Gyms have stopped being just a space for athletes and have become routine for millions of Brazilians. Investments in fitness routines have increased, healthy meals have become more commonplace, and morning (and nighttime) runs have gained dozens of posts on social media. Suddenly, part of the population is concerned with maintaining this lifestyle. After all, is this transformation of habits really driven by concern for our future health or by the social eagerness to follow trends?
The Boom of the Fitness Life
In recent years, the pursuit of a healthy life has gone from being a choice for a few to a true national fever. Social media amplifies a routine where workouts, meal preps, and defined bodies are celebrated as synonymous with success.
The health gym and training center market has experienced significant growth in Brazil, making it one of the economy’s most promising sectors. In the city of Curitiba, in Paraná alone, the number of gyms has grown nearly 50% over the last decade.
The entrepreneur, investor, and mentor in the fitness market, André Lago Soares, argues that the COVID pandemic pause was a factor that awakened people’s awareness to pay attention to quality of life and health care. “The large mass is between 30 and 50 years old, older folks are getting moving too. It’s the era of wellness, right?”
Training to Live or Living to Train?
Weight training used to be common only for some, done with the purpose of getting strong and muscular. Nowadays, the purpose often boils down to boosting self-esteem, stopping being a whiner, or even being that person who can handle pressure.
Dr. Claudio Ambrosio, endocrinologist and allergist, states: “It’s not a transient thing, it’s a trend” and adds that, in this case, many of his patients are adults whose concerns go beyond aesthetics to future health.
This trend has become routine in digital communities. Influencers constantly post about their gym visits, nighttime runs, and super healthy meal preps. Driven by the fear of missing out on the fad, many have jumped into this fitness lifestyle, the era of wellness.
But is this quest for gyms and healthier lifestyles for health or aesthetics? “Aesthetics. They may talk about health, but in reality, people want to be recognized. Everyone has that space ‘I want to be seen,’ the world is cold because of screens,” argues André, adding that in his future projects he plans to create gyms more adaptable to society, with Instagram-worthy and welcoming spaces. “People are craving relationships.”
On the other hand, this healthy life becomes conflicting when it comes to consistency. According to the Wod Guru website, 50% of new members drop out in the first six months, and 12% of gym enrollments start in January, the peak month.
Data like this raises suspicion: if it were truly for health, the consistency of these new enrollments would be more noticeable. Without a doubt, the most frequent students stick around longer because they start seeing results, making them proud of the hard work they’ve put in so far.
The Impact on Different Generations
When it comes to Generation Z, the shift in habits and greater gym frequency has led many young people to ditch vapes and cigarettes for hours of movement and sweat. It’s still a rare and almost imperceptible phenomenon in society, but many young people have already skipped parties or bars because they had to run at six in the morning the next day.
Adults and seniors also reap positive impacts from healthy habits. Beyond improving physical conditioning and strengthening muscles, exercises that seem simple become indispensable for the mental health of older generations.
“The world that’s coming, the challenging world, demands emotional structure. And training helps with that,” debates the entrepreneur. “The more active you are, the fewer health problems you have. It even replaces psychological meds.” André Soares believes this fitness wave and the wellness generation are here to stay and will multiply.
What Remains After the Selfie? The Pursuit of Health Beyond Aesthetics
The aesthetics of the perfect body, workouts shared on apps (like Gym Rats and Strava), and the healthy routine displayed on social media lay bare a phenomenon that goes beyond vanity: the fitness life has become part of the collective consciousness. Even if many join the gym driven by visual standards or social media popularity, it’s undeniable that this trend has sparked a broader interest in health, discipline, and quality of life.
Thus – whether for aesthetics or one’s own future health – this fever is benign and should become increasingly present in people’s routines, across all age groups.
What starts as a fad can gradually solidify into a habit — and that’s where the reflection lies. The fitness movement doesn’t have to be purely aesthetic or superficial. It can — and should — pave the way for deeper, more accessible, and lasting self-care. In the end, the lingering question isn’t just “why are people jumping into this lifestyle?”, but rather “what are they truly gaining from it for themselves?”
EDUARDA DE NADAI GENERATO
Journalist