Keeping clients/members adherent during the holidays
Attention fitness professionals: We may be in the throws of summer, but the busy end-of-year season looms which can mean reduced adherence to exercise programs and fewer fitness facility member visits. What do you do to keep your clients and members motivated during the hectic holiday season? Please send your insights to Ryan Halvorson at [email protected] and you may be featured in an upcoming issue of IDEA Fitness Journal.
Hi Ryan,
There a couple of ways I get my clients interested in being active during that time.
-One, is to either give them a workout to do or do Skype training with me, even for a few times while they are gone.
-The other is to ask them to sign up for a race in the area they are planning to go for vacation or even better plan their vacation destination around a race that is taking place there. Many of my clients have found the second option very helpful and have actually chosen a destination as a result of a race they wanted to do.
Best,
Harris
I work with busy moms and women who often have too much on their schedule during the holiday season, as do most of us.
I like to discuss the holiday season with all my clients.
1. What is their expectation? Most of the time its to maintain their current level and then take it up a notch again once the holidays are past. We then discuss what that will entail and where they can pull back and still meet their maintence goals.
2. We discuss temptation. Where to indulge, where to skip and how to have those discussions with family and friends who mean well.
3. We discuss the benefits of exercise besides weight loss. Often times giving a different workout to help them deal with the stress of the holidays. An intense circuit training session for those who like to “work out” the stress. A yoga session for those who like to zone out and rest their mind and body. Or a long run to get “away” from the stressors…and for some, the family, even if just for a little while.
4. We discuss letting it go. Have a schedule, have a plan, but we all know that sometimes things don’t go as planned, especially during the holidays. Let it go! Do better next time, tomorrow, that next meal. What’s in the past can’t be changed, but you can decide now to do better.
5. Lastly, we discuss having fun. Enjoy those special holiday moments. Those things, people, foods you only get to enjoy this time of the year. Ask others to join in on a fun workout, walk in the snow, build a snowman or angels with the family, create memories while doing healthy things together. Afterall, you’re working with a fitness professional to add years to your life. Now is the time to enjoy and have fun with those added years and your new fit self!!!
I hope that’s helpful. It certainly has served my clients well over the years!
Jocelyn Martin