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Why Are We Still Obsessed With Shrinking Ourselves When It Comes to Exercise?

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Why Are We Still Obsessed With Shrinking Ourselves When It Comes to Exercise?

Nobody who grew up in the 90s and lived through the toxic diet culture of that time has really ever believed that body positivity was a magic fix that could save us all. Maybe some of us hoped, or were cheered by green shoots of things seeming different for a younger generation. But in our heart of hearts, if we were still looking in the mirror and finding it hard to quiet certain negative thoughts, it would likely not be long until society regressed. And sadly, following the rise of Ozempic the insipid creep of super-skinny feels like it’s back. And if you were feeling it, sadly there’s now evidence too.

A new study by Asics, out today, found that online searches for “weight loss exercises” have increased 552% in the last year, with searches for “quick weight loss” increasing by 581% year-on-year. The number of videos solely focused on “exercise + weight loss” has increased by 204%, 33% more than videos focused on exercise and mental health. The multitude of benefits of exercise are being completely lost in an all-consuming pursuit of shrinking.

And while it’s of course your prerogative how you spend your time and life, the fact is the study also found that in fact, the content isn’t always beneficial and in fact 42% said the volume of “quick weight loss” content has made them feel worse about themselves and less motivated to exercise.

To try and combat this, Asics have launched an “alternative weight loss message”, meaning that when people search for online weight loss content, they will be directed to content that reminds people of the other benefits of exercise. The campaign includes a series of videos that instead highlight that just 15 minutes of exercise can take the weight off our minds.

One of those involved in the campaign is influencer and body positivity campaigner, Emily Clarkson. The podcast host said that she was “disappointed, but not surprised” by the outcome of the survey.

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“We are truly seeing a resurgence of diet culture,” she told PS UK. “And in lots of ways it feels as if the brilliant body confidence movement has been parked, and as often happens with trend cycles, the ‘thinspiration’ of my own teenage life is back in.

“I’d beg you please to remember that you weren’t put here on this earth just to make yourself small.”

“It frightens me honestly, as I know the hugely detrimental effects that that time had on my own mental health and relationship with exercise and my body, and I feel that young people’s exposure to it now, with the pervasive and relentless nature of the internet, is going to be hugely damaging. Whilst for us it was written on the walls; in the magazines and on the lips of our mothers, now it really is everywhere, and the genius of the algorithm will make it almost impossible to escape.

“I’m always disappointed to think that those profiting in the fitness industry are still so happy to play to people’s insecurities in order to make their success, but it’s hardly surprising when you look to the success of that formula across the beauty industry. I suppose it’s harder to sell a warm fuzzy feeling, and much easier to sell a transformation, at least whilst we live in a world that says thin is good, thin is beautiful, thin is successful. It’s such an easy thing to manipulate, the relationship between thinness and exercise and so it’s hardly surprising huge sectors of the fitness industry are happy to do it. And even less surprising that we, as the customers, are falling for it.”

While 72% of people believe society’s obsession with the perfect body image is bad for people’s mental health, what can we actually do to make a shift? The fact is, the mindset of shrinking continues to be pervasive, behind the positive instagrams they post, in the searches they’re making.

“First and foremost I’d beg you please to remember that you weren’t put here on this earth just to make yourself small,” says Clarkson. “There IS more to your life than that. And I don’t want you to look up in 50 years time and wonder why all your energy went on shrinking yourself, on taking up less space, when you could have been out there living, big and bold, as you deserve.

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“Exercise can be so great. But it can be horrible too. The difference, is mindset. When I exercised because I hated myself, it was awful. Obviously. How could it not have been? How could anything positive have come from hate? When I started exercising for other reasons; because I wanted (needed) to escape my head, because I thought trying climbing, pole dancing or spinning might be fun, because my friend asked me to try something new, because I wanted to see what I could do, because I wanted to show up for myself and be proud of myself and do something cool, for myself? Well that’s when it started being great. The exercise stayed the same, but the way I thought about it changed. And that’s the magic.”

Psychologist Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo explained how the mindset of exercise just for weight loss can be so damaging. “Evidence suggests that quick-fix weight loss, through diet and exercise fads, often leads to only short-term gains and negative long-term consequences,” she says. “The desire to lose weight quickly, perpetuated by societal norms and pervasive digital weight loss content, can be damaging to self-esteem and self-worth, as people strive for an ideal that society has cultivated.

