Retention Tool-kit.

Inviting lapsed or cancelled members back for another go – member retrieval – can bring in a few extra bucks.  But if that member receives the same old service they were getting before they quit, you are likely to get the same result.  If you do what you’ve always done, you get what you’ve always got.

The same goes for members too.  If they return to the club with the same approach they had before, then they are likely to trip over the same old problems that caused them to lapse in the first place.  If they have the same workload, the same childcare problems, the same level of motivation then there is likely to be only one outcome.

Although the member is ultimately responsible for their lifestyle change it is important that we make the transition as smooth as possible.  The first three months are tough times for new exercisers but we, “the experts”, should already be wise to the problems that they face. We should already be doing everything we can to make their life easier.

Your retention toolkit could include some of the simple tips outlined below.

As they leave the gym, ask the member when you will be seeing them next.

Most people do not plan their workouts in advance and consequently rely on spare time becoming available.  Trouble is, for most of us there is no such thing as spare time.  In order to simplify our lives we tend to fill our days with the same habits and routines we always have done.  There is often no room for exercise unless it has become a habit (Great!  But rare.) or unless we plan it in advance.  Prompting members to think about their next visit helps to reinforce their commitment to a session, and each session helps to create an exercise habit.

Let members write their own programme.

Members don’t need any more reasons not to attend, so eliminating exercises that they don’t like can eliminate barriers and detonate excuses.  The member is much more likely to find a programme agreeable if they wrote it themselves.  So long as the instructor ensures that the programme is effective then everyone is happy, and happy members are less likely to quit.

Promote the 10-Minute rule.

We all have days when we just don’t feel like doing a workout.  Some of us go home; some of us go to the gym anyway.  Usually, within a few minutes we are enjoying our workout and we’re glad we showed up.  Advertise the 10-Minute Workout rule to help those who feel their motivation slipping.  Turn up, do a 10-minute warm up and see how you feel.  If after 10 minutes you’re still not up for it then call it a day and head off home.  Most of the time they’ll get into the swing of things, do a full workout and feel rather pleased with themselves for doing so.  Less missed workouts helps build a stronger exercise habit.

Make sure they carry their membership card.

Our lifestyles are so complicated and involved that it is no wonder that members forget to plan their exercise and activity sessions.  Our old routines take over and before we know it we have another week of poor gym attendance.  This is no way to build a habit.  If only our members could be prompted in some way.  Maybe something they can keep in their wallet for them to see every day.  If you use Tesco, you may have noticed how many people carry their loyalty card on their keyring – thousands!  Multiply that nationwide and you have millions.  I can think of worse business role models than Tesco, can’t you?

Set SMART goals.

How can we deliver a good service if the member is unsure of what they want to achieve?  The bog standard goal that every member recites is “get fit, tone up, lose weight” but these terms are ambiguous and often mean different things to different members.  Make sure your instructors set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic,  and Time-framed. If a member can then measure their progress and see the results clearly then they are more likely to stick with it.

Use the One-Set-Max principle.

Although the jury is still out for seasoned exercisers, new exercisers can make great progress with just one set. Who cares if they could make little more progress if they did three?  We know that long arduous workouts lead to drop-out, so let’s avoid that.

Reward good attendance.

Stop spending money on incentives for new members and start rewarding the ones you have.  Run a league table of top attendees and reward the ones at the top.  T-shirts and water bottles should be for loyal members instead of bribes for Johnny-come-latelys.  Recognition and reward is a big part of building a habit.

Published: Fitpro Business.

