Pressroom: Press Releases

GOLD'S GYM PASSES MASSIVE FITNESS STIMULUS PACKAGE

Company Empowers Consumers to Strengthen the Health of the Country with $22 Billion in Free Membership Passes, Health Audits and a Free Exercise Guide

03.30.2009

Dallas, TX (April 1, 2009) - In an effort to strengthen the health of the nation, Gold's Gym has put together its own version of a stimulus package that is sure to generate bi-partisan support. The $22 billion "Fitness Stimulus" package is designed to empower Americans to not only improve their fitness levels, but to help improve the health of the economy as well.

The multi-pronged stimulus package focuses on three key areas: giving Americans an opportunity to work out for free, helping them assess their current fitness levels and providing them with a "how-to" guide on starting a successful exercise regimen. This approach includes $11 billion in free 7-day passes to Gold's Gym (one for every American over the age of 18), $11 billion in free health audits by a Gold's Gym personal trainer and a free exercise guide, which is available at www.goldsgym.com/stimulus.

Every year, more than $1 trillion is spent on common diseases that could have been prevented through a healthy nutrition and exercise program. The Fitness Stimulus campaign is an effort to raise awareness for the fact that exercise can play a big part in reducing the nation's health care costs.

"With obesity-related healthcare costs tripling over the last two decades, there's no question that Americans need to make more time for health and fitness," said Robert Reames of the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute expert.  "An unhealthy lifestyle is costly to both an individual's health and to the country as a whole.  The package hopes to correct this problem by empowering people to take control of their lives and play a role in fixing the struggling economy by saving the U.S. billions of dollars in preventable health care costs."

"We can guarantee you that anyone who takes advantage of the free offerings from our fitness stimulus package will immediately feel the results," added Reames. "We're confident that our plan will help 'stimulate' people to get off the couch and take up a more active and healthy lifestyle."

To get started on a healthier lifestyle, Americans are invited to log on to www.goldsgym.com/stimulus for a free 7-day workout pass to any participating Gold's Gym in America and to download the free exercise guide. Gold's Gym is also encouraging people who are already engaged in physical fitness to use the "Fitness Stimulus" package as an opportunity to encourage their friends and family to do the same.

Gold's Gym commissioned research revealed a number of alarming statistics regarding the effect of obesity and sedentary behavior on the nation's economy including:    

• The economic impact of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke and heart disease is $1.3 trillion annually. Of this amount, $1.1 trillion represents the cost of lost productivity. If America can lower its obesity rates, the results could lead to $60 billion less in treatment costs and $254 billion in increased productivity.
• 75 billion dollars are spent each year on obesity-related health care costs. By 2030, 86.3 percent of the adults in the U.S. will be obese if the current national trend towards weight gain continues - costing the nation more than $957 billion each year.
• Despite the proven benefits of physical activity, less than half of American adults get enough exercise. If you're currently overweight and drop 10 percent of those pounds, you can save $2,200 to $5,300 in medical costs over the course of your lifetime.
• In 2007, $174 billion was spent on diabetes, including indirect costs such as lost workdays. More than 23.6 million Americans have diabetes - a disease which can be preventable through implementation of a regular exercise regimen and healthy diet.