Regular exercise can do wonders to the way you look and the way you feel. In fact, it can make you look younger.

The moment you decide to get off that chair and make it a habit of heading to the gym, rolling out the yoga mat, or even take a hike in the woods, you’re well on your way to reaping a ton of benefits for your body.

The rewards go far beyond getting thinner or gaining muscle tone.

Every cell in your body is positively affected by physical activity. Under only an hour of working out, you begin to feel less anxious, sleep better at night, and after 72 hours, your body starts to process your blood sugar more effectively. As a result, it helps you feel and look younger.

Still not convinced? Here’s an in-depth look at how exercise can help you feel and look younger:

1. Exercise keeps your skin glowing and soft.

Researchers from the McMaster University in Ontario conducted a study on a small group of adults aged between 20 and 84. They observed that those who were in their 40s and worked out regularly had skin that was suppler and more elastic like those people between around the ages of 20 and 30.

Sun exposure had nothing to do with the results. In conclusion, the researchers stated that exercise actually produces body substances that help slow aging in skin.

According to Kansas-based dermatologist Audrey Kunin, MD, working up a good sweat is actually equal to getting a mini-facial. When the pores dilate, sweat flushes out trapped dirt and oil.

Just make sure to wash your face after your workout session so the grim doesn’t get sucked back into your pores. When you exercise, your circulation revs up and aids in getting the much-needed oxygen and other nutrients to the skin, making it less prone to sagging.

2. Exercise increases stature.

There haven’t been any studies conducted that explain why exercise makes you grow taller, but orthopedic surgeon Dan Bradley, MD, says activities that stretch and strengthen muscles at the same time, such as Pilates and yoga, can correct bad posture, which consequently makes you look and grow taller.

When you hunch, it causes some muscle groups to contract while others lengthen, subtracting height. Actively working out to give your muscles balance will improve your posture and make you stand taller.

If you have a crooked spine, you can get the most results by performing core strengthening exercises like planks, bird dogs, and farmer’s walks. If you have hunched shoulders, then try to restore lost height by focusing on the upper back with resistance bands, free weights, or machines.

3. Exercise improves your posture.

As you age, you lose muscle and experience a change in bone density, which affects your posture. The perfect way to counteract this deterioration is to build muscle and bone health through strength training.



This targets your core and spine, making you naturally stand taller and look younger. Exercise also allows you to feel more powerful psychologically, making you stop slouching and straighten up instead.

Keep in mind that confident people have excellent posture. The way you carry yourself says a lot to other people.

If you want to appear confident and radiate a certain appeal and charisma, then try working out several times a week. Your body will get used to the constant activity and you’ll naturally begin to stand straighter and present yourself better.

4. Exercise kicks up your metabolism.

As you age, your metabolism naturally slows down. This makes it difficult for you to avoid packing on layers of fat as the years go by. The good news is you can choose to attend regular workout sessions to increase the number of calories you burn and keep up a healthy and steady weight.

Adding resistance training to your routine a few times a week at the very least will allow you to torch more calories. When you have more muscle, you have a higher calorie burn, which stays high all throughout the day even after you’ve stopped exercising.

In the more scientific aspect, visceral fat is burned more efficiently when you’re a frequent exerciser. As your body produces more mitochondria and more proteins, it quickens the transportation of fatty acids into cells meant to be burned as energy.

More enzymes are also manufactured, which aid in breaking down fat. So the more enzymes present, the quicker visceral fat is burned. All in all, your body will look much better in the end.

5. Exercise improves your flexibility.

Say goodbye those knotted muscles and joints that make you feel rigid and rickety all day long. Working out frequently using stretching-oriented routines like Pilates and yoga help keep you loose and bendy. But if you prefer cardio workouts, you can warm up and cool down with foam roller exercises instead.

It’s important that you never forget to warm up and cool down before and after each workout session. Neglecting to perform your stretching routines can do so much harm to your muscles than you know. Stretching allows your muscles to be more malleable, boosting flexibility and giving you a wider range of motion. Now you won’t have as much of a difficult time getting around.

The benefits you receive from regular exercise are astounding. If you want to look younger, it is worth taking that exhausting trip to the gym several times a week. Just make sure you wear the proper fitness clothing every time to ensure maximum mobility and optimum performance.

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