ABB Extreme XXL Review

From my experience, ABB Extreme XXL is a really delicious protein powder. It is simply about deciding what you combine it with. Water with protein powder never tastes good. The way to go is combingin fruit and other juice together with your protein powder. ABB Extreme XXL should be prepared using a blender, it can be tough to mix with regular silverware. Simply mixing is rarely enough to get a reasonable mix with any protein powder. Like a protein powder is supposed to do, ABB Extreme XXL has a strong protein content. Protein helps you build and tone muscle and increases your general energy level. A good weight gain protien powder should have a lot of carbohydrates to to boost up the calorie count, ABB Extreme XXL has quite a few carbs, and the total number of calories per serving is respectable. ABB Extreme XXL is not what you should buy for losing weight, it is a weight gain protein powder, which means taht it comes with extra carbs which gives more calories, certainly not what you should get to lose weight. Will it allow you to put on weight? For sure, are there protein powders which are better? Most likely. ABB Extreme XXL Review

Your Diet Solution: A Fat Loss Myth

Your Diet Solution Fat Loss Myth # 1 “Supplements and Fat Burners are the only way to lose weight” The Truth:
You don’t need anything but the right foods and the right plan to achieve your perfect weight. This is the biggest money making scam in the world today: companies selling you worthless supplements and fat burners with false promises.

Without the right nutrition principles and without the right foods, no supplement will have any effect on your body. It will just be a complete waste of money!

Here you will find out exactly how to use the power of natural foods to stimulate your metabolism more than any supplement or “fat burning pill” ever can. Best of all, these will finally be long term results.

DAY 10

Well,

Have moved onto the Forever Nutri Lean plan now and the transition has gone smoothly. Just wanted to point out a comment made about proper hydration all the time but ESPECIALLY when detoxing or participating in a weight management programme. Being properly hydrated will give you the best results, whether its losing weight or maintaining healthy living! With that in mind there is a great little gadget on the market to help you do so don’t know if you would be interested in promoting proper hydration for anyone trying to lose weight, but I found this really cool item to help remind me to stay properly hydrated throughout the day.

It is called a FIT Clip or Fluid Intake Tracker. There website is called http://www.fluidintaketracker.com or you can view it on http://fitclip.wordpress.com.

That’s all for today – I’m off for my daily swim (LOVING regular exercise again already and tis only day 2 of it!)

Jessica x

If you want more info on the programme I am doing CLICK HERE

New Product that will help you lose weight- Irvingia

There is a new product out on the diet product industry that may help you lose weight with a good diet and exercise. This new amazing product is Irvingia. Irvingia is a new ingredient that comes from a nut in Africa that will help suppress appetite, burn calories, and burn the fat when combined with a good diet and good excercise. The formal description of Irvingia from Wikepedia is described below:

Irvingia is a genus of African and Southeast Asian trees in the family Irvingiaceae, sometimes known by the common names wild mango, African mango, or bush mango. They bear edible mango-like fruits, and are especially valued for their fat- and protein-rich nuts, known as ogbono, etima, odika, or dika nuts.

The subtly aromatic nuts are typically dried in the sun for preservation, and are sold whole or in powder form. They may be ground to a paste known variously as dika bread or Gabon chocolate. Their high content of mucilage enables them to be used as thickening agents for dishes such as ogbono soup. The nuts may also be pressed for vegetable oil.

The fruit is a large drupe, with fibrous flesh.

The trees yield a hard wood, useful in construction.

A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.[1] Irvingia has been shown to significantly reduce body fat in obese subjects versus placebo. [2]

In October, 2008, during the fifth annual Functional Foods for Chronic Disease conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dr. Julius Oben, Head of the Laboratory of Nutrition and Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon, revealed the latest clinical evidence on a recently developed extract from the seed of the Irvingia gabonensis fruit, also known as bush mango and ogbono.[3][4]

Dr. Oben was performing epidemiological studies in African tribal populations when he noted that people in a certain region had low incidences of obesity, diabetes, and related diseases. Exploring further, he found that they use irvingia paste to thicken soups an average of ten times per week. This led to the development of a concentrated extract that stimulates fat loss while promoting healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels.[5]

Leptin is a hormone that inhibits food intake in people of normal body weight by reducing the hunger signals from the brain. However, obese individuals often produce so much leptin that their cells become resistant to it. A patented irvingia extract was shown to improve leptin sensitivity, so the test subjects felt less hunger and ate less. The extract was also shown to increase the levels of adiponectin, a hormone secreted by fat cells that promotes insulin sensitivity. When more blood sugar makes its way inside the working cells, less is delivered to the fat cells for storage. Adiponectin has anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits as well.

