Not enough people are aware of the incredible combination of pleasure and pain that comes after pushing your body to its absolute limits during a workout.

I was certainly one of them, until I realized that physical exercise, a balanced diet, and an overall healthy lifestyle helped me where I didn’t even think it was possible: in the bedroom.

Increased stamina, self-confidence, and a better sex drive—they all came with this major lifestyle change.

This is how working out and a healthy lifestyle can benefit our love lives:

1. It helps with arousal level.
Let’s face it. Living a balanced life, especially during these modern times when everything is based on speed, can be very difficult. Still, if we can find the motivation and time to work out regularly and eat healthier, our entire life might just change, including our sex life.

In my case, the first thing I noticed was that working out helped with what’s called genital arousal. As you probably know, exercise improves blood circulation, so, considering that getting hot “down there” also has to do with blood flow, I immediately made the connection. Physical exercise also keeps certain cardiovascular issues at bay that can mess up our arousal process and our sex life.

It appears that working out also activates the sympathetic nervous system, which has to do with genital arousal. Certain doctors even recommend exercise to people taking antidepressants that are known to lower libido. I noticed a change, too—so, everyone who claims that exercise does wonders is indeed right.

2. It increases self-esteem.
Truth be told, I was never too confident in my own appearance. At least, not confident enough to get cozy with someone while the lights were still on. Working out changed that for me, and I started realizing that my love life was so much better in the light.

A study from 2008 proved that issues regarding body image can influence sexual satisfaction. And in a way, it makes perfect sense. If we don’t feel comfortable in our own skin, how are we going to feel comfortable around someone else?

Yes, sex might be mostly mental, but it is also pretty physical—and when the latter doesn’t align with our wishes, things can get difficult. In time, an unsatisfactory love life leads to a broken relationship. But this shouldn’t happen to anyone, so why not start working out regularly and eating healthier to avoid all the unnecessary drama?

3. It increases sex drive.
Sexual desire is the result of an interesting mix of testosterone and estrogen. Well, we’re in luck because physical exercise can boost our testosterone levels, leading to increased sex drive. Moving a little can balance the hormones that power our sexual appetite and change us in ways we could never imagine.

It happened to me. I started seeing a change in my sex drive immediately after I worked out. This is because our bodies release endorphins, the hormones that make us feel good and act as natural painkillers when we engage in physical exercise. This got me going and substantially increased my libido.

4. It acts as a natural antidepressant.
What I’ve learned from my experience is that a person cannot feel aroused when depressed. People who regularly exercise can keep depression at bay over the long term.

I, indeed, had a reduced ability to experience and enjoy any kind of pleasure before. I might have not been depressive, but I was certainly not in a good place. Working out helped me a lot, as I instantly became more interested in my love life and bedroom activities. Now imagine combining that with a healthy diet—our sexual experiences can become out of this world.

5. It allows us to get in shape and try new things. 
Getting in shape is one of the major goals for most people when they start working out and eating healthy.

Have you ever noticed how tired you get every time you have to carry groceries or climb stairs? I was sick of that feeling and decided to change something. Little did I know that with this change came another one. I started feeling better and being more active between the sheets, while my stamina skyrocketed.

There are also certain exercises that can help strengthen the muscles that will help improve the quality of our orgasms. Kegel exercises or squats are good for pelvic muscles. Experts also recommend resistance training, as it enables us to maintain certain positions for longer, and therefore increases the quality of our sex life.

Any kind of activity that helps our body perform at the highest level is recommended. Remember that intercourse requires our entire being—body and mind. I paid attention to that, and now I can say that I have a better love life than ever before.

All in all, I think that my personal experience is enough proof that we should never put limits on what we are capable of doing. I was never an athletic person, and yet I managed to start exercising a little—and it did wonders for my body, love life, and mental health.

At the end of the day, it’s all about what we believe we can do—and mustering the courage to finally do it.