For decades the fitness industry has focused on narrative largely based around body composition. Simply put, the message has been; you exercise to get your “beach bod.” No matter how you look at it, this narrative has proliferated through much of the industry’s marketing. Large organizations and individual professionals alike have been very body composition-centric in their approach to messaging fitness and exercise, and in doing so alienated a large portion of consumers that might otherwise eng...
Apr 05, 2023•41 min
By 2035 more Americans will be over the age of 65 than under the age of 18. This seismic shift in our population dynamics has implications for all industries, and the fitness industry is certainly no exception. Most strikingly, the fitness industry greatly underserves (or doesn’t serve at all, in some cases) the aging adult population. Given modern medicine continues to allow us to live longer (but not necessarily better) lives, fitness professionals have a real opportunity to improve their busi...
Mar 22, 2023•48 min
It is relatively common knowledge amongst fitness professionals that both muscle mass and strength decline with age. What is often less emphasized is the loss of muscular power at a faster and disproportionate rate, when compared to muscle size and/or strength. Our guest in episode #91 Dr. Joseph Signorile has spent a career researching ways to mitigate loss of power in the aging adult population, at his research lab at the University of Miami. His findings are very encouraging, suggesting that ...
Mar 08, 2023•44 min
Becoming a more inclusive and accessible industry is at the very heart of solving the Wellness Paradox. Indeed, it will be through serving ALL individuals, regardless of their abilities, that we can truly meet the needs of both healthcare and a variety of different fitness consumers. As our guest in episode 90, Monica Forquer, points out; one group that is significantly underserved are individuals with both physical and intellectual disabilities. Monica is a subject matter expert in this area, b...
Feb 22, 2023•42 min
There are few people in medicine that have done more to address the gaps that we acknowledge here at the Wellness Paradox than Dr. Kenneth Cooper. From humble beginnings as a physician who was chastised for suggesting that people exercise to improve their health, Dr. Cooper is truly an icon in the field of medicine, health, and fitness. We couldn’t be anymore delighted to have Dr. Cooper as our guest in episode 89. This conversation is less an interview on any one specific topic and more of a na...
Feb 08, 2023•38 min
We’ve talked about the subject of behavior change on the Wellness Paradox many times before, but this time of year it is particularly important given the New Year’s resolution crowd rushing to find fitness professionals to help them achieve their goals. Our guest in episode 88, Natalie Grinvalds, knows this topic well as her area of both research and practice focuses on physical activity and health behavior. In this episode we’ll dive into a discussion around how to collaborate with clients to e...
Jan 25, 2023•37 min
As we enter into 2023, we can think of no better topic to ring in the New Year here at the Wellness Paradox than leadership. Ultimately, it is leadership that will help us truly address the paradox. Our guest in episode 87, Tom Johnston, has a unique view of leadership. He believes we are all leaders (regardless of our position in an organization), and if we own this responsibility, we can accomplish great things! Tom draws on a varied perspective in his work as a leadership consultant. You’ll h...
Jan 11, 2023•43 min
Episode 86 brings us to the close of 2022, and it has been quite a year! Fortunately, the world has begun to return to some semblance of normalcy following the pandemic. As the team at the Wellness Paradox looks out to 2023, we wanted to give you some insights into where we feel we need to go in 2023 to work towards solving the paradox. In this episode, Wellness Paradox host Michael Stack marries the concepts he’s learned this past year with current industry trends, economic conditions, and the ...
Dec 28, 2022•43 min
The objective reality is not enough people are physically active. We know that less than half of Americans get the recommended amount of physical activity (150 min/week). We also know that the fitness industry consistently serves less than 20% of the American public. Clearly, our current messaging around physical activity, movement, and exercise is not resonating with the vast majority of people (especially the people that need it the most). Our guest in episode 85, Janet Omstead, thinks there’s...
Dec 21, 2022•38 min
Improving overall wellbeing is the primary responsibility of any allied health professional. As fitness professionals, sometimes we narrow our focus to merely physical health (and fitness, in particular). Our guest in episode 84, Dr. Renee Exelbert, thinks fitness professionals should expand their consciousness of how they truly can help overall wellbeing and mental health. Dr. Exelbert is a practicing psychologist, who after her own battle with cancer, found exercise and movement to be a powerf...
