Why FitConnect was created...
The Health & Fitness industry is overflowing with fad diets, workout plans, and supplement products that all make bold claims about results. It's hard to know which is best for you. Employees at stores that sell supplements often try and push the new products on you without really even knowing anything about them; meanwhile, the internet is a mess when it comes to getting information. You can spend hours browsing through forums and come out with hundreds of conflicting opinions. We wanted to provide a way for users to get unbiased information and make comparing results transparent. Rather than see what a single user likes, why not find out that 78% of the users on the site use product A. It's a much more efficient method of finding out information. The same applies to other areas of our site, including recipes and tips. You will be able to check out recipes that are top ranked and reviewed, rather than browse huge cookbooks for healthy recipes. We also wanted to provide a single spot for users to track their progress over time. By combining the supplements being taken, the recipes being used, the diet and exercise routines being followed, members can get a snapshot of their entire fitness/diet. Using stats and progress pictures, members can monitor what combinations were successful for achieving their goals.

Who can benefit from FitConnect...
Everyone! This is not a bodybuilding website, although bodybuilders are always welcome to join and share their knowledge. This site is created for people of all fitness levels and exercise interests. Fitness professionals can benefit by promoting themselves, however, we have a code of conduct restricting spam and other bothersome promotional tactics. To find out how to promote yourself while abiding by our code of conduct, check out our promotional help page.

What can you do on FitConnect...
FitConnect has many features that allow you to learn more, stay motivated, maintain organization, and socialize. Users are free to utilize these features as much or as little as they please. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Fitness Centers
The core of our site involves connecting users to their local fitness centers. Users can affiliate themselves with their exercise venue by joining their online fitness community. Users can socialize with the members of their local gym, gymnastics center, martial arts center, and more.

Tips
Our Tips section evens the score by connecting the fitness gurus with beginners who are still learning. The validity of a tip is determined by user reviews and feedback. When a tip receives "certified status" it has been determined a helpful tip by the majority of members.

Recipes
Spice up your eating habits by browsing other member recipes or show off your own skills in the kitchen by submitting how to make your favorite dish. Real pros submit a video showing exactly how the cooking is done.

Blogs
If you kept a workout journal or had a personal fitness magazine, would people read it? Now you can find out. Blogs can be used to track a workout cycle, create a personal fitness magazine, or just randomly express your feelings toward exercise at the moment.

Groups
Connect with other members by common interest, goal, or feeling of expression. Keep your workout friends or sports teammates connected by creating a group as a bond.

Supplements
Track the supplements you are taking or post your opinion on ones you have taken in the past. Find out what other members with similar goals are using and see what their opinions are.

Syncs
Instead of paying money to subscribe to a magazine that contradicts itself every month in order to provide material in between ads, now you can subscribe to specific FitConnect member material. Find someone who really knows what they’re talking about, and has pictures to prove it, and 'sync' to their tips, recipes, blogs etc.

The FitConnect Difference...
Our site is not supported or endorsed by any outside parties selling supplements, fad diets, or workout plans. The FitConnect staff, aside from their own personal user-profiles and postings, does not offer any advice, tips, or reviews. Meanwhile, other than FitConnect apparel, we do not support, sell, or distribute any fitness related products. Any advertisements viewed on this site are claims from outside companies. FitConnect has no opinion on their validity. We value the trust of our members.

Importance of Safety (Online and Off)...
Safety is important when using both the social and fitness features of our site. Please understand that people on this site may not be who you actually think they are. It is very important to avoid meeting up with members of FitConnect in person, due to the threat of online predators. We recommend users keep contact information a secret. Please review our privacy policy for more information on how to keep your info private. Also, we want to remind users to take precaution when seeking guidance from other members. No information on this site should be treated as medical advice and is not verified to work, or guaranteed not to be harmful. Please consult a medical physician before using any of the tips, workouts, supplements, etc. found on this site. It’s better to be safe than skinny, strong, and athletic.

It’s ok to brag...
There is a different form of etiquette on FitConnect. It’s socially acceptable to brag about your gains, (weight) losses, and dedication. Feel free to express yourself and impress others with your pictures. Meanwhile, we want all members to feel comfortable posting their weight, stats, and progress pictures, so we have privacy preferences allowing you to moderate who can view certain aspects of your profile. Please keep the confident spirit by sending Brags to others. Sending a brag does not mean that you’re in love with the person (unless stated otherwise), so don’t be shy about telling people that "it’s ok to brag."

