The Business of Wellness (Part 1) – Bronzed Fitness
Arto Pesola
The models of the health and wellness business are images of dazzling perfection. Sharp shadows are cast by the light bouncing off of glimmering oiled muscles and the fitness machine’s lofty being justifies its confident and goal-oriented smile. The bronzed statue is covered by tight clothing that does not leave any room to imagine what might be below it. The message of this advertisement is clear: this is how you want to look, follow us and your dreams will come true! Who wouldn’t want their dreams to come true? People are ready to pay large sums of money in order to improve their looks, increase their energy, and to be more trendy.
A thin figure is the average westerner’s dream. The market has plenty of supply for this particular demand. In the USA, the weight loss industry’s value was approximately 60.9 billion dollars in 2010. The typical North American weight-watcher tries to lose weight approximately 4 times per year and this 75 million member team cannot be wrong. Doctor Atkins’ best selling book about low carbohydrate diets has sold over 45 million copies and in its wake, more books have topped his success in favor of other low carbohydrate fads like the ZONE among others.
