Exercising more is the No. 1 New Year’s resolution for Americans this upcoming year. But after post-holiday reality sets in, it turns out that most give up on their lofty gym goals. Those shattered health dreams come at a high cost. According to recent Finder.com research, roughly 5.1 million American adults flush a total $1.8 billion down the drain on unused gym memberships each year.
About 82.1 million adults spend an estimated $28.6 billion on gym memberships each year. And yet 6.3% of these aspirational gymgoers never end up using them.
Those who use the gym more than never but less than twice a week (43.8%) spend annually $12.5 billion of this $28.6 billion.
Americans “get after it”
Over half of all Americans (53%) pay for a gym membership, even if they aren’t using it. Of those with an active membership, roughly 41 million (49.9%) actually get to the gym at least twice a week. A further 24.2% make it to the gym at least once a week.
More people have never used their membership (6.3%) than those who either use their membership once a month (5.8%) or less than once a month (5.4%).
| How often do you use the gym? | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| Yes, twice a week or more | 49.90% |
| Yes, less than twice a week but more than never | 43.80% |
| Yes, I have one but don't use it | 6.30% |
Most Americans spend less than $30 on gym memberships
You can put a price on good health it seems, with almost half (45.7%) of American adults spending less than $30 a month on gym memberships. A further 32.1% are spending between $31 and $50 a month, while 5.4% are dropping $91 or more dollars every month on getting fit.
| How much is your gym membership? | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| Less than $30 | 45.70% |
| $31 to $50 | 32.10% |
| $51 to $70 | 10.80% |
| $71 to $90 | 6.00% |
| $91 and above | 5.40% |
The world is your gym
Not only do roughly half of all Americans hit the gym at least once a week, but they also work out at home, with 53.2% of those have gym memberships also owning some form of gym equipment.
Of those with gym equipment in the home, free weights are by far the most popular choice for home exercise equipment, followed by such cardio equipment as stairmasters or treadmills (55.81%) and skipping ropes (42.18%).
| What gym equipment do you have at home? | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| Cardio machines (treadmill, stairmaster, cross trainer, etc) | 55.18% |
| Jump Rope | 42.18% |
| Free Weights | 63.47% |
| Pull-up Bar | 25.99% |
| Exercise Balls | 37.29% |
| Strength Machines | 15.82% |
| Other | 3.39% |
Set up a gym in your house
With New Year’s Eve fast approaching, many Americans are coming up with their own resolutions. And it’s safe to say that getting fitter and healthier in the new year will be a top priority.
If you’re planning on joining a gym or getting fit in the home, look to finder.com to compare your options, from treadmills to exercise bikes and more.
For media inquiries:
Jennifer McDermott
Consumer advocate helping people improve their personal finances.
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