Many celebrities such as Giselle Bundchen and Miranda Kerr Swear by the 80/20 diet. The 80/20 principle for healthy eating is one of the easiest ways to reach and maintain a lean body. This simple plan requires that you eat a clean diet 80% of the time and then allow for a few more “fun foods” 20% of the time.
If you love coming to Studio Physique because your goal is to achieve long, lean muscles, then GIRL (or GUY!) this post is for you! But what does the 80/20 diet have to do with Lagree Fitness and SP?
Diet plays such an important role when it comes to sculpting those beautiful muscles. You work hard every single class, so why not complement a great workout routine with a great way of eating? We’ve tried a ton of different diets, but have found that the 80/20 diet really checks off all of our boxes.
The reason why so many other diets fail can be because of their restrictive nature. The 80/20 diet is the complete opposite because it allows freedom and flexibility while still promoting a healthy way of eating. People experience less “falling off the wagon” or binging while following the 80/20 rule.
A colleague has a birthday and brings a delicious home-made chocolate cake in to celebrate. You’ve been making a big effort to eat healthier recently, but decide to take a piece – even though you know cake doesn’t fit into “eating healthily”. Afterwards, you feel guilty and your day is ruined. You then throw in the towel and continue to eat sweet treats for the rest of the day, and in the worst case scenario you give up on that plan to eat healthy.
Following the 80/20 rule, your approach can be different. The piece of a cake is part of your 20%. With that in mind, you decide to enjoy the delicious cake and go back to eating healthily afterwards, with no feelings of guilt.
We love this diet because we find that our body MOSTLY craves nourishing, whole, non-processed foods. It can be a great way to reset your feelings about eating healthy. For us, eating healthy can mean leafy greens, fresh fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy grains most of the time and then a piece of chocolate or a glass of wine when we feel like it. If you just listen to your body you might find that it’s telling you exactly what it needs. Whether that be a big bowl of roasted potatoes, a yummy kale salad or a pint of ice cream totally depends on YOU!
Have you ever heard the saying “You can’t out-work a bad diet”? Well unfortunately for all us cheese lovers out there, this is true! That’s why this diet works sooooo well when paired with a great workout routine. The 80/20 diet promotes a healthy lifestyle. Building muscles, recovery, eating well and having fun are all part of this healthy lifestyle.
Plan to enjoy life’s treats, food and drink celebrations 20% of the time – it’s not “cheating” it’s “living your best life” – and eat clean 80% of the time as part of your overall wellness plan. Cheers!