Conference Recap: Celebrating Magical Moments at Bariatric Connect 2024!
December 11, 2024Conference Recap: Celebrating Magical Moments at Bariatric Connect 2024! This past September, the weather was absolutely beautiful in the stunning coastal city of Newport Beach, California, making it the ideal setting for the Bariatric Connect National Conference. The annual conference took place at the spectacular Renaissance Hotel, which provided a luxurious backdrop for an educational, motivating, and inspiring weekend. We were beyond thrilled to welcome enthusiastic attendees from 23 states, as well as from Canada and Puerto Rico.
We are proud to share that 31 scholarships were awarded, 40 brands contributed as sponsors, exhibitors, or as donors of swag and giveaways, and 12 speakers led 2 fitness classes, 6 workshops, 6 sessions, and an enlightening Fireside Chat on the main stage.
The event brought together individuals exploring their weight loss options, many who were in the midst of their journey, informative healthcare professionals and thought leaders, and supportive vendors and sponsors. From the moment registration opened on Friday morning, there was an undeniable buzz in the air as attendees connected and mingled and visited the exhibitor booths and the FREE clothing exchange, setting the stage for an exciting event ahead.
On Fire Friday and Sensational Saturday at Bariatric Connect 2024
Friday morning started bright and early with an energetic Wake Up with Pilates Rise & Align fitness session with Gina Gilland. Then, on Saturday, Bariatric Connect co-host Yelena Kibasova got the day started with a fun Rise & Shine Bodyweight Strength class. Attendees of both sessions were pleasantly surprised to find the Cirkul Team on hand, offering a water station and complimentary bottles to keep everyone refreshed.
Friday’s Welcome Mixer kicked off the conference sessions and workshops where Emcee Dr. Steven Reyes and co-hosts Lauren Sanchez and Yelena Kibasova took center stage, leading icebreaker games and handing out prizes. The mixer sparked many meaningful connections, with attendees reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. The room was filled with a sense of community and belonging. It was a sentiment that continued throughout the weekend.
Moments at Bariatric Connect 2024: Sessions and Workshops
Attendees experienced two full days filled with an awesome line-up of informative and inspirational sessions and workshops. We are so grateful to partner with all of our speakers to bring you the very latest information on lipedema solutions, nutrition, weight loss surgery, medical weight loss, fitness, and important strategies, tips, and tools to care for your mental health.
Key topics included:
- Lipedema Solutions: Inspiring Stories of Surgical Success — Eva Danesh, Lipedema Researcher
- Nourishing Connections with Family-Centered Meal Planning & Prep — Ilana Muhlstein, RD
- Food Addiction: A Personal Story — Dr. Tro Kalayjian
- Beyond Willpower: Combining Surgery & Medication for Weight Loss — Dr. Matthew Weiner
- My 16-Year WLS Journey: From Weight Loss to Maintenance — Yelena Kibasova
- Intentionality & Self-Maintenance: Critical Interventions for Wellness — Dr. Jaz Robbins
- Harnessing Functional Nutrition for Sustainability & Maintenance — Andrea Nakayama
- Conquering Emotional Eating: Strategies for Success — Dr. Heather Gibson
- Your Mind is Not Your Mirror: Tools for a Healthy Body Image — Dr. Steven Reyes
- Staying on Track: Tools to Combat Stress & Build Resilience — Dr. Melissa Bailey
Moments at Bariatric Connect 2024: Fireside Chat
Comprehensive Weight Management — Mind, Body, & Medicine
This year’s Fireside Chat was a standout moment at Bariatric Connect 2024. A panel of dedicated experts and thought leaders engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the treatment of obesity. They explored how a comprehensive approach—incorporating nutrition, psychology, lifestyle changes, medical interventions, and ongoing support—can help achieve sustainable weight management.
Our distinguished panel included:
- Andrea Nakayama, Functional Medicine Nutritionist
- Dr. Tro Kalayjian, Internal Medicine & Obesity Medicine Physician
- Dr. Steven Reyes, Psychologist & Fireside Chat Facilitator
- Dr. Jaz Robbins, Psychologist & Holistic Nutritionist
- Dr. Michael Russo, Bariatric Surgeon
- Dr. Matthew Weiner, Weight Loss Specialist & Bariatric Surgeon
Just got done with an amazing panel with an amazing group of warriors fighting to help people with obesity. - Dr. Tro
Coming Together for Magical Moments At Bariatric Connect 2024
At our national conferences, there are several beloved traditions that attendees look forward to with great excitement. Among the highlights are the Costume Party, Fashion Show, Photo Booth antics, and lots of music and dancing! These events have become staples of the conference, creating lasting memories and fostering a sense of community and fun.
Meet & Greet Costume Party — Sponsored by Total Lipedema Care, Dr. Jaime Schwartz
Friday evening was on fire with creativity! The Meet and Greet Costume Party is always one to plan for and this year, attendees did not disappoint! Lauren came as the The Ghost Movie Pottery Scene and won Most Creative costume, Jon and Maria won Best Duo as DaVinci and Mona Lisa, and Gwen, Randy, Gloria, and Sean won best overall costume as the Richard Slimmins and Sweatin’ Oldies group. There were so many great costumes that it made it pretty darn hard to choose the winners. Magical moments at Bariatric Connect 2024! Check out the Meet and Greet recap, photos, and costume party winners here!
