Let's cut to the chase: Canada's fitness industry is booming, with revenues steadily increasing year upon year, projected to grow by 171% to 400 Billion USD by 2028!

In Canada alone, there are over 13,000 fitness facilities, employing over 70,000 people! Despite the challenges faced by the pandemic, the fitness industry is a thriving market, full of eager faces- young and old- ready and willing to help people live their best lives.

And yet...people aren't exercising.

The 2021 ParticipAction Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults indicates that 51% of Canadian adults fail to meet the current physical activity recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. In fact, there have been no significant changes to the physical activity levels of adult Canadians over the last ten years.

Beyond this, over 85% of Canadians report sedentarism levels that exceed 8 hours per day! These findings are echoed in our children and youth populations, leading us to conclude that we are a ways away from seeing significant changes in the physical activity levels of Canadians.

Any fitness professional will tell you that it's not for lack of trying! But we need to start asking ourselves some hard questions about whether the ways in which we are trying are working, and whether it's time to consider a new approach to how we are promoting exercise and physical activity.