In this episode of the Medical Fitness Podcast, we sit down with Doug Ribley, a seasoned leader and pioneer in the medical fitness industry with over 40 years of experience. Doug shares his journey from helping to build world-class wellness centers at Cleveland Clinic Akron General to advising health systems nationwide on how to create successful, sustainable wellness programs. He dives into the critical importance of using data-driven strategies to design and operate wellness centers, ensuring they align with market needs while delivering meaningful health outcomes. Doug emphasizes that achieving financial sustainability is not just about reducing costs but also about creating efficient, impactful programs that fulfill the mission of keeping communities healthy and well.

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Doug also explores the key elements that differentiate the medical fitness model from traditional fitness facilities, including medical oversight, qualified staff, clinical integration, and a focus on safety. He highlights innovative strategies such as the “surround wellness” approach to improve access for underserved populations and stresses the growing role of technology and virtual services in the future of medical fitness. This episode is packed with actionable insights for healthcare leaders, fitness professionals, and anyone passionate about building stronger, healthier communities through evidence-based wellness programs. Don’t miss this inspiring and informative discussion!

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We’re excited to share the latest episode of The Medical Fitness Podcast, featuring a groundbreaking conversation with Dr. John Jakicic, an internationally renowned expert in exercise science and obesity treatment. With decades of research and clinical experience, Dr. Jakicic brings invaluable insights into how physical activity can be integrated into modern healthcare to create transformative outcomes for patients.

In this episode, we explore key updates from the 2024 ACSM consensus statement on physical activity and obesity, highlighting why the conversation needs to move beyond weight loss to focus on holistic health and well-being. Dr. Jakicic unpacks the complexity of obesity treatment, emphasizing the importance of personalized care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the vital role of credentialed fitness professionals in bridging the gap between fitness and medicine.

Whether you’re a clinician, fitness professional, or someone passionate about improving healthcare, this episode offers actionable insights and a vision for the future of medical fitness. Don’t miss this engaging discussion that challenges the status quo and inspires a new way of thinking about obesity treatment.

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Episode Title: Breaking the Fitness-Medicine Barrier with Josh Lyons

Are you a clinician frustrated with vague exercise prescriptions that don’t stick? Or a fitness professional aiming to elevate your impact in the healthcare arena? Tune into a game-changing episode where we dive deep with Josh Lyons, CEO of Pinnacle Lifestyle Medicine, as he shares a bold new approach to transforming lives through medical fitness.

🩺 What’s Inside:

• Rethinking Exercise as Medicine: Discover why traditional fitness models struggle to serve chronic health needs and why the “self-serve pharmacy” approach falls short.
• Beyond Sick Care: Josh and our host break down the "false health curve" and the urgent need for a proactive, optimum-health mindset. Are you ready to be part of this paradigm shift?
• A Proven Medical Fitness Model: Get inspired by Pinnacle’s data-driven system, which marries fitness and healthcare to tackle chronic disease head-on—combining precision, accountability, and real health outcomes.
• Metrics That Motivate: Learn how a science-backed approach to goal setting can replace entertainment-based fitness, creating lasting change and high patient satisfaction.
• Bridging the Gap: From Technogym’s revolutionary equipment to real-time patient data, hear how Josh’s team is building trust with medical providers, proving that fitness deserves its place in the continuum of care.

Why You Should Listen: Join us for this insightful conversation and gain actionable advice on how to:

1. Build credibility with medical providers.
2. Design fitness programs that meet clinical standards.
3. Empower clients with meaningful progress and measurable success.

Whether you’re a clinician or fitness professional, this episode will challenge you to rethink, redesign, and redefine your approach to health and fitness!

🎧 Ready to transform the future of fitness in healthcare? Listen now to learn from the best and start making a real difference.

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🎙️ New Episode Alert! Dive into the Future of Medical Fitness! 🌍

Join us on this special episode of the Medical Fitness Podcast, featuring the inspiring journey and invaluable insights of Jeff Jeran, a seasoned leader in medical fitness and the senior director for Power Wellness. From transforming personal challenges into a thriving career to pioneering solutions in patient referrals and integrated care, Jeff shares the strategies and dedication that keep his centers at the cutting edge of fitness and wellness.

Hear firsthand about innovative collaborations between fitness and healthcare, unique patient referral programs, and powerful ways to bridge gaps between medical and fitness professionals. Whether you’re a clinician looking to enhance patient outcomes or a fitness professional aiming to expand your role in medical wellness, this episode is packed with practical takeaways and inspiration for all. Don’t miss it – tune in now and step up your understanding of what’s possible in medical fitness!

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In our latest episode of the Medical Fitness Podcast, powered by the Medicine-Rehab-Fitness Institute and the Medical Fitness Association, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Amy Bantham, CEO of Move to Live More and former president of the Physical Activity Alliance. Amy shared insights from her extensive research on integrating healthcare with health and fitness, including the barriers clinicians face when referring patients to fitness programs. She highlighted the importance of building trust between healthcare providers and fitness professionals and emphasized the need for standardized qualifications in the fitness industry.

