Indiana's obesity rate is the 12th highest in the U.S., and beyond impacting individuals’ health, this statistic costs the entire state economically.
In fact, it’s estimated that obesity costs Indiana more than $8.5 billion a year in missing work, low productivity, healthcare costs, and premature death.
Two of the leading causes of obesity are what we eat and how much physical activity we get.
Tricia Smith and her husband, Scott, of Warsaw have developed what they hope becomes a more holistic approach for any northeast Indiana resident looking to shed some weight in a safe and approachable way.
The Smiths opened
Lake City Nutrition in Warsaw in September 2019 to meet a need they saw in the community for healthy meal replacement options and comprehensive lifestyle plans.
On the surface, Lake City Nutrition is a destination for healthy shakes, smoothies, and teas, with more than 100 flavors of protein shakes to choose from.
But while the Smiths have found that many residents are familiar with the popular protein shake trend, few know the nutritional value of shakes and how they can be effectively incorporated into a weight loss plan.
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Lake City Nutrition offers fun new flavors every week.
That’s where Lake City Nutrition’s value comes into play. Along with serving drinks at their storefront, Lake City also helps clients create customized Herbalife Nutrition weight loss programs to fit their body types.
To do this, they partner with Herbalife Nutrition, a global multi-level marketing corporation that develops and sells nutritional products, including health-and-wellness supplements for weight management, personal care, general wellness, and sports performance.
Once Lake City Nutrition clients create profiles online, a personalized guide is generated for them based on their profile and wellness goals.
The company’s shake products are then shipped to their door or can be picked up at Lake City Nutrition’s storefront.
Lake City Nutrition also offers Herbalife wellness coaches who guide clients through the plan and are available to answer any questions and provide support. Tricia and Scott are wellness coaches themselves and help clients reach their desired weight, offer advice and give encouragement throughout the process.
Tricia says that she and Scott are living proof of the program’s success. She lost 38 pounds using the HerbaLife program.
“We fell in love with the products because of the change it made in our own lives,” Tricia says. “Not only did it change our physical appearance, but also how we felt. We just feel better, so we wanted to offer that to other people so they could experience the same thing.”
Along with the effectiveness of the protein shake approach to weight loss, another reason Tricia likes this approach is because it helps clients un-learn some of the unhealthy starvation practices they might have tried to lose weight in the past.
“Back when I was a teenager, the thought was the less you eat, the faster the weight will come off, but that’s not true,” Tricia says. “I have learned through my experience that you need to be getting enough protein because, otherwise, your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto fat. So it is important that you’re feeding your body and keeping your nutrition good. Otherwise, your body has nothing to go on.”
Lake City Nutrition’s shakes are based on a unique formula that contains several health benefits, Tricia explains. One shake contains about 250 calories or fewer, 17 grams of protein, 21 vitamins and minerals, 10 grams of sugar, 10-15 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber for complete nutritional value.
In addition to its menu of protein shakes, herbal tea, and aloe products, Lake City Nutrition also offers a variety of creative, active classes for its members, such as cardio drumming.
In the future, they hope to move locations so they can host active events once a month to increase community involvement and encourage healthy living, Tricia says.
Learn more
During COVID-19, Lake City Nutrition is keeping regular hours for curbside pickup and carryout only from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
College students get a discount on any shake/tea combo every Tuesday.
For more information, visit its
Facebook page or website at
www.tricia-scott.goherbalife.com.