SEACOAST -- Four million women can't be wrong. (If you have trouble with this statement, get up and go ask your wife; she'll set you straight.)

Since 1995, Curves has been providing women with a safe, judgment-free area to work out and look their best.

In October, as with every year since its inception, Curves makes note of Breast Cancer Awareness Month by waiving its enrollment fee for any new member who has had a mammogram in the last year.

Hampton Curves owner Carol Hatch has taken the promotion one step further, however.

For women who are under the age of 35, Hatch's Curves will also waive the fee for those who have had a gynecological exam within the last year.

"It's to include more women in our self-care promotion," said Hatch. "Everyone can benefit from Curves. It provides all five components of a total body workout."

Those five components include a warm-up, aerobic exercise, strength training, a cool down and stretching — all of which can be conducted in a brief 30 minutes.

The Curves exercise program has even undergone scientific study by Baylor University. As a result, Curves changed its dietary program from consuming 1200 calories in the first two week, to consuming 1200 each of the first two weeks.

"Eating too few calories actually reduced the amount of weight lost in the long run," said Hatch. "This whole program is scientifically based on the Baylor studies."

Prior to becoming a Curves owner, Hatch had been a member while living in Michigan.

"I loved the program," she said. "It worked well for my schedule. I loved it and decided that this is what I wanted to do."

Now Hatch is the owner of four Curves studios located in Amesbury, Ipswich, and Newburyport, Mass., as well as Hampton.

The owners of the Curves in Stratham, Rick and Modesta Bach got involved with the gym after a friend from Illinois suggested the couple look into it. Approximately eight years ago the couple took a tour of the first Curves in New Hampshire.

"My wife was sold," said Rick. "She said, 'We're doing this.' Not long after that it took off."

Rick said what appealed to him about the business was that the workout machines are built specifically for women.

"I think in regular gyms women always felt like second class citizens," said Bach.

Bach added that another great thing about being a Curves gym member is that there are Curves everywhere, currently 42 countries are home to Curves.

"If you're a member here it's very convenient to take a travel card," he said. "We all have the same circuit."

The Bachs also own a Curves in York, Maine.

Mark Robinson and Patti Visconte, who own the Curves in Rye, first heard about the business from a good friend who owned several in New Jersey.

Mark, who is also a psychotherapist, said there is no better way to increase a sense of well being. Because of the chemicals induced in the brain, a Curves workout is a great way to ward off depression and regain self-esteem. He strongly encourages his friends to exercise as a means of therapy.

The Curves in Hampton is located at 38 Depot Square and can be reached at (603) 929-8601; the Stratham Curves is located at 72 Portsmouth Ave. and can be reached at (603) 773-9600; and the Curves in Rye can be found at 150 Lafayette Road and can be reached 964-4420.

For a great workout contact any of these locations or visit Curves on the Web at www.curvesinformation.com.