Jobs That Keep You Fit & Active

Nowadays, many struggle to find time to work out and stay active. Between work, school, kids, and other responsibilities, it can be difficult to find time for ourselves. Thus, finding a job that keeps us active can be a perfect solution to stay fit and make money.

Additionally, most active jobs also come with great pay and provide a workout for your mind as well. Truly, you’ll keep both your brain and body healthy. You can discover a career that allows you to use your abilities while staying fit regardless of your current field. For example, you can find interesting and exciting jobs in the fitness industry. Or, you can use your passion for helping others and become a firefighter. Even jobs in the medical field are great for keeping your body going.

Basically, you don’t need to become a personal trainer to stay active at work. There are a variety of options out there that get you away from your desk and out of the office. Keep reading to learn more about the active jobs you can hold.

10 Jobs That Keep You Physically Fit

Personal Trainer

As we stated above, you don’t need to become a personal trainer to stay fit, but the position can be a great option for some. Personal trainers work with clients in a gym setting to help them achieve their fitness goals. They design nutrition regimens, assist with exercise strategies, and plan workout schedules. Personal trainers may even work out with their customers in order to demonstrate specific exercises.

Truly, to be a successful personal trainer, you need to keep your body moving. You need to know what works and how to grow muscles and burn fat. Most importantly, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate proper form. Completing exercises incorrectly doesn’t just delay progress – it can be dangerous.

 A trainer who doesn’t know how to use their own equipment won’t be able to train effectively. Thus, you need to know what you’re doing and be able to show your clients how to do it.

Additionally, clients will trust you more if you appear to be physically fit. What people deem fit varies person-to-person, so you don’t necessarily need 6-pack abs or giant muscles. They’ll also be more inclined to see someone that looks how they want to look.

Most gyms and clients prefer their trainers to minimally hold a certification. Certifications prove trainers know what they’re doing. On average, a personal trainer makes $63,000 per year.

Group Fitness Instructor

Similar to a personal trainer, a group fitness instructor holds workout classes and helps people reach their fitness goals. You’ll need to have some level of training and skill to start in this position. As an instructor, you may have courses on yoga, pilates, spinning, weight lifting, and more. 

However, instead of instructing clients from the sidelines, group fitness instructors often workout with clients. If you run several courses, you’ll be working out multiple times day. Truly, group fitness will keep you moving for hours. This may sound daunting, but you don’t need to run courses for 8 hours each day. As you’ll see multiple clients in each session, you may only need to hold one or two each morning to keep your finances afloat.

As your customer base grows, so will your strength and endurance. Additionally, you can hold more than one kind of course. You’re not stuck teaching only pilates or spin class. Instead, you can put together classes that are interesting to you and your students. Thus, you’ll advance with your business.

On average, group fitness instructors make around $43,000 per year. As with personal trainers, you should plan on getting at least a certification to find work in your area.

Tour Guide

Moving away from the fitness industry, there are still plenty of positions to consider. If you’re looking for an active job, but aren’t a fitness expert, look into careers that don’t trap you in the office. For example, tour guides educate guests about an area’s history and show them around for sightseeing.

This unique position can require any level of education, depending on where you work. Sometimes, positions are seasonal. As a result, pay can vary wildly. Depending on your location and position, you can expect to make anywhere between $10,000 and $62,000 per year. Thus, this position can make a great side hustle for some or can be a career for others.

Tour guides provide tourists with information about a certain location or monument and answer their queries. Many guides lead walking tours around cities or specific areas, such as zoos. Not only does this job keep you moving, but you get to explore your area and meet diverse groups. 

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses provide care to sick or injured people in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. They assist in the lifting and maneuvering of patients, including turning them over in beds, moving them to gurneys, and placing them in wheelchairs. They must also be on their feet for the majority of the day as they make rounds to check on patients.

As a result, nursing jobs tend to be physically demanding. You’ll also have few boring days. When medical emergencies arise, you need to move quickly. Additionally, patients have a variety of needs that you’ll be in charge of. Whether it’s food, assistance to get to the bathroom, or medication, you’ll be on your feet more often than not. Registered nurses make, on average, $77,600 per year and need a bachelor’s degree to hold the position.

Truly, many jobs in the medical field and in veterinary work keep you on your feet. Whether you want to become a nurse, a doctor, a surgeon, or a veterinary assistant, expect to spend a lot of time staying active.

