How Does Exercise Affect Your Self-esteem?

Exercise has numerous health and fitness benefits. Regular sessions can lower your risk of disease and improve your quality of life. Daily activities become easier to perform because you are stronger and have more endurance. Your body weight is positively affected as well as your percentage of body fat. However, your mental health can also be impacted by exercise. People that exercise often have higher levels of self-esteem and body image than their less active counterparts, according to Athletic Insight, the Online Journal of Sport Psychology.

Self-Esteem and Body Image

Self-esteem refers to how well you prize, value, approve or like yourself. Positive feelings are often associated with a more positive outlook and less depression or anxiety. Body image can relate to self-esteem in that it can be positive or negative. It refers to how you view your own body and what feelings are associated with your personal view.

Exercise and Your Body

Appearance and body weight are important to your self-esteem and body image. If you feel uncomfortable with yourself and how you look, you may have lower self-esteem and a poor body image. Exercise can change how your body looks and the way you feel about it. You can increase the tone and shape of your muscles with regular weight training. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and lowers your body fat as well as total body weight. This improves not only your health but your appearance leading to increased self-esteem and improved body image.

Exercise Recommendations

Regular sessions of exercise that are performed frequently for an extended period of time were found to have the highest correlation to positive self-esteem, according to research at Arizona State University. Perform cardiovascular exercise three to five days per week for 30 to 60 minutes at each session. Strength training should be done two to three days per week with at least 48 hours rest between sessions to allow muscle recovery. Keep your intensity during exercise sessions moderate to hard for the best results.

Considerations

If you are new to exercise, start slowly. Exercise every other day for as little as 10 to 20 minutes at a low to moderate intensity so your body can become accustomed to regular activity. Gradually increase frequency, duration and intensity of your sessions. If you feel any pain, dizziness or light-headedness stop exercising immediately and reevaluate your program. Keep in mind that if you are on medications for depression or anxiety that are related to self-esteem or body image, remain on your medications. Do not take yourself off any prescriptions without approval from your physician just because you are exercising.