I’m too tired to work out.” It’s the oldest excuse in the book – and it’s a business killer. It turns people with good intentions into marginal gym members who keep their bodies and their membership fees far away from your fitness center. But, you can keep members and their fees coming back by providing the energy they need.
It seems the world is conspiring to keep people away from your facility. Long work hours, long commutes and too much to do at home leaves people feeling they don’t have enough energy to maintain a regular fitness routine. So, why not as their fitness advisor, not only provide the facilities, but also the energy that your members need for great workouts? With so many energy-related products on the market today, picking the right ones to offer can be difficult. Here are a few pointers to help guide you through the sea of energy potions and pills.
JITTERY BODY VERSUS SHARP MIND
There are two schools of thought when it comes to feeling energetic. One is “wired” or “jacked up.” This can be accompanied by “the jitters” and accelerated heartbeat followed by a crash – not very pleasant for most people. The other is a feeling of mental focus and alertness. Not only is this important for satisfying workouts, but also for job performance and ability to meet family responsibilities.
The jitters are easy to come by. A quick trip to Starbuck’s can do the trick. There are plenty of energy pills and potions, too, and they all have something in common – large amounts of caffeine, sugar and herbal stimulants such as Guarana, Ephedra and Ginseng.
Energy supplements that provide mental focus and alertness are a bit harder to come by. Knowing what helps to spark the mind can help you select products that your members will use again and again. Two key ingredients of such products are Amino Acids and Vitamins.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Twenty amino acids are needed to build the various proteins used in the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues. Eleven of these amino acids can be made by the body itself, while the other nine (called essential amino acids) must come from the diet. Other amino acids are used by the body in ways other than protein-building and are often used therapeutically.
Several amino acids play an important role in mental function. These include:
• N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine – An amino acid that is a building block for several important brain chemicals that regulate mood.
• L-Phenylalanine – An amino acid that keeps you awake and alert, reduces hunger pains, functions as an antidepressant and helps improve memory.
• Taurine – A very important amino acid involved in a large number of metabolic processes in the visual pathways, the brain and nervous system and cardiac function.
Vitamins – B-Vitamins
Vitamins also play a role in energy, especially B-Vitamins which are necessary for healthy functioning of almost all body processes. The actions of B-Vitamins cover everything from energy production in the body, to maintaining blood vessels to hormone metabolism. Most B-Vitamins work together and, in many cases, provide the greatest benefit when supplemented together:
• Niacin (Vitamin B3) – Important for the conversion of food to energy. It also assists in the functioning of the digestive system, skin, and nerves.
• Vitamin B6 – Helps maintain normal nerve function and also acts in the formation of red blood cells. It is also required for the chemical reactions needed to digest proteins.
• Vitamin B12 – Important for metabolism. It helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system.
• Malic Acid – An alpha-hydroxy acid that is easily absorbed and completely metabolized for energy.
ADOPT AN ENERGY STRATEGY
Since energized people are far more likely to use and renew their fitness center memberships than couch potatoes, you have a vested interest in making sure all your members are feeling energetic. So, find a handful of energy products you trust and recommend them to your members. Let new members know you understand that it’ll be hard to maintain their fitness regimens because of their hectic lives, but you know of some products that can help. Display these products prominently and offer literature about them. Most manufacturers are happy to supply all that you need.
Offering and recommending the right energy products can help ensure that more of your members faithfully use and renew their memberships. You many never hear “I’m too tired to work out” again.
Carl Sperber is the Marketing Director for Living Essentials. To inquire about 5-Hour Energy, contact Brandon Bohland at 1.888.960.9495, or by email at brandon@chaserplus.com.
