Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More Next
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More Next
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More Next
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See All Health Conditions A-Z

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See All News

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet isĀ not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See All Fitness

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See All Beauty

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See All Mind & Body

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
    • Wellness Warriors
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Weight Loss Chevron Right
  3. 10 Ways Your Personality Affects Your Weight

10 Ways Your Personality Affects Your Weight

By Linda Melone
Updated January 27, 2021
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Getty Images
If you're struggling to drop pounds, tuning into your personality traits may help you shed the weight (finally!)
Start Slideshow

1 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Lose weight now

Credit: Getty Images

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.

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're impulsive…

Credit: Getty Images

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. Related:How to Cheat-Proof Your Diet

2 of 11

3 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're reliable…

Credit: Getty Images

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.

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're prone to mood swings…

Credit: Getty Images

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.

4 of 11

5 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're quiet…

Credit: Getty Images

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.

5 of 11

6 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're the life of the party…

Credit: Getty Images

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.

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're often hard on yourself…

Credit: Getty Images

"People who lack self-compassion have a huge negative reaction every time they make a mistake," says Markman. "Those high in self-compassion simply move on and vow to not make the same mistake again." If you're hard on yourself, you're more likely to continue overeating after you're slipped up, since realizing you've overeaten leads to feelings of hopelessness. "If you're not self-compassionate by nature, you need to work on forgiving yourself," says Markman. Follow this advice to becoming your own best friend.

7 of 11

8 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're a night owl…

Credit: Getty Images

Staying up until the wee hours may wreak havoc with your waistline. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that people who were kept up until 4 a.m. ate 550 additional calories during their late night hours. What's more, a higher percentage of the late-night calories came from high-fat foods than they did during daytime hours.

8 of 11

9 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're an early bird…

Credit: Getty Images

In an Australian study, participants who woke up early were less likely to be overweight than night owls—even though both groups slept the same number of hours. Although this study involved young children, the results are likely applicable to adults as well, says Allen Towfigh, MD, sleep specialist and neurologist affiliated with Weill Cornell Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. "If you love to sleep in, you may not be getting enough sleep, in which case you need to go to bed earlier to increase your total sleep time." Dr. Towfigh recommends adults strive for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're self-centered…

Credit: Getty Images

Being a little stuck on yourself may not be such a bad thing when trying to lose weight. "Self-centered people tend to consider their own interests, which could lead them to better conserve their energy and have more willpower to make healthy choices," says Hanna. People-pleasers, on the other hand, may get overly stressed about helping everyone else and find themselves depleted at the end of the day. This often triggers poor food choices, says Hanna. Instead, practice being more "selfish" in asking for what you want and sticking to it without feeling guilty. Meet friends after your workout instead of canceling your exercise plans, or ask them to join you.

10 of 11

11 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

If you're easygoing…

Credit: Getty Images

People who go with the flow tend to be leaner than those who are more neurotic, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. In some cases, however, this may backfire, says Markman. "Highly agreeable people may stress over failure because they're afraid of letting other people down. This stress can actually get in the way of successful weight loss, because stress makes it harder to resist temptation."

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Linda Melone

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 11 Lose weight now
2 of 11 If you're impulsive…
3 of 11 If you're reliable…
4 of 11 If you're prone to mood swings…
5 of 11 If you're quiet…
6 of 11 If you're the life of the party…
7 of 11 If you're often hard on yourself…
8 of 11 If you're a night owl…
9 of 11 If you're an early bird…
10 of 11 If you're self-centered…
11 of 11 If you're easygoing…

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Health.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact us
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

View image

10 Ways Your Personality Affects Your Weight
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.