So many people have the goal of getting into shape. They want to lose the extra weight or fill in the sleeves of their shirt. But have you ever stopped to consider why? Today, we'll be going over why getting in shape is so beneficial for your health, physically and mentally.

The benefits we'll be covering are:

• The obvious one: athleticism
• The physical one: aesthetics
• The satisfaction one: accomplishment

Athleticism, the main benefit of getting in shape

I remember back in the day when I wasn't in shape. I couldn't really do a lot without getting tired. It's especially important for me considering pushing my wheels is a workout in itself. Nowadays, I can do more before getting tired. All because I decided to start exercising one day out of boredom.

Everybody knows that exercising makes general physical activity easier to do. The more you do, the more you can handle.

Athleticism is by far the most known benefit of getting into shape. Yes, there are exceptions to this like those who train for powerlifting who end up not being able to last long, but the majority of people aim to be in shape and not to be the next incarnation of hulk.

Getting in shape is beneficial because of how much easier it is to exert your physical body.

When you exercise, your heart has to work harder to get everything where it needs to go in time. This process repeated over time makes your body used to handling a certain amount of stress, which then makes it not stressful.

On top of this, your muscles adapt to the force exerted, building up stronger and bigger than last time. This over time allows you to exert the same force with less effort.

Although athleticism is the most obvious benefit of working out, it usually isn't the most common reason people end up getting in shape.

Aesthetics, because everybody wants to be sexy

Let's be honest here, you'd love to have a six pack. At the very least, you want a body you can be proud of when you look in the mirror. I remember how much I was motivated to keep exercising by the idea of getting a six pack. Now that I'm on a steady course to getting there, I realize just how valid the goal actually is.

Modern society will convince you that you shouldn't want to get in shape just to look good. You should aim to get in shape for health reasons and not for "shallow" reasons.

But what if I told you that those shallow reasons are actually the biggest motivators behind why people get in shape? What if you were told that those shallow reasons are still valid?

For many people, these shallow reasons are what they need to feel good about themselves. They look in the mirror and hate what they see.

But by achieving their goal of losing weight and obtaining their goal body, they can finally know what it's like to feel confident in themselves. Those who say that it's shallow to get in shape are those who have given up on achieving their dream body, or if they once had it they've given up on re-obtaining it.

This is why the fat acceptance movement has become so big in modern society. These people want the benefits of being in shape without having to put in the work, and they only want this because they believe they can't get in shape.

The benefits of being attractive are real. There's a reason why pretty privilege has become a term in the modern day. You just need to stick it out long enough.

My first lick of confidence I ever felt was when I finally started seeing my muscles getting bigger. From there, it just kept building as I made more progress.

If this is what it takes for you to feel confident, then go get yourself those aesthetics. 

Accomplishment, the unconscious driver

I've heard many times that getting in shape is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I didn't really understand it until I gained sufficient progress. It's one of those things that just clicks for you once you realize it, and it's one of the best feelings ever.

Sure, it's nice to be able to move more before getting tired. Yeah, it's nice being a nice thing to look at whether your clothes are off or not.

However, neither of these compares to the sense of accomplishment you obtain from the progress you make getting into shape. This is the ultimate reason why getting in shape is so beneficial.

When you put in the hours and see the results of your work, you get hyped. You can't wait to keep making progress. You can't wait for your next workout day.

The progress you make from exercising gives you confidence that goes deeper than just looking good. This confidence is the biggest reason why guys are told to hit gym if they want to improve their overall quality of life.

The progress made from exercising is something that cannot be taken away from you. Even if you have a trainer, even if you have someone else figure out your diet for you, at the end of the day whether it happens or not is all down to you.

If you get the results you want, then that means you did the required work to get there. You decided to push hard enough on your workouts. You decided to stick to your diet even when it got hard.

Your stronger, hotter body is all the result of your hard work and decisions. This shows your mind that you can achieve the things that you set your mind to.

Even better than this, if you do slip up then you can simply repeat the process to get back in line. It's a win all around that only requires you to stick it out till the end.

The next time you hear someone talk about confidence from getting in shape, you'll know that this is what they're talking about. You'll know that they're talking about the sense of accomplishment it brings and that you're on your way to obtaining that.

Getting in shape is a beneficial process

Yes, it's beneficial to achieve this state, but it's also a process. It sounds obvious, but so many people don't seem to understand this. 

There are too many people who want to move toward their goal, but then do things that set themselves backward. Cheat days, for example, can eliminate a whole week's worth of progress.

If you want to achieve the goal of getting in shape, you need to put in the time and discipline. The more you can do to be consistent, the faster you'll achieve the goal.

- Karl