Helping our community stay healthy is at the heart of what we do every day as dietitians at Catalyst Nutrition and Training.
So we wanted to take this opportunity to show our local patients some places right here in our backyard where you can exercise and eat well as you continue your health journey.
Many of our patients live in Wilkes-Barre, located just across the North St. Bridge from our Kingston office. Whether you’re looking to swim, go for a run, or get some amazing food, you can find numerous healthy options in the city.
Here are five ways to stay healthy around Wilkes-Barre!
Exercise
Exercise is essential to maintaining cardiovascular health, building muscle, strengthening bones, and getting quality sleep. Here are some of our dietitians’ favorite places to exercise around Wilkes-Barre.
Luzerne County Levee Trail
If you like to walk, run, or cycle here in the Wilkes-Barre area, you have to know about the Luzerne County Levee Trail! This is a total of 12 miles of paved road atop the dikes on either side of the Susquehanna River in Plymouth, Edwardsville, Kingston, Hanover Township, Wilkes-Barre, Forty Fort, and Wyoming.
When you’re looking for some outdoor exercise in Wilkes-Barre, you can pick up the trail down at the River Common on River St. and then cross the Market Street Bridge to continue your trip along the dike in Kirby Park.
The pavement has mile markers, so whether you’re walking your dog or training for a marathon, you can track your progress along the way.
Kirby Park
Speaking of Kirby Park, this is another of our favorite places to get outside and be active. The city of Wilkes-Barre maintains the 52-acre park, located at 160 Market St., just across the Market Street Bridge on the Kingston side.
You can get your cardio in along the park’s section of the Levee Trail, play baseball in one of the numerous diamonds set up there, or get a partner and play tennis.
However you like to exercise outdoors, bring it to Kirby Park, and enjoy the peaceful pond views along the way!
College Campuses
Looking for a more urban setting to do your walking? Located within just a few blocks of each other are the King’s College and Wilkes University campuses.
These outdoor spaces are regularly maintained with calming trees and other greenery, as well as some interesting historic buildings to look at as you go. We recommend getting on S. Franklin St. and taking a nice, long walk through the Wilkes campus before the street becomes N. Franklin closer to King’s campus.
These areas are great for exercising and people watching!
Pools at the YMCA and Odyssey Fitness
Last up in our exercise category are the pools located at Wilkes-Barre’s YMCA at 40 W. Northampton St. and Odyssey Fitness at 401 Coal St.
Swimming is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise that will get your heart pumping as you tap into muscles all over your body to move through the water.
Whether you’re looking to manage your weight or improve your heart health, check out these local pools and add them to your regimen!
Healthy Food
And now we need some healthy food to fuel all this physical activity. Wilkes-Barre has plenty of options for eating out, but which ones are the healthiest? Here are some of our favorites.
CoreLife Eatery
When it comes to healthy eating around Wilkes-Barre, you have to talk about CoreLife Eatery at 33 Bear Creek Blvd., just above the Wyoming Valley Mall.
According to its website: “At CoreLife Eatery, everything we prepare starts as real, whole food and we focus on the best, freshest available. That means that we work with those around us to find the foods that are at their peak. We look for organic and GMO-free. We want to reflect a new way of thinking about food – a practice of sourcing that fuels the body and the soul.”
We couldn’t have said it better! CoreLife has healthy food for however you’re feeling. From green salads to rice bowls and tacos, you’ll have access to all the whole grains, proteins, and healthy plant food you could want.
You can also choose from multiple healthy beverages such as beet lemonade and plant-based smoothies!
Red Leaf Salad Company
Located just down the road from CoreLife at 413 Arena Hub Plaza is Red Leaf Salad Company. This is a locally owned health-food restaurant that opened after seeing “the need for a place that provides quick, healthy, and filling food without settling for lesser alternatives.”
Red Leaf’s salads (which can all be made into wraps!) include options such as the crunchy fruit & feta, Greek, and southwest. Then there are the grain bowls, which you can enjoy with quinoa, ancient grains, and more along with high-quality proteins and plants such as chickpeas, edamame, and red cabbage.
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Finishing off this list of healthy food options in Wilkes-Barre is Moe’s Southwest Grill, located at 101 Bear Creek Blvd.
Moe’s offers a diverse menu of Mexican and Southwestern-themed options, including bowls, burritos, and tacos. While you could certainly go wild with some of the food items here (the nachos…), Moe’s presents guests with plenty of healthy avenues.
You can build your own bowl of seasoned rice, protein, and healthy plants such as black beans, diced onion, and cilantro. From proteins to green salads, Moe’s is a tasty way to get your nutrition in.
Catalyst Can Help You Stay Healthy Around Wilkes-Barre
Our community here in Northeastern Pennsylvania is where we live and work every day. That’s why we’re happy to let you know about all these healthy sights and tastes around Wilkes-Barre, for when you want to maximize your health through nutrition.
Work with Catalyst Nutrition and Training today through our nutrition counseling or coaching, offered online and at our office at 480 Pierce St. in Kingston!
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