my body respondedto and I'm, I'm forever grateful
for that. But like I, I was there, I was
literally looking at where to go.

(19:57):
What's the cost, like, what's involved?
What's the healing time? All the time of her like just
trying to get into that heads for self.
OK, this might be a route I haveto go.
I never said it anyone didn't say to a single person that I
was exploring this because I wanted to have the full picture
of maybe what to expect for the,you know, yeah, the barrage of

(20:18):
questions and definitely the people who come with, well, they
still come with those now, but it's just medications.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then, so I was going to say
post surgery then Jason, what was your experience like?
It was good. It was freezing.

(20:40):
I froze. I absolutely, Oh my God, you
could not get one. That was the funniest thing
ever. I mean, could not get one and
wrapped up and do this. Now I, I had my surgery in
February 21. So it actually I was freezing
cold, couldn't get warm. And then used to find a very,

(21:00):
very strange eating a tiny bit of soup and being full like
Christmas dinner full type scenario.
You know, it was like, I remember the first bit of soup I
had think I had four spoons of it and I kind of went, I'm
actually full. Like like kind of Christmas.
I'm actually full. I can't believe 4 spoons of soup

(21:20):
and I'm bursting here like what's going on?
And that was a very hard thing to get your head, me head around
that and the cold. There were two major things like
and it was amazing like so. And Jason, were you somebody,
eh, that would have enjoyed their food?

(21:40):
You would have been a foodie or.Were you that it didn't?
Really bother you? No, no, I love my food.
I absolutely I, I still have a steak dinner.
I had a steak and ale pie this evening.
A portion of it. That's the difference.
I can still enjoy the foods. We still go out for dinner like

(22:02):
we were out there last weekend in one of our favorite
restaurant of ours and they're brilliant to us and we ordered a
steak dinner and initially between the two of us.
To bring us out a second place. No problem doing because they
know so. And they know us so well.
And it's like, yeah, no bother at all.
Yeah. And something you can still
enjoy your food. That's the thing about what I

(22:22):
get. People have this opinion that
all you're never going to eat again, maybe for the first
while, you're not going to eat the same food.
You'll never eat the same portion.
And that is a fact. You'll never eat the same
portion. Like I can, I can remember.
Tell us. No, no, go ahead.
Sorry, Jason. Go on.
I can remember, right, the firstChristmas, it was what was 10, I

(22:44):
was 10 months post up and warnedmy mother's for Christmas dinner
and everybody else with dinner plates and they're piled high as
you do on Christmas Day. And I'm sitting there with a
saucer. You know that type.
Literally, I had AI had a littlebit of everything that I wanted
to eat, a bit of ham, a bit of Turkey, a little bit of potato,

(23:05):
Brussels sprout, wherever I wanted, I had a little bit of it
and I was very satisfied. And that's the difference like.
Yeah. So just for the both of you
then, because you've both been through this, when he initially
came out of the hospital and he came home, what was your daily

(23:25):
routine like? Because I, I don't know what you
can and you can't eat. And it's some I remember
somebody telling me something, oh, you can't drink 1/2 an hour
after or before. Or tell us.
About the initial. Like I find that the hardest.
Like I love I have a drink when I'm having something to eat, but
I can't, I just can't manage it.So it's about half an hour

(23:48):
afterwards before you can drink,and then is.
Is that because? Is that because it fills up the
stomach and you won't get the food in?
Or why can't you drink? The the best way you can
describe it is if you think of your tummy as a as a an
hourglass, OK, and you had a small so you're trying to fault

(24:08):
the sand is going down through it.
But if you add water to it, it'll flow through the gap
faster. So you don't get your nutrition
from the food. That's the way it was explained
to me. It was lies.
I was told it's lies I'm telling, but that's the way it
was explained to me, that it wasthe best way to understand it.
Like a funnel or an hourglass. And the the food is trickling

(24:29):
through. When you're getting nutrition
from it the whole time, it's great.
But if you add in water, it'll wash it through and you don't
get and you don't get any benefits.
From the food stops you overeaten as well because it's
not just flowing through you. Yeah, that's really OK.
That is OK. I still to this day find that so

(24:51):
I do. But when you have the what you
have water, so you're allowed sips, water, apple juice and
lactose free milk in the hospital is now and it's
different for how long everywhere.
So that was for the first few days.
Then you go on to a clear liquidkind of broths and things like

(25:12):
that for a week. Then you go on to kind of
heavier stuff like proper soups,Marshalls, really, really yogurt
and great foods, pure yogurts, things like that.
And then you go on to your soft food and then you're on your
salads. It's like wean and a baby.
Yeah, yeah. Just think of having a baby all
over again like that. It's now 6 foot tall.

(25:35):
And but you're it. Yeah, that's funny though,
because recently I had my first experience, maybe I know it'd
have been three weeks ago where umm, I I myself and Peter were
going for lunch somewhere and I the more than that, I wasn't
hungry enough for a portion. Like I knew I wasn't.
I was like, I'm, I'm just going to have something Peter, because

(25:56):
I'm here with you. I'll just get a cup of coffee
and whatever. Like I don't need a meal and
we're going to ask them. And umm, I was like, oh, do you
think like small things like cookies or just something small
like no, we don't have anything like that.
And then I was like, alright, OK.
But then she came back to me. She's like, oh, I can give you
the kids menu if you want. I was like, Oh my God, yes, this
is amazing. Give me the kids menu.

(26:17):
And I was like why have I never?I've never thought of this
before. Yeah, why have I never thought
of this before? To ask for the kids menu in
places like so. Yeah, I've.
Never thought of that either. Yeah, no, totally like, but.
You'll be surprised in many places.
Don't want the Oxford children'smenu?
Yeah. I'm sure because he's you've
probably. Tried loads, have you?
Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

(26:38):
And they tell you, no, no, you have to.
You have to. Be under 13. 13 or something
like that like so you then in fairness so was very good she
would explain to them I've had Barry after surgery I can't eat
a big portion I probably won't even finish the children's
portion and. A lot of places, most places

(26:58):
lecture and then there's been a few that have no way.
So we just leave. But you wouldn't go back there,
would you? No, No.
No. No, you don't.
I'm sure there must be somethingthere though about like the
Equality Act and age discrimination.
There has to be something there if somebody.
Has to do. There must be no seriously,
there must be because like to todeny somebody food on the basis

(27:20):
of their age is shocking. That sense what's happening,
it's shocking like. We party.
We were in a restaurant and my kids were, We is and so my kids
are I4 and there's the three younger ones with me.
Like the young like you're talking.
About 12 at. The time 1214 and 15 said that
then three were with me and we asked for the children's menu in

