7 WORKOUT motivators
IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT, HITTING THE GYM CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL
1 It will make you more mindful
Mindfulness is all about being in the moment, and it’s big news these days, with research showing it can help with everything from stress to anxiety and depression. People often associate mindfulness with things such as yoga and meditation, but even boxing can be surprisingly beneficial, because it requires you to have full concentration and be engaged with the present.
2 It’s great for your core
Workouts such as Pilates are especially good for helping to strengthen your core, a powerful corset of muscles that supports your whole body, making you stronger and less injury prone. You’ll also have better posture, which will make you look more confident – and studies have shown you may even feel more confident too! “What I’ve learned throughout my training this past year is that a strong core supports EVERY
other part of your body, and if you’re performing exercises correctly, you’re always engaging your core,’’ Halle Berry says. “Now that's a win win.”
3 Its great for your bones
Many of us don’t think about this until later than in life, but when it comes to building strong bones, it’s best to start as early as possible. While getting enough calcium and vitamin D are both important, resistance and weight-bearing exercises are also beneficial for protecting against bone density loss and osteoporosis.
4 Did we mention endorphins?
You’ve probably heard about the ‘runner’s high’ that joggers sometimes talk about, which comes from a mix of endorphins and other feel-good chemicals. But you don’t have to be a hardcore fitness junkie to get some benefits. Research has shown people who work out just once a week for as little as 10 minutes a day are happier than those who never exercise. “[I] exercise every day and I get the endorphins going,” Amanda Seyfried says. “It’s important not only for my physical self but also for my mental self and my emotional self.”
5 You’ll have more energy
It’s kind of ironic, but if you’ve been feeling fatigued it might be a sign you need more exercise. One study found that people who exercised moderately for 20 minutes a day three times a week had a better increase in energy compared to those who didn’t work out at all. And it’s also been shown exercise can make you sleep better, so it could make you a morning person yet!
6 It make you smarter
Studies have found that just 50 minutes of moderate exercise can improve a person’s focus and clarity
– and the benefits may last for hours. There’s also reason to believe exercise may benefit the hippocampus, which plays a powerful role in memory and may even help make you more creative.
7 You’ll love your body more
Nope, we’re not talking about getting a six-pack here. Regular exercise will give you a whole new respect for your body and everything it does for you. “When we really own and understand our bodies and claim our physicality, our superficial quibbles with our bodies lessen because we realise what our bodies can do for us,” says Lena Dunham. “My relationship to eating, my relationship to critiquing my own shape, all of that has changed since I’ve started viewing my body much more as a tool to do my work.”