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Intermittent fasting can be a complicated process to follow! It requires you to fast for long hours, but the intended benefits include weight loss, increased energy, and improved mental clarity. While many people had all great things to say about intermittent fasting, there are conflicting opinions when it comes to whether intermittent fasting is safe for women. Many experts argue that fasting can lead to hormonal disruptions and lead to mood swings and also infertility. Here's what you need to know.

Intermittent fasting can put stress on your body, but if you are managing your stress levels well, it can prompt a positive, healthy change in your body. However, your body may not be able to handle any additional stressors if you are over-stressed. That said, there there is not enough scientific evidence to make definitive conclusions yet. What we know for sure is that pregnant or breastfeeding women, underweight women, those with a history of an eating disorder, women dealing with chronic stress and those with medical issues should not fast.

Studies have shown that fasting decreases the production of kisspeptin, which, in turn, disrupts the release of estrogen and progesterone. This hormonal disruption can result in mood swings and missed or irregular periods. In extreme cases, it may also disrupt fertility. However, more research needs to be done to understand how fasting may affect hormones in humans fully.Intermittent Fasting Suitable For All? Dos & Don'ts For This Popular Weight Loss Diet.

Fasting can trigger starving, which in turn can inhibit ovulation. Studies have also linked intermittent fasting polycystic ovary syndrome, which leads to infertility. While the studies are conflicting, more research needs to be done.Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss: From Hair Loss to Irregular Periods, 7 Side Effects of IF No One Talks About!

Should you fast during your period? You should never fast the week leading up to your period as it is the time when you are most sensitive to extra stress. Any additional stressors like intermittent fasting, can have adverse effects on your body. So, it can be a great idea to scale back during your premenstrual time.Study Reveals Intermittent Fasting Increases Lifespan of Patients Undergoing Cardiac Catheterisation.

If you decide to give IF a try, here's how to do it safely.

Bottomline: If you are someone who is under extreme stress, you could be more sensitive to potential negative hormonal changes when fasting. So avoid IF if you think you fall in this category.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2020 12:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

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Is Intermittent Fasting a Safe Way to Lose Weight For Women? All Your Queries about This Diet Causing - LatestLY

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Theres no sugar-coating it: If youre back at the gym after months of minimal, improv workouts at home, youre going to be panting and sweating buckets to get back into shape.

When it comes to fitness, its a matter of use it or lose it. If your last serious session was before the circuit breaker started in April, you may well have to start all over again.

"You're only as good as your last training session," said Sydney-based sports scientist Professor Tony Boutagy. "In other words, you only get health benefits from a session for up to about 48 hours afterwards."

SO WHATS THE DAMAGE?

It depends on your fitness level prior to that COVID-19-induced hibernation. The higher your fitness level, the greater the effects of de-training, said Adjunct Associate Professor Benedict Tan, whos also the chief of Changi General Hospitals Sport & Exercise Medicine Department.

For instance, a professional bodybuilder with a lot of lean muscle mass will notice significant loss of muscle mass. He may not notice any loss of cardiovascular endurance as it was not high in the first place, he said.

Likewise, a fast marathon runner will report that endurance, rather than strength, is the first measure to be impacted.

But other than your stamina and muscle strength, there are other aspects of your health that can be affected, too. Heres the breakdown:

You'd think that not doing much all day long for more than a week on a stretch is just the break you need, right? Thebrain fog and sense of irritability after days of inactivity are signs that you are overdoing the R&R.

Those experiencescould be caused by a reduced blood flow to your hippocampus, the part of the brain thats associated with memory and emotion, according to a small study published in the journal Frontiers In Aging Neuroscience.

That was what researchers found when they subjected 12 master endurance runners above the age of 50 to a 10-day hiatus from running.

While the runners didnt show cognitive changes, 29 per cent of them displayed signs of impaired glucose tolerance or insulin resistance a factor that leads to Type 2 diabetes. In fact, the signs of insulin resistance include lethargy and difficulty in concentrating.

The higher your fitness level, the greater the effects of de-training.

Climbing a flight of stairs can already feel harder after two weeks (or even just days) of stopping training, said Justin Wee, the principal physiotherapist at Tan Tock Seng Hospitals Department of Physiotherapy.

Thats because your VO2 max an index that measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen during aerobic activity drops, said Dr Farah Hameed, a sports medicine physician with ColumbiaDoctors, on health.com.

The lower your VO2 max, the harder youll pant when doing cardiovascular work. Conversely, the higher your VO2 max, the more energy youll be able to produce to run after the bus or achieve a new personal best for your 2.4-kilometre run.

And it gets worse the more days you devote to couch potato-ing: After four weeks, it can drop by 15 per cent; after three months, it plummets by about 20 per cent, said Dr Hameed.

