When people start their journey to get in better shape, the focus often goes on how they look and how much they weigh. Of course, this is a strong enough benefit for some, but many others struggle to appreciate the impact it will have on their lives.
As coaches, there are plenty of reasons why we call this a life changing experience. Not only will you change your body shape, but you will also learn the habits and routines required to stay in shape once you get there. In doing, so you are having a positive impact on so many areas of your life.
So, what are these areas? How can investing time, effort, and money in your body shape change your life for the better?
Health
Many people get aches and pains because they are not strong enough in key areas of their body. It can be common for people to start training ‘abs’ because they want them to be more visible, but then often complain of lower back pain and are more susceptible to injury, especially when playing sport.
If your muscles are not strong, areas such as your lower back tend to take more of the workload in the positions you get into. As a result, most pains come from poor posture due to not having strong enough glutes, quads, hamstrings, shoulders and back. So, training these muscles in isolation will strengthen them and shift the pain away from areas, such as your lower back, that are unable to take the pressure being placed upon them.
When you build muscle through resistance training, you have more protection for your bones, joints and ligaments. This means that when you have a collision, particularly when playing sport, you are going to have a better chance of coming through that impact unscathed. This also related to other exercise such as running, where people suffer joint problems from a weak lower body not being able to withstand the repetitive impact of a run, especially on harder surfaces.
Confidence
When you begin your fitness journey, it is very possible that you are adopting a fixed mindset. You can’t do this, you can’t do that, you will never be able to achieve this, it is not possible to be successful at that. This is often why a lot of people fail, not just with getting in better shape but with any goal in life and is also commonly why many don’t even bother to start. So much about fat loss is in the mind, and it requires belief and confidence as well as discipline, consistency and routine.
However, as you progress throughout your journey, you will begin to realise that you can do more and achieve more than you thought was possible. Not only will you be losing body fat and changing your overall shape, but you will also be stronger, more energetic, more flexible and have better posture. All of this has a knock-on effect on the belief and confidence you have in yourself, which then has a huge impact on your happiness, relationships with people and overall outlook on life. This is a gamechanger if your goal is to be more joyful and inspired and gives you the belief that you can get much more out of your life.
Relationships
A biproduct of improved self-confidence from changing your body shape is better quality relationships with your family and friends. If you are unhappy about your body shape, it will affect your overall mood, which has a carryover to how you speak to people close to you on a daily basis, therefore putting certain relationships under strain.
However, by making progress with your body shape and confidence, this can turn on its head. You don’t have to be in the shape of your life just yet, but simply knowing that you are moving in the right direction and making positive changes will change your energy and the tone of your conversations with people, therefore maintaining healthy relationships.
Career
This is an unexpected benefit, but one that is extremely important. How does improving your body shape progress your career? Well, for starters, the increased energy, positivity and fitness levels from getting in shape will transfer over to your performance and durability at work.
Of course, this depends on the type of work you do. For example, if your job is more physically demanding, your increase in strength and muscle mass will allow you to carry and move things more effectively and safely. If your job is more sedentary, the change in mindset to one of positivity and growth will carry over to your work, so long as you enjoy it.
Mindset
Another huge mental benefit that resistance training can bring is with your positivity. When you change your body shape for the better, you are much happier with yourself and what you have achieved, meaning that you become more positive about the future, not just with your body but also with your relationships with people, your work, and your overall outlook on life.
As mentioned before, many people enter their fitness journey with a fixed mindset of not being able to achieve something. This can also lead to a lot of negativity in your mind, resulting in a depressed, frustrated life that affects your ability to achieve more. By making progress with your body shape, your mindset changes along with that, meaning you have more positive opinions about certain situations and higher energy levels, which stems from the ‘state’ you find yourself in.
Once you get into a routine of doing this, you will start to notice big differences, not only physically but mentally also.
Cleaning up your diet through adding in better quality, more nutrient-dense foods means that your body starts to function properly. It also means that you are more focused, energised and happy that you are making progress with your goals. A better body not only gives you more positivity and self-confidence, but also leads to less risk of injury, disease and poor coordination, which means that you feel better with yourself and your choices. Training regularly leads to a healthier body, and as you start to achieve that during your journey, a healthier mind follows suit.
Summary
So, if you are unsure about changing your body shape, there are several ways in which it can change your life. These include improved health, more self-confidence, more positivity better performance at work and improved mindset.
Understanding the importance of these impacts will help convince you that investing in your body shape is a no-brainer for the quality of your future.
Photo Credit: Envato Elements