A Workout Perfect for You

M
Stay motivated by choosing a workout that fits your personality. Identify what characteristics guide you in socializing, decision-making, analyzing and interpreting situations. Adopt a workout routine based on your attributes and reward yourself as you accomplish short-term and long-term goals. The common traits described below will help you begin.

Introverts prefer solitary time to reflect while extraverts thrive when surrounded by people. Sensing individuals make decisions best when involving all their senses, but an intuitive person looks for patterns. Thinkers inspect all parts of a situation while feelers rely on emotions. Perceiving individuals interpret circumstances without a plan whereas judging people devise a strategy.

Socializing Category - Extraverts join gym classes, sports and social clubs, group training sessions and competitive sports. Afterwards, invite friends to join you in shopping, cooking or vacationing. Introverts do yoga, martial arts and solo activities like running and walking. Set up a place in your home to exercise while watching your favorite television show or movie, purchase new music and keep a reflective journal.

Decision-Making Category - Sensing individuals try hiking, cycling, swimming and gardening to incorporate your senses. You may also like club dancing, boxing circuits and bootcamp courses. To heighten smell and taste, dab a few drops of scented oil behind your ears and replace water with chilled decaf green tea. Reward yourself with freshly baked bread, a new outfit or host a charades party complete with beverage and food tasting. Intuitive individuals tackle obstacle courses, weight training, ballroom dancing and martial arts. Hire a trainer to help you establish objectives. Invest in a scrapbook or case to display memorabilia indicative of goals met. Treat yourself to an art class or a new book.

Analytical Category - Thinking persons participate in problem-solving sports like rock climbing and orienteering classes. Use resources like GPS and Google Earth to track your progress. Keep your schedule and accomplishments on a chart. Invest in equipment and maintain a blog or website complete with results, tips and questions to share with peers. Feeling persons incorporate harmony through dance, yoga, martial arts and cooperative sports like tandem kayaking, tennis and team building exercises. You may also like to support a cause by cleaning up the environment or walking shelter dogs. In your spare time, get a new hairstyle, reminisce with a friend over lunch or Feng Shui a room in your home.

Interpreting Category - Perceiving persons follow a varied routine and incorporate biking and walking into your daily life. If possible, settle into an active town with active friends. Exercise incentives may include participating in a class not often found at gyms like ballet or fencing, watching a movie or eating at a new restaurant. Judging persons stick with programs, such as strength and circuit training, spring-cleaning and yard work and health and fitness plans found in magazines. Record progress in a journal, buy plants for home or yard and picnic with friends.

Still not sure which exercise strategy fits you? Take the Jung Typology Test. Develop a fitness regimen inclusive of stretching, core, strength, flexibility and cardio training to ensure overall fitness. Different body types are better suited for different levels of activities so seek a physician's advice especially if you have a pre-existing condition.

Most importantly, stay motivated by caring for yourself. Exercise, eat right and surround yourself with people who share similar goals. Choose activities that match your personality and exercise will no longer be a chore but rather your lifestyle. Reward yourself each time you accomplish a goal and keeping fit and staying motivated won't even be an issue.

Published by M

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  • How to choose a workout
  • Find your personality type
  • Develop a fitness regimen
For those who need further motivation, Self magazine recently reported that exercise increases blood flow leading to stress reduction and arousal intensification.

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