By Erin Phelan
National Health and Fitness Day is Saturday, June 3rd and Fitness Industry Council of Canada gyms are open for business!
Open for business and free for all Canadians!
The Fitness Industry Council of Canada is excited to welcome Canadians to their facilities, to inspire physical activity not simply for physical and mental health, but for social health “Community and friendship is what we have been craving the last few years, and this is what we do best. We are ready to show Canadians our best side,” says Gabriel Hardy, Executive Director of Fitness Industry Council of Canada. “We are inviting our 6 million members to bring a friend that day – can you imagine? 12 million people in gyms from coast to coast. Let’s do this: LET’S MOVE CANADA!!”
Top FIVE THINGS you will FIND at an FIC gym on National Health and Fitness Day:
1. Find out what you have been missing.
The gym is not only a place to come do an incredible workout class, lift weights, use cardio equipment and stretch. “Many of our facilities are on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the world of fitness – from infrared heat and cold plunges, to connected workouts and latest trending fitness classes,” says Hardy. “ But what will be familiar to all – and inviting to newcomers – is the sense of community, accountability and belonging – this is what the fitness industry does best.”
2. Find Motivation
We know stepping inside a gym can be intimidating for many Canadians – it used to feel like the place where you had to already be fit to step inside the door. Not anymore. “The gym has evolved in the last twenty years and we are places of health and wellness for everybody,” says Hardy. “In the last few years we have seen the physical and mental health of Canadians decline. We know that it is hard to get moving again – or for the first time – and this is what we do best! We inspire and motivate! We can help inactive Canadians get moving again, and there is no better time than National Health and Fitness Day!”
3. Find friends
Prior to the pandemic, six million Canadians were members of a fitness studio, says Mr. Hardy, “We know that we have a positive impact on the physical and mental health of Canadians. The fitness industry is an important solution to the crisis in the healthcare system and we can relieve the burden on the hospital systems across Canada. We know exercise is essential to prevent and treat chronic health conditions, and mental health. This day is a golden opportunity for us! We are inviting millions of Canadians to a national celebration of physical activity on June 3rd to make a difference and inspire people to get moving, and take that decision to be active, rain or shine, hot or cold, 12 months a year!
4. Find experts
Fitness facilities are staffed by clinical exercise physiologists, kinesiologists, personal trainers, and nutritionists who are ready to help in every way. “For people who are inactive or sedentary, there is an intimidation factor: Am I doing this right? What if I hurt myself? You should never be afraid to seek help, and we have the best expertise available within our facilities,” says Hardy.
5. Find community
Momentum breeds momentum – once you start exercising again, it will become hard to stop. “We are here to tell all Canadians it is never too late to start, or to start again,” says Sara Hodson, President of Fitness Industry Council of Canada. “What you will find inside our facilities is a community of love and support, of people like you who are doing their best to get healthier, get stronger and stay consistent. You will join a group of Canadians who know that exercise is essential for their lives. Let’s Move Canada!”
Join Fitness Industry Council of Canada on Saturday June 3rd as we celebrate National Health and Fitness Day. Our facilities will be free to the public, and we will be hosting events in every major Canadian city.