Health Club Secrets -- 5 Monster Tips for Choosing a Health Club

by: Brad Howard

With the New Year coming in, people by the droves put their New Year's resolutions in gear. For many health clubs, the month of January marks the easiest time of the year to entice and underdeliver the hopes and desires of the unsuspecting public.

Now, of course, that'll never happen to you........will it?

For the type of person that continually gets wrapped up in the "deal of the day," it most certainly will. Most people have no idea what the telltale signs of a great health club operation are.

Naturally, many clubs know this and fully take advantage.

Does it really make sense for all of the area clubs to offer the most "specials" in the month where the overall demand reaches its peak?

What other successful industry does this?

Not one that I can think of. Understand that many clubs encourage you to join in the months of January and February knowing full well that you not be frequenting the place in two months.

But your money is!

The key resides in the fact that you must find the clubs that actually have your best interest at heart. Which clubs are going to encourage you to get in better shape? To give everyone a little piece of mind, I've compiled a short list of monster tips to help insure that you involve yourself with a club that will give you the most success.

By the way, two of these tips are "underground" and industry insiders are the only ones that REALLY know about them.

1. Check the cleanliness. Clubs don’t care about keeping the club clean don’t care about keeping you happy. Period. Always give a good look in the locker rooms and cardio deck.

2. Gauge the pressure. The more pressure that is being put on you to join right then, the less service you are likely to get. Use your head. Today only specials are a scam. Peer pressure always puts you in a bad spot. (Important Note: monthly does not mean month-to-month. Make sure you know the difference.)

3. Judge value, not price. Price is what you pay. Value equals what you get for what you pay. Generally, the higher the rates, the more value you get. Of course, make sure to judge this for yourself. Just don’t get stuck in the “low price” mindset. Always look for “high value”

4. Ask about the management history. Clubs with a history of better service tend to have stable management. If a club switches managers every 3 months, it’s not a positive sign and usually means that ownership either continually chooses poor management or it’s a sign of dissatisfied employees. Be sure to ask.

5. Always check the Better Business Bureau homepage on any clubs that you are looking to join. If a club has a bad mark, you can bet it’s pretty intentional. The Bureau doesn't just hand out bad marks without just cause.

*Bonus Tip: Check out ripoffreport.com and look up the names of clubs that you are interested in. This resource encompasses reports from many dissatisfied customers from many types of businesses.

Take these 5 tips and apply them to your area. While they will not tell you everything about a club, they will prevent you from becoming a member of the worst clubs and allow you to be more comfortable working out in the New Year.

About The Author Brad Howard is the author of the wildly successful book "Health Club Secrets Revealed, What Industry Insiders Don't Want You to Know" and has been an industry veteran for years. For more details, make sure to visit www.healthclubsecrets.com. Do you want to know how the diet and fitness industry makes most of it's money? Send an email to hcsecrets@aweber.com to get the free report "How the Diet and Fitness Industry Exploits Your Deepest Desires" as my gift to you. Copyright 2006 Brad Howard

Why is Vitamin C Important?

by: Steve Parker

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, maintains the ligaments, tendons, and other supportive tissue. It is found in fruits and in potatoes. Because it’s an antioxidant it helps regulate your blood cells, keeping blood cells from becoming deformed from the toxics in the air, which in some cases can cause cancer.

The best function of vitamin C is the formation of collagen, a protein substance that keeps the cell together. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron. It is needed for buoyant health, vitality and endurance. It keeps your skin clear, with a fresh complexion and healthy gums and teeth. It is very important for the functions of all glands and organs. This vitamin maintains the bones and proper functioning of the adrenal and thyroid glands. It promotes healing and protects against all forms of stress - physical and mental.

So what happens if you don’t take enough vitamin c? If you become deficiency of vitamin C you will have soft gums, skin haemorrhages, capillary weakness, deterioration in collagen, anaemia, and slow healing of sores and wounds. You will see yourself aging faster, thyroid insufficiency, and your resistance to all infections will be very low. Its deficiency enhances the toxic effect of drugs and environmental poisons. Mild deficiencies of vitamin C may appear in the form of lassitude, fatigue, anorexia, muscular pain, and greater susceptibility to infection. Long deficiency may cause scurvy, which is very dangerous.

Scurvy is a disease that results from insufficient intake of vitamin C.

This can leads to formation of livid spots on the skin, soft spongy gums and bleeding from mucous membranes. A quote from Enchanted learning.com, “Many sailors on long trips got scurvy, which at first debilitates and then kills the victim. When the cause of scurvy was determined to be a dietary deficiency, limes and other foods high in vitamin C were brought on long sea journeys, putting an end to the problem of scurvy. Bringing limes aboard is why sailors used to be called "limeys."

You can find vitamin c in fruits and vegetables. But most food fall short or loose their source when it is cooked. To get the full benefits you will have to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Taking vitamin c supplements is also another great way, taking a supplement can help you get the require amount you need everyday.

About The Author Steve Parker a specialist in health and fitness. Mr. Parker also is a freelance journalist and partner of http://www.nutritionmountain.com, a website that offers dietary supplements.