According to new research, nearly a third (32%) of people surveyed in the South East intend to use a health and fitness app to help reach their 2026 fitness goals.
More than half (52%) say the main benefit is the motivation it provides – citing reminders, progress tracking and goal tools as key to helping them stay on track.
Commissioned by social enterprise GLL, which runs 4 Better leisure centres in Reading, the research accompanies the launch of a new Live Better app. Two thousand people were surveyed nationwide, with just under four in ten people in the South East (38%) saying they want to get fitter and improve their overall health this coming year, and 34% saying they aim to reduce stress and improve their mental health.
Apps are increasingly seen as a way of supporting both goals, particularly as they can combine physical activity with progress tracking and wellbeing features.
Top reasons for using them include diet or nutrition tracking (19%), mental health or mindfulness (16%) and sleep monitoring (15%).
Digital fitness tools are also helping people overcome barriers that stop them exercising in traditional settings. For instance, 33% of respondents in the South East say they sometimes prefer to exercise at home for reasons of convenience or privacy.
At the same time, 35% say they would be prevented from going to a gym or leisure centre if they felt uncomfortable or intimidated and 21% feel an unpredictable or overly busy work schedule can stop them from going to a gym or leisure centre altogether.
When asked what matters most in supporting their fitness routines, privacy and being able to exercise without feeling judged or watched is the top priority (34%). Cost is most important for 26%, while short workouts that can be fitted into busy days between meetings is a consideration for 23% of those surveyed in the South East.
These needs align closely with the benefits people associate with fitness apps – with 28% saying apps allow them to work out whenever it suits them and 37% saying it helps them stay active when they don’t want to exercise around others.
Taken together, the findings suggest that as people set fitness goals for 2026, health and fitness apps are well placed to play a central role.
By combining motivation, flexibility, privacy and accessibility, the new Live Better platform is designed to help people find realistic ways to stay active and support their overall wellbeing. Free to existing Better members, the Live Better app costs £9.50 per month for non-members.
For more information, visit https://www.better.org.uk/memberships/live-better
