Healthy Eating Blog

Wilmington, NC — Sept. 15, 2021 —KWIPPED Inc. has launched a partnership with Clean Eatz Kitchen that will enable gyms, convenience stores and other businesses to easily access affordable financing for refrigeration equipment needed to bring Clean Eatz’ healthy prepared meals to a growing number of consumers, including many in areas that are underserved by affordable healthy food options.

Jason Nista, Chief Executive Officer of Clean Eatz Kitchen, said finding financing for the commercial freezers needed to keep the company’s cooked-from-scratch meals on-site for pickup had been a major hurdle to expanding distribution of the meals.

He found a solution in KWIPPED Inc., which runs an online B2B equipment marketplace and optimizes equipment financing by utilizing a network of the nation’s top equipment finance companies. Clean Eatz Kitchen is now able to send potential partners to a dedicated landing page that carries the refrigerator models recommended for the meal distribution program. Finance applications are algorithmically matched with the finance companies most likely to approve the application and offer the lowest finance rates. Participating distributors may receive multiple offers from up to three competing lenders. KWIPPED supports applications through the process, so customers know their information is secure, and that they will not be bombarded with calls and emails from potential lenders.

“Having access to KWIPPED’s financing solution makes it easier for businesses to sell our meals, which can play an important role in their customers’ health goals,” Nista said. “Our goal is for price to no longer be an obstacle to healthy eating.”

Clean Eatz meals are comparable to fast food in price point, but unlike most fast food they are all under 600 calories and offer a healthy balance of fats, carbohydrates and protein.

“We are excited to help a fellow entrepreneur business expand its reach in a way that will help small businesses add to their product offerings, and that will bring affordable, healthy food to a larger population,” said KWIPPED founder and CEO Robert Preville. 

About KWIPPED

KWIPPED Inc. is a technology company specializing in B2B equipment e-commerce that developed and maintains a unique online B2B equipment marketplace where equipment suppliers and lenders compete to serve the needs of equipment buyers. KWIPPED’s worldwide headquarters is located in Wilmington, NC. 

About Clean Eatz

Clean Eatz Kitchen, headquartered in Wilmington, NC, is a market-leader in ready-to-eat meal plans sold DTC and through traditional brick and mortar. Clean Eatz meals focus on a healthy balance of fats, carbs and protein at a price point everyone can afford. 

1) Drink up - before, during and after: You want to keep yourself cool and drink lots of water! Hot weather increases our body temperature. Our body’s natural cooling system can start to fail if we’re exposed to these high temperatures for too long. The result may be heat exhaustion – that awful fatigue that makes you feel as if the next step could be your last. To keep cool, drink plenty of water. Another great way to help rehydrate during a pause in your physical activity is to eat a piece of fruit, a dill pickle or even carrots or celery sticks. The fruit and veggies will also help replace valuable electrolyte loss.

2) Take it indoors: I know I know...this is the last thing you want to do when it's a perfect day - all sunshine and no clouds BUT you have to be smart when it comes to the heat index. Try out the indoor pool or some racquetball to switch things up.

3) Never let yourself get to the point of feeling faint, dizzy, or sick: Sure, it kills you not to finish your workout. Pay heed to the heat. Listen to your body. If you’re feeling any of the following, find air-conditioned comfort fast: weakness, light-headedness, dizziness/paling of the skin, headache, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting or an abnormal rapid heartbeat.

4) If you feel a stroke has happened to you or another, it's time to call 911: Move to a shady area, drink cool water, avoid alcohol or caffeine (in tea and soft drinks), apply ice packs under the armpits and groin, and fan until body temperature cools.

5) Avoid the darker colored clothing: the dark colors absorb heat. Heavy and tight-fitted clothing can also make you heat up so choose to wear light, loose clothing to help keep you cool and more air can circulate over your skin.

6) Ease up: Know when to ease up. Chances are, you won’t be able to exercise at the intensity you normally do if there are hot and humid climates, and that’s okay. If you normally run, walk or jog. If you walk, slow your pace. As your body adapts to the heat, gradually pick up the pace and length of your workout. 

7) Don't eat right before you head out: but but but I thought your body needs fuel to move? It does! A light meal an hour before you're heading out is perfect. It takes blood and energy to your gut to digest the food and that makes more body heat — not what you want when you're already hot...so avoid the chinese food, burgers, etc before a workout in the heat.

8) Protect your skin, it's your body's cooling system: Wear sunshine, add a hat for the top of your head. The skin is an "amazing self-cooling apparatus. Your skin and tissues are incredibly designed to move warm blood away from your core to keep your vital organs cool. Any damage to your skin or the underlying tissue prevents your body from being able to air condition itself.

9) Switch locations or times of day:  One of the simplest ways to keep your body temperature at a reasonable level when you're exercising on a hot summer day is to go out earlier in the morning than you might in other seasons, or later in the evening, when the air temperature is cooler. Midday sun can add as much as 20 degrees or more to the actual air temperature. You really have to be careful about that."

