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BlogHer: Through My Lens

Health. When you hear that word, what comes to mind? What about when someone says, “I’m living a healthy lifestyle?” What does that mean to you? What does it mean to the world? Today, when celery cleanses and keto diets are all the rage, it appears the meaning of health is directly related to one’s waistline. However, “health,” as defined by the World Health Organization, is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO 2019).

Sexual Harassment and the Fitness Industry

One day, while stretching my client Jim, I was taken aback when I realized he wasn’t wearing underwear. His shorts were swim trunks with interior netting. I quickly looked away and continued to stretch him. This happened with Jim on several other occasions, but I never mentioned it because I wasn’t sure how to broach the matter. I also didn’t feel as if he was doing this intentionally, nor did I believe he meant harm.

Where Your Career Goes From Great to EPIC

The IDEA World Convention means a lot of things to different people. For some, it’s primarily about updating their skill sets and knowledge to maintain a competitive edge. For others, the connections and relationships they build at the fitness event are priceless in advancing their careers and enriching their lives. Whatever stands out for each individual, one thing unites allIDEA World attendees: an intense desire to create a career that thrives.

Making Connections That Boost Career Success

Spotting the Food Industry’s Influence on Nutrition Research

The food industry has an inherent conflict of interest when it funds
nutrition research. After all, food manufacturers’ livelihoods rise and fall on how we decide to consume calories. The industry’s deep pockets translate into influence over dietary experts, scientific studies and nutrition policymakers.

The Best of Times Are Yet to Come

Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon helped to revolutionize the fitness industry when he and Dave Mortensen co-founded the juggernaut brand in 2002. Now massive in scale and influence, Anytime's success grew by focusing on a model of smaller neighborhood gyms that emphasized convenience, affordability, quality equipment and personable service in friendly, nonintimidating facilities.

How to Set and Keep Healthy Professional Boundaries

Most fitness professionals have seen and heard it all when it comes to boundaries. The very nature of the profession can lend itself to an intimacy you don’t see in other industries. Besides the physical closeness, personal trainers who approach wellness from a holistic viewpoint often fill an emotional need for clients.

IDEA Code of Ethics: Group Fitness Instructors, Personal Trainers, Owners and Managers

As a member of IDEA Health & Fitness Association, I will be guided by the best interests of the client and will practice within the scope of my education and knowledge. I will maintain the education and experience necessary to appropriately teach classes; will behave in a positive and constructive manner; and will use truth, fairness and integrity to guide all my professional decisions and relationships.

Ethical Practice Guidelines for Group Fitness Instructors

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: Personal Trainers

1. Always be guided by the best interests of the client. a. Remember that a personal trainer’s primary responsibility is to the client’s safety, health and welfare; never compromise this responsibility for your own self-interest, personal advantage or monetary gain. b. Recommend products or services only if they will benefit the client’s health and well-being, not because they will benefit you financially or occupationally. c.

The HIPAA Effect

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (42 United States Code § 1320d), which took effect nearly 10 years ago, has had a profound impact on the healthcare industry. Though HIPAA covers many areas, the privacy rule in particular is noteworthy.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: Owners and Managers

Ethical Practice Guidelines for Owners and Managers

1. Always be guided by the best
interests of the client.

Remember that the primary responsibility of a fitness business owner or manager is to the client’s safety, health and welfare; never compromise this responsibility.
Recruit, hire, train and offer continuing education opportunities for staff with the aim of providing programs and services of the highest quality.
Incorporate new research and trends into all programming.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: Personal Trainers

Ethical Practice Guidelines for Personal Trainers

1. Always be guided by the
best interests of the client.

Remember that a personal trainer’s primary responsibility is to the client’s safety, health and welfare; never compromise this responsibility for your own self-interest, personal advantage or monetary gain.
Recommend products or services only if they will benefit the client’s health and well-being, not because they will benefit you financially or occupationally.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: Group Fitness Instructors

Ethical Practice Guidelines for Group Fitness Instructors

Always be guided by the best interests of the group, while acknowledging individuals.

Remember that a group fitness instructor’s primary obligation is to the group as a whole, taking class level and class description into account.
Strive to provide options and realistic goals that take individual variations into account.
Offer modifications for all levels of fitness and experience (i.e., demonstrate easy and more challenging options).

The Anatomy of a Successful Client Testimonial

Customer testimonials can be fantastic tools for driving new business to your door. But boring, photo-free client comments buried deep inside your website are unlikely to do the trick. To quickly capture the imagination (and training dollars) of the masses, it is critical to breathe life into client success stories.

So what makes some testimonials tedious and others terrific? Follow these four steps to avoid the mistakes of time-wasting customer snooze stories. Bring your facility’s testimonials back from the brink—and attract new-member dollars to your door.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: Group Fitness Instructors

As a member of IDEA Health & Fitness Association, I will be guided by the best interests of the client and will practice within the scope of my education and knowledge. I will maintain the education and experience necessary to appropriately teach classes; will behave in a positive and constructive manner; and will use truth, fairness and integrity to guide all my professional decisions and relationships.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: personal Trainers

As a member of IDEA Health & Fitness Association, I will be guided by the best interests of the client and will practice within the scope of my education and knowledge. I will maintain the education and experience necessary to appropriately train clients; will behave in a positive and constructive manner; and will use truth, fairness and integrity to guide all my professional decisions and relationships.

Ethical Practice Guidelines for Personal Trainers

Always be guided by the
best interests of the client.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association IDEA Code of Ethics: Owners and Managers

As a member of IDEA Health & Fitness Association, I will be guided by the best interests of the client. I will provide facilities and staff for effective exercise and lifestyle programs; ensure that staff maintains the education and experience necessary to appropriately train clients; uphold fair business practices and safety guidelines; and use truth, fairness and integrity to guide all my professional decisions and relationships.