Galloway Nutrition Owner Giving Back After Retirement Nearly Proved Deadly

As Galloway Nutrition Club Personal Wellness Coach George Pappadopolous puts it: “I used to make people fat; now I make them thin.”

The former restaurant owner took over Galloway Nutrition seven years ago, and brought his club to its current location at 68 West Jimmie Leeds Road, in the shopping complex across the street from on April 1, 2008.

It was a venture he felt was important enough to bring him out of retirement after the parent company’s product saved his life, and a venture he hopes to expose to the entire township when he participates in the inaugural “Taste of Galloway,” on Thursday night, June 28, 5-8 p.m.

The event, presented by the Galloway Township Business Association, will showcase the signature food and drinks from Galloway’s restaurants, and will take place on the Village Greene in

Pappadopolous owned the Plaza 22 restaurant, which served a variety of food including Italian, Spanish, American, French and Jewish food, for 25 years before he retired. However, upon retiring, he gained weight until he was up to 348 pounds, and his health deteriorated.

His blood pressure was 220 over 120, his cholesterol was 338 and his AIC was 10.2

“An AIC of 6.5 means you’re diabetic,” Pappadopolous said. “My doctor told me, ‘if you don’t lose weight immediately, you’ll be dead in three months.’ I looked for a company that was good for weight loss.”

His business partner when he owned the restaurant, Francine Bator, helped him find just such a company. Just over 14 months later, Pappadopolous was down to 142 pounds, his blood pressure was 114 over 60, his cholesterol was 158 and his AIC was 5.1. He also reduced the amount of prescription drugs he needed from seven to zero.

He and Bator co-wrote a book about the game Blackjack together, which entailed many late night gambling trips, a part of his lifestyle his doctor told him to eliminate. He also quit smoking.

“I can tell you it works,” Pappadopolous said.

It worked so well for him, he went to work for the company he credits with saving his life as an independent distributor. At first, he worked from his home because his company didn’t have any clubs set up. That changed in 2007, when Pappadopolous set up shop on Jimmie Leeds Road.

When someone who needs help getting into shape visits Galloway Nutrition, Pappadopolous or one of his co-workers –all of whom have used the system—hook that person up to a smart machine that sends a current through them. The machine determines how much the person weighs and how many pounds of that is fat as well as how much of that is excess fat; what their percentage of body fat is and what they’re suggested body fat percentage should be; their lean body mass; how many calories and how much protein that person should have each day; and an initial goal weight for that person.

Because it is a smart machine, it doesn’t set an initial goal weight that would force the person to lose all the weight at once. Once the initial goal weight is reached, a new goal weight is calculated.

The program for each person to reach their goal weight is different, and Pappadopolous says all the products sold at Galloway Nutrition are “pharmaceutical grade,” as opposed to food grade.

“Our products are pure,” Pappadopolous explained. “You could put one of our pills in a freezer over night and there would be no change in it.”

Galloway Nutrition only charges for the products. The consultation is free, and they have free samples of their shakes and teas. There’s also a money back guarantee if the person returns what they purchased, no matter how much of it is left over when it is returned.

According to Pappadopolous, Galloway Nutrition has five people using their system that have lost at least 100 pounds, with one person having lost 133 pounds in 18 months. He also said that 94.8 percent of the people who lose weight using the system never gain a significant amount of weight again.

For the Taste of Galloway, he plans to offer pies made out of the shake mix, which he calls “replacement meals.”

“You have one and then you’re not hungry anymore,” Pappadopolous said. “We’re going to bring some of our teas, our H3O Hydrate drink and some of our brochures. We want to make people aware that we are here, that we do exist and that we will help.”

It’s the only reason Pappadopolous remains with Galloway Nutrition. Although he says the pay is good, he also says he doesn’t need the money after being in the restaurant business for 25 years.

“I’m thankful and fortunate for this company,” Pappadopolous said. “I know what it’s like to be 348 pounds. I couldn’t tie my shoes or scratch my back or do any of the things most people take for granted. I had a hard time breathing. When someone comes in and sits across from me, I know how they feel.

“I enjoy coming to work. If someone comes in that I know I can help, it gives me a high. People come in and they lose weight and they’ll start crying. That’s the feeling that keeps me going. I’m giving back to them and they’re giving back to me.”

For more information on the Taste of Galloway event, visit http://www.gallowaybusiness.com/taste-of-galloway.