Top 5 Workout Benefits
It’s well known that physical activity and exercise produce numerous benefits, but it can be hard to find the motivation to be more physically active in your daily life.
Between finding time to complete chores to taking care of your family or getting in your hours at work, it can be difficult to set aside time to work out. There is no better time than now to start down the road to a healthier, happier you!
Check out our Top 5 Workout Benefits!
1. Get Valuable “Me” Time
Get Valuable “Me” Time ©EvolveFitnessUtah
Exercise can be a great time for you to unwind, as it results in the reduction of stress and anxiety.1
It’s common to find yourself in stressful situations throughout the day, whether it be chasing down your toddler to get ready for the day or completing a project for work on time. These moments can have you pulling at your hair or locking yourself in a closet in an attempt to de-stress.
Research has shown that exercising and being in good physical health improve your psychological well-being.2 By setting aside time to work out and following through, you give your body and mind valuable time to focus on you.
2. Boost Mood
Boost Mood ©EvolveFitnessUtah
Daily and regular exercise is significantly associated with higher levels of happiness.4,5,6,7
Sometimes it may feel like no matter what you do, you just aren’t very happy or free from unnecessary stress. Hectic schedules and not making time for yourself can do that. Luckily, you can increase your odds of feeling happier by 3% just by adding one additional hour of vigorous physical activity each week such as jogging, running, swimming, or dancing.4
When you give yourself a chance to improve your mood through regular exercise, others will notice and life will become much more manageable.3
3. Improve Overall Health
Improve Overall Health ©EvolveFitnessUtah
Frequent exercise helps to maintain healthy joints and bones, manage weight, build muscle, and reduce body fat.3
In fact, being active greatly reduces your estimated risk of cardiovascular symptoms and disease. It also reduces the chances of developing diabetes, depression, and breast, lung, and colon cancer.3
If simply participating in regular exercise helps to keep you from needing to visit the doctor frequently, then why not do it? In the long run, your body and your family will experience positive rewards because of it.
4. Have More Energy
Have More Energy ©EvolveFitnessUtah
In day-to-day life, exercise can improve the quality of sleep resulting in an increase in energy.3
As counter-intuitive as it may seem, using up energy through workouts can restore your energy and help you sleep better at night. Can you remember the last time that you had quality sleep or had enough energy to last through the entire day?
It may be hard to imagine not needing that energy drink to constantly stop yourself from yawning. But, being consistent with your exercises and smart about when you plan your workout can help your body create a routine so you are ready to hit the hay when you need to.
5. Socialize With Like-Minded Individuals
Socialize With Like-Minded Individuals ©EvolveFitnessUtah
Participating in group exercise leads to social bonding among individuals, resulting in enhanced exercise ability.8
You’ll find that as you work out, whether it be by yourself or with others, you will build camaraderie with those around you. Exercising is socially contagious.9 Friendships will be formed, tips will be shared, and support for one another will be endless.
Research has found that when you participate in physical activity, you are more likely to increase trust in others and be more sociable.10
Now that you know our Top 5 Workout Benefits, we want to hear from you! Why do you choose to work out? If you have not had the chance to start an exercise program, which benefit is most appealing to you? Leave your comments down below!
Want to share our Top 5 Workout Benefits with your friends? Check out our infographic!
Top 5 Workout Benefits Infographic ©EvolveFitnessUtah
References:
- Kermansaravi, F., Saber, S., & Aghamohamadi, F. (1970, January 01). The Impact of Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercises on the Level of Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Happiness of Non-Athlete Male. Retrieved from http://zjrms.com/en/articles/14349.html
- Hayes, D., & Ross, C. (1986). Body and Mind: The Effect of Exercise, Overweight, and Physical Health on Psychological Well-Being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 27(4), 387-400. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2136952
- Alexander, L. L., LaRosa, J. H., Bader, H., Garfield, S., & Alexander, W. J. (2017). New Dimensions in Women's Health (7th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.
- Richards, J., Jiang, X., Kelly, P., Chau, J., Bauman, A., & Ding, D. (2015, January 31). Don't worry, be happy: Cross-sectional associations between physical activity and happiness in 15 European countries. Retrieved from https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-015-1391-4
- Zhang, Z., & Chen, W. (2018, March 24). A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Happiness. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0
- Piqueras, J. A., Kuhne, W., Vera-Villarroel, P., Van Straten, A., & Cuijpers, P. (2011, June 07). Happiness and health behaviours in Chilean college students: A cross-sectional survey. Retrieved from https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-11-443
- Stubbe, J. H., De Moor, M. H., Boomsma, D. I., & De Geus, E. J. (2006, October 23). The association between exercise participation and well-being: A co-twin study. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743506003719?via=ihub
- Davis, A., Taylor, J., & Cohen, E. (2015, August 28). Social Bonds and Exercise: Evidence for a Reciprocal Relationship. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0136705
- Aral, S., & Nicolaides, C. (2017, April 18). Exercise contagion in a global social network. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14753
- Di Bartolomeo, G., & Papa, S. (2017, July 5). The Effects of Physical Activity on Social Interactions. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1527002517717299