Albertans tell tales of struggles, boredom, gross equipment and plateaus when it comes to exercise
Albertans 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, 93 per cent of Albertan denizens are active, including 64 per cent that conduct their routines three-days per week or more.
When asked what forms of exercise they regularly participate in, a whopping 89 per cent of Albertans 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 Alberta
“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 42 per cent of Albertans still feel gross using shared equipment. Additionally, half (50%) struggle fitting their walking and/or fitness routines into their schedule, 38 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
“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.