More and more health clubs are catering to families these days, realizing that one strategy for keeping members includes the whole family. Many clubs already offer at least simple child care, but more and more are carving out valuable real estate for kid’s programs, which can be marketed as a value added luxury to help attract parents to a facility.
In today’s hectic world, many parents are rushing here and there, too often giving in to the pressures of time, anxious children or life. Let’s face it, sometimes the tail wags the dog and life takes over! Parents often give in and find a fast-food joint that will satisfy their child’s hunger – all because they didn’t have time to plan, and no healthy alternative was readily available. Club owners who already have a juice bar or café can seize this opportunity to reach members who are zipping away after a workout with kids in tow. If you already have a juice bar or café, or if you’ve ever contemplated building one, consider offering healthy shakes and snacks for the little ones in addition to the standard adult fare. This piece of your club’s real estate could yield a tangible return on your investment while you offer your members and their children superior nutrition.
Why Do Kids Need Better Nutrition?
Because kids are growing, cells are dividing and regenerating at an incredible rate, and the nutrients in food are the building blocks of strong cells. Just imagine this; once upon a time, each and every one of us was all just one cell for about 30 minutes. Then instantly, in the blink of an eye, we divided and then divided again and again; each cell somehow miraculously knowing what its purpose in life would be. One cell would develop into an organ while another dividing from that organ would develop into a gland or a muscle, bone or brain – until one day some nine months later we are 300 bones, and everything else that makes us human, and…we are born. Amazing isn’t it?
Some people might think, “OK, now that I’m here, I can eat whatever I want; my body will adjust.” But cells are not forever, and neither are we! In fact, a cell’s life is just a fraction of your life. Each cell, once created will live a maximum of one year; most of them – far less time. In fact, 98% of all cells in our bodies will die and regenerate in one to nine months at least once. Just consider the cells that line your stomach; 50 million of these cells die and are recreated every two days!
Building Blocks for Tomorrow
“Well,” a person might ask, “if cells are recreating themselves so fast in children, what difference does it make what they do nutritionally, they’re going to grow up regardless, right? Not so. The simple answer is, “better nutrients create better cells and inferior processed foods create inferior cells.” The truth is that the decisions we make today for our children will make a big impact on their lives years from now.That’s why teaching your members about proper nutrition for the whole family now can make a difference and help everyone stay healthy for life.
The Benefits
The profit potential of offering healthy food choices in a health club for the whole family can be enormous, not to mention that member retention can see a boost if you can make one of life’s challenges – healthy eating – easier for members. Parents won’t have to make another stop for some nutrient-deficient fast food, and kids will begin to access the nutrients they need to help them grow into strong young adults, which in turn could even help them grow up to become paying members themselves! As a health club owner, you have the opportunity to truly make a difference. Eat well, and help your members eat well!
Dan young is president of performance food centers corp. he is accomplished in juice bar concept and design and is certified in personal training and sports nutrition. he can be reached at 866.632.1927, via email at dyoung@performancefoodcenters.com, or visit them on the web at www.performancefoodcenters.com
