So, a few weeks ago, I put together a neat post about all the cool things that start to happen when you strength train regularly, including getting stronger (of course!), finding daily tasks easier to accomplish, better bloodwork/labs, performing better at your job, reducing stress, and so on.
And another thing, strength training improves self-esteem. How? By watching the numbers on the bar going UP, there’s a continual reinforcement that you ARE getting stronger.
Objectively stronger.
And that fills you with a sense of accomplishment and pride that lifts your mood, helps you power through the rest of your day, and keeps you coming back for more.
Things that you thought you could not do, or limiting beliefs that might have been holding you back, no longer do.
The short article above, from Shape magazine, points out the term “fitness self-esteem,” and how you can build it by making slight improvements in each workout (doing more reps, or lifting progressively more weight). Improving your fitness self-esteem enables you to achieve your goal (a “better body” in this case).
That’s Shape magazine. My take?
Feeling the weight on your back when you’ve settled in for squats, with a weight that could possibly crush YOU —and then actually “crushing” that set—is tremendously exhilarating.
And empowering.
When you know you’re physically capable of achieving a difficult feat (e.g., heavy squats, or deadlifts), other tasks that you once perceived as challenging no longer limit you.
Improving self-esteem generally happens via a “ripple effect” with strength training. One healthy habit (lifting weights) starts to have an effect on other things you begin to do to improve your health; like going to bed earlier, or eating to nourish your workouts. Things that you thought were out of your reach, like completing a half marathon, your first 5K, or engaging in a new recreational activity with the kids, becomes your new reality.
There’s something about strength training that makes you fills you with incredible self-esteem. The kind of feeling that makes you believe you are capable of anything.
See you in the gym 🙂
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