Strength-wise, be mentally prepared to lose up to 30 per cent of it, saidWee. If you were able to bench press 100kg, you may only be able to lift just 70kg after a fortnight of non-exercise.

Your blood glucose level is affected, too. A study in the Journal Of Applied Physiology found that people who improved their blood glucose levels over eight months of resistance and aerobic exercise lost almost half of the benefits after 14 days of inactivity. Turns out, you snooze, you lose.

Your cardiovascular and circulatory systems take a beating at this point. For one, your stroke volume is reduced by about 10 per cent,said Wee. Stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped by your heart per beat, and a lower stroke volume means less blood is circulated with each heart beat.

Your plasma volume also drops by about 10 per cent, said Wee, if you stop exercising for a month. Plasma is a yellowish liquid that makes up 55 per cent of the bodys total blood volume. While red blood cells transport oxygen, plasma lets your heart pump more blood volume. So if there is less blood volume to carry the oxygen to your muscles, theyll tire out faster.

When it comes to strength, it apparently diminishes slower than endurance. In a 2011 study in theJournal Of Strength And Conditioning,when a group of men stopped doing resistance training, they still hadsomeof their strength gains up to 24 weeks later.

At about six weeks, youd probably already be seeing a change either in the mirror or the number on the scale, said Dr Hameed.

Even elite athletes arent immune. A 2012 study in theJournal Of Strength And Conditioning Researchfound that competitive swimmers, who took a five-week break from their training, experienced a 12 per cent increase in body fat, and a boost in their body weight and waist circumference.

Elite taekwondo athletes, who took an eight-week hiatus from exercisealso gotfat. In a 2016 study, they experienced an increase in body fatand a decrease in muscle mass.

HOW DO WE TEST HOW MUCH FITNESS WEVE LOST?

Dr Tan recommended the following tests for gauging your current post-CB fitness in terms of stamina, strength, flexibility and balance.

Stamina:

Strength:

Balance:

Flexibility:

HOW DO YOU GET BACK IN THE GAME?

The key is to put aside your ego, and start slow and easy. Dont assume that you are still as fit as your pre-COVID-19 self.

Listen to your body. If you don't feel comfortable performing any exercises, slow down, reduce the resistance or do fewerrepetitions, said Wee. It is also helpful to warm up prior to your workout, especially after a long period of inactivity.

As a rule of the thumb, said Dr Tan, resume your activities at half the intensity, frequency, and duration relative to what you used to do. Over the weeks, progressively step up the intensity by 10 per cent each week.

To find out if your starting point is excessive, Dr Tan recommended taking note of your post-exercise aches and soreness.

If you do not experience any soreness or muscle aches, it is likely that you were too conservative. If you experience excessive soreness and have difficulty going about your daily activities, it is likely that you were too ambitious with your fitness routine. If the soreness is bearable and you can comfortably go about your daily activities, you have struck the right balance.

But ultimately, dont worry. The loss of fitness is reversible. When you start exercising regularly again, it will return, said Wee.

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Put on weight after months of no exercise? Here's how to get back into shape safely - CNA

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Jacob Kiper, a father of 8-year-old twin sons, plans to celebrate Father's Day this year by going on a hike with his family.

It's a Father's Day activity that Kiper, 38, never could have dreamed of doing with his sons even two years ago, when he weighed nearly 300 pounds.

"My kids just turned 8 years old, and for sadly half of their lives I gave them a dad who couldn't be physically active, who couldn't chase them, didn't have energy," said Kiper, of Owensboro, Kentucky. "I like knowing now that I've given my kids the dad they deserve."

PHOTO: Jacob Kiper, 38, a father of two from Kentucky, lost 129 pounds on WW. (Jacob Kiper)

Kiper has lost 129 pounds over the past 2 1/2 years. He started his weight loss journey in January 2018, when he, at his wife's urging, joined WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers.

"Over the years, my wife started to get very worried knowing that I have a family history of heart disease and health problems related to poor diet," he said, adding that the concerns grew when the couple's sons were born. "She really wanted me to give an honest effort to take back control of my health."

Kiper started on WW by paying attention to his portion sizes, which he had never done before, and switching out fried foods for leaner cuts of fish and meat.

"Before WW, my diet was less than healthy," he said. "I ate lots of fried food. I'd have doughnuts frequently. Rather than eating one serving of food I was probably eating three or four. My daily diet was a wreck."

MORE: Quarantine's silver-lining: A renewed bond between fathers and children

Kiper started measuring his portions and sticking to healthy foods that were low in points on the WW program so he could still eat well and not feel deprived.

