About Me
Hi, I’m Jackie — and no, I did not wake up one day magically loving salads.
If you’re here, chances are you’re trying to lose weight, get healthier, survive bariatric surgery, or simply figure out how to make a protein shake taste like something other than disappointment.
Same.
For most of my life, I was the person who always intended to “start Monday.”
You know the one.
I tried diets.
I tried “lifestyle changes.”
I tried buying healthy groceries and then somehow still ending up with takeout.
More than once.
Eventually, after years of struggling, I made the decision to undergo bariatric surgery—a choice that completely changed my life.
But here’s the thing no one really tells you:
Weight loss surgery is not a magic wand.
It’s a tool.
A powerful one—but still just a tool.
The real work comes after.
It comes in learning how to eat differently.
How to think differently.
How to build habits that actually stick.
How to survive stalls without losing your mind.
How to celebrate progress that has nothing to do with the scale.
And how to keep going when motivation packs its bags and disappears for three weeks.
That’s why I created MyHealthyNewLife.com.
Because when I started this journey, I wanted more than generic advice and unrealistic “just meal prep and love yourself” wellness content.
I wanted:
- Real-world bariatric advice from someone actually living it
- Recipes that don’t taste like punishment
- Honest talk about the mental side of weight loss
- Practical tools and trackers that make life easier
- Encouragement from someone who understands that this journey is messy, imperfect, and occasionally fueled by protein ice cream
So that’s what I’m building here.
This site is part personal journey, part resource hub, part “let me save you from learning this the hard way.”
My goal is simple:
To create the kind of website I wish I had when I started.
Here you’ll find:
- Bariatric-friendly recipes
- Weight loss tips and strategies
- Honest reflections from my own journey
- Product reviews and recommendations
- Tools, printables, and resources to help you stay on track
- Probably more protein dessert recipes than strictly necessary
Because healthy living shouldn’t mean giving up food you enjoy.
And weight loss shouldn’t require pretending cauliflower is emotionally equivalent to mashed potatoes.
A Few Fun Facts About Me
- I’m a recovering perfectionist learning that “consistent” beats “perfect” every time
- I firmly believe protein ice cream is one of humanity’s greatest inventions
- My Shiba Inu, Kodi, is the true emotional support manager of this website
- I have ADHD, which means I have approximately 47 ideas at all times and finish 6 of them
- I’m building this website while living the journey in real time—so you’re getting the wins, struggles, lessons, and occasional chaos as they happen
If You’re Just Starting Your Journey…
Welcome.
Seriously—welcome.
Whether you’re pre-op, post-op, trying to lose weight naturally, or just looking for healthier ways to live without hating every second of it…
I’m glad you’re here.
Take what helps.
Ignore what doesn’t.
Stay awhile.
And remember:
You do not have to be perfect.
You just have to keep going.
— Jackie