The stay-at-homes

New surveys show that the growth in the number of people working out at a gym has slowed considerably: last year the number grew by a mere 2 percent, seven points slower than the previous year's growth. So where have all those bodies gone? They appear to be doing it all alone at home. New reports say that Americans are buying fitness equipment for use at home more than ever before. That translates into around $4.7 billion spent just last year on treadmills, stationary bikes, etc. And this is more than the high-spending golfers shelled out last year for their high-priced gear--a mere $3 billion. And where does that leave all those personal trainers who bank on a steady flow of gym-goers? Not quite out in the cold, it would seem, because the rising trend is for home-bodies to go for the extra bucks and hire a trainer who makes house calls.

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