Staff, members ready to fight "Poundemic" as Wellness Centers reopen

After over two months of closed doors, the NMMC Wellness Centers are poised to reopen on June 1st.

Staff and members are ready to get back into shape.

Posted right now on our wtva we have a link to the back to business mississippi website... posted right now on our wtva facebook page..

And the nmmc wellness centers across northeast mississippi are reopening on monday.

Wtva's matt st.

Jean is live from the facility in tupelo where the nearly 4,000 members are looking to fight a different part of the pandemic.

That's right alyssa, a staff member i talked to described it as the "poundemic."

Members not being able to workout and maybe not being able to maintain that strict diet.

When the doors open, members and staff are ready to take on the challenge of getting back into shape.

Take pkg (lee) i'm glad it's opening back up because i've missed it.

(track) lee duncan is a member at the wellness center in tupelo.why did he miss the gym?

(lee) my health care provider, terry w.

Miller, for him the w stands for wonderful, he told me to exercise or die.

(track) other than staying healthy and fighting the poundemic, duncan also said that he really missed the social aspect of the gym.

Speaking of the poundemic, the staff member who coined that phrase is nutrionist emily littlejohn.

She said that even though people are excited to get back in the gym and got out of that poundemic lifestyle, don't rush it.

(emily) start small with small steps to making yourself healthier, whether it's drinking more water or adding a fruit or vegetable at each meal, it can be done, don't try to it's been so weird, not having any life to this gym we're used to having lots of personality and lots of members here.

There are some other restrictions at the gym when it opens back up such as: no guests are allowed.

The gym must remain at 30 percent capacity.

Cardio equipment cannot be used for longer than 30 minutes.

And all classes are suspended for the time being.

But the good news for wellness center members, you can get back to fighting the poundemic and get that summer bod back in shape.

Reporting in tupelo, matt st.

Jean wtva 9 news.

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