Embrace the 80/20 Rule

I am loving the heck out of summer in Michigan. The sun, the sand, the water and of course, the food. Are you enjoying the fresh fruit and vegetables? Have you tried the blueberries lately?! They are phenomenal!

But I am also indulging in the occasional ice cream cone or popsicle. My fav is black cherry ice cream with chocolate pieces. It was my dad’s favorite too. What’s yours?

The 80/20 rule is when you eat “on plan” 80% of the time and allow off plan items to make their way in 20% of the time.

On Plan

On plan is when you are eating a certain way to alleviate symptoms, heal or achieve a goal.

If you have joint pain from an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or Hashimoto’s you might be avoiding gluten. Both those conditions are aggravated by eating things like bread, pasta, cereal and crackers that have wheat or other gluten containing grains in them. Eating on plan may be avoiding these grains.

Are you are healing from irritable bowel syndrome or other condition that causes stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation? You may be avoiding dairy products. Milk, cheese, yogurt and yes…ice cream, because these foods can often cause a flare up in IBS. Eating on plan may be avoiding these dairy items.

Do you have a little black dress waiting for you to lose some belly bulge? Your plan may be to follow the Supercharged Method of eating a protein and two veggies every 3-4 hours in a 12 hour time frame and limiting your carbohydrates.

Oh Captain, My Captain

These are all great plans and staying on them at least 80% of the time is important to get you to your goals. The 20% off plan is important so that you remember that you are in control of your food choices. For most people the 80/20 rule allows them some wiggle room while also reaching the finish line in achieving the great health they are looking for.

There are also people that instead of 80/20, their rule may be 90/10. Especially if you find your symptoms or weight creeps in when you overindulge. It may even be 100/0 if you are faced with a condition such as celiac where even gluten in lipstick or wine tips your scales.

You are the captain of your ship. Figure out what works best for your body and do that. Your symptoms will often guide you so pay attention and enjoy the heaven out of the rest of summer.

In the best of health,

Dr. Stacey

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