New Branford business focuses on life beyond Ozempic

A Yale-trained psychiatrist and obesity medicine specialist has teamed with a long-time fitness instructor on a new Branford business, one that takes the soaring success of weight loss medications in a way that goes beyond the number on a scale or a smaller clothing size.

Restart 4 Wellbeing, which celebrated its opening at its headquarters on 328 East Main St. last Saturday, integrates weight management, mental health, fitness, and spiritual growth toward sustainable well-being.

Bindu Lal, M.D. had seen the remarkable effectiveness of GLP-1 weight loss drugs in her patients, and yet there was something missing.

“We got them to that next step, but they were still struggling with anxiety and depression, still chasing that elusive sense of well-being that medicine couldn’t provide,” she said.

Given the continuing increase in the use of obesity medications—according to a 2024 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, approximately 6% of U.S. adults, or about 15 million people, are currently taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound—Lal saw the need for something more.

She shared her concern with Lisa Peterson, owner and head trainer of Lisa’s Bike & Bootcamp Studio in Branford, where she takes classes. As it happened, Peterson was experiencing a similar frustration. With over 30 years helping clients get into the best shape of their lives, she saw first-hand that physical fitness alone wasn’t enough.

“My purpose has always been not so much helping clients get big muscles or lose weight or any of that stuff that people might think exercising will get them, but to feel better about themselves,” Peterson said. That was happening during the workouts, but not when they left.

They decided to join forces.

The result is a program with four “pillars”—hence, the 4 in the name—to build wellness: mind, which comprises Lal’s expertise in psychiatric care to help manage stress, anxiety, and depression; and body, incorporating specialized obesity medicine programs designed for sustainable weight loss and metabolic health. There is fitness, with Peterson’s strength and mobility training, and endurance coaching; and spirit, with guidance in breathwork and meditation.

The program consists of an intensive phase, during which clients meet on a weekly basis; the stabilization phase; and the maintenance phase. Its design is consistent with studies showing that sustainable behavioral change requires at least six months, according to Lal. “Everything is based on the individual because everyone is different,” Peterson said.

The non-negotiable requirement for Restart 4 Wellbeing: clients have to work on all four elements. “This is not a place to come just for weight loss medicine,” Peterson said. That goes to the mission: not just sustainable weight loss, but sustainable well-being, something that, they hope, will transform lives, and help people find the best version of themselves.

“As far as I can tell, this kind of integrative program has never been done before,” Lal said.

“This is what we’re missing out on in medicine,” said Anoli Borad, M.D., a doctor of infectious diseases at Yale School of Medicine, at the opening. “It’s the reality that we can prescribe a pill that may provide temporary relief or address specific symptoms, but that doesn’t address underlying causes or promote long-term overall wellness.”

For more information on Restart4Wellbeing, visit www.restart4wellbeing.com.