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Gyms Catering to Members with Health Issues

Are you getting the most out of your gym?

When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago her doctor recommended she follow a regimented fitness program. She started going to a run-of-the-mill gym in her very small hometown and worked out with a trainer. However, she never quite felt comfortable with the exercise routine and she ended up canceling her gym membership less than a year later.

I always thought that had she found a better gym (unfortunately there are only two gyms in the city she lives in) she would have stuck with the program. A short time after my mom backed out of her gym membership I learned about a new trend that a growing number of health and fitness clubs across the country are embracing—-specialized programs for people with health problems.

The programs include classes and personal trainers who have been schooled to work with people who are coping with various ailments. For example, a gym in a Dallas suburb offers classes specifically designed for women who suffer with osteoporosis. The exercises are geared to improve bone density and what’s more, the classes are filled with women who have the same problem.

Other gyms offer classes for cancer patients who have gained weight post diagnosis. Fitness experts say that the exercises offered in these specialized classes not only help control weight, but also help elevate a patient’s mood and energy level.

Unfortunately for my mom (who is rail-thin and could benefit from the camaraderie more than the weight loss techniques) the only state I was able to find gyms that currently offer classes designed specifically for cancer patients is California (my mom lives in Hawaii). Several gyms in California offer a 10-week strength-training program designed in collaboration with the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with other ailments, including heart disease, arthritis or diabetes you might refer him or her to Dedham Health and Athletic Complex in Boston. The club offers specialized fitness programs that emphasize strength and cardiovascular training and are taught in an area of the gym that is quieter, carpeted and has fewer half naked muscleheads posing in front of mirrors.

Michele Cheplic writes about red-hot celebrities in POP CULTURE, fiery topics in PARENTS, sizzling recipes in FOOD, calorie burning exercises in FITNESS, and hot new kid-friendly crafts in FUN. Check out all of her articles here.

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About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.