If you are looking to lose weight more naturally and don’t want to log your food or track calories, then the 80/20 method might work well for you. All this means is that 80% of the time, you eat healthy, well-balanced, nutritious foods, and the other 20% of the time, you might eat those occasional treats or what you would consider less healthy. Here are some things to know about the 80/20 eating method to help decide if this is a good option for you.
What Does 80/20 Mean?
When you follow an 80/20 diet, it means that you will eat your version of healthy food 80 percent of the time and your interpretation of treats or healthy food 20 percent of the time.
If you use just one meal as an example, you may have a big salad for lunch, and all the veggies are your 80%, with 20% of the meal consisting of the fatty dressing you wanted. It is a tiny part of your salad but brings you joy and satisfaction.
However, for days or weeks, it is better to look at it per meal. While you don’t want to obsess about numbers, in the beginning, it helps to calculate how many meals would be 20% of the time for treats.
For example, if you tend to eat 3 square meals a day with no snacks, that is about 21 meals for the week. If you calculate 20% of 21, it comes to about four meals. So you know that 3-4 meals in your week can be more of the treat meals.
Why Balance is Important
You want to aim for this balance to focus on proper nutrition and fueling your body, but also getting satisfaction from your food. Eating should not be just about fueling your body, but also not just about treating yourself and indulging every time you eat.
You want a healthy balance that allows you to be healthy, filling foods that your body needs for energy, with a bit of wiggle room for sweets and treats when you crave them.
Easy Ways to Sneak in Treats
When you want your treats, there are some ways to incorporate them without feeling like you are binging or out of control with them.
The first option is to schedule a treat meal every week. This can be pizza on Friday nights or brunch on Sundays with your friends. It is something you will look forward to.
Choose one treat item to buy every week. Maybe you want to grab a bag of peanut butter-filled pretzels, a bar of dark chocolate, or a big bag of chips. You know you have this for when you crave it, but it’s not a cart filled with snacks and processed foods, so you still limit how much of it you consume.
The 80/20 method is an excellent way to lose weight and get better shape while still not feeling deprived or restricted. You eat most of your food healthy but still allow for some treats here and there. It is about balance and treats, but still getting the proper nutrition and fueling your body for energy and health.
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