“The result can cause people to obsess over using exercise only as a way to change appearances. What often gets overlooked is the power of movement to support better overall health.

“Everything I thought I knew about exercise changed, I realised that in order to really do it well I needed to eat properly to fuel myself.”

“Therefore, reframing our relationship with exercise is crucial. Moving our bodies releases dopamine which boosts mood, reduces stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and has long-term benefits for anxiety reduction. And we don’t always need to engage in ‘formal’ exercise for these benefits. Activities such as running, playing games in a park or even going up and down the stairs are all movements that can contribute to overall improved wellbeing.”

It sounds great, but as many of us who have tried to make the shift know, it can be a lifelong trial. Look at the example recently of former Love Island contestant Paige Thorne feeling comfortable to tell her thousands of fans she needed a “punisher” exercise and eating day. The messages are everywhere and hard to block out, before you even attempt an internal struggle.

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For Emily, she said that mindset change took time – but is possible. “It was an accumulation of things; I was doing a lot of work to heal my relationship with my body and with myself, I was really trying to learn how to love myself, in every sense of the word, and at the right time, someone asked if I wanted to run a marathon,” she says.

“Whilst I was training for that I watched all the old patterns, the old thought processes, the old way of exercising, fall apart. And it was great. Everything I thought I knew about exercise changed, I realised that in order to really do it well I needed to eat properly to fuel myself, I realised that how far I got that day was so much cooler and more important than how much I weighed that day, I realised in those long and lonely training runs that thoughts of ‘Yes Em, you can do this, you’re amazing, look how far you’ve come, look how well you’re doing, this is so badass’ were so much more effective than ‘Come on you massive lump, you’re a loser who everyone hates, you can’t do this, just give up’.

“When you set yourself a challenge like that, you have to be a cheerleader, because otherwise you can’t do it. And when you start cheering for yourself, you start wanting the best for yourself, and when you start wanting that, you realise that you’ll no longer accept horrible exercises and skipping meals and feeling like shit about everything you do, because it isn’t conducive to your won success. So for me it was a marathon, but I’d say it just needs to be something that requires you to get behind yourself.”

To find out more about ASICS’ alternative weight loss message, go to www.asics.com/15minuteweightloss


Rhiannon Evans is the interim content director at PS UK. Rhiannon has been a journalist for 17 years, starting at local newspapers before moving to work for Heat magazine and Grazia. As a senior editor at Grazia, she helped launch parenting brand The Juggle, worked across brand partnerships, and launched the “Grazia Life Advice” podcast. An NCE-qualified journalist (yes, with a 120-words-per-minute shorthand), she has written for The Guardian, Vice and Refinery29.

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Multi Gym Exercise Equipment Home Fitness Sale Relaunched by Strongway Gym Supplies

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Multi Gym Exercise Equipment Home Fitness Sale Relaunched by Strongway Gym Supplies

Coventry, UK – January 20, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –

Strongway Gym Supplies has relaunched sales of multi-gym exercise equipment through its online store. The units combine several training stations into a single frame, now available for home fitness users across the United Kingdom.

The multi-gym systems feature press stations, cable crossover points, lat pulldown bars, and leg extension attachments mounted on unified steel frames. This consolidated approach addresses space limitations common in residential properties where dedicating separate areas for each exercise type isn’t practical. Most units occupy a footprint between three and four square metres once fully assembled, though the exact dimensions vary depending on which attachments come included.

Weight resistance operates through either plate-loaded systems or pin-selected weight stacks. Plate-loaded models require users to manually add or remove weight plates between exercises, similar to how barbells are adjusted. Pin-selected stacks let users change resistance by moving a pin up or down through pre-set weight increments, which speeds up transitions during circuit training but adds to the initial equipment cost.

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The press stations accommodate chest pressing movements with adjustable seat heights and backrest angles. Some models include separate shoulder press stations positioned at different angles to the main chest press, isolating deltoid work without repositioning the entire body. Handles attach via rotating joints that follow natural pressing arcs rather than forcing fixed paths that might strain shoulder joints.

