If you had asked Chris Williams where he thought he would be at 23 years old, he probably would have told you he would be in law school or working in the political arena. Instead, the former football player turned entrepreneur has opened his own nutritional shop in Starkville.
Truly one of a kind to the area, Peak Nutrition focuses on the body and the mind. Williams opened the store last week and said he already has customers lining up to try the shakes made in house and the meal plans targeted to athletes on the go.
Williams said that before anyone can begin to get in shape, they first must have the desire or as he commonly calls it, “the want to.”
He said he had that break through moment several months back. Williams played football all throughout high school and college, first as a tight end and then as a defensive tackle. Williams said he quickly gained weight when playing, starting out at less than 220 pounds and to 278 pounds by his senior year. When he graduated from Mississippi College in December 2011, he quit playing football, but kept consuming the same amount of calories as when he was working out on the field. Williams said he knew he needed to lose weight but didn’t know where to start. Not only was he becoming unhappy with his weight, Williams was also beginning to question the direction his professional life was going as well. That is when he said he had that “want to” moment and approached a friend to help him lose weight. Williams began eating right and leading an active lifestyle, focusing not only on his physical health, but his mental health as well. He quickly began losing weight but in addition, his state of mind changed, too. He said he had more energy and was on overall happier person.
“I had no idea how good you could feel just by changing your eating habits,” he said.
Williams said that is when he decided to open a nutritional store in Starkville. While he is a graduate of MC, Williams said maroon runs in his family; his father and two sisters are graduates of Mississippi State University. He said he especially enjoys working with athletes of all shapes and sizes. “It brightens up my day talking about athletics,” he said.
That attitude is certainly evident from the moment you step inside Williams’ store, located in College Park shopping center. The bright green walls and leather couches in front of a flat screen TV lend to the atmosphere that this is not only a store where you can stop in and get a freshly-made protein shake, but a place where you’re encouraged to sit down and stay a while.
Williams offers nearly 30 different shake flavors, ranging from fruit to chocolate to cookies and cream. The average shake contains 280 calories with the meal replacement shakes topping out at 320 calories. They also have energy teas offered in peach, lemon and raspberry flavors.
In addition to the shakes, Williams also sits down with customers and offers a free wellness evaluation and targeted nutrition plan. He said he hopes to build his clientele by developing relationships.
“We’re not just going to sell you a product and throw you out the door,” he said. “I’m here to help you. I’m going to be there to encourage people who don’t have an outlet, to motivate them. Motivation leads to celebration.”
Williams had an ambitious business plan and hopes to have two Peak Nutrition locations in Starkville by 2013. He would also like to have a fit club each week and one meeting a week giving nutritional advice, all at no cost to the client.
Williams said Peak Nutrition offers products for everyone, not just athletes. There are vitamins for children, heart health, digestive health, women’s extra calcium and sports nutrition to name a few.
He said his goal is to help people discover that “our bodies are awesome machines.”
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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