The Power of 1%: How Tiny Changes Create Massive Health Transformations
- Karis Mason
- May 17
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 1
You can change your life 1 tiny percentage at a time to achieve phenomenal results.
Imagine if you could improve your life by just 1% each day..
Known as the Theory of Marginal Gains, this approach is rooted in science and has been proven to transform individuals, teams, and even Olympic athletes. Improving by just a tiny amount each day might seem insignificant, and sound almost too small to matter, but when it comes to health, nutrition, and wellness, this idea is a game-changer. It can compound to have a huge impact on how you look, feel and live.
Just over 2 years ago, Educate Your Plate's first programme was released and it's core teachings are the same today. We focus on the main pillars for creating a healthy lifestyle (gut and the microbiome, inflammation, blood sugars, balanced lifestyle etc). Rachael Russell joined as one of the founding members and 2 years later she is 3 stone lighter, has decided to give up alcohol and feels like she makes steps every day towards healthier living. Rachael says "The shift to give up alcohol came from looking at how I was fuelling myself and what served me well and what didn't". In her words, "nothing is perfect", but it doesn't have to be. She also knows it isn't a race or a deadline anymore, it's just a new, consistent commitment to living well, making tiny improvements where possible. According to her, "The marginal gains is the real key". Taking the stairs over the lift, doing the extra lap around the park with the dog, choosing to load her plate with extra broccoli over an extra potato. She doesn't calorie count and doesn't feel restricted but aligns her actions with the identity of the woman she wants to be, and uses marginal gains to get her there, transforming her wellbeing over time.
So, what is the Marginal Gains Theory?
The concept of marginal gains was made famous by Sir Dave Brailsford, performance director of British Cycling. His philosophy was simple:
“If you break down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improve it by 1%, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together.”
He wasn’t just talking about training and diet. The team made 1% improvements in:
The aerodynamics of the bikes
The fabrics of the cyclist uniforms
Even the type of pillows and mattresses athletes used to improve sleep
The result? Team GB went from being nearly invisible in cycling to dominating the Olympics, winning 16 gold medals across 2008 and 2012, and smashing records at the Tour de France.
But marginal gains isn’t just for elite athletes, it applies brilliantly to everyday health and wellness.
The Science Behind 1% Gains
Small, consistent improvements create something powerful: compound growth. Compound growth means you’re not starting from zero each time.You’re growing based on everything you’ve already built. So whether it’s fitness, knowledge, savings, or confidence, small improvements add up fast when you give them time and stay consistent.
Let’s do the maths.
If you improve by 1% every day for a year, you don’t end up 365% better. Thanks to the magic of compounding, you end up 37 times better.
1.01^365 = 37.78
That’s the power of tiny, repeated effort.
On the flip side, if you decline by just 1% a day? You dwindle to almost zero.
Small habits, good or bad, are never neutral. They compound in the background, slowly building or quietly destroying.
Case Study: The 1% Calorie Surplus – What Happens When You Overeat Just a Little?
Scenario: Emily, a 35-year-old woman whose maintenance calorie requirement is 2,000 kcal per day, meaning she neither gains nor loses weight at this intake.
But Emily, like many of us, often underestimates the extra splash of oat milk, a biscuit at work, or finishing her kids’ leftovers. Over time, this results in just a 1% surplus per day.
What’s 1% Over Maintenance?
1% of 2,000 kcal = 20 kcal/day extra
That’s about:
Half a digestive biscuit
One bite of toast with butter
A small drizzle of salad dressing
Let’s Calculate the Impact
We’ll assume:
7,700 kcal = 1kg of fat gained (scientific estimate)
Weight gain is linear over time (although real metabolism adapts slightly)
In 1 Year (365 days):
20 kcal/day x 365 = 7,300 kcal/year
≈ 0.95 kg (2.1 lbs) fat gain per year
Seems harmless? Not quite. Let’s compound it.
In 5 Years:
7,300 kcal/year × 5 = 36,500 kcal
≈ 4.74 kg (10.4 lbs) of body fat gained
That's almost one clothing size up, and a visible shift in health markers like waist-to-hip ratio, which is linked to metabolic health and disease risk.
In 10 Years:
7,300 kcal/year × 10 = 73,000 kcal
≈ 9.5 kg (20.9 lbs) fat gain
Emily, who hasn't changed much about her lifestyle except for that 1%, now carries an extra 20 lbs, likely around the middle. She may experience:
Increased visceral fat, which wraps around organs
Higher blood pressure
Increased insulin resistance
Greater risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
How many of us can tell the same story, of how we were so slim in our teens and early 20s but the weight just crept up without you even noticing? That's because it's so easy, but definitely not something to feel guilty about.
The problem though, is that for many of us, it took years to creep on, but we want it to go in a matter of weeks. Instead of considering it a long term project. Patience and consistency are essential. Look back to when Rachael started just over 2 years ago. She didn't see the impact of her efforts straight away, but the time passes anyway, and with commitment to small, manageable, sustainable changes, she feels like a new woman.
Why This Matters: The Biology of ‘Just a Bit’
Your body doesn’t register small calorie surpluses in real time. But fat cells do. They store the excess, especially if you're sedentary, peri- or postmenopausal (oestrogen influences fat storage), or if you're eating ultra-processed or insulin-spiking foods. Over time, your body adjusts its set point (a theory where your body “settles” at a weight it sees as normal) and starts defending this new higher weight. That makes weight loss harder later, even if you return to “normal” eating.
Psychological Compound Effect
This surplus can also compound mentally:
A few pounds lead to less body confidence
That leads to less movement
Mood dips lead to emotional eating which lead to more surpluses
Your inner narrative changes: “I’ve let myself go”“I might as well”
Flip the Script: The Positive Power of 1%
Let’s reverse Emily’s story.
If she reduces her intake by just 20 kcal/day (1% less):
In 1 year: loses ~1kg
In 10 years: potentially avoids 9–10kg of fat gain
This is not about dieting — it’s about mindful margins:
Swapping mayo for mustard
Saying no to finishing the kids’ leftovers
Putting a smaller portion on the plate
Taking 100 extra steps after lunch
Small changes. Big difference. And it doesn't just apply to weight. It can be applied to all elements of wellness and health- exercise, mental health, spiritual development... being aware of the 1% moments could be the difference between thriving in your later years or wondering how it crept up on you.
Want to harness the power of 1% for good?
Join our Educate Your Plate: 1 % club, where we teach you to master your margins for long-term health.
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