The 80 20 Rule Eat Healthy And Have Your Cake Too (2024)

The 80/20 rule is a healthy, less-restrictive plan for eating that doesn't feel like a diet. See how it's more "real-life"—including healthy foods and indulgences in moderation.

The 80 20 Rule Eat Healthy And Have Your Cake Too (1)

By April Schetler, MS, RD, FAND, Registered Dietitian
AVP, Community Health Engagement

Going "on" a diet usually means going "off" the diet when a craving hits for Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. That’s because most people can’t follow a strict diet 100 percent of the time—and then they feel guilty when they indulge in dessert, chips or a co*cktail.

But following the 80/20 rule is a healthy, less-restrictive eating option that doesn't feel like a diet. Eating 80/20 is more "real-life" and easier to follow than other diet plans because it allows you to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation while eating healthy at the same time.

What is the 80/20 rule for eating?

The 80/20 rule is a guide for your everyday diet—eat nutritious foods 80 percent of the time and have a serving of your favorite treat with the other 20 percent.

For the “80 percent” part of the plan, focus on drinking lots of water and eating nutritious foods that include:

  • Whole grains
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Lean protein, including plant-based proteins such as beans, soy, and edamame
  • Limited amounts of healthy fats from avocados or olive oil

For your treats, or the “20 percent” part, eat your favorite foods in moderation. For example, you might have a small piece of chocolate cake today and a drink a glass of red wine tomorrow—just not both at the same time. This way of eating is easier to maintain than stricter diets like ketogenicor paleodiets, which limit carbs and processed foods.

The best thing about the 80/20 rule is that you're never saying, "I can't eat that." Instead, you're saying, "I can eat this today and have that tomorrow."

What’s the best way to use 80/20 rule?

To succeed with the 80/20 rule, trying staying within these guidelines as many days as you can. If you’re aiming for 80 percent of your diet to come from fresh and unprocessed whole foods, why not treat yourself with up to 20 percent of your favorite treats?For someone targeting 1500 calories a day that means you’d use about 1200 calories for healthy, nutritious meals and 300 calories for your treat.

Some people try to apply the 80 percent rule to weekdays and the 20 percent rule to weekends, but this can lead to overeating since you've denied yourself treats all week.

Following the 80/20 rule daily means you have wiggle room to splurge every day. As a result, you never deny yourself the pleasure of eating a small portion of something you love.

Can you lose weight following the 80/20 rule?

Following the 80/20 rule could help you lose weight. But, how much weight you lose depends on how healthy or unhealthy your eating habits were before you started 80/20.

Portion control and moderation are the keys to success when eating 80/20. Therefore, it’s still possible to exceed your body's energy needs and gain weight even though you’re eating healthy foods. Calories always count, even if they're healthy ones.

In addition to weight loss, following the 80/20 rule can help you keep a balanced mindset about eating. It removes the guilt, emotion and stress associated with dieting and allows you to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation. In addition, it can be adjusted to work for people with diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions.

How do I get started with the 80/20 rule?

If you need help getting started with the 80/20 rule, make an appointment with a Virtua registered dietitian. Your dietitian will review your normal diet with you and help you identify areas where you can make more nutritious food choices so you can achieve your fitness and nutrition goals. Most importantly, he or she will help you develop simple, healthy eating habits through small changes you can make over time.

Call 888-847-8823 to make an appointment with a Virtua registered dietitian.

The 80 20 Rule Eat Healthy And Have Your Cake Too (2024)

FAQs

The 80 20 Rule Eat Healthy And Have Your Cake Too? ›

If you're aiming for 80 percent of your diet to come from fresh and unprocessed whole foods, why not treat yourself with up to 20 percent of your favorite treats? For someone targeting 1500 calories a day that means you'd use about 1200 calories for healthy, nutritious meals and 300 calories for your treat.

What is the 80 20 rule for eating healthy? ›

The 80/20 rule is simple. Eat nutritious, healthy foods 80% of the time and enjoy foods considered less healthy 20% of the time. It's a more flexible approach to eating, which encourages a balanced diet and indulging in moderation rather than restrictive dieting.

