Tips to Selling Memberships during a Recession

Staff buy-in. The first people that need to be sold on investing in health is each of your membership advisors. They must believe in the value of exercise. Everyone knows the value of exercise and now everyone must believe that exercise helps one’s physical and mental well-being. Once your membership advisors embrace the fact that living a healthy lifestyle is a 24/7 attitude, they will make sales.
Sell with passion. Questions that membership advisors need to ask themselves are: Are they exercising? Do they believe in the product? Do they practice what they preach? The biggest component to selling anything is emotion. People buy based on emotion. They can sense whether the club representative is sincere or just trying to make a sale. Today’s consumer is savvy. Do not underestimate their ability to see right through false emotion and excitement. Membership advisors must have a burning passion for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle that must flow through their presentation.
Ignore the negativity. Membership advisors should not get caught up reading doomsayer headlines and watching stock market results. It is important to know what’s going on, but it should not consume their every thought, leading to desperation. Being distracted from a daily success cycle will only make matters worse. Membership advisors must keep a positive mental attitude every day and disregard what is going on around them or in their own personal lives. They must stay focused.
Value proposition. Consumers are evaluating where to spend their hard-earned money these days. Membership advisors must make a value proposition relatable to their goals and fitness needs. They must show prospects the value of starting an exercise program and how starting now makes more sense than ever. They should help prospects determine their daily spending habits and explain how spending less per day is a great value. Prospects can join the club for a low fixed cost and enjoy the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
Empathy vs. sympathy. Empathy is the capacity to recognize or understand another’s state of mind. It is often characterized as the ability to put yourself in their shoes. Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. Membership advisors should not sympathize but empathize with prospects. They must understand their situation but be careful not to get caught up in their story. Bring the conversation back to results and benefits of joining the club. Turn each negative into a positive. People on a tight budget usually don’t have much to do other than read, watch TV or surf the Internet. That gets boring quickly and encourages an unhealthy lifestyle. They could be at the gym, exercising, socializing, networking and making new friends all for a low monthly fixed cost. And they can read, watch TV or surf the Internet while doing it.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing! …… Thought the recession was over?

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing! …… Thought the recession was over?

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing!

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.

Shame ,Shame, Shame on Star Trac For Shutting Down California Plant as More Production Moves to China

I would like to thank “America and especially Star Trac” for sending us this plant and laying off thier American workers. Thank you Star Trac!

In a continuing effort to shift more production to its plant in China, Star Trac is shutting down its factory in California, resulting in close to 50 layoffs. The Irvine, CA-based company announced in early April that it would shut down its factory in Murrieta, CA. Production was scheduled to stop May 31, but new Star Trac President Dustin Grosz says that deadline may get extended by a few more weeks. A total of 48 employees currently work at the Murrieta factory, which had produced Flex Fitness products. In addition to those jobs that will be eliminated, Star Trac laid off about 25 employees from its corporate headquarters last month. Most of those employees were in departments such as sales, finance, accounting and IT, says Grosz, who adds that some of those departments are being consolidated with the StairMaster offices in Vancouver, WA. Star Trac owner Michael Bruno purchased the StairMaster and Schwinn brands from Nautilus Inc. last year. “In Irvine, we’re going to continue to have our marketing team, our product development team, our warehousing and shipping of goods,” Grosz says. “We’re going to keep our showroom here for our customers to come into. We have all of our testing labs and everything else that’s still going to be here.” Bruno has been in China for about a month overseeing the company’s production in its Xiamen, China, plant. Bruno, who bought Star Trac 10 months ago, said in March that he hoped 75 percent of the company’s production would be shifted to China by June and 90 percent would be shifted to China by the end of the summer.

Grosz says Star Trac should be close to Bruno’s percentage prediction by summer’s end. In the meantime, Grosz says the company will continue to be in a turnaround phase over the next couple of months. He says he does not anticipate more layoffs.“We believe that we made the necessary changes with the decisions that we’ve made in the past 45 to 60 days,” Grosz says. “With those decisions, we feel very strongly that we’re going to be able to make the transitions and consolidate some of the functions and then be back to profitability and growth in the not-too-distant future.” Grosz, who came from StairMaster to take over as Star Trac president after Mike Leveque resigned in March, says the company has gained some momentum after the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association show in March—where it announced several international club agreements—and the FIBO trade show last month in Germany.

