Gym Memberships and Medical Insurance

[Jokerfiend]

I was thinking the other day:

Why can't an insurance company cover a Gym Membership, if doctor prescribed?

As a formerly extremely obese person, this had been the best "medicine" I have ever taken. I did as prescribed. 3 days a week at an hour a day, until, I decided to take over my own plan and move forward from there. I lost over 200 pounds. I went from a size 57 pants to a 36. I have kept the weight off for over 3 years, and I changed my life for the better.

Better yet, why don't hospitals or some sort of medical facility offer free fitness education by professionals? Educate with proper portion sizing, proper exercise techniques, and when and why to exercise.

The entire program is pointed at obese people being an extreme issue regarding costs. Yet, the education is expensive and convoluted. Mired in Myths, fad diets, pointless exercise equipment(Shake Weight): the entire industry needs to be taken over by the medical field. As as most would say, being obese is a lifestyle and a diet problem. In turn, leads to very serious medical problems.

Then why isn't the medical field doing more to help people lose weight with legitimate resources?

When I started to educate myself, I found it to be confusing and difficult to find information. I wanted to know a lot about food, why it does what it does to the body, when to eat and what to eat. This information is scattered. Why isn't there a single resource, by Medical and Fitness professionals, that offer this information for free, teach it properly, and give out the "medicine"? Or least, let the Insurance cover the costs?

I just don't get how the Medical field/Fitness field can complain, yet, do nothing about it.

[Masark]

Why can't an insurance company cover a Gym Membership

Some do or at least get you a considerable discount on membership fees.

[Jokerfiend]

Some do or at least get you a considerable discount on membership fees.

I haven't seen nor heard of this. Can you link me some evidence?

[jbhasban]

I haven't seen nor heard of this. Can you link me some evidence?

http://www.aetna.com/individuals-fam...nts/index.html

[Deleted]

If I was really cynical I'd say "it's not their fault that someone got obese". However...

Better yet, why don't hospitals or some sort of medical facility offer free fitness education by professionals? Educate with proper portion sizing, proper exercise techniques, and when and why to exercise.

I totally agree with this. In fact, Insurance companies could help fund it as in the long run it should drastically decrease claims made against them by people that have needed treatment or whatever due to being obese.

I think it should start even further down at school level though. Excerise was forced on me as a child and I hated it. Now I'm an adult that would quite like to see a fair few years over 50 I am happier to go looking for this sort of info myself

[Reg]

Because you don't need a gym to exercise.

[Vermicious]

I haven't seen nor heard of this. Can you link me some evidence?

I know some of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies do this also... it's pretty common in better benefits packages.

PS this is in the USA... no idea about other countries.

[Deleted]

I can only imagine what would happen to gym prices if this became standard behaviour.

[Anthonian]

I was thinking the other day:

Why can't an insurance company cover a Gym Membership, if doctor prescribed?

As a formerly extremely obese person, this had been the best "medicine" I have ever taken. I did as prescribed. 3 days a week at an hour a day, until, I decided to take over my own plan and move forward from there. I lost over 200 pounds. I went from a size 57 pants to a 36. I have kept the weight off for over 3 years, and I changed my life for the better.

Better yet, why don't hospitals or some sort of medical facility offer free fitness education by professionals? Educate with proper portion sizing, proper exercise techniques, and when and why to exercise.

The entire program is pointed at obese people being an extreme issue regarding costs. Yet, the education is expensive and convoluted. Mired in Myths, fad diets, pointless exercise equipment(Shake Weight): the entire industry needs to be taken over by the medical field. As as most would say, being obese is a lifestyle and a diet problem. In turn, leads to very serious medical problems.

Then why isn't the medical field doing more to help people lose weight with legitimate resources?

When I started to educate myself, I found it to be confusing and difficult to find information. I wanted to know a lot about food, why it does what it does to the body, when to eat and what to eat. This information is scattered. Why isn't there a single resource, by Medical and Fitness professionals, that offer this information for free, teach it properly, and give out the "medicine"? Or least, let the Insurance cover the costs?

I just don't get how the Medical field/Fitness field can complain, yet, do nothing about it.

First of all, congratulations on your weight loss. That's awesome. I recently have lost 110 pounds as well so I know how awesome of a feeling this is. However, this:

Because you don't need a gym to exercise.

I lost every single one of my pounds in my living room. I paid $0.00 for any kind of gym membership and was still able to lose all my weight. As long as people like me exist insurance companies will have examples of why they don't have to pay for gym memberships.

[Hyve]

I lost every single one of my pounds in my living room. I paid $0.00 for any kind of gym membership and was still able to lose all my weight. As long as people like me exist insurance companies will have examples of why they don't have to pay for gym memberships.

