As a general rule, when people wax lyrical about their new exercise regime, they’re doing it to lose weight. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Using exercise to help achieve your weight loss goals is a great way to get your foot in the workout door. But it’s not actually the best thing to come out of getting your body moving.
But why is weight loss the bottom of the benefits list when it comes to exercise?
Why Weight Loss Is Bottom Of The Exercise Benefits Pile
Just a disclaimer. Doing exercise to lose weight as your primary reason to move your body is not a bad thing. If that’s the journey you’re on, and exercise is part of how you want to lose weight. You do you. But, as you might have guessed from the title, it’s not the top benefit.
If you think about weight loss as the very base level, you’re talking about controlling calories coming in and out. So it would be pretty reasonable to assume that burning off those extra calories in the gym without other lifestyle changes is possible. And it is, to a certain extent. But you would have to work incredibly hard for very little reward.
Without enhancing your dietary needs, exercising alone won’t give you the weight loss you’re looking for. And focussing your workout regime solely on the fact that you want to shed some pounds doesn’t inspire you to get up and go. At least not in the long term.
If you want to lose weight, take a look at your lifestyle and see how you can improve along with the exercise. But the best advice is to exercise for any of the other reasons it will benefit you. Doing it this way means you’ll get so much more joy out of movement than you would if it was just about weight loss.
The Unsung Heroes Of Exercising
So what are these other benefits we keep harping on about?
- Keeps The Body Tip Top
Regular exercise can help combat health conditions and diseases. Working out boosts good cholesterol and reduces unhealthy triglycerides. This means your blood flows more smoothly and helps bring down the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Moving your body reduces the risk of arthritis and helps improve cognitive function. What’s not to love?
- Massive Mood Boost
Getting physical releases all those lovely mood-boosting endorphins. It helps with anxiety and depression. Making you feel happier, less anxious, and more relaxed. You might also find you get a self-esteem and confidence boost as you feel better about your body.
- Strength Builder
Feeling stronger might not be top of your list of things you want to get out of exercise. But you’d be surprised by how much better it makes you feel about your body and yourself when you aren’t struggling. Try something like kettlebell exercises for your arms or some low-impact strengthening Yoga if your movement capacity is lower.
- Sleep Like A Baby
Regular exercise will help you fall asleep much quicker, get higher quality sleep, and even make you sleep deeper. But, prior warning, don’t exercise before bed as you may find yourself bouncing off the walls rather than sleeping like a baby!
- It’s Not Just Sleep It Improves In The Bedroom….
Because you’re getting an energy and confidence boost from moving around regularly, you might see an improvement in your sex life. And to top it off, exercise can increase arousal in women and help reduce erectile dysfunction in men.
- Energy Enhancer
It’s been mentioned already, but you’ll see your energy skyrocket thanks to your new exercise regime. Working out gets oxygen to your tissues and means your cardiovascular system will be working more efficiently. You’ll see muscle strength improve and get an endurance boost.
- It Can Actually Be Fun…..And Social
Contrary to popular opinion, exercising can actually be fun. If you pick something you like doing, then you’ll get more than just a good workout. And it can be anything. Maybe you’d like to learn the Cha-Cha or have always wanted to become a black belt. It’s all exercise at the end of the day. And many of these are available in classes. So you can have fun and stay social.
The Bottom Line Of Exercise
Getting physical is a great way to boost your mood, look after your body, and most importantly, have fun. If you want to use it to help your weight loss journey, then go for it. Just remember that you’ll get loads of benefits from exercising on top of weight loss. Even if you don’t hit all your weight loss goals.
And working out should work around you. So no matter what situation you’re in, find something that brings a little movement joy into your life.
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