20 Reasons To Work Out That Have Nothing To Do With Weight Loss

Modern wellness has conflated wellness and beauty so much that it’s easy to forget that they aren’t always the same thing.

I’ll give you one thing- when you feel your best, that’s usually when you look your best, but the media only accepts a specific kind of beauty, despite the fact that we can feel and BE healthy at varying shapes and sizes- regardless of what the beauty trend du jour is. On the unfortunate flip side of this, we also assume that people in smaller bodies are healthier, no matter what, when that ALSO isn’t always the case. 

In an effort to heal our collective relationship with exercise here are a bunch of non appearance related reasons to work out to help you get started. I recommend you use these as a jumping off point, and keep a running list of the ones that resonate the most with you to call upon when you need that extra kick of motivation.

Healthy Exercise Motivators That Don’t Center Weight Loss

1. Better sleep- people who exercise regularly sleep more soundly and through the night than those who don’t!

2. Better posture- this one’s obvious for my pilates people, but slouching is a result of your core not being strong enough to support your spine when you’re not paying attention

3. More energy- even when you’re EXPENDING energy- regular movement increases your overall vitality

4. Less back pain- core strength and mobility work can make your quality of life a million times better

5. More confidence- mastering new skills and that endorphin buzz helps you stand a little taller

6. Easier time carrying the groceries- more strength improves how you feel in all your everyday activities

7. Cultivate mental resilience- doing hard things on the mat improves your ability to do all hard things

8. Relieve stress and improve your overall ability to manage it

9. Less brain fog, more brain power

10. Slow cognitive decline- exercise is not only used as therapy for dementia and Alzheimer’s but it can improve your memory and push back their onset.

11. A healthier immune system- the fitter you are, the more robust your immune response to seasonal sickness

12. Improved focus and productivity in life and work

13. Improved heart health (cardiovascular death is the #1 killer of womxn in the US)

14. Improved bone density (80% of those with osteoporosis are womxn!)

15. Become less injury prone- increased muscle tone and body awareness keeps you safer on the mat and in life

16. Improved metabolism- especially for people recovering from chronic dieting that has disrupted their body’s ability to regulate itself

17. Improved bodily intuition- better relationship with your hunger and fullness cues because of increased connection to the body’s cues

18. Improved digestion- gentle movement and help relieve digestive distress, and the ability to better manage stress can help prevent it in the first place

19. Boosted creativity- my best ideas come to me when I’m in flow with my body

20. It adds years to your life! Seriously— regular movers have improved longevity, and better mobility into their later years!

I could go ON AND ON….but as you can see, weight loss is really the least interesting reason to work- out, and the one that has the smallest impact on your actual health.

If you need help finding workouts that don’t center weight loss and ignore the above- check out my on demand library of over 200 pilates and cardio workouts that are specifically designed to keep you healthy at home. Check out the 10 day free trial here!