Mandip Walia, Co-Director at Strongway Gym Supplies, said the relaunch responds to consistent interest in equipment that handles multiple training goals without sprawling across entire rooms. “Most people don’t have dedicated gym spaces the size of a commercial facility,” he remarked. “They’ve got a garage, a spare bedroom, maybe a section of the basement. The multi-gym concept works because it stacks functions vertically and keeps the floor space contained. Someone can work chest, back, legs, and arms all from the same piece of kit.”

Cable systems run through the frame with high and low pulley positions. High pulleys handle lat pulldowns, tricep extensions, and cable crunches. Low pulleys work for seated rows, bicep curls, and upright rows. The cables themselves use steel construction with nylon or rubber coating, rated for thousands of repetitions before needing replacement.

Further details about the multifunction home gym machine can be viewed at: https://strongway.co.uk/products/strongway-multi-gym-with-weights-multifunction-home-gym-machine.

Leg stations vary between models but typically include either leg extension attachments, leg curl mechanisms, or both. These stations use padded rollers positioned above or below the ankle, with resistance applied through the cable system or direct weight plate loading. The range of motion adjusts to accommodate different leg lengths, preventing the rollers from sitting too high on the shin or too low near the foot.

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Seat and backrest adjustments use pin-and-hole systems similar to commercial gym equipment. Padding thickness ranges from two to four centimetres, depending on the model, with vinyl or synthetic leather covers that resist sweat absorption. Stitching around high-wear areas like seat edges gets reinforced to prevent tearing during regular use.

Frame construction uses steel tubing with wall thicknesses between two and three millimetres. Powder coating protects against rust, particularly relevant in garage environments where humidity fluctuates. Bolt-together assembly means the frames can be disassembled if relocation becomes necessary, though the weight of assembled units often exceeds 150 kilograms.

Additional information regarding home fitness equipment is available at: https://strongway.co.uk/collections/home-fitness.

Randeep Walia, Co-Director at Strongway Gym Supplies, remarked that the equipment reflects how home training has shifted over recent years. “People used to think they needed free weights for everything or nothing at all,” he explained. “The multi gym bridges that gap. It’s structured enough that beginners don’t feel lost trying to figure out proper form, but it’s versatile enough that experienced users can still get quality sessions in. That’s the balance these units try to strike.”

The company handles dispatch across mainland UK addresses with delivery timelines specified during checkout. The equipment ships in multiple packages due to component size. Assembly instructions walk through the process step by step, though having two people available makes handling the heavier frame sections considerably easier.

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The full product range can be accessed at: https://strongway.co.uk/.

The relaunch comes as home fitness equipment maintains steady demand among UK consumers. Multi-gym systems appeal to users wanting structured training options without monthly gym memberships or the space requirements of separate machines for each muscle group.

###

For more information about Strongway Gym Supplies, contact the company here:

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Strongway Gym Supplies
Mandip Walia
+44-800-001-6093
sales@strongway.co.uk
Strongway Gym Supplies, 26 The Pavilion, Coventry CV3 1QP, United Kingdom

Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. XPRMedia and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases@xpr.media

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Exercise ‘Snacks’ Throughout Your Day Have Real Health Benefits, Study Finds

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Exercise ‘Snacks’ Throughout Your Day Have Real Health Benefits, Study Finds

Your fitness tracker might be telling you that you need 10,000 steps, 30 minutes of cardio or even an hour at the gym every day. But what if you could improve your health in just a few minutes a day? A growing body of research suggests you can.

“Exercise snacks” are brief bursts of vigorous exercise, typically lasting one minute or less, scattered throughout your day. Think climbing a few flights of stairs, doing some squats during a work break, or a quick burst of jumping jacks before lunch.

Unlike traditional workouts, these “snacks” aren’t done back-to-back – they’re spread across your waking hours, separated by one to four hours of your regular activities such as working, commuting, or watching TV.

Related: Scientists Identify The Optimal Number of Daily Steps For Longevity, And It’s Not 10,000

The concept differs from high-intensity interval training (Hiit), where you might do multiple intense bursts of activity within a single 20-minute workout. Exercise snacks are more like grazing throughout the day rather than sitting down for a full meal.

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A recent meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that in previously sedentary adults, exercise snacks significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, a measure of how well your heart and lungs work during physical activity.

The review concluded that these bite-sized workouts delivered meaningful health benefits, with an impressive 83% of participants sticking to their routines for up to three months.

