S2, Ep23: Guest Kimberly Rook

S2, Ep23: Kimberly Rook’s Gastric Bypass Journey

In this episode of Weight There’s More – Get the Skinny with Sue & Kim, we welcome special guest Kimberly Rook, a mother of two from Palos Hills, Illinois.

Kimberly has been a hairstylist for 20 years and owns her own on-site bridal hair and makeup business. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, her children, and making fitness part of her lifestyle.

Kimberly joins us to share her personal journey with gastric bypass surgery. After having surgery on October 27, 2025, she has lost 55 pounds so far and is opening up about what led her to make the decision, what the process has looked like, and the challenges she has faced along the way.

She also shares why having a strong support system is so important — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

This is a real, honest conversation about choosing change, navigating the mental side of weight loss, and learning how support can make all the difference on the journey.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to another episode of Weight Your Snow that's a screen with feeling change. This podcast is all about real talk, real experiences, and the real journey behind weight loss. I'm still and my co-host is changed. And together we spent years navigating the ups and downs, victories and challenges of weight loss, mindset, and lifestyle change. For now, yeah, we believe weight loss is the only part of the journey. Each week, topics like lifetime, weight loss, success, mindset, success, journeys, fitness, nutrition, motivation, and every phase. Every thing you share is just podcasts. Think of this podcast by sitting down with two friends and your best to wage. So go grab your cup of coffee or even your protein shape. Let's get real about health, weight loss, and everything in between. Because remember, weight is more. Well, we're back. Welcome back. Yeah. Well, I guess we're sorry about last week. I had my ceiling. I'm back in my office. I'm so excited. Our studio. The studio, I'll have to send you a picture of it, Kim. But um, it's it's looking fabulous now, and hopefully we can get back into studio soon. I know it's your busy schedule. But gosh, today we have a special guest, and we're so excited. Her name is Kimberly Rook. Welcome to Wait There's More. Get the Skinny with Sue and Kim. Um, Kimberly is from Palos Hills, Illinois. Am I saying that right? Palos Hills, yes. Okay. She is a mother of two. Uh, she has also been a hairstylist for 20 years and owns her own uh on-site bridal hair and makeup company. That's exciting. I've seen all your pictures on Facebook and they're so beautiful. I wish I lived in your city. That way I could I'd have my special beautician hairstylist. My hair's really thick, so it's a lot of work. It's a lot of work for someone. Um, when she's not working, she loves to spend time with her family and kids and work out. She had gastric sleep bypass on October 27th, 2025, and has since then lost 55 pounds and still counting. Welcome, Kimberly.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

Thank you so much for having me. Um, I do want to just make a little correction that I had the gastric bypass surgery, which is different from the sleeve. So you're uh you're kind of saying them both together in one, but the they are two different surgeries. And um, so yeah, I had the bypass. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Awesome. Well, thank you for correcting me. I probably just read, you know, I yeah, I think great, I have a habit of saying yesterday all the time, so that just rolls out of my tongue.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yeah, you had the sleeve, right? Yes, yes, yes, okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:47

So, Kimberly, what um some of our listeners probably may not know the difference. What what was their did you have something going on that they chose to do bypass instead?

SPEAKER_00 3:58

Yeah, that's a good question. And that's um question that I get a lot from people that are maybe interested in having the surgery is like, oh, which one, you know, do did you pick and why? Um the main reason I picked the bypass is because I have had problems with acid reflux in the past. And I was told that if I get this leave, that it could possibly be worse after surgery. Um, but if you get the bypass, it pretty much eliminates all acid reflux. Um, so that was the main reason why I wanted to do the bypass, but also I've just heard of people having to get revision revision surgeries after having the sleeve done. Like a lot of people had to go back and then get the bypass done. And I just wanted to have one surgery and avoid having two surgeries, so that's another reason why. But yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:02

Oh, that's interesting. Yeah, I mean, and as far as our experience, I mean, I'm glad you found us. I think that's how this all came about, right? You found us online and reached out to Sue.

SPEAKER_00 5:13

I think Sue just like uh reached out to me. I think she saw a post that I made about my weight loss. Um, I did like a before and after photo when I hit 50 pounds and uh posted that. And I think um that's when she reached out to me um and told me that she's a coach and that um, you know, her story about how she's kept her weight off for so many years. And I just really want to network with people that are in the same boat as me to help me stay motivated for the long haul.

