For large fitnesscompanies, debt may then be based on historical cash flow with certain adjustments for non-recurring expenses, maintenance capital expenditures, etc. A typical fitness facilitywould not be eligible for such borrowings until it reached a substantial size, and would generally exclude the appraised value of the real estate.

The cash flow borrowing sector has had its difficulties in the recent 12 to18 months, as banks are offering much less leverage, creating stricter covenants and discriminating toward larger accounts. The smaller club groups have, however,found success during this same period.

In a survey of more than 200 fitness facilities,1 most club groups found satisfactory results borrowing from local commercial banks, but more were gravitating for the first time to regional/national banks.

Some of the major banking institutions lending to the club industry are listed in Table 1.

Your fat grams averaged 45 this week, double last week’s total. That is assuming you were able to estimate those high-fat dishes accurately. Mom’s home cooking is hard to resist, and it tastes so good because of the delcious fat content. Of course, food is an offering of love, so how can you say no! Sometimes just seeing how quickly the calories and fat add up is a reality check. No need to be embarrassed — everyone should have the luxury of mom’s homecooking now and then. Apple pie and ice cream, homemade potato salad — it makes my mouth water!

I have a theory about your increased hunger. Many of my clients report the same thing after a couple of large meals or high-fat meals. It seems that the stomach gets a little overstretched and then wants to be filled up to that larger point before it registers full. I noticed you had a couple of meals that went to a hunger level of eight. When you settle down to your normal size meals and your own routine, your appetite will return to normal. Also, tasting those delicious high-fat foods turns on the taste buds to forgotten pleasures. It is hard to resist.

Watch for an article I have written about migraines. You might pick up a few more tips. You are right, though: it is still a mystery what sets the whole migraine thing in motion. I got a migraine the day I wrote the article (imagine that!), and it could have been any of five different triggers!

As you get back to your work week, keep focused on good food choices, every meal, every day.

Sharon

Armand’s Reply

David,

Good job again! Even though you were visiting your parents, you still had the discipline to get in some exercise. It is terrific that you and your dad went on a walk together! If more people took walks with their families, they would not only be healthier but would most likely be happier as well. Long walks provide the opportunity to talk without the distractions that surround us in the home such as the television and telephone. It allows you to spend quality time with someone where you can focus on each other in a pleasant, relaxed setting.

I am sure the dogs and your nephew also enjoyed the time you took to play with them. Any kind of extra activity we can fit in like that is beneficial. Congratulations.

I like how you are progressing with your abdominal curls and pushups. Continue to try to increase your repetitions each week. This week, strive for three solid cardiovascular sessions of 45 minutes each. Follow each session with the pushups and abdominal curls, increasing by one repetition on both exercises each workout. And do not forget your stretching!

Talk to you next week, David. Keep up the good work.

Armand

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Well, this week had its ups and downs. I didn’t lose any weight, which isn’t surprising, considering what I ate over the weekend while I was visiting my parents. Home cooking is hard to resist, but I didn’t gain any weight, which did surprise me. I guess the exercise helped to burn off some of the excess calories.

To answer your questions about the migraine I had last week, I’ve had them since I was about 12. At that time, they were fairly frequent and quite severe, to the point of causing vomiting and even a kind of low-grade aphasia. As the years have gone by, they’ve gradually decreased in frequency and severity. Now, I get maybe three or four a year, and they’re not as bad, although they’re still pretty debilitating. Some of the newer pain generic medications have helped get me on my feet sooner. While early on, the headaches seemed to be correlated with stress, the more recent ones are almost random. This was the first one I’ve had since I started on the program. The only dietary trigger that I know of for sure is coffee. It doesn’t seem to be the caffeine alone, because I drink tea regularly, but the last time I had a cup of coffee I got a migraine within 24 hours.

Armand, I had no trouble maintaining my scheduled exercises while I was at my parents’ house. I took my walks around their neighborhood, and my dad joined me on one of them. Besides that, I spent a good bit of time outdoors, playing with the dogs and my nephew, so I got in a little extra activity.

Sharon, it definitely looks like I binged on the weekend. When I started looking up the fat counts for the stuff I ate at my parents’ house, I was embarrassed. I tried to bring things a little more under control for the rest of the week, although I felt like my appetite was a bit stronger than it’s been. Thanks for the information about the migraine book. I think I’ll look for it this weekend. If possible, I’d prefer to treat the migraines without resorting to prescription medications, and it sounds like there’s some good information there.

The rule here is to find out when your members can and will attend a class. If you have a number of retired members, group classes catered to older adults can be successful in the middle of the day (and this may help bring in members during your slow hours).

If your members are mostly nine-to-fivers, then morning and evening classes work best, with possibly one or two lunchtime classes.

