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DIETnosis Type One

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Meet Type One

The Essence of Type One

Popular Enneagram authors commonly name Type Ones the Perfectionist, Reformer, or Crusader because they are principled, self-controlled, and improvement-oriented. They maintain high standards for themselves and others, constantly comparing reality to a set of standards. They work hard at maintaining a conscientious, orderly, and sacrificing lifestyle. Type Ones excel at judging the world around them and striving to make it right.

Type Ones value goodness, aim to realize their potential, and help others actualize theirs. They focus their attention on what is right or wrong, constantly comparing reality to their inner standards of perfection. Friends value their powers of discernment and critical eye.

You might be a Type One if you feel compelled to fix things and are constantly focused on standards, quality, and ideals. You might also find yourself frequently feeling angry and disappointed with others’ shoddy work.

Type One and Careers

Type Ones excel at organizing, executing, and applying expertise. They flourish in environments with clear rules, opportunities for advancement, a structured hierarchy, and consistency. They have an eye for detail and a knack for seeing what needs to be fixed. Archetypal jobs for Type Ones include Administrative Assistant, Manager, Attorney, Broker, or Accountant. Ones tend to serve certain roles for others, including being a judge, social reformer, rule knower, whistleblower, evangelist, or fiery advocate.

Negative Aspects and Weaknesses

Type One’s weaknesses and negative tendencies include becoming perfectionistic, obsessive, self-critical, and causing significant inner turmoil and unnecessary stress. Their righteous attitude often makes them seem like they are all work and no play. Their efforts to reform their environment are often met with resistance, leading to conflicts with peers. Although hardworking, they may have many half-started projects because they want them done “right.”

Fitness Factors (The Big Five Personality Factors of Enneagram Type One)

Style of Impulse Control

Type Ones score highly in “Conscientiousness” and have strong impulse control, dominated by their perfectionistic superegos. They feel strong physical tensions, distress, and internal impulses that they must constantly guard against. This battle leaves them tormented, uptight, and prone to self-recrimination. They may exhibit a “Jeckel and Hyde” style of eating, alternating between very healthy foods and nighttime binging. However, their highly developed superegos provide the self-control necessary for weight loss, especially if they address their cravings and physical urges directly.

Style of Activity

Type Ones score low on “Openness to Experience,” leading to a methodical, steady, and well-thought-out style of activity. They are highly self-disciplined and self-initiating but may resist accepting advice or recommendations on exercise, leading to a penchant for isolation that can hinder success. Often, they feel that if they can’t do it right, they won’t do it at all, resulting in missed exercise opportunities.

Leisure Style

In terms of leisure activities, Ones may view group sports or “fun” exercises as frivolous. This is detrimental because they benefit greatly from enjoyable and spontaneous fitness activities. Favored activities include nature walks with a close friend or pet, hiking, or household chores. When they have a fitness goal, they tend to be pragmatic, logical, and rigid about performing the same exercise repeatedly, avoiding distracting social interactions.

Ones often volunteer to better their community through activities like helping in their local school Parent Teacher Association (PTA), reading to children, or role modeling in scouting or Boys/Girls club activities. They benefit from volunteering for activities that involve exercise, such as coaching or walking tour guiding.

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Type One and Appearance

Fashion

Type Ones dress appropriately for the occasion and want to be seen as following the “correct” social norm. They avoid standing out as wrong or incorrect, preferring classic or traditional styles. Flashy patterns, florals, or racy attire that draw attention make them uncomfortable, so they stick to solids or toned-down colors. They want to appear mature, frugal, neatly groomed, churchgoing, or prudish, avoiding racy styles and showing off. Their fashion statement is, “I am right and above blame or criticism.” Because of their fear of being wrong, Type Ones are slow to adopt fashion trends and often stick to a fashion “uniform.”

Tattoos and Accessories

If a Type One gets a tattoo, it is usually understated, clean, small, or hidden. It may be a religious symbol or a motto to live by. Their jewelry is understated, small, and appropriate. They may avoid jewelry altogether unless it is a religious symbol, “cause ribbon,” or expected cultural/company accessory.

Type One at Home

Ones strive for a neat and orderly home and office space. Their decorations are practical and basic, reflecting prudent choices regarding furniture and accessories. They like to categorize things and store them in labeled boxes or baskets. Their homes communicate that they are not flashy or extravagant but controlled and righteous. Their private space is likely as orderly as their public spaces, although they may have unfinished projects stored in the closet or garage.

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Type One and Body Image

Body Judgment

Type Ones are harsh judges of their bodies, closely monitoring their weight and frequently attempting to improve it. They have perfectionistic expectations about their bodies and compare themselves to unattainable ideals. They work to understate or hide perceived deficiencies and may avoid gyms or swimming pools that expose their bodies.

Value and Self-Worth

Type Ones tend to see only their body’s imperfections or view them as morally wrong — full of urges to suppress. They feel that the flesh contains unholy and instinctive urges requiring suppression, such as hunger, anger, desire, or sexual attraction. If significantly unhealthy, they may ignore their faults or focus on others’ faults. They see themselves as above criticism and believe their actions are righteous.

In fitness, Ones may feel they are already doing everything correctly, and if they are unhealthy, they may attribute it to genetic determinism or fate. They develop all-or-nothing thinking, often stopping a diet after a single binge or rejecting an entire plan over a minor disagreement. If a Type One is overweight, it may be due to binge eating after self-deprivation or consuming foods they consider “good” or “righteous.”

Regarding relationships and attractiveness, Type Ones often see their physical bodies as secondary to their righteous actions, leading to a prudish or “hush-hush” sexuality. They tend to feel guilty about the pleasures of the flesh. They know why they should lose weight and understand the benefits but struggle to find the inner motivation to become healthier.

