Our competition was won by the winning statement because " It's handy, healthy and happy!" Helen received a prize from Factory Gyms and a goody bag.
Real Foods visited Factory Gyms on Carlton Road 3 times over the month of January in order to encourage its members to incorporate a sensible diet and appropriate supplementation alongside their energetic workout routines. Throughout these visits it was interesting to note the variety of backgrounds and goals that the people we spoke to had. We spoke to everyone from chefs and nutritionists to those who were beginning to take control of their diet for the first time. The members gym experience ranged from muscle-bound bodybuilders to those who were working up a sweat for the first time. One common factor amongst all of the athletes we spoke to was their understanding of how a healthy, nutritious diet would improve their general fitness and wellbeing, and aid them in achieving their goals at the gym. We handed out samples of Real Foods muesli and raw food mix, as well as pamphlets containing information on nutrition and fitness, superfoods and ways of detoxing for the new year ahead.
Solgar had kindly provided us with samples of their excellent "Whey to Go" protein powder and a selection of their top-of-the-range multivitamins. These Solgar products provided the most questions and interest from gym members by far. Many were interested in the advantages that a supplement such as whey protein can provide after a heavy workout, as well as providing other useful benefits to general health. We also had Male, Female and VM2000 multivitamin samples to hand out. Very few people realised the benefits that a high quality dose of vitamins can provide alongside a healthy diet and exercise regime, and it was a pleasure to provide gym people with such high quality samples.
However, the biggest hit at all three sessions was the Nakd Cocoa Orange raw foods bar, a tasty and healthy snack consisting of dried fruit and nuts which hits the spot perfectly after a vigorous workout! Anybody who has trained seriously at the gym knows how big an appetite can be worked up over even a short period of exercise, and that it can be hard to find an immediate, convenient and healthy snack which plugs that gap until mealtime. Nakd bars provide that very service in a delicious and nutritious fashion, and were popular amongst gym members- but even more so the personal trainers and staff! Personal Trainers at Factory Gyms are always keen to promote the idea that a healthy diet is a hugely important part of maintaining a high level of fitness and provide nutritional advice to their clients as well as workout programmes. On a number of occasions I found certain personal trainers coming over for extended chats so that they could conveniently "sample" the Nakd bars and keep their energy levels up for the long day ahead. Of course it was excellent to see that such experts on fitness on nutrition were interested in the samples we were handing out. Thanks in part to the PT's recommendations, we found ourselves running out of samples quicker than expected on a couple of occasions! We would like to extend our warm gratitude for the staff and personal trainers at Factory Gyms for their enthusiastic support during these sampling sessions