The 80/20 Rule of Healthy Eating

In 1906 Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, observed that 20%
of the Italian people owned 80% of their country’s wealth. This
observation over time and through application in a variety of
environments has come to be called Pareto’s Principle and the
“The 80-20 Rule.” The rule implies that the relationship between
input and output is not balanced. In the management context,
this principle is useful when there is a question of
effectiveness versus diminishing returns on effort, expense or
time. For example, if 80% of a company’s profits come from 20%
of its customers, then the secret to success would be to
identify the 20% and focus on them.

Here’s how we might apply “The 80-20 Rule” to a program of
healthy eating. Because it is a virtual given that we are not
going to eat healthy food 100% of the time, let’s not set
ourselves up for failure by making that our goal. Instead, let’s
shoot for eating well 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time
we can enjoy whatever it is that makes our taste buds zing.

Let’s do the “80-20″ math so we are clear about the calories.
Let’s say your target calorie consumption is 2000 calories per
day. That means 1600 calories should come from foods that are
nutrient dense, heart healthy, low in sodium and saturated fat.
And 400 calories can be from whatever foods you choose.

You may be wondering, “If I eat properly only 80% of the time,
does that mean I won’t reach my weight loss goal?” First, let’s
remember the rule: input does not equal output. But, lets say,
you reach 80% of your weight loss goal; that is still cause for
celebration. If you lose 8 pounds instead of 10, 16 pounds
instead of 20 or 80 pounds instead of 100, I would
enthusiastically applaud your efforts and I hope you would too.

You can also adapt “The 80-20 Rule” on a monthly basis. For
example, there are 28 days in February. If you focus your
efforts on eating well for 22 days, the remaining 6 days -
scattered throughout the month – you can indulge a little more.
Or, you might also try eating 80% of your caloric intake before
7 pm and consume the remaining 20% later in the evening when you
are less active.

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