20 Reasons to Exercise
(That Aren’t About How you Look or What you Weigh!)
It's time to change how we talk about exercise (and weight loss), especially for women and even more especially for young girls. The association of weight with health, and weight with looking good, and the fact that if you are "slim" then you must be both healthy and fit are all falsehoods.
One of the worst things about this aspect of diet culture is the fact it has led to women simply not exercising, and thus not getting all of the benefits exercise has to give. Not only are women shamed for their bodies, we're also shamed for wanting to change them.
There are so many wonderful benefits of exercise it is an injustice that weight loss has risen to the top. It is also mind boggling that we have been so strongly conditioned to believe that is the main reason to exercise, that we question why you would exercise if you don't need to lose weight.
So, here you go... TWENTY Reasons to Exercise that aren't about weight loss or how you look:
Improves your brain health
Strengthens your bones and your muscles
Your day to day activity improves - the more you move, the more you move!
More energy
Mood booster
Improved productivity, learning ability improved, boosts creative thinking
Stress reliever
Speeds up recovery from injury, surgery and illness
Improved cardio vascular endurance
Improved flexibility
Increased lean body mass - important for health, well being and stability.
Improved posture - muscle Strength and function, use your body properly
Anti-aging effects - how you move, getting up off the floor without putting your hands down
Improves your sleep.
Improves your eating habits.
Increases longevity - our favourite!
Decreases risk of preventable disease - osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Cancer.
Improved balance and co-ordination
Increase your sex drive - and improved satisfcation
Makes life more exciting - you’re able to do the things you want to do, go on adventures, say yes to opportunities, tick things off your dream list.
This episode was recorded in 2023 and is republished here with kind permission of The Power of 30 podcast.
