What if exercise was less about the numbers on the scale, and more about how awesome it made you feel?
We all understand the physical benefits of regular exercise, but did you know there are also plenty of mental benefits associated with exercise?
Research shows that exercise has the ability to help with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. It can also help with our self-confidence levels! High self-confidence and self-worth can have a huge flow on effect to how we go about our daily life and how we perceive ourselves.
So, how exactly does exercise help with improving confidence?
- You gain a sense of accomplishment and pride.
A regular exercise program helps you to set goals, and achieve them over time. Whether this be to complete 10 minutes on the treadmill, or improve your squat by 5kg. By chipping away at that goal and committing to a program, you feel a huge sense of achievement once the goal has been achieved. It’s a great sense of accomplishment because not everyone can achieve those goals. You have to work at it each day, it takes dedication and willpower.
- You feel strong and healthy!
Having a sense of strength and feeling like you can tackle task brings a huge sense of self-confidence. After all, if you can tackle a tough workout in the gym, what can’t you do?! Not only do you feel strong, your body will thank you for it later down the track because you are reducing your risk of injury and disease.
- You can work on your body image.
Self-esteem issues are often linked with body perception and a lack of confidence. Regular exercise helps to improve body image because you are actively working on yourself. By committing to an exercise program, you feel proud about how hard you are working. By actively focusing on your health, your have the ability to improve your body image and the way you think about yourself.
If you struggle with confidence, you are not alone! We understand how hard it is to start in a new gym. It’s a totally new environment filled with strangers who look like they know what they are doing.
The most important thing is that you find a type of exercise that you enjoy. This could be dancing, swimming, weight lifting or running! There is no right or wrong exercise.
Reach out to a friend who might like to start with you and get started together. Better yet, find a Coach or an Exercise Physiologist who can take you through an individual exercise program specific to your needs.
Once you have found something you like, stick it out and enjoy the process!
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