Consider all of yourmembers: families, stay-at-home parents, students, seniors, etc..Figure out a schedule that works best for the majority of them. And, as always, get feedback. Getting more members involved in your group exercise program may be as simple as changing your schedule.

The program is broken down into several sessions, the first of which covers the categories of exercise, and why each is vital to the fitness process. A discussion on aerobic and anaerobic exercise is next, followed by a seminar on flexibility. The last portion of the program addresses the significance of diet and nutrition.

Following the seminar, members are given five physical fitness assessment tests. These tests measure cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition.

“There were a few safety concerns for the LifeQuest Fitness Workshop,” admits physiology fitness director Don Hothem. “We needed to know if members were healthy enough to participate in the assessments, so we take each member’s blood pressure and resting heart rate before the workshop begins. We have members of all ages participating in the workshops, so we have to be careful with the height of the aerobic step for the cardiovascular strength test. The step is lowered for the elderly and the very young. Furthermore, we give members an option of crunches instead of sit-ups for the muscular endurance tests if they have lower back trouble or another medical problem that would cause them discomfort.”

Each member receives the personal attention of the staff, Hothem says. When the workshop ends, the members meet one-on-one with staff members who query them on their medical and exercise history. The information is used to guide exercise programs and goals.

Since being initiated in November 1995, the workshops have proven highly beneficial to the club and its members. The members enjoy significantly enriched lives as a direct result of increased health and wellness, and the club furthers its business objectives.

“The LifeQuest Fitness Workshop has benefited the business because we have improved our service to our members, and this has led to membership sales,” Hothem says. “Members who have participated in the workshop have told friends that LifeQuest is a health club that is actually concerned with the outcome of their exercise goals.”

This chemical has two primary uses, both of which involve the male prostate. The most common reason that this agent is prescribed to treat prostate cancer, it has been found to reduce the incidence of the disease by as much as 30 percent. A number of studies have been performed that support the claims, with the majority of men who participated in the studies receiving positive results. Both patients and physicians were concerned as to whether or not the risk of high-grade prostate cancer would be increased with Finasteride. Several studies were done that involved removal of the participants’ prostates revealed that the chemical did not pose a major threat to the patient.

This chemical is also used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, more commonly known an enlarged prostate or BPH, and the normal dose is five milligrams daily. It took more than six months for some patients to fully benefit from Propecia no prescription. While it may seem obvious, the drug only provides benefits while the patient takes it. Once the patient stops taking the medication, hair loss occurs again. For those afflicted with BPH, the medication alleviates difficulty with urination and hesitation at the start of urination, limits the number of times the man must urinate during the night and increases the strength of urinary flow.

In addition to the two main uses for Finasteride, it is also utilized to ameliorate mild to moderate hair loss. Almost 50 percent of those who received low dosages of Propecia experienced moderate hair regrowth, and many noticed that their hair loss ceased. An above average number of people who received this treatment experienced higher hair counts. But the main difference between this medication and other products, such as minoxidil, is that it does not appear to be effective in women. This treatment has not produced significant regrowth of hair in women who experience gradual hair loss. But some contend that those in the control group had post-menopausal hair loss instead of early onset hair loss. This medication can be prescribed for women, but they must be on some sort of birth control so that pregnancy does not occur during treatment.

As is the case with any type of treatment, side effects may occur. Some of these effects may be mild, while others can be far more aggressive. These are serious concerns and they can be discussed with a physician. See a physician right away if you notice any symptoms of an enlarged prostate. If you are losing your hair, check with a doctor before starting any treatment, and be sure to ask plenty of questions so that you know everything you need to know.

Some services that WellStar provides its members are free strength consultations and dietary consultation as a part of their memberships. It also offers free lectures on various topics throughout the year. For a nominal fee (or free, depending on the event), it provides regular screenings, health fairs, flu shots and other health services. And, because of the population it serves, it directs people for physician referrals and follow-ups, and helps those without physicians find one.

Service is also part of Valley Fitness Center’s (Renton, Wash.) member retention plan. One member service it offers is a new one-hourmember orientation. Members meet with a fitness instructor to discuss goals, create a fitness program and receive instruction on how to use the equipment. A few weeks later, members have a weight-training orientation, and fitness testing and functional assessments are also offered. Laura Seuferling, health promotion coordinator, says, “All of these services are included in the membership, at no extra cost, and our members report (on our annual quality assessment evaluations) that they like the one-on-one training provided… thus making them more likely to come back.”

Regular communication is also a part of the new member service. The fitness instructor who performed the original new member orientation calls the member at two weeks, three months and six months to see how their exercise program is going. If the member hasn’t been in for a while, the instructor will schedule an appointment to encourage the member to come back.

