A Third Of Women “Taking A Break” From Exercise
We all have days when we just don’t feel like hitting the gym, but new research reveals that many women have stopped exercising altogether. A survey of more than 2-thousand women for the exercise tracking app Strava and the This Girl Can health campaign finds that one in three are currently taking a break from exercise. But we’re not talking about just a day or two, those breaks can last anywhere from a month to several years, with the average being 13 months.
According to the Independent, the survey results show:
- Overall, 69% of the women currently on a break say they want to start exercising again, but 90% say challenges and obstacles are keeping them from doing it.
- The most common challenges include a lack of confidence or poor body image (68%), lack of focus (39%), being judged by others (19%) and lack of support (9%).
- Younger women surveyed were more likely to say their mental health is holding them back, while those who have families say it’s hard to find the time to work out.
- Over 40% admit they find returning to exercise difficult, but 20% say it’s easy.
“The physical and mental health benefits of being active are profound, but millions of women are missing out on these for months or even years,” says Kate Dale with This Girl Can. Their program reminds women that breaks in activity are normal and encourages them to take that first step to exercising again, no matter how long it’s been.
Source: Independent