We also explored Move to Live More’s mission to bridge the gap between healthcare and community-based fitness, ensuring that patients receive effective, evidence-based exercise prescriptions. Amy discussed how small changes, like incorporating physical activity data into electronic health records, can significantly improve patient outcomes and support clinicians in promoting exercise as medicine.

This episode is a must-listen for clinicians and fitness professionals dedicated to enhancing patient care through physical activity. Don’t miss out on these game-changing strategies to create seamless healthcare-to-fitness referral pathways!

👉 Listen now!
#MedicalFitness #ExerciseIsMedicine #HealthcareIntegration #MoveToLiveMore #PatientCare #FitnessProfessionals #ExerciseReferrals

Connect with Amy:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybantham/

www.movetolivemore.com

www.movetolivemore.com/podcast

www.movetolivemore.com/newsletter

www.movetolivemore.com/book

Listen on your favorite channel:

1. MRF Institute: https://www.mrfinstitute.org/podcasts

2. Medical Fitness Association: https://www.medicalfitness.org/medical-fitness-podcast

3. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themedicalfitnesspodcast

4. Apple: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/the-medical-fitness-podcast/c92ecde2-19e0-499f-825c-0c65fa6bc27b/episodes

5. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5W888QKdHRQIB2zc5CDfly

6. Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd14c612-43d0-464d-ae9b-adc22d6983ed/the-medical-fitness-podcast

7. TuneIn + Alexa: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/The-Medical-Fitness-Podcast-p3709603/?topicId=347492014

8. Podcast Index: https://podcastindex.org/podcast/6134311

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In this insightful episode of the Medical Fitness Podcast, co-hosts Jeff Young and David Flench sit down with Dr. Cedric Bryant, the President and CEO of the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Dr. Bryant shares his personal journey from academia to his current leadership role at ACE, highlighting how he integrates science-backed education and behavior change strategies into fitness programming. The conversation explores topics such as the importance of evidence-based practices, the need for a continuum between "moving more" and structured exercise, and the role of behavior change in promoting long-term healthy lifestyles.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities within the fitness industry, especially regarding collaboration between fitness professionals and healthcare providers. Dr. Bryant emphasizes the importance of networking, lifelong learning, and professionalizing the fitness industry to ensure fitness professionals can effectively contribute to public health initiatives like Active People, Healthy Nation. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a health professional, or simply interested in improving your well-being, this episode offers practical advice and inspiration to keep moving forward.

Tune in to hear more about Dr. Bryant’s career, his approach to effective exercise programming, and the role of fitness professionals in the larger healthcare continuum.

Catch this episode now and start applying these key takeaways to your professional practice or personal fitness journey!

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In this engaging episode of The Medical Fitness Podcast, Dr. Andrew Mock, a leader in lifestyle and preventive medicine, brings listeners into his practice to demonstrate how he seamlessly transitions patients from medical and rehabilitation care into the fitness domain. Using practical assessments like the sit-to-stand test, Dr. Mock shows how simple screens can serve both as interventions and teaching tools, making strength training accessible and relevant for clinicians and patients alike. His approach highlights the current gaps in medical education, particularly regarding resistance training, and the crucial role it plays in optimizing patient outcomes.

Dr. Mock also discusses his proactive efforts to bridge the gap between medicine, rehab, and fitness by personally vetting local fitness professionals to create a trusted referral network. He emphasizes the need for clinicians to better understand and incorporate strength training principles into their practice. This episode is essential listening for clinicians seeking to overcome common barriers to exercise referrals and learn how to collaborate effectively with fitness professionals. Dr. Mock’s unique perspective as both a competitive strength athlete and physician provides valuable insights into why strength training should be a core component of healthcare. This "outside-the-box" thinking is exactly what’s needed to reshape patient care today.

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In this episode of the Medical Fitness Podcast, Dr. Laurie Whitsel, a leading policy expert from the American Heart Association and advisor to the Physical Activity Alliance, explores the intersection of public policy and healthcare in promoting physical activity. She discusses the ongoing efforts to make physical activity assessment, prescription, and referral a routine part of clinical care in the U.S. healthcare system. Dr. Whitsel shares exciting initiatives such as the development of standardized measures in electronic health records and the collaboration with healthcare systems to reduce barriers and ensure physical activity becomes part of the clinical workflow.

Listeners will gain insight into the significant policy work being done behind the scenes to create opportunities for qualified exercise professionals to be recognized within the healthcare team and ultimately improve patient outcomes. This episode is packed with actionable insights for fitness professionals, clinicians, and policymakers alike who are interested in the future of physical activity in medicine and the broader movement towards value-based care.

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