| Extroverts |
| Choose activities that have lots of stimulation, and a club that has many choices for group classes and activities. |
| Go in the morning, before the rest of your day interferes with your fitness plans. |
| Introverts |
| Choose solitary activities that allow you to stay 'inside' (exercise bike versus bicycling). |
| This type has less of a natural tendency toward physical activity, so build in lots of secondary gains. |
| Choose activities that have layers of depth to them. |
| Sensors |
| Motivated by measurable results, and progress made toward specific goals (scale, pants size, mileage, tennis ranking). |
| Naturally skeptical of new things, so go for the tried and true, like aerobics, yoga, exercise bikes, and weight training. |
| Have a natural tendency toward being content with the way things are, so will need extra incentive to change. |
| This type value aesthetics, so choose a place that is scenic, well decorated, comfortable, use big fluffy towels after work outs. |
| Prefer not to sacrifice the present for the future, so pick things that are enjoyable to do. |
| Needs to be realistic about goals, set them out in small steps, build in lots of non-calorie rewards for reaching concrete goals, whether they are performance goals (made it to the gym 3 times during the week) or outcome goals (lost pounds). |
| Make sure what you choose is convenient - the time schedule and logistics. |
| Experiment with activities -- try them out. |
| iNtuitives |
| Motivated by future images. Put inspiring photos and phrases on your refrigerator instead of "Don't" messages. |
| Pull yourself toward the desired goal, rather than push yourself away from the negative behavior. |
| Avoid routine -- build variety and change into your plan, choose a gym with lots of different classes and times. |
| Plan a bicycle riding vacation in Hawaii. The future trip in a fun place will motivate you train. |
| Sign up ahead for a race or organize walk, rather than wait until same-day registration. |
| Try a sport that's innovative and unusual, or check out the newest gadgets at the health club. |
| Add your enjoyment of leadership -- start a new group, or take the lead in a group. |
| Choose activities that don't initially require precision -- jogging rather than step aerobics or yoga. |
| Feelers |
| This type is more inclined to take things personally, including failure. Build multiple levels of accomplishment into each goal. |
| More inclined to give up if corrected or criticized. Find a "cheerleader", rather than a "trainer". |
| Choose activities that can be learned easily, then make them more complicated later. |
| Choose activities and clubs where you enjoy the social climate -- the personalities of the members and staff. |
| Choose activities that combine a social cause with a fitness activity like the "AIDS Ride" or "Walk for Diabetes". |
| Do it in a way that helps others -- partnering with a friend who needs and/or wants the goal as much as you do. |
| Find a subjective, personal value to motivate you, such as leading by example. |
| Be authentic -- if you don't feel like an athlete yet, then wear your jeans bike riding until you feel like a cyclist. |
| Begin with noncompetitive activities. |
| Thinkers |
| Choose activities that have scientific proof of effectiveness. |
| Frame it as a problem that needs to be fixed. |
| Find objective reasons. |
| Choose activities with gadgets to make it more enjoyable, like HRMs or machines. |
| Chose fitness activities with built-in mastery (tennis, golf), or require control of environment (rock climbing, orienteering). |
| Choose competitive activities, or structure activities in a way that you compete with a friend or yourself. |
| Judgers |
| Help make it a habit by writing your weekly fitness activities into your calendar and "to do" list. |
| TJ and SJ tend to take fitness very seriously, so build in a way to get laughter other places in your life, like e-mail joke lists, watching sit coms while on your exercise bike. |
| IJ collect and organize information -- keep a journal or log book (N monitors patterns, S monitors specifics). |
| Perceivers |
| Put it on your daily calendar -- otherwise, it can be out of sight -- out of mind. |
| Choose a club that you drive by on the way to or from work -- seeing the club will remind you to go there. |
| Need lots of variety and choices, so choose sports like triathlon or tennis (serve, volley, footwork -- or singles, doubles). |
| Set an immovable deadline goal, like a race date or the start of a vacation.
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