Solo or social? Find your fitness personality with our online quiz

Is your favourite workout an hour on the treadmill or being outdoors running on the trails? Do you tend to exercise alone or prefer group fitness activities? There are many ways to exercise that will suit your needs and time constraints. The key to starting any exercise programme, and maintaining it, is finding an activity that you enjoy and will keep coming back for.

Take our quiz to see what your fitness personality is.

1. Your main fitness goal is …
   A: To maintain your current weight and/or fitness levels
   B: To run or cycle your first race
   C: To lose weight and/or build muscle
   D: You’re not sure – you don’t have a goal
   
   
2. You have been active in the past …
   A: 24 hours
   B: Few days
   C: Month
   D: Year
   
   
3. You are interested in reading health and fitness articles and magazines …
   A: Regularly
   B: Only when there are inspiring weightloss/fitness testimonials
   C: When a new gadget or fitness device is reviewed
   D: Never
   
   
4. When someone tells you about a new workout/fitness trend, you …
   A: Engage in the conversation and add your own insights
   B: Make a mental note to do your own online research to learn more
   C: Act interested, but you’re actually planning your weekend in your head
   D: Yawn
   
   
5. You think that your biggest barrier to regular exercise is …
   A: Time
   B: Energy
   C: Cost
   D: Enjoyment
   
   
6. When it comes to group exercise, you are …
   A: On the fence – solo gym sessions are more your thing
   B: Happy – the more; the merrier when it comes to getting active
   C: Hesitant but open to trying it and meeting new people
   D: Not enthusiastic – you’d rather sweat alone
   
   
7. If faced with a dinner out with friends/family or an exercise session, you …
   A: Cancel the social event; you always stick to your exercise schedule
   B: Say you’ll be late; you want to make both plans
   C: Just show up late to the dinner; no one will be surprised
   D: Skip the workout; there’s always tomorrow
   
   
8. To help motivate yourself to get active, you …
   A: Buy new workout gear
   B: Listen to music
   C: Track your progress using a fitness device
   D: Convince a friend to join you
   
   
9. Which workout sounds like the most fun to you …
   A: A weights and/or toning session
   B: A Sunday morning cycle
   C: A 5km fun run or walk
   D: A dance class
   
   
10. When it comes to meetings and appointments, you are…
    A: Often late, but get there when you can
    B: Early or always on time
    C: Likely to cancel, or often miss the meeting entirely
    D: Usually on time
    
    

Mainly As:

Your fitness personality is best suited to: Discovery Vitality Gym Partners

You’re self-motivated and enjoy strength training as well as time alone on a spinning bike or treadmill after a long day. You tend to follow your own exercise programme and prefer to work out alone and keep track of your progress yourself using a fitness device. Through Vitality, you can join Planet Fitness or Virgin Active and save up to 80% on your monthly gym fees. Gym aside, learning to rely on and support others is worth pursuing to keep active for longer. You can find out more about joining a group of runners and/or cyclists through Team Vitality.

Mainly Bs:

Your fitness personality is best suited to: Team Vitality

You're fun spirited and you get your motivation to keep active through being around like-minded fitness enthusiasts. Your fitness personality is best suited to a Team Vitality member – Discovery Vitality’s new running and cycling club. By joining Team Vitality, you’ll have access to community runs and cycles which will appeal to your social needs. Having scheduled workouts through weekly club runs and rides with the support of fellow club members will help to get you moving. Being part of Team Vitality will also help you to train for a future race or event with a group. Join the Team Vitality movement.

Mainly Cs:

Your fitness personality is best suited to: parkrun

You may not be keen to exercise with big groups of people but you’ll be surprised at how energised you’ll end up feeling after some group fitness. Start slowly by joining a parkrun near you. These free, timed 5km fun runs are a great way to combine fun and fitness and are available around SA in pleasant surroundings and include runners and walkers at every fitness level. They are open to everyone and are safe and easy to take part in. Simply register on www.parkrun.co.za and find your local event. Remember to link your South African ID or passport number to your parkrun profile when you register to earn 500 Vitality points for every parkrun you complete.

Mainly Ds:

Your fitness personality is best suited to: Vitality Fit

You are still waiting to be bitten by the fitness bug so your best bet is to try several types of activities to see which ones you enjoy and will stick with. Vitality Fit can help you with this by offering you more ways to get active and in shape with exhilarating and invigorating workouts. Activate for R300 and you can earn 25% cash back on your workout packages at Adventure Boot Camp, selected CrossFit affiliates, S.W.E.A.T. 1000 and B.U.C facilities.

So, what’s stopping you?

We don’t need to be reminded that getting physically active is crucial for overall health and wellness. In fact, Discovery Vitality research proves that frequent and regular physical activity offers a range of health benefits including boosting your immune system, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, strengthening your bones and muscles, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and improving your mental health and mood.

Before you start any new exercise programme or activity, though, ensure that you have discussed it with your doctor.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to keep in touch, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.