Are you overweight? The Therapy Network provides tips for losing weight and creating a healthy lifestyle in this blog.
“Nearly half of US adults piled on excess pounds during the first year of the pandemic, making a national obesity crisis even worse..”– WebMD.
Forty-eight percent of Americans gained weight in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rate increased during the second year. What caused the sharp increase in obesity in the US?
Here are five reasons for weight gain:
- Stress and anxiety eating. There is no doubt that the pandemic caused stress and anxiety across every aspect of your life. Many turned to food as a temporary fix to anxiety and stressful feelings.
- A sedentary lifestyle. Streaming media, social media scrolling, news watching, and closed gyms…all added to a trend of a sedentary lifestyle.
- Fast food drive-thru grazing. Many Virginia restaurants closed during the pandemic, but popular fast food chains remained open. For some, a trip through the drive-thru became a family outing.
- Work from Home (WFH). Your daily commute became just a few steps from the kitchen. And the kitchen beckoned you between those Zoom calls and late nights at your home desk.
- Cooking at home. Cooking at home is the cornerstone of a healthy diet in ordinary life. Many Americans participated in popular cooking trends (such as the banana bread social media craze). While cooking at home often leads to a healthy lifestyle, some venture into an unhealthy direction.
Breaking the Overweight Cycle
Now that Americans are returning to a new-normal life, they realize that they are part of the 50% that became obese during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“It only takes 66 days for a new habit to become automatic”— HealthLine
Many Americans have led an unhealthy lifestyle for more than two years. If it only takes 66 days to create a habit, many may feel stuck in a bad, unhealthy habit.
The Therapy Network Can Help
Overweight America: Is this you?
The nine benefits of participating in a wellness program include the following:
- Losing weight Lowers the risk of heart disease
- Living a healthy lifestyle reduces high cholesterol levels
- A wellness program promotes weight loss through a healthy diet
- Maintaining a healthy weight slows bone loss
- Weight loss is a top way to prevent chronic illness
- A healthy lifestyle helps reduce your blood pressure
- Participants in a wellness program often notice an increase in energy
- A wellness program is also stress management
- The program helps you build muscle strength and increase mobility
If the benefits just pique your interest in starting a wellness program, TTN offers a custom program to fit your needs.
Four ways that The Therapy Network can help you launch a new wellness and fitness program:
- A wellness check is an inspiration needed to get started on a new path for many. Visit any of our six locations for a free wellness check. Our physical therapy staff will discuss your goals and ways to achieve them.
- Consult with your primary care provider, and sign up for the TTN Wellness Program at our Kempsville location. You can learn habits that lead you to a new healthy lifestyle. Many patients follow a completed physical therapy plan with a customized TTN Wellness Program.
- A sedentary lifestyle may have led to weight gain and aches, mobility issues, and joint pain. Did you know you do not need a doctor’s referral to participate in a TTN physical therapy plan? We have same-day appointments available at any of our six locations. Schedule an appointment for an evaluation, and we will review options covered by most insurance policies. A TTN physical therapy plan will get you back to enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle.
- Read the free blogs available in The Therapy Network’s blog library and sign up for our monthly newsletter. Both contain tips from our professional staff.
You need accountability to break the cycle and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Don’t Let Being Overweight Leave You on the Sidelines
One of the reasons we live in coastal Virginia is the tepid climate and bounty of outdoor activities. Our region offers a lot for active Virginians, from golf to beaches, fishing, kayaking, walking trails, and much more.
If you are in an unhealthy cycle, have gained weight, or are no longer in shape, you are sitting on the sidelines. Or you may have discovered that a recent golf game or walk on the beach resulted in newfound pain. It is time to consider a wellness and fitness program.
We have appointments available today with six locations in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake. Give us a call.