Which of the following is a mental and emotional benefit of physical activity?

We often hear about the physical benefits of exercise (e.g., increasing heart health), less often are the psychological benefits promoted. Yet, engaging in a moderate amount of physical activity will result in improved mood and emotional states. Exercise can promote psychological well-being as well as improve quality of life.

  The following are common psychological benefits gained through exercise.   

• Improved mood
• Reduced stress as well as an improved ability to cope with stress
• Improved self-esteem
• Pride in physical accomplishments
• Increased satisfaction with oneself
• Improved body image
• Increased feelings of energy
• Improved in confidence in your physical abilities
• Decreased symptoms associated with depression

As people experience these psychological benefits, it is likely that they also will be motivated to continue exercises so that they continue to receive these benefits.   How much exercise is needed to produce those effects?  

• Even a brief walk at low intensity can improve mood and increase energy. As little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise can have a positive effect.
• For long-term benefits, you should exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes per session at a moderate intensity.
• Programs longer than 10 weeks work best for reducing symptoms of depression

Exercise isn’t just for your physical body — fitness can transform you, mentally and emotionally. 

I discovered this for myself, and my own journey to self-empowerment inspired me to become a personal trainer, so I could share what I had discovered with as many women as possible. 

If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or unworthy, I want you to know that you can change your life. When you begin to care for your body through regular exercise, you will learn that fitness is not a number, and you can start to reap some of these amazing benefits for yourself!

7 mental and emotional benefits of exercise

When you make exercise into a non-negotiable daily practice, aside from getting fitter and stronger, here’s what you might feel:

1. Fitness improves your mood

When you exercise, your mind responds by releasing chemicals called ‘endorphins’ — these chemicals literally lift your mood and give you a sense of wellbeing.

2. Your workout is a time that’s just for you

So many women find themselves constantly giving to others — and it can be easy to forget to allow any time to focus on yourself. Doing a workout can give you the time and space you need to tap into your inner strength. In fact, exercise can help to reduce the symptoms of stress, giving you more energy and a calmer outlook for your daily activities. 

3. Training can increase self-confidence

As you begin to treat your body with care, you can learn to love your body more, and you’ll feel better mentally and physically. As you get stronger, you can gain confidence in what your body can do. This feeling of accomplishment will carry into everything you do throughout your day!

4. Working out can improve sleep

Exercise can help you to sleep better. Have you ever noticed that when you haven’t slept well, you feel more emotional or anxious? I certainly have — and that’s why it’s important to find time for exercise even on stressful or busy days. 

The type of exercise that you choose isn’t as important as just being consistent.

5. Exercise promotes clarity of thought

Exercise stimulates the brain and helps to improve its function. It can also help to reduce anxiety, which is one thing that can get in the way of your ability to think clearly! 

One of the biggest changes I noticed when I first began to exercise was that on the days when I did a workout, I felt calmer. At the time, I was struggling with postnatal anxiety. I noticed that exercise was helping me mentally long before I saw any changes in the mirror, and this helped motivate me to stick with it!

6. Exercise helps to build mental resilience 

Exercise can help you to build mental resilience. When you learn to push your body through a workout, this teaches your body, and your mind, to recover and adapt to stress in your daily life. 

Next time you face a challenge in your life, remember how you overcame the challenges in your fitness journey — whether it was increasing your weights or doing more burpees in a circuit — and remember just how strong you really are. 

7. Fitness magnifies gratitude

Most of all, fitness can be a daily gratitude practice. As you commit each day to making small changes to living a healthier life, you will start to notice how much you already have. 

Practicing gratitude for your body, through movement, can help you to allow space for all of your emotions, rather than becoming overwhelmed by negativity.

As you cultivate gratitude, you will begin to notice a shift in your internal dialogue. This doesn’t mean you will always be happy or that you won’t face difficulties — but it does mean that no matter what is going on in your life, you will learn to treat yourself with kindness and grace. 

You deserve to feel amazing, and that is the reason why you should exercise! 

Exercise doesn’t have to take up a large part of your life for you to experience the benefits. Even just including 10 minutes of exercise into your routine a few times a week can make a difference in how you feel, physically, mentally and emotionally. 

If you want to experience the benefits of strength training, my PWR programs are intentionally designed to progress your strength and fitness. You can train at home or in the gym — the programs contain everything you need to uncover your power, through fitness. 

Kels

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* Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. Sweat assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

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