

With all that's going on with COVID-19, many have decided to begin paying closer attention to their health and wellness. And sis, the wellness industry is now worth an estimated $40 billion, making it one lucrative industry to get into. With trends like at-home fitness, digital detoxing, and cannabis infusion, there's an open avenue to break into or level up for finding the best careers in health and wellness.
Here are 10 opportunities that are not only growing in demand but are bringing in a nice chunk of change:
1.Registered Nutritional Therapist
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The median income for a Registered Nutritional Therapist is a little more than $60,000 annually, and it's definitely a career that is in common demand. Becoming registered gives you a bit more credibility, and many schools offer programs to get the credentials you'll need. Nutritional therapists typically have their own practices and offer luxury or alternative health plans to ensure their clients health and wellness goals are met. Some also work for clinics and organizations to serve their patients' needs.
2.Wellness Literary Agent
You can make an average of $59,000 as a wellness literary agent, and if you're up on wellness industry trends and news and have experience in publishing, PR, or sales, it's a gig you might be great at. You'll have to get your clients' books in front of publishers and sometimes you'll even be part of the edit and update process of a work. You'll also be handling contracts and making sure your clients get the best deal. And don't sleep on the book industry: More than 60 billion units of actual print books are still being consumed by Americans and the audiobook industry continues to show strides at more than $1 billion in revenue last year.
3.Nutrition Influencer and Blogger
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If you're passionate about all things nutrition and are a great writer, this is a great fit. The starting annual salary for a nutrition influencer and blogger is a little above $33,000 but can grow to more than $80,000, especially if you write for your own website and create your own brand. You can take it to the next level and either run a YouTube channel or blog for a major food, wellness, or healthcare brand (which can bring in an average of $50,000 per year) or start one of your own and join the ranks of influencers making six figures or more.
4.Corporate Wellness Administrator
You can make a median income of $63,000 per year doing a job that involves managing the administration of wellness benefits for employees of a company or corporation. You'll need a bachelor's degree for this job and a few years of experience, and if you have a passion for finding the best options for others to ensure their ultimate wellness, the role of a Corporate Wellness Administrator is worth a try.
5.Virtual Fitness Trainer
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Though some gyms have reopened, many are still taking hits due to many fitness buffs and budding health enthusiasts doing more of their workouts at home. Health and fitness equipment sales more than doubled between March and October of last year, according to research, and trainers have began going virtual, offering classes, one-one-one training and boot camps that people can do from the comfort of their own homes. The virtual fitness market is set to hit more than $59 billion by 2027, and if you can cater to a niche and get certified, you could potentially become a self-employed, very wealthy phenom. If entrepreneurship is not your thing, you can still work as a trainer for a major gym or other organization making a starting average of at least $46,000 a year, a number that goes up substantially based on your experience, certifications, and caliber of client.
6.Wellness App Creator
Wellness apps are reportedly booming and set to bring in more than $14 billion in revenue within the next seven years. If you have great ideas, are in the tech industry already, or simply have an eye for app savvy, get on the train, sis! Creating an app is not as hard as one might think, but it does require quite a bit of planning, research and marketing in order to get it off the ground. You can also work for a tech company and make an average of $64,000 to $96,000 developing mobile apps. Having a bachelor's in computer science, programming, or software engineering is great (especially if you're into the traditional job of working for another company), but a few app creators simply took courses, hired outside vendors to build it, or worked with partners to bring their wellness apps to life.
7.Massage Therapist
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Jobs as a massage therapist are set to grow by 21 percent into 2029, and the median salary is almost $43,000 per year. Depending on your location, you'll need certain certifications and hours of experience in order to legally practice as a massage therapist, and you can even build your own practice of clients. Even in pandemic times, massage therapists are finding unique ways to offer services like expert virtual stretch sessions, massage instruction for people with special needs, and one-on-one personal sessions within sanitized environments like clients' homes or doctor's offices.
