Work out, doom scroll, order out, repeat: NSW health habits revealed and how it compares nationally

NSW is home to some of the most committed cardio junkies in the nation – but while we strive to maintain good exercise routines, a few bad habits are letting us down

Simone Doulaveras, founder of The Loft Pilates and Barre in Caringbah. She is using her classes to combat tech neck which occurs due to office working/hunching over phones and computers, contributing to neck injuries and poor posture and how she is training people to counteract that behaviour., Picture: Richard Dobson

We’re all guilty of a bad habit or two when it comes to our health, but NSW residents have the rest of Australia beat when it comes to wanting to work up a sweat.

Less than 10 per cent of NSW locals said they would keep skipping workouts and living a sedentary life, according to a survey of 1000 Aussies’ unhealthy habits by iSelect, with just 9.8 per cent sticking to sedentary habits.

Meanwhile, Victorians were the most likely to procrastinate exercise, racking up 12.7 per cent.

Almost 14 per cent of NSW residents responded they weren’t willing to give up extensive screen time, the lowest across the country, while South Australia ranked first, with 21.1 per cent refusing to ditch doomscrolling.

But while we’re the most motivated to move our bodies and stop using our screens, NSW did top the table as the state most likely to be hooked on using food delivery services and online shopping. 

Seventeen per cent of NSW locals responded they couldn’t give up UberEats and MenuLog compared to South Australia’s 15.5 per cent, while 15.1 per cent of us can’t quit online shopping compared to Victorians’ 13.8 per cent.

NSW residents are among the fittest, but still have a few bad habits. Picture: Richard Dobson

Australian Medical Association President Danielle McMullen said that while people shouldn’t have to feel guilty for the odd treat, over-reliance on delivery food was a habit worth abandoning.“ As part of a healthy, active lifestyle, we recommend people eat most of their meals home cooked, because then you can really know exactly what’s in it and make sure you’re getting plenty of fresh veggies and lean meats,” she said.

“Obviously we all lead busy lives and the occasional treat of some takeaway is okay … but the ordering of takeaway beyond that does risk your health.”

Ms McMullen also had advice for the doomscrollers among us.

“Screen time is really harmful for both our physical and mental health … it’s one of the main contributors to us sitting more than standing and moving around, which isn’t great for our physical health,” she said.

“Time that you’re in front of your screen and even on social media is time away from engaging with family and friends in real life. In small doses, online communities can be supportive, but we know that scrolling on your phone for hours on end keeps you sitting down too long and not engaging in other social activities.”

Simone Doulaveras, founder of The Loft Pilates and Barre in Caringbah said she was not surprised NSW residents were the most dedicated to their fitness in the nation. Picture: Richard Dobson

The study also found more than half of Aussies were unwilling to give up their caffeine fix, with 54.5 per cent responding they were not willing to give up coffee even if it was deemed unhealthy. 

More than a third wouldn’t give up alcohol or sugary treats.

But Loft Pilates owner Simone Doulaveras said she wasn’t surprised that NSW residents were the best at sweating it out and sticking to it.

“NSW (has) by far has the fittest local government areas. During our research and our territory mapping we definitely saw way more viable opportunities to open franchises within NSW versus the rest of the country,” she said.

For those keen to get themselves out of the 10 per cent who regularly skip workouts, Ms Doulaveras offered a handful of tips to make sweating it out a habit - chiefly, that “consistency is key”.

“It’s not necessarily about smashing yourself at the gym one day and then taking three days off. It’s about really implementing daily rituals and daily things to do for your wellness and keeping that consistency is where you really see the results,” she said.

“It’s all about the long-term gains … essentially just living longer and healthier. People want a happy, healthy body that is able to move and function and they want to feel good.”

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Originally published as Work out, doom scroll, order out, repeat: NSW health habits revealed and how it compares nationally