If you have been struggling to lose or maintain your weight, the secret could not only be in your workout routine, but more importantly in the way you eat. Diets are a sensitive topic for many people, which is why we are saying ditch the diet and follow the 80/20 rule!
It’s A Lifestyle
The 80/20 rule should not be considered a diet, but rather a lifestyle. The approach to the rule is simple: 80 percent of the time you eat clean and good-for-you foods, while the other 20 percent of the time you give yourself the freedom to indulge. Clean, good-for-you foods include whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean protein and plenty of water. Then for the other 20 percent of the time, you can choose to indulge in whatever you’d like. So yes, that means you can eat cake! However, these foods should be consumed in proportion and moderation, which is why it is to be consumed 20 percent of the time!
Allow Yourself To Indulge
Knowing that you can occasionally indulge in an ice-cream cone or slice of pizza, can give you more motivation to stick to your healthy eating habits. The 80/20 rule also helps to maintain a healthy mindset about eating because you are giving yourself some flexibility and freedom. We’re not going to lie, eating 100% perfectly is not realistic and if you choose to incorporate this way of eating into your lifestyle that will not be expected of you!
Approaching The 80/20 Rule
How you choose to approach the 80/20 rule is for you to decide! You can choose to spread out 3 to 4 indulgence meals throughout the week, have one small treat a day or if you know you have a special occasion and there will be a lot of food there, you can save it for a specific day! Another way to approach it is to eat clean and nutritious food all throughout the week and plan your cheat meals for the weekend
Diets can be limiting, unrealistic and are often times easy to fall off track. However, with the 80/20 rule you are setting realistic expectation and giving yourself some freedom to eat some not-so-healthy foods. Eating shouldn't be a punishment, it should be nutritious, fun, rewarding and balanced!
Want some inspiration for your first meal towards the 80/20 lifestyle? Try the recipe from Spoonful Of Flavor below!
Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet
Ingredients
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 ounce can diced green chiles
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Black pepper to taste
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup jarred salsa
1/2 cup rinsed quinoa
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cilantro for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. Spray a large skillet generously with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.
2. When the skillet is hot add in the diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until it starts to soften.
3. Add in the ground turkey and minced garlic and cook until the meat is almost cooked through, breaking it up into crumbles with a spoon as it cooks.
4. Stir in all the spices and the diced green chiles, cooking for another minute.
5. Add in the black beans, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, salsa and quinoa, stirring until everything is combined.
6. When the mixture starts to bubble add in the water, cover the skillet with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low.
7. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked, it should still have a slight bite to it, but not be hard and crunchy.
8. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and cover with the lid cooking until the cheese is melted.
9. Serve as is, in tortillas for tacos, or on top of your favorite greens.