ReleaseWire Connect

We live in a day and age where the sedentary lifestyle is ubiquitous and, in countless cases, virtually unavoidable. This is particularly true in the corporate world where the basic benefits of moving around as a part of daily activities are so often neglected due to being stationary for eight or more hours of the day and the typical benefits that would otherwise accompany such a normal behavior are severely undermined. But the effects are often much further reaching than what can be seen with the naked eye. Internal issues – both physically and mentally – run rampant. While neglecting any form of exercise can have dire consequences for an individual – even companies who not only value their employees' well-being but also the health of the very company they are trying to grow and keep healthy are taking notice and looking for solutions to the epidemic at hand.

North Carolina-based Wellness Center Excel Body Fitness donated towards making Foundation of Hope's Walk for Hope in Raleigh a reality this month. The annual event was held this year on October 9, 2016 just one day after World Mental Health Day – a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. 100% of the money raised by participants directly funds local mental health research at the UNC Neurosciences Hospital in Chapel Hill. However, Excel's contribution towards the event is but one small show of how the North Carolina fitness center takes mental health seriously.

Wellness is not merely about exercising. In an age where many gyms seem to be fixated on image alone and having the most toned physique possible, the bigger picture is often neglected and customers consequently may not get the ultimate results they're looking for in terms of health. One gym has a different approach. Excel Body Fitness believes that not only does exercise not have to be grueling, it also doesn't have to be the only method a gym can offer to its customers in order to help them achieve a better state of health.

Fitness is no longer a luxury. It is an absolute necessity. People are working longer hours while the percentage of work that is physical in nature has dramatically decreased. Technology and better mass transportation have also fostered a much more sedentary lifestyle in modern Americans of all ages. Young and old are experiencing depression, anxiety and loneliness in untold numbers due in part to the lack of physical activity in group settings they regularly fail to engage in.

Gyms can be intimidating, inconvenient, impersonal, and sometimes just downright unpleasant experiences for many of us. At the end the day, fitness really is more than just fitness. It's something that should be sustainable, enjoyable, beneficial and truly promote health – not just drain one's energy and wallet. The folks at Excel Body Fitness (XBF) think we can all do better. They believe a healthy lifestyle is something that comes naturally when the right environment is present and their very progressive approach proves just this.