But all things considered, I think it’s an easier obstacle to tackle. Just remember, keep pumping the water. I saw this quote on a Camelback(TM) add “Hydrate or Die!” That’s motivation right there! Good luck and stay motivated. (more…)

eat, food, motivated

What can I do for stress eating?

I find it helpful to plan alternative activities. If someone in the family makes cookies, brush your teeth or go for a walk. Then when you return from your walk, the urge to eat will be gone. (more…)

alternative activities, food, stress eating

Staffing

Staffing needs obviously depend on the range of your service. If you plan to offer a full-service nutrition program, consider dedicating someone at least part time to oversee the program. Hiring a registered dietitian, which can be costly, is not crucial. (more…)

health and fitness, nutrition program, supplements

Costs/profits

Depending on the scope of the program, start-up costs can range from $100 for a basic software program to upwards of $10,000 if hardware needs to be purchased and/or certification costs are involved. Most software programs are Windows-based and require a personal computer with 4 megabytes of available RAM. (more…)

nutrition program, stress, supplements

And the fact that these programs do retain members can add a lot to your bottom line, according to Neil Spruce, president of Apex Fitness, a software company based in Westlake Village, Calif. “Renewal is the most important result you’re going to see from implementing this type of system. (more…)

fitness, nutrition, personal training

Nutrition software can add value to your membership and to your bottom line.

Consumers, as a whole, are an odd bunch. While they like convenience and automation, they crave individualized attention. And while they long to be taken care of, they want to be educated about how to take care of themselves. (more…)

fitness, health, nutrition

Preliminary information for 2001 shows no change, according to the NCHS. About 300,000 people a year in the U.S. die from diseases related to inactivity. The report also illustrated some factors that may contribute to a person’s activity level and broke down activity level by demographics. (more…)

activity level, demographics, die from diseases

In a sign of how much work our industry has yet to do, a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) finds that seven in 10 adults don’t exercise regularly and nearly four in 10 aren’t physically active at all. And, in even more discouraging news, these statistics have remained virtually unchanged from 1997 to 2001. (more…)

exercise, Health Statistics, physically active

Health clubs are letting them get away with it. I’ve heard the comment, “That’s what insurance is for,” too many times. Insurance companies are not the solution; they are part of the problem. (more…)

crybabies, litigation, workout

3. Poor customer service

To quote Thom Plummer, “Our service sucks.” Those of you who know Thom are aware that subtlety is not one of his strong suits, and, although this certainly does not apply to all clubs, I agree that it applies to the majority of them. If you do not agree, just look at your retention rates. While on an airplane going through my rough draft for this article, the gentleman sitting next to me, Bob, noticed what I was writing about and offered his opinion of the health club industry. (more…)

manipulation, relationships, service