How To Lose Weight Using The 80/20 Rule

How often have you heard someone say, “I’m on a see food diet. I see food, I eat it”?

Well for those of us who are really trying to lose weight, the key to being successful is knowing just what our own personal dieting villains are.

It’s so easy to sabotage our diets when we’re surrounded by food we can’t have. That said, it’s also difficult to learn how to lose weight if we’re constantly thinking about what we shouldn’t be eating.

I know, it’s oh so tempting to drive by our favourite fast food chains and smell that all too familiar aroma of food we know will only pack on the pounds.

The key is to keep focused on all those nutritious (and filling) dinners we can make ourselves and get in the habit of taking an alternate route home. It may seem like a drastic measure to go out of your way to avoid your favourite fast food haunts but it really can make a difference.

Once your favourite restaurants drop of your daily radar, you’re bound to see improvement in your fast food cravings. By taking away highly advertised visuals like the ‘golden arches’ and making the accompanying aroma a thing of the past, you’ll find you’ll have even more willpower to stick with your diet.

That said, I do believe you can lose weight using the 80/20 rule. Sometimes you can become too serious about learning how to lose weight effectively. What you may need instead is to reward and treat yourself occasionally.

Depriving yourself of food you love day in and day out will only leave you grumpy, not to mention, unsatisfied. So 20 percent of the time – treat yourself. That way, you’ll have something to look forward to and you won’t feel as deprived the rest of the time.

Then do yourself a favour and savour the experience. For instance, as I write this I’m enjoying a smooth mint chocolate square as it melts in my mouth. It’s the only sweet I’m allowing myself to indulge in today. I’m savouring the moment by letting it melt instead of chewing it.

The same technique should be used for everything you eat in your 20 percent category. Slow down and make every bite count. And chances are good, you’ll enjoy your favourite foods even more.

For more creative ways to lose weight visit http://www.healthandwellnessmatters.blogspot.com

Sherrie Le Masurier is a lifestyle columnist and freelance writer. For more information on how to lose weight and keep it off visit http://www.healthandwellnessmatters.blogspot.com and http://www.wvbnblogger.blogspot.com – Copyright.

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