6 things that happen when you start working out
Spoiler: bigger biceps isn’t mentioned
Everyone who ever has started going to the gym knows the feeling you get after a while when you start seeing some results. Besides feeling bigger and stronger, there are a bunch of other things that happen to you. The list is endless, but these are my top 6 that stand out the most. Keep in mind that everyone reacts and experiences things differently, so not everyone is guaranteed to experience the same things. And don’t expect to experience these things immediately, you need to put in hard work over a long period of time.
1. You start eating better
After a while, as you start feeling stronger and maybe even see some muscles, you get excited and start wondering what else you can do to feel even stronger and see even more results. Maybe you start learning more about “fitness”, and end up reading about macros and different foods & food sources. You start trying different things. Most jump on the classic bodybuilder “chicken and rice” train, which is a great start(in a way). After a while you understand that you need to eat more vegetables as well, so you start incorporating that into your diet. And this circle of trying and improving continues.
The point here is not about dieting or only eating salad, it’s about understanding e.g. that you don’t get the needed energy to train or enough protein to recover and build muscles from bad foods.
2. You start sleeping better
Continuing on the previous point, as you start seeing results you start thinking about other things that can help you progress. Again, as you are studying “fitness”, you read about how important recovery is and that sleep is number one when it comes to recovery. So you start making sure you sleep enough.
Besides that, your sleep actually gets better as well. Because you have done something, your body gets tired and makes it easier to fall asleep and you have better quality sleep.
3. You start taking better care of yourself
You have been consistent for a while, you have lost some weight and the muscle definitions are starting to show. One day you look in the mirror and say to yourself “damn, I look good”. That will lead to making other improvements as well, to look even better. Things like dressing better, shaving and getting a haircut more regularly, taking better care of your teeth and skin, etc.
Besides appearance-related things, you also start thinking about other things when it comes to taking better care of yourself. Maybe you are a smoker, or you consume alcohol too often (or too much) — and re-evaluate if those are things you want to continue doing.
4. You get better self-confidence
Naturally, when you feel better — you feel more confident. Something happens when you start seeing results, you start carrying yourself differently. Besides getting a better posture from the actual training, you also walk a little straighter with the chest out. And this happens quite quickly and without you actually thinking about it. You don’t need to look like the models on Instagram before it happens.
It won’t take long before someone comments on your progress. Each time it happens, your self-confidence grows.
5. You are a lot more relaxed
After a while, when you actually enjoy going to the gym, it will become a lot more than just going there to lift weights in order to build muscles or lose weight. Instead of having to go there, you want to go there. You go there to clear your mind, to unwind from a stressful day. Or you go there in the morning to start your day right, because you feel like a million bucks after a good workout. All (or most) of your stress, anxiety, anger, etc. get dealt with at the gym, so you are a lot more relaxed outside the gym.
6. You understand that you can do anything
Maybe you stick to a workout program for X weeks/months. Maybe you don’t have a program, you just make sure you go to the gym X times every week. Whatever it is. You see results and understand what you can achieve if you just stay consistent and put in the work. There are days when you have zero motivation, or you have a million other things you need to do — but you push through and make sure you stay consistent. That makes you understand how powerful your mindset is, and the things you can achieve if you put in the work. You start putting those things to work in other areas of your life. Working a little harder to get that promotion you have been dreaming about, starting that business you have been thinking about, or putting in a little more work into your relationship. Whatever it might be. You are unstoppable.