“A lot of the buying decisions for a lot of our customers had been made for the spring and summer, so therefore, we’re not going to be able to get the business for spring and summer,” Grosz says. “But as we go into the fall and winter, we’re starting to pick up that business that we’ve maybe lost in the past 18 months of downturn in our company. It’s coming back. It just takes time. We feel good about where we’re at in the process.” Grosz acknowledges some of the mistakes the company has made in the recent past, mistakes the company is now trying to correct. “We’ve lost customers, we’ve disappointed customers, but a lot of that can be easily fixed,” Grosz says. “What we failed at is not delivering on our commitments, not providing the product on time, not providing the parts when we have a quality issue. We’re making a lot of headway there. Are we where we want to be? No, absolutely not. We’ve got a lot of work to do. But we’re getting the traction we needed and the focus we needed.” Shame ,Shame, Shame on Star Trac For Shutting Down California Plant as More Production Moves to China

Health Club News: …. Brought to you by courtesy of http://fitnesslifemarketing.com/

Shame ,Shame, Shame on Star Trac For Shutting Down California Plant as More Production Moves to China

I would like to thank “America and especially Star Trac” for sending us this plant and laying off thier American workers. Thank you Star Trac!

In a continuing effort to shift more production to its plant in China, Star Trac is shutting down its factory in California, resulting in close to 50 layoffs. The Irvine, CA-based company announced in early April that it would shut down its factory in Murrieta, CA. Production was scheduled to stop May 31, but new Star Trac President Dustin Grosz says that deadline may get extended by a few more weeks. A total of 48 employees currently work at the Murrieta factory, which had produced Flex Fitness products. In addition to those jobs that will be eliminated, Star Trac laid off about 25 employees from its corporate headquarters last month. Most of those employees were in departments such as sales, finance, accounting and IT, says Grosz, who adds that some of those departments are being consolidated with the StairMaster offices in Vancouver, WA. Star Trac owner Michael Bruno purchased the StairMaster and Schwinn brands from Nautilus Inc. last year. “In Irvine, we’re going to continue to have our marketing team, our product development team, our warehousing and shipping of goods,” Grosz says. “We’re going to keep our showroom here for our customers to come into. We have all of our testing labs and everything else that’s still going to be here.” Bruno has been in China for about a month overseeing the company’s production in its Xiamen, China, plant. Bruno, who bought Star Trac 10 months ago, said in March that he hoped 75 percent of the company’s production would be shifted to China by June and 90 percent would be shifted to China by the end of the summer.

Grosz says Star Trac should be close to Bruno’s percentage prediction by summer’s end. In the meantime, Grosz says the company will continue to be in a turnaround phase over the next couple of months. He says he does not anticipate more layoffs.“We believe that we made the necessary changes with the decisions that we’ve made in the past 45 to 60 days,” Grosz says. “With those decisions, we feel very strongly that we’re going to be able to make the transitions and consolidate some of the functions and then be back to profitability and growth in the not-too-distant future.” Grosz, who came from StairMaster to take over as Star Trac president after Mike Leveque resigned in March, says the company has gained some momentum after the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association show in March—where it announced several international club agreements—and the FIBO trade show last month in Germany.

“A lot of the buying decisions for a lot of our customers had been made for the spring and summer, so therefore, we’re not going to be able to get the business for spring and summer,” Grosz says. “But as we go into the fall and winter, we’re starting to pick up that business that we’ve maybe lost in the past 18 months of downturn in our company. It’s coming back. It just takes time. We feel good about where we’re at in the process.” Grosz acknowledges some of the mistakes the company has made in the recent past, mistakes the company is now trying to correct. “We’ve lost customers, we’ve disappointed customers, but a lot of that can be easily fixed,” Grosz says. “What we failed at is not delivering on our commitments, not providing the product on time, not providing the parts when we have a quality issue. We’re making a lot of headway there. Are we where we want to be? No, absolutely not. We’ve got a lot of work to do. But we’re getting the traction we needed and the focus we needed.” Shame ,Shame, Shame on Star Trac For Shutting Down California Plant as More Production Moves to China

Health Club News: …. Brought to you by courtesy of http://fitnesslifemarketing.com/

How to Respond When Your Health Club is Blasted Away By A Natural Disaster….Tornado, Flood or Earth Quake!

Q: “With natural disasters occurring around the world in Japan, New Zealand and, most recently, the American South, what steps should a health club that’s been affected by such a disaster take to begin the recovery process?”

A: Responding to a national disaster is all about prioritization. The extent of the damage to both the club and the regions infrastructure will determine what these priorities are. You may have to go through a simple clean up or find new premises.

One thing that should be at the top of the list in all circumstances is staff. Make sure that they feel safe and their home life is as secure as possible. Not only will every staff member’s situation be different (some may be relatively unaffected, others may have lost their homes, or loved ones), but how they react to this will vary considerably. We all know how home life issues can distract people at work, and a natural disaster is an extreme case of this. Until people feel safe in their home life, their ability to constructively add value to any recovery process of a club is hindered, and the workplace may be one of the few places where any scene of normality takes place for some months.