Good. Training in a gym typically puts a lot of stress on your body (Weights, Long-distance running, etc...) and those are not actually healthy for your body.

Your body is designed to hold your own weight, and a bit more when carrying, lifting or other functions to survive. There is little need for your body to be able to carry 2 times your weight, and training to do so is bad for you.

Keeping fit can be done entirely for free, with your own body weight.

[koodledrum]

I know that some of the guys at the gym I go to have been referred by their GP so I get the feeling they have reduced rates - that's in the UK right enough.

[jbhasban]

Good. Training in a gym typically puts a lot of stress on your body (Weights, Long-distance running, etc...) and those are not actually healthy for your body.

Your body is designed to hold your own weight, and a bit more when carrying, lifting or other functions to survive. There is little need for your body to be able to carry 2 times your weight, and training to do so is bad for you.

Keeping fit can be done entirely for free, with your own body weight.

Nonsense. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature.

By your logic, we shouldn't use any modern medication because our bodies were designed not to utilize them.

Weight training CAN be bad for you but so can calisthenics. You need to learn a lot about bio-mechanics or get an intelligent trainer to exercise safely. Do you know how common runners get injured? Runners probably get injured a lot more than weight lifters.

However, if we are going to be naturalistic about it our bodies are not designed to be sitting at desks the entire day. We need to take measures that are perhaps unnatural to rectify the damage that modern society reaps upon our bodies. Many of these measures are not heavy weights. But a gym is more than deadlift, squat, bench press. Most trainers who know what they are doing will never allow you to bench press because it weakens the serratus anterior. Most trainers will not allow you to do a deep squat, front squat, or olympic squat because they put a lot of stress on the knee joint, a joint that most trainees have damage to already. The whole point of lifting is to create a better posture and become more functionally flexible.

[Jokerfiend]

First of all, congratulations on your weight loss. That's awesome. I recently have lost 110 pounds as well so I know how awesome of a feeling this is. However, this:



I lost every single one of my pounds in my living room. I paid $0.00 for any kind of gym membership and was still able to lose all my weight. As long as people like me exist insurance companies will have examples of why they don't have to pay for gym memberships.

Weight loss isn't fitness. Weight loss in the living room also doesn't make it healthy. Just because you adjusted your diet and you lost weight, doesn't mean you are staying healthy. Hence why, I said

Better yet, why don't hospitals or some sort of medical facility offer free fitness education by professionals? Educate with proper portion sizing, proper exercise techniques, and when and why to exercise.

Overall education.

I don't know you personally. How long have you had the weight off? How long did it take you? How do you plan to maintain the weight loss? How do you know that you are maintaining proper nutritional values? Is your blood pressure under control? What about excess skin? How do you plan to reduce that?

What are your long term goals?

Weight loss is easy from ANY starting point. It's the maintenance, the fitness, and the lifelong commitment that is hard. Proper education is the key to changing lives. So why aren't the people complaining about costs because of obese people, actually doing something about it.

---------- Post added 2013-01-23 at 11:48 PM ----------

Nonsense. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature.

By your logic, we shouldn't use any modern medication because our bodies were designed not to utilize them.

Weight training CAN be bad for you but so can calisthenics. You need to learn a lot about bio-mechanics or get an intelligent trainer to exercise safely. Do you know how common runners get injured? Runners probably get injured a lot more than weight lifters.

However, if we are going to be naturalistic about it our bodies are not designed to be sitting at desks the entire day. We need to take measures that are perhaps unnatural to rectify the damage that modern society reaps upon our bodies. Many of these measures are not heavy weights. But a gym is more than deadlift, squat, bench press. Most trainers who know what they are doing will never allow you to bench press because it weakens the serratus anterior. Most trainers will not allow you to do a deep squat, front squat, or olympic squat because they put a lot of stress on the knee joint, a joint that most trainees have damage to already. The whole point of lifting is to create a better posture and become more functionally flexible.

Fitness isn't lifting, fitness is about maintaining a healthy mind and body. Just because someone has lost a bunch of weight, doesn't make them healthy. It can actually be harmful, if they lose it too quickly.

The benefits from fitness are far more beneficial then a couple sore joints. I see shit like that and only see excuses. Which what I hear CONSTANTLY. People when they ask me how I lost the weight, they expect some fad diet response.

Then when I drop, I go to the gym on average 4-5 days a week for an hour a day. I get all sorts of bullshit excuses why they can't. Sore knees, weights are bad, bad back, no time. I just laugh. That's all I can do.

[Reg]

With your latest post, it seems you are talking more about nutritionists, which many medical insurances do cover. Very different than a gym membership.