SPEAKER_02 5:52

Yeah, absolutely. That's the hard part for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Yeah, she listened to our podcast.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

Yay! Yeah, yes, that's awesome. Yeah, and I just I just want to put it out there that, you know, no matter what surgery, I mean, we just want to help anybody on the same journey, uh, just weight loss in general. Um, you know, I have um two family members that have had bypass. So I have a little experience with that of just personal experience, no background otherwise than just watching what they went through. Um I know my mom kept her weight off and my sister struggled with that regain um and then since lost a bit of it again. But like, you know, that back and forth, it it can happen. I mean, you really can go the wrong way. And I think where this health system failed, specifically my sister, I think, is just kind of what Sue and I started this for, is there's just no aftermath, after the surgery type um support. Um, so I, you know, I do feel like if someone was guiding her through that, you know, she might have had a different outcome. Um, I 100% believe mindset is huge. And that is one of our questions. Um, what has been the biggest emotional or mindset change that you've experienced, we'll say, since October.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Yeah. Um, yeah, definitely it is really all about mindset. I didn't realize um how much until after I had surgery and um I was on an all-liquid diet for, you know, the first two weeks, and my family was sitting down and having pizza, and I couldn't even be in the same room as them because I didn't even want to smell the pizza or be near it because that like made it even harder for me. Um, so I like had to kind of isolate myself in the other room and just drink, keep drinking my liquids and my protein shakes. And that's when I um first realized like this is going to be very mentally tough. And um my, you know, family was very supportive during that time and tried their best not to like eat certain things in front of me, which was helpful.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

So yeah, that's huge. I know, Sue, you have a lot of experience with the support center at your house.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

Yes, and that that's a huge thing. Um, because I I noticed a lot of people don't get that support or people get jealous, like you'll have friends that get jealous of your journey along the way, and that gets frustrating, but then you just learn to find the right support and like-minded people that are that have experience. So this is like a good mix, right? Here I'm 16 years out, Kim is three, and you are just uh, you know, right in the middle of your first six months, and so a lot of women are getting a dose of like you know, the whole journey and how tough it can be, you know, even 16 years later. So what do you think is the hard what do you think is the hardest thing for you since the surgery that you ex that you didn't expect would be hard?

SPEAKER_00 9:37

Um, I think the hardest thing is making sure that I meal prep, making sure that I track um every day, like using the Berytastic app and track my not only for calories, but for to make sure I'm getting enough protein every day. Because you don't feel hungry as often, you tend to like go about your day and not eat as much as you used to. And if you're not getting enough protein, then that could actually hinder your weight loss process and affect other things like hair loss and stuff. So um I think definitely tracking to make sure you're getting 60 to 80 grams of protein every day is um crucial, but hard, like hard for me because I'm not someone that remembers to track. So then I'm like going back at the end of the day and like being like, what did I eat today? And like tracking everything again.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

So yeah, yeah. Yeah, I still find it even now real hard to get that protein number because you do, you get so busy and you just oh my gosh, I gotta eat, but you're not hungry.

SPEAKER_02 10:59

So I think early on, early on is that big is the bigger challenge too, because it really is hard to get it. Get it down either you're sick or just get it down, you're full, or just a mental, you know, seeing this plate of food. Um, I think we've talked about those little tricks with the small plate, you know, helps you with small portions, and then I but I think it also helps with the mental too, of not being so overwhelmed.

SPEAKER_01 11:26

Yes. And there's nobody that's where this is where you lack like support at the very beginning because you do get frustrated, like I can't eat. And you think the the you know the the surgery failed because oh my gosh, I can't, you know, you panic because you're not making your protein every day. And that's that's expected because your stomach is still it's the tiniest it's ever gonna be at that point, so you're not gonna be able to eat a whole lot. And you know, eventually, like I think after six months it kind of relaxes, and then you'll, you know, you start to increase um, you know, your fullness, you know, as it goes on. But um, I think we're you know, at the beginning, when people are panicking about making the protein, that's that's mentally really tough, I believe.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

Yep, yeah. Definitely the protein shakes help me, um, because those I can drink as I'm going about my day and take them on the go. So those really just if I don't have a protein shake every day, then I probably would not meet my protein goal.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Yeah, that's fair. Well, and you sound like you're a very busy business owner. So, like that just helps in general too. Um, I was in the salon industry for 20 years, I know full well what it's like to totally forget to eat um and even forget to drink water. I feel like water is a lot more acceptable now. Everybody's on these movements of their big Stanley and all that. Um, my son's girlfriend drinks four 40-ounce Stanleys a day. I don't know how she does it. Like I do not get that much water. But with a busy lifestyle, which I think is a big challenge of all of our listeners, is incorporating all this, navigating post-weight loss. Um, there's there's just it's a lot of work, and um, you know, it's not the easy way out. You, you know, you made a very hard decision and it and it is a lot of work, like anything else in our lives. And I think just, you know, um finding us and hopefully other people can find this as a resource that um, you know, you know you're not crazy, uh, you know you did the right thing, and you know, we we can help with any anything, any questions, you know, because we've been through it.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

Mm-hmm. So what's been the easy what was that?

