Is your sex life suffering? Wish you were feeling a little friskier in the bedroom? Most of us know that exercise and fitness have numerous benefits. Among them: increased blood flow, increase in lean mass, decreased body fat, slow the aging process, improved body image and...increase in sexual desire. If your sex life has been suffering, you might find that stepping up your fitness level may very well may be your solution.

You’ve likely heard of the “runner’s high”, when endorphins are released during and after exercise. These endorphins, or “feel good” chemicals are the same chemicals released when you feel love and during orgasm.

This exercise-induced endorphin release will not only increase arousal, but also orgasm intensity – a double bonus! Studies have shown that the post-exercise endorphin rush that increases our sexual desire lasts for about an hour. I guess that means you better rush home from the gym and get to it!

It seems like it goes without saying, but just in case it doesn’t I’ll go ahead and say it...exercise and living a healthy lifestyle makes us feel better about ourselves in general and more confident in our own skin. As our fitness and self-image improves, our sex drive increases and improves in quality. When you workout, you increase blood flow in your body, which greatly increases sexual desire and because of the increase in blood flow, it improves the overall quality of your sexual experience.

By now you’re probably wondering...”what kind of exercise is best for creating a better sex life?” I’m pleased to report that it really doesn’t seem to matter. Whether you’re a cardio buff, endurance athlete or weight lifter, we’re all going to reap the same bedroom benefits!

Weight lifting, however, does have an edge over other methods of exercise because it increases the production of the hormone testosterone in order to repair muscle tissue that’s torn during a weight lifting workout. Testosterone is the body’s natural aphrodisiac and low testosterone levels contribute to erectile dysfunction and low libido. Medical experts have reported that of all the treatments available, exercise proved to have the most profound impact on improving testosterone production.

As you gain more lean mass by implementing a weight training program, your body will naturally begin to make more testosterone. To optimize your testosterone levels, opt for a training and nutrition program that will help you lose body fat while maintaining your lean mass. It’s true what you’ve heard...nutrition really is 70-80% of the equation when it comes to achieving peak physical condition. Without proper nutrition, training 7 days a week will not get you the body you want.

It doesn’t need to be complicated, simply increase your lean protein consumption. Make sure you are eating plenty of fibrous vegetables and fruits in addition to complex carbohydrates. You’ll also want to be sure to consume healthy fats such as nuts, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, egg yolks, salmon and nut butters. Focusing on eating whole, non-processed foods will help you drop body fat, which will naturally increase your sex drive, while simultaneously improving your overall health and fitness.

If you weren’t already sold on all the benefits of a solid fitness and weight training program, I hope with the knowledge of how it can greatly improve your sex life you are more sold than ever before! There are numerous products on the market these days that you can buy to “cure” sexual dysfunction or increase libido, however, none of these products are nearly as effective as improving your overall fitness level and adding regular exercise and good nutrition habits to your life.

Even better...if you and your partner enjoy the same types of fitness activities you can train together and then take advantage of that one hour post-workout window of endorphin high...just don’t forget your post workout nutrition!