The 80% Rule Towards Balanced Health

Thanks for all of your comments following last weeks Blog on “How to Avoid the Yo Yo Effect”. Most of the comments I received focused around one having to enjoy life and not get so restrictive in diet or exercise that they don’t enjoy life.

I totally agree. I live by one simple rule and that is this:

I try to live by the 80% rule meaning that I try to eat and be healthy 80% of the time. This allows me to be good to my body and try and be healthy 80% of the time. It also allows me to enjoy life, enjoy good food and drink and “cheat” a few times a week. For me, this typically happens on weekends however it can be on a daily basis as well.

I personally think this allows me to enjoy life while still improving and paying attention to my health. Obviously the ideal from a health standpoint would be to watch every single thing I eat 100% of the time.

In thinking about it, a few years ago, I thought I was eating “Healthy” 80% of the time. However since I  have embarked down this Health path, I now realize that what I thought was Healthy and good food for my body in fact was not Healthy at all. So although I thought I was eating Healthy 80% of the time, it was likely more like 80% unhealthy and 20% Healthy. What I try to focus on now is to constantly  make minor improvements in my diet that all add up over time. For example, I have basically given up Dairy since the beginning of this year. Last year i started going to bed earlier so I could have a longer nights sleep.

Over time through what I have learned, I have modified my diet and moved the needle the other way so now am consuming Healthy food and products I believe 80%+ of the time.

It has been shown that the standard american diet is comprised of95% processed foods and 5% plants, fruits, vegetables. In fact, the reverse(95%plants, vegetables and whole foods) should be the norm and in fact would positively impact standard Health conditions such as Diabetes, High blood pressure, Heart Disease and Cancers.

I will be focusing future blogs on what food I believe are healthy as I know it is very confusing with all the different messages we constantly receive.

So in summary, be good to your body, think about what you are consuming and try to consume Healthy foods majority of the time.(i.e. 80% of the time).

Health Tip Of The Week

A great way to cleanse your system, your liver and alkalinize your system after a good nights sleep is to have a Alkaline drink first thing in the morning. Every morning upon waking the first thing I do is have a warm glass of water mixed with either fresh lemon juice(from the actual lemon) or a glass of water with a shot of Organic apple cider vinegar.

Yours in good health, Kev