How to Use the Paleo Diet Based on Your Enneagram Personality Type

Ginger Mint Shrimp © lynette sheppard

How to Use the Paleo Diet Based on Your Enneagram Personality Type 

Interesting take in this guest post by freelance writer Jackie Young.  Enjoy!

Have you ever thought that your personality can influence your life? For instance, if you’re a Type One Enneagram Personality Type, you’re a perfectionist who probably strives for great success in all areas of your life, which could result in you being a tad too extreme. Your personality type can even affect your diet.

It can show you how you approach food: are you an emotional eater or are you too strict on your dietary choices? Are you always striving to be perfect in your healthy eating lifestyle, and is this harming you? Australian research found that there’s a definite link between personality traits and diets. It found that people who are open and conscientious are more likely to consume more fruits and vegetables, while avoiding unhealthy habits.

If you’re interested in the Paleo diet, it could help you to first establish your Enneagram personality type to ensure greater success and wellbeing on the diet, whether that means cultivating a healthier approach to food or losing weight to feel more confident. Let’s look at the nine Enneagram personality types, followed by what constitutes the Paleo diet, before seeing how our personality types can work with Paleo to provide us with greater health.

What Is the Enneagram? 

There are life strategies that help us cope with difficulties, but we might not even be aware of them. The Enneagram, which is a description of human psyche, brings these strategies to life with its nine personality types. These are:

1. The Perfectionist – one who has idealist qualities.
2. The Giver – someone caring, generous, and perhaps possessive.
3. The Performer – someone success-oriented.
4. The Romantic – someone sensitive and withdrawn.
5. The Observer – someone who’s perceptive and secretive.
6. The Devil’s Advocate – one who’ll think of worst case scenarios, but is committed and responsible.
7. The Foodie – fun-loving and spontaneous person.
8. The Boss – someone confident and confrontational.
9. The Peacemaker – someone agreeable yet complacent.

What Is the Paleo Diet?

Paleo is a diet that copies the cavemen. It follows the idea that if cavemen didn’t eat certain foods, neither should we! Many popular foods, like junk food, are therefore banned. If you consider that Harvard reported Americans mainly get their calories from unhealthy foods such as grain-based desserts, yeast breads, pizza, alcohol, chicken, and sugary drinks, the Paleo diet makes total sense. It can also help you lose weight because sugar, grains, and processed foods are not on the menu. Your diet will likely contain meat, egg, natural oils, vegetables, and some fruits. It’s a good idea to follow the rule of having protein with every meal and some vegetables to give you the nutrients you need every day. The bonus: you don’t have to count calories!

How Can You Succeed At The Paleo Diet According To Your Enneagram Personality?

It’s not always easy to start a new diet, and the Paleo is no different. The diet does have some cons people complain about, such as that it’s not easy to restrict one’s diet and maintain it for years. If you regularly eat processed or sugary foods, completely cutting them out of your diet can be stressful. The same goes for dairy products, which some Paleo dieters completely ban from their eating plans.

However, one of the important elements of the Paleo diet to consider is that it’s about changing the way we look at food. When you make healthier food choices, this nourishes your body and soul. If you’re interested in the Paleo diet, approaching it from your Enneagram personality type could help you achieve a healthier relationship with food and your body. Here is how to use your Enneagram personality type with the Paleo diet:

1. The Perfectionist  

You might have goals to achieve perfection with the Paleo diet. For instance, you might think that you have to be very strict with your diet in order to achieve your food goals. Perfectionists are usually extreme, and this can show up in their use of diets, diet pills, and vitamins. It’s important to see the Paleo diet as a lifestyle change, not as a diet trend that won’t last or can harm your body. A more balanced approach can be much more positive and healthy. For instance, if you’re cutting out dairy, make sure you’re getting your calcium from plant sources to stay on top of your body’s nutritional needs.

