Tag Archives: retrofit

7 Splurge-Worthy Gifts to Buy for Yourself and Your Health This Year

It’s Christmas time, when we think of others and how we can show our love through tokens of appreciation. Before going broke buying presents, however, save a little bit for yourself to spend on something that could do a world of good in your life by providing a bevy of health benefits. From getting off medications to finding a surefire way to cope with stress, these gifts promise more than momentary satisfaction, they may just inspire a completely new lifestyle.

1. Hire a Personal Trainer

Sometimes, the choice to workout comes down to accountability. When exercising with a friend isn’t cutting it, hiring a trainer can be a great choice. They know what moves to do, how many need to be done to be effective, and how to do them so you don’t get hurt. They also take care of formulating a fitness plan with your goals in mind. Missing a 6 a.m. workout is a lot less likely if you know there’s someone waiting for you at the gym ready to charge your credit card whether you show up or not. Just be sure to make sure they’re accredited and look into what kind – not all certifications are created equal. Can’t make it to the gym? Sites like Wello will do video-chat training sessions to serve clients anywhere, anytime.

2. Get a Nutritionist

Do you have fitness down, but need help with the food part of being healthy? A consult with a nutritionist may be your answer. A diet book has no concern for what foods you like and dislike, certain allergies, and current fitness levels. A dietitian will. They’ll give you a proper eating plan to follow and do all the math and science stuff, like calorie counting, for you. Before picking one, make sure you have a certain rapport with them so that you’ll feel at ease, know they give clear directions that you can easily understand, and explain why certain foods are and aren’t necessary. They don’t even have to be local. Dietitians like Mary Hartley, RD do Skype consults. (more…)

Posted on December 12, 2023 by SarahS

Retrofit Gains $8 Million in VC Funding; Launches Retrofit My Company

Just a year after opening its web-based doors, Chicago-based Retrofit announced today the raising of $8 million in venture capital funds. The fund raising was led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), and brings the company to a total of $10.7 million in Series A funds. Other investors include Correlation Ventures, Hyde Park Angels, New World Ventures, and I2A Fund. It’s a move that will allow one of the most tech-minded brands in weight loss to grow to serve a broader clientele.

“DFJ is a great backer to have,” commented Jonathan George, former CEO of Boxcar. “Their resources and knowledge will help turn Retrofit into an even bigger winner than they already are. From the looks of this, it’s a growth round that will help propel them into the future. These type of rounds don’t happen without significant traction.”

The move comes in time for Retrofit to make a major play when the January new-year diet season kicks off. Today’s announcement comes in hand with the release of their Retrofit My Company contest, which will position the brand in a corporate environment.

The company will give away $300,000 worth of complimentary services to the company that wins. According to Retrofit, “A high profile panel of judges chooses the company and up to 100 employees at that company will get their own expert weight loss teams, fun wireless devices, and full Retrofit program that is helping more than 90% of clients lose weight.”

CEO Jeff Hyman pointed out in a press release that companies have $1500 per year in additional health care expenses for each overweight or obese employee. It’s long been reported that a healthier staff is a happier and more productive staff, not to mention one that saves the company money. (more…)

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Natalie K

HealthBuzz August 24: Green Coffee Bean Fad, Worst Movie Snacks, and Healthier Mexican Recipes

It’s the start of the weekend, and that means it’s time for a dose healthy news. This week’s HealthBuzz features a story about Dr. Oz and his over-hyped recommendation of Green Coffee Bean Extract, the worst snacks at the movie theater, and savory Mexican recipes that are actually good for you. Don’t wait until the end of the week to hear from us! Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest, and like us on Facebook.

Dr. Oz’s Green Coffee Bean: Conflicts of Interest and Flawed Studies Abound

Dr. Oz’s new magic pill of the month is Green Coffee Bean Extract (GCBE). According to a study, a mere 16 men and women in India who took GCBE lost a tremendous amount of weight in 22 weeks. However, there are some flaws to the study and Dr. Oz failed to mention to his audience the conflict with his guest expert. Find out why Dr. Oz is promoting GCBE on his show.

Reggie L. Smith Leads Retired NFL Players Losing Weight With Retrofit

After retiring from the NFL, Reggie Smith gained 70 pounds of unhealthy weight. Last year, Mr. Smith started shedding pounds with Retrofit. The program helped Reggie gain control of his weight and life, and career! He was named the new Vice President of Business Development for Retrofit Weight Loss this week. Reggie is excited to spread the benefits to other fellow retired NFL players and the rest of the country.

Michael Strahan Named Ripa’s New ‘Live’ Co-Host: IS He Fit Enough for the Job?

Since Regis Philbin retired from the show months ago, many people wondered if Kelly would ever get a new co-host. Well earlier this week the network announced that Michael Strahan, another retired NFL star, will be the new face of Live, co-hosting with Kelly Ripa. The fit host will begin appearing on the show September 4, and we can’t wait! (more…)

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Samantha

Reggie L. Smith Leads Retired NFL Players Losing Weight With Retrofit

We hear about it all the time – NFL players once at the top of their game and in prime physical fitness retire and become the antithesis of health. It’s not just pro football players, it happens to professional athletes of all kinds.