Irvingia Plus

DAY 8

WOW, I cannot quite believe that tomorrow will be the last day of the clean 9! I am really excited about introducing a second healthy meal into my diet and also as of tomorrow I will be starting an exercise routine again – early morning swimming!! I am a little anxious about the last weigh in of the 9 days because I really want to have lost a lot, but on the other hand it doesn’t end tomorrow as I will be moving straight onto the Nutri-Lean programme so the weight loss doesn’t end here. I’m confident that once I start exercising as well as eating healthily I will keep losing weight safely.

Till tomorrow…

Jessica x

If you want to find out more about the clean 9 and nutri lean programmes click here

Does My Butt Look Big?

Monday Oprah Show raises a question, Does My Butt Look Big? That’s the big question all ladies face no matter what they wear or what their physique is. Oprah has some clothing suggestion to answer “no” to the questions.

But what if the clothes are not enough? What if no matter what you were yoru butts does look big nonetheless? That’s the question the winners of The Biggest Loser, the Weight Loss Twins brothers Bill and Jim Germanakos want to answer and answer for good.

The Weight Loss Twins are here to offer you private training to make that butt not look big. And you can start by downloading Jim’s diet for free.

If you don’t want to only rely on clothes to make your butt not look big, Bill and Jim is here for you.

Start right away by downloading Jim’s diet plan for free!

7 Tips on How to Not Let Stress Affect Your Weight

. . . .. ..

7 Tips on How to Not Let Stress Affect Your Weight

Is stress affecting your weight loss battle?

Stress brought on by dieting is added to the personal and work life stresses that we face every day, often resulting in a "vicious cycle" of increased stress and increased food intake. People under stress tend to engage in self-defeating and unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and there is strong biologic evidence that stressed-out people may tend to put on the pounds faster. "I’m stressed, therefore I eat." Many people complain that they overeat in response to workplace or personal stress. If this sounds like you, read the following tips for managing stress-related overeating to help you check this unhealthy habit.

1. Practice waiting. Postpone your instant gratification when hunger hits. Tell yourself you’ll wait 10 to 30, minutes to eat. Chances are good if your cravings are only stress-related, they’ll disappear when you allow yourself to become distracted.

2. Keep a food journal of what you eat each day. Knowing you have to write down every snack or nibble can be a good way to remind yourself to think before eating.

3. Enlist a friend’s help – ideally one who also is tempted by stress-related cravings. When you feel like eating, write him/her a quick note or make a phone call.

4. Keep yourself nourished. Eat regular, healthy snacks to maintain your energy level. Skipping meals while under stress only prompts you to eat more, and unhealthily, when you do get around to eating.

5. Post some reminder messages wherever you’re likely to see them when stress-related cravings begin. Use any message that works for you. Examples might be "Are you really hungry?" or "Think about why you’re eating."

6. Physically remove tempting food items from your home or office. Never go shopping while hungry and always make a list of food items prior to shopping; bring home only what you feel good about eating.

7. Take time for yourself every day. Whether it’s 10 minutes to reflect and relax, or whether it’s some fun activity that will revitalize you, it’s critical to do it. Health is not just physical, mental well-being is just as important, you deserve to mentally de-stress everyday!

21 Days To a New You?

Do you know how long it takes to form a new habit?  Or how
long it takes to break an old bad habit? 

Well research has shown that it takes at least 21 days to
form new habits.  So, for example, you want to start a new
exercise program, or start eating healthier, then what does
that mean?  21 days of consistent effort!  21 straight days,
no days off in between.

