Hi, I’m Sukwan Jolley! I credit my wonderful parents for fostering my early interest in food and nutrition. So Dad was all about flavor - and not so much about health. The man cooked everything with liberal amounts of MSG and oil. He equally indulged in savory braised pork feet as well as decadent pound cake. In contrast, Mom favored lighter fare such as stir-fried vegetables, steamed fish, and delicate bone broth soups. She would always tell me how an ingredient was good for treating a particular ailment or how it balanced chi. Hands down, her all encompassing counsel for any health issue was to simply EAT MORE VEGETABLES. And you know moms are always right!

In my early teens both of my parents worked long hours, and I soon gravitated towards a diet of convenience foods high in junk calories - on top of being super sedentary. I struggled with rapid weight gain and poor self esteem until I started making a few realistic changes to my diet and got control of my weight. Later I watched Dad’s health decline due to type 2 diabetes, multiple strokes, and esophageal cancer. These personal experiences demonstrated the important connection between nutrition, health, and chronic disease. I chose to study biological sciences at The University of Texas, published an article about the effect of soy in breast cancer, and later earned a Master’s in Public Health at The University of Washington and became a registered dietitian.

I first came into the field of weight management as a research dietitian and a lead lifestyle interventionist in the Look AHEAD Study, a randomized controlled trial that compared the effects of weight loss through healthy eating and exercise on individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

From there I worked for a total of ten years as an outpatient bariatric dietitian for large metropolitan hospital systems, guiding thousands of patients along their weight loss journey. During that time I earned a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management and then became a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. I am also an integrated health member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

Other career hats I have worn (or continue to wear) include:

• Consultant Dietitian

• Dietetic Internship Preceptor

• Adjunct Instructor

• Healthy Cooking Instructor

• Telehealth Dietitian

• Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator

“Too often patients either lose the connection to their surgeon’s practice or struggle silently and alone in their journey after bariatric surgery.”

I decided to create The Jolley Dietitian as a way for me to support bariatric surgery patients at a level that they NEED, but was not possible to fulfill in the roles I have worked in. Too often patients either lose the connection to their surgeon’s practice or struggle silently and alone in their journey after bariatric surgery. I am thrilled to offer the convenience and safety of virtual bariatric nutrition and lifestyle counseling.

As a wife and working mother, I KNOW it is hard to juggle multiple roles and STILL try to live a healthy lifestyle. I am here to listen to your obstacles and am CONFIDENT that we can find a way together to progress towards your goals with a personalized nutrition plan that works for YOU.

Bariatrics is truly my passion and my calling, and as I tell my patients - I hope to NEVER leave it! The opportunity to be a part of such positive, life-transforming procedures constantly inspires me. I continue to learn from patients like you and never cease to admire your courage and commitment to health.