Dec 14, 2022•40 min
Technology and exercise have become inextricably linked during the past three years. From wearables, to connected fitness equipment, to even zoom workouts with a client, many of us can’t imagine fitness without some type of technological integration. Our guest in episode 83, Ryan DeLuca, thinks the next technological innovation we should be looking at in the fitness industry is virtual reality. In fact, as Ryan points out in this conversation, it’s already here. If Ryan’s name sounds familiar to...
Dec 07, 2022•38 min
Wellness Paradox host Michael Stack recently wrote an article for Club Industry called “Five Steps to Professionalizing the Fitness Industry.” Given this is a topic of keen interest to Wellness Paradox listeners Michael has taken episode 82 to recap and expand on what he talked about in that article around the need for professionalization in the fitness industry. In this episode, he’ll discuss why the professionalization effort is so critical for the fitness industry if it is to shift from the e...
Nov 30, 2022•33 min
Aquatic exercise may not be something that many fitness professionals think of immediately when they’re considering complementary training modalities for clients. However, as our guest in episode 81, Irene Pluim-Mentz, can attest this is a very viable and effective form of training for clients of all ages and ability levels. As Irene will remind us in this conversation, don’t let the words aquatic exercise conjure up images of the “water aerobics” classes, as that is not what she’s referring to....
Nov 23, 2022•37 min
COVID dramatically impacted every aspect of our society, however healthcare was impacted more significantly than nearly any other sector. Healthcare is currently in a state of financial and operational disarray. Estimates from the American Hospital Association suggest that over 50% of hospital systems in the country will lose money this year. Healthcare executives (and the government) know the current economic equation is not sustainable. Costs are rising, imbursements are going down, and the Am...
Nov 16, 2022•43 min
Ensuring fitness professionals have a sustainable and impactful career is one of the foundational missions of the Wellness Paradox Podcast. A significant component of sustainability and impact depends on the professional development path you take, both early on, and throughout, your career. Our guest in episode 79, Lauren Shroyer, knows this well. Lauren is the Vice President of Product and Innovation at the American Council on Exercise. Her 25+ years of experience in the fitness industry gives ...
Nov 09, 2022•44 min
Type 2 Diabetes is one the most prevalent and costly cardiometabolic diseases. According to the CDC, over 37 million adults are currently diagnosed with diabetes, and over 90 million Americans have pre-diabetes. The CDC also reports that the direct medical costs associated with Diabetes are $327 billion annually, accounting for 25% of the total healthcare spending in the United States each year. Given its prevalence and cost, healthcare systems and the government are looking for ways to address ...
Nov 02, 2022•42 min
Health equity is an important concept, but it’s talked about sparing amongst fitness professionals. Our guest in episode 77, Dr. Daphne Bascom, feels strongly it’s time for that to change. As she points out (rightfully so), fitness professionals are well-positioned in their communities to facilitate health equity through a variety of different methods. It’s precisely those methods we’ll discuss in this episode of the Wellness Paradox Podcast. Dr. Bascom’s passion for this subject is contagious, ...
Oct 26, 2022•45 min
In order to be taken seriously as part of the healthcare delivery system fitness professionals must produce sustainable and lasting health outcomes. Doing so has much more to do with your coaching skills than your exercise prescription acumen. Our guest in episode 76, Jason Gootman, knows this well. Jason has a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology, but realized quickly that this knowledge was limited if clients didn’t adhere on a longer-term basis; that is, if clients didn’t make lasting behav...
Oct 19, 2022•43 min
Listeners to the Wellness Paradox know our goal is to assist fitness professionals (and the industry) in becoming part of the healthcare delivery system. Although we’ve made some strides in this effort, as an industry, over the past few years, we still have a long way to go given a recent event at the White House. At the end of September, the White House held a conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and published a whitepaper suggesting solutions for improving health. One of the four pillar...
Oct 12, 2022•43 min
As we discussed in episode 71 , a critical component of becoming a key stakeholder in the healthcare delivery system is the ability to produce consistent and measurable health and fitness outcomes. Based on the feedback we received from episode 71 we wanted to provide a quick guide to our fit pro listeners on how to select, administer, and utilize a comprehensive health/fitness assessment. In episode 74, Wellness Paradox Podcast host Mike Stack will outline the key categories of a comprehensive ...
