US HEALTH CLUB MEMBERS PROCLAIM – “I LOST IT AT THE CLUB!” – AND LOSE OVER 12 TONS OF EXCESS WEIGHT

BOSTON – April 20, 2005 - In its inaugural year, “I Lost It at the Club”, a fitness industry weight loss initiative coordinated by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and sponsored by equipment manufacturer Life Fitness, helped over 6,500 participating health club members lose a staggering 12 tons (25,587 pounds) of excess weight. 650 IHRSA member health clubs participated in the eight-week program, which began on January 10, 2005.

“This initiative was established to further support both current and prospective health club members to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get in shape,” said John McCarthy, executive director of IHRSA. “The program’s overwhelmingly positive results are a testament to the creativity and commitment of fitness professionals who work tirelessly to assist club members to achieve their fitness goals.”

“We are thrilled with the success of the program,” said Jay Megna, executive vice president, global sales, service and marketing, Life Fitness. “We believed that this program would engage club members in a fun, collaborative effort to lose weight, while helping people to focus on living longer, healthier, more productive lives.”

Participating health clubs were encouraged to use “I Lost It at the Club” to reinvigorate their existing programs, to introduce new programs and to hold special educational seminars. Participants were also encouraged to use the program to foster a sense of community in the club, bringing members together as participants in the same weight-loss program. IHRSA provided additional program ideas and tools, including activity cards, member newsletters and weight loss tracking sheets.

One of the winning clubs, J.R.’s It Figures of UrbanaOhio, had great results from the program. With 17 members participating they were able to lose a total of 186 pounds. With IHRSA’s guidance this small club decided to take a stand against obesity and prove that the healthclub, big or small, is the place to go to LOSE the weight!

“I Lost It at the Club” is part of IHRSA’s health programs and industry initiatives. Additional information on “I Lost It at the Club” and other health programs and initiatives can be found at www.ihrsa.org/programs.

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) is a nonprofit association dedicated to the growth, protection, and promotion of the health club industry, and represents more than 6,500 clubs worldwide. IHRSA is an international leader in health club industry education and research.