5 Ways Your Personality Affects Your Weight
Whether you're the life of the party, a bookworm, or a night owl, your personality plays a surprisingly large role in your ability to slim down. Follow this guide to discover your personality type and use your own characteristics to lose weight and keep it off for good.
If you're impulsive…
In a famous 1972 study, scientists offered young children a choice between a single marshmallow immediately or, if they could wait 15 minutes, two marshmallows. Those who waited went onto experience more success and higher SAT scores later on in life. The ability to delay gratification also relates to weight loss, says Art Markman, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Texas. "People tend to be either a 'one-marshmallow person' or a 'two-marshmallow person.'" If you're struggling with weight loss, you are more likely a one-marshmallow person. Eliminating little temptations will help: stop stocking your pantry with junk food, and avoid the break room at work when you know there will be leftover treats.
If you're reliable…
Always on time? Follow rules by the book? It means you're conscientious, a trait that makes it easier to stick with an eating or fitness plan, says Markman. However, whether you're conscientious or not, there's a paradox in that creating a plan forces you to think about food all the time, which can work against you. The solution: create routines not specifically about dropping pounds that will still lead to weight loss, he suggests. For example, instead of driving your kids the mile to school, start walking with them.
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If you're prone to mood swings…
The way you ride life's rollercoaster determines your emotional stability. "If you're emotionally excitable, things are either very good or the worst ever," says Markman. Some people are emotional eaters, so the more you're on the emotional rollercoaster the more likely you are to reach for food. "The more excited you are in general, the more likely you are to take action, and eating is an action," says Markman. Learn to recognize your own ups and downs and try to take action in healthier ways, like calling a friend or sweating your stress away with a workout.
If you're quiet…
People who prefer curling up with a book over a night out at the bar may have a leg up on weight loss. "Introverts may have a more thoughtful, less impulsive style that enables them to consider their choices more rationally," says Heidi Hanna, PhD, performance coach and author of The Sharp Solution: A Brain-Based Approach for Optimal Performance. Introverts are more likely to possess qualities that enable them to commit to a healthy diet and regular exercise routine, both of which require restraint, difficult for more impulsive people, she says. Extroverts should plan ahead for situations that test willpower. If you know you're headed to a party, for instance, eat a healthy snack beforehand so you'll be less likely to scarf down junk.
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If you're the life of the party…
Outgoing people tend to allow stress to accumulate to the point that's known as "amygdala hijack," says Hanna. This is where we utilize the more basic, primitive part of our brain versus our more human pre-frontal cortex. "The latter allows us to consider our longer-term goals and make healthier choices," says Hanna. This pleasure-based eating has been shown to trigger an addictive response that often leads to overeating high-calorie, high-fat comfort foods. "If you enjoy being the center of attention, try putting yourself in social situations that don't involve food," suggests Markman.
-Linda Melone
10 Ways Your Personality Affects Your Weight originally appeared on Health.com.
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