Lifestyle experts often suggest that a healthy and active lifestyle does not require a health club membership. They are absolutely correct. There are countless ways to stay active without ever seeing the inside of a health club.

But the existence of widespread options should not undercut the intrinsic value of belonging to a health club. For many folks, it is the best - and sometimes only - practical option. For others, it is a wonderful complement to their other physical activities.

Certainly, a health club membership is not right for everyone, and the industry must continue to improve its outreach to folks who may be intimidated or feel unwelcome at a club. It's also critical for lifestyle experts to stress the importance of every individual finding activities that will lead to sustainable healthy habits. But I think that health clubs may be a better option than many folks realize.

So, here is my case - in a nutshell - for making a health club membership a key component of a healthy lifestyle:

Safe Location

Location is often a major barrier to physical activity. A lack of sidewalks, poorly lit streets, and a fear of crime are all common factors leading to decreased physical activity. A health club offers the opportunity to exercise safely in a well-lit and monitored public space, usually regardless of the time of day.

Safe Environment

The risk of injury is inherent to physical activity. Health clubs provide resources for ensuring safe exercise, including the broad availability of fitness professionals to answer specific questions. Furthermore, an injured health club patron is likely to receive timely care from club employees and/or emergency medical personnel.

Affordable

Health clubs can be pricey, no doubt. But there are also inexpensive options that offer all the basic benefits of a health club. When compared with the monthly cost of cable TV, cell phone service, or even coffee, a health club membership can be a very accessible option.

Variety

For many people, pursuing a variety of physical activities is key to keeping up the habit. Other folks want fun activities or high-energy classes. Most health clubs offer ample opportunities to find activities that match members' preferences.

Friends Don't Let Friends Be Sedentary

Behavioral research tells us that our lifestyle habits are highly influenced by our social networks. An individual plugged into an active social network is more likely to be active. When an individual joins a health club, the individual is increasing the number of likely social contacts with active people, which may increase the likelihood of the individual sustaining a healthy and active lifestyle.

Surely, health clubs must continue to evolve and find ways to connect with folks to create sustained healthy activity habits. At the same time, I think many folks would be surprised by the welcoming and accommodating nature of their local health clubs. What are some ways that health clubs could attract more folks to be physically active?

We have all heard about the benefits of exercise for improving our health. But with long work days and busy family lives and personal obligations, setting aside time every day to exercise 30-60 minutes can be challenging. What if you could find ways to get exercise where you work? It is likely that improved health and increased exercise actually make you more productive while you're at work, so you might have added incentive. What steps can you take that could improve your physical fitness, your health and wellness, and even increase your work productivity?

• Use the stairs instead of elevators. If you have to go up several floors in your building during the day, you might as well exercise while doing it.
• Park toward the back of the parking lot and walk into and out of work. Don't circle the lot for minutes looking for a spot close to the front door. Park at the back of the lot and walk to the entrance. That extra 100 yards adds up if done every day.
• Start a walking club or fitness class with your colleagues. Running, walking, yoga, aerobics, and other forms of exercise with others will improve collegiality among coworkers. Meeting to do it together will provide motivation by making it less likely that you will skip the exercise sessions.
• Replace your office chair with a stability ball. It is not exercise, per se, but you can improve your core strength by using a Swiss ball as your office desk chair.
• Wear running shoes to work. Wear your dress shoes only when necessary. Not only will the running shoes help with walking longer distances from the parking lot or during breaks at the office, but they will also serve as a reminder to use them if you see them throughout the day.
• Break up exercise into small periods during breaks. While 30-60 minutes of walking is ideal, several 10-15 minute sessions can be effective as well. Look for breaks in your schedule and use them to perform some of your fitness activities.
• Keep some dumbbells or resistance bands at your desk. Similar to walking, weights and other forms of resistance training require little space or preparation time. A few exercises in each small break can add up to a complete workout.
• Replace email and the phone as a means of communication. Rather than pushing emails back and forth to coworkers, get up and walk to their desks. Talk in person. You might be surprised that you actually accomplish more in less time, and you will burn a few calories each time too!

Do you have any other ideas to stay active at your job? Share them here!

“One day, all Americans will be physically active and then will live, work, and play in environments that facilitate regular physical activity.”  This is the stated vision of the US National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP), and it speaks to the importance of targeting specific settings.  Success of the NPAP will come, in large part, as the result of local actions that target specific settings such as schools, workplaces, community streets, and parks.  The NPAP is chock-full of Strategies and Tactics aimed at specific settings.   Here are just a few examples of Strategies and Tactics taken directly from the NPAP that target such settings.

In targeting the workplace, the first strategy from the Business and Industry Sector aims to identify, summarize, and disseminate best practices, models, and evidence-based physical activity interventions in the workplace. Within this strategy are several, more specific tactics including: Recognize organizations that are examples of best practices; Recruit key business and industry leaders to play central roles in influencing their peers.  Are there businesses that you are aware of that can serve as models of an active workplace for other employers?

Within the first strategy from the Parks, Recreation, Fitness and Sports sector there is an emphasis on local facilities providing access for all members of the population.  One specific tactic is:   Provide programs in parks, recreation, fitness, and sports that are appropriate for individuals of both genders, diverse cultures, abilities, developmental stages and needs and that have demonstrated positive physical activity outcomes.  Do you know of programs that have demonstrated positive outcomes, meeting the needs of a diverse community?

Increasing physical activity through active transportation is a very attractive option on many levels.  The NPAP has a sector devoted to this which includes the following tactic:  Support and increase incentives for community projects to create safe and accessible active transportation networks, including not just roadways with pedestrian, bicycle, and transit accommodation, but also networks of greenways, trails, and multi-use pathways. How would you go about rallying support for such initiatives in your community?

Because of their broad reach, schools represent an ideal target environment for increasing physical activity in youth.  Within the NPAP’s Education sector, there are many specific recommendations for doing just that.  One such recommendation includes working with teachers through requiring pre-service and continuing education for physical education and elementary classroom teachers to deliver high-quality physical education and physical activity programs.  As a concerned parent, school board member, or citizen, what steps are you taking to ensure regular physical activity for all students in your area?

Part of the process of evaluating the NPAP is documenting actions targeting specific settings.  Based on the examples you see above, or any other of the NPAP’s strategies and tactics, please tell us what is happening in your area by going to http://www.physicalactivityplan.org/contact.php.