One balanced approach to
lifestyle change—and lasting weight loss—is the 80/20 model. The idea is that
80 percent of your choices are made in the planned and predictable environment
of your "normal" routine and are therefore mostly healthy, while 20
percent of your decisions are made in situations that are not part of your
normal routine, and therefore may include indulgences or lapses. You might be
at a birthday party and have a slice of cake, or maybe you get superbusy at
work and miss a few days of exercise.
At first glance, an
all-or-nothing approach actually seems easier to stick to because it's so black
and white; there are hard-and-fast rules that are simple to follow. The 80/20
approach, on the other hand, requires judgment and moderation; you have to make
decisions and choices on the fly. For example, can you have just one of your
trigger foods (one of those foods that you struggle to eat in moderation) in a
given situation? Can you take a day off from exercise and get right back to the
gym the next day?
The keys to making 80/20
work are that
1) understanding that the 20 percent is a normal part of life and
it's better to make peace with it than attempt to avoid it altogether, and
2)
you haven't "blown it" and one indulgence or lapse doesn't have to
cascade into several more.
What you use your 20
percent for is a very individual decision, and you must be selective about what
is important to you and what is not. You might decide to indulge in an
unexpected treat that doesn't necessarily fit into your plan for the day—a
margarita at a festive social event, a favorite dessert at a local restaurant,
or a unique bottle of wine opened by a friend. On the fitness side, you may
skip your workout because some friends call you up at the last minute to go
out, and it just sounds too fun to pass up.
In some cases, the 20
percent could be a true slip, rather than an intentional choice. Maybe you neither
intended nor truly wanted the food or the day off from exercise: Your
self-control truly failed you, or time got away from you before the gym closed.
It will happen. But the 80/20 model helps you see that a small slip is
inconsequential as long as your healthy 80 percent is there for you.
The 80/20 approach is not
as exciting as trying to follow an extreme plan because it does not promise
speedy, extreme weight loss. However, it will give you something that has been
missing from your previous efforts: lasting results. Once you break free
of All-or-Nothing Thinking and allow yourself to splurge on special
occasions as part of your weight-loss program, you can relax and empower
yourself to have long-term success.
When you say yes to 80/20,
you are saying yes to: living without fear of indulging on special
occasions, letting go of guilt after the occasional
indulgence, having a structure that offers guidance, but also flexibility
to modify your plans as your life changes. You're also managing lapses by keeping
them in perspective, learning from them, and moving forward (rather than
dwelling on them, punishing yourself, and giving up completely), and living a
sustainable lifestyle and having a greater chance of sticking with your
program.
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