10 Benefits of Exercise That Have Nothing To Do With Your Weight

I don’t know about you, but I have been sick of hearing headlines about exercising for weight loss for what seems like… my whole life! Now, this is partially because it feels like I can’t go anywhere or even turn on the TV for 5 minutes without hearing about the latest weight loss fad or gimmick, whether exercise-related or not. But even more so for me, majoring in exercise science in undergrad and going on to graduate school in physical therapy, I was absolutely inundated on a daily basis with the endless benefits- and importance of- exercise and movement. It was truly shocking how vastly and deeply exercise affects our entire body: every cell and every system. I became even more frustrated with society’s laser focus on weight loss as being exercise’s main purpose, whilst ignoring the more incredible other benefits that exercise provides us. 

We all know that exercise is an important part of “staying healthy,” but I’ve put together 10 of my favorite benefits of exercise that have nothing to do with your weight, and they may actually get you excited to move your body today! I have included a link to a few articles and specific studies along the way, but in actuality, there are almost countless research studies that support each one of these, so feel free to use Google and read to your heart’s content! 

Benefit #1: Exercise helps you sleep better. Personally, I find it difficult to have a great day if I haven’t slept very well the night before. Exercise has been shown to improve your sleep quality, as well as make it easier for you to fall asleep. Read more about exercising for better sleep by clicking here.

Benefit #2: Exercise improves your brain function. This includes Improved memory, concentration, and alertness. Exercise even lowers your risk for dementia! Read more about exercise’s role in brain function by clicking here.

Benefit #3: Exercise boosts your mood. Most of us are familiar with the feel-good rush we get during or immediately after a workout, but exercise has also been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in the long-term as well. Read more about how exercise can improve your mood and reduce anxiety & depression by clicking here.

Benefit #4: Exercise prevents chronic conditions. This includes type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer, just to name a few. Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, and you can help prevent it by moving your body! Moreover, if you have already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease, exercise is an important part of treating, and even reversing, these disease processes. 

Benefit #5: Exercise builds stronger muscles & stronger bones. This may seem like one of the obvious ones, but I have to include it in my list because it’s so crucial as we talk about aging well. Stronger bones means a lower risk of osteoporosis, which also means a lower risk of fractures. Adequate strength is also an important factor in balance. Read more about the impact of strength exercises on your balance by clicking here.

Benefit #6: Exercise preserves independence. As you get older, one of the best ways to stay independent is by maintaining your muscle strength and staying active. Muscle strength has been shown to be a predictor of independence level as we get older. Exercise improves physical function, which helps you maintain your independence as you age. Read more about specific research behind this by clicking here or by clicking here. 

Benefit #7: Exercise reduces pain. Exercise helps to lubricate your joints, reduce stiffness, and improve circulation, which can all help to prevent and reduce pain. Exercise even dulls pain during and after you work out. This is called an “analgesic effect” or ”exercise-induced hypoalgesia.” You can read more about it by clicking here.

Benefit #8: Exercise strengthens your immune system. We are currently in the midst of (what seems to be a never-ending!) cold and flu season. You hear about the importance of washing your hands, but have you heard that exercise can also help keep you from getting sick? Exercise boosts your immune system by increasing blood flow, so your immune cells can detect incoming germs more quickly. It also helps to evacuate germs out of the lungs, and it reduces inflammation. Read more about exercise immunology by clicking here.

Benefit #9: Exercise improves your skin. Who doesn’t long for better skin, regardless of your age?! Exercise increases blood flow to your skin, improves skin moisture, and mitigates age-related changes as well. Read more about exercise's effects on your skin by clicking here.

Benefit #10: Exercise lowers your risk of death. This shouldn’t be too surprising, given benefit #4 above, but in fact it lowers your risk of death from any cause, not just from chronic diseases. You can read more about this by clicking here or by clicking here. 

If you’re not thinking to yourself “gosh, what can’t exercise do for me?!” ...then I would encourage you to reread this post! Exercise is a powerful tool that is free to all of us and fully within our own control to use, or not use. I hope this list invigorates you to find a way to move your body and reap the benefits today.