Cash Cows
With growing numbers of overweight and obese Americans, the fitness and weight loss industries offer help and hope to millions who want to shed and shred. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, or IHRSA, the trade association serving the global fitness industry, there are currently over 35,000 fitness facilities in the United States alone, and thousands more globally. Add to that tens of thousands of weight loss centers and thousands of services online geared to fitness and weight loss, and you could say the fitness business is booming. In fact, IHRSA statistics reveal that fitness industry revenues exceed more that $25 Billion per year. Clearly, Americans are willing to spend money for healthier, slimmer physiques, and many programs offered are legit. But be wary of expensive programs that promise results they cannot deliver.
Sign Me Up!
It’s all well and good to make a commitment to your fitness program, but long term contracts and subscriptions that lock you in for an extended period of time can drain your bank account without giving you the benefits you signed up for. Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure you fully understand the fine print. Long term memberships often offer incentives to join on your first visit, but don’t allow yourself to be pressured to make a decision on the spot. Take a day or two to think it over before you commit.
Make It Snappy
Once you decide to get in shape, you want to see quick results. But the truth is, losing weight and building muscle take time, patience, commitment and perseverance. Programs that promise speedy results with minimal effort are scams that are out to get your hard earned money. Spokespersons who endorse such products and services are often fitness models or paid actors who got themselves in shape over the course of time, through regular exercise and good nutrition.
To Die For
It is often pointed out that the first three letters in the word diet spell “die.” Weight loss supplements and pharmaceuticals can have deadly side effects. Costly weight loss programs often use restricted calorie diets and processed foods that can sap your energy and rob you of nutrients necessary for good health. Instead of going on a fad diet in hopes of losing weight, look for a well constructed nutrition plan that teaches you to modify your life long eating habits while optimizing beneficial nutrients.
Resources
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References and Credits
IHRSA: Fitness Industry Trend Report
http://www.ihrsa.org/industry-research/
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