9 Facts to Fuel Your Exercise Motivation!

11th June 2023

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It can be hard to find the motivation to exercise. With the pressures of work, life, family and home, it can be difficult to find the time and energy to fit regular workouts into your schedule.

More than a quarter of the world's adult popularion are sufficiently inactive.

Are you struggling to find the motivation to exercise?

Here are 9 facts about exercise to help fuel you with motivation and inspiration:

1. Music can improve workout performance

You can motivate and inspire yourself to work out by listening to music. Listening to music while you exercise can help improve workout performance by a surprising 15%!

Exercising to music can improve motor control and coordination, such as moving to the beat during a group fitness class. Exercise is often associated with self-confidence and boosts when the body is in sync with music.

Research has proven that music reduces pain by releasing endorphins, which increases a person's pain tolerance. Music may also reduce exercise-induced discomfort or pain, enabling you to exercise longer.

These AfterShokz are my favourite headphones to use while I am exercising. The bone conducting style allows me to enjoy my music while also hearing my surroundings while I am exercising.

Aftershokz headphones are my favourite way to listen to music while I exercise

2. Exercise improves brain performance

Cardiovascular exercise (such as walking, running and biking) can help to create new brain cells.

This leads to increased brain activity and enhanced brain power. These new cells also increase learning and memory.

3. Exercise increases the fat your body burns

Exercise increases your muscle mass which results in burning more fat while resting. A pound of muscle burns about three times more calories that a pound of fat.

Exercising regularly can increase fat oxidation, which leads to the loss of fat mass.

To find out how to incorporate strength training in your exercise routine, view Types of Strength and Strength Training 101

4. Exercise reduces signs of aging

Exercising has a number of effects on the body that reduce the signs of aging, from increasing immunity, increasing muscle and improving cholesterol levels.

Regular exercise allows the body to age optimally, avoiding many of the health problems that are caused by inactivity.

5. Exercising regularly helps the look of your skin

Regularly working out improves the overall appearance of your skin. Sweat produced helps to release dirt from the pores which improves complexion and reduces acne.

Exercise helps with the circulation of blood flow through the body. The improved circulation helps bring more blood flow and oxygen to your skin which improves the look of it.

6. Exercising reduces your chances of getting sick

Regular exercise helps to improve your immune system which helps keep illness at bay.

Exercise allows immune cells to perform effectively — it increases blood flow, reduces stress and inflammation, and can strengthen antibodies.

7. Exercising helps improve mental health and boosts self-confidence

Studies have shown that aerobic exercise reduces anxiety and depression. Additionally, it enhances your memory, relieves stress, and improves your mood.

In addition to neural growth and inflammation reduction, exercise promotes new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being in the brain.

During exercise, your brain releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that boost your mood and helps you feel good.

As an added benefit, exercise can serve as a distraction, helping you break out of the negative thoughts that can feed depression and negatively affect negative help.

See exercise as a celebration of what your body can do

8. Exercising has a positive impact on your sleep

A recent report shows that 1 in 3 of us suffers from poor sleep quality.

Stress and a poor work/life balance are contributing factors to our struggle to get good quality sleep.

A lack of regular, quality sleep can increase your risk for a number of health conditions including:

-obesity

-heart disease

-diabetes

-weakened immune system

-negative impact on our mental health

Sleeping well at night may lead to healthier levels of physical activity the next day and optimizing your exercise routine may enable you to sleep better.

The effects of exercise on sleep quality for adults include a reduction in onset of sleep - the time it takes to fall asleep - and a reduction in the amount of time they remain awake during the night. In addition, physical activity can combat daytime sleepiness.

Read this blog for quick tips for quality sleep.

Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Mind, body, spirit

9. Regular exercise increases productivity

Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins (the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters that are released by the brain). There are many benefits associated with endorphins, including the reduction of pain and discomfort, a better mood, and a sense of well-being.

Not only does exercise give you more energy and stop that afternoon fatigue slump, but exercise also keeps momentum and it improves mental capacity.

In theory, exercise helps with 'brain fog', meaning your productivity levels throughout the day remain more focused and your concentration doesn’t drop.