Another important consideration is preparing for an insurance claim. Before starting any remedial work, photos should be taken and as much evidence recorded to support any insurance claim. For business more significantly affected, a loss of business, or business interruption claim may also need to be prepared, and this will often require substantial financial calculations to be made before a claim can be. Of course this assumes that the club has the correct type and level insurance – and it is a timely reminder to all to ensure that the club is insured for not only the likely, but the unlikely, and potentially catastrophic events. (After all until 2010 everyone knew that Christchurch was not on a fault line, and did not have large earthquakes. Oh how wrong we all were!)

Most clubs insure physical assets well, but many do not fully insure business interruption and more significantly, depopulation insurance (the terms used in different countries may vary – but any insurance broker should know these terms) – and unfortunately it’s too late once the disaster strikes.

A: From an insurance standpoint, be sure your facility is covered for disasters, before they strike.

If your club is in a flood zone, you will need to secure flood insurance. If your club is not in a flood zone you still have the ability to purchase flood insurance through the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program). If your club is in an earthquake zone, you will want earthquake coverage. For wind damage caused by storms or tornadoes, ensure that your existing property and casualty insurance provides wind and hail coverage.

Property insurance covers building repair or replacement when damage is caused by the stated covered causes of loss. If your building is badly damaged or destroyed, it can take months to get running again. So be sure to secure business interruption insurance to pay your ongoing expenses while you get your business back on track.

Another disaster planning coverage is contingent business income coverage. This covers you for business income loss caused by the inability of a service you depend on to provide such service, such as a local power or water supply company.

Be sure that all your insurance is with an A+ rated company with the resources to actually pay your claim. There have been instances where lower-rated companies have been so burdened by claims that their ability to pay claims is jeopardized. This is not the case with an A+ rated company. It has the resources necessary to pay all claims.

A: The best way to emerge from a disaster is to prepare ahead of time. All membership and accounting data should be backed up at an off-site, secure location; you should have an up-to-date list of all your FFE items, especially fitness equipment (photos or videos are helpful); have an email data-base for your entire membership; assure adequate insurance to cover loss of income while you are rebuilding; have a Facebook Fans page, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. After a disaster, communication with your staff, members and the community is critical. Use email, phone chains, your social networking and local media to frequently update your plans.

How to Respond When Your Health Club is Blasted Away By A Natural Disaster….Tornado, Flood or Earth Quake!

Q: “With natural disasters occurring around the world in Japan, New Zealand and, most recently, the American South, what steps should a health club that’s been affected by such a disaster take to begin the recovery process?”

A: Responding to a national disaster is all about prioritization. The extent of the damage to both the club and the regions infrastructure will determine what these priorities are. You may have to go through a simple clean up or find new premises.

One thing that should be at the top of the list in all circumstances is staff. Make sure that they feel safe and their home life is as secure as possible. Not only will every staff member’s situation be different (some may be relatively unaffected, others may have lost their homes, or loved ones), but how they react to this will vary considerably. We all know how home life issues can distract people at work, and a natural disaster is an extreme case of this. Until people feel safe in their home life, their ability to constructively add value to any recovery process of a club is hindered, and the workplace may be one of the few places where any scene of normality takes place for some months.

Another important consideration is preparing for an insurance claim. Before starting any remedial work, photos should be taken and as much evidence recorded to support any insurance claim. For business more significantly affected, a loss of business, or business interruption claim may also need to be prepared, and this will often require substantial financial calculations to be made before a claim can be. Of course this assumes that the club has the correct type and level insurance – and it is a timely reminder to all to ensure that the club is insured for not only the likely, but the unlikely, and potentially catastrophic events. (After all until 2010 everyone knew that Christchurch was not on a fault line, and did not have large earthquakes. Oh how wrong we all were!)

Most clubs insure physical assets well, but many do not fully insure business interruption and more significantly, depopulation insurance (the terms used in different countries may vary – but any insurance broker should know these terms) – and unfortunately it’s too late once the disaster strikes.

A: From an insurance standpoint, be sure your facility is covered for disasters, before they strike.

If your club is in a flood zone, you will need to secure flood insurance. If your club is not in a flood zone you still have the ability to purchase flood insurance through the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program). If your club is in an earthquake zone, you will want earthquake coverage. For wind damage caused by storms or tornadoes, ensure that your existing property and casualty insurance provides wind and hail coverage.

