There are so many weight-loss diets, pills, workout plans and cleanse fads out there that all are associated with losing weight or getting “flat abs” and “a perfect butt,” or “thigh gap.” These things all encourage unrealistic societal body image standards. But whatever happened to exercising to feeling good? Or exercising to make your actual overall health better? These are the things we should be focusing on. So with that being said, here are 10 reasons to work out that don’t involve body image.
1. Health
When you’re busy with college, with your job, or whatever you may be busy with, your health always takes the shaft, always — unless you’re one of those super responsible people who always manages to get a workout in every day… (we envy you). Eating habits become poor after a while, and soon enough you realized that you had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, mac and cheese for lunch, coffee for dinner, and then you made brownies for midnight snack. Then you look back at what you ate today and realize again that you didn’t eat any protein or vitamins or minerals and an hour later your body is saying “oh crap” and crashing and getting sick. This pattern is so easily to fall into. And super hard to get out of. You can slowly get out of this pattern by working out twice a week. You’ll be surprised at how your eating habits will change once you start working out again, too. But, think about your health when going through your changes. Think about how much your body will love you again, and now how your jeans will fit. Although fitting into your jeans perfectly feels nice, it’s not the most important thing to focus on. Focus on your health and the rest will fall into place.
2. Energy
Believe it or not, a great workout can be just as energizing as a triple shot. It’s like your body goes into super-active-mode and all of the sudden you feel like you can do anything. If you have something really important and big to do after your workout, you’re bound to exceed. So next time instead of grabbing a coffee, hit the gym and see what happens.
3. Confidence
Your self-confidence will skyrocket once you start working out. Even if your body image has barely changed, You’ll feel so proud of yourself for accomplishing something so tough. You will start to feel confident about all the aspects in your life, not just in the gym. Suddenly you’ll feel like you can accomplish many more things than you ever thought you could.
4. Brain power
It’s been proven that a good workout can stimulate your brain and encourage faster thinking, better memory and better focus. Your homework will no longer be last minute, you’ll start moving up in your job, and your overall focus will improve. Trust me on this one.
5. The high
That workout high is different than any other high you could experience. It’s just this overwhelming feeling of “hell yes.” The adrenaline rush, the heart beat, the shaking, all of it. You also will feel the endorphins, and these endorphins will help diminish the pain that you experience during exercise. You just feel so great and accomplished. You just pushed your body through a series of really hard moves, you did it. You, the person who never thought it could be done, did it. It’s really something that everyone needs to experience. Get that high flowing, guys, you won’t be sorry.
6. Feeling strong
Your body will feel tougher, and you’ll be able to start doing everyday activities easier. Climbing up the stairs at home and getting winded? Nah! Once you workout this will be a breeze. Your legs will no longer feel like toothpicks, and you’ll be able to do simple chores and activities with a breeze. By the time you’re well into working out, you’ll feel like the hulk.
7. Eating habits
When you’re not working out, your body isn’t burning off as many calories. This means that you’re not as hungry, which means you should eat less right? Wrong. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when your body isn’t hungry, and when you should eat and when you shouldn’t. This kind of persuades you to eat when you aren’t necessarily hungry, and to just eat what you crave at that time. But, when you are working out, your body will give you a definite sign of when you need to eat. Your body will regulate itself out. And since you are working out, you won’t want to ruin your progress by eating three Snickers bars instead of a proper meal with protein, grains, and veggies. Your body will tell you what it wants a lot better when you’re moving it.
8. Happiness
When you exercise, your body releases a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is a natural mood enhancer, therefore enhancing your overall happiness and mood. Your friends and family will start to notice, and you’ll start to have a little skip in your step, and you’ll feel more settled about life.
9. Sleep
Oh my God, if this isn’t true I don’t know what is. If you had a hard workout, you are bound to sleep like a baby. Think about it — your body is sore, and laying down on your bed feels like a very large, puffy, cloud. Five minutes in and you’ll zonk right out. After a great night’s rest, you’ll also feel refreshed and energized in the morning.
10. Overall productivity
After about a month of working out, you’ll feel like a pro in everything. You’ll start to get your life together, be able to enjoy yourself more, create a better stamina, improved mood, and just about everything else. Your productivity levels will feel like never before, and most importantly, you’ll be happy doing it.
I love being able to workout and experience all of these positive side effects... What about you guys?
