Do you think of yourself as inactive and/or unhealthy? Read on
A study was conducted by a psychologist named Alia Crum at Stanford University.
She and her team were interested in how our beliefs about exercise and physical activity can influence our actual health outcomes.
They chose hotel housekeepers as their subjects because these workers tend to have physically demanding jobs, but many of them didn't consider it as exercise.
When asked, most of the housekeepers in the study said they were unfit and unhealthy. This is how they "believed" themselves to be. Many had metabolic issues already
The researchers divided the housekeepers into two groups.
They educated one group about the benefits of their daily tasks, explaining how activities like vacuuming, making beds, and cleaning rooms could be considered exercise.
They emphasized that these activities met the recommended levels of physical activity, and that their work made them more active than the majority of the population
The other group didn't receive any special information or intervention.
Both groups were monitored over a few weeks to track changes in health indicators.
What they found was pretty remarkable.
The group that received the information about their work being a form of exercise showed significant improvements in various health measures. This included reductions in weight, body fat percentage, and even blood pressure.
The craziest part was that these improvements weren't linked to any changes in their actual work routines. It was all about their perception and understanding of what they were doing.
This study really highlights the power of our minds when it comes to our physical health.
it showed that our beliefs and mindset can have a very real impact on our bodies.
"You can't feel better than you think."
It's just a cool study I thought I would share