10) Try more heat friendly forms of exercise: Hiking and running are great workouts but when it gets hot, you want to do things your body can handle a bit easier in the heat. If the water is cool, swimming is a great choice on hot days and a good way to manage heat in general, because your body is stressed from heat even if you're not exercising. Indoor yoga is also a good alternative.

Exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your body. If you don't take care when exercising in the heat, you risk serious illness. Both the exercise itself and the air temperature and humidity can increase your core body temperature. To help cool itself, your body sends more blood to circulate through your skin. So being aware and following the above steps will help you stay safe when you opt for an outside workout during the heat. :)

HOW TO STAY EPIC AF!

Congrats! You’ve had that Mirror Moment. You know, the point when you catch a glimpse of yourself and realize: “Damn, I did it.”

All of those months – in some cases years – of commitment, eating the right types of food, portion control, disciplined workouts and overall determination led to this new beginning. You’ve hit your goal weight… So now what?

Well, I’m here to tell you that it takes a fresh plan – something as focused as the one that got you here.

Fact is, 97% of dieters within three years pack on even more pounds than they lost. Obesity research often fails to reflect this disappointing truth, however. It’s mainly because related studies rarely track people beyond 18 months post journey.

Look, none of us want to fall back into old ways after that initial push, but it’s easy to see how it happens. When you’re losing weight, there’s HUGE motivation in watching scale numbers drop, fitting into once-tight pants, and hearing people praise your progress. It’s an absolute rush, and very well-deserved.

When you’ve finally reached your wellness milestone – the one that drove every decision up until now – there’s almost an anticlimactic lull that takes over. It’s how we’re wired as humans! You got a taste of tangible reward from your personal drive. You were laser-focused to make it happen, and you did. But since you’ve cleared that first, physical hurdle, it seems like it should take less to maintain on a daily basis.

So we ease up. We slip back, thinking we can hold the progress rolling at our old speed. Before you know it, missed workouts and extra bites quickly add up to 5…10…15 lbs. Maintaining weight-loss is the most crucial part of the journey, and it’s also the most commonly forgotten step.

Here are a few of my suggestions, based on decades of perfecting the formula! Keep your head up and stay in front. You’ve earned this Changed Life – Don’t stop now!

Start a Food Journal: This is a must when looking to manage weight loss. Logging your dietary intake from day-to-day puts everything into perspective. When you see the exact number of calories and nutrients you’ve consumed, it’s easier to decide on a meal that’s right for you in the moment.

Weekly Weigh Ins: Many diets are too restrictive, throwing in requirements that are difficult to keep up with in real life! That’s why it’s important to track any fluctuation in real time, which weigh ins do. As soon as you notice you’re slipping, take action. It’s easier to lose two to three pounds versus 10!

Exercise Daily: We maintain most aspects of our personal hygiene through daily, preventative care… Brushing our teeth, taking a shower, etc. Your physical fitness should be no different. Develop a realistic regimen, even if it’s only 30 minutes here and there. Having exercise as a scheduled priority increases your chances of GETTING IT DONE!

Shift Your Goal Perspective: When we view a diet as a quick fix rather than a long-term solution, we’re more likely to give up and gain back the weight. Instead of focusing simply on the short-term objective – registering a set number on the scale – look at your efforts as a total life change. The more you apply this fresh outlook, the easier it becomes to stay true to the results.

Remember, it takes time to etch those healthy habits into a routine. Be patient with yourself and don’t let all your hard work go down the tubes. Know your weaknesses and be prepared. You will be tempted by certain foods and situations, but if you keep your resolve strong, you can stay ahead of it all.

You should still limit the amount of fried food that you consume but there are some benefits if you're needing something quick and tasty for dinner.

Some of the benefits: 

1) Easy to clean. It only takes minimal effort to clean an air fryer compared with deep fryers.

2) Easy to use. Just set it and forget it. Easy, peasy lemon squeezy.

3) Safe to use. Deep-frying foods involves heating a large container full of scalding oil. This can pose a safety risk. While air fryers do get hot, there is no risk of spilling, splashing, or accidentally touching hot oil. People should use frying machines carefully and follow instructions to ensure safety.

4) Healthier meals. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying. Cooking with oil and consuming traditional fried foods regularly has links to many adverse health conditions. Replacing deep frying with other cooking methods can reduce a person’s risk of these complications

5) Doesn't take up much space. More counter space for the other goodies! 

6) You can air fry our meals! One of the best ways to reheat our meals is in an air fryer which will reheat the food without making it soggy!

Using air fryers can promote weight loss. A higher intake of fried foods has direct links with higher obesity risk. This is because deep fried foods tend to be high in fat and calories. Switching from deep-fried foods to air-fried foods and reducing regular intake of unhealthful oils can promote weight loss.