SPEAKER_00 14:02

I was gonna say, uh, definitely the water um intake is something I also struggle with, and that's why the tracking helps me because if I don't track, I kind of forget how much water I drink. But on those apps, they actually have a spot for water, and you can track your water intake on there too.

SPEAKER_02 14:24

How about if your kids come up and steal a sip? And then you're like, hello, I I already had 20 ounces written down. Yeah, I don't know what age your kids are, but um, my 19-year-old son constantly comes in, and one sip for him is the whole glass. I'm like, come on, I I knew I had three today. Now I gotta start over.

SPEAKER_00 14:46

No, my kids don't I don't have that problem. Like my my son is a germ germophobe and he doesn't even want to take a sip of my water like I have cooties or something. Oh but yet he'll go play outside, he'll play outside for hours with his friends and then come in and want to have a snack. And if I don't tell him to wash his hands, he'll probably just have that snack without washing his hands. And I'm like, you make no sense because you won't take a sip of my water, but you want to eat a snack after you just played outside for three hours.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

So such a boy, I get it. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

So so what has been the easier than expected um thought that you thought you wasn't gonna be that easy, but it turns out to be easy.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Um, I think that like I never thought I'd like would enjoy working out, but I think I enjoy it now, partially because now that I've lost 55 pounds, it's not as hard on my joints. It's you know, before surgery, I definitely um was already in pain just from working all day and being on my feet all day and doing hair all day. And the last thing I'd want to do was work out. But now I feel definitely um more energy, more drive, and it makes me feel good to work out. And I definitely never thought that would be something that I would want to do on my free time, but it it's definitely really important in my life now.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

That's awesome. I love that answer because something that is so hard that you're really putting a lot of effort into turned out to be an easy task, you know? Yeah, that's that's exciting.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Yeah, that is awesome.

SPEAKER_02 16:53

Yeah, reading over the questions, trying to find a good one. Well, I guess too itching, no itching, Sue. Take up Benadryl. I know. Um so I don't want to dig too far into the past. I mean, we're at a good place, we're in a happy place, but um kind of what got you to that point? Obviously, like joint pain, you know, fatigue, zero energy. Um, you know, something got you to this. I have to make a change. Like what was that aha moment for you?

SPEAKER_00 17:30

Yeah, I think it was um like a couple of years ago. It was probably 2023, I think. I had to have surgery on my left foot because I had a tear in my planner fascia. And I think the tear just happened like over time from just wearing tear of me, being on my feet all the time or not wearing the right proper supportive shoes. Um, and so I I did physical therapy for like a year and then was still in pain for a whole year. And then that's when I got an MRI and they found out that it was a tear and that I needed surgery. So then after surgery, I was in a boot um for I want to say like at least three months. Um, and then after that, I still had to do physical therapy. Um, so it was like a good six months to recover from that surgery. And after that, I just then the other foot was hurting after that because I was overcompensating and putting all my weight on the other foot. So then I was on the verge of having a stress fracture in my right foot. So with all my foot problems, long story short, it just also made it very hard for me to work out or even just walk because of the constant foot pain I was dealing with every day. So that led me to gain more weight, of course. And since I couldn't turn to exercise to lose the weight, um, and then I didn't have like the right mental tools to stick with any diet that I tried, um, that's when I thought about having the surgery to help me, help restrict me with my diet. And then once I lose the weight, because at first the weight just comes off like after surgery. And at first you can't even work out for the first um, I think my doctor didn't clear me to work out for three months, and that was good because I still was having pain from my um planner fascia, my planner fasciis, let's just say. Um even though I had the surgery and it fixed the left foot, um, I it still comes back um here and there. And I also get it in the other foot as well. So I just basically have really bad problems with my feet. And so I think having the ability to finally lose weight without even having to work out at first, um, that honeymoon period that they call it, that was awesome because I got to like take so much weight off of my joints so that when I was able to go back to working out, it was so much easier on my body and had way less pain. So yeah, the surgery.