(27:42):
this fast food restaurant. Quite so it was.
And we actually, they said to us, no, I can't have the
children's menu. So boy said you have no bother
serving my children adult size portions.
But because we wanted to order off the children's menu, you
under the waitress and also the manager has said no, they I

(28:03):
don't have to order off the adults menu.
So that's all right. I said I said my children will
have a child's portion of whatever it was.
That child is going to have a child's portion of whatever it
was. And I said I'm going to have
this burger and them chips. And so we're going to have this
burger and them chips and that little 13 year old is going to
have this burger and that chips.And when the players came to

(28:25):
swap them all around. But that was literally it.
My. Children happy.
Oh, she was discussed, but my children could order.
Yeah, my children could order adult size portions no problem
at all. But I wanted to eat a smaller
portion and Sue wants it all andthere's no pint.
We're wasting food, why would you want to waste it?
So order the portion you can eat.
Like what Patty said, Order something you can eat instead of

(28:48):
wasting the food. So that wasn't allowed, but they
could not bother selling adult sized portions to children.
And this thing like for me, it'snot even said the money of
paying for it. It's like it's going to be a
waste of food that's not going to eat it.
Like just let me get something. But I, I think like no more than
what we're starting to see in the supermarkets where like we
know like the whole high proteinhype has been around for a good

(29:11):
few years now when since like the gym and all that kind of
stuff started getting a bit morekind of sexy in that.
But I would put money on it. They were going to start to see
more say, marketing towards likesay GLP 1 friendly.
Or friendly. Yeah, that kind of thing.
And I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see like restaurants
and similar things do something like smaller portions or an

(29:31):
increase in like the light bitestype options or something like.
That because you're just back from an event, the bariatric
ball over in England, you're over at the weekend and it's run
brilliant. And it's very similar to what we
want to talk about our bariatricbash that's going to be on here
in Ireland. But they organise for small

(29:53):
plates and they do they do a a menu of small plates, small
bites and we're getting the samethe hotel, the collection have
to have agreed to do the same for our events in March to do
small plates. And we were like, they were
like, I order off the starters. Whatever you want to do, that's

(30:15):
absolutely no problem. Brilliant.
Yeah. And like that's like at the end
of the day, they're still makingmoney.
The hotel, Yeah. Or wherever the restaurants and
stuff are going. So it's just, it's just pure
greed. Yeah, it's just pure greed.
So it is which? It is, as you said Paddy.
It's not about the actual cost of the food.
We don't, no one minds paying for it.
It's just you don't want to be wasting food like it's just

(30:38):
pintless. Yeah, yeah, 100.
Percent I I went to I went to anevent on Saturday morning from
10:00 to 12:00 and our lunch wasserved at 12 o'clock.
Now I can barely drink my coffee, umm, before 12:00 in the
morning. And I had the soup.
And then there was this big massive piece of, umm, sourdough
bread with avocado and chicken and strawberries and everything

(31:02):
on it. And I just picked it up and put
it in a take away box, brought it home and had it for my dinner
and had, because there's no way I was leaving it there.
Obviously. Yeah, yeah.
And I I have no shame at all in and I I get it to go box in most
places now and I order. We've done that in a lot, yeah.
Yeah, but I order things that I know that will be OK to eat
like. Yeah, exactly.

(31:22):
The next day for lunch. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You work around it, don't you? You know, Yeah.
And how have you found like, say, I think Christmas was, was
a good example because this yearwas, was my first Christmas with
a greatly reduced appetite and trying to navigate other
people's understandings. And OP, uh, well, maybe some odd

(31:46):
opinions, yeah. But other people's understanding
of what I now needed to eat or didn't need to eat was like I
was constantly saying no, no, give me only say 1 scoop of this
or give me one of that. If I want more.
This is my thing. No, no, give me that.
Yeah, Point more out because it'll only go to waste.
If I want more, I will go back and get it myself.
Yeah, please just give me a small thing.
How has that been for you? If you're out with friends or

(32:06):
family or trying to navigate maybe other people more so
probably. Maybe in the early days when you
had reduced appetite, what was that like for you?
This the early days harder but like people are just used to a
snap. Yeah, yeah, and bit, but all the
time like people who said right,you to work away, help
yourselves and it kind of if we're up my parents and we're
done with your family, Yeah, they kind of go, well, there's a

(32:28):
place, there's all the food, youpick out what she wants.
And work away, yeah. That kind of thing, and that's
it's just about getting the understanding and it's
surprising people. Then you will get people who
stare at your plate and go, what's the hard you're going to
have? And you could be sitting there
and after having a Boston Boston, they could be sitting
the hall in the bed, you know, and it's only a a side plate

(32:50):
worth of food. But to you are temple to me that
is a full dinner and you're happy with probably.
Oh yeah, and it is it. That was probably one of the
biggest things is actually to get your brain around.
They actually don't need the bigdinner plate full of patejos and
veg and meat and so on so forth that I actually am bursting with

(33:10):
a side plate. But I'm still enjoying my
Patejo, my veg, my meat, my whatever Yorks report.
Still taste them all. I can still taste everything,
it's just a portion of it is greatly reduced.
And that's like me now. If we're having say pizza or
stuff at home, my kind of default now is 3/4 to Peter, 1/4
to me. It's kind of just goes, whereas

(33:31):
before it definitely would have been.
I was like I'm taking the big slices.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Small ones, I'll hide them so I won't know I'm having more.
Yeah, totally like it. It's mad.
And that thing you were saying at the start, umm, a few moments
ago about feeling cold, that is something that is so common to.
People that are on. Medications as well, like yeah,
my first weekend again, I was quite a quick responder to the

(33:52):
medication and that's not the norm for for most people that
always kind of stress that's. Paddy would be a super
responder. Like, I mean that within 24
hours. I have never been as cold in my
life. I was there with the heating on
in the middle of summer with, like, a big woody thing.
Yeah, big, massive fleece jumper, another, like, weighted

(34:12):
blanket over me. And it's there, like, shivering,
like it's coming down with the flu or something.
Yeah. So then I was like, I don't
think I have to go to the sauna.I have to go and like spend an
hour in the sauna. Trying to shower, Yeah.
Hot shower? Yeah.
Yeah, it's, yeah, it's crazy. And like I get that every now
and again. I haven't had it.
I haven't had it. I'd say maybe in about maybe two
months now. But randomly I I'll just get

(34:33):
another, whatever it is, whatever's not my body.
Yeah, I will get another burst of like a week or two where I'm
just like Baltic no matter what.And I keep saying to Peter, are
you cold? Like an arm roasting them.
It's amazing. So, umm.
So I have a question for both ofyou actually.
And we've been talking about this, umm, over the past two or
three days in my coaching group and it's about, and people like

(34:56):
the women in my group have just said it's so common.
And I just want to know if it has been for you guys or if
you've experienced this within like managing relationships when
you are on this kind of journey,when you have friends who would
have predominantly been there togo out and eat with or go out

(35:18):
and drink with or just to socialize with, Have you ever
found that those friends faded into the background at all?
No. I think people understand like
you surround your people, which I said with people and you
explain and you try and tell them.

