The Paradox of Choice

As part of the behind the scenes prep-work for the IFT Coaching App, one of the major tasks on my list was to create an in-house exercise library for clients to access. This would essentially involve creating a number of short 8-12 second demonstration videos showing the exercise in question being performed. Something for a client to refer to if they queried what an exercise was.

I’ve had a few iterations of these exercise lists over time than have expanded based on my working venue and exposure to different training models and methods. As always, I began the process by starting with the big overriding patterns that we use will most clients (eg. Push, Pull, Squat, Hinge, Jump, Throw, etc…), starting to then list and break down each exercise into into progressions, regressions and variations based on the equipment accessible in the gym space.

The problem that quickly arose, and often does, is that with these exercise libraries you have near infinite possibilities depending on subtle changes to things like stance (bilateral, asymmetrical, front/back, lateral, single-leg…), plane of motion (sagittal, frontal, transverse…), velocity (high, moderate, low…), load (heavy, moderate, light…), type of hold (goblet, opposite-side, same-side, front, back, Zercher…) and the implement used (barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, safety bar, landmine, banded…).

To try to ensure that this wouldn’t become a months-long task, I restarted the process from a foundational question.

“What problem am I trying solve, or outcome am I trying to achieve with this exercise…”.

From this it became much simpler to condense down into the 6-10 exercise progressions, regressions, or variations that would fall under each of the primary patterns to then record for the App.

What could have been easily been an overwhelming 600+ exercise library, a great resource to have but impractical for actual usage, becomes a 200-250 video library of exercises that solve specific problems, or create specific outcomes for a client.

These types of overwhelming experiences aren’t unique. In a world saturated with choices, making definitive decisions can feel daunting.

I may be aging myself here slightly, but I still remember terrestrial television prior to my parents having a Sky Box fitted some time in the late 90's. Five channels only, but somehow you never really complained, and you most of the time you could find something to watch.

Now there’s a host of streaming apps alongside hundreds of live TV channels, yet my wife and I can often still find ourselves scrolling through for 5 minutes or longer seemingly unable to find something to watch.

Psychologists call this the paradox of choice; the more options we’re presented with, the harder it becomes to choose, often leading to inaction.

When it comes to health and fitness, the abundance of choice can often hinder rather than help. It’s easy to walk into a commercial gym like a Pure Gym or similar, and just be paralysed by the sheer amount of options in equipment, machines, or classes on offer.

Do I need to do free weights or machines? Is a spin class better than a HIT class? Should I be here 3 times a week or is 4 better?

Likewise, in making positive nutritional choices it easy to fall into the trap of following fad diets or extreme strategies that promise the world, when there seems to be such as vast amount of choice and conflicting information.

Should I go vegan, or maybe vegetarian? How much protein should I aim to eat daily? Is a 500 calorie deficit better than a 300? Are artificial sweeteners bad for me?

With so many paths laid out before you, taking the first step can seem impossible.

The irony is, and history has shown us this repeatedly, success often comes from simplicity.

One of my favourite example of this is Steve Jobs.

If I where to ask you to imagine him stood on stage at the annual Apple product release, it’ll likely be a memory of him wearing the same style of black turtleneck, jeans, and trainers that he wore every day. This image of him is iconic.

Yet it’s not that he lacked a sense of fashion, he was always smart and presentable, but he understood the power in reducing unnecessary choices such as the clothes he wore. By eliminating trivial decisions like what to wear each day, Jobs believed he would free up the mental space needed for more important and creative work.

It’s the principle known as minimising decision fatigue - the idea that our ability to make good decisions deteriorates after a long period of time of decision making.

Looking back through history, our ancestors didn’t fret over which exercise plan to follow. Their daily activities naturally kept them fit: walking to gather food, farming the land, engaging in manual labour. Their “fitness routine” was simple and consistent because it had to be.

The overload of choices we encounter in our modern age can sap our willpower so easily. Each decision we make through the day depletes our energy just that little bit more. By the time we get home from work, having already made countless choices throughout the day, the prospect of deciding between a spin class, going for a run, or having a gym session can be overwhelming. Often, we resort back to the easiest option: collapsing on the sofa.

By simplifying our health and fitness routines, we conserve mental energy for more important decisions to be made.

For example, if you decide that every weekday morning you’ll do a 30-minute home workout, or that you book in your classes or gym sessions a week or so in advance, same time, same days, there’s no daily deliberation. The decision is made once, and then it becomes part of your routine. This consistency can lead to far better adherence and ultimately better results.

Small, consistent actions compound over time.

In discussion with long-term clients, it’s uncanny how often people will mention how much “easier” or “simpler” it is when working with a Coach or Trainer. By outsourcing the decision making process of  what to do in each session, how to organise training, and how to progress over time, there responsibility is just to turn, be attentive, and match the effort needed for that day.

These principles easily apply into nutrition world as well. With the myriad of nutritional strategies available, it’s easy to get bogged down trying to determine which may be best. Low-carb, high-protein, intermittent fasting - the options can seem endless. Yet most nutrition experts agree on the fundamental principles: consume enough calories for your goal, eat more whole foods, eat enough protein to support muscle growth and repair, incorporate plenty or fruits and vegetables, reduce processed food intake.

Perhaps therefore, the key isn’t in finding the perfect training plan, or exercise choice, or nutritional strategy, but choosing one that’s good enough to get you the outcome your desire, and most importantly, one that you’ll stick to for the long term. Allowing simplicity to reduce the noise that allows for consistent, focused action.

In our own lives, we can adopt this minimalist mindset. By reducing noise in certain areas, we free up mental bandwidth for what truly matters. It’s about prioritising and recognising that not all decisions carry equal weight.

Moreover, simplifying doesn’t mean settling for less; it means refining our focus.

In the music world, some of the most memorable songs are famously built on just three chords (“Sweet Home Alabama”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, “Three Little Birds”…).

Complexity therefore isn’t a prerequisite for impact.

The same goes for health and fitness - complex routines, strategies and protocols aren’t necessarily more effective than simple ones.

There’s a liberating aspect to embracing simplicity. It greatly reduces the fear of missing out, that nagging feeling that there might be a better option just round the corner. By committing to a chosen path, we can fully engage with it, rather than second guessing our decisions.

In the end, simplifying the decisions you make in regards to health and fitness, isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about cutting through the clutter. It’s about recognising that doing something is better than doing nothing, and that the best plan is the one you can maintain in the long run.

The paradox of choice teaches us that more isn’t always better. By simplifying, we can reduce decision fatigue, increase our consistency, and ultimately achieve far greater success than we would in simply dipping our toes into a variety of options without fully committing to the cause.

So next time that you’re faced with an overwhelming array of options, take a step back for a moment. Choose the path that feels instinctively right for you, commit to it, and allow yourself the freedom that comes with simplicity. After all, sometimes less truly is more.