Where Did the “Normal” Fit People Go?

Somehow, the fitness world became a circus of extremes.

On one end, you’ve got the “I hate my body so I’ll buy this 6-week shred program” crowd. Cue the sad piano music, before and after photos, and the promise that you too can look like a stock photo if you just cut out joy (and carbs).

On the other, the “rise and grind” brigade, those who wake up at 4:59 a.m., down a black coffee with creatine, run a casual 20 km, and still hit the gym before their “active recovery” sauna selfie. Their favourite words? “No excuses.”

Both sides are loud. Both sell products. And both kind of miss the point.

Where’s the middle ground?

You know, the people who go to the gym a few times a week, walk their dog, eat balanced meals, and still enjoy a burger without spiralling into guilt. The people who want to feel good, not just look extreme.

Apparently, that group isn’t marketable enough.

Because here’s the truth: the fitness industry doesn’t profit from “sustainable.” It profits from insecurity and obsession.

If you’re overweight, the marketing screams: “Don’t look like this! Buy our six-week plan!” If you’re already fit, the message shifts to: “Upgrade! You could be fitter, leaner, faster! Buy this supplement! Track your REM sleep!”

It’s an endless loop of not enoughness.

Meanwhile, the “middle crowd,” the sustainable movers, are ghosted. They don’t spend hundreds monthly on supplements or programs. They’re not posting gym selfies at 6 a.m. They’re just… living well.

But maybe that’s the problem. You can’t bottle balance. You can’t sell a “moderate mindset” subscription.

And yet, that’s exactly what we should be applauding, the people who move consistently, eat intuitively, and stay active because it makes life better, not because it’ll get them shredded for a trip to Bali.

The truth is, the middle ground is where real, lasting health lives. The people walking 8k steps a day, lifting weights three times a week, getting sleep, and touching grass are the ones winning long term.

We just never see them on billboards because they’re too busy… living their lives.

So yeah, maybe it’s time to make normal fitness cool again. No extremes. No guilt. No “new you in 30 days.”

oNex Is Here to Make Balance the New Extreme

At oNex, that’s exactly the mission, to make sustainable movement the default, not the exception. To help people stay active, social, and motivated without turning fitness into a full-time job.

Because being healthy shouldn’t mean hating your reflection or worshipping your wearable.

You don’t need to be shredded. You don’t need to be sedentary. You just need to move, regularly, socially, sustainably.

Maybe balance isn’t boring. Maybe it’s the most “extreme” thing left in fitness.