The Future...
FitConnect is currently in beta mode, meaning the site is still a work in progress. We will be adding many features, such as size and weight tracking, in the near future. You can stay updated on our progress by following the FC Blog.

You understand that FitConnect, LLC does not endorse any product, service, information, advice, or opinion found on this website and cannot, and does not, screen same for authenticity, accuracy, quality, safety, reliability, or truthfulness. FitConnect, LLC and their website serve only to publish same to the general public. No statement or representation found on the FitConnect, LLC website should be considered professional or medical advice and every reader should consult a licensed, competent, medical professional with respect to the safety of following any diet, suggestion, tip, habit, exercise, workout routine, vitamin supplement, or any device, routine, food, medication, or other suggestion, found, imaged, or recommended on this website. FitConnect, LLC makes no recommendation thereof nor will they assume responsibility for any damage or injury that may result from the use, adoption, or employment of same.

FitConnect, LLC is a social medium which involves target based advertising, based on age, sex, demographics region, interests, physical characteristics, habits, and associations. Therefore, you must be at least thirteen (13) years of age to use this service. You must provide accurate identification. This is in accordance with the Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998.

You understand that information on this site may be inaccurate, flawed, or even dangerous if not abided by under the careful scrutiny and advice of a trained, licensed, and competent medical professional. FitConnect, LLC has not and will not investigate the accuracy, safety, or prudence or any claim represented hereon. Furthermore, by using this website, you understand that information posted regarding any business, venue, or organization, such as contact information or policies, may be inaccurate.

As a prerequisite to, and in consideration for, your usage, access to, and right to read the information contained on the FitConnect, LLC website you hereby fully release all owners, officers, and related staff of FitConnect, LLC from any and all claims and causes of action which may in any way flow from, result from, or be caused by information of the usage thereof of any content contained on this website. You also agree to defend and indemnify all owners, officers, and related staff of FitConnect, LLC, as well as their successors and assigns from any and all claims arising from the use of this website or information theron.

You also agree to use this website in compliance with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations. The FitConnect, LLC website or information contained thereon may not be used for any unlawful, defamatory, harassing, abusive, threatening, or misleading purpose. Obscene or perverse language, abusive statements, or any language containing references to sexual activity, or solicitation thereof is strictly prohibited and unauthorized by FitConnect, LLC.

Furthermore, you agree to abide by FitConnect, LLC guidelines and rules of use:

Prohibited Content:

"Spam" - Advertisements, solicitations, links, repeated messages
Nude images, pornographic material, sexual innuendos
Any content promoting racism or prejudice in any way or any image depicting same
Any offensive or threatening material
Purposely misleading material
Incomplete content

Prohibited Use:

Linking to sites promoting any of the above prohibited content
Impersonating FitConnect, LLC owners, staff, or any other person or entity
Purposely disrupting the flow of content of the site
Using information on this site for commercial use of any kind
Gathering data or information from this site
Crawling FitConnect.com for any purpose is prohibited
Solicitation in any way
Asking members to meet you in person
Threatening, or harassing other members
Manipulation of FitConnect Points and Rankings System
Any activity that violates terms of use, disclaimer, or privacy policy

* Violating any of these guidelines or rules will result in termination of your account

Disclaimer of opt-out Notifications: Notifications and promotion emails are sent out based on default notification settings unless you change them. You may opt out of these emails by going to "settings" and switching your notification settings.

Service on the FitConnect, LLC website is provided on an "as is" and "as able" basis. FitConnect, LLC reserves the right to remove any or every service at any time with no obligation to our website users, past or present.

You agree that FitConnect, LLC is not responsible for any agreement, transaction, or exchange made between you and any and all advertisers, external links, internal links, and non-internet sponsors. Furthermore, FitConnect, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy or safety of any claims made by same.

FitConnect, LLC expressly refuses any responsibility for injury or damage due to any transaction between users which shall extend to, but not necessarily be limited to individuals, business entities, advertisers, vendors, and consumers. FitConnect, LLC takes no responsibility for transactional disputes nor will FitConnect mediate, moderate, or arbitrate any such disputes. Users are left to their own remedies with respect to transactional differences.

FitConnect, LLC reserves the right to warn users of violations and misuse, to suspend their privileges to use the website, or to remove an account from this website at any time, for any reason. Accounts may also be removed due to inactivity.