Valley Fitness Center also offers a unique service that is appropriate for its market. Since it has many older members who go to warmer climates for the winter, it offers flexibility in its membership contracts. The facility accommodates these members by letting them put their memberships on holdfor one month for a $10 fee. Or, for a $50 fee, they can put it on hold for two to six months. Says Seuferling, “This encourages them to keep their memberships, rather than quitting and potentially losing them for good. We also allow members to go on a medical hold for up to six months (for no fee) if they have a letter from a doctor explaining why they can’t exercise.”

1. Use the place you already have and maximize the efficiency. It’s very time consuming to move walls. Not only that, but it is expensive. Plan ahead and really organize the place efficiently and creatively when you get ready to remodel. If you want to expand your kitchen, try to get away with only removing one wall to accomplish this. The time required for the electrical wiring, as well as framing and drywall work, will be greatly reduced.

2. Leave the sink where it is. If you choose to move plumbing, you will lose valuable time and money. You can still replace the sink, but if you place the new one in the same place, pipes won’t have to be rerouted, and you will not have to worry about the possibility that you will then have to replace the flooring as well.

3. Avoid moving gas lines, along with gas appliances, at all costs. It is a very involved and costly undertaking to move a gas line, and will increase the time needed to remodel your kitchen. Many communities require you to employ a licensed professional for this work. Not only will you need to arrange to have the line moved, but the floor and walls may need repair work afterwards.

4. Find pre-cut cabinets in standard sizes for your project. You will likely be able to acquire these cabinets right away, even having them delivered, in contrast to choosing custom cabinets. The beauty of stock cabinets is that all that needs to be done is to put them in place and attach them properly. You will save valuable time needed for assembly and construction for special-order or custom cabinets.

5. If you want to use semi-custom or custom cabinets, you can put the cabinets together yourself. If you have some basic construction skills, you can assemble pre-cut cabinets on your own. Putting together cabinets is time-consuming, though. You can save time, and possibly money, by assembling cabinets prior to having the contractor install them.

6. Rather than construct a closet, find some large prefabricated cabinets. You will save the time it takes to do demolition, framing and hanging drywall. The coordinated cabinets in the updated kitchen will add a fresh new look.

7. Instead of getting new cabinets, reface the old ones. You can reface or refinish cabinets that are structurally sound. You will spend less time as well. The labor can sometimes be completed in as little as a day.

8. Replace your old countertop with a new one. Your updated kitchen will look fresh with a new countertop. The look of your kitchen can be totally altered by your countertop material selection.

9. Installing a backsplash isn’t necessary. Don’t go to the trouble of replacing a backsplash if you need to remodel a kitchen quickly. It takes a few days to install tile, then allow time for it to set and dry thoroughly. This project can be done at a later time, if you need to get this job done quickly.

10. If you want to construct a window seat, save building time by putting in stock cabinets as the base of the seat. Stock cabinets of the correct height are available in many styles. Find cabinets that coordinate with your current kitchen. Then all you will need to do is put the boards on top of the cabinets.

You can save valuable time updating your kitchen by implementing these ten ideas. While you are planning your project you will probably come up with others. By following these ten steps in remodeling, you can update your kitchen quickly.

LifeQuest teamed with a sports cafe to provide members and staff free admission to live comedy shows every Friday night. The Monday Night Football events, that include a question-and-answer session on health-related issues, are co-sponsored by LifeQuest and a Charleston, S.C., radio station. Both venues are relaxed and comfortable, allowing members and staff to interact in a less formal way than when at the fitness facility, says Rally Caparas, vice president of operations and chief operating officer.

To round out the LifeQuest After Hours nightlife alternatives, the fitness club extends its hours Sunday through Thursday to accommodate members who work odd schedules.

The “Up All Night” program opens the facility from 11:30 p.m. to 3 a.m., and has paved the way for new members to join the club who previously could not work out during the traditional business hours, Caparas says.

“Since this program’s implementation, customer satisfaction and employee productivity are at an all-time high,” Caparas adds. “As a result, membership sales have grown by a staggering 32 percent since June 1995.”

“Because…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Because it happened to me before.”

“Did it? Really… honestly?”

“I was raped before in college…”

“Were you really?! Get out of here.” Ted pauses. “Yeah, I think… I apologize…”

“… and I had people tell me that I bring it on myself and stuff. And for a minute this morning I thought you were going to try and pretend it didn’t happen.”

“Oh no, I was planning to talk to you later on, but I didn’t have an opportunity to talk to you about it…”

“I’m really glad you apologized. That makes me feel a lot better.”

“No, seriously, I apologize, a million times. Can you forgive me?

Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re a good person, Ted.” Ghandia hugs and kisses Ted on the cheek.
“And don’t worry, you don’t have to worry about that ever happening again.”

“Ok.”

“You got it?”

“Alright.”