OPTIMUM NUTRITION - BRITS ARE CHASING ‘PBs’ OVER PROMOTIONS

Britain is becoming a nation of ambitious progress seekers. Almost half of working adults (48%) are prioritising a fitness goal in the next six months, compared to just 13% who are focused on getting a promotion at work.

New research from Optimum Nutrition reveals a major shift in how we define achievement, with physical excellence now pursued with the same intensity as career advancement. 

This mindset is becoming increasingly mainstream. Nearly a third of people (31%) now place a sporting goal, such as achieving a personal best or taking on a new challenge, ahead of career progression, compared to just 9% who put professional advancement first. Fitness has become a modern measure of progress, offering visible outcomes, personal control and measurable improvement.

Backing their ambition with investment, people now spend 65% more of their own money each month on fitness goals (£24) than on additional career development (£14.50), and dedicate nearly three times as many hours per week to training (4 hours) as they do to professional upskilling (1.45 hours). High-volume training is increasingly common, with 1 in 4 people exercising six or more hours per week.

The nationwide study of 2,000 UK adults shows that personal bests have become the definitive modern benchmark, with uptake increasing every year. 40% of working professionals took part in a fitness challenge in the last 12 months, including high-intensity activities such as Hyrox and CrossFit, with over half of the workforce (51%) preparing to compete in a physical event in 2026. Marathons remain the ultimate test, with more than one in five (21%) taking one on this year.

Far from a rejection of career ambition, the data demonstrates a cultural shift in how people define progress, success and identity, marked by the rise of a new mindset:the Professional Amateur.

Professional Amateurs balance full-time careers with elite-level fitness ambitions. They don’t train for a living, but they train with professional-grade intent, applying the same discipline, structure and drive typically associated with career progression.

For Professional Amateurs, protecting their long-term performance is a key priority. 49% cite improved physical health as their primary fitness goal, with 36% using training as a tool to improve their mental wellbeing, providing stress relief, focus and emotional regulation in their high-pressure lives.

Yet despite this commitment, many feel their progress has stalled. Almost half (48%) say they are not reaching their full physical potential, while 47% lack confidence that they are training or fuelling their body in the right way. 

This gap between ambition and execution defines the Professional Amateur, and highlights a growing demand for credible, performance-led support; only 25% currently use any professional support such as a personal trainer, coach or nutritionist to reach their goals - a stark contrast to the 80% who prioritise professional mentorship at work. 

In response, Optimum Nutrition has launched Optimum Advantage, a new programme designed to inspire and support everyday athletes with elite-level support to help turn ambition into meaningful progress.

Antonio Capasso, Sport and Exercise Psychologist on behalf of Optimum Nutrition, says:

“We’re seeing a major shift in how people express ambition and identity. For a growing number of people, physical performance has become a core way to express who they are. As careers become less linear and attaining a healthy work life balance is being promoted, people have turned to training as a counterbalance to cognitively demanding careers. Unlike the workplace, where outcomes often depend on external factors, fitness offers a key sense of ownership.

“Taking on increasingly ambitious challenges, whether that’s longer distances, heavier lifts or tougher events, allows people to actively build resilience, confidence and a stronger sense of self. However, converting drive to results requires more than just commitment; it requires holistic support”

Simon Breakell, Head of Brand at Optimum Nutrition, adds:

"People are asking more of themselves than ever before, setting bigger goals, training harder and taking on ever more ambitious challenges. The ‘Professional Amateur’ has serious ambition, but it deserves the right support. 

“For more than 35-years, Optimum Nutrition has stood for one simple truth: when you commit to getting better, how you fuel your body matters. The Optimum Advantage programme provides  expert support from a world-class performance team spanning nutrition, psychology and physical preparation. So whether you’re chasing your next rep, your next race, or your next win, let Optimum Nutrition fuel the journey.”

From today, people can pledge their performance goal for 2026, whether that’s hitting a new personal best, completing a first race or reaching a long-term strength milestone, for the chance to receive personal performance coaching, expert nutrition guidance and psychological support typically reserved for professional athletes. To make your pledge, visit:www.optimumnutrition.com/advantage