Brits to Spend £795 to Keep Motivated with Fitness Before the End of the Year After an Inspiring Summer of Sport

Following a busy summer of sport, new research* from the Vitality American Express® Credit Card shows that on average Brits are planning to spend £795* to keep motivated on their health and fitness journeys for the rest of 2024. For the average adult, this includes £17.50 a month on gym memberships, £15.30 on sportswear and £9.70 on fitness apps and subscriptions to stay on top of their fitness goals by the end of the year.

Stay fit, stay warm!

As the days get shorter, colder and darker, changing seasons can make it challenging to keep motivated with two-thirds (67%) of Brits surveyed agreeing that changes in the seasons impact their fitness routine. Cold weather (51%) and darkness (49%) are the most common challenges.

Despite the seasonal change, Brits say there are plenty of reasons to stick to their fitness targets. The mental health benefit that exercise brings is the biggest motivator during winter,
with 43% of Brits saying this keeps them motivated. The ability to workout indoors (29%) or eat comfort food post-workout (19%) are also popular motivators.

Over half (52%) of UK adults said they would be motivated to exercise more if they earned cashback as they participated in activities to keep fit. Vitality American Express® Card Members can do just that, earning bonus cashback based on their monthly activity**. With a qualifying VitalityHealth or VitalityLife insurance plan, or both, Card Members can translate
their Vitality activity points - earned from exercising - into bonus cashback.  The more plans and points they have, the higher the cashback rate on their spending. This booster allows Card Members to earn up to £20 extra cashback every month, on top of the 1% cashback they already earn on their everyday spending, as standard.

The American Express Vitality Cashback Calculator shows potential Card Members just how much extra they could earn.

A summer of sporting inspiration

A bumper summer of sport is also inspiring the nation to keep fit, with almost a quarter (24%) saying they are influenced to spend more on fitness.

Of those inspired by the summer’s sporting moments, 37% said they were motivated by running events. Swimming (36%), football (31%) and cycling (28%) were the next most inspiring sports events for UK adults this summer. 

It can often be the human side to sport that inspires. A quarter (26%) of Brits have been inspired by specific sports personalities to exercise more, rising to more than half (54%) of Gen Z adults.

Nikki Edelman, Vice President, American Express: “After an unparalleled summer of sport, many Brits have been inspired to lace up their shoes, pick up their racquets and hit their fitness goals. As the cooler months approach, it is often perceived to be a challenging time to stay motivated, but with 85% of survey respondents planning to keep up their physical health and fitness this winter, Brits up and down the country will be pushing their way through the colder months, with Vitality American Express Card Members able to earn cashback as they do so.”

Jonny Kibble, Head of Physical Exercise at Vitality shares his tips for staying active in the colder months: “Staying motivated in the winter can always be a big hurdle for people to overcome, but maintaining your activity levels in the colder, darker months is not only great for your physical health but also your mental health too. The autumn and winter seasons can often feel like the weather is raining on your parade, especially after enjoying the summer sun so it’s important to have a back-up plan. If you regularly exercise outside, having some indoor alternatives you can use instead will help you to stay motivated and on track whatever the weather. Equally, focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t do. Exercise is meant to be fun, so if you’ve enjoyed spending the summer going for regular cycles with friends in the park, why not find an indoor alternative you can do with the same people, such as spin. Choosing something that fits in better with the seasons, will keep you on track and help you to do the activities you enjoy.”

Walk in the park 

When it comes to exercise, walking is the nation’s favourite way to keep fit. Half (50%) of Brits use walking as a way to exercise, with the gym (20%) and running (17%) the next most popular activities. Football is the most popular team sport amongst UK adults; a tenth (10%) of those we spoke to play football at least once a week.

The Vitality American Express® Credit Card is Representative 42.4% APR variable for VitalityLife members and 31.0% Representative APR variable for VitalityHealth members. 18+. Terms and conditions apply. Subject to status.

ENDS

NOTES 

*Research was conducted by Opinium. Sample was of 2,000 UK adults (18+). Results were weighted to be nationally representative. Fieldwork took place
06-10 September 2024.

**Vitality members are entitled to up to 50% off monthly gym memberships with their health and life insurance

Health insurance

50% discount applies to Personal Healthcare with a minimum premium from £44 a month, Business Healthcare and Corporate Healthcare with Vitality Plus.

40% discount applies to Corporate Healthcare with Vitality Select and Vitality at Work plans.

Life insurance

40% discount applies to life insurance plans with a minimum premium of £25 a month.   

50% discount applies to any life insurance plan with Vitality Plus (minimum premium of £45 a month, plus an additional monthly fee of £4.75, or £60 a month plus £9.50 a month for joint plans)

The Vitality American Express Credit Card boosts cashback on the Card spend when members get active and is available to all members with qualifying health insurance or life insurance plans.