Get Fit Inside, Outside or Virtually: Lee Health makes fitness accessible

Jan 24, 2021 10:45AM ● By Ann Marie O’Phelan

Some might be looking to build muscle and increase endurance. Others might want to improve flexibility and athletic skills. Still others might want to lose weight and tone up. Lee Health helps people meet their fitness goals by offering many different ways to get fit in a variety of places, including your own home or office.

Lee Health runs four Healthy Life Centers—Babcock Ranch, Cape Coral, Coconut Point and Fort Myers—each with a variety of wellness and fitness programs. The centers offer exercise equipment, group fitness, educational seminars and other integrated health services; in addition, the Cape Coral and Babcock Ranch locations have swimming pools, and Cape Coral has a pickleball court.

A membership is required to participate in activities at the Healthy Life Centers. Membership rates vary depending on your community affiliations. There is a free three-day membership trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Group classes, which vary with each facility, include indoor cycling, boxing, martial arts, yoga, Pilates and barre, as well as stretch and balance and stretch and release. “All of our group exercise classes are designed to help participants build a rock-solid foundation, and then safely progress them to meet their personal fitness goal,” says Philippa “Philly” McMurrain, group fitness supervisor at the Healthy Life Centers.

For those who want to tie their workouts to improving at a particular sport or outdoor activity, classes such as Functional Stretch and 3D HIIT (high-intensity interval training) include movement education that enhances participants’ abilities in whatever activities they might do, such as biking, soccer or golf. “These classes will teach participants to start building a foundation with low-impact workouts that protect the joints and prevent injury and improve their own personal fitness goals,” explains McMurrain.

In a time when people value their health more than ever before, the Healthy Life Centers have doubled down on support for members by providing options for custom health plans that can be executed from the gym or at home. Members can meet one-on-one through video chat with a health and nutrition coach and a personal trainer to strategize a plan that works for them. Coaches are available to provide support with at-home exercise planning, nutrition strategies, stress management and sleep support. Every custom health plan includes a robust assessment process to ensure that members are seeing progress over time and meeting their goals.

For those who prefer an at-home exercise experience, Healthy Life Centers offer virtual classes that include gentle yoga flow, chair yoga and meditation. Healthy lifestyle classes such as nutrition, lifestyle health and pregnancy health can be accessed via computer or smartphone.
Also available online at LeeHealth.org are guides such as “There’s No Place Like Home: Tips for Staying Fit During COVID-19,” “Tips for the Beginning Runner” and “Tennis Serves up Plenty of Lifestyle Benefits.” Mary Grier of Bonita Springs uses the information to stay fit at home. “The guides are all very helpful and easy to follow,” she says.
Another venue for wellness education is HealthyLee.com, a community initiative spearheaded by Lee Health. The website offers nutritional and health information on everything from workouts to lowering stress levels to suggestions about local parks. HealthyLee posts a monthly calendar of speakers, seminars, teaching-kitchen programs and special events.
Whether you’re eager to get healthy and enjoy getting out to exercise or you find comfort doing so in your own home, Lee Health makes it accessible to all.

Ann Marie O’Phelan is a Southwest Florida resident and a regular contributor to TOTI Media.

NO DOWNSIDE TO EXERCISE

According to the Centers for Disease Control, even moderate-intensity exercise such as walking briskly can offer immediate benefits: weight management; lowering risk of heart disease and stroke; lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol; reducing risk for some cancers such as breast, kidney and lung; and strengthening bones and muscles. Plus, exercise reduces the risk of anxiety and depression, helps you sleep better, increases your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, and increases the chances of living longer.