The Nutrition and Wellness Play “Having a strong nutrition and wellness program is
really how I differentiate my club in the marketplace,” says Florence Auld, the owner of The Women’s Club. Jasmin Kirstein agrees. As the owner of My Sportlady, in
Munich, Germany, she holds a cooking school and offers an eight-week nutrition program that includes, among other things, a cooking segment. “One thing that sets our club apart is that we’re a holistic operation,” Kirstein empha- sizes. “We see each member as a whole per- son—mind, body, and soul—and our members appreciate that.” But are these so-called
“touchy-feely” programs good for business? Absolutely, responds
{
Laura Klein, the well- ness director at The Thoreau Club in Con- cord, Massachusetts. “Our six-week Quick Start Program offers wellness coaching, per- sonal training, and nutrition counseling on request, at a cost of $199 for both members and nonmembers. That fee just about covers our costs. However, Quick Start has had a near-perfect membership conversion rate. Of the 16 peo- ple who took the last session, 15 joined, producing $18,000 in new annual membership revenues. In addition, three purchased other services, such as our Boot Camp, Intro to Pilates, and small-group personal training.”
Dr. Lucky Bennett
“We see each member as a whole person—mind, body, and soul.”
“I lost 15 pounds in 15 months, built muscle mass, }
tested in the top 2% of fitness for my age, and saw my overall cholesterol level drop 40 points, with notable improvement in both HDL and LDL,” reports Sima M., a thoroughly satisfied Thoreau member.“Now, after main- taining for two years, I’ve gone back for a six-week refresher course with my trusted coach/trainer, and am well on my way to shedding those last 5-10 pounds.”
Born out of passion One reason that these programs have worked so well for Klein, Auld, and Kirstein is that they’re born out of real passion. Each envisioned a program that would help par-
48 Club Business Internat ional | OCTOBER 2010 | www.
ihrsa.org
ticipants to “drill down” to discover their deep, personal reasons for wanting to change their lifestyle, and, then, pro- vide the support and accountability required to do so. Kirstein introduced a cooking school because many
members had said they wanted to lose weight, but admitted that they’d stopped cooking at home. In addition, a severe illness in her family sent her searching for ways to improve health by eating good food. Eventually, Kirstein traveled to
Laura Klein
Florence Auld
India to learn about health and wellness at an ashram and from Indian women, and carried that knowledge back to her club. “So, now, I hold a three-hour cooking school once a
week, for which we charge 79k ($102). The recipes are fun and easy to duplicate at home, and are based on Ayurvedic cooking, which I studied in India. We explain how this nutritious diet improves both appearance and mental well- being,” she says. “My passion is contagious because I want my members to start to care about themselves and to improve their quality of life.” Auld had been searching for the right person to help
her create just the right program, and found that indi- vidual in Dr. Lucky Bennett, who holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine; has advanced training in wom- en’s studies that focused on women and medicine; and a background in exercise, ballet, and modern dance. “The members who’ve taken our program are amazed
by Dr. Bennett and what she knows about women’s health,” Auld adds. During the program, Bennett encourages participants
to take a serious look at the type of food they have at home, and to keep food and exercise logs. She recom- mends that they do 30-60 minutes of cardio five times a week and strength training three times a week. She dis- cusses stress, sleep, hormones, and other issues; takes the group on grocery-shopping outings; explains how to keep exercise fun; covers eating habits and eating out at restaurants; and gives advice on how to stay the course and what to do if they “fall off the wagon” or hit a plateau. Quick Start, at The Thoreau Club, includes a six-week fitness membership for nonmembers that provides
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