(35:40):
We've also a massive community, bariatric community.
It's huge. And the friends we have met with
in that community is their lifelong friends.
They'll they're nearly family like they're.
Wow. They're amazing people and.

(36:01):
All Irish, all from and now. We've a lot of Irish, a lot of
English A. Lot of English friends as well.
Yeah, English friends like kind of what a strategy you would
have started you to be more involved in the community
before. Yeah.
Your online presence. Yeah, I started off well, like
when I was doing my research, like it was actually some girls
in the UK that I actually went to got all me information from

(36:25):
and was just by pure looked. I happened to make friends with
these two girls and they basically kept sending me all
the information and I looked at their journeys and they answered
any question I had and they werefantastic.
And they still are good. Like one of my Len is one of my
best friends and like we're onlyover with her at the weekend and

(36:47):
only for her. Like that's who gave me all my
information. It was like the company she used
and the doctor she had and all that kind of stuff.
So yeah, we have such great friends in the community that
I've been there. Some of them have been there
since day one night. Brilliant.
And that's something I've spoke with is that like we're talking

(37:09):
with this month that at some point we'd love to do probably
more so like a day activity typething to try and get some people
together and stuff like that saythat follows.
Because it's missing. Podcast Yeah like there's
there's there's there's such a strong umm, I think need and
want for the type spaces you've created and that you're doing

(37:30):
next March as well umm like I. We'll get on to that.
Yeah, I do some coaching with people as well and it's really
fascinating that a lot of the people that have actually booked
in with me so far are like Paddy, there's nobody knows I'm
on this journey and this is my safe space to come and talk
through things. I'm like that sound.
That's no problem. If you, if that's what you want
to use this time for that, that's no problem.

(37:50):
Umm or like even when I'm in town now, like I would guarantee
that it's not a day that I don'tgo into town or going around
town and some company. I'm on that as well.
Yes. I'm like, yeah, yeah, sure, no
problem. Sure.
Come over here, we'll have WeChat.
Yeah. Umm.
So that the importance of community, and it's something
we're talking to Doctor Mccrottyabout as well when we had him on
the podcast. Just that like community, either

(38:12):
physical community and like the community that is around you
physically, like in terms of friends, family, healthcare,
that is so important, but also that almost like tribe idea of
people that get your journey andthey're going through with you
as well. It's so powerful and so, so
important. So it's.
Like it's amazing because like I, we, I met someone actually at

(38:32):
the weekend I met Dean and umm Dean.
I've known Dean the last two years or so and he's, I've met
him at uh, balls, gala balls in the UK and the gala balls here,
previous ones here in Ireland. And I actually found out for the
first time this weekend. He I'm the reason I'm he said to
me, Justin, you're the reason I have lost all my way.

(38:53):
And I went what you on about? He goes, you were the first male
account that I followed. You were my inspiration to go
get, uh, my gastric sleeve done like my battery surgery done.
And he cocked my breath. I will be honest.
I went seriously. He goes, yeah, no, he says, I
can't tell you what you've done for me.
He says watching your journey. Oh, I know it was amazing.

(39:17):
Like, and we've Sue has had people who have followed her and
have asked her for information and I've had people and they've
gone on and they've, I know lotsof people that have gone on and
had back to surgery because of my journey, because of speaking
to Sue and so on and so forth. And it is like party said it's
there's a community there under the radar as such like and

(39:41):
everyone kind of knows everybodyyou know in one breath or you
know someone who's doing this ordoing has doing the injectables
or is do a gone for bariatric surgery.
And when them keeping me hope itdoes be such fun.
Everyone is the same we're. Absolutely.
Going to your bot, your bash, weare so there.

(40:03):
Well, we were anyway, but we're definitely there now.
I can't wait. Even.
Even myself and Belinda like we.We get that all the time as
well. Yeah, especially Paddy been the
male. Of it as well.
Sorry. Yeah.
Well, I think that's one actually.
I was curious to know is that when you were each, I guess

(40:24):
looking into things yourselves and looking for that kind of
online information, which seems to be the default for a lot of
people. To.
See who can they were data did you find it was different like
Sue did you find that it was easier for you to maybe find
other women maybe that were sharing their journey and.
So many. Jason, what was it like for you

(40:45):
then in terms of what's or many?Non existent yeah and the thing
about it or was men if it transpired or was older men, but
no one was documenting their story yeah and it was Oh yeah,
my friend Joe I did and my friend Mark whoever maybe had
this done and I'm going how do we know these people?
We don't know that we cannot find anything online.
So that's why I did so up my my Instagram page for that reason,

(41:07):
because I kind of went there's no men doing like it's it's
something that men also want to be able to do is not a female
only thing or anything like. That and that's when I started
on Munjaro and first of all, it wasn't released in Ireland.
It was like I say early June last year.
It wasn't even out in the UK that long at that stage.

(41:28):
So trying to find other people in general that was just on
Munjaro and even like speaking to some farmers and stuff that
like, Oh, we haven't prescribed this for anyone yet.
And even the initial conversation with the doctor,
they're like, oh, well, it's more so this medication we go
for, but let's talk about it. So I knew I was I was probably
one of the early people who weredefinitely in the Republic at
that stage that was, and everyone that I could find was
predominantly female and all Ukicould not find one other Irish

(41:52):
person whatsoever that was on the same medication as me.
And then I got to know Belinda and we were in similar circles
at the time. Belinda was on Ozempic.
Umm, his. Sense.
Yeah, and stalled for eight months.
Yeah, and but, but like myself and Belinda knew each other from
maybe I'll say July, August lastyear, but we only met up this

(42:16):
year, this year March, February,March for the first time as
well. And it was gas like because that
thing we've known like we talk. Every single day.
Like I usually hear words from Belinda before I hear words from
Peter because I wake up to a voice note from like 7:00 from.
Earth. Teaching about something.

(42:39):
And it's so weird. Like, it's just so funny, isn't
it? Yeah, Belinda hadn't messaged me
the other day, 8:00 in the evening, and the year she got I
was like, how dare you not message me?
What are you doing? He's he's worse than me, mother.

