Most of the benefits of working out and looking physically fit aren’t visible to the eye.

Throughout my life, I have not only seen but, more importantly, felt how changing my body has transformed my life.

To give you a little background, I started lifting weights around 15 years ago when I was just 15 years old. Now, I’m almost 30.

Back then, I used to be bullied, made fun of, disrespected, and found myself unattractive. I had no friends, let alone a girlfriend.

Being that kind of person was one of the biggest reasons I started working out.

That one decision—to work out and stick with it—changed my life forever.

Sometimes, I wonder how I would have ended up if I had never started working out or if I hadn’t stuck with it for so long.

I would probably still be the same person I was at 15, or more likely, even worse.

Working out has literally changed my life and completely altered its course.

Most people focus only on the physical attributes of being fit.

But there are many more benefits that are far more important than just looking good.

In this article, I will discuss the 6 hidden benefits of looking physically fit.

1. Attraction

Somehow, society wants to convince you that physical attraction doesn’t play a huge role in being desirable.

While it’s not the end-all-be-all, it is a major part of being attractive to the opposite sex. That’s just the reality we live in.

And this has only intensified with the rise of social media.

Everything has become so superficial. People are bombarded with images of attractive individuals 24/7 on their smartphones.

The only people not influenced by this are those who don’t use social media. But let’s be real—more than 99% of smartphone users are on social media.

I can assure you that, because of social media, physical attraction is now more important than ever.

And yes, I’ve noticed this in my own life.

But it goes much deeper than just “looking good.” That’s just your foot in the door.

Do you know what’s even more important? Confidence.

2. Confidence

If you look good, you’ll feel good. If you feel good, you’ll have more confidence.

It’s not rocket science.

Sure, looking good can make you attractive. But you still need confidence.

Luckily, confidence and being physically fit go hand in hand.

This is a type of confidence that can’t be achieved in any other way.

If someone is overweight or too skinny, they often don’t feel confident in their own body.

So, they have to “borrow” confidence from external things like clothing, money, watches, and other material objects.

But once they’re stripped of those, their confidence flies out the window.

This kind of confidence comes from two things:

Being confident in your own body

Being confident in your abilities, particularly the discipline you’ve developed

3. Discipline

Building a good-looking physique is super hard. It’s not complicated; it’s not rocket science.

But staying consistent with your workouts is hard. You have to go to the gym regardless of how you feel or what emotions you’re experiencing at that moment.

And that’s discipline in a nutshell. Discipline is doing what you intended to do, despite how you feel.

Not to brag, but I’ve worked out in the rain, during breakups, during bouts of depression, while injured, during lockdowns, and even during my breaks in high school.

I admit it’s easier because I have a passion for fitness. It’s always easier to stick with something you’re passionate about.

But honestly, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t have a passion for fitness.

Fitness is about your own body.

You do realize you only get one, right? So, why not push your genetics to their maximum potential?

The discipline you develop will always be visible in your body.

Others will instantly recognize your level of discipline.

And this leads to my next hidden benefit of being fit:

4. Respect

This one is huge for me personally.

I was heavily bullied and very insecure until my early twenties. I never had any respect from anyone.

As ridiculous as it may sound, that all changed once I put some muscle on my frame.

You might wonder why this is the case.

It’s because building muscle takes a lot of effort.

People respect things that require time and hard work to achieve.

They respect those with a lot of money.

They respect people who are good at their craft.

And they respect those who have a well-built physique.

The difference is that you carry your body with you everywhere you go.

People will instantly see that you work out.

And besides, I’d much rather be respected for my body than for the watch I wear or the car I drive.

5. Energy

This point isn’t something I can personally recall experiencing. I’ve been relatively fit for the last 15 years.

I was overweight for about a year (there’s a picture of me during that time). But it was during the lockdown, so I couldn’t go anywhere. I never really noticed a drop in my energy levels.

Once the lockdown eased, I went straight back to dieting and working out.

But that’s a story for another time.

What I have noticed, however, is that almost all of my clients who transformed their bodies experienced a significant boost in energy.

It didn’t matter whether they were on a weight loss program or a muscle-building one.

They all said the same thing.

Yes, the workouts were exhausting at first. But after about a month, they all felt a surge in their energy levels.

They had more energy to play with their kids.

They had more energy to level up at work.

They had more energy to invest in their businesses.

They had more energy for other things. 🙂

Energy is everything. Well, maybe not everything—good mental health is also nice to have, lol.

6. Mental Health

The last, and certainly not the least, hidden benefit is the improvement in mental health.

The mental health benefits are the result of all the previous points combined.

It’s almost impossible to feel down on yourself if you are:

Attractive

Confident

Respected

Disciplined

Full of energy

Besides these points, it is also scientifically proven that physical activity improves mental health.

Numerous studies have shown that working out can:

Reduce anxiety

Improve sleep

Boost self-esteem

Reduce stress

There are even more benefits, but you get the gist—and you’ve probably heard it countless times before.

On the appearance front, you can’t deny that looking good boosts your self-esteem. And high self-esteem plays a huge role in your mental health.

The opposite, being insecure, is obviously more linked to poor mental health.