What does 80/20 look like in a week? ›

You can also apply the 80/20 rule to each day, like eating three healthy meals and one treat. Or if you prefer to think about eating 80/20 on a weekly basis, you can practice what's sometimes known as the "weekend diet," where you eat healthy for five days and then relaxing your diet restrictions for two, Dr.

How to eat healthy but still enjoy food? ›

Here are six ways you can eat healthy, delicious meals, and really enjoy what you're eating.
  1. 1) Ditch fats that are solid at room temperature. ...
  2. 2) Harness the power of nuts (and seeds) ...
  3. 3) Taste food before you salt it. ...
  4. 4) Pack lunch once a week. ...
  5. 5) Eat five (or more) vegetables and fruits a day.
Feb 13, 2021

How did Alton Brown lose weight? ›

Brown pinpointed foods to eat daily (like leafy greens and fruits), several times a week (like yogurt and avocado) and just once a week (like red meat), as well as foods to cut out completely (like diet soda).

What is the Tom Brady 80 20 diet? ›

Tom Brady follows a “commonsensical” diet, primarily plant-based but not strictly vegan or vegetarian. He emphasizes that he's not a vegan or vegetarian by definition. Tom's meals comprise approximately 80 percent plant- and 20 percent animal-based foods.

What is the 80 20 rule routine? ›

You can use the 80/20 rule to prioritize the tasks that you need to get done during the day. The idea is that out of your entire task list, completing 20% of those tasks will result in 80% of the impact you can create for that day.

What is truly the healthiest way to eat? ›

8 tips for healthy eating
  • Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates. ...
  • Eat lots of fruit and veg. ...
  • Eat more fish, including a portion of oily fish. ...
  • Cut down on saturated fat and sugar. ...
  • Eat less salt: no more than 6g a day for adults. ...
  • Get active and be a healthy weight. ...
  • Do not get thirsty. ...
  • Do not skip breakfast.

How do I cut out sugar? ›

4 tips to reduce added sugars in your eating habits
  1. Find smart substitutions. Replace soda and juice with healthier options like low-fat milk, carbonated water, or unsweetened iced tea. ...
  2. Replace food triggers with healthier options. ...
  3. Be the food label expert. ...
  4. Limit sweets and save them for a real treat.
Jun 8, 2023

How did Julia Fox lose all that weight? ›

Instead, Julia follows a lifestyle that is healthy and clean. Adopting a vegan lifestyle has contributed majorly to her ability to lose and maintain weight. A vegan diet typically refers to an eating pattern that excludes all animal-origin foods such as eggs, meat, fish, honey, dairy, etc.

How did Matthew McConaughey lose weight diet? ›

By consuming a diet of three egg whites for breakfast, five ounces of fish and a cup of vegetables for lunch and dinner, and red wine at night, McConaughey dropped from 188 pounds down to 135.

How did Sandra Bullock lose weight? ›

Bullock has been working out with De La Rue, creator of the Body By Simone technique, for many years. The method involves dance cardio, yoga, and Pilates and is pretty effective in toning the entire body. "In each one-hour [Body By Simone] session, we do a full-body workout," she previously told Women's Health.

What is the 80 20 food theory for healthy living? ›

With this in mind, the 80/20 rule diet encourages followers to eat a healthy, balanced diet designed to meet their goals and nutritional needs for 80 per cent of the time while allowing themselves to enjoy some of their favourite foods, in moderation, for the remaining 20 per cent.

What does the 80 20 rule mean to a health plan? ›

The 80/20 Rule generally requires insurance companies to spend at least 80% of the money they take in from premiums on health care costs and quality improvement activities. The other 20% can go to administrative, overhead, and marketing costs.

What is the 80 20 rule in fitness? ›

Workout Intensity: 80% of your progress can come from 20% of your most intense and effective exercises. High-intensity workouts, featuring compound movements like squats and deadlifts, often yield substantial results compared to less intense exercises.

What are three applications of the 80/20 principle to everyday life? ›

The 80% of crap you use 20% of the time (throw it out or sell it). The 80% of the clothes you wear 20% of the time (same thing). Identifying the 20% of the food you eat 80% of the time will probably explain whether you keep a healthy diet or not and how healthy it is.

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