Has Fitness Lost Its Fun?

There are now over 7000 gyms in the UK to choose from and 9.9million people are currently a member of one*. You may be one of them? But each year the gym industry will lose 50% of these members and they will be replaced with a similar amount of new budding members with all the hopes of getting themselves fitter than they ever have been before.

This churn rate of members is nothing new in the gym industry, but I have always asked myself why do people leave when they know fitness is so important to their health and wellness?

It is only a personal view, and one that I guess I have cultivated over the past 15 years of being a Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and Nutrition Consultant, but I believe that the fun has been drained from their fitness experience. The fitness consumer is easily bored, loses focus and there’s a constant psychological battle about why you should or shouldn’t train when you wake up each day.

Let me define the word ‘FUN’ as you may be thinking that ‘FUN’ can’t be, or should not be mentioned in the same breath as the word ‘Fitness’. To me, and my clients having ‘Fun’ when exercising has to include a element of being social, a feeling of togetherness, being connected. In my view, if you want to get fit and stay fit then there is one golden rule you cannot break – Never Exercise Alone.

When exercising you have to feel a sense of companionship, sharing the fitness challenge, celebrating the fitness successes, feeling that your own physical performance is accountable not just to you, but to your buddy or buddies who you exercise with. Being socially connected is THE fundamental part of fitness success. This can also be achieved through the many fitness trackers and online communities available in today’s digital wearable marketplace.

So, if you are thinking of starting a new fitness habit in 2020, find a type of fitness or a sport that interests you, then give a friend a call and encourage them to join with you. And if you don’t have a friend who is as keen as you your then search out an exercise group that you can join locally. There are so many different forms of fitness out there now including climbing, dance, mind body, beach fit, and plenty more. I run a number of classes each week where I encourage a social atmosphere. Many long term friendships have been formed in these classes, and due to this I have seen clients stay with the class for a very long time developing fitness habits and friends for a lifetime.

Good Luck and remember – Never Exercise Alone

Anna Langridge – Wellbody Health & Fitness

Reference: *http://www.leisuredb.com/