Morning dawns in Chicago. One solitary man can be seen running the lake front path this cold snowy day - white steam rising off his shoulders, sweat streaking his
determined face as he jogs through the cold Chicago streets. He is a man who has
used food, nutrition, and exercise to transform his life into something far
better than what it was before - he is now living a greener and healthier
lifestyle.
Ryan Hutmacher is a survivor. Years ago he was unhealthy physically and
emotionally; working in a high-pressure dead-end office job, Hutmacher hated
going to work. Stress and unhealthy eating habits plagued Hutmacher to the point
he realized he had to completely rebuild his life in order to move forward. "I
was at my physical and mental worst. At age 24, I was 5'7" and weighed 230
pounds. I was over 40% body fat! My doctor wanted to prescribe anti-depressants,
blood pressure & cholesterol medications. This compounded with the fact I
was deemed a pre-Type 2 Diabetic, had asthma and smoked cigarettes...something had
to change!"
Making a drastic life-decision, he quit his job, enrolled in full-time
cooking school, and stopped smoking. Endurance training began for Hutmacher
when, "my brother, Scott, signed me up for a triathlon. It was his subtle, yet
direct approach to supporting me in changing my own life. In agreeing to train,
I had no idea of the long term commitment I had put into motion."
(To continue Ryan Hutmacher's inspirational story, please click the link below. Above you see a video of his story and triumphant triathlon even in 2009.)
Chef Ryan Hutmacher is healthy now, after a long road of struggling, both emotionally and physically, to achieve a healthier and more fit way of life. His story is an inspirational guide we can all learn from. He says, “It all started with my brother Scott signing me up for a triathlon. It was his subtle, yet direct approach to supporting me in changing my own life. A few weeks prior to agreeing to do the triathlon, I had a pretty sobering experience at the doctors office. I was at an all time low. I was a clinically-obese asthmatic that smoked. Lab tests revealed I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and was on the brink of Type 2 Diabetes. To add insult to injury, I was prescribed medications for each of those symptoms, along with a smoking cessation drug. I am happy to say that by tailoring my eating habits and embracing the endurance sports community in Chicago, I have been able to overcome those issues and without conventional medicines!”
Chef Ryan Hutmacher’s crowning personal achievement; finishing the Cozumel Triathlon in 2009 and in doing so, earning the American Cancer Society thousands of dollars for cancer research.
From the moment I met Chef Ryan Hutmacher last summer on the set of a WGN 9 News, I knew we would be friends. We share the same passion for simple living, and were both at the studio that day to educate the public on healthy living. As a triathlete, “clean cuisine” expert, and co-founder of Centered Chef Food Studios in Chicago, his passion for educating people on healthy living exudes from his very pores. Here we are together at one of his cooking classes held at Macy’s Culinary Studio.
In this photo, Chef Ryan Hutmacher is teaching a class on his healthy food philosophy. Centered Chef Food Studios hosts monthly cooking classes at Macy’s Culinary Studio. Covering a variety of nutrition specific topics like "performance nutrition" for marathoners and triathletes, "fast foods" for busy professionals looking to save time while eating right, as well as a variety of classes geared towards groups who have restrictive diets due to food allergies or health conditions. “There's a huge disconnect with people's awareness of food in it's natural state,” he says about locally grown food. “With less reliance on pesticides and gmo's that yield perfectly shaped produce, our tolerance for imperfections in shapes and sizes take a back seat to the pride that's felt in eating something we've hand selected from a local producer.” Cooking classes help put the every day person in touch with that healthier awareness.
In addition to developing the menus and running the kitchen for Centered Chef Food Studios, Chef Ryan consults with agencies, corporate clients and athletic training groups including the American Cancer Society, Fleet Feet Sports, Sara Lee Corporation, Applegate Farms, Driscoll’s, Ajinomoto, Ameriprise Financial Services, Fitness Formula Health Clubs, Energy BBDO and IBM. Chef Ryan is also a recurring guest on WGN TV's midday Lunchbreak news segment. In this program, he showcases functional ingredients that can be prepared both easily and healthfully. Additionally, he consults as a television chef and food stylist for Sara Lee Corporation, and has been featured on KATU-TV (ABC, Portland) and WOAI-TV (NBC, San Antonio), WSVN-TV (FOX, Miami).
Chef Ryan Before and After His Life Transition
Chef Ryan Hutmacher is healthy now, after a long road of struggling, both emotionally and physically, to achieve a healthier and more fit way of life. His story is an inspirational guide we can all learn from. He says, “It all started with my brother Scott signing me up for a triathlon. It was his subtle, yet direct approach to supporting me in changing my own life. A few weeks prior to agreeing to do the triathlon, I had a pretty sobering experience at the doctors office. I was at an all time low. I was a clinically-obese asthmatic that smoked. Lab tests revealed I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and was on the brink of Type 2 Diabetes. To add insult to injury, I was prescribed medications for each of those symptoms, along with a smoking cessation drug. I am happy to say that by tailoring my eating habits and embracing the endurance sports community in Chicago, I have been able to overcome those issues and without conventional medicines!”
At school he learned about healthy eating as well as healthy cooking,
especially after he spent time living and working in France, learning to cook
with basic, natural ingredients. With his friend and family's help with
exercise, he was soon involved heavily with endurance training. Transforming his
physical form was just the beginning of the positive benefits of this training,
as his emotional state and mindset soon transformed as well. Miraculous in its
nature; this transformation saved Hutmacher's life.
Six years later Hutmacher is fifty pounds lighter and well armed with a
greener lifestyle. Hutmacher knew it was time to inspire others to find the
benefits of living and eating healthy. When he returned to Chicago from France,
he formed Centered Chef Food
Studios, a very special catering firm focused on evangelizing a
revolutionary idea for healthy eating better defined as "clean cuisine", which
is a contemporary take on "comfort foods" using fresh, locally grown foods
whenever possible.
In 2009, working through Centered Chef Food Studios,
Hutmacher began a Culinary Wellness Initiative through the American Cancer
Society (ACS). His goal was to compete in the Cozumel, Mexico Ironman
Competition earning money and awareness for the ACS. This event also celebrated
his greatest personal victory: overcoming poor health. Sending out announcements
of the inspiring event, Hutmacher said, "I'm going to swim, bike and run 140.6
miles in Cozumel, Mexico. This race is the next great chapter in "redefining" my
personal limits. In knowing I can't take my health for granted, I have a
choice." In making this announcement, Hutmacher has inspired hundreds to learn
from him to make a choice for their own health.
As part of Hutmacher's cooking philosophy, he utilizes his experience in
performance training to help redefine the powerfully healthy benefits of eating
right. Hutmacher educates on utilizing whole foods and buying foods locally
grown when possible to promote healthy living. Eating right and exercising
regularly has changed his life, and he wants to inspire change for others as
well. Chef Ryan Hutmacher is a green and healthy inspiration to all those who
are struggling with the basics of living healthier lives.
To learn more about Chef Ryan Hutmacher, his television appearances, cooking
classes, and health initiatives - and how he can inspire you or your corporation
- please contact him at the offices of Centered Chef Food Studios.
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