Does living a healthy lifestyle have to be all or nothing? Absolutely not! Striving to live by the 80/20 rule can keep it healthy while allowing for those little, occasional splurges. It works like this: at least 80% of the time you consume healthy, whole foods, while the other 15-20% you may choose to eat out, have a slice of pizza, enjoy cake at a birthday celebration or some other small treat. It can also mean skipping a day of exercise to do something different like relaxing on the porch with a glass of lemonade and a good book!
If we strive for perfection all the time, it can lead to feelings of guilt or failure if we do “slip up”, along with the urge to give up. All these feelings are unnecessary because we want to truly LIVE our lives, and if having a slice of birthday cake, or indulging in our favorite ice cream cone on a hot summer day will help us enjoy life; we need to indulge every now and then. As long as it’s something we can enjoy and quickly return back to our healthier habits.
The rule I recommend is to make wise choices. Look for a pizza with natural ingredients and maybe veggies on top, or that birthday cake and ice cream cone is better without artificial colorings and high fructose corn syrup. Making wiser choices can help us feel better in both mind and body after enjoying that splurge. The more we incorporate eating a healthy, clean diet free of harmful preservatives and additives, and rich in whole foods, the 80/20 rule becomes more of a 90/10. The key is to make your meals and snacks delicious and balanced so those cravings or desires for the unhealthier foods begin to disappear.
This rule works great for the whole family too. You may just notice the changes in mood and behavior when the ingredients are natural and the choices are healthier. So get the kids in the kitchen helping with those delicious, healthier snacks.
