🚴‍♂️ Ride into Summer with Iowa Weight Loss

July

2026

Can you believe we’ve officially reached the back half of 2026? Are you on track with your health and wellness goals? Iowa Weight Loss Specialists is here to help! In this month’s newsletter:

💉 Thoughts on reta – what is it and what you need to know

☑ Use micro-habits for effective behavior change

🌽 A healthy street corn recipe from “Better Bites”

💻 Staying connected – get the most out of your MyChart app

💜 Five quotes to keep you motivated

👍 In “The Verdict,” we look at products in the health and wellness space – this month we are rating the BUILT Sour Puff bars

⁉ Did You Know:

RAGBRAI LIII is July 18-25 and features the shortest route yet at 391.4 miles.
The U.S. celebrates its 250^th birthday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The Roman calendar originally called this month “Quintilis” – it was renamed “July” in honor of Julius Caesar – not to mention easier to spell!
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs through July 19th, hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Reta Explained

You may have heard chatter lately about “reta” or “peptides” for weight loss. What exactly is reta? Is it approved for use? How is it different from current GLP-1 medications?

The term “reta” is short for retatrutide, an experimental weight loss drug being developed by Eli Lilly (the company behind Zepbound and Foundayo). Retatrutide is a “triple agonist” because it mimics 3 hormones in the body: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. However, unlike other medications, retatrutide is still going through clinical trials.

Despite not yet being FDA-approved for safe use in humans, reta has gained popularity by being sold online through unregulated research chemical markets labeled “for research use only.” Since they are not regulated, these products can also be mislabeled, counterfeit, and lack normal regulatory standards. They also have no dosing instructions.

While reta may sound appealing based on anecdotal evidence or social media buzz, it is very important to understand it is an investigational drug and not FDA-approved. It is strongly recommended that individuals seek evidence-based medication options through licensed healthcare providers such as Iowa Weight Loss Specialists.

GLP-1 medications are powerful drugs and should be used as a tool alongside appropriate oversight. Coaching with a team of specialists like IWLS helps you to navigate the use of weight loss medications safely, more effectively, and to minimize potential side effects.

Use "Micro Habits" to Achieve Desired Behaviors

This month we’re focusing on the concept of micro-habits (or micro-interventions) as a type of behavior modification.

Micro-habits are sort of similar to the “2-minute rule” discussed in last month’s newsletter. Rather than setting ambitious goals that are fuzzy on the details (“I’m going to exercise more”), try to create habits that are dialed in, easily doable, measurable, and repeatable. Micro-habits are often based on cues in your existing routine or environment, and help to avoid “decision fatigue” that can happen when we are trying to be 100% perfect with a healthy lifestyle.

Examples of micro-habits, in this case related to eating meals:

Drink a glass of water before each meal
Add a serving of fruit or vegetables to each meal
Eat meals at the table without any distractions
Go for a quick walk down the street or around the block after dinner
Log one meal a day in your food journal (instead of logging the entire day)

Taken separately, these micro-habits don’t seem like too much work. But if you were to perform them daily, the benefits begin to add up. You are increasing hydration and decreasing potential for excess hunger by drinking water before meals, you are getting up to 20+ extra servings of fruit/vegetables per week, you are being more mindful and enjoying food rather than eating passively and not paying attention to fullness, you are increasing your step count and movement, you are getting consistent with food journaling or learning more about the nutritional content of your meals.

What other micro-habits can you build to help you reach your broader wellness and weight loss goals? Choose 1 or 2 that you can easily add to your routine. If needed, set reminders to help you remember.

Better Bites: Healthy Mexican Street Corn Salad

It’s not a true Iowa summer without some sweet corn on your plate! This month we’re sharing the Healthy Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe from Erin Lives Whole, a creamy, tangy, slightly smoky take on elote. Corn brings a natural sweetness and crunch for a fresh and no-fuss dish when the weather heats up. It’s perfect as a side dish for weeknight dinners or to take to a potluck!

Fun Facts:

Elote means “corn on the cob” in Spanish and is a popular street food in Mexico.
Before being domesticated by humans, corn was a wild grass called teosinte, originating in southern Mexico more than 9,000 years ago.
During peak summer, more than half of Iowa is covered in cornfields.

The Verdict: BUILT Sour Puff

This month, we asked the clinic staff to taste test a high-protein snack called BUILT Sour Puff bars, and the results were…polarizing.

We tried 3 flavors: Blue Razz Blast, Green Apple Crush, and Sweet Peach Punch. Below are takeaways from the team!

Ranked by favorite flavor: Green Apple (1^st), Blue Razz (tied 2^nd), Sweet Peach (tied 2^nd)
Overall scores (1=horrible, 10=delicious): Green Apple 6.4, Blue Razz 6.0, Sweet Peach 5.5
70% would recommend to others
Words to describe it: chewy, sour, tart, fluffy, dense, fruity, candy-like, marshmallow-y

Our favorite comments:

“Chewy candy-like protein bar. Like a gummy bear in bar form.”
“The taste was OK – definitely sour. The texture was awful – too chewy.”
“Candy-like. Would satisfy a craving.”
“Loved it! I liked the softness, and the taste was amazing.”
“Gross!”
“Flavor is great. Love that the texture is not grainy.”
“Couldn’t eat it. Tried to cut into the bar, and the texture was so gross I stopped. What is that weird gelatinous center made of? I cannot even.”

The Verdict: For 150 calories and 16 grams of protein per bar, this might be a decent alternative to sour gummy candy with a bit more nutritional value. But might want to stay away if you have texture aversions!

Have a product you want us to rate and review?

Email newsletter@iowaweightloss.com to tell us about it!

Motivation Mania:

5 Quotes to Inspire Your Journey

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

Mark Twain

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it

for a few minutes, including you."

Anne Lamott

"The only bad workout is the one that didn't happen."

Unknown

"Every action you take is a vote for

the type of person you wish to become."

James Clear

"Talk to yourself like someone you love."

Brene Brown

Clinic Spotlight: MyChart App

Are you active on the MyChart app? It is a convenient, secure way to manage your health records and appointments across multiple healthcare networks, including Iowa Specialty Hospital.

You can use MyChart to schedule and manage appointments, view provider notes, and complete pre-visit tasks before arriving at the clinic. MyChart also provides easy access to records of test results and current medications.

You can also use the app to send non-urgent messages directly to your care team, including nursing, providers, dietitians, and therapists.

Take a more active role in your health journey and download the MyChart app today. Not a smartphone user? MyChart is also available for desktop computer users.

News & Notes

🎉 Congratulations to our Des Moines-based provider Lynzy DeVary ARNP FNP-C, for earning the Certificate of Advanced Education in Obesity Medicine! This OMA (Obesity Medicine Association) certification is awarded to practitioners for expanding their expertise in evidence-based obesity treatment.

Lynzy is currently accepting new patients both in-person and via telehealth.

💻 Connect with peers and dietitian Kathryn Flynn RDN in our virtual support group. Email connections@iowaweightloss.com to sign up. Upcoming sessions via Zoom:

Tuesday, July 7 ^th @ Noon (Q&A)
Wednesday, July 15^th @ 5:00pm (Open Discussion)
Thursday, July 23^rd @ Noon (How to Break a Weight Loss Plateau)

🎙 Check out the latest episodes of the Well-ISH Podcast below. Available via YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Episode 33: How to Prepare for GLP-1 Medications

Episode 34: The GLP-1 Prep Plan

RAGBRAI LIII is almost here!

Take a peek at some of the Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics' and Iowa Weight Loss Specialists' pictures from RAGBRAI's past...