Hands up who succumbed to Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day this year? Observed across the world every 17th of January, Ditch New Year’s Resolutions day encourages those who have been finding their willpower wanting to abandon their new year’s pledges in a guilt-free fashion.
And after the stresses and strains of the last three years, we don’t think there’s anything wrong with indulging a little in this bleakest of months.
We’re not alone; studies show that 80% of new year’s resolutions fail, but if you’re keen to keep to your pledges, then perhaps a more wholesale set of changes will help you stay on track.
The majority of resolutions concern our health, our fitness, and our careers, which can be hard to work on simultaneously in a sustainable way. But what if we were to tell you that you could combine those pledges to get fitter with pursuing a new career, and ultimately nurturing fresh motivation for both?
With that in mind, here are 7 jobs that help you stay fit while you earn money.
A Personal Trainer
Because health equals wealth, in 2023 personal training can be a lucrative business, make no mistake, with people taking their health and well-being more seriously and this is creating a huge demand for personal trainers.
If you are enthusiastic about fitness, you can turn your passion into profit by becoming a personal trainer. With the right amount of drive, ambition, the ability to motivate and encourage others, and a recognised qualification, you can become a personal trainer and help people achieve their fitness goals. This is incredibly rewarding, and not just financially.
That said, we don’t think it’s exactly an industry secret to say that a major part of a PT’s job is to look fit and project that obsession with fitness onto others.
You’ll be spending a huge amount of time in the gym each day, demonstrating workouts and participating alongside clients to give them extra motivation. All of this adds up to a job that keeps you in prime physical condition.
Read: 5 IDEAL ways a personal trainer can help you get fit faster
What’s more, the career of a personal trainer can be a fulfilling and lucrative one. Personal trainers are trained and certified professionals who have various skills and experience, not just on the bench press, but in sports science, sports medicine, nutrition, physiology and health.
If this sounds like the perfect occupation for you, and you have a passion for health and fitness, it’s a good idea to first consider a personal training course and, once that’s completed, do a PT Internship or two, so you can get to grips with the ins and outs of what is expected from you.
It’s a good idea to look into gaining professional qualifications as you progress in this role, as doing so will help you stand out and endear you to potential clients. In recent years, personal training has evolved into having a more holistic approach to health and fitness. Today, it is considered as part of overall wellness as opposed to just exercising and losing weight. To that end, you will have to develop a well-rounded understanding of what it means to be healthy and incorporate it into your own life…which is why you’re here, right?
A Lifeguard
People who work as lifeguards are responsible for ensuring the safety of others when in or near bodies of water, such as swimming pools, lakes, or the ocean.
Not only are lifeguards responsible for watching over the swimmers and ensuring they are safe, but they also help other lifeguards in their jobs by performing CPR and other first-aid procedures when necessary.
Lifeguard duties can vary depending on the location of the pool or beach they work at. Some lifeguards may be assigned to patrol a specific area, while others may be asked to provide security around the pool during certain hours of the day.
Nevertheless, no matter where you perform your duties, you will need to be a proficient swimmer with sufficient physical strength to be able to lift people out of the water. Lifeguards follow the 10/20 rule in their work; once a potential problem in the water is noticed, they must respond in 10 seconds and reach the person in 20. This requires dedication and a lot of practice to achieve consistently.
You’ll also need to be trained in CPR and first aid, and be proficient in using safety equipment such as flotation devices, rescue buoys, and even resuscitation equipment such as defibrillators. Because of this, the skills learnt being a lifeguard could eventually be transferred to becoming a first responder (with some additional training, of course).
A Landscape Gardener
It’s the dream of so many to work outdoors, amongst nature, and with our hands. Not only can working in nature be great for our mental health, but many outdoor roles also help us boost our strength. Result!
People who design and maintain gardens, parks and other public green spaces are known as landscapers. The act of landscaping can also be associated with the construction of landforms such as embankments or hillsides. As you might imagine from the job description, it is a highly physical career, but unlike the first two jobs we’ve mentioned, you will be able to improve your health due to your work, rather than being compelled by it.
A landscaper’s daily responsibilities involve the provision of ongoing maintenance as well as the planting and building of new projects, both of which will improve your strength and endurance. And if you’re working in the countryside, or in an area with decent air quality, then you can enjoy the benefits of regular fresh air and sunshine, too!
A Takeaway Delivery Driver
Being a takeaway delivery driver on a bicycle requires a lot of physical activity which helps to keep you physically fit. Cycling is a great way to burn calories, build muscles and maintain cardiovascular health. As a delivery driver, you have to ride your bicycle for long distances and navigate through traffic, which demands a lot of energy and stamina. This constant movement also helps to improve your posture, strengthen your core muscles and increase your stamina. Additionally, riding a bike for work means you will be exposed to fresh air and sunlight, which are essential for maintaining good health.
Usefully to those in this field, apps like ShiftRacer.com can help you schedule your work more easily. On the other hand, apps like Find My Shift notify managers when employees check in and out. Automating your actions whilst also keeping fit… What’s not to love?
A Firefighter
No list of careers that require you to be fit and healthy would be complete without mentioning firefighters. Firefighters are some of the most physically fit people in the world, with the role involving a wide range of strength and endurance demands, from lifting heavy equipment to the inner strength required to run into a burning building.
Furthermore, it may be necessary to rescue bodies from a danger zone, and anyone who has ever tried to lift a grown adult can attest to the fact that it is no mean feat. A high level of fitness is also required to combat the fatigue associated with working long nights in mentally taxing situations. And the reward? Aside from being to help people each and every day, you’ll be working in what many consider to be one of the sexiest professions on the planet.
A Construction Worker
While different trades will require differing levels of strength (think bricklayer vs. electrician), being a tradesperson or construction worker both demand some level of personal fitness.
Construction workers have to stand for long hours and carry heavy loads. They also need to be able to climb ladders and stairs safely but with confidence, lift and carry heavy objects, and walk on uneven surfaces.
However, this physical fitness can come at a cost if not combined with a more holistic, healthy lifestyle, as it can lead to repetitive strain injury and enduring problems with the upper limbs. And that’s before we consider all of those sugary builder’s teas and biscuits that are impossible to resist!
A National Park Ranger
Whilst a park ranger is a job you’d perhaps traditionally more associate with the United States, National Park Rangers have a vital role to play in the UK too, working across all habitats from the mountains of the wild rugged uplands to the waterways of the sublime southern wetlands, and helping link both local communities and visitors to the National Parks.
Protecting natural spaces isn’t the only responsibility of park rangers, though it’s an incredibly valued one. A park ranger is also a first responder who protects visitors from the many dangers found in parks.
A park ranger’s job is not easy, as they need to work within a diverse set of demands and have a wide variety of skills. A park ranger has to be physically fit, have a good knowledge of nature, and have a keen interest in protecting wildlife. They may also be involved in research projects that help protect endangered species.
The job can also be physically demanding if you are on foot, patrolling areas with no roads or trails to follow. All of which adds up to a challenging but rewarding job, and one which will keep you in good nick physically.
The Bottom Line
It’s becoming ever more clear that the increasingly sedentary nature of modern work brings with it a unique set of risks. For work that keeps you on your toes in more ways than one, we hope you’ve found some inspiration today about jobs that will keep you fit and healthy.