July has started, meaning summer is in full swing! For me, it used to be quite difficult to enjoy a summer full of nice get-togethers and food temptations, while trying to keep a nice body shape too. How do you combine bad foods and alcoholic drinks with a bikini body lifestyle? And do you enjoy social activities with your friends without bringing your own prepped meals? There is a simple way to approach this! YES – found the perfect solution 🙂
I don’t know about yours, but my summer is usually filled with a whole lot of delish (read: bad) foods and you-don’t-wanna-miss-out-festivities. Let’s say the focus is a little less on acting responsible to your body. All those barbecues, festivals, terraces and all-inclusive hotel meals don’t really add up to a healthy shape and healthy state of mind. So I asked myself so many times: how to enjoy bad foods and stay in shape too? Personally, I find “cheating” mostly mentally hard to deal with until I discovered the 80/20 rule.
So how does this 80/20 rule work?
Basically you provide your body with clean eating and exercising for 80% of the time and treating yourself with whatever you might be craving for the other 20%. The majority of the time (80%) you’ll be eating right with fresh food and mostly unprocessed products, while leaving space for some less beneficial choices (20%). What I like about this method is how it helps me to stop feeling guilty when I’m cheating and the other way around. And it gets me even more excited to do good during the 80% of the week. Also, I don’t worry about having to do a gym session to make up for any food cheating and I can enjoy the cheat meals so much more now.
It’s the idea of balancing business with pleasure. This means you keep feeding your body with good things, but leaving a space for joyful things as well. Again: no need to limit yourself or end up with guilt feelings here!
Allowing yourself to cheat a little therefore is actually a good thing. Summing it up, here is why:
- Joining social activities without feeling limited
- Comfort food is needed every once in a while, because it feeds our emotions and is part of our social well-being
- Enjoying the treats even more
- Less chance of a setback and bingeings
- Maintaining a balanced and positive mindset
- Having more fun with it!
What does it look like for me in practice?
It took me some time to figure out a 80/20 flow that works for me. There are 2 routines working out very well for me, to enjoy bad foods and stay in shape too:
1. I try to live healthy 7 days a week and I use my 20% when I have dinner with friends or go out.
2. I stick to my healthy lifestyle for 6 days straight and on the last day of the week, I’m FREE! Like, I do whatever I want and whatever I feel like eating.
Did you know that “cheating” is for 80% happening in your head and just for 20% actually in your food?
I love life and I love food! When it comes to being fit and enjoying social events, I don’t think you have to choose either one because you can definitely do both. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. To me, the 80/20 rule is a solution for staying in shape and indulging on my favorite summer treats at the same time. Compensate your moments of fun with acting responsible to your body as well. A healthy lifestyle filled with pleasure is one to achieve and to keep. I’m really excited to promote this way of thinking even extra together with my gym SportCity, as they are running a total campaign about it this month! WOW! Wanna read how I’m contributing? Click here!
With love,
Carolina.
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