Personal Fitness Professional - March 2008 - (Page 18) establish challenges with the latest innovative health and exercise programs. Some easy guidelines to establish a community “choose to lose” weight loss contest is to offer a program for members and nonmembers of the community who want to change their lifestyle and encourage them to lose approximately five to 10% of their overall weight. Start by providing a free health screening and weigh-in. Then equip the participants with handouts, such as calorie calculators, food logs, exercise logs, tips on eating out, tips for beginning exercisers and guidelines for determining how much weight loss is safe during that time frame. Conduct a weekly weigh-in along with exercise and nutrition tips, and encourage all participants to attend a free monthly seminar, if you can set it up with a physician or health care partner. Practitioners are eager to take part since they will have a great opportunity to capture potential patients from your program. Finish the program with incentives that include raffle tickets for personal training and spa services. Overall, the expense is extremely minimal, but the outcome can yield maximum potential. Now your “Lose the PHAT Challenge” can stand for “Powerful, Healthy And Trim!” ó ó LET YOUR FELLOW PROS KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS HAVE WORKED FOR YOU ON WWW.FIT-PRO.COM’S DISCUSSION BOARD ways to create alternative revenue opportunities by joining forces with other community-based wellness practitioners. For the past decade, the hospital and health club industries realized that American health care was changing to incorporate prevention, wellness and fitness. Recently, they have begun establishing symbiotic partnerships that benefit them both. Americans have a growing desire to focus on prevention and practice self-help techniques in an effort to stay healthy. This growing market towards prevention does not preclude the role of the hospital as a sick care provider but actually requires the hospital to diversify its services to include wellness and fitness options. Aware of their limitations in providing preventive services, hospitals have begun to arrange strategic liaisons with health clubs, studios and personal trainers. Relationships with hospitals can take many forms, ranging from mutual admiration and verbal support to a formal joint-venture partnership. Once established, a relationship is mutually beneficial and offers some Other Avenues to Explore Additionally, there are several other 18 MARCH2008 · WWW.FIT-PRO.COM http://www.fit-pro.com http://WWW.FIT-PRO.COM
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