(43:00):
Yeah. So tell us a bit then maybe
about the community that you have now, so you have your kind
of WhatsApp space as well. And and maybe tell us a little
bit then about what is, I know we haven't touched on December
as well, but let's talk about. Your community first.
Yeah, the. Community inside of things that
you're involved with. So we have there's WhatsApp

(43:21):
group there and in that WhatsAppgroup there's it's 6 subgroups.
So there's a W 1, there's a Dublin and surrounding areas.
There's health chat, there's general chitchat surgery,
there's plastic surgery. We some great people monitoring
each of the groups. And so we've we do have a bit of

(43:44):
help because those groups are crazy at times.
Like the amount of chat that go on in those group is just on
rail and all these people have someone to talk to.
It's not just an Instagram page that you follow, it's actual
interaction. So I think sometimes if it's

(44:06):
just an Instagram page, you're just going to look at it.
You're just going to like the posts or whatever.
You don't actually interact backwhere this.
It's just people interacting, people that haven't had their
surgery yet, some people that are going on a plastics journey
because there's a lot of people need plastic surgery after
having their weight loss surgery.

(44:26):
With all the excess skin we don't like, we make sure there's
no magical advice given on us and I know that that's really
important. It's peer LED.
But it's peer LED friends chatting amongst friends like.
Yeah. And that's an interesting thing
because it's one of the things that at times I get really
worried about with some of the Facebook groups in particular

(44:47):
when you see how on moderated they are.
Yeah, and, and some of the misinformation in particular
that's put out there and even onTikTok, some of the
misinformation that that is put out there and like I just like,
Oh my God, it's. Wild.
It's, it's, it's wild. Umm, but that's where and and is
it? Do you have people that are on,
say, medicated journeys as in like say, yeah, yeah.

(45:11):
Yeah, in everybody there's there's over pushed about 200,
50 people and the WhatsApp group.
So I these are people that were this this group was never there
before and it's it came about because people were looking for
somewhere to ask questions. Just general Oh my God, I yet as
anybody else haven't sweat underneath their their loose

(45:33):
skin? Like what are you doing with
that? And silly questions and oh, I'm
thinking of going for surgery. Can anyone recommend or what?
What did you do? What did you pack?
Yes, Since the question, what did you actually bring with you?
Yeah, we actually only had this conversation.
You actually. I heard you were having a
conversation with someone this evening.
Yeah. Make sure you bring a long cable
for your phone charger. One of the most important

(45:54):
things, bring wipes. Yeah.
It was these kind of things. So the the groups then kind of
developed out into where they'rebasically.
Stereo organic. There's no one actually, there's
no one can promote anyone topic.So we have Umm Sandra up the
northwest and she has a little group and at the northwest me

(46:17):
hope and there's. A Cork meet Cork there's like
kind of regional kind of meet ups and stuff, so people just
starting to meet and. Oh, it wasn't.
We're going. We're going to carry Carrigan
show. We're on Friday or Saturday
morning for a coffee. I'm one available to meet us
that no, we're not. I can't.
I can't. I would.
I would, but you know what I mean.

(46:39):
So it's just someone puts up that oh, I'm going to be in a
certain town is running or I'm working up in Sligo is running
one around types I own. So.
That's How I Met Sandra. Even we were working in Sligo
and I said, Sandra, come on, I meet you in in a scrolling and
yeah, like she's been great. Brilliant.
Yeah, so that's how that's whereit kind of started off, just by

(47:00):
an information page about the bash.
And then it was people saying, Oh no, it was kind of getting
very muddled. You know, there was loads of
questions coming in. So then.
Sherlyn came in and our IT. Goddess came in and she said,
well, you know, we can divide this up.
And I was we're going no, why? What do you mean?

(47:20):
Like as well, we can put a subgroup in here and we can say
put medical, medical questions, or we can put in all different
things and meet ups and so on and so forth.
Like it was like, oh wow. And it has literally blown.
This is only going on since March.
April. April.
Yeah, and it has blown up. They just about 250 people and

(47:44):
chit chatting getting information.
That's only a couple of months. Yeah, Oh yeah.
Like we have. He has literally blown up out of
our nowhere and it's amazing to support people get and you have
people coming and go on and you can opt in and opt out of all
the different groups. You don't have to be in the
mall. You know, if you don't want to

(48:05):
be in the Dublin me hope for whatever reason, you don't have
to be. You want to be in the Cork one
or you want to be in the West orthe Midlands or?
You know, see when they're just there's one and for everybody's
links, their insta handles and things like that's a bit now
find each other and and vintage vintage there.
Love it over Vint. I was in, I was in AUK group and

(48:31):
there's been a couple of UKmentsbecause again, oh for reselling
your. Weapons and Irish one.
Yeah, I I was like, I, I don't know.
I know I'm not great. Like there's so many Dings
between the day job and between other bits and pieces.
So I ended up muting it, but there's a couple of things.
One I joined one and then they kicked me out straight away like
a day later and I was like, I haven't even posted anything.
What have I done wrong? Why?

(48:51):
Why have you kicked me out? I haven't done anything.
OK, Yeah. I was like, OK, I'll just, I
won't try again. And I have tried to rejoin it,
but they're like, no, you're bad.
I'm like. And did they tell you why?
No. Oh.
My God, like umm, but then the other one was there's another

(49:12):
one that's quite big that I'm inand one of the settings on it
umm, it automatically downloads like the photos and stuff like
that when someone sends them. So I was going into my photo on
my phone and I was getting theserandom photos of other people
are of like half naked women. And I was like, what is going on
here? Like we're people are putting in
like the way in pictures, you know, and stuff.

(49:32):
Yeah. And then it was because I
realized ah, all these are from the WhatsApp group because I
said to automatically download the photos from SO.
That. Yeah.
My phone too. Yeah.
I bet you do. Yeah.
Do you have a sub? Do you have a subcategory then
for maybe people that are on a GL P1 journey or that have been

(49:53):
right? Right.
So that kind of fits in in the head there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like people are asking
questions. Anybody.
Anna, how are they finding it along Rihanna four Yeah.
What Dosia and you know them kind of.
And is it common then? Is it common for people who have
felt like maybe they've come to the end of their bariatric

(50:14):
journey? Are they their bariatric weight
loss to then go on to the medication I presume it seems to
be. Like it's growing.
Definitely you can. Yeah, as another tool.
Yeah, it's, that's what, Yeah, another tool and another help
and another aid, yeah, to help you get where you want to be.
Yeah, I want to go back to something that was touched on a

(50:36):
while ago because I had a question today actually from
somebody about umm, I'd put up abefore and now knock on it after
because I still have a bit to go, but before and now.
And someone was asking me about oh, how do you not have loose
skin? And I was like, oh, like I did
teach them in the picture. I was like, oh, I said first of
all, I still have fat. I very much still have fat.

(50:57):
So that's why I don't have looseskin because it's still fat
there. But I probably will like, you
know, I've yeah, yeah, 7 stone, 8 gone there or something like
that. So like I would have, if I was
to lose another, I know to stoneor whatever, I would definitely
have skin. Now, I don't know if I'm going
to go that low in my weight because I'm not overly worried

(51:17):
about having a bit of kind of, you know, fat left or that.
But I'd love to know is that something in the future that
either of you would consider like in terms of maybe like the
skin removal surgery or is that stuff you've thought about along
the way? Because I know again, that can
be quite a. Very personal thing, isn't it?
Yeah, very, very. Yeah.
I personally I have a very good overhang.