2. The Giver 

As The Giver, you don’t focus on your needs and tend to prioritize everyone else’s. Feelings of resentment and low confidence might occur as a result. You might turn to food to distract you from your real, negative feelings, and you might even abuse food, such as by binge-eating on unhealthy fatty foods. See the Paleo diet as a way to clean up your lifestyle, focusing on healthy foods. View nutritious foods as an act of self-care. Start keeping a journal so that you can focus on your real feelings instead of hiding your emotions in comfort food.

3. The Performer 

Otherwise known as The Achiever, Performers are focused on the image they show to the world. You might want to go on the Paleo diet to lose weight, for instance, thinking that it’s important to be a certain weight.

It’s worth noting how our bodies have changed over the years. For instance, since the 1990s to the present day, people have been putting on more weight. Although obesity is dangerous, the point of any diet change is to focus on prioritizing your health. So sometimes, it can actually be better to put on a bit of weight and be healthy, instead of losing lots of weight just to fit in with the latest trends.

4. The Romantic  

You sometimes tend to be dramatic and temperamental, which can cause you to over-indulge in “mood-boosting” foods on bad days, such as fatty or sugary desserts. If you experience depression, you might lack motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle change such as the Paleo diet. It’s a good idea to try to replace negative lifestyle habits with positive ones, such as by reaching for nutritious foods that boost your mood rather than rich foods which can spike your blood sugar and make you feel worse.

5. The Observer  

You like to feel capable, and since you’re quite perceptive it could be good to use this in your Paleo diet. For instance, by focusing on gaining more understanding of the Paleo diet, you could understand it better to see how it could benefit your life. One of your risk factors for addictions is poor eating habits because you don’t focus on your needs. Rather, you’re too busy collecting ideas and information. Make sure you focus on how you feel on a diet, and make adjustments to it if it falls short of enhancing your wellbeing.

6. The Devil’s Advocate 

Once you decide to follow a diet, you can become quite rigid. This commitment can actually be a downfall, such as if you’re completely cutting out food groups to the point where you’re lacking nutrients. On the other hand, you might find that you think of the worst-case scenarios, such as “What if cutting out sugar is impossible?” Try to find a more balanced approach and deal with anxiety that comes up in healthy ways. Focus on health and harmony.

7. The Foodie  

You’re spontaneous and fun-loving, sometimes referred to as The Enthusiast. You can stay committed to the Paleo diet by trying to find interesting foods to add to your eating plan. Regularly add new veggies and fruits to your meals to keep them interesting. There are many wonderful veggies out there that you might not have heard of, like salsify, a vegetable that tastes a bit like oysters when cooked, or tomatillos that can vary in taste from sweet to mild. Perfect for adding more flavor and fun to your diet.

8. The Boss 

You have a strong will, which means you’ll easily commit to a new diet plan. Although this is remarkable, sometimes it can become too extreme. You might, for instance, neglect your physical needs or go on an extreme diet. Although the Paleo is sometimes criticized for being extreme, it shouldn’t result in your starving yourself. If you’re often hungry, it’s a sign you’re not eating enough. You should be increasing your healthy food intake, such as by adding more healthy fats to your diet that leave you feeling satisfied. Use your will to seek out healthy Paleo tips.

9. The Peacemaker 

You might be easygoing, but your tendency to lack self-awareness could result in you under-eating or over-eating. That’s why it’s important to use the Paleo diet to become more aware of what you’re eating as well as your relationship with food. For instance, when you’re stressed, do you crave sugar-rich foods? When you can’t have them because of the Paleo guidelines, how do you feel? Understanding your motivations can help you stay on track with a healthier lifestyle and gain self-growth along the way.

The Paleo diet is a nutritious eating plan that can boost your wellbeing and help you maintain an energetic life. When starting any new diet, however, it’s important to consider your Enneagram personality type so that you prioritize your wellbeing and eliminate potential obstacles to leading a healthy life.

Note from Lynette:  The Enneagram is a deep and rich map of human personality and potential. Only the most cursory view can be highlighted in this post.  For more in-depth info, check out my book: The Everyday Enneagram on Amazon.