Fear of showing the flab is leading Britons to spend more on home fitness as they snub the open public view of the gym.
Older people too embarrassed to workout alongside trimmer younger gym-goers are boosting demand for DIY gym equipment.
New research for online retailer JD Williams reveals over the past 12 months those aged 35-59 have forked out an average of £158, with £98 spent on home-gym equipment and £60 on fitness clothing and footwear.
The fastest growing group of fitness fans are the over fifties, with double the number of people in that age group purchasing gym clothing or equipment, compared to five years ago.
And it is women aged 39 to 49 who have spent the most on work-out gear shelling out a total of £171, according to the survey.
The report also revealed that two thirds (64%) of those questioned would rather work out at home than a gym. Three quarters said they felt self-conscious attending a gym and embarrassment was the main reason they would choose to exercise at home, (73%) but additional reasons given for a home-exercise regime was cost (62%) and lack of time, 38%.
One in five of respondents said they had taken out gym membership at some point in their lives, but only a quarter of those said they still regularly attend a gym or health club. However just over half of those polled (52%) said they take more exercise now than they did two years ago and nearly two thirds (63%) said they intended to exercise more over the next 12 months.
As well as public health campaigns and a growing awareness of the benefits of staying fit from adolescence, through middle-age and into later life, older celebrities who regularly post pictures of the latest fitness regimes on social media are showing how age doesn’t count when it comes to seeing the benefits of exercise. Elle Macpherson, 53, Jason Statham, 50, Hugh Jackman,48 and Madonna, 59 are happy to show off the impressive results of their rigorous work outs. Kim Kardashian, 36, admits she prefers exercising at home and has turned a garage into a gym.
The most popular purchase in a bid to get fit, according to the study was training shoes, closely followed by work-out clothes, reflecting the increasing popularity in fitness and leisure-wear across the generations. Third most common buy was work out DVDs, which have been tried by over one in three people, 35%.
The most popular gym equipment used at home was an exercise bike followed by hand and wrist weights.
Wrist-worn fitness trackers that monitor the number of steps taken, calories burned, heart-rate and in some cases blood pressure, are increasing used to maintain an exercise regime. One in 25, 4%, admit to cheating by owning a toning machine.
Suzi Burns for JD Williams said: “The results of our survey show repeated public health campaigns and a rise in awareness of the importance of general fitness and how much that can improve quality of life, has really had an impact on all age groups. Also the openness of celebrities to show themselves working-out and incorporating that into their daily lives, whether it’s in their garage or their spare room, has no doubt had an effect.
“It’s never been easier to develop a fitness routine that works for the individual. With so much choice of affordable exercise clothing and equipment available to use at home it is no surprise that people, both working and retired are taking advantage of this and purchasing things that will hopefully help them live longer and healthier lives.”
Top ten fitness buys:
- Trainers
- Exercise clothing
- Fitness DVD
- Yoga/gym mat
- Exercise bike
- Hand/wrist weights
- Wrist worn fitness monitor
- Rowing machine
- Step exercise
- Cross trainer