(51:39):
I have a fair overhang for a belly yeah umm it the only time
it bothers me if you're trying to wear certain clothes.
Do you know that kind of a thingPaddy like my belly is actually
a proper overhang It yeah not godoesn't go down to my groin.
It's an yeah, proper overhang. Yeah.
So if you wear your jeans open underneath your belly and you're

(52:00):
talking to shirt, it can look not great.
And then I'm very, very conscious.
One of my very, very self-conscious.
If the T-shirt are the shortest short to me, belly is showing.
Yes. Do you understand why?
I mean, yeah. Absolutely, yeah.
But do I want to have skin removal Me?
No, yeah, it's not something it's on my bucket list rightly

(52:22):
that like now that could change,you know, yourself like.
But at the moment, no, it's not something I want to do like, but
I am. I know loads of people, male
and. Female.
So many there. Are that I've had that don't
have had some brilliant success stories and yeah, you know, does
it fit like the you get some education in the WhatsApp group

(52:43):
about surgeons and about yeah, your scars and this surgeon and
that surgeon and it's it's fantastic to take advice from.
And I, I know from a male point of view, it is actually quite
hard to get. There's not world of males out
there that I've had skin surgeryand all that like I do know

(53:03):
somewhere we met some of the. Lads at the weekend.
And you know, it's I think it's personating as each of their
own. Some people are more are just
happy to have lost away it. They'll still they'll take the
excess gain as a, you know. I always thought, yeah, I would.
I always thought, yeah, that's definitely I'm going to lose my

(53:25):
weight and then going to have MY36, my FTL, my bill bill lift.
I was having it all. And I've since found out I do
have a bleeding disorder. So to me it's just too
frightening. Fair was I'd be just too afraid
of kind of what happened. And I don't think unless it

(53:47):
caused me major, major issue, which I can, and I know lots of
people who had it done because it was causing so many
infections, things like that, and it was really affecting them
that way. If that was to happen, well,
then maybe I might consider it. Yeah, I'll never say never, but

(54:08):
I don't think it's funny. Have you ever seen umm, obese to
beast in America? The YouTube no.
No. No.
So he is somebody that I would have followed.
He lost like going to say something like 150 lbs, so I
said 11 stone. And he is somebody that has kept

(54:30):
his, he has a lot of kind of loose skin from that.
And he's always kept and he's very open.
He'll do his workouts with his T-shirt off his CrossFit.
He'll put up all his physique pictures.
He's taking part in like physique competition, all this
kind of stuff. But he's somebody that I think
it's really interesting in termsof somebody that actually really
owns the body that they have now.
Yeah. And kind of shows that and you

(54:52):
can still have such great pride in your body, you know, and
again, that idea that bodies do look the.
Journey that you've gone through, you know, yeah.
What We've had this conversationalways we.
Have we've talked a lot We've. Lay in bed like and we've talked
about this and you kind of know your little wobbly bits and you
kind of go on again. You might say I hate that.

(55:13):
Like I like, and I said so I hate the overhang at times.
And so goes, that's your trophy,Yeah, that's, you know, so
trophy for what you have achieved and look what you've
done and what's. The alternative?
What's the alternative? What's the alternative?
Just you coming over? I mean, if you, if you didn't

(55:36):
have that, yeah, if you didn't have it, you wouldn't be here.
Probably I honestly. Believe I began.
Yeah, I used to stand in the mirror.
This, this is mad. I used to stand in the mirror
and like grab my tummy. I still have a tummy to grab the
right, but I'd grab my tummy andkind of just kind of almost
squeeze it and look in the mirror and be like.
And see what you'd be like without it.

(55:56):
If only I could get a knife and just do that.
Just. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What would I be like? What would it be like?
And it's mad like, but I, I havedefinitely spent time looking
into in like, I don't know, I, Idon't as of now more than
yourself, just like as of now, like I'm aware that depending on

(56:16):
how much more weight I lose thatI will have loose skin.
I'm very aware of that. I don't know if it's going to be
something to the extent that's going to bother me enough to
want to have surgery about it. I have looked into some places
like I had surgery in 2011 for gynecomastia.
So I had the essentially male breast reduction.

(56:38):
Yeah. And one of the best things ever
had done. But I do still then have like 2
little bits of like loose, I'll call it loose skin that's kind
of there. So that's one thing that I is.
That from your weight loss now though.
No, no, no this. Is gender.
Now when I was regaining my weight, though, umm, not that
intense I was trying to do, but when I was when my gait was

(56:59):
coming, when my weight was coming back on over the years,
it was something I was so afraidof that I was going to end up
with like full on kind of breasts again.
Like so, because out of my entire body, that was the one
thing that used to all will always make me feel so
self-conscious. Tummy, arms, legs, whatever I
could live with, but it was always my chest.
And I remember I think an my Godwildlife to go and get surgeon

(57:22):
again and yadda, yadda. Thankfully I didn't my, my chest
surprisingly more or less stayedthe same over the years, even
when I was regaining like all the weight again.
Umm, But I do often think, I wonder, like, is there like a
mini little thing that they could just do a little slice
there, just put it down and justlike sew it up again, like, you
know, in a little lunchtime firmhere or something, Umm.

(57:44):
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But it is, it is. It is so personal, isn't it?
You know how you feel about yourown body.
And like, as I was asking, like,the alternative to not having
the surgery, yeah, would be you'd have no longevity at all.
Because I know before I started Monjaro, I had gotten to the

(58:05):
point where I had made peace with the fact that I knew I was
probably going to have very short lifespan because I felt I
will never get rid of this. Wait, there's nothing that's
ever going to to help me no morethan your yourselves as well
guys, you know. Linda, I can actually relate to
you in that one. One of the deciding factors for

(58:26):
me to go get by after surgery was I was in my parents house
and you know, the typical Irish family, you're sitting around
the kitchen table type scenario and funerals come up.
And I, I said, well, sure, you know, I, I said, well, there's
no one going to let lift me. I was over 31 stone weight

(58:48):
pushing close to 32. And I was saying close to weight
have a coffin being I was sayinga couple of stone.
I was saying that's 6 stone for six people.
I was saying, oh, that's going all around figure 36 stone.
That's 6 stone per person want to have to carry.
And I said that's not feasible. And I I love cranes and you
laugh at me and when I talk about cranes, I love my cranes.

