Before 2001, Helen Bloom noticed that she had an “office body.” This is not a good thing, according to Bloom, who describes it as a condition of excess weight and poor posture she acquired after years of working as a financial manager and doing most of her work while sitting at her desk.
She gained 20 pounds on her petite body and that’s a lot for someone her size, Bloom said. She never considered herself a “fit freak,” but the times have changed, and something clicked in her mind.
“One day I realized that I’m fat,” Bloom said, and she began an exercise regimen combined with a healthy diet that included nutritional supplements.
The diet and exercise regimen that Bloom started 14 years ago has eventually blossomed into Healthy but Good, an Orcutt full-service nutrition bar that opened in April.
On Sept. 3, Bloom held a noontime grand opening with healthy meal smoothies for only $5. Normally, they are $8.99 and include a shot of aloe juice, a 16-ounce serving of iced tea, and a 16-ounce smoothie packed with dietary supplements
According to Bloom, the smoothies are designed to be meal replacements. Don’t call them milkshakes either because they aren’t, Bloom said, adding that she doesn’t use dairy products in her fresh-fruit smoothies.
And better yet, Bloom said, the smoothie meals are meant to be inexpensive, kind of like the way fast food is. Bloom calls it “fast food for smart people.”
Compared to a fast food meal that costs $10 per person per day, a person sticking with the smoothie replacement can save a little more than $2,000 per year, according to Bloom.
“We want to show people that eating healthy can be affordable, convenient, and fun,” Bloom said.
Healthy but Good is based on the Herbalife system where independent distributors sell the company’s products and earn a profit. Started more than three decades ago, the company has become enormously popular throughout the world. In 2014, Herbalife reported $5 billion in net sales.
It used to be only a work-from-home business, but now entrepreneurs like Bloom can open storefronts. It’s set up like a bar. Customers can order their smoothie meals and enjoy them on site instead of on the go.
Staying healthy isn’t all about regulating the diet, but exercising too, which is why Bloom offers group fit camps and one-on-one weight-loss consultations. Between this, a laid-back atmosphere at her bar, and the group exercise sessions, Bloom is trying to make her place the go-to spot for health-conscious residents.
“We just want to build a healthy community,” Bloom said.
Healthy but Good is located at 1140 E. Clark in Orcutt. For information, call 937-6141.
Highlights
Like going to trade shows? The 2015 Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce Business Exposition will be held at the Santa Maria Fairpark on Sept. 10. Get a chance to market the brand, get more customers, and network with fellow business owners. There will be a business-to-business hour for exhibitors and guests from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The trade show is open to the public from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Admission is free with a business card, but $2 otherwise. Businesses can still sign up for a booth, although they are first-come, first-served. Costs range from $175 to $275. For more information, call Jennifer Harrison at 925-2403.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Sep 10-17, 2015.
