Almost 10 million adults in Britain work out every week to get fitter or lose weight – but don’t belong to a gym. For fitness brands in their traditional new year push, that’s a big opportunity hiding in plain sight.
Over nine million Brits are working hard to get fit — but avoiding the gym
For fitness brands gearing up for January, this is an opportunity hiding in plain sight.
This is a group, representing 17% of all adults in Britain, who already exercise for at least an hour per week and say improving fitness and losing weight are their top motivations for doing so. Yet they don’t set foot in a gym. So why not?
They live further out — and further from gyms
They’re 21% more likely than the average adult to live in rural areas. For them, gyms aren’t always convenient. Running or cycling from their doorstep may be easier. A gym requires a trip, but it may also offer a more comfortable environment in which to exercise.
A simple message could shift them: Warm. Well‑lit. Safe. Your workout, whatever the weather.
They prefer solo routines
They’re less interested in team sports like football or basketball, and more likely to run or cycle alone — habits that transfer easily to treadmills, bikes and indoor tracks.
They’re older, affluent — and often feel they “don’t fit in”
This group skews older, reports lower levels of extraversion than the average adult and is more likely to be overweight. The classic fear: “Everyone there is fitter than me.”
A powerful counter to this could be to emphasise a gym where everyone belongs — no judgement, just progress.
You’ll find them in front of a screen at exactly the right time
TGI Time Diary data shows they’re more likely than the average adult to be gaming or watching TV in the early evening — peak gym hours. That’s a prime moment to engage them.
And the programmes they are particularly likely to gravitate to? Gardening. The news. Politics. Running ads in those breaks and will meet them where they already are.