The Beauty Benefits of Exercise

Working out not only helps your figure, but also improves your complexion. Learn why exercise may be one of the best skin remedies for acne, wrinkles, dull skin and more.

By Nicole Blades

There are plenty of reasons to exercise. For some, it’s because bikini season is here again (already!), while others are focused on staying healthy. No matter what your motivation is, we can all agree that the benefits of exercise are obvious. But there’s a stealthier payoff: healthy skin. Read on to learn more about the skin and beauty rewards that come from regularly working up a sweat.

Instant Glow
When you get your heart pumping from aerobic exercise, you’re supplying your skin with a nice dose of oxygenated blood, says Noëlle S. Sherber, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in Baltimore, Maryland. “It gives you that great post-workout glow.”

Wrinkle Reduction
Working out also helps maintain healthy levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, Sherber says. “Elevated cortisol levels are linked to increased sebum production, which means more acne breakouts,” she says. Too much cortisol can also cause the collagen in the skin to break down, Sherber says, which can increase wrinkles and sagging. “Exercise actually supports the production of collagen,” says Amy Dixon, a Los Angeles–based exercise physiologist and celebrity trainer. “The boost in this protein helps to keep your skin firm, supple, and elastic.”

Acne Relief
Regular exercise boosts circulation. “It nourishes your skin, bringing more blood flow and oxygen to it,” says Mauro C. Romita, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Ajune Center for Beauty Synergy in New York City. “This will help draw toxins out of the body.” Plus, all that sweating cleans out the pores of congested skin. “Working out corrects the hormonal imbalance that can cause adult acne,” Romita says.

To reap the beneficial skin effects of working out, a few extra steps are required, Sherber warns. “If you're acne prone, make sure to keep gentle, fragrance-free cleansing wipes in your gym bag.” Be sure to cleanse your face and other areas that tend to break out immediately after exercising, she says. “For eczema, wear fabrics that wick perspiration away from the skin, since the wet-dry-wet-dry cycle will dry out your skin and provoke flare-ups,” Sherber says. And above all, avoid exercising with makeup on your face.

Healthier Hair
The improved blood flow helps keep your hair stronger and healthier, Dixon says. This blood, full of nutrients, stimulates the hair follicles and promotes growth. “Exercise is also a big stress reliever,” she says. “Lower stress means your hair is less likely to be brittle and, worse, fall out.” Even if you’re as stress free as a cucumber, Dixon recommends checking with your dermatologist about any hair loss to rule out other causes.

As for the best type of exercise for your skin, Dixon says it’s all good. “Every modality will improve circulation and reduce stress,” she says, “but it’s a wise move to mix up your workouts as often as possible.” Try adding 30 minutes of a few simple yoga postures or a brisk walk to your day three times a week, Dixon says, to see the beauty returns in your hair and skin.

To Lose Belly Fat: Jogging Beats Resistance Training

Belly fat, as defined by researchers like those at Duke University, is not the blubber that hangs over your belt every time you sit down. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat and liver fat, resides deep within the abdominal cavity and is associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain kinds of cancer. It's not ugly, just dangerous. Now comes a group of researchers from Duke University who claim to have proven that the best way to lose belly fat is aerobic exercise, not resistance training. A Duke news release reports that the researchers followed 196 overweight, sedentary adults (ages 18 to 70) who were randomized to one of three groups: aerobic training; resistance training or a combination of the two, for eight months. The aerobic group performed exercises equivalent to 12 miles of jogging per week at 80-percent maximum heart rate. The resistance group did three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions three times per week. The researchers found that aerobic training burned 67 percent more calories than resistance training, and significantly reduced visceral fat and liver fat, the culprit in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Aerobic exercise also did a better job than resistance training at improving fasting insulin resistance, and reducing liver enzymes and fasting triglyceride levels, all risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. In fact, the researchers noted that resistance training did almost nothing to reduce visceral fat, liver fat, liver enzyme levels or improvements in insulin resistance. The combination of aerobic with resistance training achieved results similar to aerobic training alone. “Resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass,” says the study's lead author, exercise physiologist Cris Slentz. “But if you are overweight, which two-thirds of the population is, and you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories.”