PHOTO: Jacob Kiper, 38, a father of two from Kentucky, lost 129 pounds on WW. (Jacob Kiper)

"The first week I saw the scale drop, and there was a moment of, 'Oh, I can do this. This actually works,'" Kiper recalled. "Then I was four weeks in, and a coworker asked me if I was losing weight. I hadn't told anyone so that felt really good, and that was a big motivating factor to keep going."

Kiper continued focusing on his diet -- eating mainly fruits, vegetables and high-protein foods -- and continued to see small wins, both on and off the scale.

"I went out in the backyard with my kids and decided I was going to try and run and chase them, and as I was running I realized that five years into their life this was the first time I'd ever been able to run with my kids," he said. "This was several months in, and I realized I could run and not lose my breath. I actually had the ability to run and chase my kids."

Kiper said he went to the gym early on in his weight loss journey but got burned out, instead relying on what he calls "dad physical activity," things like playing with his kids and taking them on hikes.

MORE: These girl dads are making 'Hair Love' magic in real life

"I can chase them. I can wrestle them. I can run with them, hike with them, and hopefully they're not going to have a lot of memories, other than pictures, of an unhealthy dad," he said of his relationship today with his sons. "I like knowing that I've given them a better version of a dad."

PHOTO: Jacob Kiper, 38, a father of two from Kentucky, lost 129 pounds on WW. (Jacob Kiper)

Story continues

Now that Kiper has hit his goal weight, he said he sees not only the physical changes of his weight loss but also the mental changes, both at home and in his work as a mental health counselor for people with HIV/AIDs.

"Part of my job is encouraging people and coaching them through making general wellness changes in life," he said. "When I'm trying to coach people through making big life changes to improve their overall wellness while I myself was living a very unhealthy life, I was very aware of that hypocrisy."

"Now that I've retaken control of my own health, I feel much more empowered and I feel much more confident making patients at our clinic make some of those decisions," Kiper added. "I've seen how many of the patients have responded to the changes I've made and that helps me be more effective at doing my job."

For people looking to jump start their own wellness journey, Kiper said to remember that weight loss is "not necessarily linear."

PHOTO: Jacob Kiper, 38, a father of two from Kentucky, lost 129 pounds on WW. (Jacob Kiper)

"There will be setbacks from time to time," he said. "While my weight has come off, there have certainly been days or weeks where my eating was less than honorable and not something I was real happy with, but I kept at it and got back on track and kept moving forward."

Man loses 129 pounds to be able to run with his twin sons: 'Ive given my kids the dad they deserve' originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

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Man loses 129 pounds to be able to run with his twin sons: 'Ive given my kids the dad they deserve' - Yahoo! Voices

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Exercise: If you are involved in some physical activity that makes you sweat, you need extra water to cover the loss of fluids. When you are working out, have water before, during and after a workout. If you do intense physical activity, you can opt for a sports drink that can help replace minerals lost during a workout.

Weather: Hot and humid weather can make one sweat more and lose more bodily fluids. Sometimes extreme hot weather can also cause dehydration. Thus it's advised to keep sipping water and other cooling drinks in hot weather.

Overall health: Your body can lose fluids when you get diarrhoea and vomiting. Drink more water and ORS solution in this case. Some other conditions like bladder infections and urinary tract infection might also require you to take more liquids.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Women, when pregnant or breastfeeding, need additional fluid to stay hydrated. According to studies, pregnant women should drink about 2.4 litres of fluids and breastfeeding women need 3.1 litres of water every day.

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How much water should you drink in a day? - Times of India

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Maintaining a good level of physical fitness is something that we should all aspire to do. But it can be difficult to determine what fitness entails. Here we answer the question: what does being physically fit mean?

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, physical fitness is defined as a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity.

This description goes beyond being able to run fast or lift heavy weights. Despite being important, these attributes only address single areas of fitness. This article provides details of the five main components of physical fitness.

Being physically fit depends on how well a person fulfills each of the components of being healthful.

When it comes to fitness, these components include

So, you can tell if someone is physically fit by determining how well they perform in each component.

Here we will look at them all individually.

Cardiorespiratory endurance indicates how well our body can supply fuel during physical activity via the bodys circulatory and respiratory systems. Activities that help improve cardiorespiratory endurance are those that cause an elevated heart rate for a sustained period.

These activities include:

People who regularly take part in these activities are more likely to be physically fit in terms of cardiorespiratory endurance. It is important to begin these activities slowly and gradually increase the intensity.

Exercising increases cardiorespiratory endurance in a number of ways. The heart muscle is strengthened so that it is able to pump more blood per heartbeat.

At the same time, additional small arteries are grown within muscle tissue so that blood can be delivered to working muscles more effectively when needed.

