A Millennial Approach To Diet & Fitness

Globally, the diet and fitness industry is big business. In the U.S. alone, people spend about $35 billion a year on weight-loss products, according to a CBS News article and if obesity trends are anything to go by, the diet industry will continue to thrive for the foreseeable future.

Stories of yo-yo dieters and products that produce temporary or sometimes negligible results are basically a cliche. And the health issues associated with being overweight don't discriminate. In a recent Boston Globe op-ed, Susan Scrimshaw, the president of Simmons College, argues that health and fitness should be more of a priority in colleges. Scrimshaw notes:

According to national health studies, the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. One-third of US teens are physically unfit. Recent estimates by the American College Health Association say that three out of every 10 college students are overweight or obese, often bringing with them hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

When it comes to weight loss, there's money to be made and hoards of people to be helped and Adam Gilbert, the founder of MyBodyTutor.com is taking a distinctly millennial approach to diet and fitness. According to Adam's profile on BrazenCareerist, "Adam felt that life was way too short to not love what you do and combined his life-long passion of health and fitness, entrepreneurship and helping people to create his dream company." Since the company launched online, people have been responding to Adam's unique philosophy.

I first came across Adam's company after an online ad caught my eye. Although his Web site is quite basic (but I believe there are plans to jazz it up soon), there is an authenticity that blazes through. When you read his story and his blog, you feel like he 100% believes in everything from his business methods to his weight-loss approach. Below are some questions about Gen. Y, fitness and entrepreneurship that Adam responded to over e-mail. Remember, when you see him on Oprah, you heard it here first.


Why did you decide to start your company online? What are some of the pros and cons of running a weight-loss and fitness business online?

The Internet makes for a perfect medium for what I’m doing.

The only negative of running a health and fitness business online is that I don’t meet my clients face to face (at least not yet) which actually turns out to be a huge advantage. My clients trust me greatly and I think they feel extremely comfortable being able to write anything and everything they want via email. It’s a lot less intimidating and they know that they’ll get honest and objective answers and support.

Besides, I believe we all just need that extra push. We don’t need someone to hold our hand in the gym. We just need someone to make sure we get there. We don’t someone to hold our hand in the kitchen either. We just need someone to make sure we eat the way we really want to.It’s also kind of cool that I’m able to work with people from all over the world. Besides having clients throughout the United States, I’m proud to say I have clients in London, Italy and Ireland!

You seem to have clients of a variety of ages and from different generations. Have you observed any differences in how Gen. Y approaches fitness compared to other generations? I'm interested if you've observed stuff beyond the obvious young vs. old differences. Do their attitudes differ?

You wouldn’t believe how much I have learned about people in the last year. It’s incredibly fascinating. Well, you’re right, my clients range in age from 18-66 years old.

I’d say my older clients are more interested in feeling great while my younger clients are more interested in looking great. But here’s where it gets interesting. My younger clients who set out to look great get addicted to feeling great which is really what it’s all about. When you feel amazing, you look amazing. As you know, it’s not what you wear; it’s how you wear it. And of course, we’ll help them get to where they want to be physically too.

What are some of the main things that Gen. Y clients are looking for from a eating/workout routine when they approach you?

Ultimately, they are looking for results. But they are looking for a routine that is practical, realistic, fun, and sustainable all while allowing them to enjoy their life. Basically, they want it all…and we can give it to them.

The diet and fitness business is a multi-billion dollar industry. Please identify any general industry trends that you see the Gen. Y market showing an interest in. Basically, if I want to go into the fitness business and market to Gen. Y consumers, what would you suggest I focus on?

Anything that can save time and offer convenience is a good play. We live in a hyper-connected world and we are busier than ever.

People are starting to realize that all the wealth in the world means nothing without your health. Quality of life is very important. Organic health food stores and restaurants are popping up left and right. People are spending more money to go to a more convenient gym, or to get an iPod, or to work with someone or to eat better. Exercise and eating right pays off BIG in your quality of life, and people are realizing that and willing to splurge. Any company that promises a better life is what people are more apt to try these days. Any company that delivers on that is going to hit it out of the park.

What is your dream for MyBodyTutor.com?

I want MyBodyTutor to be a household name. I want us to be on Oprah. I want us to be everywhere. I want us to be a movement. I want people to not be able to shut up about us. I want us to have yearly conventions all over the world where all of our clients have a chance to meet their tutors. I can see it already.

I want all of our tutors/employees to be very proud of working for MyBodyTutor. I want them all to become very wealthy because they believe in me and my vision, which is the reason why we have an options package. I want our tutors to be as excited by our potential as I am. I want them to love their work. I want MyBodyTutor to not only be a great company to do business with, but a great company to work for.

Ultimately, I want us to have millions of happy clients and I won’t stop until we do. Mark my words.