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL / AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE DIRECT CLAIM / AGREEMENT TO SUBMIT TO JURISDICTION

Any user of this website as a prerequisite to use thereof and in consideration thereof agrees that if they make any claim against FitConnect, LLC including, but not necessarily limited to binding artitration under the American Arbitration Association rules and that all litigants waive their right to a jury trial or other adjudicative forum other than arbitration. The user also agrees that said arbitration shall take place in, and be subject to teh jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, before a retired judge or practicing attorney with at least 10 years of legal experience.

FitConnect, LLC may at its sole discretion modify terms, conditions, privacy and disclaimers of usage without notice. Such change or modification will make these current terms and conditions obsolete. By using the site at any time, you agree to any and all modifications to terms, conditions, privacy, and disclaimers.

FitConnect, LLC is a social medium which involves target based advertising, based on age, sex, demographics region, interests, physical characteristics, habits, and associations. As stated in our terms, you must be at least thirteen (13) years of age to use this service. You must provide accurate identification. This is in accordance with the Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. If any user is found to be less than thirteen (13) years of age, their account will be removed and all data and content from the unlawful user will be terminated immediately, except for an email address, which will be stored to prevent the user from future attempts at using FitConnect, LLC services.

When you use the FitConnect, LLC website you are losing any and all privacy rights to any data, image, or symbol that you provide to the website. FitConnect, LLC will attempt to keep any and all private information protected from outside users, but cannot guarantee your privacy. Accordingly, the submission of any content whatsoever to the FitConnect, LLC website should only be made if you waive your reasonable expectation of any privacy whatsoever.

What we collect and store

We use cookies to collect information from your server

We store any and all content posted to the FitConnect, LLC website. Any post submitted becomes property of FitConnect, LLC and may store it for as long as we want and use it for the purposes stated in this privacy policy and terms of use.

We collect information based on your activity habits on FitConnect including, but not limited to:

Which advertisements you access
Which users you interact with
Times you sign on and off
Which profiles and posted items you view and how often
Which groups or communities you join

Even after information is removed by a user, we reserve the right to store and use that information for all purposes stated in this privacy policy and terms of use.

What we use your information for

Your information will primarily be used for, but is not limited to, the following:

Target advertising toward you based on things such as region, sex, interests, goals, habits, etc.
We will collect and sell anonymous information for marketing purposes. By anonymous, we mean we will not ever attach a name to information collected
Posted data (pictures, tips, recipes, workouts, diets, supplement usage) will be used to create merchandise such as calendars, posters, booklet, and more. FitConnect reserves the right to sell this merchandise without awarding you any gratuity. All info posted becomes property of FitConnect.

Postings

All posted information, except for password and private messages, is viewable to other members, as well as non-members browsing FitConnect.com. Examples including, but not limited to, your profile, tips, recipes, workouts, diets, chalkboard posts, and comments are, by default, viewable to all members and outside visitors. You may change these preferences by going to the "settings" section of our site.

Responsibility

FitConnect, LLC insists that you use a password that is not known by any other person. If others, including family members, access your FitConnect account, then you are responsible for the actions of those individuals.

Our right to view and release information

FitConnect, LLC Staff and owners, reserve the right to access and view any activity on FitConnect, LLC including private messaging, brag messages, and private notes. We are not permitted to release this information to any 3rd party unless one of the following reasons.

Information is subpoenaed by local, state, or federal court
The information is illegal or violates our terms of use
We have reason to believe that there is illegal activity that could stem from this exchange of information
We have reason to believe that a person or entity has the chance of being harmed

Closing

FitConnect, LLC will usually announce any changes, however, FitConnect, LLC may periodically change this privacy statement without notice. It is your responsibility to check this privacy policy before each time you use this site. You are still bound to our privacy policy when it changes. Upon removal of your account, you are still bound by this privacy agreement.

