HASTINGS, Minn., Jan. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans have sufficient time to exercise, but they don't make it a priority.  They do claim, however, that they're willing to make changes to improve their overall health and fitness. Those are among the major findings of Anytime Fitness' annual 'Weight of the Union' survey, examining the current state of health and fitness in America.

Anytime Fitness surveyed adults from all over the country and found that while over 80 percent of Americans classify themselves as "active" or "somewhat active," over 70 percent still want to increase their current activity level. The majority have a goal weight (71 percent), but almost three-fourths of those with a goal weight are above that ideal.

"Making weight loss goals too big can make getting started feel daunting," said Shannon Fable, Director of Exercise Programming at Anytime Fitness. "The key is to come up with one manageable goal that you can begin acting on immediately. Then, once you've made progress there, continue making changes to keep on your path to self-improvement. It can be as simple as making sure you get your 8 glasses of water a day or walking half an hour more each week than you do right now."

HOW TO KICKSTART YOUR NEW HEALTHY DIET:  http://blog.anytimefitness.com/kickstart-new-healthy-diet/

Almost two-thirds of Americans say they have enough time to exercise more than they already do and most are willing to make changes. When asked what they would consider doing in the next six months to improve their quality of life, the majority of respondents were open to making more time for physical activity (81 percent), changing a bad habit (71 percent), eating five fruits and vegetables a day (77 percent) and reducing stress (76 percent).

"At Anytime Fitness, our mission is to help people get to a healthier place, no matter what their fitness goals are," said Stacy Anderson, Chief Marketing Officer of Anytime Fitness. "Joining a gym can be an intimidating experience.  But surrounding yourself with others who are simply trying be a little better today than they were yesterday can be a tremendous source of inspiration."

Additional noteworthy findings from the survey include:

• Almost all (88 percent) adults have been dissatisfied with their weight or physical shape at some point in time. One-third (33 percent) remember first feeling dissatisfied when they were under the age of 18.
• Adults are not addicted to the scale with 80 percent of respondents saying that description is "not at all like me."
• Monetary incentives and accountability are effective motivators to increase activity level. The top motivator is a health scare or a fear of poor health (69 percent).
• Four in 10 people agree that they could use some help getting started on a fitness program.

Anytime Fitness is the world's fastest-growing gym franchise, and was recently ranked No. 2 on Entrepreneur magazine's annual Franchise 500® list.  Anytime Fitness was also named "One of America's Most Promising Companies" by Forbes, honored by Chief Executive magazine with its inaugural "Leadership" award, and named the "Best Place to Work" by Minnesota Business magazine three years in a row.

About Anytime Fitness

Founded in 2002, Anytime Fitness is the fastest-growing gym franchise in the world, with nearly 3,000 gyms serving more than 2,000,000 members on five continents. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness prides itself on providing its members with convenient and affordable fitness options in friendly, well-maintained facilities which feature top-quality exercise equipment. Gyms are now open in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Grand Cayman, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Qatar, India, Chile, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.  All franchised gyms are individually owned and operated.  Join one gym and use them all.  Members also enjoy free access to AnytimeHealth.com, the most comprehensive wellness website available. 

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SOURCE Anytime Fitness

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