There’s no single personality type that increases your chances of being overweight, but experts agree that a range of traits could make you more likely to be heavy and stay that way.
Try to identify your personality type by matching yourself with some of the typical traits listed below.
You may fit perfectly into one of these personalities or you may cross over into several, but knowing your characteristics and what is preventing you from losing weight will help you overcome these obstacles and reach your healthy weight sooner and easier.
So what’s your personality type?
Emotional eater
- Do you eat when you feel down, stressed, angry and/or bored?
- Do you reach for a drink or smoke when you feel down?
- Do you binge eat then feel guilty?
If so, then you could be an emotional eater.
You feel ‘emotional hunger’ in your head and it wants to be satisfied straight away. Physical hunger should make you feel pleasantly full, while emotional hunger might leave you feeling guilty afterwards, especially if you binge-eat. If you’re an emotional eater, you may also use alcohol and smoking to try and ‘un-feel’ your emotions.
According to researchers at Harvard University, binge eating is the most common type of eating disorder, occurring in 1 in 35 adults or 2.8% of the population. This means that almost twice as many people are affected compared with anorexia and bulimia, plus the incidence is even higher in people who are heavy.
The right psychologist can help you understand the basis to your behaviour. US professor of psychiatry, Katharine Halmi, has found dieting to be a common trigger for people with binge-eating disorders, so taking things steady and making better choices for life are must-dos if you want to succeed.
The Biggest Loser Club advises you to eat regular, filling meals (no meal skipping allowed!) and even treats, so it will help you stay focused, energised and not feel deprived.
Chaotic eater
- Do you skip meals?
- Do you often opt for takeout?
- Are you disorganised and often eat on the run?
- Is it tricky to find the time to exercise regularly?
If so, then you may be a chaoctic eater.
Not allowing time to plan, eat well and exercise means that you’re more likely to feel tired, grumpy, ravenous and ready to reach for anything you can grab. The only way to get out of your chaos-fuelled life is to make time to plan ahead.
The recipes on The Biggest Loser Club are easy to follow, easy to cook plus there are cook-ahead-and-freeze eats and no-cook options, so there really is no excuse not to plan ahead. Use break times or travelling times to make notes and plan your day.
The convenient and easy-to-use Biggest Loser Club Meal Replacement products could also help you start a new healthy-eating plan without needing too much organisation. Simply replace two meals a day with a Shake, Soup or Bar and then all you need to think about is a healthy dinner.
Workouts don't need to be lengthy, so start by trying to fit in five, 10 and 15 minute exercise sessions. Try walking, skipping or using the bottom stair as a step climber. In small ways, you can start to take better control of your life and rise above the chaos.
Commitment shy
- Are you ready to make some big changes to your life?
- Are you prepared to change what and how much you eat and drink?
- Are you ready to be active for 30 minutes or more on most days?
If you answered no, then you could be commitment shy.
This means that you’re just not ready to change. There’s no point in making excuses. The only way to lose weight is to do something about it and for that you have to get into the right mindset and make your decision to start today!
If you’re ready, take your Biggest Loser Club program seriously. Do your online diary. Weigh and measure to get to grips with good food choices and the right portion sizes. Don’t skip meals. Stick closely to your recommended calories. Watch what and how much you drink. Start to get fitter. Do these things and you will succeed. Only you can do it. Only you can make the choice.
Selfless
- Does looking after loved ones take up most of your time?
- Do you often do things you don’t want to just to please others?
- Do you do things so that others will like you?
If you answered yes, then your selflessness could be costing you your health.
You're too busy looking after everyone else to take care of yourself. Over time, resentment could build and if you condition yourself to use food to deal with resentment, frustration and anger or to avoid confrontation, your health will suffer. It is a challenge, but gradually build the strength to say to someone you love, ‘I'm sorry but I can't do that for you right now.’
If they love you, the people you care for, including your children, won’t want to see you forever tired and frazzled. Finding time to do things for yourself everyday will mean that you feel less put upon, better about yourself and healthier. When others see the new and more positive you, your loved ones will encourage you to be the strong, happy, motivated person you are becoming.
Uneducated eater
- Has doing your diary been a real eye opener as far as calories and fat in your favourite foods and drinks?
- Has looking at food labels surprised you?
- Were you shocked to learn about portion sizes?
If so, then you're an uneducated eater.
The ever-changing world of food can be difficult to keep up with and many people just don't know the nutritional content of food. The key to your success is becoming a bit more food savvy and with the help of the online food search or the all-new pocket sized Biggest Loser Club Calorie Counter, you'll be a food boff in no time!
This is a great chance to really get to know about weights, measures, calories and portion sizes. Get to know your Biggest Loser Club plan inside out, and you’ll get there in no time!
Calorie counting and exercise is essential, but each of us needs to take our own path to reach a healthy weight. It takes awareness about your past and your personality to get going on your unique journey. Happy travelling!