12 Benefits of Exercise Excluding Weight Loss

Yeah we all heard that we need to exercise to lose weight and because it's "good" for us but what makes it so "good"? Even so, putting on those tennis shoes and getting our butts moving can seem like next to impossible some days.Motivation can be a struggle which is why it's important to remind yourself why you are going to workout! Yes, we all want to workout to look good naked but there are so many other reasons! Here are 12 reasons to exercise brought to you by Yahoo Health:

How Exercise Can Help You

1. Remember, exercise for SANITY not VANITY. If you’re exercising only to lose weight, it’s easy to get discouraged. Exercise for other reasons, and you’re more likely to stick to it. (Though it is true that people who exercise regularly tend to be far more successful at maintaining weight loss.)

2. Exercise boosts energy. It took me a bit before I started to notice that when I dragged myself to the gym and worked out for 40 minutes, I’d leave feeling far more energetic than when I went in.

3. Exercise provides an outlet for feelings of pent-up hostility, irritation, and anger. I always find that I’m more even-tempered on days when I’ve exercised. Negative emotions require a lot of energy.

4. The consistent, repetitive motion of exercises like walking and running brings a serene mood and clarifies thinking. I’ve had all my best writing ideas when walking or running, and sometimes assign myself a particular problem to think over during a walk.

5. Certain kinds of exercise, like yoga, are actually relaxing and calming. I do yoga regularly, but must confess I don’t empty my mind, meditate, or find it a particularly spiritual endeavor. But I know that many people find those aspects of yoga the most valuable.

6. Sticking to an exercise regime raises your self-esteem for the very fact that you’re sticking to an exercise regime.

7. Exercise offers a chance to be alone and uninterrupted — a relief if, like me, you’re often surrounded by distractions. Of course, exercise also offers a chance to get together with other people.

8. Exercise helps your body defend against stress on a biological level.When you experiences stress, your body prepares for “fight or flight” with a huge number of biochemical reactions. A stressful event these days, however, is more likely to require a phone call than a sprint uphill. The potentially damaging byproducts of the stress response, such as cortisol, nevertheless continue to pump through the body. Regular exercise helps to ameliorate these effects.

9. Some people get a “runner’s high,” but even those who, like me, never get quite that euphoric, still get a huge boost in mood from frequent exercise.

10. Exercise helps you fall asleep more easily and sleep more deeply.

11. People who exercise handle old age better: They move more easily and energetically. I think a lot about how to set myself up now to be in good shape much later.

12. I make exercise more satisfying by considering the pleasure of being able to work out easily and without pain — no wheelchair, no crutches, no brace, no trick knee or bad back.

I really hope that these reasons will motivate you next time you head to the gym or go for a run :) Have tips of your own? Share them below!