Why have gyms and fitness become a craze ?

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I sometimes feel like I'm the only who is not really into fitness and going to gyms and stuff. I see books about it at work, I see adverts (commercials) about it on social media and on TV and it just feels me feeling like I'm "missing out" because it feels like everyone else is into it and not me so much a bit like some TV show on netflix that everyone is talking about. I've got a couple of weights and do press ups at home which I've used on occasions and not all the time. I've do a lot of walking to work and a few times now I've done 50 minute walks to see my therapist when my car was unavailable. It sometimes feels like seeing it all the time makes me feel it's what I "should" be doing and "should" have been doing through my teens and 20s as though it's a must do for young people and I feel bad because I wasn't thinking about it at the time.

The whole health shtick.

But in reality, it's the weight loss and attaining physical figures. It's this whole idea of looking more physically attractive.


I'm a habitually active person. There's no sense of obligation for me whenever I cycle for hours or walk hours long.
I want to be able to walk for hours long without an effort by the time I'm at my teens. And did just that -- no advertising needed. And everyone's somehow shocked at this habit of mine.

I don't have to consciously start giving effort, not even when I'm relatively new at going to a gym.
I sort of regret not doing earlier -- not because I have to, but because I like it and I should've discovered it sooner on how it felt for me.

My motive around fitness is either for my nervous system; which is apparently not a common conscious motive -- or outright wanting to be stronger, to be actually be fitter and having a less inconvenience of a body.

But I know what I do is not complete. Workouts aren't enough.
There's diet, rest and stress management -- which is harder to do in my own case.

I don't hear the same motive from others, unless it seem mandatory (like those who need PT or staving effects of aging).
Else, unless you're a senior or physically disabled, everyone assumes it's losing weight and gaining figures -- which I do not get nor understand. It's also how I do not understand the hype.

Partially because I'm one of those lucky ones who have the genetics to not need lose weight -- and partially because of being straight up asocial.

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In the U.S., a lot of it is genuinely about appearances--whether it's to attain that impossible figure you've seen on this star or that, or muscle bulk/definition, or to fit in with a certain clique that does all the trendy new workouts in the priciest attire. The fitness and weight loss industries are BIG MONEY and they know how to sell themselves, even when it means setting up and perpetuating someone's dysmorphia, excessive obsession, or eating disorder.

For a lot of others, though, it is actually about fitness and health, those feel-good-endorphins or stress relief, having more energy, getting better sleep, protecting your bones and preventing injury (in my case, on the job), cognitive and mental health, and the plain old joy of movement. I'm thankful for all that my body can do.

There are so many benefits, really. My mom and I have talked about what her mom and our grandmothers would think of us and decided that their disapproval of our perceived unlady-like routines just doesn't float when you compare it with what we know today!

They haven't - unless you think 50+ years still qualifies as a "craze" and thats in the most modern sense. Organized physical health has existed almost as long as humans have existed in some for or other.

At my age I'd think I'd be invisible, but since I dropped my waistline to 25 and now 24 inches I've found that people will wait for me in the cars for me to cross in front of them in parking lots! I assume it is because people like looking at attractive people. Sometimes I'm not even close to crossing yet but they want to get a good look at me.

Only 8% of women have hourglass figures.

physical culture = sex.

When I first started in the gym 25 years ago, they were not unusual but I didn't know that many people in my world that went. Now it seems a big part of young people's lives.

I think its a positive thing tbh.

Youngsters these days seem less interested in drink and drugs and more interested in their health

I get it. Who wouldn't want a body that both looks good and functions well? Having been both quite fit and quite fat I can tell you that being fit makes everything easier. It's not just about being able to wear a tight white t-shirt. It's about the effort you have to put in to simple daily tasks. It's about how you feel as you go about living. It's better to be fit, if you can be. Our bodies were made to be worked and they work better when they are used.

Gyms sell you that promise. I think there is part of people that thinks if you make a financial commitment to something, I.e a gym membership, you're more likely to do the work if getting and staying fit. For some that may even be true. But I suspect the business model of a gym relies on people subscribing but not actually showing up.

It's obviously not for everyone, and no one should feel pressured into doing something they don't want to do.

For me, around 4-5 years ago when I was in the best gym shape of my life, it felt truly amazing and I had confidence and a feel good factor like I never thought I could have. I wasn't huge like some model either.

The value for money is amazing if you make use of their facilities enough (and its a decent gym)

my old gym, pre covid, was the best I have ever used by a long way. £45 per month and I was usually in there 6 days a week. They had a huge area for cardio and every weight machine you could imagine. Nice pool along with steam room and sauna. Also used to use the smaller rooms for boxing training now and again.

i remember before covid, i was in prolly the best shape of my life. then i became a senior citizen and covid happened to me and systemic arthritis happened to me all at once, and everything just went to hell. age is highly over-rated IMHO, at least for me, in my present state of struggling to function.

^Totally agree with that. Willpower can get you started but it isn't sustainable over time.

That's why if you really want to get fit and stay fit you have to find a physical activity that first and foremost you enjoy doing. It has to be something you want to do. Forcing yourself to run or lift or whatever isn't going to work.

Personally there's nothing in a gym that i would find fun enough to do it regularly. I like to run in the woods so I do that.