The Growing Price Tag on Your Waistline

Let's face it: Like some kind of newfangled technology, our bodies are costing us more than ever. From gym visits to healthcare to diets, we're paying more to stay fit and healthy for longer. And when we fail, we also pay: Airlines are starting to charge obese passengers more, and healthcare costs have skyrocketed. Here are six of the ways our bodies are costing us--and one way to make some money back:

That gym habit could cost you thousands. Depending on where you live (and your penchant for amenities), gym memberships can cost upwards of $95 per month. Initiation fees, incremental price hikes, and extra charges to take that spinning class may jack up your annual outlay well over $1,200. And a session with a personal trainer typically costs around $40 to $50 a pop, though you might find a buy-in-bulk deal. Of course, if you're willing to get creative in the name of the bad economy, there are several ways to help your workout weather the recession.

Workout gear--which you'll need whether you do your sweating at a gym, outdoors, or in your own home--can be pretty steep, too. A snazzy women's workout tank from Lululemon Athletica will cost more than $50, while the apparel company's yoga-style pants will run you nearly $100 per pair. But deals in the single digits can be found at chain discount stores like Wal-Mart and Target, where you can get Mossimo yoga pants for $14.99.

Diet advice is a regular drain on your wallet. Many of us are thankful for those glossy guides to getting swimsuit-ready, but tally up a few magazine subscriptions ranging from $12 to $25 per year, and you're shelling out some serious cash. There's never a shortage of reality TV stars or New Age gurus peddling their weight-loss plans, and hardcover copies of the latest diet book can usually ring up to around $25. If it's a more comprehensive plan for slimming down that gets you going, an annual membership at the likes of Weight Watchers will cost about $235 for the standard plan.

Health insurance isn't a cure-all. For those lucky enough to have health insurance, there is a not-so-silver lining: Coverage won't necessarily protect you against financial hardship. A recent survey found that even moderate medical costs--from copayments to a visit to the emergency room--can bring real pain. In 2008, the typical family paid $3,354 in premiums. It might take some persistence, but there are 4 ways to reduce your medical bills and other ways to save on prescription medications.

Some airlines charge weightier passengers more. While overall fares are falling--the consumer price index shows that airfares have declined for seven months in a row--some obese Americans are paying more for their seats. Earlier this month, United Airlines announced that unless the airline can find an extra empty seat for them, passengers that don't fit into a single coach seat may need to pay for two. (Southwest already has a similar policy in place.)

Vices are another way you'll pay. Plain and simple, there is always money to be made on bad habits. Some states tax cigarettes heavily, with New York levying the steepest tax at $2.75 per pack. The American Lung Association and other authorities say such taxes discourage the habit and help to decrease smoking rates. And watch out: You might also take a hit when buying soft drinks. Some health experts have proposed a soda tax to battle rising obesity rates.

And while food prices have generally declined, a few categories have become pricier recently. Compared with a year ago, the prices of fruits and vegetables have gone up 2.4 percent and alcoholic beverages 3.6 percent, according to the consumer price index.

The organic food industry is also booming--and sucking more money from consumer wallets in the process. The Organic Trade Association says that sales of organic food and drinks grew from $1 billion in 1990 to more than $20 billion today, and it's one of the fastest-growing food sectors. With more mainstream stores, from Safeway to Food Lion to Wal-Mart, carrying organic products, consumers don't have to travel to specialty outlets such as Whole Foods to find organic apples or pasta.

Sticking with nonspecialty stores is also easier on the wallet; a survey from Washington Consumers' Checkbook shows that families that spend an average of $150 a week on groceries at a mainstream store such as Safeway would spend $3,510 more by shopping at Whole Foods. (They could also save $1,326 by shopping at a discount store such as Bottom Dollar Food, but they might not find any organic arugula there.)

Meanwhile, Americans are also willing to shell out cash for convenience. Processed foods, which include everything from cereal to baked goods, have expanded to make up about three quarters of global food sales and now exceed $3.2 trillion a year, according to the Agriculture Department. Almost half of all money going to food in the United States is spent at restaurants, the National Restaurant Association reports. (In 1955, only $1 went to restaurants for every $4 spent on food.) The consumer price index shows that the prices of food eaten away from home have been climbing, and the National Restaurant Association reports that sales will reach $565.9 billion this year, up from $379 billion a decade ago. Despite the recession, the restaurant industry is expected to grow 2.5 percent in 2009.

Your company wants you healthy and might pay you to get there. Some employers wager that the better you feel, the more--and more productively--you'll work. Combine that with most health policy experts' belief that healthful living, with a focus on prevention, takes less of a financial toll on individuals, their employers (which typically pay a portion of healthcare costs), and the overall medical system than the current alternative. So in an effort to discourage those medically costly behaviors--smoking cigarettes, being overweight, having high blood pressure, for example--many employers are offering incentive programs to get healthier. From giving cash to shaving a few hundred dollars off your health insurance premium, some employers are really putting their money where their mouth is.

The big picture. Put it all together--the growing costs of our exercise routines, medical care, and health food--and you can see why our bodies have become more expensive to maintain. The exercise industry, which was practically nonexistent 50 years ago, now rakes in billions of dollars a year. According to the National Sporting Goods Association, sales of sports-related footwear, clothing, and equipment exceed $53 billion a year. Americans buy $3 billion worth of treadmills alone annually.

Americans are also spending record amounts on their healthcare. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, total annual spending is now $2.2 trillion, or around $7,421 per person. Ten years ago, it was half that, and 20 years ago, total spending was a quarter of what it is today.