i've been working out for ages (which i love love love) but i just started really watching what i eat and i have to say: once that first period of changing your diet goes by when you want to scarf down everything sugary in sight, and you begin to see the results, its totally worth it and not as challenging. i feel more confident, i have more energy, and i'm just happier!

I compete in running and cycling events for my own sense of self. I get happiness from running. I move so that I can think. Sometimes, I put my kids in the Burley and take a bike ride just around town and this gives me additional peace and happiness. I am a fit person because I love it! Running, cycling, pilates, yoga, anything that involves sweat I love to do. If you need motivation, find something you love to do and you will want to do it everyday.

I've noticed that my metabolism has increased since I've been more active. I also get a better night's sleep so I have more energy the next day.

I just felt a surge of self confidence, I feel sexier and happier and that's really improved my relationship with my fiance. I don't really crave as much junk anymore, because I feel that I work hard for my health and see it as counterintuitive. I really like the energy increase, the improvement of my sleep, and my skin even looks glowier. I don't like to miss workouts anymore..and also, my stress levels really have plummeted. Exercise IS the 'apple a day'.

Once I started exercising beyond my normal level of activity for the day I noticed several things about myself.

1) I feel more positive about how my entire day went and don't focus on one event and replay it over and over.

2) I feel less aches and pains from repeated activities. As a bus driver driving electric buses we have to reattach our poles to the electric wires that run high above the street. Those poles pull against you with 60 pounds of force. That became so much easier for me to do that. It's like holding a sheet of paper above my head instead of like trying to hold a squirming 2nd grader above my head.

3) I can quickly tackle the extreme hills and stairs of San Francisco without even losing my breathe or feeling exhausted afterward.

4) I feel more physically secure in that I can run away from people who physically threaten me now. Before my "fight or flight" response was messed up because I knew I couldn't effectively run away from someone dangerous and my large size made me think I was invincible and therefore I often stood my ground in dangerous situations when I would have preferred to run away to safety. But in the same respect I feel a little less physically secure because more people actually approach me and invade my personal space.

5) I use my exercise time as time to clear my mind and treat myself well. It's my time and I feel accomplished when I devote time to me.

6) I stand up straighter, hold my head up higher (not figuratively but literally) and I hesitate at new opportunities less than before. My physical body is less of an obstacle than my mental self. And my mental self is strengthened by my comfort with how my body moves.

7) I crave more time outside. I crave vigorous physical activity on a daily basis. And I enjoy being more social when doing those activities than before. It really bugs me that my current job is so sedentary, prohibitive and intrusive in my health/physical/social activity time.

I am getting to see muscle definition and tone occurring, where before I could feel the benefits of exercise but couldn't see any definitive physical improvement.

9) Sound strange but moving, being physical, exercising makes me a happier, calmer person.

10) I feel like I deserve more from life because I'm giving more to my life by trying to keep my body healthy.

I don't cry anymore for no reason now that I exercise every day!

Maybe a little bit TMI for some but maybe others with PCOS will relate. My symptoms of PCOS have never been that bad and I partially attribute it to always staying active and mantaining a healthy weight. The main issue i've had with it is I rarely get my period without help from BC. Without BC I would get it maybe once every six months.

The past few months i've really stepped up my workouts by adding interval training and running stairs once a week, along with adding push-ups, more ab work and other stuff I find on fit and in health mags. I've also been eating better especially making sure to have lots of fiber.

I just got my period on my own for the second month in a row and the 3rd time in four months and I am so happy about it. Lol it sounds crazy cause I bet most women would rather not get it, but I feel so much more normal and healthier when I am able to get it on my own .

For women with PCOS I think it is so important to exercise and eat healthy because some of the symptoms are becoming overweight/obese and insulin resistance/diabetes.

I also feel more confident and energized, I can't wait to were my new bikinis!

With working out, the main thing that I have noticed is a spike in my energy and confidence levels. When I first began to workout I was very over-weight and it was difficult for me to even do everyday tasks without becoming out of breath.

Now I am doing high intensity aerobic classes and things I never thought I could do. I am still not the skinniest person in the world, but I feel 100% better, so what the scale says doesn't really matter anymore.

when it's 'that time of month,' my symptoms are extremely mitigated, and some have disappeared completely.
that is probably the best thing that's happened since i started working out on a regular basis. yay!

I've had so many benefits from working out that I can't name them all! Almost immediately, my acne cleared up and my skin just plain LOOKED better. I used to have exercise-induced asthma and about 6 months after starting working out, it went away almost completely. Also, I used to have REALLY bad cramps at that time of the month, and now I'm almost pain free. Plus, I have a ton of energy and I just plain feel a LOT better all the time.

Skin looking better from all the blood flowing through my body.

Tiring yourself out and sleeping better at night.

Ease of lower back pain.

Can stand/walk for long periods of time and feel fine.

Not getting sick at all. I didn't get sick for 2 years when I ate healthy and worked out 5-7 times a week.

I've been finding it easier to move and breathe. It amazes me, because I've only lost a few pounds of the twenty or so I have to get rid of. But I can already feel a big difference, and it makes me want to go dancing.

My skin looks better and I have waaayyy more self confidence. I've been sick for about a week now and I never thought I'd say it, but I really miss exercising and can't wait to get back to it!

1. energy! getting up really early, even to work out, is not difficult at all. also, i can find the motivation to drag myself to work out after a long day because i know i'll have a lot more energy and sleep better if i do.

2. im happier overall, i tend to just be more cheerful all day if i squeeze in 4-5 workouts a week.

3. im toned and a lot stronger then i ever have been in my whole life! i actually have calves and abs for once!

4. my skin looks so much better since i started working out. it's healthy and "glows".

5. i actually eat right, because i want to fuel my body to get through workouts and feel great.

Since I started exercising 5 or 6 days a week about four years ago, I have not gotten sick with more than a cold (knock on wood!) Plus, I find that when I work out in the morning (walk, lift weights, do yoga), I am much more alert during my classes that day

the best thing is that i feel totally comfortable in my body now. when i gained 20 pounds in college it was like living in someone else's skin, but now i feel strong, sexy, and just "right."

on a more superficial note, my butt looks fantastic!

I have to say iliotibial band syndrome has been pretty bad.. I used to be a soccer player and never paid too much attention to actually running, but now I have to focus on strengthening and stretching (http://www.orthogate.org/patient-education/knee/iliotibial-band-syndrome...) so that I can reach my dream of running 10k.

Allergies & asthma SERIOUSLY reduced. (Exercise: running.)

I have been working out every day for 6 years and the reason I do it every day is because of the AMAZING ENERGY BURST/RUSH I get for the rest of the day after I do it!!! Morning Workouts are like cups of coffee!!!

everything about me feels better. i'm more energised, my clothes are fitting better by the day, it makes me happy to see my body transforming, my skin is clear.... and you feel motivated to eat well and do anything you can to keep it up, because you know how hard it is to get back into it once you stop. but you don't want to stop, so it's all good!

I definitely noticed an increase in my metabolism which made me hungry ALL THE TIME!!! Not a good thing when you are watching what you eat. It also affects the way I shop for food.

I always notice when my clothes fit better.

The best part is when I notice how toned my muscles become.

I definitely need to get back to the gym

i started exercising again not too long ago and immediately I felt changes, in my body and in my mind. I sleep better, I feel more energised and I don't feel like eating candy anymore (which I used to do a lot). it makes me want to eat healthy.
I feel better about myself, my asthma symptoms have reduced seriously.
Just feeling like I'm doing something with my life, for myself and with my time makes me feel better and more confident and I don't just start crying or whining for no reason anymore. Basically, it helps me stay grounded.
and of course, I have built stamina and have more toned muscles.
running in the beautiful nature and breathing in clean air makes me feel healthy and connected to nature.

I just feel better! Better inside and better about myself

When I work out regularly (which I haven't been this winter) my skin is glowing, I walk taller and I'm just generally less tense!

The benefits of excercise are endless, but I will just name a few: I excercise in the morning and find that I am more productive during the day, I have a lot of energy, I eat better, I sleep better,I stand taller, and I feel stronger. When you start out your day with a work out, you feel a sense of accomplishment before your day even begins. To the rest of the day, I say "bring it on!"

I never get acne anymore, I feel strong and confident, I don't crave junk food (unless it's 3 am on a Saturday...then I NEED pizza ), and I feel much more energized and happy!

I didnt believe the whole "Exercise helps depression" gig.
However, now that I have started, I can honestly say it really really does. I didnt believe it at all until I tried it.
Exercising makes me happy. Maybe not at the time, but after and for the rest of the day.

I started working out when I stopped drinking, so it's hard to tell which benefits come from which behavior, but I just feel better all around. I'm more confident even if my physical appearance hasn't changed all that much. I also feel like I can meet any problem head on. I just feel healthier.

Before I started working out I always told myself the same excuse: "You don't have time...". But then I realised that I did have the time, I was just lazy. Working out makes you feel better and happier. I have yoga class twice a week and I also go swimming very often. I work out at home every day and I started running this year, although I'm not very good at it. It's great when you see yourself toned and strong. It makes you feel a lot of confident, like you are able to do anything.

Ok question for you guys:
I am made fun of when I run. i do run funny because my feet are flat, completely flat. Does this affect how you run?
My boyfriend laughs at me LOL

I have much more toned muscles, I can see much better definition. I have a lot more energy and I sleep better.

I'm usually a high-stress person...but since i have gotten serious about exercising and eating better...my stress is so much reduced!! I may still stress some...but i can get over it better now. As for my body, there are little changes, but for the most part its mainly that i can feel strength in places where i didnt used to. My stomach has been a big focus point for me...i used to slouch in my chair at work and now i can feel my abs are tighter and i sit up straighter.

Oh and my energy level is so much better now...i dont feel like going to bed at 8pm anymore and i have been getting lots of things done! It feels so great, i cant wait to transform my body more!!

I used to be really heavy a couple years ago so I've noticed a lot of change since I started working out. First came the actual want to work out, to achieve that feeling of wow, that felt so good for my body! Since I was really heavy, I started noticing a change in my clothes right away- my pants were getting baggy, the boobs were shrinking...

Then I noticed how much exercising and eating healthy go hand in hand- when I was working out consistently, I was also driven to start eating healthier. I think a combo of diet and exercise helped my mood and increase my energy. Before the changes, I was tired 24/7.

One thing that has really changed drastically for the better is how I sleep. I used to toss and turn all night and never feel well-rested. Now I pass out almost as soon as I hit the pillow and sleep like a baby all night. Its wonderful.

I've also noticed a change in my skin. I used to breakout a lot more, but now my skin looks healthy and glows.

The best part- im happy, happy, happy! I want to go run around the block right now, but I don't think my boss would like that.

Ha ha ha LOVE it, AMP! Good for you

Since I started running 6 months ago, my self-confidence has gone through the roof!! Also, for once in my life, I actually like what I see when I look in the mirror.