Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariana Hakman.
Hi Ariana, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started LunaFit as a stay-at-home mom with a laptop, a baby on my hip, and a vision.
Fitness had always been part of my life, but when I left my corporate job to be home with my daughter, I felt pulled to build something of my own. I started with an online business to help new moms lose weight under the name LunaFit, named after my daughter, because I wanted to create a life where I didn’t have to choose between being a mom and working. What began as workouts and coaching from home slowly grew into something bigger.
Years later, my husband and I purchased a struggling gym focused on independent trainers and as we saw the different business models, we realized we wanted to help clients directly so we could make more of an impact on their lives. We started our own gym, I gave up the name LunaFit for the business, and we built it from the ground up, new systems, new culture, new energy. There were seasons where it felt like we were fighting just to make rent. During COVID, we livestreamed workouts into a private Facebook group and rented equipment to members just to survive. It was gritty. It was humbling. But it forged who we are.
As our gym community grew, so did the need for healthy meals that met the nutrition guidelines we were giving them. That’s how LunaFit Fresh was born. We started in rented kitchens with terrible plumbing and tight schedules, eventually getting pushed out of one space by competitors. Instead of quitting, we bought our own kitchen. Today, we run a high-standard commissary kitchen and provide healthy meal prep, bulk proteins, and grab-and-go options that support not only our gym members but the broader community.
When COVID shut us down and we moved online, we realized something important, what people really needed wasn’t just a gym, it was the coaching. They needed structure, accountability, adjustments, and someone guiding them when life got off track. That shift in perspective eventually led to the LunaFit app through many iterations. We built it to replicate the coaching experience at scale, personalized workouts, nutrition guidance, tracking, and AI-driven support, so anyone, anywhere can have real guidance, not just access to exercises.
What started as a mom wanting flexibility has become an ecosystem: gym, meal prep, supplements, and tech that are all centered around helping people live healthier, stronger lives.
It hasn’t been linear. We’ve rebuilt, reinvested, navigated growth pains, partnerships, and learned a lot of hard lessons along the way. But through all of it, my heart has stayed the same: I love building, I love solving problems, and I love creating things that genuinely help people.
LunaFit isn’t just a brand. It’s my life’s work, and we’re just getting started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road. I sometimes joke that if it were smooth, I probably would’ve been bored and started another company just to keep things interesting.
We bought a struggling gym and while managing it rebuilt another one from the ground up, got kicked out of our space, moved back into our old space, then got hit with COVID and had to pivot overnight, livestreaming workouts from homes and renting out equipment just to keep cash flow alive. At the same time, we expanded into meal prep, operating out of rented kitchens with plumbing that had a personality of its own. When that situation fell apart, our solution was, “Well… I guess we’re buying a kitchen.” Totally rational.
And somewhere along the way, we decided launching a tech app sounded like a good idea too, because clearly running a gym and a food company wasn’t enough excitement.
There were seasons where we were fighting to make rent, seasons of rapid growth, and seasons where I questioned my sanity, sometimes all within the same month. But every obstacle forced us to get sharper and more disciplined. It hasn’t been smooth, but it’s built resilience, and resilience has become one of our greatest competitive advantages.
As you know, we’re big fans of LunaFit. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
LunaFit is really three companies that work together as one ecosystem: the gym, LunaFit Fresh, and the LunaFit app. At the core of all of it is our coaching.
The gym is where it started physically. We specialize in structured, coach-led training, not random workouts, we take out the guesswork. Our members follow intentional programming, track progress, and are supported by real coaches who care about outcomes. We’re known for high accountability, strong culture, and actually delivering results (with a little bit of fun).
LunaFit Fresh grew out of that same philosophy. Our meal prep isn’t about trendy dieting, it’s about practical, macro-conscious, performance-driven nutrition. We focus on balanced meals, quality ingredients, and making it easier for busy people to stay consistent. Nutrition shouldn’t feel overwhelming, and we’ve built Fresh to make eating healthy easier (and still delicious).
The LunaFit app is the scalable extension of our coaching model. It delivers personalized programming, nutrition guidance, habit tracking, wearable integration, and intelligent support that is all built around structure and accountability. What sets it apart is that it’s not just a workout library. It’s designed to replicate the coaching experience: guidance, feedback, tracking, and progression with our fun and quirky style.
What truly sets us apart is integration. Most companies do one thing well. We built a system that connects training, nutrition, and technology under one philosophy. Everything reinforces everything else.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that LunaFit has never been about aesthetics or hype. It’s about changing people’s lives by helping them create healthy lifestyle habits. We serve beginners, busy moms, professionals, and everyday people who want real guidance and long-term change, not fads or extremes.
If readers take anything away, I want them to know this: LunaFit was built to genuinely help people, to give them structure, support, and belief in themselves when they don’t have it yet.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I remember going to summer camp and being the only kid who wasn’t homesick. I was having way too much fun doing all the activities. I’ve always loved being independent and fully immersed in whatever I’m doing. That hasn’t changed, and I still don’t sit on the sidelines very well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lunafit.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunafitapp
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LunaFitUniverse/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lunafitapp
- Twitter: https://x.com/lunafitapp
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LunaFitUniverse
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lunafituniverse
