8 Reasons to Work Out That Have Nothing to Do With Losing Weight

“Because this move really requires you to focus on the squeeze of the abdominals and working from the lower abs, it is totally mental,” Boncompagni adds. “I love how exercises like this help me build a better relationship with my body. They truly make me feel more embodied, more in my skin, and therefore more confident because I have a greater mind-body connection. So while I’m training my abs, I’m also training my mind. It’s so magical. It impacts the way I walk, the way I hold myself, and the way I feel in my skin.”

“Conditioning your core, including your lower abs, is especially helpful if you suffer from chronic back pain (that’s related to muscular imbalance or poor posture). People who are leaner are going to see more definition in the lower abs by amping up their lower ab training, but by no means is this a way to reduce fat in your lower abs. It has benefits far beyond toning.”

“Lift heavy weights safely and effectively—some women tend to not lift heavy weights because they’re nervous to look [bulky]. However, lifting heavier weights not only keeps up your strength, but it will make your bones stronger and help prevent osteoporosis. There’s a 70% chance that females can receive this disease—therefore, it’s very important to strength train,” says Jacqueline Kasen, a body architect at Anatomy.

According to experts (and feedback from their many clients), morning workouts can increase productivity and energy levels. “A solid morning workout can help with productivity, mood, stress, and energy levels,” confirms Burn 60 master trainer Katie Jo Zayon. “Most of my clients say they can focus better throughout the day after our morning workouts, and when they skip it, they see a huge difference in their mental performance.”

Body by Simone founder Simone de la Rue agrees. “I like to say that a morning workout is better than a morning cup of coffee. Your body and mind have been stimulated by the exercise and you are more present. It’s easier to be productive when you feel alert and full of energy.”

Winhoffer muses, “working out helps us find solutions to problems. Solutions come when we think and feel with clarity. Working out helps us access new brain neurons to support mental clarity.”

“Once we get working, after the abs come in and the arms get stronger—something incredible happens,” says Karen Lord, a certified Pilates instructor and founder of Karen Lord Pilates Movement in NYC. “A deep shift in mood. Science tells us it’s the endorphin effect, and it’s true—but it’s a bit more spellbinding, a bit more exciting. It’s the magic of change. Not just physical, but it’s the forward trajectory that happens every time you start and stick with something good and physically new. I think in terms of music a lot.

“I think our brains act like a record spinning on a turntable. Sometimes the record skips and digs a deep groove that just keeps going in circles. I train people, and I work out myself to move the needle, dig myself out, to put on a new song. It works. Break patterns, and build better ones. A doctor friend and I speak a lot on mental health and exercise. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, certain medications are enhanced by real committed physical activity. I’m here for the feelings. The feeling you get is the life changer.”

According to Heather Peterson, CorePower Yoga‘s chief yoga officer, “Exercise has short- and long-term sleep benefits” like “falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer, and being less fatigued during the day.” While yoga has many health benefits, such as increased flexibility and improved energy, better sleep is another reason to try it. “Yoga creates strength and flexibility in muscles, which can help your body relax more quickly and help you stay asleep longer.”

There’s this misinterpretation of workout culture—that it’s a “fitspo”-only club meant to alienate and trigger anyone who doesn’t align with traditional beauty standards. Though those impressions directly stem from damaging and oppressive discourse surrounding women’s bodies which, as a collective culture, we’re only now beginning to speak out against.

One popular athleisure company’s founder said, flat-out, “Some women’s bodies just don’t actually work for it,” referring to their leggings. I’ve seen so many headlines promising to whittle my waist, banish my fat, and eliminate flab. Such rhetoric is detrimental to the entire industry and subsequent community, one that is meant to help you stay healthy and feel good above all else.

So, I thought, why not come up with all the reasons to work out that have nothing to do with getting a date or losing 14 pounds in two weeks for the sake of someone else’s idea of what looks good? There are real, science-backed claims that find spending time at the gym to give you more energy, help with productivity and mental clarity, aid in deeper, more restful sleep, better skin, and meeting new people, to start.

And here’s the thing: You’re allowed to want to look good naked. There’s no issue in wanting to show off a body you worked hard for. It’s only vital to remember that “good” is a subjective term, and no one but you can define it. Below find fitness experts’ thoughts.