Robert Paterson's Weblog

UFIT's Future in Question because of "complaints" to the School Board

P.E.I.'s Eastern School District is increasing the rent for its gymnasiums in response to complaints it was creating unfair competition.

The school board said it was receiving complaints from fitness companies that the rates it was charging U-Fit made it difficult for them to compete.

U-Fit offers classes at Charlottetown's Queen Charlotte School seven days week, as well as twice a week at St. Jean's in Charlottetown, Montague Intermediate, Eliot River Elementary in Cornwall and Gulf Shore Consolidated in North Rustico.

Under changes that take effect Feb. 1 rents will go up, and any single group will be limited to three days a week. U-Fit owner Eirann Rigby doesn't see how the current rules are unfair.

"If there were another fitness company, or any company, or any other user group that wanted to use the gym, it's the same for them. We don't get any special treatment," said Rigby.

Rigby said U-Fit also gives back to the schools, by allowing children 10 and under to attend classes free.

Customers complain

Holly Martin, who started going to U-Fit classes four years ago, is upset her fitness regime could be facing a change.

"The beauty of U-Fit was, five bucks. I was here when I wanted to be, there was no pressure and if I felt like going three times a week, that was great. And I wasn't locked into something," said Martin.

Martin, part of a group that's fighting the rental rule changes, is encouraging other U-Fit clients to contact school board officials.

A Facebook page has been set up to convince the board to leave things the way they are.

via cbc.ca

I think that the school board has to offer the public a full disclosure. Who is complaining? Who is being displaced? Who cannot get access? What connection if any to any member of the board?

UFIT succeeds because it offers any one the ease of access - the school is close and is "safe". At $5.0 most can afford to come. With these two factors UFIT creates the kind of safe community that we all need if we are to dare to change our lives.

It works - people get the courage to act, then to change and then to help others.

If UFIT is pushed out of the schools, it will have to charge more than most can afford. It will have to offer times and place may not fit.

So who loses? Yes UFIT does - but more importantly so do thousands of people.

Who wins? Who are these other fitness firms that have complained? Surely the board owes the public this information?

My disclosure, I have advised UFIT. I think it is the most successful fitness model I have ever come across.

If you wish to know more about it - here are some links - http://smartpei.typepad.com/robert_patersons_weblog/ufit/

Posted via web from Rob's posterous

We would rather die than change - Why UFIT works

We all know that we should eat better and take more exercise. I don't need to be told this anymore - nor do I need more evidence. So why is eating better and taking more exercise a simple act of doing the right thing?

We all buy exercise machines, join health clubs, go on diets, join Weight Watchers - but most of us give up and fail to do what we know we should do. Why?

Even threats of death do not work - 98% of heart patients after a while fail to follow their doctors' orders. Why

For years politicians, health leaders, school officials have stressed the importance of eating better and taking more exercise - but we don't do it. Why?

The answer is that how we eat and live is part of our identity. As is smoking. To change something this fundamental requires for most of us more than an act of will or even the threat of death.

As my friend Alan Deutschmann tells it we would rather Die than Change our identity. Knowing what to do - being told what to do - will not work in most cases.

We need a process that is specifically designed to get us through this barrier. We do know what this is.

To make this kind of change usually requires that we start the change in a safe place surrounded by like minded people that we know will not judge us. It requires that we are able to start with baby steps at our own pace. It requires that we then move from this beginner phase to a place where we too see that others look to us. Where we can actually make a difference to others. In short we we stop being helpess and start to see that we can help others.

Sounds a tall order. Sounds Utopian. No this is what UFIT has done. Who and what is UFIT?

Here is a series of links that may answer that question. In the interim - here is a recent news item on the CBC that will tell you a lot in just over 3 minutes.

The UFIT story is I think more than a good local story about a couple who have done well.

I think that this is a story about the future of health care and education.

Most of what ails us today are "social diseases" such as diabetes, heart disease. Even many cancers will have social factors. When we feel helpless and isolated, this drives a huge stress load that eats away at our immune system.

The healthcare system can help with the symptoms but not the causes. UFIT offers a model that shows how we can help with the causes.

• Very low barriers to entry - it costs very little ($5) and it takes place at your local school not a swanky gym.
• Very low emotional barriers to entry - lots of people there who are just like you - lots of support
• Very low technical barriers - all start at their own pace - its a group but you are also you
• Very fast positive feed back - you start feeling better right away both physically and emotionally
• Very fast move from outsider to insider and then to leader and status
• A whole world of social support that extends beyond the classes to doing stuff with each other that helps others

I think that such a model can be applied to a wide range of health issues.