[jbhasban]

Weight loss isn't fitness. Weight loss in the living room also doesn't make it healthy. Just because you adjusted your diet and you lost weight, doesn't mean you are staying healthy. Hence why, I said

Overall education.

I don't know you personally. How long have you had the weight off? How long did it take you? How do you plan to maintain the weight loss? How do you know that you are maintaining proper nutritional values? Is your blood pressure under control? What about excess skin? How do you plan to reduce that?

What are your long term goals?

Weight loss is easy from ANY starting point. It's the maintenance, the fitness, and the lifelong commitment that is hard. Proper education is the key to changing lives. So why aren't the people complaining about costs because of obese people, actually doing something about it.

---------- Post added 2013-01-23 at 11:48 PM ----------



Fitness isn't lifting, fitness is about maintaining a healthy mind and body. Just because someone has lost a bunch of weight, doesn't make them healthy. It can actually be harmful, if they lose it too quickly.

The benefits from fitness are far more beneficial then a couple sore joints. I see shit like that and only see excuses. Which what I hear CONSTANTLY. People when they ask me how I lost the weight, they expect some fad diet response.

Then when I drop, I go to the gym on average 4-5 days a week for an hour a day. I get all sorts of bullshit excuses why they can't. Sore knees, weights are bad, bad back, no time. I just laugh. That's all I can do.

If you exercise with sore joints you are a fucking moron. Your tendons and ligaments do not heal as quickly as muscle and its a lot easier to permanently damage them. That's why you are suppose to learn how to lift for your body. Everyone should lift differently based on their range of motion, flexibility, muscle balance, and joint strength.

[Jokerfiend]

With your latest post, it seems you are talking more about nutritionists, which many medical insurances do cover. Very different than a gym membership.

I'm talking about combining every sort of aspect on Fitness. Diet, Exercise, and Nutrition. Like I said, all of these aspects are in different areas, muddled with Myths and Fads.

Why isn't the industry standardizing, combining and informing?

---------- Post added 2013-01-24 at 12:46 PM ----------

If you exercise with sore joints you are a fucking moron. Your tendons and ligaments do not heal as quickly as muscle and its a lot easier to permanently damage them. That's why you are suppose to learn how to lift for your body. Everyone should lift differently based on their range of motion, flexibility, muscle balance, and joint strength.

Sore is different than HURT. General soreness. Which everyone feels after working out. Anyone with experience knows the difference. Which is why people should have experts with them working out, for free, or at least paid differently then out of pocket.

To assume I have some sort of ignorance on the issue.. what's your deal? I will stand by when said, some sore joints ain't going to kill you. Work out anyways. Everyone gets sore, just know the difference between HURT and SORE.

[Reg]

I'm talking about combining every sort of aspect on Fitness. Diet, Exercise, and Nutrition. Like I said, all of these aspects are in different areas, muddled with Myths and Fads.

Why isn't the industry standardizing, combining and informing?

Because there isn't standardized health care for anything. Nutritionist is as close as you will get, they recommend diet/exercise plans. Whether or not the health care you pay for covers that is the issue.

[jbhasban]

I'm talking about combining every sort of aspect on Fitness. Diet, Exercise, and Nutrition. Like I said, all of these aspects are in different areas, muddled with Myths and Fads.

Why isn't the industry standardizing, combining and informing?

---------- Post added 2013-01-24 at 12:46 PM ----------



Sore is different than HURT. General soreness. Which everyone feels after working out. Anyone with experience knows the difference. Which is why people should have experts with them working out, for free, or at least paid differently then out of pocket.

To assume I have some sort of ignorance on the issue.. what's your deal? I will stand by when said, some sore joints ain't going to kill you. Work out anyways. Everyone gets sore, just know the difference between HURT and SORE.

Sore joints is different than general soreness. Sore joints is stuff like arthritis, bursitis, or tendonitis. These are things that cannot be ignored. General soreness, or DOMS, is muscle pain. It isn't joint pain. The fact that you conflate the two suggests you do not know very much about them. You HAVE to treat joint pain by 1) RICE if you are inflamed 2) warming up properly to create mobility 3) lowering the amount you lift and upping the reps a bit 4) take some time off to let the joint heal 5) train a little bit less until the joints heal 6) use perfect form and 7) eat properly for joint recovery.

I had tendonitis early last year of the Achilles tendon but it felt only like a nagging soreness and not anything huge. So I ran 6 miles. I finished and felt great. I woke up the next morning and I was barely able to walk. I spent the next 3 months unable to run because I ignored the tendonitis.

If your joints are sore, there is something seriously wrong and you need to fix it lest you injure yourself.