The 90/10 principle for diet success (2024)

The diet roller-coaster or yo-yo dieting is all too familiar for so many. We know losing weight will help improve health, but making it happen is another story.

The on-again, off-again dieting pattern is common amongst people seeking a dietitian’s support for their weight loss goals. Their biggest struggle is the constant tug-o-war between eating perfectly on a diet and eating terrible when off a diet. There’s no middle ground where food is eaten for enjoyment.

Many are familiar with the 80/20 (Pareto) principle, which states that generally 20% of your actions will account for 80% of your results. Sometimes the ratio is 85/15 or 90/10, but the general concept holds true all around us each day. In my coaching practice, teaching clients to follow a 90/10 principle allows them tremendous success with sustaining their healthy eating plan.

So how exactly can you use the 90/10 principle to find success in healthy eating?

The 90/10 principle is when 90% of the time you follow your healthy meal plan guidelines closely, while 10% of the time you are free to loosen up and eat what you truly enjoy. Think of the 10% meals as your cheat or free meals.

If you’ve ever witnessed human psychology at work, the minute you tell yourself no more Friday night pizza and wings, every sensation in your body (and the little voice in your head) will whisper constantly “pizza and wings, pizza and wings, pizza and wings!” You can ignore that voice for a while, but not forever.

By consciously allowing the occasional meal of pizza and wings into your diet plan, you create a psychologically less-restrictive feeling that can allow you to eat healthier long term. Take control over that “little voice” using these three solutions to allow the 10% to work for you and not against you:

Eating three meals per day translates into two cheat meals per week. Count how many cheat meals you are currently having, then set a goal to gradually work your way down to two.Watch your portions with these higher calorie meals. Through mindful eating strategies, teach yourself to be satisfied with less. Eating healthy 90% of the time will gradually work for you instead of against you and you’ll eat less of the unhealthy food as your taste buds change to enjoying cleaner, healthier food. It won’t happen overnight, so be patient with the process. Don’t save calories for your cheat meal splurge. Continue to have your healthy breakfast and lunch before you get to your Friday night pizza and wings meal. Saving calories never works. Keep in mind that if you have dietary restrictions (celiacs, gluten intolerance, dairy allergy, etc) you should not include these foods in your 10% meals; these foods should never be included in any meal plan for you.

This week, begin to test the 90/10 principle by planning your 10% meals, which will allow you to stick to your healthy eating plan with greater success.

Fran Sutherlin is a local registered dietitian, health coach, speaker and owner of Sustainable Nutrition. She can be reached at 444-2122 or fran@fransutherlin.com.

The 90/10 principle for diet success (2024)

FAQs

The 90/10 principle for diet success? ›

The 90/10 rule is a lifestyle approach; 90% of your diet should be clean, healthy foods or drinks then the other 10% you can enjoy without guilt. One of the many things patients love about Prescribe FIT is that oftentimes, you can still eat your favorite things and still see meaningful results!

What is the 90/10 rule in diet? ›

So how exactly can you use the 90/10 principle to find success in healthy eating? The 90/10 principle is when 90% of the time you follow your healthy meal plan guidelines closely, while 10% of the time you are free to loosen up and eat what you truly enjoy. Think of the 10% meals as your cheat or free meals.

What is the 90 10 cheat meal rule? ›

While a good diet is crucial for health, bending the rules on occasion probably won't hurt. A tip you can try is the 90-10 rule. "Eat a healthy diet 90% of the time and splurge 10% of the time," McManus says. "Eating three meals a day for a week means 21 total meals: avoid splurging for more than two of those meals."

What is 90 10 plant-based diet? ›

For 90% of your nutrition, it should be plant-based or a great source of protein; for the other 10%, you can have whatever you want. That means, for example, all of your meals involve some combination of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, minimal dairy and grains, a healthy amount of legumes, and good fats (Omega-3 rich).

Is weight loss really 90% diet? ›

Theoretically, if you want to lose weight, it is about 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise. Generally, it is said that diet plays a major role in weight loss.

What is the 90 10 theory? ›

Ten percent of life is made up of what happens to you. Ninety percent of life is decided by how you react. We really have no control over 10 percent of what happens to us.

What is the 90 10 rule? ›

The 90–10 rule refers to a U.S. regulation that governs for-profit higher education. It caps the percentage of revenue that a proprietary school can receive from federal financial aid sources at 90%; the other 10% of revenue must come from alternative sources.

What is the 10 90 rule examples? ›

There is a big difference between eating ice cream every night as opposed to enjoying it infrequently. I called it my 90/10 rule: If you eat right 90 percent of the time, going off the reservation the other 10 percent won't have an adverse impact.

What is the 90 10 buffet strategy? ›

Follow the 90/10 Strategy.

Buffett wrote to his shareholders in 2013: “My advice to the trustee could not be more simple: Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90% in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund (I suggest Vanguard's).

Can I eat 2000 calories on cheat day? ›

Yes, IF your body needs to burn around 2000 per day, then on your “cheat day” you will simply break even, which means you would lose slightly less than you would if you ate 1250 calories every day, is all. That's not a bad thing, really. Gradual fat loss is healthier than rapid fat loss.

Can you eat bananas on a plant-based diet? ›

A whole-foods, plant-based shopping list. Fruits: berries, citrus fruits, pears, peaches, pineapple, bananas, etc. Vegetables: kale, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, peppers, etc. Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, etc.

Can you eat eggs on a plant-based diet? ›

In other words, plants were paired with protein sources, like eggs, to make a nutritious and well rounded meal. Eggs can and should be part of a plant-based diet, and these five suggestions showcase how easy it is to incorporate the incredible egg into your plant-forward dishes.

Can you eat cheese on a plant-based diet? ›

Following a plant-based diet means saying goodbye to all animal products — including lean meat and dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream.

What is the best breakfast for weight loss? ›

15 Breakfast Ideas for Weight Loss, From a Dietitian
  1. Egg Muffins. LauriPatterson / Getty Images. ...
  2. Greek Yogurt With Berries and Chia Seeds. foment / Getty Images. ...
  3. Peanut Butter Oats. john shepherd / Getty Images. ...
  4. Protein-Rich Smoothie. ...
  5. Chickpea and Sweet Potato Hash. ...
  6. Veggie Frittata. ...
  7. Savory Oatmeal. ...
  8. Chia Pudding.
Jun 11, 2024

What is the 90 10 rule for weight loss? ›

It basically means that you eat clean, whole foods 90 per cent of the time and splurge on the remaining 10 per cent. It's an eating plan that many celebrities, nutritionists and weight-loss experts rave about because, when done right, it can help you feel and look amazing without ever being denied the good stuff.

What is the 90 10 rule food chain? ›

The ten percent rule states that each trophic level can only give 10% of its energy to the next level. The other 90% is used to live, grow, reproduce and is lost to the environment as heat. All energy pyramids start with energy from the Sun which is transferred to the first trophic level of producers.

What is the 90 90 90 rule eating? ›

The Best Position:

Children should be sitting with their hips, knees, and ankles all bent at 90 degrees (90/90/90). Arms should be able to rest supported on the table.

What is the 40 40 20 rule diet? ›

The '40:40:20' diet is renowned for being used by many of the most successful bodybuilders in history and helped popularised by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is a macronutrient (macro) split/macro tracking diet with its total daily calorie content composing of 40% carbohydrate, 40% protein and 20% fat.

What should I eat to lose weight in 90 days? ›

Eating more whole grains and legumes can also help with weight loss. "By emphasizing mostly plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of a host of diseases, from cancer to diabetes," according to University of Utah Health.

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