Are you waiting for the ‘right time’ to get healthy? To lose weight?
To make the changes you’ve been wanting to make and real life seems to get in the way? A work trip? Mid-year break and you’re going on vacation with the kids?
Instead of waiting for the ‘perfect’ time to ‘start’, here’s what I do instead: I use the 80/20 rule.
Because you are what you eat, you want to focus on maximum nutrition from the foods that go into your system. Aim to eat clean 80% of the time. The 20% leeway is to give space to temptations, invitations, etc.
We’re in Mexico, I’m applying this rule and here are Suggestions as to how you can apply this too:
Decide what you will indulge with and how much you will have.
For example, I love chocolate and ice-cream. I make sure I have ‘the good stuff first’ a.k.a. my salad, veggies, good fats like guacamole and clean protein like fresh fish. I then indulge once a day (ok sometimes twice) on a chocolate cake or ice-cream.
Here are a few tips to adopt:
Open Buffets –
. Sit far from the buffet so you have to walk to get back and forth.
. Use small plates rather than the large lunch plates that way you consume less overall.
. Take the time to eat slowly, enjoy the view and good company rather than wolf down your food. The buffet is not going anywhere.
. Put down your utensils between bites.
. Fully chew your food cherishing every bite and flavor.
Alcohol
– if you drink, 4 drinks can add up the calories to equal one meal.
Dinner
– aiming to eat earlier lighter meals and going for a walk after dinner gives you a chance to burn off and digest your meal.
Active
Stay as active as possible, soak the sun, keep the 80/20 rule in mind which will make it easier to get back on track as soon as you get back home!
RECIPE
We all get off track from time to time. I have times when I get off track too –we are only human and our diet and lifestyle do not exist in a bubble.
The important thing is to stay focused on the big picture and your long-term goals.
Dust yourself off and get back at it!
To Your Health,
Yasmine
