There is no doubt that exercise is one of the pillars of a healthy lifestyle: it makes us feel better and more energetic and it contributes to our overall well-being while protecting us from health problems later in our life. However, the benefits of this healthy activity stretch far beyond the aforementioned perks. Exercise boosts our appearance as well, and not only by helping us stay fit. If you want to find out what exactly we’re talking about, here are some of the beauty benefits regular exercise has.

Improving your shape

While beauty is not defined by shape or size, when your body is toned and firm, regardless of the size of jeans you wear, it certainly boosts your confidence and therefore your appearance as well. But if you’ve set your mind on shaving off a few pounds in order to rock that bikini with pride, all the better. Working out regularly will make you look and feel better in your skin, which is something all of us want.

Bettering your posture

If you have to sit around a lot and have a less than perfect posture, an exercise that involves a lot of stretching and muscle strengthening (such as Pilates and yoga) can help you remedy this issue. Some go as far as saying that by this, you can even get an inch taller! While you won’t actually be growing, stretching your muscles into the proper position and straightening your back will add to your height. So, if you’ve always wanted to be just a tad taller, exercise can help you improve your stature in the best possible way.

Making your skin glow

Throughout the past few years, the beauty industry has come to the point where the focus is finally on healthy, glowy skin. Fortunately for you, exercise can help you get there. First and foremost, exercise is known to boost circulation, meaning that all the capillaries inside your skin are going to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your cells much more efficiently. This is essential for the healing of the skin, and you will notice that your face has a healthy glow and a hint of flush, which will make you toss your blush.

Clearing your pores

Contrary to popular belief, sweat is your friend. When you’re sweating, you’re washing out all the trapped oil and dirt from deep inside your pores – which is why it is of the utmost importance that you take off all your makeup before you start your workout routine. The same goes for after breaking a sweat. If you just leave all the sweat and dirt sitting on your face, your pores are going to get clogged once again, and you don’t want to cause pimples this way. Wash your face with a mild cleanser after working out and apply a moisturizing cream. If all this sounds like a hassle to do at the gym, don’t worry, nowadays you can do basically any kind of workout with practical fitness exercise equipment in your own home and do your beauty routine right after.

Reducing your stress levels

You are probably already familiar with some of the negative effects of being under too much stress. Stress affects our overall health, our immune system, our hair and skin and a slew of other areas. However, stress is something that is impossible to avoid nowadays, so the best you can do is reduce and relieve it as much as you can. Fortunately, exercise is one of the best ways to help you on this front. By working out regularly, you are saving yourself from premature aging due to increased cortisol levels. Cortisol can cause the collagen in your skin to break down, so working out can actually prevent wrinkles, to put it simply. Stress can also cause acne, so lowering your stress levels and breaking a sweat to clean out those pores is ever so important to avoid that. Finally, stress can wreak havoc on your hair too. As mentioned, exercise improves your circulation and this increased blood flow stimulates your hair follicles whose growth is boosted this way.

If you have been regularly working out, these perks come as a nice bonus for all your efforts. But if you’re still procrastinating on taking up exercise, these beauty benefits might just give you the final push that you’ve been waiting for to finally change your life. With all the physical and mental health benefits as well as beauty perks that exercise has, there is no good reason not to engage in this activity every day or at least a few times a week. Good luck!