The Truth About Minnesotans Avoiding The Gym

With a nickname like "Choad", it may come as no surprise that I'm not a regular at gyms. Of course, I'm not alone.

I've even given up on the cliché of signing up for a membership in January, hitting it hard a couple times, and then never going back. I just skip to the third step every December. Hey, I'm just being efficient!

I'm approaching 40 pounds lost this year, and it's all been through eating less. At least I can blame my hip for avoiding the gym.

But what is everyone else's excuse for avoiding the gym? In a word: culture.

Turns out, "Just Do It" only inspires us to not...do it.

Over two-thirds of us feel too self-conscious to be regulars at the gym. That number is probably higher for women who have to deal with harassment from gym bros.

Over 3/4 of those surveyed found that sports ads simply don't inspire them, and a third of those are discouraged by the ads.

One of the nerds behind the study - Gary Raucher of ASICS - offered this thought: "The sports industry has been telling us for years that the only thing that matters is a faster time, a longer distance, a higher score, and more reps. Although it’s aimed at motivating people, our research shows it’s having the reverse effect."

Could the reason be that the ads only show the end results instead of the process...which is definitely not as pretty as the end results?

Perhaps it's just other folks taking my attitude towards the ads: "Eh, that looks hard. No thanks."

Choad it is.

H/T: Study Finds