Construction Worker

Workers in the construction industry construct a variety of residential and commercial projects. Depending on their position, they may operate heavy machinery such as jackhammers and tampers. This equipment requires a high level of physical endurance. Additionally, construction workers spend most of their days doing manual labor, which keeps them in shape.

As such, this field is physically demanding. You may lift lumber, work with machinery or tools, or install pipes or electrical wire.

Pay for a construction worker position can vary greatly. Factors like location, level of experience and training, and specific position. However, on average, construction workers can expect to make around $35,000 annually. Specialized training and education can increase this rate greatly. 

Police Officer

Police officers hold very active positions. Depending on where they work, they may be required to walk, bike, or even ride a horse on patrol. Police officers also have to run or sprint while carrying heavy equipment on occasion.

To ensure the safety of themselves, their partners, and of citizens, they must exercise on a regular basis to stay in shape. Truly, if they’re not able to react fast enough to a situation or if they’re outmatched by a criminal, they can endanger the lives of others. Undoubtedly, police work can be dangerous business, but if you want to help protect the people of your community, it can be a rewarding position. 

The average salary of a police officer ranges greatly by location, but you can expect to make around $67,600.

Firefighter

Firefighters respond to situations such as fires, car accidents, and other natural disasters. To save lives, they climb ladders and traverse through structures while wearing heavy equipment. They may also carry injured or scared people from buildings. Additionally, firefighters also use heavy machinery such as pressure hoses, drills, and chainsaws.

Truly, this equipment is vital to putting out fires and rescuing car crash victims. This position will keep you fit as you both train for emergencies and help the people of your community. On days where you’re not working an emergency, you can expect to spend your time on maintenance duties, training, and public outreach. You would rarely spend much time sitting around.

Firefighters are invaluable to their community. On average, statistics show the average firefighter makes around $53,000 per year. However, these statistics are slightly skewed, as pay can vary greatly by area. A firefighter in New York City will make a great deal more than one in a small town.

This fact is due to the amount of work that is required in urban versus rural areas. For example, in New Jersey, you can expect to earn a salary closer to $75,000 annually.

Elementary School Teacher

If you have children of your own, you’re sure to know that they’re always on the move. Thus, elementary teachers and those who work with young children can expect to move with them. This may include supervising students on field trips, during lunch or recess, and at drop-off and pick-up times.

Additionally, children can be very explorative and curious and can get into anything at a moment’s notice. Teachers, even in their own classrooms, are constantly on their feet, making sure everyone is safe and behaving.

Especially with young children, movement can be a huge part of learning. As a result, many teachers will add dancing, running, and other types of movement into their lesson plans. To get the kids moving, they’ll need to move with them. So, as an elementary school teacher, you can expect to dance, crawl, and run with your students. All of this movement is sure to keep you active and to move muscles you never knew you had.

The average salary of an elementary school teacher is around $63,000. Teaching positions not only require bachelor’s degrees or higher, but you’ll also need to keep up-to-date with your state’s licensure requirements.

Flight Attendant

Flight attendants tend to spend all of their shift on their feet.  In addition to moving across the country, they are always on the move. Attendants constantly tend to passenger needs, work to keep the plane neat and clean, and walk up and down the aisles. Also, they help passengers with their luggage and may have to lift suitcases overhead. With shifts lasting up to 12 to 14 hours per day, this position is very active.

On top of the in-flight work, attendants may expect to hurry across terminals to reach their next flight on time. Truly, while you’re settling in for a long flight, these workers are preparing to spend the next few bumpy hours pouring drinks and making sure everyone is happy.

Flight attendants make around $61,000 per year on average. This position only requires a high school diploma or equivalent.

Personal Chefs

The majority of the staff within a restaurant stay on their feet for their whole shift. Bussers, waitstaff, and cooks and chefs are constantly on the move. Personal chefs especially will carry out a variety of tasks that keep them active.

Chefs who work outside a restaurant tend to be in charge of more than just cooking. For example, they may go to the store and purchase their own supplies. For specialty dishes, they might need to haul their own equipment. And, in general, they’ll spend most of the day on their feet as they cook. Preparation and cooking tasks can be a workout on their own as well. Consider the amount of work that goes into making hundreds of bite sized dishes for an event.

On average, personal chefs make around $73,000. However, depending on experience, specialty, and location, that amount can more than double. Generally, you need only a high school diploma to follow this career. But, going to culinary school or pursuing a degree or certificate in culinary arts can help you succeed.