Property insurance covers building repair or replacement when damage is caused by the stated covered causes of loss. If your building is badly damaged or destroyed, it can take months to get running again. So be sure to secure business interruption insurance to pay your ongoing expenses while you get your business back on track.

Another disaster planning coverage is contingent business income coverage. This covers you for business income loss caused by the inability of a service you depend on to provide such service, such as a local power or water supply company.

Be sure that all your insurance is with an A+ rated company with the resources to actually pay your claim. There have been instances where lower-rated companies have been so burdened by claims that their ability to pay claims is jeopardized. This is not the case with an A+ rated company. It has the resources necessary to pay all claims.

A: The best way to emerge from a disaster is to prepare ahead of time. All membership and accounting data should be backed up at an off-site, secure location; you should have an up-to-date list of all your FFE items, especially fitness equipment (photos or videos are helpful); have an email data-base for your entire membership; assure adequate insurance to cover loss of income while you are rebuilding; have a Facebook Fans page, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. After a disaster, communication with your staff, members and the community is critical. Use email, phone chains, your social networking and local media to frequently update your plans.

Buff, tough and feminine: Women’s body building

Months of dieting, countless hours in the gym and weekends spent at home to avoid drinking temptations are sacrifices University of Idaho senior Angel Sigman has to endure for a few minutes of competitive-fitness fame.

In less than a month Sigman will compete in her first National Gym Association fitness competition in the bikini division. As it is her first competition, she said it can be difficult to balance all the while in college.

“It’s hard as a college student because there’s not a lot of students who watch what they eat or work out like I do … I really don’t have much (of) a social life. I stay home on the weekends to avoid the temptation of the bars and drinking,” Sigman said.

Sigman said it’s hard because her friends normally have free time on the weekends and they want to go out to the bars, but said she still goes to movies with them or has gym dates to get in social time. The temptations of beer, pizza and other college staples aren’t the end of the struggles Sigman faces. The price of competing without sponsorship is high and difficult for a college student to afford.

“It’s hard in college because it’s hard to afford rent without working your butt off, but to balance it out with school, work and everything else, that’s tough,” Sigman said.

The price of women’s bodybuilding competitions vary depending on entrance fees, lodging and travel, but some of the essentials necessary for catching the judges’ eyes are also pricey. Spray tanning that will show under the bright stage lights is approximately $100, and Sigman’s custom-fit bikini cost $200.

“I’m hoping that maybe someone will see me in the audience, like a supplement company or just a really nice, generous person that’s like, ‘I want to make your dream come true,’” Sigman said.

One of those dreams, Sigman said, is becoming a professional model for the International Federation of Body Building and to appear on the cover of Oxygen, a women’s fitness magazine.

Sigman said competing in events such as the Northwest Natural Pro-Atlas Bodybuilding and Figure Championships April 30 are opportunities to make her known in the fitness world.

“Competing opens so many door because if a photographer sees you, and maybe will go up to you later on about a shoot,” Sigman said.

Getting the attention of sponsors or photographers is always a goal for Sigman when competing because she said they would help her fitness career.

“It’s who you know and who you meet, you have to pretty much be your own agent when you start out in this sport,” Sigman said. “You have to sell yourself because in the fitness industry it’s a very dog-eat-dog world.”

There are four different categories in the competition Sigman is entering: Women’s body-building, figure, fitness and bikini.

“Figure is not as muscular as the women body building. They wear five-inch heels and have two-piece suites. They’re symmetrical and you can see their muscles,” Sigman said.

The fitness category is almost exactly like figure but contestants do gymnastic routines on stage to music.

“Bikini is the last category and they’re not as muscular as figure or fitness, but they still have that tone,” Sigman said. “They look like fitness models and it’s pretty much like a fitness pageant.”

Sigman said the fitness and body building categories have poses to do in order to show off their muscles where as the bikini contestants do a “model walk” across the stage.

In order to get ready for the stage Sigman said she works out two hours a day, six days a week.

Sigman also eats a strict diet consisting of six to eight healthy meals a day. She said she prepares these meals on Sunday so they are packed and ready to go for her busy week. Currently Sigman is carbohydrate-cycling, which means she rotates between a day of high-carb intake, normally around 120 grams, and low-carb days, around 60 grams of carbs. Sigman said she will adjust her workouts to her diet so she has more energy for the days she works large muscle groups like legs.

“Today is a low-carb day and I feel sluggish, fatigued — well more than usual,” Sigman said. “Sometimes I’ll get confused, just have slower thinking.”

High protein, low-carb diets are proven to shed fat, but Sigman said it alternates every day, and fluctuating between high and low carbs helps so the body doesn’t get used to a certain way and hit a plateau.

