A Nation of Fitness Fibbers

Fitness fibbing is sweeping the UK as gym dodgers use an array of excuses according to new research: 58% lie about going to the gym and 9 out of 10 ditch the gym at least once a week.

A survey of 1,018 UK gym-goers, carried out by personal training course provider Be a Better You found 58% fib to others about going to the gym.

The top five reasons for avoiding a workout include being too tired (46%), forgetting a gym kit (42%), the weather being  ‘too hot’ or ‘too cold’ (36%), a busy gym (26%) and eating too much (25%).

A third of those surveyed confessed to wasting money on their gym membership after only visiting their gym once during the past month.

Women lead men when it comes to avoiding the gym with 53% skipping, compared to 47% of men and regional, those in Bristol (16%) were most likely to say they had worked out when they hadn’t.

Simon Bubb, managing director of Be a Better You courses, said: “It’s surprising to see how many Brits start off with good intentions but end up pretending to go the gym.’

“Everyone has a day where they lack motivation, but there are ways to incorporate on those days when the gym isn’t an option such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking or cycling to work.”

The data found the younger generation are the biggest fitness fibbers, as almost half of those who confessed to lying to others about attending the gym were aged 18-24.

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Top 10 excuses for avoiding the gym:

• Too tired to work out (46%)
• Forgot my gym kit (42%)
• Too hot/too cold to go the gym (36%)
• Gym will be too busy (26%)
• Eaten too much to work out (25%)
• Not eaten enough today to workout (21%)
• Didn’t pack shower toiletries/towel to shower (19%)
• Other social commitments (15%)
• Not updated workout playlist (11%)
• No headphones to work out (9%)

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By Jacob White