Emotional benefits of exercise

People who have an active lifestyle – whether that means going to the gym on a regular basis, playing in a basketball league, riding their bike to work every day, or doing anything else that they enjoy and that gets them moving – have more confidence, less stress, and higher self-esteem than people who don’t have an active lifestyle. And the difference isn’t just about how you look, because studies have shown that even people who are considered thin or in shape, but who aren’t active report lower energy levels and lower self esteem compared to active individuals of all body types.
People who are routinely active report a feeling of mastery over their bodies, and a feeling of confidence in their abilities to navigate the world which translates into higher self confidence and higher self esteem. People also report that watching your body change, whether that means losing weight, gaining muscle, improving coordination or any combination of those results, leads to higher feelings of personal satisfaction, and general feelings of happiness in their lives.

Being active also reduces stress by providing a distraction from your worries – it’s hard to obsess on what a jerk your boss is when you’re focused on making that tennis racquet connect with that yellow ball. And most people report that after they’ve worked out they often have new clarity on a problem, or find a solution to a stressor that had eluded them before.

For those just making the transition into an active lifestyle, it only takes 20-30 minutes a day, three times a week to start reaping these benefits. However, as your body gets used to the routines and the activity, you will have to start working out longer or harder, or try something new in order to keep getting the same level of endorphins and other positive effects. But for most people, the increase happens naturally as they realize how great they feel when they are active. For more information on health, nutrition & exercise please visit http://www.weightsmashers.com