SPEAKER_02 20:53

And you must have had a good doctor that, you know, even was willing to bring you into that idea and say, hey, I think this is an option. Because I think just depending on where you live and you know what you have as as you know, in the healthcare world around you, um, because I do think it's kind of regional, don't you think, Sue? Like where it's accepted and where it's kind of frowned upon, you know, but it sounds like obviously, you know, someone recognized that that's what you needed. So I'm glad that that that was even an option because, like I said, it's not the easy way. It's it's definitely just just a tool. And um, we're not gonna have all the tools all the time. So you made a good point about the mental tools. I mean, and you're tracking. I'm not even tracking, I'm terrible at tracking. So I'm like, I'm I'm the bad one going, help me. Um, because that is that's challenging in and of itself. I it just I can't even take the time to do that, but we're working on it.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

But uh I don't track either, and I should. And I didn't we didn't have the app back then either. So you know, um. It was mostly, you know, like you know, you're supposed to track, but then that's why I didn't do Weight Watchers because I I didn't have time to track, you know.

SPEAKER_00 22:12

So yeah, when I I find when I don't track, like I'll start to stall and you know wonder why I'm not losing weight. And then I go back to tracking and I'm like, oh, this is why I'm not losing weight, because I'm not getting enough protein, I'm not getting enough water, or I'm eating too many carbs for the day and like things like that. Um, but yeah, fortunately the surgery was covered for me on my insurance. Um, you have to have qualifying factors. You can't just be overweight. Um, you have to have other ailments too. And I had also had high blood pressure, which I was on medication for, and sleep apnea, which I was being treated for as well. So those two things, plus my BMI, uh qualified me to have the surgery covered as long as I went through their six-month program and did all the tests and um doctors' visits that they required, then it was covered.

SPEAKER_01 23:23

Yeah. Wow, that's awesome. Have them document too, um, you know, the extra skin so you can get that covered medically as well as you're going on your journey. Um, you know, for rashes and odor and rubbing and all that. Um because a lot of insurance companies still consider it cosmetic surgery, which is beyond my wildest dreams, you know, that they would even consider after such a significant weight loss, that as being cosmetic.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Yeah, I do think it should be automatic. Like they they've already approved it, you know, you went through all of this six-month year-long process, what have you. And how did they not know all along that the possibility of that much weight loss, you know, like a whole person's gonna need removed in skin, you know? It's like, yeah, that yeah, that's another reason why we why we do this. I think we're hoping that someday those types of things will change because we're talking about it and there'll be enough people in on it that say, you know, this has got to change.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

Yeah, hey, I'm gonna have a weight loss surgery so I can get, you know, new booze. Who knew?

SPEAKER_02 24:40

Yeah, I don't think anybody's thinking that. I mean, whoever I know, whoever made that assumption, you know, like in the healthcare world, you know, you're sadly mistaken.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

Yeah. So Kimberly, what is uh one non-scale victory that you're really proud of so far?

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Um, well, I'm definitely proud to say that I'm off my blood pressure medication. I don't have to take that anymore. That's great. Yeah, that happened really quickly, probably like maybe two months after surgery. I saw my doctor and I was already um my blood pressure was actually low. So um, yeah, she didn't want me taking it anymore because that would have lowered it more, which would have been dangerous for me. So yeah, um, yeah, that was like a big win early on. Um and then another win is just uh, you know, I went down like two sizes in clothing, and that's fun because now I can share clothes with my mom and sister who are of the same size.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

That's awesome. That is awesome, and those are great victories. Um, you know, my first non-scale victory was my stomach didn't touch the steering wheel of the car anymore when I got in. So that was yay for me. Um you know, back then.

SPEAKER_00 26:10

Yeah, I remember the first time I was like, oh my god, I could see my feet again when I looked down in the shower. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

I know it's so funny. Like, I get it, you know, these are these are awesome wins, and nobody thinks about that, you know, like just how it feels to sit in a car, an airplane. I remember when my sister lost her, she had almost made it to her goal weight and just flying was just you know, that mental like, oh my gosh, people are gonna look at me because I'm you know, falling out of the seat, I can't put the armrest down, like those types of things, you know, are very mentally painful. And you know, the rest of the world just isn't thinking about that or taking for granted that that's just not, you know, fitting in behind your steering wheel was never an issue for them. Or, you know, there's just so many things to weight loss and weight gain, you know, just any type of um food, you know, issues that uh, you know, the rest of the world just doesn't really think about.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

Yeah, 100%. I have always had to um call the flight attendant over and embarrassingly like whisper to her that I need a seatbelt extender. And it was always, you know, embarrassing. And um, I haven't been on a plane since my surgery, but I will be going on a plane in about a month in May. So that will be um the test to see if I don't need a seatbelt extender. I don't think I will, but you know, I'll keep it going.

