The State of the Fitness Industry in 2018

When you look at the biggest weight loss trends of 2017, it’s not surprising.

Wearable technology passed the 4 billion mark in sales, even though one study found that people who used wearable technology to lose weight, versus the “old fashioned” method, actually lost less weight. ¹ 1. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2553448 ×

High Intensity Training, because no, we aren’t burned out and overstimulated enough as it is.

Yoga, because we sit ten hours a day.

“Teatoxes,” because losing two pounds a month in a regular, predictable way isn’t fast enough, plus, beach season is coming up in three months.

Meditation, because we’re all becoming neurotic bundles of fried nerves.

Exercise and fitness apps, because we need something new and the gym is intimidating.

And yet, we’ve missed the mark.

We’re Missing Out on the One Factor That Matters

We can analyze the diet that a person eats for the next 100 years.

We can breakdown the ratios of macro-nutrients, and quantify micro-nutrients.

We can look at their workout routines, schedules, difficulties, and how much they vary.

And yet, we’ll do anything to avoid the one thing that matters: looking in the mirror at ourselves.

Consider this, a small study done on 54 people wanted to analyze if personality traits were linked to successful weight loss. ² 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3239842/ ×

In this study, people either followed a slow, healthy eating weight loss diet for 12 weeks, or a fast, very low energy diet for 4 weeks. Their personality traits were assessed using scales from the Five Factor Model – Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, and Extraversion.

The results?

The percentage weight loss was significantly greater in the very low energy group (low calorie group), versus the healthy calorie group.

Weight loss in the healthy calorie group was also associated with anxiety, which is a smaller trait in “neuroticism.”

Weight loss in the very low calorie group was positively correlated with Neuroticism, and negatively correlated with discipline, and aspects of conscientiousness.

The bottom line? Being neurotic was linked to successful weight loss.

Look at The Person, and You Can Predict Their Traits, Predict Their Traits, and You Can Predict Their Habits (And Their Life)

You heard it folks, that’s all it takes – be neurotic, and you’ll lose more weight.

What does neuroticism even mean?

Being more likely to worry.

Being prone to moodiness and depression.

Being self-conscious, picky, and fragile.

Responding worse to the stressors of life.

Ouch.

Is that worth it?

So that begs the question:

If personality traits often predict weight loss better than workouts, diets, teatoxes and wearable technology, why aren’t we focusing on character traits first?