About Bariatric Foodie

Who is Bariatric Foodie?

YOU! Seriously. You’re a Bariatric Foodie and so am I. I’m not the Bariatric Foodie, I am a Bariatric Foodie. But that’s not what you wanted to know is it?

So maybe not the most flattering picture of me. But I made you smile, didn't I?

Hi, my name is Nikki Massie. By day I’m a professional writer for a non-profit organization that helps people living in poverty around the world (that sounds very altruistic doesn’t it?). I am also the author of this blog, Bariatric Foodie, and its publications, The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes, The Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Guide and The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book.

So what makes you so qualified to run this blog?

I have no idea. But I do it anyway! But, again, that’s not what you want to know, is it?

I started this blog in 2009 with a simple goal. To help my fellow weight loss surgery patients get creative with their food. Some people are of the mind that you shouldn’t want to enjoy food after weight loss surgery – not me! Since I can’t eat a lot, every bite counts. Trying get the most flavor and nutrition out of every meal and snack led me to what is now my personal food philosophy: play with your food.

Play with your food? What the heck does that mean?

Good question! It means you can have any food you want after weight loss surgery (no, really, you can!), however, you have to keep an open mind about it. What you can’t do is have those same unhealthy recipes with unhealthy ingredients and cooking methods. But I am of the belief that there is no food that can’t be made weight loss surgery friendly! You just have to be flexible about what you make it with, how you prepare it and in what form.

Take a look at my recipe index and you’ll see what I mean. Cheeseburgers become breadless cheeseburger skillets. Cheesecakes become cheesecake yogurt trifles. And on and on. Once you wrap your head around the philosophy it’s kind of fun!

So what surgery did you have? When did you have it? And how much did you lose?

I had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery on January 8, 2008. I lost a total of 155 lbs. Regained 40. Have since relost 15 of that 40. That’s another thing about me – I’m honest to a fault.

Besides all that some random things you’ll notice in this blog. I used to have a blogging partner named Jen. She doesn’t write for Bariatric Foodie anymore but her recipes still appear on the blog and her name is on her recipes. You are welcome to ask Jen a question so long as you understand that when “Jen” answers you, it’ll be me.

I have two children, who I call “the divas” a lot in my blog posts. That’s because as young children they were a bit high maintenance (honest to a fault, I am!). They’re now teenagers and they’ve been on this ride with me the whole time. Their opinions are important to me so I share them a lot. They should be important to you, too, especially if you plan to prepare food for “non-ops” (those who have not had surgery). My oldest is a “picky” meat and potatoes kind of person. When she likes my decidedly un-meaty, veggie-laden recipes I make sure to take note. My youngest is a vegetarian so you’ll find diva-approved meals you can share with vegetarian friends.

So that's me, in a nutshell. Well, not in a nutshell. In clothing. But still me. Welcome!

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve taken the liberty to answer some frequently asked questions below. You’re always welcome to email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com but I’d suggest you consult the list below before you do!

Hey, do you accept guest blog posts?

Sometimes. Email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to discuss. I will say in general if you are a company looking to promote your product, no. If you are a person who wants to share your perspective as a weight loss surgery patient, I’ll consider it. Either way, email me. Let’s talk about it.

Hey, Nik, would you like to try my great product?

Maybe. If you are a company and you’d like me to try your product, I may be open to it. But before you decide if you want to approach me about trying a product you should consult my Advertising & Product Reviews page.  If all seems ok, email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com.

Hey, Nik, why don’t you put calorie counts on your recipes?

Good question! There are reasons. But since I made a blog post about it, I’m going to refer you to that post instead of typing it all here. I’m kinda lazy like that. Oh, also here's how you can figure out the nutrition information for any of my recipes. 

Can I share your recipes with my mother/brother/support group/babydaddy?

Sure! There's a print-friendly button at the bottom of every post. Push it then print as you normally would. You are welcome to print and share as many of my recipes as you like.

Can I put your recipes on my blog?

If you have a blog and make one of my recipes, you are more than welcome to post the recipe YOU used (because I know you'll change it - see how well I know you!) along with a link to my original recipe and a mention.

Is Bariatric Foodie on Social Media?

Yup! You can find Bariatric Foodie (or BF for short) on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+. Join the community and jump into the latest conversation.

Hey Nikki, I notice there are product links in your blog posts. Do you get any kick-back from that?

Yes I do. When there are links to products, if you click through and buy the products from that website, the blog does receive a commission. While I do have a day job, it helps to offset the expenses of the recipe experimentation I do. How does that benefit you? Well, I like to say I make all the mistakes so you don’t have to! If that’s worth something to you, give the links a click and buy, buy, buy!

Do you ever blog about stuff other than food?

Yes. But everything here on Bariatric Foodie has to do with the weight loss surgery lifestyle. I have a personal blog but it’s…personal. It’s not hidden so if you like sleuthing go for it but I’m not posting the link here!

Do you do giveaways and stuff?

Yes, with a heavy emphasis on the “and stuff.”

I do product giveaways all the time but then I also do social media challenges (water/exercise/trivia). I do cooking contests where I give away things for submitting recipes. I do book review contests for folks who put in a review (good or bad) for any of my books. I do a four-week goal setting promotion every February called “The Bariatric Foodie Pledge” where I give away oodles of prizes and I usually end the year with the “Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving” where I give stuff away simply because I like you.

The best way to get plugged into all that is to follow the blog closely. Like BF on Facebook, follow @BariatricFoodie on Twitter, sign up to get blog posts by email (scroll down and look to the right for the sign-up form) or join my mailing list (directly above this text is the sign-up form for that) and you should be good. But just in case you might want to station an unmarked car outside my house (kidding!).

Hey, I have a question you didn’t list. How can I get an answer?

Easy! Email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. Easy, right?