The pursuit and maintenance of physical fitness, health and wellness has become, over the past three decades, a national
preoccupation for North Americans. This has created a demand for an
industry, now at a multi-billion dollar level, geared towards satisfying people's needs to exercise. Focusing on the
operation of a fitness center, the author provides an in-depth analysis of the social motivations for participating in the fitness movement, the benefit of exercising, industry trends, the cost and benefit of creating such an operation, and the means necessary to maintain it successfully.