The fitness industry is booming more than ever and, with so many people passionate about fitness and health and so many people who need help generating their own passion, it's no wonder that there's growing interest in fitness careers.

Being a personal traineror a fitness instructor is always an option, but there are other options out there. Expand your horizons and learn about other ways to help people get healthy and fit.

While personal trainers focus mostly on exercise, Wellness Coaching goes beyond personal training. Wellness Coaches look at the big picture, working with clients to develop health and fitness programs by looking at the obstacles that stand in the way of success.

This is often more of a collaborative experience, with the coach encouraging the client to come up with their own goals and ideas.

A Wellness Coach offers advice and guidance about:

When meeting with clients, you'll get to know them--find out what it is they need help with such as weight loss, eating habits, exercise and fitness, stress reduction, quitting smoking, etc.

You'll help people manage conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes and you can even choose to work with special populations such as teens, kids, families, seniors, etc.

You don't need a special degree to become a Wellness Coach, however at the very least, you'll want to get certified.

There are many coaching certifications and degrees available and the research can get frustrating. Your best option is to choose a well-known, accredited program. One great choice is the International Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching(ICHWC), a group who has created national standards for Wellness Coaches.

Another great choice is the American Council on Exercise which offers a certification that's accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and is alsoapproved by the ICHWC.

To get certified, you'll typically pay upwards of $300 and get a home study program and take the exam at your leisure. Keep in mind that you'll also have to keep your certification up by doing continuing education, so that's an added cost.

This certification, offered by a variety of organizations like NESTA, ACE, and AFPA, teaches you how to develop weight management programs for clients that cover nutrition, exercise andlifestyle change.

In this job, you work with clients to overcome barriers to health and fitness, so you're not just taking clients through workouts and sending them on their way.

As a weight management consultant, you delve much deeper into the psychology of weight management and learn more about how your clients are impacted on a daily basis by being overweight or obese. You'll also learn more about the science behind obesity and the impact it has in every area of our lives, financially, emotionally, etc.

This kind of certification is often an add-on to a personal training certification, giving you a specialty you can hone in on.

You do have to build your own practice, which is always one drawback to working for yourself, but if you're already a personal trainer, you have a pool of people to work with.

Group fitness is a popular career choice because you can do it part-time and teach whatever kind of class interests you the most. Income will vary depending on where you work and how many classes you teach. Some of the options include:

There are many certification options out there forgroup fitness, so check out this list ofcertifying organizationsto start your research now.

One drawback to becoming a group fitness instructor is the money. You'll usually get paid by the hour and, depending on where you live, you'll make anywhere from $10 to $30 or more per class. It's hard to make a living off just being an instructor.

It's also not very flexible. You'll have to teach on the same days and times each week and worry about getting a sub when you're sick or out of town.

If you're feeling ambitious, you could always go for an advanced degree at a university in something likeSports MedicineorExercise Science. These degrees will allow you to pursue careers or other degrees such as:

You'll also find there are a wide variety of certifications that can take you above and beyond personal training.

Becoming a Health and Fitness Specialist, a Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist or even a Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer will give you the education you need to work with special populations who require more focused help.

You can learn more about these certifications atThe American College of Sports Medicine.

The great thing about fitness is that it offers plenty of options for career choices, whether you want to pursue a degree or ease into it by getting a certification.

Many people get into exercise and get so excited about the results, they can't wait to share that enthusiasm. If you're one of those people, take a chance and give fitness a try.

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Careers in Exercise and Fitness: Beyond Personal Training