NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The fitness industry is booming in Hampton Roads as many people want to find ways to live longer and healthier lives. At the same time more people than ever are living with obesity, according to the World Health Organization, which is due to a number of factors.
Those in Hampton Roads said when they began to explore the health and wellness industry they first discovered what motivated them.
"At one point I didn't know how to get sober, I discovered fitness, I discovered what fitness did for me mentally and it replaced it. It wasn't just the body goals that kept me into it. It was the endorphins and the way it made me feel after. I felt accomplished," said Kevin Clark, personal trainer and fitness group instructor at OneLife Fitness.
Last year he told News 3 how the gym helped him through addiction.
This year he's introducing us to some more people around Newport News and Hampton who share a love for wellness in other ways.
Fire and Ice Recovery and IV tuned to hot and cold therapy and some new tech for rest and muscle recovery.
"I think just because this is something not everyone knows about, this is the exciting part," said general manager of Fire and Ice Recovery and IV Rachael Shumway who explained she's been exploring cryotherapy and red light therapy.
Others on the peninsula, like 5 Star Nutrition, built a brand around supplements and at 3 Peat Eats it's about nutrition on a time crunch.
"Meal prep is important to me personally with the busy lifestyle with always kind of being on the go," explained Michael Fitch, owner of 3 Peat Eats. "We found out it's a lot of people want to be more health conscious and it's not just people lifting and people going to the gym. It's regular people who want to have healthy options as well."
All these Hampton Roads businesses said they've been growing. It's no surprise either since the Global Wellness Institute reports that the wellness industry increases nationally by roughly eight percent annually.
But the folks here at home say you don't need anything fancy to pursue your goals, just a willingness to try new things and ask lots of questions.
"Don't quit after three days if you don't see a six-pack. Seek out professional help if you need it. Ask for advice," said Clark.
"Get the best out of life that you can. I have clients...they tell me 'I just want to be healthy, 'I just want to be able to grow old and see my children and grandchildren grow older'," said Shumway. "Let your body relax and recover so you don't get hurt, so you can perform better in life, perform better in your business, your workouts, whatever it is you're trying to do you ask yourself, 'hey, am I missing something? . . . a lot of times it's recovery."
"Try and lose the stigma a little for what's healthy and what things aren't healthy. Just do your best, honestly," added Fitch.
Doctors say a healthy lifestyle can include a balance of sleep and rest, nutrition, exercise, social connection, and mindfulness.
