Is there a direct link between productivity and a healthy lifestyle?

According to Brigham University in the US, a study suggests that people who live an unhealthy lifestyle, including unhealthy diets, were 66% more likely to report productivity loss than those who lived by a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is also said to release endorphins which can have positive psychological effects, such as a ‘euphoric high’. But what is it that leads to a productivity boost? MaxiMuscle investigate:

Physical well-being

Most people are aware of the physical benefits that a healthy lifestyle can have on your physical well-being, and that’s because you can physically see them! From weight loss and muscle growth, to your clothes fitting and compliments from our peers, the benefits are easy to highlight because they are visible. Following a clean eating diet and a strict workout regime will keep you in shape, and help your body work towards a healthy, toned and defined body.

Diet is just as important, if not, more important than exercise when it comes to losing weight and toning up. Many professionals tell you that the results you see come from 80% diet and 20% exercise. Count your calories, and stick to the main macronutrients of carbohydrates, protein and essential fats. Carbohydrates are our main source of energy, and without energy, our productivity is limited. Protein also provides the body with energy, but is also the building blocks of muscle, bone, skin and blood. Protein is what helps your muscles repair following a workout. Dietary fats are required to provide the body energy and support cell growth – it is important to eat the right fats – too much fatty foods will result in weight gain.

You can experience the physical benefits of exercising both during and after your workout. The more you exercise, the better your fitness levels become — meaning you can exercise for longer. Following exercise, you might begin to see the results of hitting your fitness goals with defined muscles, six packs and toned booties. However, exercising, whilst it can release endorphins, also burns calories and takes up a lot of energy so it is vital that you fuel for a workout so that your performance and productivity is not limited. Many gym goers have protein powder or shakes before a workout for an added energy boost.

Emotional well-being

It’s easy to forget, or misunderstand the emotional benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Unlike the physical benefits that are visible, the effects of a healthy lifestyle on your emotional well-being can go unnoticed. However, many people have reported that exercise helps to reduce stress improve sleep, boost self-esteem and ward off depression and anxiety. This could be down to a release of endorphins during exercise. Endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain, whilst triggering a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.

The endorphins that are released during bouts of exercise can help bring about feelings of euphoria and general well-being. But how does this effect productivity? Your frame of mind significantly effects how productive you are. Researchers from the Penn State University found in their study that the more physically active people reported greater general feelings of excitement and enthusiasm, compared with the less physically active people. Further research by the Harvard Business Review revealed that feeling calm, happy and energised were the main three influential feelings that drove the greatest levels of performance – showing a clear link between frame of mind and productivity.

If endorphins are directly linked to providing your body with an euphoric feeling, and exercise and healthy diets are responsible for a release of endorphins then surely the positive effects of a healthy lifestyle can be linked to productivity.

 

 

Sources

https://yourstory.com/2016/06/healthy-diet-improve-productivity/

https://hbr.org/2014/12/how-your-state-of-mind-affects-your-performance

https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression#1

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/13/health/endorphins-exercise-cause-happiness/index.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exercise-happy-enthusiasm-excitement_n_1263345

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