One thing I see clients struggle with when starting out. Not seeing results straight away. Instant gratification is something we all expect with a lot of things, and who can blame us?? Today it is easier than ever to get the things we want, whenever we want them. A 2-3 day wait on an amazon delivery can feel like an absolute lifetime for someone who has become familiar with the term “next day delivery” which is a common luxury that many companies now offer. While this is great in one way, it can cause havoc with our reward systems. Today, our patience and attention spans are likely at their lowest of all time. Unfortunately this can negatively impact our reward systems and personal awareness when it comes to progress. In this article, I hope to discuss some concepts I believe can be beneficial when looking to approach our goals with a slightly more ambitious mindset. While that may sound counterintuitive to some, I will elaborate further below!
Measures
How you measure your progress is going to be quite indicative in terms of picking up on positive trends with regards to your progress. If you rely solely on one metric, for this example we will use bodyweight. It is going to be quite hard to notice any drastic changes short term, while this is a helpful measure – it is usually better used in tandem with other measures and a helpful metric in more long term scenarios where trends can be a little more obvious. Several measures worth including might be as follows; Gym performance, sleep targets, step targets, body composition and even our mood and confidence levels!
Training
In terms of our training, several things can be done to monitor progress. Logbooking your lifts and exercise can be one very beneficial way of tracking this. Also making ourselves aware of how many times we are training each week, for example – Week 1 you might only be hitting 1 or 2 sessions a week, whereas week 12 you are averaging 4 decent sessions a week. Progress here can come in all shapes and forms, the daily and week to week changes will likely be minimal. Looking back long term at these metrics however, will help you much better understand the progress you are making! Aiming for small changes on a daily and weekly basis is what is going to accumulate over time and compound towards whatever goals you have set yourself.
Nutrition
Similar to above, nutrition can be managed quite effectively once you are minimal in changes. Making discrete food swaps in your diet and making sure not to eliminate any of our favourite foods will be what is needed for most looking to eat a healthier diet. This aligned with portion management is a good approach to utilise in the majority of case. Awareness of calorie intake and educating yourself on macro nutrients within the foods you consume is also what I recommend for clients.
As the title suggests, using the 1% better every day approach is going to make the concepts above most sustainable, consistent, and as a result – productive. Getting the little things done each day and keeping them consistent and aligned with your goals is what is going to make sure you continue to progress at a sustainable rate. I hope these points I’ve elaborated on have been extruded effectively and you’ve taken something away from this article.
In the words of Saocrates “ The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building the new.”
Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.
Article written by Cashel ~ instagram @coachedbycashel_
