A poll of 2,000 Brits found that fitness goals are abandoned after an average of 33 days, with 37% of people giving up within 30 days of starting.
Over a third (36%) struggle to stay motivated once the initial excitement wears off, while one quarter find it difficult to fit exercise around work and family commitments.
Recovery as a barrier
It also emerged that 55% believe the recovery process gets in the way, with 89% admitting they have pushed through their tiredness to meet their step count or fitness target.
Despite this, 82% said improving their physical health remains one of their top priorities, and 54% hope to exercise more regularly over the next 12 months.
What would help stay on track
When asked what would help them stay on track, 27% wanted more time in their schedule, as 34% admitted they find it hard to fit exercise around everyday commitments. A fifth cited more motivation or encouragement, and 19% wanted a clearer routine or plan to follow.
Olympic medallist Max Whitlock, who has partnered with Samsung for the launch of the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, which commissioned the research, said: "Recovery isn't the reward for training, it's part of the training."
The recovery gap
The study, carried out via OnePoll.com, also found 25% actively plan rest and recovery days into their routine. However, 16% only take rest days when they feel sore, tired or run down.
Even though 48% agree that rest and recovery are just as important as exercise, 18% find it hard to prioritise them, leading to a growing recovery gap between exercise and rest.
Adults were more likely to base their assessment of how their body is responding to rest and recovery on how they feel physically (53%) or their level of tiredness (40%), rather than taking a set approach (15%). Only 23% admitted to resting and recovering properly.
When asked what the biggest impact would be if respondents had access to personalised recovery insights, 34% said they would know when they need to rest and recover. And 70% agreed that understanding how their body is responding to training and recovery would help them improve their fitness or performance.
Annika Bizon, a spokesperson for the brand, added: "More people are taking their fitness seriously and challenging themselves to achieve more, but our research shows there's still a gap between how people train and how they recover - in many ways, we're training like athletes but recovering like amateurs."