Why exercise snacking works

Around a third of adults worldwide don’t get enough physical activity. When asked why, the answers are almost always the same: no time and no motivation. Exercise snacks tackle both barriers head-on.

In a 2019 study, sedentary young adults were asked to vigorously climb a three-flight stairwell three times per day – with one to four hours of recovery between bouts. Each session also included a brief warm-up of jumping jacks, squats, and lunges.

After six weeks, the stair climbers showed significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness compared to a control group – a key marker linked to longevity and reduced cardiovascular disease risk.

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What’s particularly striking about exercise snacks is their efficiency. While current guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, exercise snacks can deliver measurable benefits in far less time – sometimes just a few minutes daily.

Related: Microdosing Exercise in Tiny Bursts Works – But There’s 1 Golden Rule

A 2024 randomised controlled trial compared stair-climbing exercise snacks to 40 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling three times weekly. Remarkably, the exercise snacks group – doing three 30-second, all-out stair climbs per session – improved their fitness by 7%, while the cycling group showed no significant change.

The potential benefits extend beyond fitness. A large-scale study of over 25,000 adults who didn’t exercise found that those who accumulated just three to four minutes of vigorous activity daily through activities such as fast walking or climbing stairs had a 40% lower risk of dying from any cause. They also had a nearly 50% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who did none.

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There’s evidence that exercise snacks have blood sugar benefits, too. Research has shown that brief, intense exercise snacks performed before meals can reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes in people with insulin resistance (a precursor to type 2 diabetes) – potentially good news for anyone concerned about their metabolic health.

The best exercise snacks

The beauty of exercise snacks is their flexibility. You don’t need special equipment, a gym membership, or to even change your clothes. Here are some practical ways to incorporate them into your day:

Stair climbing is perhaps the most researched exercise snack. If you work in an office building or live in a block of flats, you’ve got free exercise equipment at your disposal.

woman running up stairs
Working in an office building means you’ve got free exercise equipment at your disposal. (Nikada/Getty Images Signature/Canva)

Try climbing vigorously – fast enough that you’re breathing hard by the top – for 20-60 seconds, two to three times throughout your day. Earlier research found that women who progressively increased their stair climbing to five ascents daily saw a 17% improvement in fitness after just eight weeks.

Walking bursts count too, provided they’re vigorous. Try doing a brisk one-minute walk around the office or a quick lap of your garden a few times a day. But in order to see benefits, you’ve got to make sure the pace is quick enough that holding a conversation becomes difficult.

Related: A Few Minutes of Exercise Today Could Do Wonders For Your Brain Tomorrow

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Bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges or wall push-ups can be done almost anywhere. Try a set of ten squats every time you make a cup of tea or some wall push-ups before lunch. The key is intensity – you should feel your heart rate rise and be slightly out of breath.

Consistency matters more than perfection when it comes to exercise snacks. The research shows that even very brief sessions – as short as 20 seconds – can contribute to fitness improvements so long as they’re repeated regularly.

The trick is building these snacks into existing habits. Climb stairs before your morning coffee. Do squats during TV adverts. Take a brisk walk after finishing a work call.

Exercise snacks won’t replace the full range of benefits you’d get from a comprehensive fitness programme. But for the millions of us who struggle to find time for traditional workouts, they offer a practical entry point – one backed by increasingly robust science.

The biggest gains in health happen when someone goes from doing nothing to doing something. So next time you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or have a few minutes between meetings, consider having an exercise snack. Your heart will thank you.The Conversation

Jack McNamara, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, University of East London

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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This budget fitness tracker is an excellent Fitbit alternative

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This budget fitness tracker is an excellent Fitbit alternative

Why you can trust Live Science


Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best ones for you. Find out more about how we test.

Choosing from the best fitness trackers available can feel overwhelming at times — how can you differentiate them? How do you know if they have all the features you’re looking for? This is why we spend weeks testing fitness trackers, to help gather the information you need to make an informed decision.

When it comes to the Motorola Moto Watch Fit, there was a lot to like and only a few things that turned us off. However, when you consider the price of this fitness tracker, there isn’t much to grumble about. We loved the amount of yoga types you could select from, the personalized workout screen that took minutes, if not seconds, to sort, the Velcro-adjustable strap, the battery life, the sleep tracking and the durability of the Gorilla Glass screen.

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