Advocacy means public support for something or someone you believe in. Self-advocacy means that public display of support means you are the one standing up for yourself. But this requires some practice as many of us have never advocated for ourselves before. We lived our lives in the shadows, attempting to not draw any more attention to ourselves than what our weight already did. Self-advocacy is a form of self-love and it can help us make progress in every goal we are seeking to achieve. We sat down with Dr. Russo, a prominent bariatric surgeon in Southern California. He works tirelessly to advocate for his patients and helps them learn to become their own advocates in their own bariatric lives. We wanted to know why he believes it can be difficult for patients to advocate for themselves, how people can practice their advocacy privately before taking it publicly, what questions people should be asking their surgeons, and what the best ways to practice are. We think you will be surprised at all the ways you are already advocating for yourself and how you can practice that skill in all facets of your life! Follow Dr. Russo on TikTok @weightloss_oc, on Instagram @weightloss_oc, on Facebook @ michael russo md and smart dimensions weight loss and online at www.smartdimensions.com Follow the BariNation crew on Instagram @bari.nation and learn more about our amazing membership community at www.barination.com. You can also follow the crew on their personal Instagram pages as well! Find April @activley_april, find Jason @the_smithsonian_, and find Natalie @breakingbari_ers. You’ve got this and we’ve got you!