One job area that has been growing in the United States despite the financial crisis is personal training. With the number of obese people rising there should be no shortage of clients.

Julie-Anna Hansen is a personal trainer with a specialty in Pilates. The former dancer got into the business 4 years ago. Despite low pay and an unpredictable schedule she loves what she does.

Julie-Anna Hansen, Pilates instructor, said, "Well, I love helping people and if I see the change in somebody’s body I’ll be like wow, I did it. It’s amazing."

Hansen, a freelancer, is at the mercy of her clients’ schedule. She works between 3 to 8 hours a day. Her hourly pay is 100 dollars when working with private clients at their home. Working at a studio pays substantially less as she has to share a large part of the fee.

Karina Huber, New York, said, "Despite these uncertainties, Americans are increasingly choosing personal trainer as their profession. It is one of the fastest growing jobs in the country. Since 2001 the number of personal trainers has grown 44 percent while the overall number of workers has fallen by 1 percent."

With more than 40% of Americans expected to be obese by 2030, there will potentially be an endless supply of clients for personal trainers. But career counselors warn it’s very hard to make it in the business.

Eileen Sharaga, career psychologist, said, "Pursuing a career in personal training is a very complicated endeavor. The main thing you need to understand is that you need to have excellent marketing skills, excellent sales skills and excellent inter-personal skills. It’s not enough to have a love or knowledge of the subject matter."

Hansen has dreams though of making a career out of her love for fitness.

Julie-Anna Hansen, Pilates instructor, said, "Eventually, I would love to open my own studio, like a little studio boutique like here. I would love to have one of my own."

As part of her plan she is investing in a website and in keeping up to date with the latest Pilates trends.