24 Hour Fitness and Derek Jeter Open 2nd Signature Sports Club in New York City
24 Hour Fitness recently opened its second health club in New York City with sports icon and Yankees’ captain Derek Jeter. The new club occupies 39,000 square feet and offers members a full-service gym, sauna and steam room, group exercise classes, a lap pool, personal training, locker rooms, laundry service and a pro shop with a wide assortment of fitness apparel.
Lady of America’s FitTEEN Program Promotes Summer Health and Exercise
To promote a summer health and exercise plan, Lady of America Franchise Corporation will again be offering teenage girls ages 13 to 19 the opportunity to work out for free at any participating club throughout the summer. This program was created by Lady of America to positively address the nationwide crisis of teenage obesity and encourage female teens to embrace a more active lifestyle.
Retrofitness Puts in Motion Fast-Paced Expansion Plan for Metro Atlanta
80s-themed gym chain Retrofitness has announced expansion plans for metro Atlanta, calling for more than 20 new franchise and corporate-owned health clubs to open over the next 36 months. “We are thrilled to make public the fact that Retrofitness has a robust growth plan in one of the great, dynamic markets in the country,” said CEO Eric Casaburi. “We look forward to offering consumers an economical approach to a healthy lifestyle without compromising quality or value.” The anticipated business development will infuse more than $25 million into the metro Atlanta economy, and once complete will employ at least 350 people.
Gold’s Gym Grows Popular Brand Presence in Nordic Countries
Gold’s Gym International and Erik Odegard, the Gold’s Gym Master Franchisee covering Norway, Sweden and Denmark, announced plans to significantly increase the brand’s presence within the Nordic countries. “We are just getting started in the Nordic countries and already Gold’s Gym has a loyal and growing following,” said Odegard. “The brand is synonymous with helping its members achieve their fitness goals, and we are thrilled to bring it to the Nordic region.”
Parisi Franchise Systems Appoints Rick Caro
Parisi Franchise Systems, franchisor of Parisi Speed School, appointed Rick Caro to its board of directors in April. Caro will provide counsel to Parisi’s leadership team, leveraging his extensive industry background in all areas of club operations and corporate strategy. “We are truly honored to have Rick Caro join our Board of Directors,” said Bill Parisi, founder and CEO of Parisi Speed School. “Rick brings unmatched experience in working with our target audience of health clubs at strategic levels throughout the industry.”
World Gym International Appoints New COO
World Gym International recently announced that it has appointed Helen Rockey to the position of COO. Rockey has more than 25 years of executive experience and is skilled in strategic planning, international business, product and operations management and partnership creation for both public and privately held corporations. Rockey has previously held a variety of executive positions with companies in the sporting goods industry, including Nike, Brooks and Just for Feet.
Health News:
Eight Medical Tests Everyone Should Have
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention which systematically reviews the effectiveness of and develop recommendations for clinical preventive services, there are eight routine health tests that every person should have: blood pressure, cholesterol, overall heart risk, body mass index, waist circumference, bone density, blood sugar and cancer screening. The Preventive Services group has a conservative approach in choosing which tests to take and which ones to skip, preferring to choose only tests that are likely to lead to better health. For more information go to www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstfix
Exercise Reduces the Likelihood of Breast Cancer Recurrence
The Nurses Health Study, published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), tracked nearly 3,000 women for up to 14 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer and found that exercise reduced the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence and increased the odds of living longer. Dr. Carolyn Kaelin, Harvard surgeon and author of “The Breast Cancer Survivor’s Fitness Plan,” explains, “recurrence rates and deaths from breast cancer decreased up to 40 percent among those who exercised most, compared with those who were sedentary. Brisk walking for 3-5 hours per week – about 30 minutes a day – netted the biggest benefits.”
Successful Diet Strategies
According to Suzanne Phelan of the National Weight Control Registry – an organization that tracks the weight-loss efforts of 6,000 participants – one of the most reliable techniques for weight loss has been close monitoring of calories and weight. To do this, participants keep a daily food diary and commit to daily weigh-ins. Both of these strategies combat the common tendency to underestimate calorie intake and overestimate physical activity by as much as 30 percent. In addition, the majority of registry participants watch less than 10 hours of television each week and average 11,000 steps (five miles) of walking each day.