I think that most of our modern disease is derived from social separation and that designs that help us find our way home to being part of something good will make a huge difference.

More on this later but in closing today - if you have any doubts about how powerful this process can be please watch this. I defy you not to be startled.

Disclosure - I am a long term friend and advisor to Eireann and Gord

The meaning of UFIT - Stephen

"Change" Everyone is talking about it. But real change - changing who you are and changing your world - well few have done this. Please watch Stephen. There is a moment in the middle of this video that took my breath away. You will see transformation - a true moment of mystery and courage. I will say more about Stephen and UFIT later - but first see what the new power in the world really is. What is your reaction? Please tell. The film was made by Patti Larsen

UFIT - Upwards & Onwards

It's all go at UFIT for 2008.

UFIT Needs You - A Social Media Guru

We have a website - we have a bulletin board - we have a Facebook Group - we have a YouTube Channel - what we need is you!

You are someone who really understands Social Media and is looking for a way to help a legitimate community put some power and shape behind its web presence. You will help us pull all of what we do on the web and in real life together. It's all about the right kind of connections.

Here is more on UFIT

• What we are doing with Kids
• What we are doing in the community
• What we are all about
• What we mean to people
• Why UFIT is important and why working with us may change the world

We are ready to expand beyond PEI and the web be will be central in making this work. Here is an opportunity to be one of the first to turn the ideas of Social Media into action.

You will work with people who not only "Get it" but who live it.

If this interests you - please email me
Thanks Rob

Kids - Health - Fitness - Fitting In - UFIT

On PEI we have the distinction of being the fattest and least healthy province in Canada.

Obesity and Diabetes - One of the trends of modern society is obesity. Atlantic Canada and PEI have the dubious distinction of being the most obese part of Canada. PEI with 59% of its population overweight, is the fattest province in Canada. In Canada, 29 per cent of boys are now overweight, almost double the 1981 rate of 15 per cent. Among girls, the rate rose to 24 per cent from 15 per cent in the same period. The number of children considered obese now tips the scales at 14 per cent for boys and 12 per cent for girls, almost triple the 1981 rate of 5 per cent. Poor nutrition is directly related to obesity which in turn drives a pathway for a significant series of health-related outcomes, such as diabetes and Coronary Heart Disease.

Sports at school is all about "THE TEAM" - if you are not one of the elite. You are toast. Schools and parents have struggled to get their kids motivated to take exercise.

So look at this.

Look at the faces. Look at the faces. Look at the faces

Are these kids having the time of their lives?

It's no fluke - look at these kids. Also look in the back of the gym.... Who do you see there. Yes a teacher also having the time of his life. What do you think may be happening to the relationship between the teacher and his students?

What would happen in class if the kids and the teachers recognized each others as being fellow human beings?

Is anyone being left out? What would it be like for all the cliques and the gangs to meld? What might happen to bullying? What might happen for the nerds? Would it still be uncool to be smart? Might some boundaries melt?

What would it be like to have UFIT in every school on PEI? How could this happen

I think that we could go somewhere here. The challenge is who does UFIT partner with for kids - if it is the schools - we have to partner with the department of education - that feels like a hard one. How does a bureaucracy partner with a free spirited community business?

Any ideas?

Fitness and Health - Cool and Hot are not! - UFIT

Most fitness clubs make looking and being cool the centre piece of how they advertise for clients. It is also the culture once you enter the doors.

This is typical - and as a man my reaction is this:

Boy is she hot BUT what will she think of a middle aged old fart like me? Maybe great to look at but inaccessible and scary.

How about this?

Even scarier - everyone - male and female are incredibly athletic, fit and hot. They will simply laugh at me. If this is the standard - I will never make it. They never were like me and I will never be like them.

Of course there are a lot of young hot folks who would love to be as cool and as smart as these. But they are a very small part of the population.

Now look at Steve Coleman who is one of the heroes at UFIT.

He is definitely fit but look at where he came from. How do I react to Steve?

Maybe I could do it. He looked a lot like me. I am sure he wont judge me. Maybe he can help me?

I am not alone - many men who would rather die that be shown up by the cool crowd have come and stayed at UFIT because of Steve.

See where I am going?

This is the secret of UFIT. It's all about acceptance.

Real people! How do I feel about this?

I could fit in.