One of my favourite TV shows currently is the 1% Club game show. I really like the fact that it’s a game show that doesn’t rely on little-known facts, obscure quiz trivia, or random dates. Instead, the contestants must use their common sense, reasoning skills, and applying logic in order to progress through the game. Ultimately, the winner of the quiz must answer a question that only 1% of the UK population can answer correctly. I won’t tell you how often I get that question right, but I definitely believe in the power of 1%.
A lot of people start their new fitness regime by making drastic changes to their exercise patterns and their diet. They’ll jump into long-distance running or lifting heavy weights and cut out lots of ‘bad’ food from their diet. While these changes are laudable, they’re often unsustainable in the long term.
Rather than these large changes that can take their toll on your well-being, physically and mentally, you might be better off adopting the approach of ‘Aggregation of marginal gains’. This is a term that was used by David Brailsford when he took over the British Cycling team. Prior to his appointment, the British Cycling team had a woeful Olympic record, but David and his performance team quickly changed that.
Brailsford and his team were relentless in their adoption of the “Aggregation of marginal gains.” Brailsford explained it as “The one percent margin for improvement in everything you do.” His belief was that if you improved every area related to cycling by just one percent, then those small gains would add up to remarkable improvement.
Now, this approach was for the cycling team for Great Britain, but the approach can be scaled for you as an individual.
Significant progress doesn't always require drastic changes but rather consistent, small improvements over time. This ‘marginal gains’ approach can work for you in three ways:
Reducing the overwhelming target.
Most fitness goals can seem daunting at the start. You might want to lose a significant amount of weight; you may want to be able to lift a significant amount of weight or you may have goals around building your stamina. But you can address the overwhelm that often comes with big fitness goals by breaking them down into smaller, achievable steps that make them more attainable.
Sustainability.
Making lots of small changes is likely to be much more manageable and sustainable in the long run compared to drastic, unsustainable measures.
Consistency:
Lots of small changes can easily become consistent habits and these are easier to compound over time to create lasting results.
Here are some examples of small changes that over time can add up to a significant improvement:
· Nutrition: Swap one unhealthy snack for a nutritious option each day.
· Exercise: Add an extra five minutes to your workout routine every week.
· Hydration: Increase water intake by one glass per day.
· Sleep: Aim for an additional 15 minutes of sleep each night.
I can work with you to create your 1% Action Plan and help you identify where these small changes can be made for you to have the maximum impact in achieving your fitness goals. I can help you become accountable for these changes and help you track your progress. Contact me for further details on how I can work with you to identify specific areas for improvement, set realistic goals, and commit to making small changes consistently.
The journey to fitness is about progress, not perfection. Embrace the 1% mindset and trust the process.
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