It has been almost a month since my last post, and I can’t believe I took that much time off. I wasn’t being lazy, but I moved houses a week ago and you all know how stressful that can be. I have lived in the same home for 26 years, so moving was completely new to me, and needless to say, I was so busy. It’s not just packing, but I had to buy home stuff, meet with lawyers, banks, and realtors, change my address on everything, and figure out all the new services and bills we would have to deal with. My stress levels were so high and not until this week have I really been able to meditate properly and ground myself. Anyway, I just wanted to explain my absence even though it should not have been an excuse. Now on to today’s post.
Everyone knows how much a I dislike the ‘D’ word. I don’t believe in limiting the foods you eat for the sole purpose of weight loss. I want to see people nourish their bodies with real food that are jam packed with nutrients and vitamins. I want people to not be afraid of good fats, and to put down that fat free yogurt. It’s filled with sugar, whereas the good fats help your body. I want people to eat the right carbs like whole grains and vegetables (Yes, they contain carbohydrates), not a plate of krispy kreams. You need carbs for proper brain and body health. I don’t like to limit myself completely in what I eat. I think certain foods in moderation is not a bad thing. That dessert you want will help to ease your cravings and you won’t feel the need to always give into those cravings. Just don’t go for the supersize sundae. Even a few bites of something can get that sugar monkey off your back. This is where the 80/20 Rule comes in. It’s not a diet, but a simple lifestyle change that can be followed for the long term.
I really like this way of eating. It’s easy to follow, everyone can do it, and it doesn’t require an iron will. Many eating plans restrict you from so many foods that having a social life becomes nearly impossible. The 80/20 rule allows you to go wherever you please while making the right food decisions. It’s pretty easy to follow: 80% of the time you focus on eating clean, real foods. Your plate should look like a rainbow. This includes plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. The other 20% you can indulge in your favourite treats. This is not something that is done for a certain number of days or weeks, but for a lifetime. After a couple of weeks you won’t even notice that you are making these choices. With this approach, you are less likely to cut out the real foods or deny yourself from the treats that you want. Eating like this means you will be less likely to binge on those bad foods because you know they are not completely off the table. However, for both the health foods and the treats, portion sizes are important. Eating huge portions of anything is not healthy, so watch how much food is in front of you. Once you start to master this way of eating, you will find that you choose healthier options regardless of the rules, and you won’t crave those treats as much as before.
