Americans may seem to be placing a renewed focus on health and fitness, but the reality is we still have a long way to go. A new survey from Nautilus found that working out at a gym can be intimidating and deters some people from working out. Americans are most intimidated by people that are in better shape at the gym, with 32 percent of survey respondents citing it as the key factor.
The Nautilus survey, powered by uSamp’s Instant.ly platform, questioned 1,000 men and women in the United States ages 18 and older on April 17, 2013 to better understand their workout behaviors and health priorities.
The survey found that most Americans are dissatisfied with how they feel and how they look. More than half of adults consider themselves overweight, with 11 percent identifying themselves as obese and 51 percent noting they need to lose a few pounds. Body image is also a point of discontent, as 64 percent of adults say they are unhappy with their body overall.
Of those surveyed, many found solace with at home workouts:
- 41 percent said they workout at home because they don’t feel embarrassed
- 26 percent like that they can wear what they want
- 13 percent enjoy that they control the channel on the TV
The survey also found that the No. 1 reason Americans don’t workout as much as they’d like to is because they don’t have enough time. But Americans are acutely aware of the health benefits to a good workout. The No. 1 motivator for working out is health (56 percent) followed by appearance (27 percent).
“Everyone has a different fitness level and workout preference, and this survey demonstrates that consumers want to have more choices,” said Bruce Cazenave, CEO of Nautilus. “Whether you’re trying to get off the couch or looking to tone up, getting fit doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Nautilus, we want to inspire others to pursue a healthy lifestyle by providing effective tools to engage them in a fitness plan they can stick with, and ultimately, enabling them to achieve their overall health and fitness goals.”