These days we’re always hearing about the latest exercise craze, or how working out is good for your health, but are Americans really all that concerned with getting into shape? Well, a new poll finds that while getting in shape is important to people, not everyone is necessarily succeeding.
According to a survey by Reportlinker, 77% of Americans say being in good shape and looking good is very important to them, yet only 37% of those polled believe they are actually in good shape. What’s more, 42% consider themselves overweight, and 56% don’t think they’re strong or muscular enough. And it doesn’t help to have folks around who are in shape, because 75% of people say they compare themselves to how others look.
For those who do exercise, joining a fitness center is the most popular way to do so (40%), with 39% of people working out between three and five hours a week. Other popular forms of exercise include:
- Basketball (35%)
- Swimming (35%)
- Jogging (34%)
- Yoga (21%)
- Baseball (19%)
- Tennis (18%)
- One of the biggest obstacles to working out is motivation, with only 31% of people saying exercising is a habit. As for what keeps people motivated, 31% say they train or engage in sports with fiends, while 30% of people say they're more likely to work out if they set a personal record, 30% challenge themselves by monitoring their performance, and 17% say changing their workout routine keeps them motivated.
Source: ReportLinker