Fitness is a passion that people across the world share. Body builders, yogis, martial artists, and various athletes are only a small portion of the folks who love to stay fit and healthy. Whether you like to cycle, jog, hike, swim, or lift weights, chances are part of the reason you do those things is to stay fit. With the massive population of fitness and health-minded people, there are a ton of excellent career opportunities that are directly related to the world of fitness. Many of these careers present opportunities to start your own successful business.
One of the more common fitness-related careers is personal training. Personal trainers typically choose their career based on a passion for active fitness. If you are a “people person”, want to involve your lifestyle with you career, or are passionate about creating a healthier future for the world, then personal training may be for you. There are several things you will need to know to take this route as your career. Human anatomy, basic nutrition, exercise programs, exercising safety, and the motivation of others are the primary tools you will need for a day-to-day job being a personal trainer. Although you don’t HAVE to have a certification, if you want to have regular clients and good income, you will want to obtain one. If you want a really successful career as a personal trainer, you will want to get a specialty certification.
If you are less of a motivator, and more of a teacher, then maybe becoming a dietician or nutritionist is more up your alley. Obviously, the healthiest lifestyles involve healthy eating habits and diet. Therefore, food programs, the psychology of eating, and various nutrition styles are the things you will need a working knowledge of. Depending on the state in which you live, you will either need a license or a certificate to work as a nutritionist/ dietitian. To obtain this, you will have to find a suitable 2-4 year degree program, which will have a lot of biology and chemistry classes involved. Also, there are various specializations that you can consider, including adolescent nutrition, food chemistry, and research nutrition.
If you are a nature lover, or a truly family-oriented person, a career in recreational activities may be suitable for you. If you love to hike, camp, and take part in various outdoor activities, then this may be a way for you to follow you passion, and have a career that you truly love. This career will lead you to employment at parks, recreational centers, and even some live-in facilities. Basically, you will be responsible for things like planning activity programs, organizing recreational activities, and, sometimes, manning a safety position. This job will require a great deal of pliability, as most days will be an experience that differs from that of every other day.
You may be looking for a more stable career. Something that you can become very well-educated in, and make a significant amount of money doing. Well, becoming a fitness practitioner would be a great choice. Fitness practitioners are hard workers, as they perform assessments, offer nutritional expertise, fitness training, and various forms of fitness-related counseling. Becoming a fitness practitioner is a long, gruesome process. However, if you are a fitness fanatic, you probably have the heart of a lion, right? So, why not go for a career as professional as this? First, you will need to earn a nurse practitioner degree. Afterwards, you can take a one year course which will get you certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, or AFAA.
These are just a few options on a long list of fitness-related careers. Because fitness and health are an integral part of the medical field, most of these choices are medical-related and require some form of medical coursework to become a professional. This is a great way to have a job in medicine, the most stable field in the world, and have a career that makes you smile every time you get up for work. The education portion of some of these options may seem a bit extensive, but they are well worth it if you stick through and completed the program of your choice. Before jumping into one of these fields, do a good analysis of yourself and your personality. This will help you determine the best fitness-related career route for you.
