Researchers Martin Ginis along with her graduate student Lauren Salci believe that women tend to think negatively about their bodies and this can impact their psychological and physical health leading to low self-esteem, depression and even eating disorders. Therefore, they set out to understand how exercise can help in mitigating these negative feelings.
Exercising made these women feel stronger and thinnerFor the study, they compared the body image and physical perceptions of women who completed 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise with those who sat and read instead. The results showed that women in the exercise group experienced significant improvements in their body image as compared to those who didn't exercise. Interestingly, it was noted that this immediate positive effect lasted for at least 20 minutes after exercising.
The research team explained that this positive effect was not due to a change mood but because exercising made these women feel stronger and thinner. We've all been through days where we don't really feel great about our body and how we look. This study establishes that on such days all you need to do is indulge in a quick 30 minute workout session to get some motivation, generate positive thoughts and feel encouraged instantly.