Searching for self-improvement in all the wrong places.

Searching for self-improvement in all the wrong places

Feeling empty inside? It might be your group fitness habit.

The Atlantic published an article last December discussing how church attendance is down and gym attendance is up. Younger generations (Millennials, in particular) are eschewing church and finding alternative means of social connection and meaning—namely in the form of group exercise classes.

The article goes on to explain why group fitness culture is so alluring: classes promise self-improvement through rigorous exercise, practiced in an environment where intensity is celebrated and sweat is plentiful.

As I read the article, I was immediately transported to my early career when I worked as a fitness instructor. The walk down memory lane left me feeling frustrated and angry. Though I saw clients benefit from exercise, I saw how damaging a fixation on fitness could be.

Zan Romanoff, who penned the Atlantic piece, points out some of these dangers. Fitness class attendees are motivated by the notion that “better,” “harder,” and “faster” are all inextricably linked, which can lead to a frustration, injury, and more.

Another danger of the fitness community is the obsession with appearance: how you look is the most important outcome. The promised self-improvement (which, necessarily, requires some emotional work) gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list, bumped by whatever it takes to have a better body.

This fixation on physical appearance is one of the reasons I left the fitness industry and started an adventure travel company. I wanted my clients to have an opportunity to use their fitness in ways that would enrich their lives. I wanted to guide others through experiences that would celebrate the pursuit of both physical and emotional wellbeing.

Exercise outside of travel is important for healthy living—but the end goal can be so much more than an obsession with what you see in the mirror. When fitness is used as preparation for travel, you open the doors to see more places and experience truer parts of other cultures, to move beyond tourists centers and connect with local communities.

My years living and working abroad were the times of my life I felt most vulnerable, but also the periods where I saw significant change in myself: I developed into a stronger woman who was more self-assured and more willing to try new things.

When our fitness allows us to travel outside of our comfort zone, our mental health also benefits. I challenge everyone to reexamine the role of fitness in their lives. Imagine that countless hours sweating in spin class were preparation for a bicycle tour through Vietnam, or that your epic climbs on the stairmaster were building endurance for a hike through the mountains of Guatemala. What new experiences could you have if your workout classes became a stepping stone to the world around you?

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