Tabitha Johnson

BariBoss: From Car Crash to the Stage

In January 2017, my life took a turn I never saw coming. I had spent most of my adult life trapped in a cycle of weight gain and loss. I tried every diet imaginable, losing 50 pounds only to gain it back again. In my adult life, running became both a tool for my mental health and weight loss—it kept me grounded, helped me manage my weight, and gave me a sense of control. But all of that changed after a terrible car accident.

My back was left in a fragile state. Every doctor I saw had the same recommendation: “You need to lose weight, and your back pain will improve.” But I couldn’t run to lose weight anymore, and that sent me into a downward spiral. Without running, I felt lost. The depression set in, and I found myself sitting on the couch as life passed me by. I couldn’t even lift my daughter without pain.

I was stuck—physically and emotionally. I needed a change, but I didn’t know where to start.

Not long after, I coincidentally ran into a friend who had recently undergone bariatric surgery. She shared her experience, and it opened my eyes to a new possibility. I began researching and, with the support of my doctors, was approved for the surgery. The process started, and by January 2017, I was on my way to reclaiming my health.

After the surgery, the weight began to come off, but I quickly realized that the surgery wasn’t a magical solution. While my body was healing, my emotions were a different story. Without food as a coping mechanism, I felt lost again. I had to learn a new way of living—a new way of dealing with emotions that no longer revolved around food. I went through constant learning to understand how food could be my medicine, not my nemesis.

Determined to turn my struggles into something positive, I created my health coaching business, BariBoss.

My goal was simple: to help others who, like me, were navigating the emotional and physical ups and downs of life after bariatric surgery. I wanted people to know they weren’t alone and that their journey didn’t have to be filled with confusion and uncertainty.

One of the most transformative experiences of my post-surgery life was competing in Summer Shredding, a fitness competition that pushed me out of my comfort zone. When I saw the pictures of myself on stage, I couldn’t believe it. There I was, standing under the lights, feeling strong, confident, and proud of the person I had become. It was a surreal moment that brought me to tears.

Since then, I’ve found an incredible community of people who understand the challenges of bariatric surgery.

This community has become my family, offering unconditional support and understanding. Walking into the gym now, I feel a sense of belonging that I had never experienced before. For the first time, I truly feel like I’m living, not just existing.

The surgery changed my life, helping me gain control, find purpose, and build connections that would last a lifetime. The journey wasn’t easy, and there were many highs and lows along the way, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. This community, this family, gave me the strength to keep moving forward. And now, I’m proud to say that I’ve found my place, both in the gym and in life.