SPEAKER_01 27:44

Oh, I want to know. I want to know.

SPEAKER_00 27:46

Yeah, you'll have to.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

I know you're not gonna need one.

SPEAKER_00 27:50

Yeah, I know it's it's hard to believe. It's like you still feel like you're the same person sometimes, like, but there's definitely a lot of changes, especially when you look at pictures and look at when I look at my before pictures, I'm like, wow, like can really see a difference, you know.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

Yeah. So last question for the women listening, our listeners who are considering gastric sleeve or gastric surgery, what would you want them to know before making that decision?

SPEAKER_00 28:28

Yeah, I think that they should definitely know that this is not going to just be a miracle surgery, that you're going to just have all the weight fall off. Don't get me wrong, it falls off the first couple months, but after that, your body just adjusts to having a smaller stomach and eating smaller portions. And once you're cleared to work out, you definitely need to work out and move and stay active, even if it's just walking, um, to keep seeing the scale go down. Um, and then also definitely high protein, low carb. It's it's a lifestyle change. It's not just um a diet that you're doing for short term short short term. When you choose to have surgery, you have to make a lifestyle change. Otherwise, you could definitely regain all the weight that you lost back or stretch your stomach, stretch your pouch back out.

SPEAKER_02 29:45

Yeah, that's that's awesome. That's great advice because again, that's what we feel people aren't getting more times than not. Um you know, I I think one big eye-opener from Sue was just the explanation of this is major surgery. Your body needs time to recover from that. And what I didn't understand is that I was still healing in that first couple months. It just didn't even dawn on me that I was probably swollen, you know, that things weren't settled into place yet. Um, and then the stall, um, the stall will come, you know, it happens to everybody. And I don't think I was expecting that either. I just wish I had a little more um, you know, information put out there, you know, warning this is gonna happen. Don't be afraid of it, just embrace it and move on. Um, once I kind of got over that mentally, then I was able to, and and the working out uh strength training was huge for me, just building that muscle. But you can't do that without eating protein. So it's just, you know, that warning is so true to everybody. Just just know that there's some work involved. This isn't this isn't the miracle tool, but it is a tool that we can use effectively, you know, with the right uh people around us in the right mindset.

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Yeah, I really loved your mindset when it came to your stall, like you knew exactly what the issues were, and you went back to it and corrected, self-corrected it, and didn't panic. So, yeah, that's you. I already see like you have such a strong mindset um of how you want to be successful on your journey. And we we appreciate you coming on and sharing your story, and we would love to have you back on giving us updates every once in a while on how you're doing.

SPEAKER_00 31:37

I would love to do that. Uh that would be interesting.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

Yes, because I think I think our our listeners would love to follow your your journey as well.

SPEAKER_02 31:48

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

That means a lot.

SPEAKER_00 31:51

Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 31:53

Oh, you're welcome. And I want to know when you fly on that plane. We have to have you back on so you can you can give us an update on that. Yep. I'm gonna put it in my notes for the next time, but I'll already know the answer because I'm gonna make you tell me.

SPEAKER_00 32:14

I can't wait to give you that update.

SPEAKER_01 32:19

All right, thank you, Kimberly.

SPEAKER_02 32:21

Thanks for listening, everyone.

SPEAKER_01 32:23

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 32:24

Thank you so much, and we'll have you back for sure. Thank you, and I'll be listening to future podcasts because I need motivation, I need to keep the motivation. Um, we all need to keep motivating each other.

SPEAKER_01 32:39

All right, absolutely. We'll give you a shout out.

SPEAKER_00 32:43

Thank you. All right, guys.

SPEAKER_01 32:47

As always, wait there's more. Thank you. Have a good day. If you enjoyed today's conversation, make sure you subscribe, follow, and share this episode with someone who can use a little motivation on your help channel. And don't forget to connect with us on social media where we share tips and encouragement from our own trainings. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube by just searching weight there's more gets the skinny with sewing catch. Remember, your transformation is about more than just the number on the scale. Because weight bears more.