According to their Web site, the U.S. Census Bureau considers a baby boomer to be “anyone born during the demographic birth boom between 1946 and 1964.” At least 76 million American babies were born in that time period, making baby boomers a significant portion of our population today and possibly an even greater part of your club’s membership. However, this demographic doesn’t even take into account the 39 million-plus Americans that are over 65! Together, they make up nearly 40 percent of our total population. Let’s face it: Much of America is getting older and seniors could quickly become a large part of your club’s population.
Cultural Change
To a large extent, these generations are responsible for much of the cultural changes that we have witnessed in recent history, including the Civil Rights movement, the environmental movement, the Women’s movement, and others. You may even be witnessing it right now with the organic movement.
Most of us don’t really want to get older, so when the initial signs of aging become apparent, many people start searching for ways to correct their ailments, reverse disease and improve the overall quality of their lives. Today, increasing numbers of seniors are signing up at health clubs and are beginning to get their diets right. They simply want to find answers and you as a health club owner are the perfect place for them to look.
You Are What You Eat
I met a gentlemen hiking in Colorado; he was 74 years old. As we reached the summit, he told me that when he was 65 he couldn’t even walk from his golf cart to make a putt without stopping to catch his breath. He was on the verge of an irreversible chronic disease – emphysema. He decided to take possession of his life and change things, so he began exercising and eating right. Slowly, he replaced his weak cells with stronger ones until finally; he totally reversed his downward slide. Today, he’s hiking mountains in Colorado and doing centuries (100 miles) on his bike.
This process of cellular exchange is called Physiological Dynamics as coined by Dr. Michael Colgan: “Improved nutrition must wait on nature to renew whole bodily systems before the effects can show.” We are built with 75 plus trillion cells and each cell is continually dying and being replaced throughout our lifetime. Virtually every cell is replaced every nine to 12 months.
You are truly what you eat and what your food eats. I have seen dozens of people reverse chronic diseases from diabetes to cancer, all because they took their life in their own hands and found the answers they were looking for.
Opportunity
Okay, so let’s add it up: You have an aging population that will do anything and everything not to get old and you have the human body that is willing to respond if given the chance. Perhaps the Fountain of Youth is right under our noses?
Clubs are already providing the exercise part, but many have yet to start a program where boomers and senior members can find the information they really need to improve their lives and provide access to healthy food options that will facilitate positive change.
If your club already has a juice bar, be sure you have created an environment where folks can congregate. Provide tables, comfortable chairs and places to access the educational materials that they will grow to depend on. The longer they stay here the greater the chance that they will spend money. Many baby boomers and seniors simply love just sitting and chatting about everything from politics to their grandchildren, and maybe – just maybe – they will also start talking about how they are all achieving their goals.
Even if a juice bar is not in the cards for your club at this time, you can still post educational materials in a “Nutrition Zone” and sell shelf-stable healthy snacks as a way to start delivering total fitness. And, just imagine the buzz of excitement and the ripple effect in your club when your elderly senior members are reaching their goals faster than those young whippersnappers!
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Dan Young is president of Performance Food Centers and is certified in personal training and sports nutrition. He can be contacted at 888.PFC.9151, or by e-mail at dyoung@performancefoodcenters.com, or visit them online at www.performancefoodcenters.com.
