Ep 44. The Real Cost of Being a Bariatric Patient (And Why Everything Tastes Like Cardboard)

Let's talk about the elephant in the room that nobody warned you about before surgery: being a bariatric patient is EXPENSIVE. And not just in the obvious ways.In this episode, Hannah and Steph get real about the hidden costs of bariatric life in Canada – from $60 bottles of Fairlife protein to the mental load of meal prepping for work trips. They're diving into why it's so damn hard to hit your protein goals when chicken breast costs $42, why most protein products taste like cardboard (sorry not sorry), and how grocery shopping has become a strategic mission of hunting down that magical 50% off sticker.But it's not all doom and gloom! They're also sharing their best tips for making it work on a budget, from protein prep strategies to finding the rare products that actually taste good (shoutout to Built Bars and Vector cereal for being the real MVPs).Plus, they're calling out the good food/bad food nonsense, discussing why sometimes you just need to eat half a real muffin instead of a $12 protein one, and announcing their plans to test all the viral bariatric recipes and products YOU want to see.Whether you're pre-op, post-op, or just bariatric-curious, this episode is a refreshingly honest conversation about navigating the financial and logistical realities of life after weight loss surgery. No sugar-coating here – just two friends keeping it real about the struggle bus that is trying to eat 80+ grams of protein a day without going broke.Topics covered:The shocking cost of bariatric-friendly groceries in CanadaMeal prep strategies that actually work (and won't make you cry)Why protein products taste terrible (and the rare exceptions)Traveling as a bariatric patient without losing your mindThe one-bad-day-won't-ruin-everything pep talk you needed