Of course exercise is beneficial to your health, but what exactly can it provide?

Exercise is a guaranteed way to achieve better health, but there is much more that exercise can offer besides aiding in weight-loss or strength building.

Whatever reason you may be looking to spend more of your time exercising, the decision to increase your level of physical activity will improve your life in a number of ways you probably never realized before! To get a better understanding of how exercise can positively affect your life, we’ve compiled 6 underrated ways that exercise can help you become a better version of yourself!

Image by unsplash.com

1. Stress & Anxiety Relief

Exercise has a ton of benefits for your body, but most people tend to focus on the physical benefits. Aside from building and maintaining physical strength, exercise helps to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety from both your body and your mind. In releasing certain chemicals and endorphins, physical exertion can create natural pain killers and mood elevators. Over time, exercise can also create moments of intense relaxation such as what some long distance runners label as a “runners high.” 

Image by unsplash.com

2. Improved Functional Mobility

Exercise has also been proven to help improve functional mobility. Functional mobility is how we are able to do the things we need to do everyday, from walking and balancing, to fine motor movements (like in our hands) that we need to accomplish tasks. If you often find yourself bumping into things, tripping, or winding up with bruises out of nowhere, maybe it's time to start exercising and gaining control over the way your body moves when you aren't aware!  

Image by unsplash.com

3. Increased Energy Levels

Spending more of your time exercising can lead to better, more energized mornings and less energy burn-outs throughout the day. Some studies suggest that in moments of low-energy levels, it is better for your head, heart, and body to head to the gym and get in some workouts than to reach for the coffee-pot! With an overall increase of energy, you may find your mood becoming more regularly elevated as well, leading to more optimism and a more positive outlook in your daily life! 

Image by unsplash.com

4. Improved Overall Health

This one probably goes without saying, but why not talk about it, anyway? So far we’ve learned how much exercise can improve your mood, your energy, and we know how good it is for your body and heart. So, of course, exercise is a great way to better your overall health! It’s even been shown to improve brain function and of course aids in weight management (the musculoskeletal system) so it truly benefits every system and process within your body!  

Image by unsplash.com

5. Better Sleep

If you’re struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or achieve a good night’s rest, exercise may be the perfect option! John Hopkins Center For Sleep found that increasing exercise improved sleep quality in most subjects! And it doesn’t have to be intense workouts, but even mild exercises are great to get your blood pumping and your brain releasing the chemicals it needs to to regulate your bodies’ natural signals and help you feel more rested more often!

Image by unsplash.com

6. Higher Self-Esteem

If your goal with exercise is to lose weight, it can be no surprise that a higher self-esteem can be attributed to the exercise, but that’s not the only way it can help you feel better about yourself! Within those mood elevating and stabilizing capabilities we’ve discussed already, physical exercise is shown to increase optimism and a positive outlook on the life around you. When you put in the time and energy to make your body feel nurtured and supported, you brain will reward you by building confidence and establishing a stronger sense of self! 

Everyone’s exercise journey looks different, but as long as prioritizing your health remains at the center, you will definitely see and feel the benefits of more exercise!

Regardless of what your end goals may be, dedicating more time to building or maintaining physical strength and doing more exercise is the perfect way to put your body and mind first. Hopefully, some of these underrated benefits have inspired you to push through those workout blockades to add more physical exercise into your routine!

We hope you enjoy this list of exercise benefits to help you lead a healthy lifestyle. If you tried any of the things we provided, make sure to let us know! For more recipes and tips, follow us on social media and make sure to check out our weekly blog posts where we share our new favorite recipes and must-know facts about food and living a healthy lifestyle! Check out the other meal options Mealfit provides such as our Weekly Specials, Individual Meals, and other Meals by the Pound.