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The 1% Rule: Tiny Daily Habits That Transform Your Health After 50

  • Chris Deavin
  • 6 days ago
  • 4 min read

A tiny habit framework for the busy, stressed and over-50.


If you’re over 50 and trying to improve your health, fitness or habits, you’ve probably been told, directly or indirectly, that change requires big effort, big motivation, or big willpower.

Today, I want to talk about something tiny instead.


So small it’s easy to dismiss. So small that most people never bother trying it. And yet, after coaching people in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond for more than 25 years, I can tell you: It’s this “almost nothing” that quietly changes everything.


I call it The 1% Rule.


Woman Over 50 Training In A Gym
Woman Over 50 Training In A Gym

The Lie We’re Sold About Change


Most people who come to me fall into one of two extremes:


1. All-In Mode

“I’m cutting sugar, stopping wine, training 5 days a week, clearing the cupboards, this time I’m all in!”


2. All-Out Mode

“I’ve failed too many times. It doesn’t stick. I’ll only disappoint myself.” Both treat change like a big event, not the gentle process it actually is.


And you’ve probably lived it:


  • The perfect January gym streak… followed by burnout or injury.

  • The 8-week fat-loss plan… followed by real life.

  • “Back on it Monday” for the 47th time.


If this is you, you’re not broken. You’re just stuck in an all-or-nothing pattern that midlife simply won’t tolerate anymore.


This is where The 1% Rule becomes a game-changer.


What Is the 1% Rule?


It’s simple:


Aim to be 1% better today than you were yesterday.


Not 100%.Not even 10%.Just 1%.


1% might look like:


  • Walking 5 extra minutes

  • One extra glass of water

  • Doing 5 squats when you usually do none

  • Swapping one snack for something slightly better

  • Going to bed 10 minutes earlier


Small enough to do on your worst day.Big enough to matter over time.


What it looks like in real life


My client Mark, 57, was stuck chasing the marathon-running version of himself from his 30s. Every attempt was intense… and short-lived.


We switched to 1%:


  • A 10-minute walk each lunchtime

  • Two simple strength sessions per week

  • One extra portion of protein at dinner

  • A cut-off time for late-night emails


At first, he thought it wasn’t enough. Six months later, his energy, blood pressure, mood, and confidence said otherwise. He didn’t overhaul his life.He just stacked dozens of tiny decisions.


That’s the 1% Rule in action.


Why the 1% Rule Matters More After 50

In your 20s and 30s, you can sometimes get away with extremes. After 50, the rules of the body change:


  • Recovery is slower

  • Stress loads are higher

  • Sleep is more fragile

  • Hormones are more sensitive

  • Injuries take longer


You are punished more for extremes, and rewarded more for consistency. The 1% Rule works so well for people over 50 because it:


  • Respects your reality

  • Doesn’t rely on heroic willpower

  • Builds momentum, not burnout

  • Creates identity change, not temporary motivation


It shifts the story you tell yourself from:


“I always fall off the wagon”to“I’m someone who keeps showing up, even when it’s not perfect.”


Over 50 Male Running Outside
Over 50 Male Running Outside

Three Ways to Use the 1% Rule This Week


You don’t need a big plan. Just one small nudge.


1. Pick ONE Area to Nudge


Choose a pillar:


  • Movement – 5 extra minutes, a few squats, a short post-meal walk

  • Nutrition – one extra glass of water, more protein at breakfast, a better snack

  • Recovery – phone off 15 minutes earlier, one stretch before bed, 3 deep breaths


Then ask:


“What is the easiest 1% that moves me toward how I want to feel?”


If it feels almost too easy, you’re in the right spot.


2. Make Your 1% Visible


Small wins are easy to forget. Track them:


  • A tick on a calendar

  • A note in your diary

  • A tally on the fridge


You’re not tracking perfection. You’re collecting evidence:


“I do show up.” Each tick is a vote for the person you’re becoming.


3. Expect Missed Days, and Come Back Anyway


The 1% Rule only works if you allow yourself to be human. When you miss a day (you will), simply ask:


  • “What got in the way?”

  • “What can I learn?”

  • “What’s the smallest next step I can take today?”


Consistency isn’t never missing. Consistency is coming back. You don’t need bigger effort.You need a smaller starting point.


If You’re Tired of All-or-Nothing… Try 1%


If you’re feeling stuck in:


  • All-or-nothing cycles

  • Constant restarts

  • “What’s the point?” thinking

  • The belief that change is harder after 50


Then the solution isn’t:

❌ More force ❌ More guilt ❌ A stricter plan


It’s:

✔ A smaller starting point ✔ A kinder story ✔ A longer timeframe


1% at a time.


If You’d Like Help Finding Your 1%


This is exactly what I help people over 50 do inside my W.I.S.D.O.M Program, my personalised health coaching framework for midlife and beyond.


Inside the program, we focus on:


  • Building small, sustainable habits

  • Creating an environment that supports consistency

  • Overcoming obstacles without shame

  • Becoming stronger, fitter, and healthier over 50

  • Designing a realistic lifestyle that actually fits your life


If you’d like support, encouragement, structure and expert guidance, not just another PDF or quick-fix diet, your next step is simple:



We’ll explore:


  • Where you are now

  • Where you want to be in 6–12 months

  • The 1% actions that would make the biggest difference

  • Whether my approach is the right fit for you


Big results after 50 rarely start with a bootcamp. They start with one small, kind decision… then another… then another.


1% better, today.

 
 
 

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