Up until seven years ago when I discovered my passion for running, I, like many of you, found myself doing all that I could to meet my calories burn goal by the end of the week. When I first began my journey to healthy living, getting on the elliptical for just 10 minutes at a time was a challenge. But over time I no longer had the motivation to get on it each morning to log-in my 60 minutes of activity. The elliptical was no longer a challenge for me. I began to despise my workouts even though I knew of the benefits. I needed something new to change up my exercise routine. Having vowed I would never give up my quest for healthy living, I joined a gym not too far from my home. In the beginning it was so much fun. I was exposed to so many new and exciting things; everything from new cardio equipment, to weight machines, free weights, even spinning, yoga and Pilates classes. I was like a kid in a candy store. Every day allowed me the opportunity to try something new. But even with all the exposure to new things, I soon found my motivation waning after a few short months. I started viewing exercise as a punishment. This is when I decided to give running a try. I love being outside and I love a good challenge. I love competing against myself. Running fits all the criteria that best suits my personality which is why I believe I am still running after all these years. When it comes to exercise, studies have shown that people who participate in an activity that they enjoy, they are more likely to stick with their workout routine, therefore improving their longevity. In a book titled, The Longevity Project: Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade Study by health scientists Dr. Howard Friedman and Dr. Leslie Martin, they noted that those individuals who participated in activities that they enjoyed, not the ones that promised the most calories burn in the shortest period of time, were more likely to adhere to their fitness routine over a long period of time. And as we all know, an active lifestyle always trumps a sedentary one. Participating in an active lifestyle has been shown to increase our quality of life in addition to improving our longevity. Not too sure what type of exercise personality you are? Well, SparkPeople has just the quiz to help you discover your own exercise personality. By answering eight simple questions, you will be given the results of your quiz and the personality that best suits you based on your answers. You will be given suggestions on how to make the most of your exercise personality as well as suggestions to keep your exercise life in balance. Remember that we all need to integrate some form of cardio, strength training and flexibility activities into our workout routine. Focusing too much on one area can lead to injury and burnout issues down the road. After I took the quiz the results showed that I am a Hardcore Exerciser which fits me to a T. I love a good challenge. I love to push my body to the limits. However, with the stress of caring for my father-in-law the past several weeks I have found myself to be more of a Multitasking Mover. In other words, finding short pockets of time to get in a quick workout, even if that is a 10 minute walk while on the phone with his healthcare providers. Just because you fall into one category now does not mean your exercise personality will not change over time. So if you are new to the world of exercise or if you are finding your motivation waning, by taking this quiz you may just find the workout that best suits you and your personality. Below is a link to the quiz. What is Your Exercise Personality? What exercise personality are you based on your quiz results? Do you find it matches your exercise personality traits? |
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