Study Says Living Near Your Gym Will Make You Work Out More Because People Are Lazy
Summoning the willpower to hit the gym only goes so far – about 3.7 miles, to be exact.
A study by data firm Dstillery has found a link between your commute to the gym and your likelihood of working out; in other words, the closer your gym is to your house or office, the more likely you are to get off your ass and go.
The study used anonymized data from 7.5 million cellphones taken to prominent gyms across the country throughout February and March. They revealed that those who hit the gym just once a month travel an average distance of 5.1 miles, while those who go five times a month average a more manageable commute of 3.7 miles.
The study also found, however, that people are more willing to extend their commute for fancier facilities. Members of Equinox and SoulCycle, for example, average commutes of around 5.7 and 5.5 miles, while those who frequent the more affordable Blink average about 2.8 miles. Members of Planet Fitness travel around 3.2 miles on average.
Another study by the Journal of American College Health had similar results, showing that college freshmen who lived on campus near workout facilities exercised an average of 12 times per week compared to juniors and seniors who only exercised around nine times a week (and before you get really down on yourself about all those super-fit youths showing you up, know that each activity at the gym counted as a separate exercise in the study.)
So there you have it: the key to sweating it out more is moving closer to your gym, or simply finding one that’s worth your while. Alternately, realize that having a gym membership doesn’t give your inherent laziness a pass.
Kindra Simmons 