If you’re trying to figure out what to call a person who loves to work out (perhaps to the point of excess) then this is the right article for you.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of words and phrases for a person who just really digs the gym. So, read on!
Words for Someone Who Goes to the Gym
- Gym bunny
- Gymgoer
- Fitness enthusiast
- Gymaholic
- Gym-rat
- Fitness freak
- Gym-lover
- Workoutaholic
- Practitioner
- Gym enthusiast
- Fitness freak
- Health nut
- Muscle head
- Gymmer
- Gym nerd
- Gymjock
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Gym bunny” is an informal term for a person who frequently visits the gym for purely superficial reasons.
- A “gym rat” is used to describe a person, usually a man, who has the compulsion to work out every day.
- A nicer term for a person who loves to go to the gym is “fitness enthusiast.”
Before you go! We still need to discuss our top three phrases for someone who goes to the gym a lot in more detail.
After that, we’ll provide some useful example sentences using each of these phrases.
Gym Bunny
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a “gym bunny” is “a person who spends a lot of time exercising at a gym, esp. to improve his or her appearance rather than for reasons of health or fitness.”
The OED calls this term “colloquial,” meaning it is an informal phrase. In fact, it is a popular slang term for someone who goes to the gym a lot, especially an attractive woman.
Moreover, this definition makes it clear that a “gym bunny” frequents the gym for aesthetic purposes. They are not necessarily interested in their health.
Calling someone a “gym bunny” can come across as derisive. After all, this term may be used to imply that they are shallow and obsessed with appearances.
However, it can also describe someone who just likes to go to the gym as their main hobby.
See the examples below, for instance:
Brett is a total gym bunny, so I buy him a new set of workout clothes each Christmas.
She called herself a gym bunny in her dating profile, so I knew it’d never work out between us.
Gym Rat
Another animal-based term for a person who frequents the gym is “gym rat.” However, a “gym rat” is not just someone who works out a lot. This term describes someone who is obsessed with the gym.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a “gym rat” as “someone who spends a lot of time exercising in the gym and who cares very much about the shape and condition of their body.”
Like a “gym bunny,” a “gym rat” cares deeply about their appearance. In fact, they prioritize this over the desire to be healthy. However, “gym rats” tend to be far more excessive in their pursuit of strength.
Generally, “gym rat” is used to describe men who work very hard at bodybuilding and bulking up. It is not always a gendered term. However, it so happens that “bunny” is frequently assigned to women and “rat” is frequently assigned to men for perfectly arbitrary reasons.
In short, “gym rats” feel the compulsion to work out every day.
To see this phrase in action, let’s look at some example sentences:
I want to start working out, but there are too many gym rats at my local gym. They reek of protein powder and bigorexia.
My friend Carl is a gym rat, so he’s going to help me come up with a fitness routine.
Fitness Enthusiast
If you’re looking for a more positive term for a person who loves the gym, you can go with “fitness enthusiast.”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “fitness” as “the condition of being physically strong.” Moreover, it defines an “enthusiast” as “a person who is very interested in and involved with a particular subject.”
Therefore, a “fitness enthusiast” is someone who takes a serious interest in fitness and health and works hard to maintain their physical strength.
This phrase can still describe a person who goes to the gym every single day. However, it carries more positive connotations than the other phrases on our list.
After all, it simply describes a person with a passion and interest in fitness. It does not imply that they are shallow, obsessive, or animalistic.
So, if you love to keep strong and fit, you can call yourself a “fitness enthusiast.”
Check out the examples below:
I have always been a fitness enthusiast, and I think I would bring a lot of energy to a personal trainer role.
Dad is a fitness enthusiast, so you’ll find a lot of magazines with muscular men all over them around the house.