Healthy eating and exercise must go hand in hand

If you doubt the extent of the obesity epidemic in the Western world, go find some winter sun. I am writing this a couple of days after a short break in Tenerife. Wherever I looked, there were people whose shorts were stretched over large buttocks and big tummies! It was not a pretty site. ‘Lean machines’ were in the minority! Despite the huge investment in public health we must remember that improvements in public health will take a long time. It is nearly 50 years since the health risks of smoking were first recognised but only recently that a smoking ban has been achieved in public places. So we just have to keep plugging away at it.


As predicted at this time of year, there have been a few articles promoting the view that exercise is not important in weight loss programmes. According to them, all you need to do is reduce your food intake but new to the argument is that exercise does not work if your goal is weight loss. True, if you eat less you will lose weight and it is possible to exercise without losing weight, but the issue is not simply about shedding a few kilograms. It is about being healthy and improving all the components of fitness with which we are familiar. For that to happen, healthy eating and exercise must go hand in hand.

Secondly, research is increasingly showing that fat people can be aerobically fit – the so-called ‘fit fat’. When overweight people embark on a programme of progressive aerobic exercise their VO2 max rises, several indicators of health and fitness improve and the risk of developing obesity associated illness falls. It is tempting to conclude therefore that people do not need to lose weight they just need to get on a treadmill or rower.

However, fitness is not only about aerobic fitness. Muscle strength and endurance, flexibility and motor function also need to improve if somebody is to achieve all round fitness. Being overweight has other complications. The musculoskeletal system is overburdened so arthritis of the hips, knees, ankles and spine are common. Weight loss plays a major part in its management and prevention.

Something else people are unaware of is that being overweight significantly increases the risk of surgical operations – and most of us will have atleast one major operation during our lives particularly after the age of 65. Not to mention the fact that Thrombosis, infection, slow rehabilitation and delays in wound healing are all serious risks when an obese person has major surgery.

So to be fat and fit is good but to be lean and fit is better. We need to go on measuring the waist circumference and helping clients to get it within the optimum range.

John Searle
Chief Medical Officer
Fitness Industry Association

Making the most of Let’s Dance with Change4life

Following the success of moreactive4life in July and August 2009 the Department of Health has sought the support of the FIA and its members to deliver the next high profile element of the change4life campaign, Let’s Dance with Change4life.

The Let’s Dance campaign gives clubs the opportunity to run an open weekend that is backed by national advertising, complimenting the current trend of dance programmes across various television channels. It also provides a route to market to those who may have stereo typical views of health clubs and gyms.

So how, at a local level, can you ensure you have maximised this opportunity?

Here are a few ideas:
o Begin you’re marketing for the open weekend 4 weeks in advance and increase as the event gets nearer.
o Place posters around your facility – in the reception, changing facilities, Lounge / Café area.
o Combine an offer such as ‘Bring a friend’, ‘Takes two to Tango’ etc
o Advertise whilst people are on hold on the club phone and answer machine.
o Place logos and details onto website homepage with a ‘coming soon’ notice.
o Contact local partners and corporate accounts to promote to employees through desk drops / site visit / intranet.
o Get all staff to wear moreactive4life t-shirts one week prior to open weekend to create awareness.
o Staff in moreactive4life t-shirts can leaflet drop and make a general outreach in shopping / town centres, outside schools, train and bus stations.
o External advertising in local newspapers – local club running national campaign.
o Mail / call previous prospects and personally invite them down to the weekend.
o Mail / call ex-members and personally invite them down to the weekend.
o Decide on ‘special’ membership offers that will be available only on the weekend for people to join including:
- No joining fee
- First month free
- Free personal training session
- Joining pack – t-shirt, sweat towel, water bottle
o Place referral boxes throughout your club 3 weeks prior to the open weekend, offering incentive for members to leave names and numbers such as:
- Free personal training session if they join
- Referral t-shirt, sweat towel, water bottle.

These are just a few ideas to ensure Let’s Dance is another successful campaign for the fitness industry. This will then demonstrate to the Department of Health the value we hold to them in being a delivery partner.

I look forward to hearing other ways in which clubs and centres are marketing the campaign locally.

Richard Blackmore
Sales Membership Director at Fitness Industry Association

Fitness Industry Association

FIA FLAME Conference 2010 - What builds a great business?

 

One of the industry's favourite presenters, Tim Fearon has over twenty years of working in results-driven corporate environments. He will be presenting at the FIA Conference on July 14th in Cheltenham.

I'm not going to lay into the industry's service levels - although Lord knows, I could - but here's a little tale that might have some resonance.

A few months ago I attended a conference in Atlanta and discovered the Metro Café Diner at 229 Peachtree Street, where I found a smile as wide as the Mississippi awaiting me.

"Hi there and how are you today?"

A question delivered with REAL interest and curiosity. What followed? Great food, conversation about the Atlanta mayoral elections and an array of questions to find out where I was from and what was doing in Atlanta [gym instructors please note].

"I'm here for four days. Conference at the Sheraton, but I like to get out of the hotel; otherwise, I never get to see anything of the city."

"Well, sir, if you want to get out at lunchtime, you come back here. You like fish?"

"I sure do."

"We have a great lunch buffet. Great price, great fish and a whole heap of other stuff. Best in town."

And when I returned for my second visit I was greeted with: "Hi, welcome back, great to see you again."

And this in one of, what I reckon, must be the busiest eating places in Atlanta. Get the idea?

Guess where I ate FOUR MORE TIMES in four days, as well as taking other people from the conference there?

It's not rocket science, it's what builds great businesses. Does it apply to the fitness business? You bet your sweet life it does.

Tim Fearon
Owner
The Extraordinary Coaching Company