Welcome back, Cards! It’s one of your nutrition navigators, Emily, here to discuss with you all what the 80/20 guideline is and what it looks like in practice.
What is the 80/20 Guideline?
The 80/20 Guideline is a well-known practice of eating nutrient dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, 80% of the time, while indulging in less nutrient dense foods 20% of the time. We all experience cravings whether it be during the holidays, in a social setting with a variety calorically dense foods, or even on a normal day. The 80/20 Guideline encourages us live our life with a balance of eating healthy whole foods while indulging in our cravings in moderation.
The 80/20 Guideline is not an “all or nothing” mindset. If you indulge in more calorically dense food items then you originally planned on, instead of thinking, “I’ve already ruined my healthy eating for today, I might as well just not stick to my healthy eating plan for the rest of the day.”, replace that with, “Oh, I haven’t ate according to my plan for today, but I can eat according to my plan for my next meal today.”
The 80/20 Guideline in Practice
Thank you for reading todays blog and consider returning for next week's blog. Remember to enjoy your cravings in moderation & embrace the balance!