Applying The 80/20 Rule To Your Life

You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 rule. When it comes to health, this looks like making healthy decisions 80% of the time, leaving the other 20% to enjoy things that make you happy (within reason). This could look like working out 5 days a week and taking 2 days off. It could be eating healthy at home most nights but going out to dinner and indulging 1 night a week. Or eating healthy through the day and saving your favorite treat for after dinner.   

I love the 80/20 rule because it allows you to make smart, healthy decisions and feel really good the majority of the time. When you do indulge in that treat or take a day off to just lounge around the house, you can do it guilt free. It’s not about being perfect all of the time. It’s about making the right choices the majority of the time so that when you consciously decide to do something that doesn’t align with your health goals, you can indulge and give yourself grace when doing so. 

This is the reason I hate diets. They are restrictive and can’t be sustained long term. I believe creating healthy habits and living by the 80/20 rule is the key to changing your life for the very best and sustaining it long term. Just like everything, your life needs balance. You can’t be fulfilled if you deprive yourself yet you’ll never be truly happy or get the results you want if you always take the short term rewards that wear off quickly. 

Make a commitment to yourself to live by the 80/20 rule.