Knowing your fitness color will help long-term
Knowing your “fitness color” could help in your search to find an exercise program that will increase your fitness success. Suzanne Brue is the author of “The 8 Colors of Fitness,” and as her book explains, exercise is an expression of your individual personality type. Some approaches are more suited to certain personality types than others.
Brue explains there are two main concepts on how to incorporate a new exercise program in our life that are societal. First, we look at exercise in a clinical way that uses treadmills, sit-ups and crunches as our primary way of exercising. This concept totally loses sight of the fact that any type of activity is exercise.
Chasing your kids around the yard, going on a walk with a friend, lifting weights or running for a mile are all types of exercise. Adding enjoyment as a component to your exercise program is just as important in your compliance as the type of exercise.
Second, there is a common assumption that having an “exercise buddy” will help you be successful. That is only true if you enjoy exercising in the company of other people. If you are someone who is goal oriented, exercising with others might actually be distracting.
There is no right or wrong way to exercise. Your success with incorporating a fitness program into your life is dependent on understanding who you are and what makes you comfortable. So which color are you?
Blue: True blue: tried and true. Blues focus on the purpose of exercise. They’ll have their fun some other time.
Gold: The gold standard: just the facts. Golds exercise to achieve specific results. Their activities are carefully planned and result oriented.
Red: Roaring reds: now! Being physically active is a lifestyle for reds, and they can’t get too much of it. Reds live in the moment, and anything is possible.
Green: Greener than green: nature beckons. Greens avoid indoor gyms, only using them to increase their stamina for an important outdoor challenge. They don’t complain or moan about the weather. They will just adapt to the weather changes.
Silver: Quick silver: masters of exercise disguise. It is not unusual for silvers to be “extreme exercisers.” Physical activity becomes an operating principle in their lives.
Saffron: Saffron seeking: making workouts into play. Saffrons look for activities that require a measure of skill and effort. Exercise should be fun, but it’s the challenge that provides the appeal for them.
Whites: The white canvas: trailblazers on familiar paths. Whites seek comfort and familiarity in their exercise environments. When they do exercise in a gym, they prefer small and uncrowded exercise spaces.
Purple: Royal purple: pursuers with a plan. Purples are energized by the presence of others in their exercise environment but not necessarily by interaction with them.
As a personal trainer, understanding my clients’ fitness colors has helped me develop a program and create an environment that is consistent with their personality. This one extra step in my programming increases my ability to motivate them in a way that allows them their greatest success.
Identifying your “fitness color” is the first step toward finding an exercise program you can stick with for the long haul. Matching your personality type to the right fitness approach can help increase your fitness success.
If you would like to take the quiz to determine your fitness color, go to
