Improved body image.

Weight loss and improved muscle tone are what people have in mind when they speak of shaping up. Improved body image is another way of describing the desired changes brought about through training. The perceptions and evaluations of your body is an important factor in your self-concept and personality. For women, pressure to be thin, which is a characteristic of higher social class, is considered as a strong motive to lose weight and appear young, beautiful, and sexy. Concepts of female beauty vary from culture to culture, and changes overtime. However, the use of tangible incentives to promote involvement in regular exercise activities is universal. The desires to improve health, be more attractive, socialize with others, and feel better, can provide the necessary reasons to become active or stay active. The four main incentives for doing a regular exercise identified by researchers are Independence, Arousal, Esteem, and Excellence.
Independence
Incentives associated with opportunities to function without help or criticisms of others are independence incentives. Exercise provides many opportunities to fulfill a need for independence. When doing an exercise alone, one is in a complete control. The individual alone determines all decisions about how hard to work out, what to think about and when to quit.
Arousal
Incentives that have to do with excitement, stress, and interesting experiences, particularly in terms of novelty, uncertainty, complexity, and dissonance are arousal incentives. Competing against a well-matched opponent in a game, pitting your abilities against a difficult environmental challenge are examples of interesting physical activities
Esteem
Incentives that center on opportunities for status, prestige, recognition and social approval are esteem incentives.Recognition and approval from significant others confirms that we are doing thing worthwhile and important.
Excellence
The need to be good at something is basic to the excellence incentive. Competence is an important human motive.Opportunities abounds for a person to demonstrate excellence in fitness related activities.