About

The National Association for Weight Loss Surgery Presents...

NAWLS Network

Two Organizations, One Purpose.

NAWLS Network is a new, free resource offered by the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS). Both NAWLS and the NAWLS Network embrace a mission to help weight loss surgery patients achieve long-term recovery from obesity and live a satisfying and healthy life; and to provide support, information, and resources to bariatric professionals and support group leaders.

NAWLS Network is for people who want to connect, and to share information and support in a lively, social-networking environment.

It’s for patients AND professionals.

If you are a bariatric surgery patient who has had any type of weight loss surgery, or if you are just thinking about having the surgery, this is the place to be. We encourage you to sign up for free and start sharing your experiences with others. Upload photos and videos, participate in discussions, post blogs, or start a new group. You're sure to make some new friends while you're here.

If you are a bariatric professional or support group leader, take some time to explore. This is a great place to interact with other professionals and leaders in the WLS community. Discuss treatment issues and challenges. Create a private group for your local support group members, where you can answer questions and provide online support to complement your live groups. Talk about what's working for your patients and what's not. Compare notes. We hope you use this resource to further WLS care, support, and education. Enjoy!

More about NAWLS.

NAWLS is a safe, loving, and nonjudgmental community of bariatric surgery patients who struggle with weight maintenance and regain, sugar and carbohydrate sensitivity, transfer addictions, emotional eating, and eating disorders.

The membership organization was founded in 2005 by Katie Jay, MSW, Certified Wellness Coach, who became an advocate for patient support after her surgery. NAWLS provides comprehensive and personal support including retreats and workshops, coaching, teleseminars, books, classes, and now, a social and professional networking site.

Who is Katie Jay?

Katie Jay is the creator and director of the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery. She holds a masters in social work and is a certified wellness coach. She also is an obesity survivor who underwent RNY gastric bypass in 2004.

She founded NAWLS because she wanted to create a safe, nonjudgmental community for bariatric patients to get the support they need to change their obesity mindset and unhealthy habitual behaviors, and to achieve lasting results.

Katie coaches clients on a regular basis, facilitates powerful WLS retreats, leads workshops, and does sensitivity training and education for nurses, who receive contact hours. She also speaks often at patient-focused conferences and events, bariatric professionals’ conferences, and at support group meetings. She also writes regularly for WLS Lifestyles Magazine and Beyond Change.

Katie published her popular and ground-breaking autobiography, Dying to Change, My Really Heavy Life Story, in 2006. She has since published her second book, Small Bites: Daily Inspirations for Weight Loss Surgery Patients, and is currently writing her third book to be released late this year.

She writes a free online newsletter, Small Bites for Your Life, which reaches thousands worldwide. Sign up to receive Katie’s free newsletter, and begin taking advantage of this instrumental WLS resource.

Also, check out Katie's blog.