Every day we need to get 1% better

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Me and My Mentor Todd Durkin having breakfast this year at IDEA PT West Institute

That’s something my mentor Todd Durkin often says to us and it’s something I believe in. One day I actually wrote out what 1% better actually looks like.

0.01

That is one tenth.

That is barely traceable

It looks like you’re barely moving

It will look like little to no progress

Why this is important

This is important because this is one of the MAIN reasons why people are not successful in their fitness goals or in life period.  Getting 0.01 better every day is barely traceable, it will look like you’re barely moving, it will look like little to no improvement.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that change is dramatic and worst of all we have been conditioned to believe that change is QUICK.  It’s why we fall for these quick fix programs, products, and gurus that promise us overnight success.  We don’t want the slow progress of 0.01 every day.  We want the 100% progress of six weeks.

The upside of 100% progress of six weeks is that you will get results.  The downside is that they will disappear just as quick as they came.

If you want results that last, then you must commit to the 0.01 improvement every day and watch it compound over time.

Todd often says if you got 1% better every day, then at the end of 1 year you will be 365% better (366% better this year). However, you will only get 365% better if you STICK WITH IT for the year.

My commitment to getting 1% better

This has been a frustrating time for me fitness wise.  I’m committed to getting 1% better whether it’s a pledge to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. being aware of refined sugar intake, drinking 1 Gallon of water per day, etc.  I’m doing all of these things on a consistent basis and I feel great, have zero food issues, no bingeing on refined carbs, my conditioning has improved, my endurance has improved, my hormones are back in balance, but weight wise things are not dropping.  The good news is that I am not gaining weight either even with the strategically increased caloric intake and decreased exercise to give my metabolism and joints a chance to rest.

So I AM getting 1% better but it’s just not showing up on the outside (yet)

I am not going to lie to you:  This is frustrating.  Every other time I’ve done these things, I’ve been able to drop the 10-15 excess pounds.  I’m following the same eating routine from before I started the Fitness competition plan which was basic whole foods, balanced, allowed for treats, and I was able to maintain my weight.  Now I’m doing those same things with an excess 20 pounds that won’t go away.

What’s changed?  Yes I am older but my metabolic rate has changed due to the restrictive dieting and excessive exercise.  IT’s not just about calories in vs calories out.  It’s about the hormonal environment the calories are processed in and it will take time for my hormonal environment to recover.

So for me this 0.01 better mantra has been something I’ve had to hold on to.  I remind myself that every day I’m getting 0.01 better whether it’s noticeable or not.   The 0.01 better will compound and show up in big ways as long as I am consistent. I know that if I quit and give up then I will go the opposite route and get 1% WORSE every day.

0.01 worse every day

Just like 0.01 better every day looks like you are not progressing and nothing is happening, the same is true for 0.01 worse every day.  It may look like you’re not going anywhere but you are and at the end of the year you will be 365% worse off.  People’s lives don’t go down the drain overnight.  It’s usually a long time coming of daily bad habits that compound and show up in big ways.

What does 0.01 better every day look like

Lasting Change is slow.  It’s tedious.  It looks like nothing is happening BUT it is….For Better or For Worse change is happening.  I want to encourage you to stay consistent and get 0.01 better every day.  What does it look like?

  • Going for a 30 minute walk instead of scrolling through social media or watching re runs
  • Eating Fresh Fruit instead of candy
  • Packing some healthier snacks so that you don’t starve the whole day and then come home and eat the whole cupboard
  • Cutting out the soda, cocktails, and sugary coffee drinks and drinking water instead
  • Deciding to read a book that will challenge you to grow and develop instead of reading the latest nonsense on Twitter

Those are just SOME of the ways you can get 0.01 better every day!!

Don’t get discouraged, stay consistent, be patient with yourself, and keep moving forward.  The truth is you will not get where you want to be by giving up and quitting!

1% Better every day…You can do it!!