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? ›

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.

What is the 80 20 rule healthy eating? ›

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 is the 80 20 rule for cheat days? ›

As an easier way to plan out cheat meals, nutritionists often recommend the 80/20 Rule. When following this rule, 80 percent of the meals you eat should be healthy and adhere to your eating plan, while the other 20 percent give you the flexibility to satisfy your cravings.

What is the 80 20 rule diet quotes? ›

Donovan Mitchell Quotes

So, 80 percent of the time, I'm eating healthy and focused on the right foods - fruits, vegetables, all the good stuff. Then there is 20 percent of the time where you can sneak in some of the other foods, like a steak. That's not to say that a steak is bad.

What is the 80/20 rule for keto diet? ›

I've learned to eat when I'm hungry, and not to overeat (as in, until I'm stuffed). Today, I try to follow the 80/20 diet with my eating over the week, meaning I eat 80 percent healthy and low-carb (not necessarily keto anymore), and I enjoy treats and allow myself to indulge 20 percent of the time.

What are 80/20 rule examples? ›

The 80/20 rule is not a formal mathematical equation, but more a generalized phenomenon that can be observed in economics, business, time management, and even sports. General examples of the Pareto principle: 20% of a plant contains 80% of the fruit. 80% of a company's profits come from 20% of customers.

What is the 80 20 rule 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 cheating? ›

80% of your needs are being met by your partner, and you're figuring out the other 20% on your own. When the 80/20 rule is applied to infidelity, the theory is that when someone cheats, they're attracted to the 20% in someone else that they were missing from their partner.

What is the 80-20 rule in relationships examples? ›

For instance, you can expect to get 80% of your needs met by your partner in your relationship, but the other 20% is up to you. In another context, you can expect satisfaction from your relationship 80% of the time, while the other 20%, not so much.

What is the 80-20 rule strategy? ›

What's the 80-20 Rule? The 80-20 rule is a principle that states 80% of all outcomes are derived from 20% of causes. It's used to determine the factors (typically, in a business situation) that are most responsible for success and then focus on them to improve results.

What is the 80 20 rule quotes? ›

The quote by the 80/20 principle, "Not all inputs are equal; some inputs are far more important and influential than others," emphasizes the significance of distinguishing between various inputs in any given situation.

What are the 20 foods you should eat everyday? ›

3. What are Top 20 best food for good health? The top 20 best foods for good health include spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, blueberries, oranges, almonds, walnuts, avocado, salmon, tuna, eggs, Greek yogurt, quinoa, brown rice, lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.

What is the 80/20 rule money? ›

The rule requires that you divide after-tax income into two categories: savings and everything else. As long as 20% of your income is used to pay yourself first, you're free to spend the remaining 80% on needs and wants. That's it; no expense categories, no tracking your individual dollars.

What is the 80 20 rule for healthy lifestyle? ›

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.

What is the 80 20 diet cheat day? ›

The 80/20 diet suggests eating nutritious foods 80% of the time and relaxing on the remaining 20%. This way of eating is not a diet plan but a mindset open to individual interpretation. For some people, that might mean eating healthy meals 80% of the time and allowing themselves one cheat day per week.

Can I eat pizza and still lose weight? ›

In fact, even people on diets can eat pizza and remain in shape. Pizza lovers do not need to compromise on their happiness to stay fit, and there have even been many instances of people losing weight while on an all-pizza diet.

What is 80 healthy eating 20 exercise? ›

Just looking at the numbers alone, it's obvious that WHAT we eat is going to have a bigger impact on our waistline. You can't outrun the end of your fork! (80/20 rule: 80% of our diet, and 20% of our activity helps to determine the results we see on the outside.) Now that doesn't mean we should simply stop exercising!

What is the 80 20 rule in fitness? ›

The 80/20 rule simply means: 80% of the effects come from 20% of the things u do. 20% from exercise. It isn't just about the weight loss but actually about the fat loss and muscle gain.

What is the 80 20 rule intuitive eating? ›

Adjust your thinking to include an 80/20 mindset means that you choose healthy food choices most of the time (80%) while allowing yourself some less healthy options 20% of the time, guilt free! This means you can enjoy all foods in moderation and improve your relationship with food.

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