Jon Wheeler is a real estate executive with four decades of experience in the acquisition, financing, and management of grocery-anchored shopping centers. As chief executive officer of Resurgent Realty Trust, he has led strategies that respond to shifting retail conditions while building relationships with tenants and investors. Earlier, he co-founded Perrine Wheeler, where he bought, leased, managed, and sold grocery-centered properties in growth markets. A member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, he holds a political science degree from Southern Methodist University and enjoys working out in his spare time. Based in Virginia Beach, he views consistent habits, clear planning, and measurable routines as useful in business and in health. This introduction frames several fundamentals for leading a healthier life, including regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, better sleep patterns, and attention to factors that contribute to weight gain.
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A Few Tips for Leading a Healthier Life
The average citizen in the United States lives with relatively poor metabolic health. Less than 25 percent of citizens meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) minimum guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, while just 12 percent of Americans maintain optimal metabolic health. Other health crises in the US range from sleep conditions to weight issues, with nearly 60 percent of Americans saying they would feel healthier if they got more sleep, per Gallup, and approximately 75 percent of adults qualifying as overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. These challenges contribute to a variety of chronic health concerns, such as type 2 diabetes.
Addressing so many health issues at once can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, Americans can take several basic steps to improve their overall health, starting with increasing their physical activity levels. To start, individuals must appreciate the fact that some exercise is better than none. A 2024 report from the World Health Organization found that 1.8 billion adults are at risk of disease due to a lack of physical activity, while about 25 percent of Americans lead completely sedentary lives, meaning they engage in no meaningful physical activities whatsoever.
The CDC encourages Americans in most age groups to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity, 75 minutes of vigorously intense activity, or some combination of the two. In addition, Americans should dedicate a minimum of two days to muscle-strengthening activity. Individuals can start by scheduling a casual walk of roughly 22 minutes each day, or 30 minutes of walking on weekdays. That said, Americans can enjoy greater health benefits by exceeding the CDC’s minimum recommendations.
Medical professionals use the term “metabolic health” to describe a person’s overall health level and their risk of developing metabolic diseases, which include diabetes and many other health conditions. Increasing physical activity is one of several steps Americans can take to increase their metabolic health.
Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is also critically important for Americans concerned about their metabolic health. Unfortunately, the CDC reports that less than 10 percent of adults and children eat their daily recommended portions of vegetables, among a myriad of additional dietary concerns. Developing a sustainable diet takes time and effort, but Americans can start by minimizing their intake of sugar, salt, and unhealthy saturated fats, while at the same time ensuring they eat appropriate amounts of healthy protein, fruits, and vegetables with every meal.
Poor sleep quality can undermine a person’s attempts to lead a healthier life. Sleep is an especially major health concern for women, only 36 percent of whom feel well rested. Rising levels of stress and anxiety represent a major concern for the more than half of Americans who feel they do not get enough sleep, according to Gallup polling data. Exercising more and eating healthy can improve sleep quality, as can establishing a consistent sleep routine, which should include putting away all screens in the hours leading up to bedtime.
Exercising frequently, eating healthy, and maintaining a proper sleep schedule should greatly reduce a person’s risk of weight issues. Additional risk factors for overweight and obesity include long-term stress, untreated underlying health conditions such as an underactive thyroid, and excessive screen time, including television and video games. Certain medications can also lead to weight gain.
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About Jon WheelerÂ
Jon Wheeler is a Virginia Beach real estate executive who leads Resurgent Realty Trust and has four decades of experience with grocery-anchored retail centers. He previously co-founded Perrine Wheeler, where he acquired, leased, managed, and sold shopping centers while co-locating pharmacies, banks, and other services. His work has focused on identifying strong, high-growth markets in the mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Southwest, along with prudent financing strategies. He is a long-time member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and holds a political science degree from Southern Methodist University.
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