You hereby certify under the laws of penalty of perjury of the state, territory, country, or other political entity that the data, information, tip, suggestion, or other piece of information which you hereby submit to FitConnect, LLC is done so with my full permission that same may be released to the public both nationally and internationally and that same may later be used for publication by FitConnect, LLC and that said publication may be for profit and you hereby waive any proprietary interest that you have had or may have in any and all profit, interest, or benefit derived from said publication. You do so as a prerequisite to use of the FitConnect, LLC website and use of the website shall act as consideration for said waiver. You knowingly and freely make this waiver free of duress. You also understand that any image, quote, statement, or other symbol which you freely submit to FitConnect, LLC may be submitted by FitConnect, LLC for possible proprietary use through advertisement or sale and again you waive all interest and/or entitlement to any profits from the use of all of the aforesaid, including my own personal identity and/or image. You also understand that FitConnect, LLC, its owners, and staff members, may edit or remove any and all posted content for any reason based upon their sole discretion.

Furthermore, you hereby represent that all materials, images, suggestions, tips, recommendations, and other material is free of copyright or patent protection. If any such item as aforesaid submitted to FitConnect, LLC is in fact protected by copyright or patent or other proprietary interest and FitConnect, LLC’s use of same results in litigation against them by any individual or entity or the successor-in-interest of same that you hereby agree to defend and indemnify FitConnect, LLC for any such claim or litigation and for any Judgment, Settlement, or Verdict that may result therefrom.

You agree to be bound to the foregoing terms and also state and verify that the foregoing is true and correct. You also certify that you have read the foregoing Terms of Use, the Privacy Policy, and the Legal Disclaimer; and you understand your obligation regarding same and you agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions thereof.

FitConnect creates a perfect environment for Fitness Professionals to connect with their current and prospective customers. If our site becomes saturated with spam, however, it will ruin the FitConnect experience for everyone. Therefore, we have listed promotional methods that abide by our terms of use.

Communicate with your current customers through FitConnect
Are your current customers on FitConnect? It benefits you if they are. If someone viewing your social network notices that you have a group of people that trust your opinion and listen to your advice, they are more likely to contact your regarding your services.

Build up your Fitness Center’s community
Whether you are a personal trainer, nutritionist, or the owner of your fitness center, you benefit from having a larger fitness community. Each member creates a visible link to your fitness community, generating more traffic. If you are the venue’s owner, this directly benefits you. If you are a trainer or nutritionist at the center, you will have a larger audience to display your expertise and generate a larger clientele.

Focus on helping, not promoting
Understand the goal of the people on FitConnect. They do not sign onto FitConnect with the mindset of "I want to pay someone." They sign on with the mindset of "I want to get some help getting in shape." Instead of soliciting members, help them. When they see that you’re a key part of their fitness regime, they will be more open to using your services.

Up your Ranking
Our point system is based on participation, knowledge, and how you are received by other FitConnect members. Members are ranked both regionally and globally, receiving spotlight recognition (promotion) for their respective rank. Higher ranking members are considered to be more knowledgeable and active in his or her fitness community. Increasing your ranking will generate more traffic to your profile, resulting in more opportunity for increasing your client base.

Create a group and invite your customers and fans
You, or one of your friends, may create a group in support of your services which allows your customers and fans to join and show that they are your customer or value your service.

Avoid a profile that looks like a sales pitch… show you’re a real person
Members are more likely to approach regarding products/services if your profile does not sound like an advertisement they just viewed. Distinguish yourself with knowledge, organization, and character, and your product/service will inherently be endorsed by a respectable FitConnect figure.

Fitness Center Owners
Take advantage of this site by connecting with your members. Strong fitness center communities create a sense of camaraderie among its members. Now, your fitness center can become a bigger attachment to its customers. Not only will this keep your current customers from leaving and attract new members to join, but it will also attract your community to participate in classes, contests, and events held at your venue.

If you have any other ideas, questions, or would like more advice on how to promote your fitness center or service, please feel free to contact us.

The FitConnect Team

	Troy Barlow Co-Founder & President, Operations BS Computer Science -- University of Delaware troy.barlow@fitconnect.com View FitConnect Profile
	Ryan Mayberry Co-Founder & President, Marketing BS Marketing -- University of Delaware ryan.mayberry@fitconnect.com View FitConnect Profile

Our Mission
FitConnect was founded in order to connect people of all interest levels who value a fit and healthy lifestyle. Our goal is to create a free online community where members can share personal knowledge about health and fitness. We strive to create a positive environment where people can brag about their results, whether it involves losing 5 lbs. or improving their muscle performance. Our community is free from outside influences, such as supplement companies or fad diets, that often mislead the general population. We value the trust of our members as the key to our success. The future of FitConnect will establish an online community that dovetails with a fit and healthy lifestyle.