“What happens is you have a very regimented, controlled environment (practice times, nourishment to survive the season) year after year after year. Then imagine one day it stops – no routine, left to your own devices,” described Reggie L. Smith, former NFL player and President of the National Football League Players Association in Chicago. Just this week he was also named as the new Vice President of Business Development for Retrofit Weight Loss, an exciting new nutrition and fitness program.

“We don’t had another system to go in to,” explained Reggie of himself and his peers. Like many retired NFL players, Reggie settled comfortably in to civilian life and put on an unhealthy amount of weight. But that’s in the history books now, as is his All American status at the University of Kansas. In the past year he’s lost an impressive 70 pounds, a lot of it thanks in part to Retrofit Weight Loss.

“It’s exciting,” he told us of his personal success. He found Retrofit Weight Loss when his NFLPA chapter was approached by the company. They wanted to work together to help the guys get in better shape and regain their health. That’s when Reggie says he got on the program himself, and describes the brand as a “wonderful service and product. It’s an awesome idea and they’re doing good things.” (more…)

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Natalie K

Bloomberg’s Proposed Soda Nanny State Won’t Magically Switch on Motivation in Citizens

By Jeff Hyman, Founder and CEO, RETROFIT

As the Founder of Chicago-based online weight-loss company Retrofitme.com, I have been asked many times recently for my perspective on New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s master plan to ban large sodas and sugary drinks. I wish ending the U.S. obesity epidemic was that easy.

Retrofit was founded on the premise that people need support and guidance on their journey to health. We take a holistic approach to weight loss. It’s not an overnight fix. It’s going to be slow and steady, but at the end of the road, it will work because we believe that teaching people how to change their behavior and make smarter choices is the first breakthrough step.

While there is no doubt we live in an obesigenic society, we cannot blame statistics or food trends. Each of us must accept individual responsibility for our behavior – and seek help when we can’t do it alone. In the face of countless messages from savvy food marketers, fast food restaurants, soda companies, super-sized portion sizes, and other temptations, it isn’t easy.

The mayor’s heart is in the right place. But unfortunately, his pure intentions won’t help. Lasting health change can’t be imposed from the outside. Even the best weight loss program is useless if the individual is not ready to make a lasting change. The “nanny state” might make a single drink choice a little more inconvenient, but unless the government can magically switch on the motivation in each citizen, it is destined to have little impact. It sounds basic, but the hard reality is that to turn the tide on the obesity epidemic, we need people who are willing to commit to living differentially. Each day, each meal, each food decision. (more…)

Posted on July 10, 2023 by GuestBlogger

The Secret of the Thai Chicken Noodle Bowl: Eating Well is Easier than You Think

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, CSSD, the lead food and nutrition expert for Retrofit.

People always ask me how to start eating better and I say just start right where you are. Don’t wait another minute, start making choices that are improved over yesterday or even this morning. Making healthy choices doesn’t take more time than unhealthy ones, and eating well can be palate-pleasing to even the pickiest of taste-buds. I’m going to share one of my favorite recipes as an example…

The recipe below is 15 minutes start to finish – so it’s perfect for even your busiest days. I used pre-cut, rinsed, fresh veggies to get the nutrition in without the time, swapped out regular pasta for whole grain pasta, and used high-flavor, low-calorie foods (in this case lime, garlic and onion) to pump up the taste without adding fat.

Simple changes can add up to a great plate, enjoy!

Thai Chicken Noodle Bowl

Ingredients

2 ounces uncooked whole grain fettuccini
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lime juiced (more…)

Posted on May 24, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Retrofit Offers a Long-Term Approach to Weight Loss Maintenance [GIVEAWAY]

All too often in the weight loss industry, companies stay in business because of their clients’ failures. Many programs are effective at helping their clients lose weight, however, they don’t help them maintain the loss in the long term and benefit from returning clients.

Retrofit offers a very different kind of service, one that’s geared to help you maintain your goal weight as much as it is designed to help you get there. That’s only one of the many advantages Retrofit offers clients in its 12-month plan. It combines the convenience of an online diet with the best expert advice and personal attention of a weight loss clinic. Unlike many online programs that simply supply users with meal plans and workouts but no personal interaction, Retrofit provides each client with a team of wellness experts.

This team of experts makes up the core of the Retrofit experience, and consists of a registered dietitian, an exercise physiologist and a behavior coach. “They’re the most educated team out there,” says Kim Evenson CMO at Retrofit. She adds that compensations is based on their ability to help clients reach their goals by the end of the year. You will meet with each member of the team during scheduled video conferences, but they are also always available if clients have additional questions. They will help you craft a weight loss plan that’s totally based on your needs and that can work with the realities of your lifestyle. Additionally, there’s a program adviser who “functions like your admin,” explains Evenson. “That person is with you from day one through the very end of the program.”

(more…)

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Margaret