The industry should respond quickly to confusing media reports on exercise Credit: photo: shutterstock.com/Vasiliy Koval
I was left very frustrated after watching the recent BBC documentary The Men Who Made Us Thin.
First of all, I felt the reporter seemed to have it in for the gym business in this very one-sided, confusing report. The reporter was trying to get across the point that exercise was not at all effective as a way of losing weight or preventing obesity. Is the BBC saying that doing no exercise will in fact make you thinner? I think a response to the report by the fitness industry is needed, so we can give our side of the story.
The government on the one hand spends millions of pounds on TV ads telling us all to get more active, to help prevent us getting fatter as a nation, and then the BBC comes up with a documentary that tells us not to bother, and that exercise doesn’t work in the battle against weight loss.
As those of us in the fitness industry have realised for some time now, exercise is not the magic bullet to weight loss – of course exercise will not bring about weight loss without some control of calorific intake. However, for the vast majority of normal people working out in our clubs, their daily workout expends an important amount of calories, helping them to maintain an energy balance which in turn keeps their weight constant – which in turn helps protect their health.
No wonder the public are confused! We, as a industry, need to respond to this kind of journalism.
Rod Hill, Director, Anytime Fitness Iberia
We want to live to be 90 – but how do we live it well? Pew Research recently surveyed American attitudes on living to 120 and beyond, and found that 69 per cent of respondents wanted to live until somewhere between 79 and 100 years of age; 90 was the median ideal life span.
If that’s the case, we must change the way we age to extend our years of healthy life. But how? My tips as follows:
Anticipate success: Research has shown that people who think positively about getting older may live as much as 7.5 years longer than those who view this stage of life negatively.
Identify an activity or connection that sparks your enthusiasm and make it your lifeline. Keep learning: explore a new area of knowledge or learn a new type of physical activity. And volunteer: research shows that volunteers have higher levels of wellbeing and life satisfaction than non-volunteers.
Eat a balanced diet and attain/maintain a normal weight, and stay physically active. If you feel depressed or lacking in energy, talk to your doctor – don’t let apathy or lethargy drag you down. In many instances, exercising and eating right can help change your mood.
Most of all, emphasise the positive and don’t let your age, or anyone, deter you.
Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA
photo: shutterstock.com/Hugo Felix
Exercise can play a key role in helping us live healthier, longer lives
In today's competitive fitness landscape, the key to success lies not only in providing
exceptional facilities but also in cultivating meaningful interactions with members. [more...]
Join us at Elevate from 12-13 June in London for a special one-off live recording of The Game
Changers Podcast with Sue Anstiss, CEO of Fearless Women. [more...]
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The industry should respond quickly to confusing media reports on exercise Credit: photo: shutterstock.com/Vasiliy Koval
I was left very frustrated after watching the recent BBC documentary The Men Who Made Us Thin.
First of all, I felt the reporter seemed to have it in for the gym business in this very one-sided, confusing report. The reporter was trying to get across the point that exercise was not at all effective as a way of losing weight or preventing obesity. Is the BBC saying that doing no exercise will in fact make you thinner? I think a response to the report by the fitness industry is needed, so we can give our side of the story.
The government on the one hand spends millions of pounds on TV ads telling us all to get more active, to help prevent us getting fatter as a nation, and then the BBC comes up with a documentary that tells us not to bother, and that exercise doesn’t work in the battle against weight loss.
As those of us in the fitness industry have realised for some time now, exercise is not the magic bullet to weight loss – of course exercise will not bring about weight loss without some control of calorific intake. However, for the vast majority of normal people working out in our clubs, their daily workout expends an important amount of calories, helping them to maintain an energy balance which in turn keeps their weight constant – which in turn helps protect their health.
No wonder the public are confused! We, as a industry, need to respond to this kind of journalism.
Rod Hill, Director, Anytime Fitness Iberia
We want to live to be 90 – but how do we live it well? Pew Research recently surveyed American attitudes on living to 120 and beyond, and found that 69 per cent of respondents wanted to live until somewhere between 79 and 100 years of age; 90 was the median ideal life span.
If that’s the case, we must change the way we age to extend our years of healthy life. But how? My tips as follows:
Anticipate success: Research has shown that people who think positively about getting older may live as much as 7.5 years longer than those who view this stage of life negatively.
Identify an activity or connection that sparks your enthusiasm and make it your lifeline. Keep learning: explore a new area of knowledge or learn a new type of physical activity. And volunteer: research shows that volunteers have higher levels of wellbeing and life satisfaction than non-volunteers.
Eat a balanced diet and attain/maintain a normal weight, and stay physically active. If you feel depressed or lacking in energy, talk to your doctor – don’t let apathy or lethargy drag you down. In many instances, exercising and eating right can help change your mood.
Most of all, emphasise the positive and don’t let your age, or anyone, deter you.
Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA
photo: shutterstock.com/Hugo Felix
Exercise can play a key role in helping us live healthier, longer lives
Planet Fitness has announced the repurchase of 314,000 shares at a rate of US$20
million. The
Class A common stocks were repurchased and retired, using cash.
Xponential Fitness today indefinitely suspended founder and CEO, Anthony Geisler, saying it
had been notified on 7 May that the company is facing a legal challenge by the United States
Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Fast Fitness Japan, master franchisee of Anytime Fitness in Japan, has acquired Eighty-8
Health
& Fitness, giving the company master franchisee rights to Anytime Fitness in Germany.
Peloton Interactive Inc is believed to be working to get its costs under control in a bid to align
with the expectations of private equity investors as it considers de-listing.
Having good levels of cardiorespiratory fitness cuts disease and premature death by 11 to 17
per cent according to new research from the University of South Australia.
Barry’s – known for its HIIT workouts combining treadmills and weights – is
thought to be looking at strategic options, including taking on a new backer.
US private equity fund, Providence Equity Partners, is acquiring a majority stake in VivaGym
from Bridges Fund Management, which will exit as a shareholder. Financial terms have not been
disclosed.
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover
and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results.
In today's competitive fitness landscape, the key to success lies not only in providing
exceptional facilities but also in cultivating meaningful interactions with members. [more...]
Join us at Elevate from 12-13 June in London for a special one-off live recording of The Game
Changers Podcast with Sue Anstiss, CEO of Fearless Women. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Alliance Leisure Alliance Leisure Services was specifically
established to respond to the changing
development need [more...]
