LifeSpan’s innovative software, The Interactive Health Partner (IHP), can be used in different ways and to achieve different goals. The Interactive Health Partner is currently used by medical fitness centers to create exercise routines and prescriptions for it’s members, by retirement centers managing outcomes in group studies, as well as individuals who prefer to track their own exercise achievements and monitor their body’s health improvements.

Jennifer Krebs, of Salt Lake County Aging Services, uses IHP to assess the functional fitness and monitor the progress of older adults. Krebs also works with a Physical Rehab Center at a nearby hospital, via a referral program with the Healthy Aging Department, to conduct ongoing assessments and use the Interactive Health Partner to track and monitor patients’ progress.

Jennifer has trained people at numerous Senior Centers on how to conduct the functional fitness test and enter the data into the IHP software. Krebs then creates a tailored exercise routine for each person, based on their test scores, and conducts follow up evaluations to see if they’re improving.

“Of the people I support, 75% are at risk of losing their functional independence,” says Jen. “My goal is to get Seniors to become more aware of their physical condition and make improvements so they can maintain their functional independence and prevent falls. IHP helps me track participants’ improvements and allows me to share their progress with them.”

According to Krebs, the feedback from those who participate has been very positive. What does Jen like best about IHP? “The software is so convenient and automatically does everything for me,” says Jen. Even though I understand the calculations that go into a Functional Fitness Test, it’s nice to have it done for me! The Interactive Health Partner gives me the opportunity to have more one on one time with people, which I really enjoy, and help make a difference in their lives.”

Interactive Health Partner’s broad-based functionality appeals to a variety of users who have different needs. Some utilize all features of the online tool, while others may only use one feature. In future LifeSpan blog posts, we’ll share with you how IHP can be used by individuals at home, by interacting with LifeSpan fitness equipment as well as with peripheral devices such as a blood pressure monitor and a scale.

For more information about how the Interactive Health Partner can help your business and your customers, email LifeSpan’s Director of Medical Programs, Janet Brady, at janet@lifespanfitness.com.

Alabama has recently given its 37,527 state employees a year to begin getting more fit, according to the Associated Press. Alabama, now second in national obesity rankings, will add a $25 insurance fee for being overweight, starting next year. The state is the first to charge overweight state workers who don’t attempt to slim down.

With more and more state governments being deeply concerned about the health of their employees, the situation provides endless possibilities for creative partnerships to help state workers get and stay fit. LifeSpan fitness equipment, along with our Interactive Health Partner online health management program, can help employees stay fit. The LifeSpan Fitness website also provides a weight loss folder where you’ll find a Weight Loss Workout Plan, Training Tips, and calculators for your Target Heart Rate and Daily Calories.

For more information, contact Janet@lifespanfitness.com

As spin classes at local health clubs have become increasingly popular over the past few years, the number of participants who used a spin bike increased 34.1% from 2000-2007, according to SGMA’s Sports & Fitness Participation Report. LifeSpan, seeing this trend, now offers spin cycle enthusiasts a solution to bring spinning into their own home. The S2 Indoor Cycle is a solidly built machine that offers quality and durability which is usually found only in bikes costing hundreds of dollars more, but at the low price of $699 you won’t find a better value!

The LifeSpan S2 exercise bike is constructed with a heavy gauge steel frame, 40 lb flywheel, Poly-V drive belt, 3 piece forged crank set, and alloy pedals with sealed bearings. Additionally, it has a full set of adjustments, including seat and handlebar fore, aft, and height adjustments. The two tone exercise bike seat on a standard mount and the standard pedals allow users to use their own components if desired. You’ll also appreciate the conveniently located water bottle holder, front mounted transport wheels, and 4 adjustable foot pads for leveling!

The S2 Indoor Cycle is a great addition to the full line of popular LifeSpan upright bikes and recumbent bikes, offering you both excellent quality and appealing style.