8.Virtual Therapist
You can choose to get licensed (as a licensed practical counselor or LPC) or become a non-licensed practitioner (who has a master's degree and can offer lay counseling for life coaching and services of that nature) who helps people in the area of mental wellness. Some licensed counselors work for schools, nonprofits or corporations, while some have their own practices with specialties in EMDR methods or psychotherapy. Some non-licensed counselors lead church ministries, counsel women in nonprofit programs or have their own coaching programs. Online therapy services are charging upwards of $100 per hour, and the average salary for a therapist stands at $69,000 for those with licensure and $64,000 for unlicensed counselors.
9.Personal Wellness Chef
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Starting at an average of more than $44,000 per year (with an increase potential of up to $62,000), this job is a great one if you're well-informed (in some cases, certified) in nutrition or a niche like vegan, raw, cannabis-infused, or gluten-free dishes. Some chefs focus in on certain client goals (ie.. weight loss, weight gain, muscle building, diabetes maintenance, or hypertension control) while others specialize in creating plans for people with allergies or other disorders. You can start your own mobile or personal chef business or work for restaurants and even food brands, creating menus or tailored dishes for mass production.
10. Longevity Wellness Specialist
This gig allows you to focus in on creating plans for people to not only live long lives, but the best version of that. You'll teach clients or groups how to sustain a healthy lifestyle, what supplements and other resources they should tap into to boost quality of life and incorporate management of sustainability of wellness. The average salary is $44,000 per year but salary potential can increase to up to $90,000.
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Devale Ellis On Being A Provider, Marriage Growth & Redefining Fatherhood
In this candid episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Devale Ellis, actor, social media personality, and star of Zatima, about modern masculinity, learning to be a better husband, emotional presence in marriage, fatherhood for Black men, and leading by example.
“I Wasn’t Present Emotionally”: Devale Ellis on Marriage Growth
Devale Ellis On Learning He Was a ‘Bad Husband’
Ellis grew up believing that a man should prioritize providing for his family. “I know this may come off as misogynistic, but I feel like it’s my responsibility as a man to pay for everything,” he said, emphasizing the wise guidance passed down by his father. However, five years into his marriage to long-time partner Khadeen Ellis, he realized provision wasn’t just financial.
“I was a bad husband because I wasn’t present emotionally… I wasn’t concerned about what she needed outside of the resources.”
Once he shifted his mindset, his marriage improved. “In me trying to be of service to her, I learned that me being of service created a woman who is now willing to be of service to me.”
On Redefining Masculinity and Fatherhood
For Ellis, “being a man is about being consistent.” As a father of four, he sees parenthood as a chance to reshape the future.
“Children give you another chance at life. I have four different opportunities right now to do my life all over again.”
He also works to uplift young Black men, reinforcing their worth in a world that often undermines them. His values extend to his career—Ellis refuses to play roles that involve domestic violence or sexual assault.
Watch the full episode below:
On Marriage, Family Planning, and Writing His Story
After his wife’s postpartum preeclampsia, Ellis chose a vasectomy over her taking hormonal birth control, further proving his commitment to their partnership. He and Khadeen share their journey in We Over Me, and his next book, Raising Kings: How Fatherhood Saved Me From Myself, is on the way.
Through honesty and growth, Devale Ellis challenges traditional ideas of masculinity, making his story one that resonates deeply with millennial women.
For the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker peels back the layers of masculinity with candid conversations that challenge stereotypes and celebrate vulnerability. Real men. Real stories. Real talk.
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
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6 Tabletop Sex Positions That'll Unlock You & Bae's Most Primal Desires
Something I will never tire of is finding new ways to bring new layers to intimacy. A wall you use as momentum, a bathroom sink to help you keep your balance as he worships you on his knees, a shower that is usually for cleansing but evolves into a sacred ritual of shared intimacy.
My favorite kind of sex is the kind of sex that prioritizes pleasure and connection. So, technically and thankfully, I can say most of my sex life has been quite pleasurable throughout the years. But the memorable encounters for sure take the cake. One such encounter actually took place on a kitchen counter, and with it unleashed inhibitions in ways I never anticipated while unlocking levels to top-tier sex. And that, that involved a kitchen counter.
