T.R.I.B.E. ON TOUR!
Find your T.R.I.B.E.!

The Backstory to

How the T.R.I.B.E. and the T.R.I.B.E. TOUR Was Brought to Life!

Hey Babes!

I’m so excited to finally present to you The Summer 2022 T.R.I.B.E. Tour! When I had bariatric surgery in 2017 I remember I felt so alone. I had never known anyone in my life who had had WLS. I was so overwhelmed with the whole process and felt incredibly isolated.

Although those pre-op days and first few weeks post op were very lonely, I was fortunate enough at 3 weeks post op to get to attend an in person weight loss surgery meetup. Did you know that, pre-pandemic, bariatric in-person meetups used to happen all the time? It’s true!

And let me tell you, those meetups I went to in those days truly changed the trajectory of my entire journey (and honestly my entire life). At that first meetup I went to, I was TERRIFIED. I was very worried about not knowing anyone and putting myself out there. I was worried about being judged. I didn’t know what to expect.

But lucky for me, I ended up sitting next to a girl who had had surgery 8 months before me. I didn’t know who she was and I didn’t follow her on Instagram yet at the time. Fast forward, that girl became one of my best friends! Together, we continued to go to local meetups where we met more of our closest friends! Thes incredible humans I became so close with even came to my wedding! Having their support and friendship meant the absolute world to me. It was so amazing to feel like I belonged. To have a squad to turn to, a tribe if you will, where I knew I was accepted and supported. It was during these meetups where I kept hearing this phrase being passed around: find your tribe.

Fast forward a few years, as I continued to be comfortable with my own journey I started helping more and more bariatric patients with nutrition. In 2020 The T.R.I.B.E. Membership program was born! The Real Insights of Bariatric Eating is my signature program that offers dozens of Registered Dietitian lead training and workbooks, workout videos, recipes, and nearly 30+ live support groups each month. Our slogan has always been “Find Your T.R.I.B.E.” This program was inspired by my own experiences with finding friends and support on this journey, which is why my nutrition based program is so much more than just learning how to eat post op, it’s about finding support and ever lasting friendships.

And until now, the T.R.I.B.E. has been doing just that completely virtually. I’m proud to announce that this story is coming full circle, and after many requests and pleas from our members for in person support, I am beyond excited to share with you that that opportunity is finally here!

We have 5 T.R.I.B.E. tour stops in the works, and hopefully many more to come! If you don’t see a location near you CLICK HERE to submit your request for our next stop!

I’m so glad you asked that! I want to make something super clear. The Sleeved Dietitian Team is in no way charging for meetups for profit. I want to be very transparent about the thought process around this.

When I first started going to meetups back in 2017, they were always free. You did not have to pay to attend. I never want anyone to feel like they need to pay to meet people and make connections. However, when I used to go to “old school” meetups, you did have to pay your way a la carte. Meaning, you would pay your cover charge to go to the restaurant/venue, you would pay for your food/drink, you would pay for your hotel/travel, etc.

For our T.R.I.B.E. events, your ticket is all inclusive for the venue, restaurant/event cover charge (which is deemed by the venue, not The Sleeved Dietitian, LLC) as well as non alcoholic beverages, food, and any additional refreshments or activities provided. That way, once you arrive, unless you would like to purchase food or beverages not included in our preset menu, you will not have to pay for anything additional. Your ticket does NOT include travel, stay, hotel accommodations, etc. The reason pricing for each event varies is because each event is at a different venue, which means cover fees and food/beverage prices vary as well. Each meetup may also include different activities.

Both myself and our T.R.I.B.E. leaders will have to purchase tickets to pay our way as well. In addition, in order to make these events possible, an event planner was hired. Listen, I’m a dietitian not a party planner (although I love me a good party! lol) So $10-15 fees have been integrated into the total event fees in order to cover event planning costs.

The reason I’m doing these meetups is because making connections is something I’m so passionate about and having these opportunities available is near and dear to my heart. And for full and complete transparency, The Sleeved Dietitian, LLC will be paying up front costs and fees in order to make all of this happen, never mind the time and the hours our team has spent getting everything together.

And who knows, it’s very possible that at some point in the future we may need to charge more or profit in order to make these types of events sustainable. If in the future, we decide to have speakers, seminars, etc. we will need to charge differently. But at this juncture, that is not the case, which is why we are not profiting from these events.

Our Vibe

For all of these meetups we are hosting, meetups will only be for that day and for a defined period of time. We cannot stress this enough - THESE MEETUPS ARE CASUAL! Come as you are, be yourself, and don’t feel like you need to impress ANYBODY. At this time, to stay on brand with our casual theme, these meet ups will NOT have: itineraries, speakers, accommodations for travel or stay, hotel room blocks etc. At this time, no services will be provided, only good old fashioned hanging out with your bariatric babes!