Shama Patel, the owner and founder of Flex + Fit in Charlotte, North Carolina, believes in more than just physical fitness for her members. Nutritional fitness is just as important.
However, offering nutritional guidance to members is outside of a personal trainer’s scope of practice in many states. That is why partnering with local chefs, culinary schools and nutritionists can be a great solution to fulfilling the nutritional side of your members’ well-being.
Flex + Fit has done just that, partnering with culinary schools and chefs in Charlotte to offer members healthy cooking classes they can take to complement their fitness routines.
“Eating has always been an important tradition in community building and we knew that working with culinary schools and chefs would give our members a full-circle wellness approach,” explained Kerri Flanigan, the manager of Flex + Fit. “By working with local chefs we are giving members an opportunity to experience real food not only at Flex + Fit, but out in Charlotte as well.”
According to Flanigan, members love the opportunity. “We get great feedback from our members on the culinary classes,” she said. “They enjoy the opportunity to learn new kitchen skills and simple recipes to recreate at home. It is a great social group outing for people as well, reinforcing the sense of community we have at Flex + Fit.”
How can partnerships with local chefs and culinary schools be formed? Flanigan explained that outreach is really all it takes.
“We work with local culinary schools like Johnson and Wales University, offering internships throughout the year,” said Flanigan. “We offer culinary students an opportunity to learn about healthy cooking and provide a chance to be in front of a crowd. They are gaining experience, getting their name out there, as well as practicing skills like public speaking and meal planning. These are real life experiences some students don’t get inside the kitchen.”
For Flex + Fit, continuously looking for opportunities to educate members on both fitness and nutrition is vital.
“We recommend forging relationships on a local level and being active in the community,” said Flanigan. “We seek out trainers who have experience and certifications in multiple areas, such as fitness and nutrition. We offer a well-balanced approach to fitness and wellness for our members.”
By Rachel Zabonick
