Background/Objectives: Fasting and physical exertion positively affect body mass and composition. This study aimed to examine the effects of physical changes induced by eight days of water-only fasting and a physical exertion test and their influence on body satisfaction and body image parameters in middle-aged men. Methods: Fifteen participants were assessed for physical (height, body mass, and body composition) and psychological (body satisfaction, evaluation of body parts, and body image determinants) aspects before and after the fasting intervention, both at rest and post-exercise. Correlation and concordance coefficients were calculated for the analyzed variables. Results: It was found that the fasting intervention led to a reduction in body mass and a favorable shift in body composition, while also increasing satisfaction with one’s body and its specific parts. This positively impacted volunteers’ self-assessment of their health status. Selected body image parameters remained at an average level for the male population and did not change following the fasting. Attitudes toward body weight control methods and their perceived effectiveness did not change either. Participants favored reducing food intake and eliminating high-calorie products from their diet, rejecting the use pathological methods typically associated with eating disorders. A few associations between physical and psychological aspects of corporeality were observed, whereas significant correlations between satisfaction with body parts and parameters and a positive body image were confirmed. Conclusions: The above suggest that physical conditions and their changes resulting from fasting and physical exertion lead to a positive influence on body satisfaction and its components but do not alter body image.

Background/Objectives: Prolonged fasting induces substantial metabolic and neuroendocrine adaptations; however, less is known about the accompanying psychological changes. This study evaluated changes in subjective well-being and mood during an 8-day fast in relation to serum concentrations of α -endorphin, serotonin, oxytocin, and cortisol. Methods: Fifteen male subjects in good health completed an 8-day fast. Subjective well-being was assessed each day using a comparative self-rating scale, and mood was evaluated using the Polish version of the UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist (UMACL). Serum concentrations of α-endorphin, serotonin, oxytocin, and cortisol were measured before and after the fast, both at rest and following a maximal exercise test on an ergometer. Results: Subjective well-being gradually improved during the fasting period, and tense arousal, a dimension of mood, decreased. No significant changes were observed in energetic arousal or hedonic tone. The combination of fasting and exercise was associated with significant increases in α-endorphin, serotonin, and cortisol concentrations. Fasting was associated with a significant increase in post-exercise cortisol concentrations, whereas exercise after fasting was associated with a significant increase in serotonin concentrations. Despite concurrent psychological and hormonal adaptations, no consistent relationships were found between changes in hormone concentrations and psychological variables. Conclusions: Prolonged fasting was accompanied by gradual psychological adaptation, reflected in improved subjective well-being and reduced tension, whereas exercise under these conditions was associated with neurohormonal changes. These changes were associated with the coordinated activation of multiple neuroendocrine systems, suggesting that psychological and neuroendocrine adaptations represent complementary responses to prolonged metabolic stress rather than being opposing processes.

The aim of the theoretical analysis is to define the connections and dependencies between the rationality of decisions made and personality determinants, in this case the construct of being good to oneself. The achievement of the intended goals was based on a systematic review of the literature on the subject, referring to the results of foreign and domestic empirical research, mainly in the field of social sciences and philosophy. The implementation of the theoretical goal complements the research gap that comes from the fact of inflation in the field of self-compassion and praxeological leadership, and their mutual functional connections. The practical usefulness of the conducted analysis is an interesting and solid contribution to asking research questions and planning further research on the participation of personality factors in decision-making processes in leadership.As a result of the critical analysis, a concept of praxeological leadership was presented, which highlighted the role and importance of self-compassion, indicating the positive and negative aspects of the analyzed correlation in the decision-making process in management and leadership.