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Exercise helps save you money |
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Friday, January 02 2009 |
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By: Brooke Huff
Reporter
In a recent study conducted by Curves International it found that in today's uncertain economy, people are starting to look for ways to cut back on any expenses that seem like a luxury or even a little bit frivolous.
One of the items receiving much scrutiny lately in both households and the media is gym memberships. A growing body of evidence, however, suggests that cutting gym memberships may be the wrong move for even the most cash-strapped families, studies show. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently stated that inactive adults have significantly higher direct medical costs than active adults. The costs associated with physical inactivity increases with age, as well.
“To put it in perspective,” said Clesta Collins, owner of Curves of Borger. “For every dollar you spend on wellness, you save as much as five dollars on illness.”
For this reason, Collins said, Curves has partnered with major health insurance and third-party providers, including Healthways, SilverSneakers, AARP, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, who see huge financial benefits in wellness programs. These companies have begun to offer reimbursements and incentives on Curves gym memberships to their plan members.
One example, Collins said, is with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. They recently completed a landmark study that found that people who went to the gym at least eight times a month had significantly lower healthcare costs than those who did not. The study shows that these frequent gym attendees had:
-39 percent fewer visits to the Emergency Room
-41 percent fewer hospital admissions
-18 percent lower overall claims costs
In an era where many people have no health insurance at all, and those who do have it pay higher co-payments, a gym membership, Collins said, may be the most affordable way to keep healthcare dollars in consumers' pockets. According to researcher IBISWorld, this will become even more important in the near future as baby boomers pass through their 40s and 50s, when healthcare costs are forecasted to rise even more dramatically.
Everyone knows that the human body thrives on regular exercise, Collins said, and staying fit and maintaining a healthy weight can contribute to significantly reduced risks for various cancers-by as much as 60 percent-, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and many other debilitating conditions. Other great reasons to head to the gym include:
-Exercising with others can “greatly improve your exercise adherence.” It's much easier to stick to an exercise program when have accountability from trainers and coaches, and friends.
-Exercise is like Miracle-Gro for your brain, and can make you smarter by releasing chemicals that cause neurons to branch out and connect in new ways. New junctions between neurons are the basis of learning.
-According to a study presented to the American College of Sports Medicine, exercise may make you a better worker, and enhances time-management skills, mental performance, ability to meet deadlines, mood, and interactions with co-workers.
-Exercise directly reduces stress by decreasing the production of stress hormones and increasing the production of endorphins, your brain's “feel good” neurotransmitters. It also pays you back double, a Harvard Alumni study said, by adding two hours to your life for each hour spent exercising.
“The research is clear: Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight can save not only your life, but you money as well,” Collins said. “Your health is your most precious asset, and not taking care of it is going to cost you more in the long run.”
To help women save even more money, Curves of Borger is offering 30 percent off the joining fee, and free monthly fees until February, starting January 1, 2009.
For more information, contact Curves at 806-273-8388, or visit www.curves.com.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, January 06 2009 )
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