Can you have your cake and eat it too? Not just look at it?
The answer is YES! Yes you can!
Everything in this life thrives in balance, our entire body is in perpetual motion to stay in homeostasis: A fancy word for in balance. Everything just functions better that way.
Why on earth would we create a diet that is whole and 100% restrictive? Some would argue that it’s the only way to stay healthy and clear of disease. If that’s what works for you, then do more of that. But, for most of us, we like to dip our toes into the exotic. The excitement. The world of danger… well maybe just cake.
Which brings me to the 80/20 rule. This rule also known as the Pareto Principle. This principle suggests that a small portion of causes can lead to a large portion of effects. In nutrition terms this means 80% of the time the foods you eat should be healthy and nutritious, while the remaining 20% can be less so. It is flexible and it can be customized to meet your individual preferences and needs. It’s the perfect plan!
When I work with my clients, we spend a good chunk of time determining the foods and habits that work for their lifestyle, so that applying those foods 80% of the time is a “no brainer”. The majority of the recipes included in their diet are whole.When I speak of 80/20, I am not talking about 80% healthy organic boxed food, I am talking about the stuff that comes from the earth. I highly recommend you should too!
This is why:
The foods you choose 80% of the time have the greatest influence on your diet.
- You are allowing yourself flexibility; perfection is never the goal and nor is it sustainable.
- Whole food is packed with fiber, and more fiber.
- If 80% of your diet is based on whole food, that food is packed with fiber. Fiber is a beautiful thing when it comes to attracting calories from fat, sugar and proteins. Instead of absorbing it all and adding to your waistline, some of calories hop of the indigestible fiber train instead.
- The ileum (the last part of the small intestine) plays an important role in regulating appetite and satiety by releasing hormones in response to indigested nutrients. These hormones send signals to the brain to tell the body it’s full and to reduce hunger, helping you to feel full and not overeat.
- And lastly when we consume a high fiber diet, the fiber is fermented by gut bacteria in our large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Butyrate, in particular, has been shown to increase metabolism, leading to calorie burning. So, you can literally burn calories while you sleep. A diet high in fiber 80% of the time starts to work like compound interest 😉
The result
Do it!! Bask in GUILT-FREE pleasure 20% of the time (That equals to about 4 meals/week if you are wondering.)
Book an appointment with a certified holistic nutritionist or a health coach to find the best diet for you as a whole. Work on what is right for you and then let the rest flow. No counting calories, no weighing your food, no shame. We are here to live! Between you and me, I think we have enough rules restricting our fun, this one encourages it. So have your cake and enjoy it too.
If you liked this post ….
