Exercise Your Way To Younger Looking Skin

Why Exercise?

It’s hardly news that exercise is good for you, we have all read the articles that tell us how exercise benefits our heart, lungs and mental health.

We also know that exercise energises us and helps us to sleep better.

However there is another great reason to take up exercise on a regular basis. Exercise is one of the secrets to healthy skin.

This side effect of exercise means that not only do you improve your physical and mental health, with exercise you also improve your complexion and skin tone.Both of these factors – a healthy body and a younger looking face – are important when it comes to looking and feeling the best you can as you age; so quite simply it makes sense to exercise.

Exercise And Your Skin

Exercise promotes healthy skin in 3 important ways:

1. Exercise improves circulation and this is what helps to keep your skin healthy and radiant looking. A major sign of sluggish circulation is a dull, sallow complexion.

When we exercise increased circulation facilitates the effective delivery of energy-giving nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body. Skin cell renewal is therefore more effective and the result is vibrant, glowing skin.

2. When you exercise more collagen is produced. Much of your skin is made up of collagen fibers and it is this protein that is responsible for your skin’s elasticity. Improved levels of collagen means firmer, less saggy skin.

3. Exercise also ensures the efficient functioning of the digestive system as it acts as an internal cleanser. When you exercise your gut and bowel are able to function more effectively to remove wastes and toxins leading to clearer, brighter skin.

Tackle Skin-Sapping Stress With Exercise

Exercise in the form of aerobic activity is also one of the best ways to relieve stress. Stress is proven to be one of the skin’s worst enemies when it comes to aging prematurely.

When we exercise our bodies produce endorphins, these are natural ‘feel-good’ chemicals that promote feelings of happiness and well-being.

So What Are You Waiting For?

Regular exercise can help you to:

Manage stress
Improve your physical health
Improve your mental health
Tone your body
Improve posture
Maintain a healthy weight
Keep your skin looking youthful and radiant
Prevent premature aging of the body and the skin

Getting Started

It’s often too difficult when we are busy or tired to find the motivation to commit to a regular exercise program however once you find a way to exercise that works for you it becomes easier and you may even find it enjoyable!

Here are a few helpful tips to help you get started:

1. Choose A Form Of Exercise You Will Enjoy

There’s no point in torturing yourself with exercise – it’s meant to be enjoyable. If you are having fun while you exercise you’re more likely to stick to a regular regime.

If swimming, running or pumping iron at the gym aren’t for you why not take up ballroom dancing, or mountain biking or rebounding on a mini-trampoline in the comfort of your own home? There’s something to suit all kinds of people and personalities.

2. Vary Your Exercise Program

There’s no need to stick to just one form of exercise, as this could make you become bored and lose motivation. Aerobic exercise is anything that raises the heart rate and gets the oxygen pumping around your body.

This could include a brisk walk, a round of golf, playing a game of soccer or tennis in the park with the kids, dancing to your favorite music, an afternoon spent gardening or running on a treadmill.

3. Get Flexible

Try to fit in once or twice a week a form of exercise that encourages your body to move and be flexible. Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Qi Gong or performing simple stretching exercises will help you to maintain good posture, tone the muscles and improve the shape of your body.

4. Start Slowly

If you are returning to exercise after a break or a long time it’s important to start slowly and not throw yourself into a strenuous exercise regime. Starting with a 5-minute session is advisable if you are unfit or out of practice, you can soon build up to sessions of 20-30 minutes.

5. Keep It Regular

There are bound to be some days when you don’t feel like exercising so don’t feel guilty about not committing to exercise every day for the rest of your life! Don’t give up though, as once you stop it’s hard to get going again, aim for 2 – 5, 20-minute sessions per week.

Face Up To Exercise

While many people are happy to exercise their bodies fewer people seem to think exercising the face is just as important.

It makes sense to exercise the muscles on our faces to keep the skin looking toned and youthful. We know that one of the benefits of exercise is that it improves our skin tone – so if we perform weighted bicep curls the muscles of our arms become more defined as they fill out and support the skin on the arms.

The same is true for our faces – improving facial muscle tone is the key to firmer skin and a younger looking face.