(59:09):
So I do big child of her and I had it all planned out.
I sat in the kitchen table, but telling the modern father that
we're going to hire in Mcnally'sbig 17150 tongue crane.
You're going to set up the five lorries that come wait, we're
going to park down the road here.
They want to set up and want to float me in over the over the
church and I can drop me into the grave and I went away that

(59:30):
night. They kind of had to do a cry to
myself. Gone, actually.
You said it jokingly, but it's not actually funny and it's
actually the truth that. You needed to think about that,
Jason. Yeah, that was kind of oh shit
moment. Like I will be on.
Sorry for cursing. That was like an oh shit moment.
It's it's very much a curse. OK, podcast.

(59:55):
But it was though, because like,it was that kind of like
actually, I can't be buried, I can't be lifted.
If anything happens, my doctor had said it to me just like you
are on a sleepy slope like, and my doctor was so good to me that
had so many words in my ear, butI wasn't ready.
And that was a big thing. I wasn't ready to listen to what

(01:00:17):
the medical advice was and all that.
And then when I did and I went and I kind of realized actually
now I want to do something aboutmy weight.
I went to my doctor, spoke to mydoctor.
She was amazing. What was the pivotal moment for
you, Jason? It was that conversation with my
parents, the Christmas, the winter of 2020.

(01:00:43):
So how? Old were you then?
404642 she's. Young.
Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, way too young, Yeah to be
having those conversations. Yeah.
And that was it. Like it was that.
And that was the kind of the actually de Nova.
I don't I think my doctor is right.

(01:01:04):
I'm not going to see the next couple of years like, you know,
42 Yeah, when talk to show you 32 stone, they said to you 8 XL
in a shirt, 54 inch waist in a in a trousers.
You know, I was a big, big guy like and it it was that then it

(01:01:28):
was that kind of conversation and was a off the Cove
conversation, just a home, typical Irish family yapping
about silly things and numerals come up and I made the joke
about the crane had to lift me in and I kind of went home and
that kind of actually, do you know what?
It's not I laughed at, but it's that wasn't funny.
It wasn't a funny thing like, but it was a great way of

(01:01:50):
covering up at the time was to laugh about it.
But I did go away thinking that it's sad.
And would up to that point, Jason, would family of friends
ever have tried to have a conversation with you about your
waiter, about concern about it? Would yeah, it's fairness like
I've had some very good friends in in work and I had my parents
were in the best way possible, if that makes sense.

(01:02:15):
It's a very hard conversation tohave with Someone Like You know,
so my parents were excellent in that sense like the war very
good. Like I tried other ways, I tried
dieting and on so on sports. Like I I can tell you that I
went from 24 stone down to 18 with Slimming World.
So I did and then some personal stuff happened and I literally

(01:02:38):
ballooned in from 18 and I just kept climbing and climbing and
climbing and I said I hit just show you Turkey toast on then.
So I did and that was it. Then the number never bothered
me. Don't have to get claws out the
world. They're not stylish like.
You're still not stylish. But that that in itself is a

(01:03:04):
whole journey off. And we were speaking to with
Sarah Lyons, who's like a personal stylist on on recently.
And even that though trying to figure out, OK, I've got this
new body, how do I dress this new body or what colour suit me
or what materials or what do I like?
Because you have choices now as opposed to just taking whatever

(01:03:25):
is the thing the furthest at theback of the rail.
Yeah, you can. And goes up to that size.
You're like, oh, there is thingsin pennies.
Like same for me. That's one things like I was in
over the weekend and I got this T-shirt now ironically, it says
Krispy Kreme on it. But I there's some irony there,
definitely. Yeah.
Yeah. But then even like both these

(01:03:45):
kind of cargo trouser type things that have gone and
there's still that thing of likeall will be Excel will be a
what? And I was looking at the medium
and I was sounding like iron up the medium for a long time.
And I was like, hmm. Will I?
Elasticated waste and will I tryit and oh God, and I was like,
I'll try the medium. I'll see and she'll come home

(01:04:06):
and like, they're, they're, they're, there's room in them.
Do you know what I mean? Like, so it's umm, yeah, that,
that size, that's a journey in itself.
That's a whole journey in itself.
But you do still pick up the bigger size.
Yeah, it's like. You still do that, do you guys?
Yeah, yeah, same. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that won't fit. That lever go.
That won't fit me. That won't fit me.

(01:04:26):
And so it's and I'll get that get get the large and go.
No, no, no, no. I have to go to the very back to
Yeah, and she'd go. No, Jason, like it's like
anything like your partner Paddywill see will say to you, no,
no, you just need this and you're going.
No, no, no, I need actually thissize and Linda, you'll be the
same like yeah, so can see it meand I can see it.
So hard, but you don't believe it yourself.

(01:04:47):
No, that's it. Like, yeah.
But you know what I I always tell this story and my mother
will kill me because she does listen to these.
But and she'd be telling me not to say it, but she did this to
me for years. You'd be in like pennies or done
stores. I should be over at one rail and
she'd say, Belinda, this is huge.
Come over. This will fit you.

(01:05:07):
How would you shut the fuck up, mother excuse.
Yeah. Absolutely no intention of being
harmful or anything like that. Absolutely no.
No fucking clue, life. So let's talk a bit then about

(01:05:31):
the bariatric bash, OK. So you've touched on that.
Obviously you're over recently at an event in the UK.
We've kind of alluded to that there is an event happening in
March in Ireland. So tell us a bit about, I guess
we've touched on a little bit a bit more about the idea and
yeah, what's happening. Yeah, so Bariatric Bash has been

(01:05:51):
in Ireland three years. There's been three years of it
already, annual thing, like oncea year, once a year.
Yeah. The guys that were running it,
they had other commitments, etcetera, and they were stepping
down and we just, we knew how much we loved it.
I know how much all my friends love it.
Jay's friends love it. So we were like, no, we can't

(01:06:14):
let this go like this can't. This is how disappear.
So we said, right, what we do, we take it over.
And the Jews kind of went, ah, yeah, we will go on.
So the bariatric bash is happening in the Collection
Hotel. It's the 7th of March.

(01:06:34):
We're kind of doing it a bit different.
They had done it a little bit this way before.
But there's a lot of people who don't want to drink or don't
want to be around kind of the party end of it.
But they want the the information, they want the
social. So during the day we've all

(01:06:54):
guest speakers. We have style, We've somebody
coming in dressing people telling you what to wear.
We've what have we got juice. We've so much kind of organised
for the day. It's a big, it's a day long
event. We have a glam room and it's
going to have beauticians. It's going to have our makeup

(01:07:16):
art, it's going to have hairdressers in it.
So you'll book in and you'll youhave a.
Photographer, you should. See.
When photography. Have photographer.
We have a professional photographer coming in with two.
Professional photographers coming in.
We have, yeah, a photo mirror. Yes.
We have big backdrops, big backdrops, loads of photo

(01:07:41):
opportunities. Because you spent so long not
taking photos of yourself. Yeah, but you know what I mean.
Like, and then for the men, there's going to be a Barber
there if they're like trying thelast minute haircuts or shaves
or whatever. So that's all during the day.
And then there's the evening event.
So we do have, do we tell peoplewhat we're having?

