That’s right! The health club world has changed. In the old days, health clubs were called gyms; today they’re called fitness centers. Schwinn Airdynes have been replaced with elliptical trainers and racquetball courts with Pilate rooms. The neighborhood sweat shop has become a thing of the past.
The main reason for the change is the type of people who are now frequenting the clubs. Oh yes, the bodybuilder is alive and well, but now you see everyone from children to their grandparents getting involved, too. From 7 years old to 70, folks are getting the message. They are realizing just how important exercise is and they are becoming increasingly more knowledgeable about how much nutrition plays a roll in health and well being.
The Juice Bar Evolution
As a purist I long for yesteryear, but I can’t lie, I love some of the great innovations of the last 10 years. One of those innovations is the juice bar. In the old days, this area was never paid too much attention. Bodybuilders generally didn’t care what food tasted like, as long as it did the trick. Throw together some chalky protein powder, milk and a banana and mmmm, you’ve got a post workout meal. Over time, a stigma was created that was hard to shake (no pun intended). Juice bars became known as a place that served bodybuilders those yucky protein shakes. The average guy or gal assumed that by drinking one of these horrible concoctions; they too would develop prominent foreheads and muscles of gargantuan proportions.
Well today, things are different. People of all ages understand the value of nutrition as it relates to their performance goals. Health clubs that want to stay on the cutting-edge realize this, too. By offering real food, grab-and-go snacks, prepared meals and tasty, protein fruit smoothies, they are capturing a much broader base of their demographics than they ever would have before.
Selling Nutrition to a Captive Audience Look at the average person joining your club. Analyze when he or she is working out. Isn’t it funny that most folks are in your club during either the breakfast, lunch or dinner hour? So, why not capitalize on that? How are they meeting their nutritional needs and how many of them are struggling to get it right?
Understand that times have changed and there are many more options available to you for delivering healthy food choices that taste good and that don’t require a full kitchen or a bachelor’s degree from Johnson and Wales. Creating healthy shakes and Panini wraps can be done quickly and efficiently. There are even hundreds of healthy grab-and-go options that are prepackaged and shelf stable that would satisfy all palates. You do have many options.
Realizing the Benefits of a Juice Bar There are many benefits of a juice bar:
• A place where folks are likely to congregate and get to know other members
• Immediate nutrition after a workout – Recovery Shakes
• Helping members avoid fast food by offering a variety of healthy options
• Helping members achieve their performance goals
• Kids Meals
• Education on nutrition
• Improving the bottom line
• Creating a fun atmosphere
• Value added services.
And, when your members understand the value of eating right they will come to appreciate the service you provide them by offering a juice bar.
Achieving Total Fitness
When speaking to customers (and members) I always mention the paradigm that I call total fitness. I believe that to achieve total fitness means to practice both exercise and a healthy diet. One or the other is good, but it only gets you halfway there. To truly be “fit” you must learn to balance both exercise and nutrition. Talk about this with your members. Congratulate them on what they are doing right; they are working out! But, use that opportunity to educate them on what they could be doing to reach their goals even more quickly. Create a culture within your facility where it’s not all about heavy lifting and bulking up anymore. Shift the focus to the recovery period and how food and exercise go hand-in-hand.
Your demographics are changing. You now have more members who are there to live healthy…not to bulk up. Take a look around you. What do you see? You see strong young men, but you also see women, children, teens and grandparents. Each person has unique fitness goals, and each person requires an individual plan – if they are going to reach their goals. So, start today giving them what they need…Give them nutrition and use the juice bar as its center.
Dan Young is President of Performance Food Centers, Corp. He is accomplished in juice bar concept and design as well as being certified in personal training and sports nutrition. He can be contacted at 866.632.1927, or visitwww.performancefoodcenters.com.
