Are you tired of the one-size-fits-all workout? Have you been doing the same workout for years?

Are you aware that your personality is one of the greatest factors in determining how or if you choose to stay fit and motivated? Just telling yourself that, "If I do this, I'll be stronger, live longer and be the sexiest person on the block" isn't really sustainable in the long run.

So where do you start?  If you want to maintain a physical exercise program indefinitely, you first need to make a higher connection with your mind and the overall workout experience. What stimulates you to want to stay fit? Once you’ve assessed what really motivates you, then you can evaluate your fitness preferences with a fresh perspective.

The real issue with exercise today isn't that you don't understand the value of physical activity or don't have enough willpower, you simply haven’t learned how to enjoy it.  Enjoying your workout ensures that you'll end up working out because you want to, not because you have to.

Think about which kinds of exercise best fit your lifestyle.  Experiment with different activities until you find the ones that best meet your needs for such motivators as feeling strong, feeling balanced, or learning new things.

• Successful athletes often talk about being in a state of "flow," in which they're so absorbed in what they're doing that they seem to accomplish it without thinking. You can practice this by becoming aware of what you're doing, both mentally and physically, throughout your workout. Instead of "tuning out" to music or other distractions, try to enjoy the sensation of every movement.
• Instead of focusing on how much muscle you're building or how many calories you’re burning, develop inner goals such as learning to understand your body. In every workout, try to improve on what you did in the previous workout and push yourself to learn new skills. Reaching these goals will help you build confidence in yourself as well as improve your body.
• Put aside all the physical reasons that you should exercise and focus instead on the mental benefits. For example, consider how working out can help meet intrinsic needs for social interaction, discipline, relaxation or self-discovery, or just give you a much-needed break from the rat race. Going beyond the mere physical to understand your personality tendencies, primary needs and inner impulses can make exercise a much more powerful experience that will ultimately keep you coming back for more.

Once you’ve aligned your brain with your body, what you'll learn from discovering your exercise personality could mean the difference between a successful, lifelong wellness program and becoming a fitness flop. To help you take your next or first step in a new direction, check out the following to determine which of these five fitness personalities is yours.

Select the Personality below that you feel best describes your feelings about fitness, then check out the activities to try. The results may surprise you!

Fitness Personality No.1 
                                  The Outdoor Adventurer

• Bored by routine workouts
• Spends as much time as possible outdoors
• Prefers the trail to the treadmill
• Usually competitive when it comes to sports
• Exercises for the adventure and/or social experience

The key to this fitness personality is variety. When you’re exercising, you crave the sun on your skin and the wind in your hair. Going to the gym makes you claustrophobic. You have no need for exercise equipment or the ho-hum routine of fitness classes or instruction. You want to brave the road or the trail with a group or a friend at your side. Your personality is most likely to have trained for a marathon or triathlon and you enjoy participating in organized activities, such as adventure travel or fun runs and walks to raise money for charitable causes.

Social interaction is another key to helping you stay motivated and stick with your exercise program.

Other activities to try:

Archery                  Horseback Riding      Skin/Scuba Diving       
Basketball               Jogging                   Snorkelling
Bicycling                 Jump Rope               Surfing
Canoeing/Kayaking    Mountain Biking        Swimming
Cardio                     Paragliding              Tai-Chi
Fly Fishing               Pilates                    Tennis
Gardening                Racquetball             Walking
Golf                        Rock Climbing           Weight Lifting
Handball                  Roller Skating           Yoga
Hiking                      Skiing

Fitness Personality No. 2  
                   The Mind/Body Connection

• Enjoys a complete mind-body exercise package
• Focuses on staying limber and flexible
• Prefers to be instructed in a group setting
• More interested in established exercise methods versus new fitness fads
• Exercises to restore life balance or achieve peacefulness

The key to this fitness personality is to achieve a calming effect or restore balance to your hectic life. You dislike the latest fitness fads and you prefer tried-and-true methods, especially those steeped in ancient tradition or of a holistic quality that have a spiritual side.  When exercising, your mind works with your body to create a complete wellness package. If you do go to the gym, it is not for equipment use, but for the convenience of their abundant class schedule offerings. You usually exercise solo to minimize distraction, but don’t mind being part of group instruction as long as the class structure mirrors your objectives. Your personality is most likely to receive yoga or Pilates instruction, combined with healthy eating and lifestyle habits to enable both your body and brain to work together to stay balanced, limber and flexible.

