Anytime you sweat, you remove unneeded and unhealthy poisons, toxins and chemicals from your body. This is the principle way exercise can lead to healthy skin. Remember that you don’t have to fear exercise. It isn’t necessary to join an expensive gym or be intimidated by incredibly well-developed individuals in a health club to enjoy the benefits of exercise for skin health.
Any type of physical movement that is enjoyed on a regular basis can be considered exercise. The human body was intended for movement, not to be sedentary, and when you keep moving as opposed to sitting, your skin automatically and naturally benefits. The cardiovascular benefit of exercise gets your heart and lungs pumping.
This promotes the movement of healthy, oxygenated blood throughout the body, which benefits your skin.
Additionally, healthy blood flow delivers the nutrients mentioned earlier to the skin found all over your body. This means you don’t have to target a specific area of skin where you are looking to benefit. Waste products are carried out of your body through sweat, hydration promotes sweating, and exercise “helps flush cellular debris out of the system,” according to dermatologist Ellen Marmur.
Focus on those exercises that move multiple muscle groups at one time. Cycling, running and jogging, dancing, playing basketball or racquet sports, or joining an aerobics class can get your heart and lungs pumping and your skin sweating. Enjoy 3 to 5 sessions of these aerobic activities each week, for 20 minutes or more each session. Add 3 resistance exercise sessions, such as bodyweight training or weightlifting, to boost fat and carbohydrate burning for up to 48 hours after you exercise.
Protecting Your Skin When You Exercise
It is important to protect yourself from the elements when exercising outdoors. This means wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when exposure to the sun can’t be avoided. If you are out in the sun for more than 10 or 20 minutes, use sunscreen. If you are going on a vigorous bike ride, you may want to consider arm pads and kneepads, and definitely a protective helmet.
Choose clothing that isn’t too tight, to avoid chafing and scratching your skin. Hydrate yourself by drinking water every 15 minutes that you exercise. If you are going to be physically active for more than 45 minutes, eat a sensible portion of carbohydrates and protein 30 minutes to 1 hour before exercising.
Ladies, it may go against everything you believe, but you should skip the makeup before you exercise. Makeup often clogs your pores and skin cells, and while you may look fantastic, you are doing damage to your skin at the same time.
To further protect your skin while exercising, avoid energy drinks and sugary sweets. They give you a false high, which can lead to jitters and physical injuries. Don’t forget to wear appropriate eyewear to cut down on the development of wrinkles and lines around your eyes. One simple way to avoid skin damage from the sun, usually the most common skin concern if you exercise outdoors, is to avoid working out between 10 AM and 4 PM.
Important Note: If you suffer from a condition such as rosacea or psoriasis, or some other serious skin problem, talk to your dermatologist about your exercise plans. He or she may suggest specific exercises to engage in and to avoid, as well as ways to keep your skin condition from interfering with physical activity.
