Fitness facilities are no longer just for pumping iron. The word fitness has a whole lot of other connotations relating to overall health and wellness. And no matter how many squats you do, how many miles you ride on the stationary bike or laps you swim in the pool, you’ll never be truly fit if you don’t get proper nutrition.

Many people who come to your facility are hoping to lose weight, and a good nutrition program will help them achieve their goals more quickly, resulting in better member satisfaction with your facility. A nutrition program can also add another revenue stream to your business.

Start by assessing your membership. Would they be interested in a nutritional program? Invite your members to comment on the idea, on your Facebook page, on comment cards at your front desk, wherever you can reach them. Be sure to have them check a box as to what type of program they would be interested in.

Types of Nutrition Programs

Nutrition programs vary from simple printed educational material to actual weigh-ins and consultations with nutritionists, or even regular classes and seminars on nutrition. Before you run out and hire a full time nutritionist, you need to find to how many of your members would be interested in such a program. Starting with the educational material and an occasional seminar might be the best way to test the waters.

A number of companies offer “out of the box” customizable nutrition guides, brochures and informational materials that can be branded for your particular facility. These will give you an easy way to set up a nutrition program without a whole lot of effort and expense.

Promote Your Program

Be sure to promote your nutrition program, and especially your seminars, through posters, flyers, and your Website and Facebook page. If your gym does not have a monthly newsletter, now would be a good time to start one, and include nutritional advice and healthy recipes. Invite your members to submit their own tips and healthy recipes, and consider offering some sort of rewards for the best ones.

Start slowly, plant the seeds, and give your nutrition program plenty of time and encouragement to grow, and it could well blossom into a large, important, revenue producing segment of your business. And before long, your health club or fitness center may actually be a center for true health and fitness.

March is National Nutrition Month

What are you doing to better your nutrition?

What is your business doing to bring nutritional awareness to your members/clients?