How Exercise Can Make You Feel Excellent

Posted: Aug 29 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff

Becoming more active after weight loss surgery will help you build muscle as you lose fat, and this can dramatically improve your physical strength and appearance. But did you know that physical activity is just as beneficial for the mind as it is for the body? Because exercise has a direct influence on your mood and outlook, it can help with weight loss after surgery by making it easier to stay motivated and feel great every day after bariatric surgery.

Exercise and Positivity: A Chemical Connection

You may have heard exercise enthusiasts talk about the “runner’s high,” a sensation of euphoric pleasure they experience after a workout. This phenomenon is caused by chemicals called endorphins that our bodies release during exercise, which have a direct influence on our mood. Endorphins make us feel happier and more positive, and they can even dull our perception of pain by binding to pain receptors in the brain.

What’s more, there’s evidence that exercise can actually change our brain chemistry. Some research shows that physical activity can be as effective as antidepressants at counteracting the symptoms of depression, and is useful for not only feeling better in the moment, but also for combating depressed feelings long term. In fact, some scientists have encouraged healthcare providers to begin prescribing exercise for depressed patients instead of simply offering medication.

On top of these chemical benefits, exercise can pay off in emotional benefits like:

• Confidence. Reaching the goals you set for exercise can help you become more confident in your ability to reach goals in other aspects of your life. As you become fitter, you may also become more confident in the way you look, which can be an empowering feeling.
• Social interaction. If you exercise outside your home, you’re likely to run into all sorts of other people. Regardless of whether or not you know these people or stop to speak with them, just sharing a nod or smile in passing can improve your mood.
• A distraction from your worries. By engaging our bodies and our minds, physical activity can help us forget our problems, which can help you escape the downward spiral of negativity that often worsens depression and anxiety.

How can benefits like these help us in our daily lives? Research has proven that regular exercise is effective at:

• Relieving anxiety and depression
• Managing and reducing stress
• Boosting self-esteem
• Improving sleep

All this means that exercising after weight loss surgery will not only help you experience better physical results, but an overall better attitude, which can make every day more productive and enjoyable.