A Celebrity Trainer Reveals The Benefits Of Exercise You Don't See & They're Everything
When you work out consistently for a while, noticing newfound strength, endurance, and even those baby muscle gains, it's such an awesome and satisfying feeling. All your hard work and dedication is paying off, and you can quite literally see the physical transformation happening before your eyes as your body gets stronger and stronger. What honestly isn't emphasized enough, though, are the benefits of exercise that you don't see. Mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, your daily sweat sessions are changing you in the most powerful way. Do you feel it?
Autumn Calabrese, a celebrity fitness trainer and creator of the 80 Day Obsession workout plan, tells Elite Daily that while the physical changes a person experiences from a regular fitness routine are obviously great in their own ways, there are a lot of positive changes that happen that you don't see, and that benefit your day-to-day life tremendously. Hitting up your favorite instructor's SoulCycle class, lacing up your sneakers and pounding the pavement outside, or rolling out your mat at home for a blissful yoga flow are all things that can elicit small, yet significant long-term changes. They aren't necessarily tangible or visible, but they're arguably even more important than anything you'll be able to see in the mirror.
Here are five important benefits of exercise that you won't be able to see on the outside, but will make you feel pretty awesome on the inside.
Improved Self-Confidence
One of the best benefits of a consistent workout routine is a hearty boost in self-confidence. "When you start taking care of yourself, you feel more empowered, more in control, and more confident about yourself," Calabrese tells Elite Daily over email. "When you prove to yourself that you can do hard things, you become more confident in daily life that you can handle the hard things that life throws your way."
So yeah, that ever-so-subtle perk you now have in your butt after all those squats is great and all, but the way you feel these days when you glide down the street with a confident ease? That's the good stuff.
A Better Sleep Schedule
"[Exercising] has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve stress," Calabrese tells Elite Daily. "These are two things that keep a lot of people awake at night."
What's more, Calabrese says, a regular workout routine can help improve your circadian rhythm, which is that nifty little internal clock inside your body that determines your alertness during the day and how tired you feel at night. "When [the rhythm] is off, your sleep is off — exercising improves this by bringing on better, deeper sleep," she says.
A Natural Boost In Your Mood
Have you ever found yourself absolutely dreading your scheduled workout because, well, laziness? But then, like magic, you always feel better after you're done. According to Calabrese, it's not magic that makes you feel so great after a workout — it's those lovely endorphins.
"Endorphins create a feeling of happiness," she tells Elite Dailiy. "Regular exercise has even been shown to help with mild depression."
A Better Ability To Concentrate
"Exercising regularly can improve your cardiovascular system, which has a connection to improved concentration," Calabrese says.
It may seem like a stretch, but according to Harvard Health, your brain really does release certain chemicals when you exercise that help you form memories more easily. When you think about it, it kind of makes sense: More blood flow to your brain, combined with the endorphin release you get when you exercise, stimulates your brain and sets you up for more creative thoughts to flow, the celebrity trainer tells Elite Daily.
You're More Organized In Your Daily Life
Have you ever planned for your workout and suddenly caught yourself planning out the rest of your day, as well? Calabrese says this happens because, once you get on-track with a set routine for your workouts, it tends to spill over to the rest of your life.
"This allows for more productivity during your day," she tells Elite Daily. "Not only do you make time for yourself, you make time for all of the other things you need to do in the day, as well."
