Did you know there are SO MANY benefits to finding daily movement/working out that have nothing to do with changing the number on the scale? When a client initially begins their fitness journey with Simko Fitness, often times their main focus is weight loss. While this can be a benefit for some, there are so many other positive changes that come from working out!

Moving your body daily can reduce your risk of cancer and even boost your immune system, who doesn’t want those benefits!? But did you know that adding a few workouts to your weekly routine can also boost your metabolism, aid in daily task performance and improve your sleep, focus, self-esteem and time management?

1 & 2: Increased Metabolic Rate & Appetite

Have you ever noticed that on days you have increased your physical activity you feel more hunger? That is a good thing; that means your body is communicating what it needs. Muscle tissue is the most metabolically active tissue in your body; muscles need a variety of nutrients, such as quality protein and carbohydrates, to rebuild themselves after a workout. When you do resistance exercises, you are breaking down your muscle fibers and with proper rest, nutrition and hydration your body can build those muscle fibers back stronger than before!

An increase in lean muscle mass, a wonderful side effect of resistance training, can cause an increase in metabolic rate. This is a fancy way of saying your body needs more calories the more muscle mass you have. This isn’t just after you workout, this is all day every day! An increase in metabolism is due to the fact that muscles are in constant need of energy! The more lean muscle mass you carry around on your body the more energy (food) you need to sustain those muscles. It is important to note that the type of fuel you feed your body will play a role in not only how well you build muscle but also how you feel overall. A quality source of protein, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fresh fruit and vegetables are all optimal sources of fuel!

3. Improved Sleep

Another wonderful benefit of working out is improved sleep, because who doesn’t love a good night's sleep!? Working out not only requires more energy, but it also requires more rest and time to recover. Moderate to vigorous activity has been proven to increase sleep quality and decrease the time it takes for you to fall asleep each night. It can also help reduce your tiredness levels during the day as well (Sleep Foundation, 2023). Personally, adding workouts to my daily routine has helped me sleep at night, once my head hits the pillow I am out! Your level of energy during the day is largely impacted by the amount of sleep and nutrients you get on a day-to-day basis. The lifestyle you lead will largely dictate the amount of energy you have, but working out can be a tool to alleviate some troubles you might experience when trying to catch some zzz’s.

4 & 5. Improved Energy, Mood and Focus

These next two go hand in hand in hand with each other, increased focus and increased energy levels. Let’s start with increased energy levels, when you work out your heart beats faster, pumping blood quicker through your body. Your red blood cells carry this oxygen to all the tissues throughout your body and thus you start to feel more energized due to faster delivery of oxygen! Oxygen is needed from the mitochondria in our cells to do their job! As we all might remember from junior high or high school, the mitochondria are the POWERHOUSE of the cell; it is the location of energy production in every cell within your body! If you are delivering more oxygen to cells throughout your body, then the mitochondria within those cells can create energy quicker from stored fuel or fuel you have fed yourself throughout the day.

Exercise improves your mood because the amino acid tryptophan gets released when you work out. Tryptophan is a building block of the neurotransmitter serotonin, also referred to as the ‘feel good’ chemical. Serotonin helps stabilize emotions and increase levels of happiness. The benefits become a trickle effect; regular exercise can improve sleep, mood and decrease your perceived level of stress, all of which can lead to improved focus and concentration!

6. Perform Daily Tasks Easier 

One of the biggest game changers for a lot of people when it comes to exercising, specifically weightlifting, is being able to lift things around the house and perform tasks at work easier. For me, weightlifting allowed me to help my dad and brothers rebuild our lake house in Wisconsin. I was able to lift and carry materials for the house and haul equipment up the stairs; there was nothing they could do that I couldn’t! I did not have to wait for someone else to come around to do the hard work for me, now I could do it myself! It was a big change for me, it increased my motivation for strength training, enhanced my independence and boosted self-esteem. Speaking of self-esteem, that’s the next amazing benefit!

7. Improved Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is a huge part of what makes working out such a powerful thing! Along with being able to lift heavier things and feel like an absolute unit, there are so many incredible things that fitness brings into your life that can improve your self-esteem. Feeling strong in your own body is an untouchable feeling! You come out with confidence that you are making the right choices for your mind and body each and every day! It doesn’t have to be a physical change, it can be how you feel on the inside; you feel stronger, more stable and powerful; like a damn boss! And that is what is important! 

8. Improved Time Management 

Working out can improve your time management skills! We can all use better time management, but it can be difficult at times. It is hard to balance that work, gym, friend and family life… It requires you to have a pretty good understanding of time management! Time management plays a huge role in building better habits to become the best version of yourself. If you know you have a busy week, month or quarter then you may be tempted to put your workouts on the back burner until things wind down. The reality is that life will not wind down for you to fit some YOU time into your day, you have to intentionally plan that time in. Schedule that workout into your day; add it to your planner and/or calendar! Set a reminder to take 10, 30 or 60 minutes to find some movement! A workout does not have to only include driving yourself to a gym for a 60–90-minute workout. Ditch the all or nothing mindset and get some movement in when and where you can during your day!

Create a schedule, this will allow you to crush your goals and can benefit you in more ways than just adding a checkmark to your ‘to do’ list. It will build consistency, discipline and add structure to your life. It may even allow you to fit in more of the things you want to do; more time with your family, more time to plan and prepare meals or even more time to learn a new skill; the list is endless!

These are just some of my favorite benefits of exercise that take weight loss as a focus off the table for a moment. I hope you have learned a little about how powerful exercise can be. My hope is for you to wake up every day and want the best for yourself, because no one else will do it for you! 

Are you looking to add structure and accountability to your workout routine or even just get started?

We have ALL been there, sometimes you need some help along the way; that’s what personal trainers are for!

Andrea Simko of Simko Fitness is a Certified Personal Trainer who specializes in helping clients reach their fitness goals by developing a workout plan that fits their schedule and lifestyle!