Vitacost.com is dedicated to helping you be healthier and happier. But we don’t just sell the products – we live the lifestyle! Our offices are full of inspirational men and women who are committed to health and fitness.
Every month, we’ll highlight an employee whose healthy habits serve as motivation to us all – and hopefully to you, too!
Chris Capato, who manages our Strategic Pricing Department has earned this month’s honors! Chris wasn’t always the sculpted, well-disciplined fitness fanatic he is today – read his story to find out why his mantra is “If you want it, do it!”
When did you decide to make a change in your life – and why?
There were two different times in my life I made a change.

The first change was sparked by seeing photos from my sister’s wedding. It happened to be Halloween, so that day I set a simple goal of not eating any candy.
That tiny goal turned into a larger one of losing weight. I was only 17 at the time and didn’t really understand dieting – I thought it only meant cutting back on unhealthy food. I went from 245 lbs. down to 170 lbs and fluctuated up and down for many years, but never gained it all back
The second change happened when I noticed I was “skinny” but didn’t have any muscle definition. This is when I found a diet and exercise routine and stuck with it for 90 days. In just 3 months, my body was completely transformed. Now 5 years later, I still follow the general guidelines I found in the diet, but they have become a permanent part of my lifestyle.
What was the biggest challenge you faced on your journey to fitness?
Educating myself on what’s healthy and what will work for me was a big challenge. There are so many diets out there that sound like a quick fix, but they usually limit you in such a way that it’s impossible to maintain. It’s better to make smaller changes that you can actually stick with in the long term.
Who or what inspires and motivates you?
When I first started losing weight, my parents were a huge motivation. My mother struggled with her weight and lost a great deal of her weight when I was in my early teens. So she helped me to eat better when I finally decided I wanted to do it, too.
Now what motivates me is placing goals for myself, whether it be to look a certain way for a vacation or to accomplish a half-marathon or other competition.
How do you feel when you see pictures of your transformation?

I usually feel shocked – especially the pictures from when I was at my heaviest weight! I just feel like that was a different person.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to live healthier and lose weight?
The best advice I could give is: if you want it, do it! Don’t wait! Start today! Do some research, make a shopping list and stick to the list so you’re prepared for the journey to a new lifestyle. Be patient, because it doesn’t all change in a few days. If you make a mistake, don’t put yourself down, just refocus and start back at it.
But always remember: you need to do this for you and no one else but you.
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Shopping list
With so many healthy options available at Vitacost.com, what makes the cut in Chris Capato’s shopping cart?
- Breakfast: In the morning, Chris goes for Best of All Rolled Oats – or a bowl of (filling and delicious) Kind Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds.
- Snack: Keeping up with the low prices at Vitacost.com is hard work – when Chris gets hungry, he reaches for a handful of organic almonds.
- Vitamin: Vitacost Men’s Vita Active Sport is a perfect fit for Chris’s active lifestyle.
- Pre-workout: Before he hits the gym, Chris turns to BSN NO-XPLODE for the energy he needs to make it through a tough workout.
- Post-workout: Chris prefers Vitacost Whey Protein Complex with BCAAs to help his muscles recover and rebuild.
- Bedtime: After applying ZIA Men Dual-Action Face Lotion (gotta keep the skin looking good, too), Chris enjoys Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein – the slow-burning casein protein promotes muscle recovery and growth overnight.