Sigman encourages anyone who has a passion for fitness to give body building a try.

“If you have the drive, compassion dedication and discipline then go for it. Because not only will you be happy with how you look but you’ll be so much more confident as an end result,” Sigman said.

Sigman said the change has to come from within, and no amount of nagging from a spouse, family or friends can change someone.

“It’s your competing against yourself. It’s being the best you can be,” Sigman said. “Husbands telling their wives, ‘You’re fat, go work out’ won’t work, you have to want it for yourself.”

Buff, tough and feminine: Women’s body building

Months of dieting, countless hours in the gym and weekends spent at home to avoid drinking temptations are sacrifices University of Idaho senior Angel Sigman has to endure for a few minutes of competitive-fitness fame.

In less than a month Sigman will compete in her first National Gym Association fitness competition in the bikini division. As it is her first competition, she said it can be difficult to balance all the while in college.

“It’s hard as a college student because there’s not a lot of students who watch what they eat or work out like I do … I really don’t have much (of) a social life. I stay home on the weekends to avoid the temptation of the bars and drinking,” Sigman said.

Sigman said it’s hard because her friends normally have free time on the weekends and they want to go out to the bars, but said she still goes to movies with them or has gym dates to get in social time. The temptations of beer, pizza and other college staples aren’t the end of the struggles Sigman faces. The price of competing without sponsorship is high and difficult for a college student to afford.

“It’s hard in college because it’s hard to afford rent without working your butt off, but to balance it out with school, work and everything else, that’s tough,” Sigman said.

The price of women’s bodybuilding competitions vary depending on entrance fees, lodging and travel, but some of the essentials necessary for catching the judges’ eyes are also pricey. Spray tanning that will show under the bright stage lights is approximately $100, and Sigman’s custom-fit bikini cost $200.

“I’m hoping that maybe someone will see me in the audience, like a supplement company or just a really nice, generous person that’s like, ‘I want to make your dream come true,’” Sigman said.

One of those dreams, Sigman said, is becoming a professional model for the International Federation of Body Building and to appear on the cover of Oxygen, a women’s fitness magazine.

Sigman said competing in events such as the Northwest Natural Pro-Atlas Bodybuilding and Figure Championships April 30 are opportunities to make her known in the fitness world.

“Competing opens so many door because if a photographer sees you, and maybe will go up to you later on about a shoot,” Sigman said.

Getting the attention of sponsors or photographers is always a goal for Sigman when competing because she said they would help her fitness career.

“It’s who you know and who you meet, you have to pretty much be your own agent when you start out in this sport,” Sigman said. “You have to sell yourself because in the fitness industry it’s a very dog-eat-dog world.”

There are four different categories in the competition Sigman is entering: Women’s body-building, figure, fitness and bikini.

“Figure is not as muscular as the women body building. They wear five-inch heels and have two-piece suites. They’re symmetrical and you can see their muscles,” Sigman said.

The fitness category is almost exactly like figure but contestants do gymnastic routines on stage to music.

“Bikini is the last category and they’re not as muscular as figure or fitness, but they still have that tone,” Sigman said. “They look like fitness models and it’s pretty much like a fitness pageant.”

Sigman said the fitness and body building categories have poses to do in order to show off their muscles where as the bikini contestants do a “model walk” across the stage.

In order to get ready for the stage Sigman said she works out two hours a day, six days a week.

Sigman also eats a strict diet consisting of six to eight healthy meals a day. She said she prepares these meals on Sunday so they are packed and ready to go for her busy week. Currently Sigman is carbohydrate-cycling, which means she rotates between a day of high-carb intake, normally around 120 grams, and low-carb days, around 60 grams of carbs. Sigman said she will adjust her workouts to her diet so she has more energy for the days she works large muscle groups like legs.

“Today is a low-carb day and I feel sluggish, fatigued — well more than usual,” Sigman said. “Sometimes I’ll get confused, just have slower thinking.”

High protein, low-carb diets are proven to shed fat, but Sigman said it alternates every day, and fluctuating between high and low carbs helps so the body doesn’t get used to a certain way and hit a plateau.

Sigman encourages anyone who has a passion for fitness to give body building a try.

“If you have the drive, compassion dedication and discipline then go for it. Because not only will you be happy with how you look but you’ll be so much more confident as an end result,” Sigman said.

Sigman said the change has to come from within, and no amount of nagging from a spouse, family or friends can change someone.

“It’s your competing against yourself. It’s being the best you can be,” Sigman said. “Husbands telling their wives, ‘You’re fat, go work out’ won’t work, you have to want it for yourself.”

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