Other activities to try:

Canoeing/Kayaking         Nature Walks             Tae-Bo
Fusion Exercises            Qigong                      Tai-Chi
Kickboxing                    Resistance Bands        Trail Hiking
Medicine Ball Exercises    Skydiving                   Trapeze
Martial Arts                   Surfing                      Water Aerobics
Meditation                     Swimming

Fitness Personality No. 3  
                          The Weight Lifter

• Enjoys strength or resistance exercises that use repetitions
• Wants to exercise all major muscle groups
• Prefers to work out with a partner
• Likes to see immediate results
• Exercises to "blow off steam"

The key to this fitness personality is expending extra energy. You like to take charge and enjoy a challenge, so your workout will be most effective if you set goals. When exercising, you want to mentally be a million miles away from your daily routine, using this time to concentrate on strengthening the physical body you depend on. Going to the gym is a rush for you. Feeling the “burn” of exercise and seeing quick and measured results to your fitness efforts is what drives you to work hard in achieving your goals. You prefer to have a steady workout partner so you can chart your progress and cheer each other along. Your personality is most likely to have both a gym membership and workout equipment at home, to cater to your need for instant gratification.

Other activities to try:         

Aerobics                   Kickboxing                      Speed Walking
Cardio                      Medicine Ball Exercises      Spinning
Fusion Exercises         Pilates                           Yoga
Handball                   Racquetball                     Tae-Bo
Jogging                    Resistance Bands              Tai-Chi
Jump Rope                Sit-Ups                           Yoga

Fitness Personality No. 4 
                            Cardio

• Prefers exercise equipment or personal trainers
• Tends to be an avid sports participant
• Likes to alternate muscle groups in workouts
• Enjoys aerobic exercise that revs up the heart rate
• Exercises to increase energy, build stamina and burn calories

This fitness personality is based on activities that get your pulse racing. When you exercise, you enjoy seeing your body respond to your rigorous demands. Going to the gym makes you feel like you’ve done something good for yourself. You prefer to use classes, machines and free weights to work specific areas of your body, burn calories and build stamina. The challenge of fitness classes or personal trainers who where force you to keep up is something you crave. Your personality most likely has a gym membership, participates in sports, and exercises with friends.

Other activities to try:

Bicycling                   Running                     Swimming
Boot Camps               Skiing                       Tae-Bo
Circuit Training           Skin/Scuba Diving       Tai-Chi
Fusion Fitness            Spinning                   Tennis
Hiking                       Stair climbing             Urban Fitness
Jogging                     Jump Rope                 Yoga
Mountain Biking          Surfing                      Roller Skating
Pilates                      Racquetball                Rock Climbing


Fitness Personality No. 5   
                       Gentle Activity

• Avoids the gym
• Uncomfortable exercising in groups
• Prefers low-impact fitness routines
• May be working around old sports injuries or other health concerns (such as back pain, etc.)
• Exercises to build resilience, stability and self-confidence

  This fitness personality has the need to increase resilience, flexibility, stability and self-confidence. You avoid the gym at all costs and prefer low-impact fitness, like walking or yoga, to more rigorous or “jarring” exercise, like jogging or weight-lifting. When exercising, you want to participate in activities that feel good to your body, without the stress of competitiveness or an audience. You may be hindered by injuries or other health concerns that make it difficult to receive generalized group instruction. Your personality is most likely to have tried fitness fads and gadgets with little success.   You tend to achieve better results on your own terms with exercises that feel natural to perform.

Other activities to try:

Whether you want to look good or increase your athletic performance it’s important to train  The book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’ details some of the most effective exercises and routines to help you with your overall development. 

I know you want to get in shape and look great. Whatever your fitness goal to slim down... gain muscle... tone your arms or flatten your tummy I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. You will learn how to select and combine your diet with exercise, so that you can be the best you can be.