The heart changes and improves its efficiency after persistent training. However, more recent research shows that different types of activity change the heart in subtly different ways.

All types of exercise increase the hearts overall size, but there are significant differences between endurance athletes, like rowers, and strength athletes, like football players. Endurance athletes hearts show expanded left and right ventricles, whereas strength athletes show thickening of their heart wall, particularly the left ventricle.

While the heart steadily strengthens over time, the respiratory system does not adjust to the same degree. Lung function does not drastically change, but oxygen that is taken in by the lungs is used more effectively.

In general, exercise encourages the body to become more efficient at taking on, distributing, and using oxygen. This improvement, over time, increases endurance and overall health.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise 3-5 times per week for 30-60 minutes, at an intensity that keeps the heart rate at 65-85 percent of the maximum heart rate.

Cardiorespiratory fitness has been found to help reduce the risk of conditions including:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines muscular strength as the ability of muscle to exert force during an activity.

There are a number of ways to measure muscular strength. Generally, lifting or pushing something of a set weight in a prescribed position and comparing the results against any given population is the best way.

In general, if a muscle is worked consistently and regularly, it will increase in strength. There are various ways of putting your muscles through rigorous activity, but anything that works a muscle until it is tired will increase muscle strength over time.

Muscles consist of elongated muscle cells. Each muscle cell contains contractile proteins actin and myosin that give the muscle its strength. These fibers contract together, producing the so-called power stroke. The total force depends on the number of these units contracting in unison.

To build muscle, the following criteria must be met:

The exact mechanism of muscle building is not fully understood, but the general principles are well known. Training causes the muscle cells to expand and there is an increase in actin and myosin production.

Also, in untrained muscles, fibers tend to fire in an asynchronous manner in other words, they do not fire in unison. As they become trained, they learn to fire together as one, increasing maximum power output.

Normally, the body prevents the muscles from over-exerting themselves and becoming injured. As the muscle is trained, the body starts to disinhibit the muscles activation more power is allowed to be exerted.

Fitness can include muscular endurance, which is the ability of a muscle to continue exerting force without tiring. As mentioned above, strength training builds bigger muscles. Endurance training, on the other hand, does not necessarily generate muscles of a larger size.

This is because the body focuses more on the cardiovascular system, ensuring that the muscles receive the oxygenated blood they need to keep functioning. Another important change in muscles that are specifically trained for endurance concerns the different types of muscle tissue fast twitch and slow twitch fibers:

Fast twitch fibers contract quickly but get tired quickly. They use a lot of energy and are useful for sprints. They are whitish in color as they do not require blood to function.

Slow twitch fibers best for endurance work, they can carry out tasks without getting tired. They are found in core muscles. These fibers appear red as they rely on a good supply of oxygenated blood and contain stores of myoglobin.

Different exercises will promote fast twitch fibers, slow twitch fibers, or both. A sprinter will have comparatively more fast twitch fibers, whereas a long distance runner will have more slow twitch fibers.

Body composition measures the relative amounts of muscle, bone, water, and fat.

An individual can potentially maintain the same weight but radically change the ratio of each of the components that make up the body.

For instance, people with a high muscle (lean mass) ratio weigh more than those with the same height and waist circumference who have less muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat.

These measurements of body fat content were taken from high-level sportsmen and women of different disciplines:

Caclulating body composition accurately can be a painstaking task. There are a number of accurate methods, this is just one:

First, weight is measured on standard scales. Next, volume is measured by submerging the individual in water and measuring the displacement.

The proportions of water, protein, and mineral in the body can be ascertained by various chemical and radiometric tests. The densities of water, fat, protein, and mineral are either measured or estimated.

The numbers are then entered into the following equation:

1/Db = w/Dw + f/Df + p/Dp + m/Dm

Where: Db = overall body density, w = proportion of water, f = proportion of fat, p = proportion of protein, m = proportion of mineral, Dw = density of water, Df = density of fat, Dp = density of protein, Dm = density of mineral.

Other methods include dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, air displacement plethysmography, bioelectrical impedance analysis, total body imaging (MRI and CT), and ultrasound.

Flexibility is the range of movement across a joint. Flexibility is important because it improves the ability to link movements together smoothly and can help prevent injuries. Flexibility is specific to each joint and depends on a number of variables, including the tightness of ligaments and tendons.

Flexibility is increased by various activities, all designed to stretch joints, ligaments, and tendons. There are three types of exercise that are generally utilized to increase flexibility:

There are a number of ways to improve flexibility. A daily stretching regimen can be the simplest and most efficient way of achieving whole body flexibility.

In general, fitness means different things to different people. The important take-home message is that embarking on any regular exercise will be of benefit to your health. The more exercise that is carried out, the healthier an individual will look and feel.

Read more:
Fitness: Definition, factors, and types

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All Planet Fitness locations remain closed across New Jersey, with a reopening date expected soon but not yet announced.

However, the company remains active and is encouraging its members to do the same during the coronavirus outbreak. Individuals can check out the Planet Fitness Facebook page for Home Work-Ins, a series of free fitness workouts that are streamed live daily at 7 p.m., and at 8 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, Each workout will also be available to view on the gyms Facebook page and YouTube channel after the broadcast is over. There is no equipment needed and all classes will be 20 minutes or less.

Members can also download the free Planet Fitness app, which includes access to even more fitness content and over 500 exercises that can be done at home with minimal or no equipment.

Here are details on Planet Fitness gyms reopening in New Jersey:

When is Planet Fitness reopening in New Jersey?

New Jersey gyms and fitness centers have been closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The state shifted into Stage 2 of Gov. Phil Murphys multi-phased reopening plan on Monday, for which amongst other changes restaurants and bars were allowed to reopen for outdoor dining and nonessential retail stores for shopping at 50% capacity. Stage 2 will further progress this coming Monday, upon which date hair salons and other personal care businesses are permitted to resume operations.

Gyms and fitness centers are also expected to reopen in Stage 2, although the governor has not made an announcement on dates or restrictions. He stated during his coronavirus press briefing on Tuesday that reopening indoor spaces is harder especially because a second wave of the coronavirus is likely inevitable.

If you bat 1,000, this virus, by its very nature, is going to come back, Gov. Murphy said.

According a message posted on Planet Fitnesss website, team members are conducting regular and thorough cleaning of all equipment, surfaces, and areas of the gym. In addition, several changes will be implemented at each club upon its reopening, including checking the temperatures of team members when they arrive to work each day, 20-minute walk arounds performed by the gyms staff to continually clean and sanitize high-touch areas, and the banning of the use of certain pieces of cardio equipment to create additional distance between members.

Moreover, all members are encouraged to download the Planet Fitness mobile app to allow for a touchless check-in process upon their gyms reopening.

As our locations begin to reopen, nothing is more important than your health, and the health of our staff, Chris Rondeau, the CEO of Planet Fitness, said in a video posted alongside the message. Thats why were taking a thoughtful, phased approach based on local official guidelines.

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Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

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If you're anything like me, you know it's easy to get stuck in a workout rut. I love 10 workouts, so I come back to the same 10 workouts . . . over and over and over. If you're in the mood to mix things up, we have good news: our series of Instagram Live workouts is continuing on @popsugarfitness, and you're officially invited.

This week, you can tune in for a bodyweight strength workout, a special Pride boxing workout, and a conversation with Dance FitSugar host Deja Riley and Olympian Louise Hazel on supporting Black women in the fitness world. We're also continuing with our donation-based workouts from previous weeks; when you tune in for Deja's bodyweight cardio workout, you'll have the option of donating to Color of Change, which you can do here. See below for the full schedule and check out our previous Instagram Live workouts on the free Active by POPSUGAR app.

Tag us with #POPSUGARSweats in your Boomerangs, posts, and Instagram Stories and add our full lineup to your Google Calendar so you never miss a session.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

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Mix Up Your Workout Routine This Week With a New Lineup of Instagram Live Workouts - POPSUGAR

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Summer vacation is a rite of passage for children. Long summer days to play, sleep in, and relax are an important part of growing up. But many educators and health professionals are concerned about what gets lost, and what gets gained, when kids are away from school. This is especially true in a year when most kids missed part of the school year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Summer learning loss is a real concern. It is estimated that children lose, on average, two months of reading skills and one month of overall learning over summer break. Those losses must be made up when school starts again in the fall, so teachers spend about six weeks re-teaching material that was covered in the previous grade. That is six weeks that children are not learning at grade level, which certainly has an impact on achievement over time.

Not all kids are affected equally. Much of the disparity in summer learning losses falls along socioeconomic lines. Some children have more opportunities than others to continue learning over the summer through formal educational programs and camps and informal encouragement to read. To address this issue, many institutions implement summer school through on-line learning programs and by encouraging reading at home. Some target the students who need them the most while other programs are instituted for all children.

Learning losses are not the only concern with an extended break from school. Many children gain more weight over the summer than during the rest of the year. Furthermore, fitness gains made during the school year are frequently lost over the summer. While poor nutrition and a lack of activity in schools is a real concern, many children get more exercise and eat better at school than they do at home. Being at home over the summer can lead to poor eating habits too much unhealthy food or not enough food in general and lack of chances to be active.

