New Year’s resolutions. Some are more successful than others, and right about now is the time when we generally start to forget that we made them in the first place—especially those relating to working out, losing weight, or getting fit. After all, who wants to run a mile in the rain when you can curl up on the couch with a comedy?
Just in time to infuse your members’ failing fitness resolutions with a little fun, get your club ready for Wellness Week! This year’s Wellness Week is March 19-25 and is a great time to make wellness a top priority for your members.
Wellness Week is a nationwide movement committed to helping people make healthy choices. Offering wellness-related activities as part of special Wellness Week programming is a great way to motivate members to participate in club fitness programs—helping to both increase use and and member engagement while assisting members to lead healthier, more active lifestyles.
Clubs can offer various wellness-based options and activities to promote healthy habits among members and raise awareness of healthy lifestyle elements. Wellness Week encourages people to commit to the “The Wellness Week Pledge – 7 Habits for a Healthier, Happier You,” and while some elements of the pledge may not be practical for club-goers during club hours (Pledge #5, Making Sleep A Priority, has been excluded from the list below), several elements can be easily incorporated into your club’s offerings to encourage member participation.
Pledge #1: Change your breakfast: Part of the Wellness Week Pledge prompts participants to start their day with a healthy breakfast, like oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, seeds, nuts and whole-grain cereals or toast. Help your club help members eat right by offering a special Wellness Week Menu.
Pledge #2: Choose to move: Encourage your members to be more active at the club by setting scheduled times for group walks of the grounds, so that members can socialize while they exercise. Other options include offering special introductory classes for popular fitness styles, like yoga, Pilates or weight training to help members overcome beginner-phobia.
Pledge #3: Hydrate: Encourage members to use “Hydration Stations” on the green or near the tennis courts to keep members hydrated while they exercise. Create healthy drink options like fruit-infused “Wellness Water” to draw attention to the body’s need to drink plenty of water.
Pledge #4: Connect with nature: A walk of the golf course or club grounds provides the perfect opportunity for members to take a deep breath and enjoy the great outdoors. Many golf courses have established an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, an education and certification program designed to help businesses protect the environment while enhancing the bottom line. Have a well-informed guide point out the new spring growth or highlight the nesting places for local species of birds and wildlife habitats—bringing your club members one step closer to nature just a few steps away from the clubhouse.
Pledge #6: Embrace the power of touch: Have your club members make the most of the power of healing hands and offer special Wellness Week packages at your club’s spa.
Pledge #7: Give the gift of silence: Taking a step away from technology is good for the soul, and the Pledge asks participants to spend at least 10 minutes a day away from screens of any type. The club is the perfect place to disconnect from technology and enjoy interacting with people face-to-face. Host “Tech-Free Talks” and bring in speakers on health-related topics to keep members entertained in the absence of their techie toys.
For more information on Wellness Week, visit www.spafinder.com/wellnessweek. To learn more about the ways clubs are engaging their members and helping them lead healthy, active lifestyles, be sure to attend the 2012 National Club Conference and come to the program Recreational and Sports Trends for Clubs: The Key to Your Club’s Own Fitness.
Jackie Abrams is NCA’s communications manager.