(01:08:03):
So we've a surprise entertainment and that'll kick
off the night. Then we've brilliant DJ coming
in. There'd be food, we done buffet
styles. So eat what you want, don't eat
what you want. We're going to have an area like
a chill out area that's away from everything in the hotel

(01:08:23):
because it can get people can get over stimulated and they can
kind of get, oh wow, what's going on?
And so we have a little area forthem people and it's just going
to be 1 big get together the Friday night loads people are
coming just to sit around the hotel, chat, chillax, just meet

(01:08:46):
each other because those people come to these things on their
own. I mean, you'd encourage people
to come on their own, like if it's only if you don't know
anybody else who's had this comeand meet other people that have
had it. Yeah, I think that's brilliant.
Again. The Friday night, Paddy, is the
night where everyone kind of comes to come down to the
reception to come down that'll be to the bar.

(01:09:08):
They get coffee to get a drink, whatever your takes your fancy,
but you're literally just sitting around chatting like
what we're all doing here. Yeah, it's just swap and war
stories and how much if you lostor.
Show us your before picture and.It's not, oh, I'm not, I haven't
had my surgery yet. I'm going to so such a place.

(01:09:28):
And oh, I had my surgery with that lad and yeah, or that girl
or whoever it may be. And it's getting to know people
because we all follow people. Let it be on podcast, let it be
on social media or wherever it may be.
I never get to talk to that person and sit down with them
and have a conversation. And it's one of the nicest
events in the world is that sit down at casual chat.

(01:09:51):
And as an associate, there's loads of days stuff organised
for the Saturday and then the big one, the ball, the bash
where you get to go lambed up, nifty shave and Patty, you know
what I mean? Haired Dawn, nice suit talks,
you know. Hello you Garrison, do what you
do exactly after each other hereor something?

(01:10:13):
Like that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
What it is like for me it is thethree piece suit.
It is. I never want to wear a three
piece suit when I was big. You don't mean you don't get
stuff that side. So now it is the Tide, or it's
the Tide that did waistcoat the nice fitted jacket.
So you're talking glam like ball?
Glam as. Well, it's whatever you want to

(01:10:37):
wear. OK, your glam might be different
to my glam etcetera. So it is what and.
And ever you're comfortably. And there are three people
there. And that's why I love it so
much. It was one of the first time
that actually got to get lambed up.
Yeah, you know where And there'sgirls there that they did.
We've met so many girls over theyears and said to you, actually,

(01:10:58):
I've never got to wear a dress. Yeah, I had one late one, a
friend of mine who knows anothergirl who had had surgery and
they're actually coming from Scotland.
Wow. Friday event and she had told
her that she never wore a dress on her wedding dress.
Yeah. Do you know?

(01:11:18):
And she did. She did then and I'm so excited
to meet this head. Yeah.
Wait to meet her. Yeah, it's, it's it's mad like
just when you get to create a space for bringing people like
that together, like I can imagine for for you folks, for
you both, it's like just going to be like, wow, we and

(01:11:40):
obviously I know your team helping you, but like to get to
create that space because even that's even just one-on-one when
I get to sit in chat with somebody in like a caution
session or that was just like, Oh my God, like this person's I
know a day or life for a week, whatever feels a little better
just from this interaction or soto get you that in a mass scale
with like loads of people in such a positive way in such a
safe. Space, yeah.

(01:12:02):
It's his dad like that, where everybody's in the same journey.
Everyone is kind of like you say.
Iran, are you thinking about, have you had this on
injectables? They like whatever your
bariatric journey. And they're also on the same
wavelength is I don't know what is suits me.
I don't like this closer and like them the the the ball at

(01:12:23):
the weekend one the girls brought 5 dresses yeah because
one of the other girls wasn't sure what dress she wanted so
she said I'm bringing 5 I'll bring 5 of mine which and we can
play a swap around and the most story from your girls literally
girls going around giving dresses to different people and
trying on different ones but. Because those girls would never
have had the opportunity to do that in their life.

(01:12:44):
Belinda, will you bring a few dresses for me to try on?
I will, buddy, but they absolutely will, yeah.
I shaved the legs that weekend. But listen, is there?
Is there somewhere where is there like a?
Facebook group that they people can go and find out all of the
information about it or where are we going?
Yeah, Bariatric Bash Facebook group.

(01:13:05):
There's Bariatric Bash Instagramnow they are quiet at the
moment. They're not, they're not even
with information and activity atthe minute.
The place where most activity isis the the WhatsApp group.
So if you log on to Instagram orFacebook, you'll get the link to
the WhatsApp group and we'll admit you into the WhatsApp

(01:13:25):
group there and and it's a greatway to start meeting people and
gain your confidence in in going.
And get to meet some of the people that you'll probably meet
like that at the event and more than, as I say, when myself and
Belinda were meeting for that first time down in Limerick, it

(01:13:46):
was just like, even though it's the first time we were meeting
in person, we had spent so much time talking that they've just
like meeting an old friend. That's it.
That is it exactly. What it's like.
But it's also like it's like people bringing partners with
them that are non bariatric. Yes, yeah, we have friends in
Kilkenny and her partner comes up with her and he has a ball

(01:14:08):
for the whole weekend. He's meeting people like he says
down with us. He has a couple of drinks.
We watched the rugby matches. Maybe if the Six Nations are on
or you know, and he's chatting, he's meeting other, uh,
partners. So he's who are not, who
haven't, who were supporting their, their partners in the
sport. And that's a different type of

(01:14:29):
journeys like you, like your partner is on a different
journey. In this.
That you are. You are.
Absolutely. Yes.
He's sharing your journey as well.
Like so, Yeah. Like Peter come home.
Umm, yes, Sir, from Dunn's. And I would say 80% of the food
that he had bought was like highprotein foods, because all he
hears me talking about is yeah, like protein, protein, protein,

(01:14:51):
protein and fiber and stuff likethat.
And that's, that's like lovely. You know what it is?
Yeah. And it's those kind of little.
Umm and Sean is on, Sean is on Ozempic.
I've had him on Ozempic with a long time now.
Yeah, he. Didn't have a choice.
Did you realize that he's on it?Does he?
Injection there he did he. Didn't for the first a couple of
months, but he's glad now. And these cornflakes.

