How much money do fitness models make?

That ranges from zero to millions, with millions of aspiring fitness models.

I thought there were people for whom it is a job.

Saying you are a fitness model theoretically makes your gym memberships, supplements and travel costs to contests tax deductible.

I know body building can cost a lot of money. I was curious about how much they make.

And it is a fair argument for saying you aren’t wasting all that time at the gym when someone demands you go get a job.

You’re implying it is not a job.

Fewer than one in ten make as much in contest winnings, photo ops and modeling to make a living at just that. Many more make a living as fitness instructors, yoga instructors or sports coaches.

You can make a living as a fitness instructor without being a fitness model.

It is a matter of pride to say you are a model. And it is an excuse for buying all the oils and outfits and traveling.

What else do fitness models do to make money?

A lot of them are working as salespeople at GNC and other supplement stores to make a living, and a few of the most attractive or with the worst before photos can get deals as spokes-models.

The fit look is then a marketing gimmick.

A supplement manufacturer could pay thousands or tens of thousands a year for your before and after photos to be in their ads. And you’ll get their stuff for a discount if not free.

That’s probably why a lot of them work at GNC anyway.

A few move up to marketing for gyms, those that aren’t already working as fitness trainers or aerobics instructors or bootcamp coordinators.

You can make a living at that, too, without being a model.

It sounds better to say you are a fitness model and go to a few competitions a year than say you’re a Zumba instructor and compete in body building contests.

Yeah, no one wants to admit they teach Zumba.