Eight reasons to work out that aren’t about patriarchal beauty standards
There’s this misinterpretation of workout culture — that it’s a “fitspo”-only club meant to alienate and trigger anyone who doesn’t align with traditional beauty standards. Though, those impressions directly stem from damaging and oppressive discourse surrounding women’s bodies which, as a collective culture, we’re only now beginning to speak out against.
So, why not come up with all the reasons to work out that have nothing to do with getting a date or losing 14 pounds in two weeks for the sake of someone else’s idea of what looks good? There are real, science-backed claims that find spending time at the gym to give you more energy, help with productivity and mental clarity, aid in deeper, more restful sleep, better skin, and meeting new people, to start.
Below find fitness experts’ thoughts.
1. Reducing stress
Tatiana Boncompagni, an Athleta ambassador and Sculptologie instructor says, “If you aren’t running a fever or feeling nauseous but rather stuffy and congested (like you feel a cold coming on), it can actually be beneficial to exercise or engage in a mindfulness practice. Meditation lowers your cortisol levels and moderate and low-intensity exercise can open up your nasal passageways and help you reduce stress.”
2. Building a better relationship with your body
Try a classic core-strengthening move such as reverse crunches. “Because this move really requires you to focus on the squeeze of the abdominals and working from the lower abs, it is totally mental,” Boncompagni adds. “I love how exercises like this help me build a better relationship with my body. They truly make me feel more embodied, more in my skin, and therefore more confident because I have a greater mind-body connection. So while I’m training my abs, I’m also training my mind. It’s so magical. It impacts the way I walk, the way I hold myself, and the way I feel in my skin.”
3. Dealing with chronic back pain
“Conditioning your core, including your lower abs, is especially helpful if you suffer from chronic back pain (that’s related to muscular imbalance or poor posture). People who are leaner are going to see more definition in the lower abs by amping up their lower ab training, but by no means is this a way to reduce fat in your lower abs. It has benefits far beyond toning.”
4. Preventing osteoporosis
“Lift heavy weights safely and effectively — some women tend to not lift heavy weights because they’re nervous to look (bulky). However, lifting heavier weights not only keeps up your strength, but it will make your bones stronger and help prevent osteoporosis. There’s a 70 per cent chance that females can receive this disease — therefore, it’s very important to strength train,” says Jacqueline Kasen, a body architect at Anatomy
5. Helping maintain motivation
“While it’s easy to get hung up on both your progress and your endgame, just note that working out to find self-worth isn’t just unhealthy — it’s ineffective,” our wellness editor writes. Research shows that having a positive body image to begin with actually makes you more likely to keep exercising, probably because you’re doing it for the right reasons. “That’s not even to mention that if you’re focusing on how good working out makes you feel rather than how it makes you look, you’re that much more likely to avoid injury and burnout.”
6. Creating a more alert, present, and clear mind
According to experts (and feedback from their many clients), morning workouts can increase productivity and energy levels. “A solid morning workout can help with productivity, mood, stress, and energy levels,” confirms Burn 60 master trainer Katie Jo Zayon. “Most of my clients say they can focus better throughout the day after our morning workouts and when they skip it, they see a huge difference in their mental performance.”
Body by Simone founder Simone de la Rue agrees. “I like to say that a morning workout is better than a morning cup of coffee. Your body and mind have been stimulated by the exercise and you are more present. It’s easier to be productive when you feel alert and full of energy.”
Winhoffer muses, “working out helps us find solutions to problems. Solutions come when we think and feel with clarity. Working out helps us access new brain neurons to support mental clarity.”
7. Releasing endorphins
“Once we get working, after the abs come in and the arms get stronger — something incredible happens,” says Karen Lord, a certified Pilates instructor and founder of Karen Lord Pilates Movement in NYC. “A deep shift in mood. Science tells us it’s the endorphin effect, and it’s true — but it’s a bit more spellbinding, a bit more exciting. It’s the magic of change. Not just physical, but it’s the forward trajectory that happens every time you start and stick with something good and physically new. I think in terms of music a lot.
“I think our brains act like a record spinning on a turntable. Sometimes the record skips and digs a deep groove that just keeps going in circles. I train people, and I work out myself to move the needle, dig myself out, to put on a new song. It works. Break patterns, and build better ones.
A doctor friend and I speak a lot on mental health and exercise. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, certain medications are enhanced by real committed physical activity. I’m here for the feelings. The feeling you get is the life changer.”
8. Getting deeper, more restful sleep
According to Heather Peterson, CorePower Yoga’s chief yoga officer, “Exercise has short- and long-term sleep benefits” like “falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer, and being less fatigued during the day.” While yoga has many health benefits, such as increased flexibility and improved energy, better sleep is another reason to try it. “Yoga creates strength and flexibility in muscles, which can help your body relax more quickly and help you stay asleep longer.”
Peterson continues, “Restorative yoga helps you calm your nervous system and deepen your breath, which can be vital to balance the physical practices/workouts and daily demands of our lives.” She suggests “Child’s Pose/Balasana for two minutes, Child’s Pose variation in which you turn your head to one side for one minute then switch to look the other way to balance out your neck, Reclined Bound Angle Pose/Supta Baddha Konasana for two minutes, and Legs Up the Wall/Viparita Karina for three minutes.”