Does that sound difficult?  Imagine taking 3 weeks of your
life to start developing the proper habits that are going to
take you down that road to overall better health, a happier
body, a happier you!  Do you think that sounds tough?

If you said yes, count the number of weeks you have
spent living your life the way you have and where it has
taken you. Are you unhappy with the results?  Your
answer should be a clue……

21 Days!

Now you may be saying, oh Kim, you make it sound
so easy!  Well, if you are really focused and committed
to accomplishing your goal, it does become easy.

95 % Success Rate!!

Would you like to try a 30 Day Cleansing and Fat Burning
Program that boasts an Amazing 95% Success Rate?

This program nourishes your body and gets you on track to
optimal health.  The amazing side effect of this program
is the rapid fat loss that is achieved for those needing to
lose weight.

Ready to Go For It?

What are you doing for the next 21 days?

Go Now and Enroll as an Associate and Get Started Today!

I look forward to helping you achieve successes beyond your
wildest dreams.

Thanks for Reading!
Have an Amazing Day!
Kim

Sacrificing your Fitness Regime Because of the Economy

With the world economy still in such a fragile state, stress levels continue to rise as employees are faced with the prospect of redundancies, pay cuts and the cancellation of bonuses.

Company leaders and employees work longer hours and forego their fitness regime in an attempt to rebuild and remodel a company to keep it in the black. However, if you make the decision to offer up your fitness routine as the sacrificial lamb to save on finance, you do so at your peril. Health is your most valuable asset.

A recent study came to the conclusion that when people lose their jobs, they are 83% more likely to develop a new health condition, such as heart disease or diabetes. It is therefore important to take advantage of a bad situation and turn it around to become even more productive. As the saying goes: when handed a lemon, turn it into lemonade. So if you have more free time on your hands now, make good use of it.

Develop a schedule and include exercise in it because the things that get scheduled are the things that get done. Take this opportunity to get in the best shape of your life. Don’t procrastinate, as exercise has been proven to reduce stress and improve energy levels. It will also help you be more productive and it fosters creativity.

The Key to Weight Loss and Healthy Living

Most people tend to focus only on the weight loss aspect and completely ignore the basics of eating right for good health. Healthy eating plans are designed to strike a balance between losing weight and being healthy.

In fact, people looking to lose weight need to adopt a healthy eating plan that will help them to eat right and lose weight at the same time. Most people often ignore the benefits of a healthy eating plan and go on some fad diet. Following a healthy eating plan will help you in the long run when it comes to losing weight and maintaining good health.

Here is a suggested eating plan for weight loss and better health:

1) Don’t skip breakfast –This provides a boost to your body’s metabolism right at the start helping it to burn calories through the day.

2) Healthy home cooked meals with Olive Oil – Stick to healthy meals cooked at home with olive oil ( which is loaded with the ‘good’ fats which actually help you burn calories).

3) Are you ‘Fruity’ – Include about 3-4 servings of fruits in your healthy eating plan. This will ensure that you cut down on excess calories and you get a host of vitamins and minerals necessary for your body.

cake and pizza, cake and pizza, cake and pizza, cake and pizz

that’s what going through my head all day. i have to take my little girl to a birthday party around dinner time and I am incredibly aware of the fact that cake and pizza will be served. about an hour ago I said, eh – i’ll eat some cake and pizza.

really, i should not eat the cake and pizza. i have eaten next to nothing today and can easily rationalize it with “i’ve been good all week” etc. More likely I will rationalize it with “If i want to be successful with this way of eating I can’t totally deny myself blah blah blah”

Oh well, I dunno – i have been saving up my Naughty for a hot fudge sundae.

Of course, 3 weeks ago I was living on ice cream, candy bars, cookies, chips and heros so eating really healthily 98% of the time is pretty good! Can’t you just see how the little-devil-and angel-on-my-shoulders thing is totally happening right now?