So you want to work out again. Your body is looking for a push. Or maybe you’re reading this hoping to be motivated to get your move on. Here are 8 motivating reasons to start working out again.
Here’s the deal, movement is critical in health. No matter what way you swing it or how much we argue over the best exercise type, the nitty-gritty science shows our body was designed to move out.
But what type of movement is up for negotiation. And honestly, it’s rarely stagnant. What your body craves in one season may change to the next. Rather than focusing on what you should do to move your body, keep your focus on doing it. Refusing to get lost in the overwhelm of planning or letting the right and wrong way to move your body.
Any movement is beneficial.
Not just for weight loss, but for other reasons that could lead to weight loss. Because weight loss is, historically speaking, a terrible reason to do anything. It’s not as motivating as you might believe, even though it’s something that you desire.
Motivation is created through experiences. Meaning motivation is a feeling you experience based on different things you do. Specifically, motivation is created by positive emotions, which proves why weight loss is a lousy motivator. While you want it, when you step on the scale, if you feel anything other than positive emotions, it’s doing the opposite of motivating.
Instead, think about what feeling you’re hoping to achieve from weight loss, maybe that’s strength, lightness, or energy, and fix your attention on getting those things out of moving your body. Let these feelings be the driving force and something you can experience daily. It’s those daily feelings that will bring you desire.
Here are eight highly motivating reasons to start working out.
1. Movement Creates Happy Feelings
Movement boosts your mood. There is no question about it. Getting out to move your body can change your attitude, helping you release stored energy and anxiety and feel more relaxed. In addition, science has found that regular exercise may boost the mood by increasing a brain protein called BDNF that helps nerve fibers grow.
Plus, it can help your body move from a state of surviving (fight or flight) and move to a state of thriving (relaxed). If you’re looking to feel happier, more relaxed, strong, and confident, moving your body can help you achieve these feelings.
2. Movement Helps You Sleep
Sleep issues are the number one health problem in America. Even if you feel like you’re getting good sleep, if you’re struggling to feel energized during the day, you may be sleeping but not reaching deep sleep. A leading factor in sleep is a build-up or imbalance in energy inside the body, preventing the body from shutting down.
Movement helps the body burn stored, unspent energy, allowing the body to process through its daily functions and prepare to enter into deep relaxation and sleep at night. Meaning, you could be missing out on good sleep simply because you haven’t burnt off your daily energy quota. Making movement a good way to help your body prepare for deep sleep.
3. Movement Reduces Feelings of Pain
There is some evidence that movement, including movement done with regular and rhythmic breathing, can calm the nervous system, creating patterns associated with healing. But, of course, not all movement or exercise is created equal. Still, strong evidence supports that movement can reduce the release of inflammation and regulate the survival response inside the body.
Meaning it can lessen the impact of pain, both muscular and emotional pain. Helping you to experience periods of lightness and ease throughout your day that comes from a pain-free life.
4. Movement Improves Creativity
Movement opens up flow. All types of flow, even creative flow. While it may sound a little out there, we all know the feeling when our minds get blocked or stuck. Movement helps break up the stuck patterns inside the mind by changing the neurochemical and hormonal makeup, helping to change your thoughts and ability to be innovative.
In one study, nearly 200 students and adults were asked to perform one of four different tasks: sitting and staring at a blank wall, walking on a treadmill and staring at a blank wall, walking around a path on campus, or being pushed around that path in a wheelchair. They were then given tests that measure creative thinking. And there was no question that those who walked, both indoors and outdoors, were more creative than their sitting counterparts.
5. Movement Helps You Feel Accomplished
Action produces motivation because it makes you feel accomplished. There are so many big and overwhelming tasks in life that can leave you feeling a lack of productivity and a drain in energy. But daily action in small things that can be accomplished is a double win for your energy levels. Not only does the action provide energy, but the accomplishment doubles that, giving you the drive and motivation to accomplish something else.
6. Movement Boost Your Libido
Sexual energy is the second most powerful form of energy inside our body, outside of emotional energy, which is our driving energetic force. But we can’t deny that sexual energy is powerful in our health and how we live our life. Movement enhances sexual energy in several ways, including reducing stress (which is the number one killer of libido in women), mobilizing oxygen, and stimulating hormonal changes that strengthen libido in both men and women.
Research on all sides proves that exercise enhances libido in men and women for many different reasons. Plus, a boost in libido boosts all the good feelings you’re looking for.
7. Movement Boosts Your Confidence
The natural reason to believe movement boosts your confidence is the change in body shape. While that is a long-term reason, I don’t believe confidence is found in body image as much as it is in energy flow. When you feel stuck, tired, exhausted, and overwhelmed (which is often associated with bad body image but not the root cause), you’re going to lack confidence.
But getting out and moving your body changes your neurochemicals, helping you feel different, mentally and physically. Proving that you can show up for yourself. When you learn how to show up for yourself, you stop being so concerned by what other people think of you, which naturally boosts your confidence.
Because confidence is caring less about what other people think and more about how you feel. Change how you feel, and you’ll boost your confidence to a new level.
8. Movement Makes You Feel Energized
Action produces energy. But I want to follow that statement with balanced action. Too much or too little will leave you looking for energy. Instead, keep your focus on things that give you energy. For example, if you’re working out or engaged with a type of exercise that always leaves you feel fatigued, it’s time to mix that up. Because it’s pushing you further out of balance than your body wants, maybe eventually you can build up to that, but for now, switch it to something that does give you energy rather than take away from it. And keep listening to your body.
Stop waiting for motivation and do something to produce it.
You won’t find the motivation to work out for looks alone. Motivation always comes back to a feeling. Understand how you want to feel and find a type of movement that will make you feel that way. I guarantee it will be a mixture of many different movements. Don’t get lost in repetition but know the only non-negotiable you have is moving every day. What type, how long, and when is all up to you!
Don’t forget to ask, is this giving me energy or taking it away?
