If you are only exercising to lose weight, you may find it hard to stick to your goal. It can take a few weeks or months to see changes in your outward appearance; thankfully, there are numerous ways exercise improves your health from the inside out. Some exercise benefits are immediate, which can give you that extra push when you want to quit.
"It can be difficult to stick with your resolution if you're only looking for results in the mirror," says Sharrell Porter, M.S. ACSM EP-C, an exercise physiologist at Piedmont Atlanta Fitness Center.
She recommends focusing on a health-related goal, like lowering blood pressure, reducing stress or sleeping better.
"I have people come in for a training session, and they don't want to exercise," Porter says. "However, by the end of their session, they feel better and are ready to tackle more in their day. I also get texts from clients who say exercise helped them sleep better that night, even if they normally struggle with insomnia or other sleep issues."
Exercise can also help you lose weight and change your life in numerous positive ways. Remember this list next time you are discouraged.
Research shows regular workouts can:
Celebrate exercise results
While outward physical changes may not be apparent right away, if you exercise regularly, eat healthy foods and stick with reasonable portions, you should notice a difference within a month or so.
"You might not see a change, but others will start noticing," she says. "Just because you aren't focusing on your appearance at first doesn't mean your appearance won't change."
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