Red Carpet After Party & Fashion Show - Sponsored by Premier Protein®
On Saturday evening, we rolled out the red carpet for our VIP’s, which included all attendees! Our Fashion Show and After Party evenings are a time for celebration and inspiration and they never fail to live up to expectations. Platinum Sponsor, Premier Protein® hosted a fabulous protein bar to make sure attendees were able to stay hydrated throughout the evening. Check out the After Party and Fashion Show recap here!
A Big Shout Out and Thank You to our Bariatric Connect 2024 Emcee and Co-Hosts!
A heartfelt thank you to our Emcee, Dr. Steven Reyes, and Co-Hosts Lauren Sanchez and Yelena Kibasova. Your dedication and support before, during, and after the conference are truly invaluable, and we appreciate you more than words can express. You are key to making our conferences such a tremendous success!
We Have The Best Volunteers Ever!
We are so lucky to have the best volunteers imaginable! Their dedication and unwavering support are the heart and soul of our conferences. They work tirelessly to make sure attendees have a positive and memorable experience. We are so thankful for the enthusiasm, time and energy they bring to each event. Thank you to each volunteer for all you do to make our conferences a great success!
Thank You To Our Amazing Sponsors!
Our conferences would not be possible without the generous and invaluable support of our sponsors, whose commitment and partnership enable us to bring together attendees, experts, thought leaders, and innovators from around the world. We are deeply grateful for their continued support and dedication to the success of our conferences.
2024 Sponsors
PLATINUM
GOLD
SUPPORT SPONSORS
Great times at the @obesityhelp #bariatricconnect2024 Conference! So many beautiful souls showing up in one place to network and create awareness for the stigma against obesity and gain knowledge in healthy lifestyles. - ProCare Health
Thank You To Our Fantastic Exhibitors!
Thank you for making an impact at ObesityHelp’s 2024 Bariatric Connect National Conference! Our attendees loved learning about your products and services.
Thank You To Our SWAG Bag and Giveaway Contributors!
Your support made a difference, and we’re so grateful.
Hear from Bariatric Connect 2024 Attendees!
My first time experiencing the amazing ObesityHelp.com Bariatric Connect 2024 National Conference… It has been such an encouraging, motivating, and inspiring event! Not to mention I have met some awesome people as well!!! - Tarsha S.
I loved the conference! Loved meeting so many great people! The workshops and sessions were just what I needed! I laughed, I cried a few times! The speakers were all full of so much information!!! I also raided the clothing exchange- next year I’m bringing only donations and hitting the exchange for items to wear there (haha) and I swear I have enough vitamins to last 3 months. I got a new book I’m excited to read! Lots of snazzy swag! I won one of the Cirkul prizes which I am loving! I just got home and cannot wait to see all my new friends again! We are truly in this together! I won’t ever miss a convention in the future! 🙂 I am looking forward to many more. A huge shoutout to everyone who puts this together #bariatricconnect - Darcy H.
Thank you ObesityHelp for this year’s Bariatric Connect National Conference. This was my 3rd year attending and I plan on continuing to attend annually if I can. I call this one of my “Self Care” weekends for accountability and as a reminder that this is a lifelong journey. I look forward to listening in on the valuable sessions, the generous swag bag of samples, talking to vendors on their latest products, meeting new people, and learning the new information on all things Bariatric and Medical Weight Loss. I even brought my son with me for “moral support" and a healthy bribe of checking out the restaurants nearby, especially the AYCE Sushi restaurant not far from the hotel. 😂 - Eds GC
THANK YOU! You are all the best and this ObesityHelp conference was amazing! I enjoyed the classes, the speakers, the amazing volunteers and all attendees! I made some new friends and got to see and hang out with my Sistas! Amazing swag bags, I think It was the best one yet! - Melissa Willalways Loveyou
I had a wonderful time. I got a ton of information that helped me put things together to make a plan to get back on track. I got confirmation that what I’m going through is totally normal. I met a lot of great people who made me come out of my introverted box. I hope to be in a better place financially where I can attend and be able to actual stay on site next year. Oh and the swag bags, the vendors, the samples provided, and the clothing exchange were awesome. - Tiffany P.
I had an amazing time at the ObesityHelp Conference on Friday & Saturday. Loved the Swag Bag with all the items in it; Premier Protein throw, Toni's sugar free coffee flavor samples, vitamin samples, protein samples packets of mixes, liquid form from Celebrate vitamin company, or protein pretzels and going through talking to All the vendors was fun. Love my new Cirkul cup- I choose the flavor fruit punch with my vitamin B's in it. Loved that they had a clothing exchange and the two ladies working it were so nice. Loved seeing all the unique costume's & most of All, I couldn't wait to show off my formal gown I saved from Susan M's wedding as a Bridesmaid. I knew ONE DAY I would fit into it again. Love you All and hope to see you next year. - Melissa B.
We can’t wait to see you all at Bariatric Connect 2025!
We’re already planning an exciting experience for Bariatric Connect 2025! Stay tuned for details, and don’t miss the chance to be part of this incredible event next year.
