It's easy to think that putting in an hour at the gym or playing a game of pickup basketball with a few friends doesn't much impact how you feel or who you are. However, working out has a far greater impact than many people realize. When you adopt a regular exercise routine and make consistent choices to be active, your confidence, self-identity and mental health can benefit just as much as your physical health.
Mental Health
It's common for some people who suffer from mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, to define themselves by their conditions. In those cases, however, working toward improved fitness can alleviate symptoms and help patients develop more positive self-identity. The National Institutes of Health states that aerobic exercises reduce anxiety and depression, reduce overall stress and improve mood. The NIH further asserts that physical activity can boost self-esteem, social withdrawal and cognitive function.
Being an 'Exerciser'
According to a 1995 study from the "Journal of Sport Behavior," researchers discovered that the time people spent exercising each week was directly proportional to their "role-identities" in working out and being fit. As the study authors stated, "validation of a person's identity as an exerciser places pressure upon one to continue to exercise." The phenomenon implies that by gradually increasing their workout times and frequencies, people who are out of shape and unmotivated may be able to reverse the situation.
Energy and Enthusiasm
The Mayo Clinic says that regular physical activity increases your daily energy level by efficiently delivering oxygen and vital nutrients to tissues throughout the body. By extension, the energy boosts can help you perform better at work, bring increased enthusiasm to interactions with friends and family members, and create more time for the things you enjoy most, cementing a positive sense of self-worth and self-identity.
Accomplishment
People who suffer from low self-esteem and poor sense of self-identity commonly downplay their accomplishments and report feeling worthless. However, since the effects of sticking to a regular fitness plan are tangible and visible, it's difficult to repeat the same process with exercise. Whether your goal is to lose weight, build muscle or simply become healthier, you can begin to notice positive results of your routine within a couple of weeks after starting it. In turn, those results may encourage you to push for meeting bigger goals and develop a realization that the work you're putting in is valuable and plays a key role in building your sense of accomplishment and identity.
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