This is important because the combination of poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and obesity has physical, psychological, and social consequences for children that frequently persist into adulthood. Overweight and obese children, especially those who are inactive, are at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke conditions usually associated with adulthood. Even if an overweight child does not have these conditions now, he or she is likely on that path. In fact, many experts predict that children born today will be the first generation in history to have a shorter lifespan than their parents due to obesity-related diseases that begin in childhood.

Children who are overweight are also more likely to suffer other consequences including lower self-esteem, social functioning, and academic performance. Overweight children are also less likely to play sports or participate in other forms of physical activity, which creates a cycle leading to poorer health and, potentially, poorer academic success.

Now that school is out for the summer, this is a critical time of year to focus on good nutrition, physical activity, and continued reading and learning to help prevent a summertime slump in health and academics. Schools can only do so much, so adults should model good diet, activity, and reading behaviors themselves. A good place to start is by turning off the TV and reading a book or going outside to play. Its something all of us adults and children will benefit from.

Brian Parr, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior. You can learn more about this and other health and fitness topics at http://drparrsays.com or on Twitter @drparrsays.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS: Summer losses and gains | Features - Aiken Standard

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Personalisation, less intimation and collecting frequent customer insights are among the takeaways of the COVID-19 crisis for the CMO of Collective Wellness Group, Emily Thompson.

Speaking to CMO following the launch of the 24/7 Human campaign for the groups Anytime Fitness brand, Thompson said a lot of marketing during the crisis has been about engagement and soliciting more feedback.

We havent done enough of that in the past with members. I think weve done more of that in the last three months than in the last three years, she said. Its something we will continue to do so were more in touch and data-driven.

Like many retail, hospitality and physical experience-based brands, Anytime Fitness was forced to shut its doors in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But that didnt mean shutting down engagement with members. If anything, finding ways to connect become even more critical.

For one, information-based communication has been vital. Weve seen it with closing and reopening the gyms - members want to know what is going on, Thompson said. Youve seen it within workplaces, and in the way we need to keep employees working from home in the loop, too. How we could keep everyone in that loop, including our franchisees, and heading on the same journey, has been key.

To do this, steps Anytime Fitness took early on included calling to check-in with members, and creating an online Facebook group.

We have 570,000 members, and we had been expecting a six-month closure. We had to keep people engaged if they were to come back to us; keeping connected is essential, Thompson said.

Supporting these efforts was a national marketing fund and council. Having underspent in some areas, Thompson said the team was able to pivot funding to support other initiatives.

One such innovation was building a digital platform in the first week. While Anytime Fitness previously offered a couple of workout apps as part of its global brand, the homegrown digital platform born out of the COVID-19 crisis was much more. Features included workout plans and lifestyle classes designed for members at home, along with nutrition and educational content and a health check capability.

We built that early on and complemented it with a series of live workouts daily. People want that group to do activities with as it helps with accountability and sharing that connection. And we will continue to run that as we come out of the crisis, Thompson said.

A further innovation was an online personal training platform so Anytimes trainers could continue to train individuals remotely. This initiative was again led by the marketing team and is one expected to remain as gyms reopen.

Thompsons ambition now is to align digital innovation with the wider physical business offering in order to provide more personalised member experiences post-COVID-19. To help, Collective Wellness is reviewing the technology stack supporting the business to ensure its able to support the next 6-12 months.

Personalisation is huge for our business. As an insight, we know everyones fitness journey is individual, and health needs and routines are different, she said. Up to now, our emphasis has not been about that. The big focus moving forward is on being smarter around our data.

Like many franchise businesses, digital can be a challenging sell to those reliant on physical member visits in their local area. But it was clear Anytime Fitness operators saw digitals value during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thompson said. And they agree innovations unleashed during the crisis will only improve the brands overall member offering long-term.

Having seen peoples behaviour across digital, franchise owners are conscious of the value of these products, she said. Its the same with our personal trainers this has enabled them to train more people and be more successful.

While theres no doubt the crisis has been tough, Thompson said its been a huge opportunity to reflect on how Anytime Fitness had been doing things and what was perceived as normal.

Things can at times get overcomplicated in marketing, and this has been an opportunity to strip that back and give people what they are looking for, she said. The length of the closure was going to be a deciding factor in what would happen long-term. But the positives have been overwhelming. Seeing how humans got together and got through it has been fantastic.

Weve seen members and franchise owners our two customers so engaged, and our franchisees have been taking the time to look at what at great member experience is. What good looks like for these two customers is a big focus. As much as this has been a crisis, its also been pleasant to take stock of everything thats going on.

