An interesting statement some years ago from the CEO of the Special Olympics pretty much sums up the reason why we started Inclusively Fit – the Special Needs community is underserved and overlooked when it comes to exercise and fitness.

“As a society, we have to do a much better job of building community for people who have some challenges but still have the capacity to be healthy. We have an epidemic of low expectations and social isolation and the resulting health and emotional problems that ensue from that. Balance is about finding a sense of self-worth and social engagement so that you can feel good about yourself and valued by others. Everybody will have a different pathway to achieving that sense of balance. This is not just about our bodies. It’s about our values.”

-Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO, Special Olympics

The Special Olympics is a great start but a very limited start since only a fraction of the Special Need community actually participates in Special Olympics. Hence, this community is in dire need of Inclusively Fit and its special needs gym.

Stephen Corbin, D.D.S., M.P.H. Senior Vice President, Constituent Services and Support Special Olympics, wrote years ago,

“We feel that the healthy weight issue for people with disabilities is every bit as serious as it is in the general population. There’s an epidemic, an endemic of unhealthy weight in this population.”

Dr. Corbin’s comment is supported by research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which estimates that health care costs of obesity related to disability reach more than $50 billion each year.

If ever there was a need for a disability-friendly gym and fitness center, the time is now. Inclusively Fit is that gym, with its focus on supporting the Special Needs community. The trainers at Inclusively Fit develop one-on-one training regimens tailored to the specific individual and their abilities. The only way to combat obesity, a common challenge to members of this community, is by adopting and committing to a frequent exercise program. The individual and social costs of not doing anything are too great.