Oct 05, 2022•34 min
Work-life balance is something often discussed, while at the same time often misunderstood. In the fast-pace environments most fitness professionals work in, we struggle to find any true semblance of work-life balance. This doesn’t have to be the case if David Essel, our guest in episode 73, has anything to say about it. David is a counselor and master life coach who specializes in the area of work-life balance. In this energetic and informative discussion David will breakdown warning signs of b...
Sep 28, 2022•46 min
The gender equity gap is a reality in all industries, the fitness industry is no exception. Even as we become more aware of conscious, and unconscious, bias towards gender inequities, they still exist. This inequity not only effects women, but also the productivity, profitability, and impact fitness businesses can have in their community. In episode 72 we’ll explore just that with Lindsey Rainwater, a gender equity and fitness industry thought-leader. Lindsey is not only someone who is passionat...
Sep 21, 2022•38 min
We’ve talked a lot on the Wellness Paradox of why it’s so important that fitness professionals become part of our healthcare delivery system. Understanding the why is important, but equally as important is the how. Understanding the path we must take to make this vision a reality at the grassroots level is an absolutely essential next step for our profession. In episode 71, Wellness Paradox host Michael Stack talks about the four critical steps all fitness professionals must take if they’re look...
Sep 14, 2022•37 min
Most fitness professionals are well aware of the challenges that exist trying to get clients to adhere to new health behaviors. In fact, this process can be quite frustrating for fit pros and clients, alike. This challenge isn’t lost on one of our guests in episode 70, Scott Schutte, a veteran fitness professional and personal training business owner. Rather than go it alone, like so many trainers, Scott discovered he could blend his skills as a fitness professional with the behavior science to ...
Sep 07, 2022•49 min
As the fitness industry seeks to become more embedded in the healthcare delivery system, becoming more inclusive is a critical priority. An element of this inclusivity is developing an evidence-based understanding of the populations we can best serve. In episode 69 of the Wellness Paradox we talk with David Geslak, the founder of the Exercise Connection, an organization that has developed evidence-based practice for working with autistic and special needs individuals (they’ve also developed a ce...
Aug 31, 2022•40 min
As the fitness and wellness professions make the transition towards the healthcare delivery system understand the existing legal ecosystem that governs our scope of practice is becoming exceeding important. Although a discussion of law might now appear like the most riveting conversation, it is a critical important area to understand. We unpack the relevant aspects of fitness and wellness law in episode 68 of the Wellness Paradox Podcast with attorney Barbara Zabawa. Barbara is the founder and P...
Aug 24, 2022•44 min
There are very few people (particularly listeners of the Wellness Paradox) that would dispute the notion that exercise is medicine. On many levels this is the rallying cry of our profession. While it may be that potent message, we need more than a strong rallying cry to make exercise is medicine a reality within the healthcare community. Operationalizing exercise is medicine into clinical practice has been a significant strategic emphasis of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), throug...
Aug 17, 2022•48 min
At the heart of the Wellness Paradox is creating viable referral mechanisms between physicians and fitness professionals. Indeed, making fitness professionals apart of healthcare means seamless referral, just like any other aspect of healthcare. A significant part of that referral mechanism is an accurate resource for physicians (and consumers) to find and vet fitness professionals with appropriate experience and education to work with individuals who suffer from chronic disease. Our guest in ep...
Aug 10, 2022•42 min
Episode 65 is an important conversation we’ve been waiting to have for some time. Finally, a confluence of events has occurred that make this conversation both timely and necessary to have. Coming off the heels of episode 62 (the IHRSA bonus content) and the questions we received. As well as the Michigan Fitness Club Association’s victory of $8.5 million in dedicate State-level aid, we are finally ready to have the advocacy discussion. This will be a solo conversation with our host, and creator ...
Aug 03, 2022•36 min
If you really stop and think about it, the vast majority of female clients fit pros work with are either pre- or postnatal. Many young adult females will have children in the future, while many others have already had children. This makes the pre/postnatal population one of the largest special populations for fitness professionals to work with, representing a significant business and healthcare opportunity. Despite this fact, most fitness professionals are ill-prepared to work with these women, ...
Jul 27, 2022•46 min
