Try a different approach to the 80/20 Rule
Posted: June 3, 2019 | By: Rocio Ramos
A New Take on the 80/20 Rule
I’m sure most of us have been told by fitness or nutritional experts that losing weight and living healthy lifestyles can be maintained by a focus on 80% nutrition and 20% physical activity. It’s a pretty longstanding concept. One thing is certain, no matter how hard you workout, you can’t out work a bad diet. And hitting the gym hard won’t negate the 800 calorie meal you ate at brunch. This is why I wanted to share a different approach to this 80/20 Rule.
I recently came across a different perspective of this old idea from Mark Sisson, fitness author of the best-selling The Primal Blueprint, who stated, “80% of your body composition is determined by how you eat.” So in essence, your body is a reflection of your food choices. This is a very tough concept to accept; even I struggled with it.
you’rE either benefiting or damaging your body
It can be very difficult to digest, but it’s a fact that we must all face: every single food item we consume is either benefiting our bodies or damaging them. Body composition is just one of the many side effects of poor nutritional choices. Additional damage can include a variety of health problems. Some are minor (low energy levels, headaches, skin breakouts) and some major (digestive problems, compromised immune function, heart disease). Although weight gain is always the primary concern when we think of being unhealthy, when we look at the big picture, our diets affect every aspect of our health. Our health becomes compromised with every cookie, every soda, and every unhealthy food choice we make.
Get back on track
I understand the temptation of unhealthy foods. After a grueling race or endurance event, I usually surrender to the temptation of a donut or two. Believe me, I am very well aware of their slim-to-none nutritional composition. However, I make sure to quickly bounce back to my normal diet and don’t allow a donut to send me down a downward spiral. We all need a donut, burrito, cupcake or other indulgence in our lives every now and then if we don’t want to drive ourselves crazy. The key is to understand the impact these choices will have on our heath. Eating a cupcake for a special occasion won’t hurt us; constantly consuming sugary, processed foods will.
If you need help getting back on track with your diet, check out the Better Health Challenge!
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