If you’ve ever tried to become a “fitness person” by forcing yourself into a 6 a.m. bootcamp class and ended up crying into a protein shake, good news: science says you’re not broken—just mismatched. YAY!
A new study out of University College London suggests the secret to staying active long-term might be as simple as doing a workout you actually enjoy. Groundbreaking, right? Turns out, your personality plays a big role in what kind of exercise you’ll stick with—and which ones will make you want to fake an injury to get out of burpees.
Here’s what the researchers found:
- Extroverts were all about high-intensity workouts. Think spin classes, HIIT, or anything that involves loud music, sweat, and possibly yelling. If it feels like a party where everyone’s wearing Lycra, they’re in.
- Neurotic types (aka the worriers, overthinkers, and people who Google their symptoms) preferred short bursts of exercise. They also didn’t love being watched—so maybe skip the group Zumba and try a solo YouTube dance break instead.
- Conscientious folks (the organized, disciplined, color-coded-calendar types) did well across the board. They were motivated more by health benefits than fun, which is both impressive and slightly intimidating. These are the people who actually read the nutrition labels.
The best part? Everyone who completed the 8-week program got fitter and stronger. But those high in neuroticism also saw a big drop in stress—probably because they weren’t forcing themselves into workouts that made them miserable.
The takeaway? If you want to make fitness stick, stop trying to become someone you’re not. Pick a routine that fits your personality. Hate running? Don’t run. Love dancing like no one’s watching? Do that (preferably when no one is watching).
Your ideal workout might not be the one that burns the most calories—it’s the one you’ll actually do without bribing yourself with post-gym donuts.
