About Geof Shuford | 12 Years Coaching Bariatric Surgery Patients

The story.

Here's what I noticed twelve years ago that changed the direction of my career: bariatric surgery patients were getting incredible clinical support before and immediately after their surgery. The surgeon was great. The dietitian was helpful. But somewhere around the three-to-six month mark, the appointments tapered off, the handholding stopped, and patients were expected to just... figure it out.

Most of them didn't. Not because they weren't smart or motivated — they obviously were, or they wouldn't have gone through major surgery. They got stuck because nobody was helping them with the actual hard part: building the daily habits, the exercise routine, the mental framework that turns a surgical procedure into a sustainable life change.

So that became my work.

I started specializing in the part of the bariatric journey that nobody else was covering. The messy middle. The months where the initial excitement wears off and the real work begins.

Twelve years and hundreds of clients later, I've seen nearly every version of the challenges that come with this journey. I've seen what works at month three versus month nine. I know which common advice actually helps and which makes things worse. And I've built an approach that combines exercise, mindset coaching, and practical systems — because your head and your body are not separate problems.

More recently, I've expanded my coaching to include people on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. The tools are different, but the core challenge is the same: losing the weight is step one; building the life that keeps it off is the rest of the journey.

Credentials.

Certified Personal Trainer (12+ years) Certified Bariatric Mindset Coach Published Author Bariatric Specialty Since 2012

Founder of Coaching for Bariatric Success and the Phoenix Fitness beginner program. Author of How to Make the Most from Your Bariatric Surgery.

How I work.

I meet you where you are, not where I think you should be. If the gym terrifies you, we don't start at the gym. If you've been told you "should" be doing something and it's not working, we figure out why and find what does work — for you specifically.

I'm direct. If something you're doing is holding you back, I'll tell you. But I'll also help you fix it, and I won't make you feel bad about it in the process.

I'm also a nerd about the research. I don't give advice based on "what worked for me" or whatever trend is circulating on social media this week. I stay current on the actual science and translate it into things you can use in your actual life.

I've spent 12 years in the gap nobody else fills.

The story.

Credentials.

How I work.

Ready to work together?