How Much Effort Do You Put Into Your Fitness?

The survey revealed that on average American women exercise four times a week, but 52% of the respondents admitted to exercising three times or less a week. According to the analysis, the average workout lasts around 44 minutes and consists of a variety of exercises, 50% of the respondents do aerobics, 48% jump rope, 45% lift weights, 44% do Kegels, and 41% prefer yoga. 

Even though 80% of the women agree that now is the best time to take better care of their bodies, and 76% are aware that it will only get harder with age, 69% of the respondents admit that there is room for improvement in their routine because they are not putting enough effort into exercising. Some of the common barriers the women reported for not getting enough exercise included: 49% felt too tired beforehand, 47% felt like exercising was too difficult, and 42% reported that they just didn’t have enough time. 

Motivation appears to be another common barrier with a third of the women reporting that they are not seeing any results from exercising which is giving 12% of them feelings of insecurity and 12% feeling like it is hopeless. Overall, 53% of the respondents said that they would exercise more if they had more motivation, and 34% would exercise more if they had better ways to measure their results.

Confidence is another common barrier with 48% reporting that they would exercise more if they knew how to perform the exercises properly, and 1 in 8 are not even sure that they were capable of completing a workout correctly. Analysis showed that the women were least confident in knowing how to properly do tricep dips, wallsits, and bear crawls. 

“At every age, our bodies undergo changes — some expected, some unexpected,” said Dunja Kokotovic, INTIMINA global brand manager. “As women, we must pay attention to these changes and provide ourselves with the necessary preventative care. Whether in their twenties, thirties, forties, or beyond, women's body deserves the same level of attention and care. By being proactive and addressing any issues early on, women can maintain optimal intimate health throughout their lives. We're committed to helping women embrace the beauty of their bodies at every age and feel confident in their skin, inside and out.”

When asked about potential future health issues and parts of their body that they need to strengthen 43% of the respondents said they should work on their waist, 42% said their hips need to be stronger, 27% said that they should work on their shoulders, and the pelvic floor was one of the lesser considered body parts which could be especially relevant as 62% of the women reported not having a pelvic examination within the past year despite recommendations from professionals. 

39% of the respondents said that they have experienced issues with their pelvic floor but are not being proactive in keeping all bodily areas, even though you can’t see, in shape before it’s too late. When it comes to the pelvic floor and Kegels 62% of the women are not confident that they know how to do them correctly. Case and point would be that 49% believe incorrectly that the best way to do Kegels is by squeezing as hard as possible, 43% think that Kegels are only helpful after a problem arises, and 42% believe that they are going to be too hard to do.

"Every woman deserves to feel confident, comfortable, and empowered in her body,” Kokotovic said. “That's why we're passionate about promoting the benefits of Kegels — not just for intimacy but for overall pelvic health. Kegels are like a secret superpower for women. They may not seem like much, but these simple exercises can work wonders for women's intimate health: prevent leaks, enhance intimacy, and improve overall health.”

“The key is to do them correctly and consistently and make them a part of a daily routine. By doing this, women can take a proactive step towards maintaining their intimate health and enhancing their overall well-being. Kegels can help maintain pelvic health and prevent issues like incontinence, regardless of life stage. Women should embrace the power of Kegels and feel confident in their bodies at every age."

When asked what a woman’s ideal workout routine would consist of the survey revealed that the top 10 exercises were: aerobic exercises ranking first with 43% of the participants voting for it, jumping rope took second place with 41% voting for it, 38% voted for lifting weights, Kegels came in fourth with 34%, running/jogging was fifth with 31%, squats got 29%, yoga ranked seventh with 27%, lunges had 19%, cycling got 16%, and doing planks came in tenth place with 11% of the respondents voting for it. 

Exercising does not have to be boring because there are so many options. Why not try out swimming, pickleball, roller skating, tennis, bowling, frisbee, ping pong, or volleyball? Dancercise classes can add a bit of flare, and ballet, Flamenco, or Zumba can get your heart moving. If you want to be more adventurous you could even try out fencing, kickboxing, rock climbing, gymnastics, paintball, laser tag, or a form of martial arts. 

If you pick out something that you like to do which is fun the chances are that you will stick with it long term. You don’t have to do the same things all of the time, there’s nothing stopping you from mixing it up. Additionally, studies show that if you do an activity with a friend(s) you are more likely to make that a habit as well, as a plus this helps to create an even stronger social bond which is a win-win situation. Maybe you have a friend who has been strength training for years and can offer you some pointers, or a friend who wants to try out water polo? You don’t need to exercise with a friend(s) all the time, but every now and then can help to shake things up. Variety is said to be the spice of life after all.