Health and fitness is a huge industry and thanks to continuous research and development is one that will continue to grow. As a result in Zimbabwe, we have some well-established segments of the business and some that are still very much unexplored. This means there are many opportunities to be taken advantage of and there are great health and fitness business ideas for Zimbabwe.

Blog or website

First port of call has to be information on health and fitness. One thing this world is plagued with is terrible myths and misinformation around diet, exercise and how the body works. While a blog or website is a great starting point the internet, thanks to improved access is generally making a move towards podcast and video. Regardless of the medium, you choose what is required here is to be a good information source. You can make a name for yourself by simply adapting ideas for Zimbabwe. Monetizing opportunities can be found here.

Coaching (Individual/Group/Corporate)

Coaching is exciting because of the ways in which you can do it. Coaching entails motivation and follow ups to plans so think of your service as being a fitness pal for hire. With modern applications in both fitness and communication, you can be quite dynamic in this without requiring a lot of (or any) FaceTime with clients.

Training

This is a great business for those with skills or certification in the area. Personal training helps people by focusing on individual training needs. It is not, however, a one size fits all as training needs differ between people based on their goals and circumstances. To succeed in this business one needs to know how to configure elements of a plan to meet specified goals.

Dietary supplements

For what we cannot add to the body in food form there’s the advent of dietary supplements. There are a few ways to go about this but herbal options are proving quite popular. Whichever way you go there are extensive multi-level marketing programs backing many health supplements.

Zumba

Zumba has become the face of the dance fitness segment but the idea of dance fitness is neither new nor unique. The combination of entertainment and fitness has proven to be very popular for hopefully obvious reasons. Zumba trainers require certification and an understanding of other issues such as diet and nutrition would be very helpful if you decide to go into this.

Running/Walking club

Running and walking remain some of the best fitness activities out there depending on the goals of the individual in question. Run (and walk) clubs give people the opportunity to pursue their goals in a group environment. They also give the advantage of safety because of the time at which these activities are carried out. Starting a run or walk club in your local area doesn’t require much more than a contact list.

Yoga studio

Yoga was popularized by television and pop culture but there is a lot more to it. The science behind yoga is about the condition of the body, the muscles and tendons. You can start a yoga instruction business with some training, a rented room and some yoga mats.

Meal planning

They say fitness is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Meal planning is a very important part of getting a diet right and also a part which people hopelessly struggle with. Whether it’s because of a general lack of knowledge or lack of information that is catered for Zimbabwe people struggle with adapting diets such as ketogenic, gluten free and Banting to the local situation. The price insanity doesn’t help at all. By providing meal planning services you tackle a huge problem for people.

Healthy meal delivery service

Knowing what to eat is one thing, cooking it is a whole other thing. So while meal planning is great taking it a step further and providing the healthy meals cooked and delivered could boost your earnings. There are a few decisions you’ll have to traverse in how to provide your service; fresh or frozen, weekly versus daily and diets to cater for. People already have it hard enough trying to cook in these load shedding times, turn that to your advantage. Get a gas powered stove though else you’re in the same boat.

Gear

Back in the day fitness gear consisted of sweatbands, that’s it. Now we have fitness bands and digital everything! Wristbands that monitor heart rates and track activity are quite a great development. Even the skipping ropes are digital. In addition to the tech stuff clothing and footwear remain important to fitness and you can start a business that sources and supplies these or do so as part of an existing business.

These ideas can be started outright or as additions to existing businesses. The existing businesses don’t even need to be in health and fitness per se but these can offer a health and fitness division of sorts.