People care more about fitness goals than scoring work promotions, according to a survey. Half of Brits are prioritising fitness goals over the next six months, compared to just 13% who are focused on climbing the career ladder.

The Optimum Nutrition study found a major shift in how achievement is defined, with fitness goals now pursued with the same intensity as career progression. Nearly a third of people place a sporting goal, such as tackling a new challenge or achieving a personal best, ahead of advancing in the workplace.

This is compared to fewer than one in 10 who put professional advancement first. Of those quizzed, 40% of working professionals participated in a fitness challenge in the last 12 months including high-intensity activities such as Hyrox and CrossFit.

The survey also revealed that more than half of the workforce is preparing to compete in a physical event in 2026. Marathons remain the ultimate test, with more than one in five taking one on this year.

In response Optimum Nutrition has launched Optimum Advantage, a programme designed to inspire and support everyday athletes. Antonio Capasso, a sport and exercise psychologist on behalf of Optimum Nutrition, said: "We're seeing a major shift in how people express identity and ambition. 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 heavier lifts, longer distances or tougher events, allows people to actively build confidence, resilience 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, said: "People are asking more of themselves than ever before, training harder, setting bigger goals and taking on ever-more ambitious challenges. The 'Professional Amateur' has serious ambition, but it deserves the right support."

You can pledge your performance goal for 2026, whether that's completing a first race, hitting a new personal best or reaching a long-term strength milestone, for the chance to receive expert nutrition guidance, personal performance coaching and psychological support typically reserved for professional athletes at optimumnutrition