Going on a “diet” is a thing of the past. Nowadays, it’s all about “detoxing” or eating for “well-being.” Regardless of which name you want to put on eating for weight loss (diet, cutting, detoxing, etc.), a core principle is reducing the amount of junk in your diet and increasing the amount of minimally processed foods that fuel your mind/body and keep you full.
Today, we’ll look at one of the long-standing hacks people use to eat healthy and lose weight without tracking calories -- the 80/20 diet rule.
What’s the 80/20 Diet Rule?
The 80/20 diet is pretty simple.
80% of the time you eat “healthy.” Meals are built on minimally processed foods, including lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
The other 20% of the time, you’re allowed to enjoy “dirty”, “unhealthy” or “junk” foods (think hyper-processed foods like ice cream, cookies, candy bars, soda, french fries, etc.)
Does the 80/20 Diet Work?
Generally speaking, yes.
Utilizing the 80/20 diet rule can work, if you actually adhere to it. Whole food meals supply your body with the key building blocks it needs to perform (and recover) at a high level, including protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Having these foods form the vast majority of your nutritional intake will keep you properly fueled and satiated so that you’re less likely to snack between meals or overeat during the day.
Plus, for certain individuals, the 80/20 rule can help with weight loss. but you likely won’t get as strong as you can or a ripped 6-pack simply eating right “most” of the time. For that, you’ll need to be meticulous with your workouts and nutrition.
The upside to the 80/20 diet rule is that it offers a more “hands off” approach to healthy eating and weight loss for individuals who don’t want to weigh and track every meal they eat.
Why We Don’t Suggest the 80/20 Diet Rule
While the 80/20 diet rule is superior to the “everything in moderation” dietary approach, it’s still not ideal for individuals who are serious about improving the health and getting the best results possible during a transformation challenge.
Inevitably, that 20% leeway morphs into entire cheat days (or weekends). So while you think you may be eating clean 80% of the time, it’s more like 60-70% of the time.
Remember if you have 21 meals per week (3 meals per day…no snacks), then 20% is 4 meals.
FYI, most people that say they follow the 80/20 diet rule, grossly underestimate how often they veer off healthy eating. Research even shows that everyday people underreport (underestimate) their daily calorie intake and overestimate their physical activity levels.
Furthermore, the 80/20 rule ascribes an element of morality to foods as either good/healthy or bad/unhealthy.
In reality, no single food is going to make you muscular, fat, or ripped. It’s the summation of all your dietary choices, workouts, sleep, etc.
For some individuals, classifying foods as “good” or “bad” can be helpful, but for others it can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. This is, in part, why there is no “one size fits all” strategy for weight loss.
A Better Solution
Ultimately, you know yourself best and will come to find out which diet is best for you. Keep in mind, this may take weeks, months, or even years of experimentation. And, it may also evolve as you become more experienced or get focused on different goals.
For instance, if you know that you can’t control yourself around certain foods, then it may be better to eliminate them entirely from your diet. As you grow, then you may be able to limit yourself to a small serving every now and then.
For others, they may benefit from tracking every single meal they eat. This way you know how much of what foods you are eating and where you may have room in your daily/weekly diet for some “junk.”
If you’re hesitant to start logging your food intake, we would encourage you to try the 1UP Fitness App, which makes tracking your nutrition quicker and easier than ever!
Within the app, you’ll also be able to track your workouts and receive customized recommendations to make sure you’re getting the results you want.
And, if you’re looking for additional help keeping your appetite in check, we’d suggest checking out our line of best-selling clear protein (as protein helps increase satiety and reduce appetite). The juice like taste reduces cravings big time and increases feeling of fullness. With 20 grams of protein and only 80 calories without any added fat, carbs, sugars or unnecessary calories making it perfect for a calorie-controlled weight loss diet. All flavors are great but Lemon Italian Ice is the absolute best