Its even seen franchisees and marketers embracing new channels, such as TikTok. Many clubs had been struggling with TikTok, for example, but as we have been closed, theyve taken time to get used to that and weve gained a lot of engagement from that channel, Thompson said. People are looking for entertainment and engagement, so our teams embraced it.

Moving forward, Thompson noted an emphasis on building out Anytime Fitness content strategy and meeting members where they want to be met. And as has been indicated by the 24/7 Human campaign, the human element will be front and centre to everything Anytime Fitness does as we enter the new normal.

We had the opportunity as we reopen the doors and run awareness campaigns around how clean we are that was the safety and easy option, which would have instilled confidence in members to come back, Thompson commented. But for us its more than that its taking feedback and insights we were seeing and the conversations we were having with members.

We could sit and focus on hygiene or the convenience of a 24-hour gym, or we could talk about whats really important, which is the human connection.

Research undertaken by Anytime Fitness late last year indicated the overwhelming perception of 24/7 gyms is theyre faceless rooms full of equipment that are often unstaffed. Whats more, many see them as young, male-dominated environments. The reality is members go from 16 years old to 75 years old, while theres more than 3000 staff working in Anytime Fitness gyms.

Another insight to come out of this crisis is that health is more important than ever - and its more than just fitness, Thompson said.

We are trying to encompass that and trying to remove that intimidation factor for people in coming to our gyms, she said. That human need to be included and to feel part of a group - gyms are doing that for a lot of people in their communities.

Internally, this insight will influence our photography choices, language, tone of voice, brand and more. We need to be more human.

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Digital and insight lessons Anytime Fitness' CMO is taking from the COVID-19 crisis - CMO

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Lately, the line to get inside the Bike Rack has stretched along the front of the northwest Omaha store.

The phone seems to ring all day.

In 30 years of operating the Omaha and Lincoln bike shops, Jim Carveth said this is the busiest he has ever been. From the time the shop opens to the time it closes, he said, employees are helping customers in person and over the phone.

Its way beyond what Ive ever experienced, he said. Its been great. I think the biggest thing is that its not just a guy or gal coming in for a bike. Its a lot of families. Everybody wants to get out.

The demand for bicycles new and used has spiked across the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. The temporary closure of gyms forced some fitness buffs to turn to other kinds of exercise. Parents have also been seeking bicycles for kids who have been cooped up at home.

Carveth compared it to a bike boom in the 1970s.

Big-box stores havent been able to keep a wide range of bicycles in stock. And at times, neither have locally owned shops.

At the Bike Rack, bikes being shipped to the store are selling even before they arrive. Customers sometimes must wait a couple weeks for the bikes they order to come in and be assembled.

Linda Flott and her husband, Joe, had plans to get into cycling before the pandemic hit. But finding bikes has proved to be tricky.

Flott, 59, searched for used bikes on sites such as Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. The bikes had already been claimed by the time she reached out to the sellers.

The Flotts then started searching for new bikes. The first store they visited was sold out of bikes that would fit them. They found the right bikes at the second store.

When the weekend weather cooperates, the Flotts have joined other cyclists as well as walkers and runners on the West Papio Trail.

Kim Scherlie, president of the Omaha Pedalers Bicycle Club, said the group has seen an increase in inquiries from riders wanting information on memberships and organized rides.

Trails have been noticeably busier, regular riders said.

Its not a positive thing that its a result of a pandemic, of course, said Alexander Martin, a service manager at the Trek store south of 72nd and Dodge Streets. But Im definitely enjoying the fact that people are taking an interest in the sport.

The lines of customers waiting to get into Trek have wound through the parking lot, Martin said.

Most of the stores entry-level bikes, which go for $500 to $800, are sold out, he said.

As bikes come in, theyre being built and are being sold before theyre even built, he said. Were moving through them that fast.

Some models of bikes are on back order at the Bike Rack in Omaha.

Both the Trek store and the Bike Rack said theyre seeing new faces. Most of the regulars and bike enthusiasts arent coming into the stores.

Carveth said he noticed an uptick in sales at the Bike Rack in mid-March. He and his employees got on the phone with their vendors and doubled the size of their orders.

They now have almost 4,000 bikes on order from vendors. Usually, an order would be a third that size.

Some people have dusted off old bikes stored in the garage and are bringing them in for repair work and tuneups. Carveth said the Bike Rack is backed up, taking two or three weeks to finish repair jobs.

Both the Trek store and the Bike Rack have limited the number of customers allowed inside, and theyre requiring customers to wear masks. Test rides are allowed, but employees must do frequent cleaning.

When sports practices, games and tournaments were canceled, Josie Smiths kids quickly tired of the stay-at-home routine.

Smith, who took up casual bicycling last summer, decided to take Olivia, 16, and Eli, 11, with her on the trails. They hated it at first.

