Let’s face it, ladies and gentlemen, we live in a digital world – even when we work out and diet. I’m not just talking about gym equipment with televisions built in and pulse readers, I’m talking about the fact that I literally get all of my diet and exercise tips from my smart device. Some of my favorites include everything from eBooks by Bethenny Frankel to the Nike Training Club app on my iPod Touch. But if there’s one thing that I’ve noticed – especially since entering the marketing field – is that everyone craves benefit and sometimes looking better and being healthier just aren’t enough anymore. For years, diets have become synonymous with deprivation and unhappiness, but now it seems even that things are taking a change for the better.

Sometimes dieting is a dirty word that can easily be replaced by “healthy lifestyle changes” to make it seem much more agreeable. Just like using weights to build muscle can scare away women who don’t want to be too bulky and doing excessive cardio can scare off men who’d like to build their physique. So what’s the spin or added boost that some fitness apps and books are offering – brand new benefit and incentives.

If we’re being honest – incentives are the best way to get anyone to do anything. People are much more likely to do something if they see a maximum return on their investment. I’m not different. Imagine how elated I was when the training app on my iPod gave me delicious healthy smoothie recipes, awards and badges to post on Facebook for progress, and an exclusive celebrity workout performed by my favorite celebrity.

It’s the honest to goodness truth that in today’s society, being healthy and beautiful isn’t enough anymore. People crave luxury. To corner the market on fitness, the true trailblazers are adding a little something special to their regimens and routines.