"Nexercising"- An Innovative Approach to Healthy Living and Fitness Marketing

Although the blasphemous existence of "National Fast-Food Day" and a series of other ridiculous "holidays" may convince you otherwise, most people, at the very least, recognize the many benefits inherent in frequent physical activity.  However, when discussing an effective fitness program, remaining committed to your exercise initiative, or even starting one, for that matter, can sometimes seem like a torturous task.  Indeed, you must take the time to organize workouts into your daily schedule, find the type of training that works best for you, and then endure a few aches and pains along the way.  To top it off, most of your (recognizable) improvements will occur in a time-delayed fashion, which may cause you prematurely opt for a new exercise routine - starting the process all over again.  This vicious, disheartening cycle makes it almost too easy to just throw in the towel and succumb to the old adage (which I hate, FYI): "What's the point?  I'm going to die anyway!"

Nexercise - Earn Rewards While You Exercise

If you feel tempted to employ the slightly suspicious (and somewhat lazy) excuse listed above as a means to validate a sedentary lifestyle, or if you feel the need to pinch your pennies so tight that you forego any resource investments that do not provide an immediate return, than I may have found your saving grace.  What if I told you that by exercising frequently and tracking your progress, you will not only enjoy improvements in your overall health, but also obtain the opportunity to compete with your friends, earn leadership badges in Social Media networks, and win discounts to real fitness products, as well as free merchandise?  Yeah, I thought that might grab your attention.  In a nutshell, these engaging and satisfying features form the foundation of a (free) Smart Phone application (app) called Nexercise.  Currently available on the iPhone operating system (Android release anticipated in the near future), Nexercise offers an interactive way to earn rewards for physical and social activity - things you should probably do anyway - which provides the extrinsic motivation that some people need in order to kick start (or maintain) a wellness program:

A tracking system, competitive atmosphere, and rewards?!  Sign me up!

Benefits for Consumers AND Marketers - A Two Way Street

As a fitness enthusiast and an aspiring marketer, I view the Nexercise app as a "win-win" platform for both consumers and businesses:

For the Consumer

"Nexercising" (as dubbed by the company):

• Supplies users with tangible incentives for arising from the couch and engaging in physical activity
• Increases buyer awareness for healthy products and services
• Serves as an effective means for tracking fitness improvements and goal acheivement
• Allows for a fun, friendly form of competition
• Incorporates a readily accessible and easy-to-use interface via Mobile technology

For the Marketer

By integrating promotional programs with the Nexercise app, Fitness marketers can:

• Align their goods and services with a healthy initiative
• Enhance consumer recognition for their established offerings, while generating awareness and product trial for new market entries
• Capitalize on positive brand associations, as users may transfer the joys of weight-loss and heightened athletic performance to the products obtained via 'point' accumulation
• Access real-time customer data pertaining to redeemed discounts and Social Media conversations

A New Beginning for Health, Fitness, and Digital Marketing?

Although I believe that intrinsic motivation stands as the best form of inspiration when striving for fitness improvements, I cannot argue with Nexercise's initiative to foster a fun and (literally) rewarding exercise experience.  In short, the app combines many facets that a large number of consumers love: The ability to play games, socialize, and earn free merchandise, as well as a means towards leading a healthy lifestyle.  Additionally, assuming that it remains untarnished by companies that sell unhealthy goods and services, Nexercise provides fitness firms with many profitable marketing opportunities.  Given the likelihood that the people who download the app also use the brands advertised via the "points" system, companies that partner up with Nexercise can increase the relevancy of their promotions, thus improving the potential for subsequent product adoption.  As Nexercise continues to grow in terms of application use, and begins to appear as a downloadable option for the Android operating system, consumers and marketers alike will have the capacity to reap the benefits of physical activity/healthy living in a timely manner.  How's that for a "point," ye exercising nay-sayers?

Andrew's Advice - Training Tips, Nutrition Notes, and Healthy Habits

Healthy Habit (November 23, 2011):

Don't let Thanksgiving Day cloud your fitness judgement

Ah, Thanksgiving.  A day full of the 3 F's: Family, Fun, and a Feast that has the potential to completely F*@# up your fitness regimen.  Okay, maybe I went a little too far with that one.  Regardless, the ever famous day of stuffing-your-face-with-grandma's-goodies-only-to-spend-hours-laying-on-the-couch-with-your-pants-unbuttoned does not have to throw a wrench into your health/nutrition commitments.  Here's a few helpful hints to keep you on track this Thanksgiving:

1. Go for the white meat.  Instead of snagging a drumstick with skin, or a cut of dark meat, opt for a serving (about the size of a deck of cards) of white meat turkey.  Because white meat contains a substantially smaller amount of fat than its dark counterpart, it provides you with a much leaner, healthier source of protein and amino acids.

2.  Stick with mashed potatoes.  Although that bowl full of gooey, candied sweet potatoes may catch your eye, do your body a favor and help yourself to a scoop of the mashed variety.  Regularly cooked spuds (assuming they're not loaded with butter!) represent a healthier source of carbohydrates and vitamins, and will also satisfy your relentless hunger.  On a related note, you probably do not need to completely flood your potatoes with gravy - two or three drizzled spoonfuls will do just fine.

3.  Keep it simple when selecting vegetables.  Thanksgiving dinner abounds with a variety of vegetable casseroles, the most famous of which containing green beans.  However, I guarantee that your aunt prepares her famous dish with an endless supply of cream, butter, and salt, which turns an otherwise healthy alternative into a calorie dense disaster.  So, as you fill your plate with colorful greens, choose vegetables that still resemble their original form, and then kick them up a notch with a variety of herbs and spices.

4.  Organize a family activity following dinner.  After the feast has concluded, rather than sacking out in front of the television to watch football, head outside and actually play a game or two with your family.  Or, if you do not enjoy throwing around the "ol' pigskin," set up a basketball tournament, obstacle course, or a relay/sack race.  Partaking in at least some form of physical activity will help you burn off a few calories, allow you to spend some time with your loved ones, and provide you with an opportunity to embarrass your cocky uncle Bill as you show him up on the field.


Have a Healthy, Happy Thanksgiving!

Andrew Snyder


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