But a broken chain caused Olivia to try out her moms nice bike. That hooked her.

As bikes come in, theyre being built and are being sold before theyre even built, said Alexander Martin, a service manager at the Trek store south of 72nd and Dodge. Were moving through them that fast.

Smith, 37, lucked into two upgraded bikes for the kids on Facebook Marketplace.

Now the trio hit the trails around their Bellevue home three or four times a week for 10- to 20-mile rides. They tackled the popular Taco Ride on western Iowas Wabash Trace Nature Trail for the first time. Olivia and Eli take 5-mile rides almost every day.

Its been fun having everybody interested in the same sort of activity, Smith said. Now Im having trouble getting out by myself. They dont let me do that anymore.

Once sports start up again, Smith said, it might be tough to find the time to go out as a family. She hopes that they will carve out time to go on one ride a week.

Its tough to say, Martin said, whether the interest in bicycling is just a fad or is here to stay: We definitely hope that people find bike riding inspirational and they love the hell out of it and keep doing it.

Float spas, where users are suspended in a salty bath, started popping up in Omaha in 2016. Spa-goers enter a private float tank nearly double the size of a bathtub. Hundreds of pounds of Epsom salt have been dissolved in the shallow pool of water so people float on top. Proponents say floating reduces muscle and joint pain, shortens recovery time from athletic training or injuries, relieves stress and increases creativity. Click here to read a World-Herald story on float spas.

If you've been dreaming of dribbling a soccer ball while encased in a plastic bubble, you're in luck. That trend made its way to Omaha in 2015. The game can be tough experienced players tumble right alongside first-timers.Click here to read a World-Herald story on bubble soccer.

Local yogis can find their flow among a tribe of baby goats. Two dairies in Honey Creek, Iowa, started offering the classes in 2018. The goat yoga trend started in Oregon in 2016 and has since swept most of the country. The wandering goats add some levity to yoga, known for improving flexibility and decreasing stress. Click here to read a previous World-Herald story on goat yoga.

Kickball isn't just for kids. Adult kickball leagues have joined the mix of recreational sports in Omaha, much like sand volleyball and softball. The sport gets players moving, but it doesn't feel like a grueling workout. Some kickballers called it "exercise in disguise." Click here to read a World-Herald story on kickball.

Ballet-inspired workouts made their way to the Omaha area back in 2014. The city is home to handful of studios purely devoted to the workouts, which combine yoga, Pilates and ballet movements performed on a dance barre. Some local gyms and fitness studios offer the classes, too. Instructors said the classes are fun and motivating.Click here to read a World-Herald story on barre.

Rowing isn't new, but it's made a splash on the local fitness scene. The exercise machines had fallen out of favor thanks to treadmills, weight rooms and group exercise classes. But they've been reintroduced through fitness trends like CrossFit and Orangetheory. At least two local studios have debuted classes built around the machines. Click here to read a World-Herald story on rowing.

Participants wearing minimal clothing stand in a chamber that looks like an aluminum can and grows colder over two to three minutes using liquid nitrogen. The temperature drops to between negative 200 and 240 degrees. Proponents say the high-tech ice baths reduce inflammation, relieve pain, prevent injury, increase energy and speed healing. The practice also has been credited for cosmetic benefits. But some medical professionals are skeptical.Click here to read a World-Herald story on cryotherapy.

Exercisers bask in glowing orange lights and blaring upbeat music at Orangetheory Fitness. The metro area now is home to a handful of the studios, which got their start in Florida in 2009. During the classes, a trainer leads people through a circuit-style workout that rotates between treadmills, rowing machines and a strength area with free weights. Members wear heart rate monitors to track their efforts during a workout. Click here to read a World-Herald story on Orangetheory Fitness.

Pound classes debuted in Omaha in 2015. The classes are a full-body strength and cardio workout that simulates drumming. Exercisers pound the drumsticks in the air, against each other and on the ground while performing strength exercises like squats and lunges. Click here to read a World-Herald story on Pound.

Aerial yoga blends yoga poses with acrobatics. Yogis practice in hammocks, flipping upside-down. It incorporates stretching and strength exercises, cardio and meditation. Instructors say the class is good for the spine, alleviating pressure although there are some risks, and the class isn't for everyone. Click here to read a World-Herald story on aerial yoga.

Heart rate monitors are a standard part of curriculum for some metro high school students. They've also made an appearance in several boutique gyms. Teachers at Mercy High School said wearing the monitors prep students for a lifetime of fitness. Click here to read a World-Herald story on the monitors.

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Spike in demand for bikes has Omaha stores tripling their orders - Omaha World-Herald

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