No pain, no gain! Reflections on the perception of sacrifice in the fitness consumer

Abstract

Purpose: This article analyzes the sacrifice perceived by the consumer who adopts the fitness lifestyle, proposing reflections on pain, abdication and effort. Method: The work is a theoretical essay positioned with the approach of perceived consumer sacrifice to synthesize knowledge, take a stand on it, and become a resource for thinking about reality. Results: The argument established in the essay points out that the sacrifice perceived in the lifestyle of the fitness consumer is established by abdicating a desire, aiming to achieve a compensatory objective involving both a painful and a conchegative sphere. In this scenario, pain is presented as both a hurtful element to be endured to achieve a beautiful body, beautiful appearance and acceptability, as well as a component of the conchegative sphere, where pain is a benefit in itself because it reinforces the 'no pain, no gain' philosophy. In fact, the relationship between the individual and the body in this scenario represents an antithesis established between self-love and hatred of the shape of one's body, which requires constant maintenance and modification not only to the individual's physical structure but also to his or her perception of it. The risks and costs involved generate feelings of loss, especially for the habitual body, encompassing the painful sphere of the individual who abdicates an action to achieve a rewarding goal that generates transformations and reconstitutes positive feelings that include pleasure. Theorical contributions: The composition of the sacrificial perception portrayed in the essay differs from the concept of perceived sacrifice hitherto proposed in the literature, especially through establishing the elements of action to abdicate a desire, as well as the institution of two spheres for the perception of sacrifice, and observing the particularities of the context analyzed to highlight the importance of pain in the process of perceiving sacrifice in fitness. Originality/relevance: The study reveals that the ritualistic objective of this sacrifice seeks more prosaic goals that are linked not only to the practices of mystical experiences but also to the conquest of the market of appearances through the good physical and especially visual performance of consumers eager to act on their own bodies to purify them continuously through pain.