How Your Personality Affects Your Weight

You have been doing everything you can think of to lose weight. You've cut sugar, calories, and even tried yoga, but did you know there is another factor at play? Yes, your personality can also affect your weight. Whether you are impulsive, moody, outgoing, or hard on yourself can affect the number you see on the scale. Sounds crazy right? Well, there is a reason for the rhyme. Your personality affects how you interact with the world and impacts your relationship with food and exercise. By diving into this guide, you will discover how aspects of your personality may be hindering or helping your ability to shed those pounds!

You're Impulsive

"You're either a one-marshmallow person or a two-marshmallow person." A 1972 study done with children correlated impulse and success. Children were given the choice of having one marshmallow now or two marshmallows in fifteen minutes. Those who waited went on to experience greater success and higher SAT scores. If you are having trouble losing weight, you may be a one-marshmallow type of person. If you're impulsive, it can lead to unhealthy late-night snacks or trips to the break room at work for leftover goodies. This impulsive side of your personality may cause you to lack self-control, especially around food. Becoming aware of impulse can help you lose the weight.

Continue reading now to learn about another way in which personality affects weight.

You're Conscientious

You always consider the consequences of your actions, are always on time, and you rarely break the rules. If this sounds like you, you're conscientious! This personality trait can give you an advantage when sticking to a health plan. However, your desire to stick to your well-thought out, well-researched plan could backfire if you are constantly thinking about food or that dreaded workout. Instead of creating a full-on plan with every little detail figured out, try swapping out current habits for healthier ones that will automatically lead to weight loss. For example, start taking the stairs each day instead of the elevator.

Keep reading for more ways personality can affect someone's weight.

You're Prone To Mood Swings Or Are Emotional

If you're prone to mood swings or are otherwise emotional, it can be challenging to lose weight. If you are constantly riding an emotional roller coaster, each day can be unpredictable, making it hard to stick to a dedicated health plan. One of the most common issues with this personality trait is emotional eating. You may feel motivated and happy one day, leading to a strong workout, but then the next day you feel sad or anxious, causing you to reach out for comfort food. The more aware you are of your emotions, the better prepared you will be to take an action that doesn't involve food, such as meditating or taking a walk.

Continue for more on the connection between personality and weight now.

You're Hard On Yourself

If you're hard on yourself all the time, you likely aren't getting the results you want. Perhaps, in the beginning, pushing yourself worked, but now you find yourself going back to your old habits time and time again. Breaking habits goes against our instincts. If you are constantly beating yourself for your inability to conquer human nature, stop. Not only will this severely hinder your weight loss, but it could also contribute to a negative self-image. Instead of punishing yourself when you do something wrong, try positively reinforcing your good behaviors. Bad habits take months and sometimes years to break, so don't beat yourself up for not being able to say no to cake on the first try.

Keep reading for more details on weight and personality traits now.

You're Outgoing

If you're outgoing, you likely respond very primitively when stressed, because the amygdala is activated as opposed to the more thoughtful part of the brain, the pre-frontal cortex. When your amygdala is overly active, it keeps you from using the pre-frontal cortex and making choices based on your long-term goals.

When you are outgoing, you are more likely to eat for pleasure. Try spending time at scenes that aren't centered around food. Sometimes being outgoing can work in your favor, especially if you enjoy spending time with friends who do healthy things like hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities.