Canadian fitness survey tells tales of struggles, boredom, results and plateaus
86 per cent of Canadians regularly participate in walking – overshadowing all other fitness and sports routines
Survey shows walking is the exercise of choice for Canadians. Photo Credit: Power WearHouse™
TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadians overwhelmingly favour walking as their preferred form of exercise, beating out all other types by a large margin. This is according to a new survey by Power WearHouse, a Canadian designer of weighted fitness wearables.
The Exercise Habits of Canadians, an Angus Reid study of 1508 people, puts a lens on how (and how often) people engage in physical activity, where people are stuck, or where they seek to add something new to their routines. Overall, nine-in-10 Canadians are active, including 56 per cent that conduct their routines three-days per week or more.
When asked what forms of exercise they regularly participate in, a whopping 86 per cent of Canadians favour walking as their preferred form of exercise; followed by weight or fitness training, hiking, cycling, yoga, running and dancing.
Table: The favourite forms of exercise for Canadians
| Favourite forms of exercise | Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ |
| Walking | 86% | 85% | 87% | 87% | 84% | 87% |
| Weight or fitness training | 29% | 31% | 27% | 41% | 29% | 19% |
| Hiking | 27% | 29% | 25% | 33% | 29% | 19% |
| Cycling | 23% | 25% | 20% | 28% | 20% | 21% |
| Yoga | 15% | 7% | 23% | 20% | 17% | 10% |
| Running | 10% | 13% | 8% | 22% | 11% | 2% |
| Dancing | 7% | 2% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 3% |
“We conducted this survey to get a benchmark on Canadian fitness and wellness behaviours, likes and dislikes,” said Shelagh Stoneham, founder of Power WearHouse. “Not only can we see that Canadians are motivated to exercise, but the results highlight their frustrations and where there is room for improvement.”
The study shows there are several challenges for Canadians. A stunning 43 per cent of Canadians still feel gross using shared equipment. Additionally, more-than-half (53%) struggle fitting their walking and/or fitness routines into their schedule, 41 per cent are bored with their current routine and 46 per cent are sick and tired of trying to lose their “COVID pounds.”
Table: Struggles, boredom, results and plateaus
| Canadian exercise sentiments | Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ |
| I am feeling bored with my current walking and/or fitness routine | 41% | 40% | 42% | 44% | 43% | 35% |
| I struggle fitting my walking and/or fitness routine into my schedule | 53% | 53% | 54% | 65% | 59% | 39% |
| I feel like I have hit a plateau with my walking and/or fitness routine (not getting the same benefit I used to) | 44% | 40% | 47% | 46% | 43% | 43% |
| I feel gross using shared equipment in a gym and/or studio | 43% | 37% | 49% | 44% | 42% | 45% |
| I’m sick and tired of trying to lose my “COVID pounds” | 46% | 38% | 54% | 48% | 49% | 43% |
| I feel satisfied with my current walking and/or fitness routine | 57% | 60% | 54% | 56% | 53% | 63% |
| I am continuing to see results from my current walking and/or fitness routine | 57% | 60% | 54% | 56% | 53% | 63% |
| I exercise regularly to maintain my health | 62% | 61% | 63% | 61% | 58% | 67% |
| I’ve used online workouts, fitness apps and home gym routines since COVID | 41% | 33% | 48% | 54% | 44% | 27% |
| I feel that my fitness regimen has improved since COVID | 32% | 32% | 32% | 38% | 32% | 27% |
“What this survey shows, is that despite great intentions and good follow through, people are not getting the results they seek,“ said Stoneham. “While many Canadians are active, their bodies are plateauing (often mentally and physically) and adjusting to the law of diminishing returns. People don't always know how to change, or don’t want to change, their training style once they have an exercise habit in place.”
Adding weighted wearables (vests, belts, ankle weights) to a regular exercise or training routine carry several benefits including increased cardio benefit, extra muscle toning and conditioning and extra calorie and fat burn. These small additions can make a huge difference, combatting against the exercise plateau, boredom, and other workout struggles.
About the Exercise Habits of Canadians survey by Power WearHouse
From August 10 to August 12, 2022, an online survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,508 Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes, the sample plan would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
About Power WearHouse
Power Wearhouse is a health and wellness brand that specializes in weighted wearables that are both fashionable and functional. Founded in 2021 by Shelagh Stoneham, the best-in-class line of wearables is engineered to maximize the benefit from any exercise routine and is designed for maximum comfort. Using innovative cooling technology, the Power Weighted Fitness Vest and Power Weighted Fitness Belt can keep users cool for an hour by freezing the zinc-coated cast iron weights prior to their workout. Power WearHouse products are available for purchase at health and fitness retailers across North America and online at www.powerwearhouse.com.