(01:15:15):
So again, for folks, if they go to the Bariatric bash Instagram
or Facebook, they'll be able to find out about joining the
WhatsApp there. Yeah.
And then once from the WhatsApp,that's where there's more
activity and they can find out the more so.
Then the link for the tickets and everything is on that as
well, yeah. Cool, speaking about bashes and
stuff like that, is there a little bit of a bash happening

(01:15:36):
in December as well? There is a little.
Where it's going to. Be like, Oh yeah, Lily one.
Tell us a little bit more of this.
Oh yeah. Let's go say party.
I honestly don't. I forgot.
It is a party. I know that's exactly what it's
going to. Be some party.
So we're getting married in December.
Get married. When is it the 27th 20?

(01:16:00):
Seventh. Yeah.
Perfect. Lovely.
Day it's going to be snow on that.
You'll have a lovely white. Day would it be amazing?
Mad. So amazing.
Yeah. That's.
Congratulations guys. Guys.
How long have you been? How long you've been organizing
it now? Since January.
Lovely, brilliant whole year. You need it.

(01:16:21):
You need it. Yeah, when myself and Peter were
organizing ours, that was the exact way we kept thinking.
But it was not a party. It's a party.
Yeah. Any other thing, it's just it is
a party. People come together for a bit
of a grob and bit of a dance that's literally like.
And it was, yeah, it was the best day.
That's so exciting and how are you finding that journey, say,
in terms of, I guess looking at things like, say, the clothing

(01:16:43):
side of things? Dresses.
Then even the menu and stuff like that, like how's that been
for you? The menu part it.
Really has amazing. It was so funny because we
actually explained the wedding coordinator what we had done and
she goes, yeah, that's perfect. She goes, that's grand.
She's we'll just dress your plate.
It looked the very same. Everybody else's, it looked no

(01:17:04):
different. No one will even know that
you're on a smaller size or anything like that.
So it'd be grand. And it was just as casual as
that. That's.
No problem, no problem. Yeah, it was fantastic.
Yeah. Yeah, that's really good.
Yeah. Is that you guys?
That's us. Yeah.
Yeah. And then I get the clothes side
of things. Or like, is that something that
you're, I don't see worry about?Is that something that you're

(01:17:26):
looking forward to, or where's the headspace out in relation to
your outfits? For that, well, I'd have my dry
got my dress a while ago. OK, and well, yours is this and
that was really weird. Like I've been married before
and my dress before has to be made.
I couldn't couldn't fit into anything, sorry.

(01:17:48):
There's a moth flying are. You.
Oh my goodness, I can see it. Yeah, so like the last time I
just, I got a dress made. It wasn't happy with it just
wasn't that I wanted this time. I'm absolutely in love with my

(01:18:10):
dress. I can't wait to dress up.
Oh. Sue, I'm just so delighted for
you. That's fantastic.
So we haven't got your suits yet.
He's all right. Into into.
That's good. The weekend before even Grant.
No, no, no. We'll.
Go a little. More we'll go down to.
Detail here and Carl and the boys will look after me.

(01:18:31):
I know they will like. So that's like it'd be a nice
suit. That's what I want.
It's yeah, just a nice, you know, you know yourself, you
know what you want to wear. Yeah, it'll be a nice suit.
Nicely head. Yeah, I love a three piece suit.
It is, yeah. I think it's one of the
classiest things that Fedequariais just like a nice three piece
suit and. A nice pair of shoes, yeah, and

(01:18:53):
a crisp shirt. And yeah, there's not a nice run
of that. Yeah, that's brilliant.
I agree, yeah. But Linda, you have any other
questions or anything else? Had loads, yeah.
But we I had questions to ask and then we just kind of
organically just floated into the answers to them anyway.
So yeah. So Belinda is the one that's

(01:19:14):
always organized with questions,and I am the one that's like,
Nah, Beckett, let's just chat. And then he gives me anxiety
because I think what Like, am I the only person with questions
coming in here now? No, I, I, I.
Sounds a bit like us too. Yeah.
Basically be like, that's fine. I'm like because I need to know
what's going on. Same, same.

(01:19:35):
It's. Going to ask you actually have
you any honeymoon plans made or?Not yet.
OK, we're on TikTok. We're looking and.
Like a genius grown. I don't know what to do.
Oh, it could be in his grown, yeah.
That's where I got married. Wasn't in his grown.
Well, that's this. Yeah, yeah, in.
Those my dad's family are from in his grown so yeah.
Yeah, it's like for years, like both myself and P in his grown

(01:19:59):
has just been some we've always gone to, we've loved.
Obviously we're blessed where welive here.
But like in his grown just particularly the ocean sands is
just. The, the scenery, the views, the
vibe and everything. So it was like a no brainer
first. And we were looking at venues.
It was like, OK, well, let's let's check out ocean sands
first of all. So it was the very first place
we saw. And in the car on the way home,
we were like, OK, let's think about it this way.

(01:20:20):
Is there anything we were hopingfor that that venue is not
giving us? Yeah.
And we're like, no, no, we, we know what we know the staff, we
know all that's for like, are wedoing just are we really doing
this? And yeah.
So the rest is history as the asthe.
Where are you guys getting married then?
Locally, like Salah House. Is that in Carlow?
It's in Wicklow. It's not far right.

(01:20:42):
Yeah, yeah, it's nice. The road.
Lovely. Lovely.
It's beautiful, part of the world.
Peter's from Wicklow, so it's like, and I lived down, we lived
in Wexford, Wicklow can area formany, many years.
So yeah, it's lovely, Yeah, beautiful down there.
Oh, so it's been so brilliant talking to you.
Just thank you so much. So good, yeah.
Really, really appreciate it. Love hearing your own journeys

(01:21:04):
and kind of where you are now and kind of the the kind of
journeys you have ahead of you and stuff like that.
It's just been amazing. And again, forever to go and
check out the barrio bash on Instagram and on Facebook, go
and join the WhatsApp group and then you'll find out more there.
And I'm sure it'll be chatting to you beforehand.
But like, so like the next that's like what, 8-9 months?

(01:21:25):
There's like so much excitement for you there, like, which is
amazing. Only dizzy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is not all the way.
Would you have it though? It's great, it's fantastic.
That's it. Yeah, but thank you both so much
and fair play to you both on allyou've achieved.
So, uh, like so far as well, like that's just amazing.
And I'm sure that there's going to be people that are listening
to this now. They will equally feel inspired

(01:21:47):
or feel connected to know that they have had similar journeys
and that it's not just them. So like.
And people. Sharing it.
Yeah, and people that will feel motivated now after listening to
this as well, you know? Yeah, yeah.
Thanks so much for coming on guys.
We. Really.
Really. Appreciate it.
Yeah, welcome. Thank.
You very. Much.
Thank you so much. None of this conversation should

(01:22:07):
be taken as medical advice for you.
Before starting or changing any medical or Wellness treatment,
always consult your GP and medical care team.

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