Sports Fitness and Fun director attends ‘Summit for a Healthier America’

FLORIDA ­— Early this May, Roberta Kruse-Fordham, general manager of Sports Fitness & Fun in the Village of Florida, traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) 10th annual Summit for a Healthier America.

IHRSA is the trade association serving the health and fitness club industry.

Kruse-Fordham was the lead panelist on a discussion of how to help position the fitness industry to help inactive individuals.

“Often the fitness industry will make light of how easy it is to get fit,” she said, “and we say, ‘Just eat healthy and exercise.’ While that is the right answer, it is often much more complicated for most to do, especially in a nation where fast food is on every corner.”

Kruse-Fordham admits the cost of the healthier foods is greater and that culturally our society has moved to an unhealthy diet.

She also criticizes the media for only promoting the physical benefits of a healthy diet and exercise, such as, looking good in your bathing suit.

Incentive “While in Washington, “ said Kruse-Fordham, “I kept hearing lobbyists and other fitness professionals say, ‘Let’s give Americans an incentive.’ The incentive, I would argue, is to prevent heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and hypertension as well as being able to play with our grandchildren, walk up stairs and lift groceries. I stated this in Washington and asked, ‘Why do most American’s not see the biggest incentive of all? Reducing disease and improving quality of life.”

While Kruse-Fordham was in the nation’s Capitol, she also met with Congresswoman Nan Hayworth’s Legislative Assistant Elyse O’Brien to lobby for several bills that support physical activity for Americans.

“With the support of Sports, Fitness and Fun,” she said, “I was able to be part of a movement that can change Americans and America by lobbying for bills to improve the health of the people in our Nation. It felt good to have my voice heard and to be amongst my peers who were also striving for a change to help others.”

Kruse-Fordham explained that Sports, Fitness & Fun, a member of IHRSA, is not just a community fitness facility. It employees a full time certified health counselor and offers health counseling, healthy cooking classes, weight loss and fitness challenges and special programming to help people of all ages work through obstacles and achieve their fitness and health goals.

For additional information call 651-1000 or visit www.SportsFitnessFun.com.