Why Kitchen Counter Sex Just Hits Different
What is it about having your hips pressed into the edge of a kitchen counter that lets out something so primal in you? The cool-to-the-touch feel of the countertop against exposed skin as you rise to meet him again and again. The urgency in every movement. The playfulness of repurposing an everyday space for something far more erotic. If you’re looking to bring that energy into your own sex life, keep reading for positions and tips to explore.
1. The Bounce House
They don’t call it Bounce House for nothing. In this position, the penetrating partner lies flat on their back on a sturdy table or counter while the receiving partner straddles them, knees bent and facing away. With their hands gripping the edge of the surface for support, the receiving partner slides or bounces at their own pace, owning the rhythm, the motion, and the view.
According to sex therapist Michael Aaron, Ph.D., who spoke with Women’s Health, the receiving partner placing their legs between their partner’s creates a tighter sensation, while staying fully astride allows for more bounce and range of motion. Either way, this one puts the receiver in full control, and you know we love a good woman on top position. Pleasure and power? Say less.
2. The Bicycle
Well, you know what they say about riding a bike. In the case of this table top position, it's the receiving partner who is the rider...but not in the way you think. While lying back on a sturdy surface or a table, the receiver will bring their knees toward their chest, bending them as if in a cycling motion. The penetrating partner stands at the edge of the surface, grabbing the receiver's ankles, and guides themselves inside, slowly so as to savor the moment. This angle puts everything on display for the penetrating partner while allowing for deep, connected thrusting for the receiver.
To take things up a notch , the receiving partner can touch themselves or flex their thighs to control the depth or the rhythm. Because, who says only one person gets to have control?
3. Counter Offer
How could we be at the table and not use it to eat? Enter: Counter Offer. In this oral-focused sex position, the receiving partner perches on the edge of a counter or table, lying back or sitting upright with legs parted or bent for comfort. The penetrating partner kneels or stands between their thighs, depending on the setup and the kind of attention they’re ready to give. No doubt, this one’s all about access and intention.
With the vulva front and center, the height makes it easier to maintain eye contact, use hands freely for things like breast play or incorporating toys, and take their time with every moan-inducing taste. And that’s on five, six, seven, ATE.
4. Standing Doggy
Standing Doggy is what happens when a classic like doggy style gets an upgrade. Instead of being on all fours on a bed, the receiving partner bends over a hard surface like a table or counter, keeping their hips aligned at its edge. The penetrating partner stands behind and enters from the back, using the angle to go deeper and create a strong, steady rhythm. This one offers maximum control and visual appeal, especially if the penetrating partner reaches around for a little extra clitoral stimulation throughout thrusting.
This angle can get intense quickly, so bonus points if the receiving partner engages their pelvic floor muscles or shifts their weight to adjust how the pressure hits, especially if your goal is to hit that G-spot sweet spot.
5. Top Shelf
Men's Healthcalls this one "Yourself on the Shelf," but we like to call it "Top Shelf" because it's giving full view, full grip, and climax potential that's hard to top. The receiving partner sits on the edge of a sturdy table or counter while the penetrating partner stands in front of them and slowly slides in, thrusting while keeping them in position. From there, legs can wrap around their waist, arms can encircle their back, and the closeness at peak ecstasy? Chef's kiss.
If you have the core strength, add lifting to the menu for the final strokes leading to orgasm. Otherwise, allow the surface to the heavy lifting and enjoy the pleasure.
6. The Thumper
What better way to remind yourself that you're both the snack and the entrée than with a little tableside service courtesy of The Thumper? This position has the receiving partner kneeling on a sturdy table or counter (keyword: sturdy), hands gripping the edge or braced in front for support. The penetrating partner can then either kneel behind them (if there's room for two), or stay anchored on the ground with both feet planted on the floor (similar to the previously mentioned Standing Doggy). It all depends on the mood.
Kneeling on the table offers just the right amount of leverage for deep, steady strokes. The receiving partner can play with tightness by either keeping their knees closer together for a snug grip, or open their knees wider to invite more access, depth, and stretch. The Thumper is versatile that way, and the most important thing? The receiver gets to be the main course. Yum.
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