The Science of Exercise: How Your Body Transforms Over One Year

It’s no secret that regular exercise is a catalyst for transformation. Daily movement pays off in ways that extend far beyond weight loss.

“Regular exercise offers numerous health benefits,” says Michael Masi, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews, “including improved cardiovascular health, enhanced mental well-being, reduced risk of chronic diseases, increased bone density, and better immune system function.” 

That all sounds great — but in the beginning, it can be hard to believe you’ll ever see those benefits. So what are some signs that your new exercise routine is actually working? 

Here, we’ll explore the changes you’ll undergo when you start exercising and the improvements you’ll notice over time — from the very beginning to one year and beyond.

Early Signs of Progress

Here’s what you can expect to experience after you start incorporating exercise and movement into your life.

More energy: When starting an exercise routine, you may notice a newfound vitality, leading you to tackle your day with enthusiasm. A meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology in June 2022 revealed exercise can reduce fatigue while increasing energy.

Lighter mood: Your mood also undergoes a positive shift. According to a study in Cureus in January 2023, physical activity and exercise have been shown to improve mood and alleviate symptoms of depression, regardless of age, gender, or fitness level. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, which act as natural mood boosters to help quell stress and anxiety.

Better sleep: Research published in August 2023 in Cureus found that exercise can enhance your sleep quality as well. A review in PeerJ in July 2018 observed that regular daytime exercise can improve sleep by increasing your brain’s production of melatonin (also called the “sleep hormone”). This hormone helps with timing your circadian rhythms and promotes better sleep.

Signs Your Body Is Becoming More Fit

Here’s something to consider: Have you seen or felt any change in your muscles lately? After you start exercising regularly, your body will start to adapt to the additional stress you’re putting it under, which creates muscular changes. 

TJ Mentus, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews, explains, “The heart and lungs become stronger to better bring oxygen into the body for the muscles. The nervous system also creates more connections between the brain and the muscular system for the muscles to better contract and perform during exercise.” The result? Your muscles feel stronger — and maybe even look a little bigger. 

Another way to tell your fitness is improving is increased stamina. Activities that once left you breathless will become more manageable, indicating an increase in your aerobic capacity. Your recovery time between workouts may also decrease, a sign that your muscles and cardiovascular system are adapting to the stress that exercise places on your body. And research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in December 2018 suggests that regular exercise can lower your resting heart rate, which boosts your cardiovascular health and reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease.

To notice small changes in your stamina, recovery time, and resting heart rate, try monitoring your heart rate. Not only will you be able to see when your resting heart rate goes up or down, but “[it] can be helpful to show how much you’re exerting yourself during a workout and how well you’re recovering,” says Mentus. 

To do this, simply take your heart rate at rest when you wake up each day and track it over time. Additionally, monitor your heart rate during workouts to ensure it’s within the target zone for your fitness goals. Explains Mentus, “You don’t want your heart rate as high as possible for the entire workout. This will slow down the recovery process. Conversely, if your heart rate doesn’t get elevated enough, you won’t get all the benefits of exercise.” Determine your target heart rate by using the calculation here.

As you progress, you may be able to maintain a consistent heart rate during exercise while experiencing quicker recovery times between sessions. This can indicate improved cardiovascular health and stamina. 

What Happens to Your Body After One Month of Exercise

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, each week, along with at least two days of strength training. After one month of consistent exercise that includes cardio and resistance training, your muscles will strengthen to the point of making daily activities more manageable and reducing injury risk while training.

Additionally, your flexibility will improve. According to a review published in Frontiers in Psychology in May 2021, stretching and range-of-motion exercises can make your body more adaptable, reduce muscle soreness, and prevent injury. 

How Your Body Transforms Over Time

After six to 12 months of exercise, you may also notice you’re better able to manage stress, anxiety, and depression. Research published in March 2017 in Brain Plasticity shows that physical activity causes your brain to release neurochemicals that elevate your mood and improve mental health.

Over time, exercise also reduces your chronic disease risk. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that regular physical activity can help lower blood pressure, decrease LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and improve insulin sensitivity — three major risk factors for chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Finally, your bones will benefit as well. According to the NIH, regular physical activity can increase bone density in people of all ages and help prevent bone loss in older adults, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and falls/fractures.

The Bottom Line

As you embark on your fitness journey, remember that anything worthwhile in life requires time and effort. Every step taken to improve your fitness is a step toward a healthier, happier you. Over time, committing to a regular exercise routine, along with other healthy lifestyle habits like getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet, will transform your health from the inside out.

 

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

• Wender CLA, Manninen M, and O’Connor PJ. The Effect of Chronic Exercise on Energy and Fatigue States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. Frontiers in Psychology. June 3, 2022.
• Mahindru A, Patil P, and Agrawal V. Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review. Cureus. January 7, 2023.
• Alnawwar MA, Alraddadi M, Algethmi R, et al. The Effect of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorder: A Systematic Review. Cureus. August 16, 2023.
• Banno M, Harada Y, Taniguchi M, et al. Exercise Can Improve Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PeerJ. July 11, 2018.
• Melatonin: What You Need to Know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. National Institutes of Health. July 2022.
• Romero SA, Minson CT, and Halliwill JR. The Cardiovascular System After Exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. April 1, 2017.
• Reimers AK, Knapp G, and Reimers CD. Effects of Exercise on the Resting Heart Rate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventional Studies. Journal of Clinical Medicine. December 1, 2018.
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Hughes DC, Ellefsen S, and Baar K. Adaptations to Endurance and Strength Training. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine. June 1, 2018.
• Afonso J, Clemente FM, Nakamura FY, et al. The Effectiveness of Post-Exercise Stretching in Short-Term and Delayed Recovery of Strength, Range of Motion and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Frontiers in Physiology. May 5, 2021.
• Basso JC and Suzuki W. The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review. Brain Plasticity. March 28, 2017.
• Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) to Lower Cholesterol. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.  
• Exercise for Your Bone Health. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. May 2023.