Anytime Fitness and Exercise is Medicine™ Team Up for a Healthier America

HASTINGS, Minn., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- What if the health care and fitness industries merged to ensure that exercise was the most widely prescribed drug in the world?

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A partnership between Anytime Fitness, the world's largest co-ed fitness chain and the American College of Sport Medicine's Exercise is Medicine™ global initiative aims to do just that. During a time when the nation faces a serious health crisis, Anytime Fitness and Exercise is Medicine are teaming up in a joint promotion aimed at bridging the health gap that exists between the doctor's office and the gym.  

The special promotional offer includes:

• One month free with a 12-month membership at Anytime Fitness when prospects ask for the "Exercise is Medicine" special.
• Free 7-day passes available to download at anytimefitness.com

Thousands of doctors and other health care providers around the country are invited to participate in the promotion by posting informational flyers in their exam rooms, and encouraging patients to begin an exercise regimen at Anytime Fitness.

Leading physicians, fitness experts, and scientists all agree that Exercise is Medicine – a dose of which can prevent, treat, and cure a wide spectrum of health-related illnesses. Given the wealth of research supporting the benefits of exercise, it's vital that exercise be at the forefront of every discussion on disease prevention, health, and wellness.

The multi-organizational Exercise is Medicine campaign is based on the belief that incorporating exercise into a patient's treatment plan will ultimately lead to an overall improvement in the public's health, and a long-term reduction in health care costs.

"Of all the measures that can be taken to prevent illness and disease, exercise is, by far, the most worthwhile," says Robert Sallis, M.D., Chair of the Exercise is Medicine Task Force.  "Whether you're sick or healthy, young or old, fit or not, exercise makes you feel better – almost immediately! The trick is to sustain a fitness regimen. Help is out there. Support is available. Whatever it takes, just get moving!"

Chuck Runyon, co-founder and CEO of Anytime Fitness adds, "Anytime Fitness and ACSM share the belief that regular exercise is the simplest and most cost-effective way to combat a wide variety of contributors to America's health care crisis.  As partners in the EIM campaign, we are doing all that we can to eliminate barriers and make quality exercise programs accessible to as many Americans as possible."

About Anytime Fitness

Founded in 2002, Anytime Fitness provides nearly 1,000,000 members with convenient and affordable fitness options at more than 1,300 friendly, well-maintained facilities featuring top-quality exercise equipment. Members who join one Anytime Fitness club can use any of the other clubs at no additional charge. State-of-the-art security and surveillance systems ensure member safety even during unstaffed hours. Anytime Fitness connects with the health and fitness community online via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Anytime Health.

About Exercise is Medicine(TM)

Exercise is Medicine(TM) is an initiative focused on encouraging primary care physicians and other health care providers to include exercise when designing treatment plans for patients or to refer the patient to a qualified health and fitness or other allied health care professional for exercise counseling. Exercise is Medicine is committed to the belief that exercise and physical activity are integral in the prevention and treatment of diseases and should be regularly assessed as part of all medical care.

SOURCE Anytime Fitness