Network Magazine spring 2014 | Page 8

INSIGHT News, views and lessons learnt Sweat more, pay less How can you encourage members or clients to use your services more? How about charging them less the more they do with you? After all, the more they use your services, the more likely they are to stay with you for the long term – and to achieve their fitness goals. San Francisco-based fitmob, a ‘community-based, FUN approach to working out’ is doing just this. Charging participants at the end of each week, the more you workout in those seven days (in either indoor or outdoor environments), the less you pay. One workout costs $20. Two per week will cost you $15 each session, and three times a week will cost you just $10 each workout. Using an app for session bookings, payment and more, Fitmob describes itself as ‘an authentic fusion of fitness, community and technology.’ If you don’t show up to a workout you’ve booked you’ll get charged a $5 ‘Flake fee’ – but to minimise the pain of this, participants can take solace in the fact that a portion goes to a local children’s fitness charity. If you’re looking to really build commitment to fitness in your members and clients, could this approach of discounts for frequent attendance work for you? Source: fitmob.com Whole grain, whole lot better When choosing brekkie avoid cereals that don’t have the word ‘whole’ in front of them. If they lack this prefix then odds are they have been refined. via networkinteracive.com.au Endurance competitors feel the heat Heat  stroke  is 10 times more likely than cardiac events to be life-threatening for runners during endurance races in warm climates. via Journal of the American College of Cardiology Dem bones, dem bones, dem weak bones Despite two-thirds of Australians over the age of 50 – predominantly women – experiencing poor bone health, 71 per cent of women do not consider this issue to be a high priority, according to a recent Australian survey. Osteoporosis, a progressive bone disease characterised by loss of bone mass and density, is viewed by leading health professionals as an emerging national health crisis, driven by an ageing population and compounded by a lack of awareness. Endocrinologist professor Ego Seeman from Austin Health said ‘There is a natural ‘decay’ of the skeleton as we age – each time your skeleton renews as part of the ageing process it puts less of itself back on each time – hence the need to top up calcium levels, and start from a strong, healthy bone base.’ Experts from several health organisations, including Osteoporosis Australia, have called for women in particular to be ‘Stronger Together’ by helping spread the word about the three simple actions everyone can take to build stronger bones: consume milk, cheese and yogurt (or dairy-free alternatives) for calcium; do weight-bearing exercises; and get safe sun for vitamin D. Source: healthybones.com.au 8 | NETWORK SPRI