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Type One and Food Orientation

Food Orientation

Type Ones under-express their body’s instincts, spending much energy suppressing cravings and natural urges. They have strong beliefs about right and wrong and place moral value on foods and behaviors. They strive to meet self-imposed perfectionistic expectations as if being watched or judged, causing much unconscious and internalized anger. When dieting, they tend to be perfectionistic or exhibit “all or nothing” thinking.

Favorite Foods

Ones seek out righteous “pure,” “Holy Foods,” or “Halo Foods” that carry no guilt, often overeating them. It is crucial for Type Ones to review their most frequently consumed foods, evaluate their moral value, and ensure they are genuinely healthy. They may believe healthy food must taste bad, choosing bland foods as self-punishment. Conversely, they may use food as a wholesome reward for being good. It is important for Type Ones to assess whether these foods are truly healthy.

Food Shopping Style

Ones are rational shoppers, seeking the healthiest foods at the best price and worrying about being judged for their cart choices.

Meal Setting, Preparation, and Presentation

At home, they often have an eating ritual or proper setting, such as eating at the dinner table with appropriately placed silverware and a napkin in their lap. They may criticize others for improper food preparation.

Food Decision Factors

When choosing what to eat, Type Ones prioritize health and morality, opting for organically grown or locally produced foods. They may overeat these “holy foods” or over shop at organic or farmer’s markets.

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Emotional Eating Style

Eating Pattern

Type Ones tend to emotionally eat when they feel wrong or bad, leading to a Jeckel and Hyde-like binge. This highlights their “all or nothing” dieting approach. They may have an unconscious drive to self-punish through overeating, accompanied by internal dialogue like, “You are fat (bad); you don’t deserve to be thin.” Some may foster unhealthiness to avoid sexuality or desirability if seen as morally incorrect. Ones can be the most Obsessive-Compulsive Type, making it hard to give up ingrained eating habits.

Hidden Calories

Type Ones must be cautious of consuming hidden calories in “free” or “holy” foods.

Lifestyle Eating

Although usually reserved and sober, a party atmosphere can trigger their alter ego, leading to suppressed behaviors. Allowing routine fun can reduce the likelihood of guilty binges during parties.

Ordering Style

Ones are rational, reserved, and health-conscious when ordering. If trying to lose weight, they are aware of others’ orders and may feel guilty if someone else orders something healthier. They judge others on their orders and may provide improvement comments to staff.

Representative Meals

Type Ones’ foods and settings best represent them as morally valued, eaten with good manners, at a clean table.

Substitutions

Type Ones adopt food changes well, following rules once they judge the change as righteous and correct. They excel at making meal plans, preparing healthy foods ahead of time, and sticking to regimented food schedules, appreciating feeling like they are doing the right thing.

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Type One’s Exercise Pattern

Exercise Motivation

Type Ones have good intentions and are genuinely motivated to be healthy. They fear being “bad” or “wrong” and fear failing to do the right thing. Perfectionism can become a problem, setting the bar so high they become discouraged. Negative self-talk undermines their fitness efforts. Their “No Pain, No Gain” attitude and lack of variety due to low openness can make exercise feel boring, repetitive, or painful.

They are a Complaint Type, looking outside themselves for motivation and goals through doctors, coaches, or friends. They desire autonomy and fear being wrong or bad (unhealthy). Motivated by “doing the right thing” and living a righteous, healthy life, they are less extroverted than highly active Types like Threes or Eights and more concerned about health than notoriety, strength, or success.

Baseline Activity Level

Type Ones are typically on the move, doing chores, organizing, and filing to keep their lives neat and orderly. This is a strong trait for fitness if their sense of duty involves physical chores like gardening rather than sedentary chores like organizing photo albums.

Favorite Exercise and Exercise Environment

Type Ones often engage in distance aerobic activities like marathon running, triathlons, swimming, or rowing. They may exercise alone or in groups but may avoid public gyms if they feel judged. In a group, they often keep others on track. Ones must be good workout partners, avoiding rigidity and hurtful or judgmental comments.

Exercise Personality Limitations

The biggest limitation for Ones is black-and-white “all or nothing” thinking. They may exercise zealously one day and experience self-loathing the next, preventing them from working out. They must be aware of what turns off their desire to exercise and work on optimism. They may prefer long, intense workouts but must learn to stick to short, fun routines.

Exercise Vigilance, Variety, and Intensity

Vigilance: Ones have a strong sense of duty and dedication, often avoiding projects they cannot finish. Once committed, they see it through to the end, though competing duties with immediate consequences can interfere. They are orderly enough to schedule exercise time.

Variety: Ones have limited workout variety, sticking to basic goals with religious zeal. Their style is methodical and steady, known as the “Plodder.”

Intensity: Ones are tough-minded and push themselves, risking injury if significant time lapses between workouts and they resume where they left off.

Exercise Anxiety Regarding Preparation and Performance

Pre-Exercise Anxiety: Ones know what to do and manage their time well. Pre-exercise anxiety stems from concerns about neglecting other duties. They may feel demotivated by boring or grueling planned exercises, unconsciously associating “no pain, no gain” with pessimism. Fun and gameplay in their exercise can help.

Exercise Performance Anxiety: During exercise, Ones may prefer solitary activities to avoid judgment stress.

Post-Performance Guilt: After exercise, Ones must avoid feeling guilty for not working out hard or long enough, allowing themselves to feel optimistic and vibrant about achieving fitness goals.

July 2012, Updated July 2024