👋 Hey. Welcome to issue #125 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (4 min read):
🤹 The optimisation-enjoyment scale
The number one indicator of the success of a program is how well you stick to it.
A mediocre program done consistently will beat the perfect program done sporadically.
So if you’re not getting the results you want, and inconsistency is your bottleneck:
Consider shifting your approach from "optimal" to "enjoyment".
See, researchers found those who self-regulated their exercise intensity based on pleasure were more consistent in their training than those given set exercise intensities.
So whenever you find yourself getting bored or burned out in your training (or even nutrition), ask:
“How can I make this more enjoyable?”
And the results will take care of themselves.
The enjoyable program — over time — becomes the optimal program.
And the type 2 fun kicks in.
🚶 Study: our posture shapes our beliefs
I came across this study that found:
Our posture directly influences how much we believe our own thoughts.
When participants sat upright with shoulders back, they had more confidence in their positive thoughts compared to when they were slouching.
Bit off-brand for this newsletter, but interesting stuff...
I guess that famous quote "Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions..." takes on new meaning.
If poor posture makes us more likely to believe negative thoughts, then getting tall and taking a big breath might help us break negative thought patterns.
The brain is the body.
Make a physical shift to create a mental shift.
(Note the link between this and "A simple cue for better breathing in seconds" from newsletter #35)
💡 Flick the light switch
You're on your morning run.
You see stairs next to an escalator.
Easy choice: stairs — you're in "exercise mode".
But in any other scenario when we’re out and about (shopping, getting to work, etc), 98% of us choose the escalator.
Why?
We've created an "activity" light switch:
ON: Training clothes, scheduled session, exercise mode
OFF: Everything else
But here's the thing:
The more active we are throughout the entire day, the better our quality of life.
(Daily step count is a proxy for activity 👇)
So we want to make “active" our default setting.
- Take the stairs
- Park at the back of the carpark
- Walk while on calls
- Stand at your desk
These small decisions add up over time.
Consider flicking the switch. Be in the 2%.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
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The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service nor a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information shared in this email is general and written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
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