Eat chocolate and still be healthy…?
OK so it is pretty safe to say that almost the entire population loves to indulge in a little chocolate every now and then. Some people however, more now, than then!
So why is this an issue? Why can’t you eat some chocolate as part of a healthy lifestyle? Well, you can…if you follow the simple rule I have all my personal clients follow: the 80/20 rule.
This rule is as simple to follow as it looks – all you need to do is make the absolute healthiest food choices you can for 8 out of every 10 meals you eat. If you are able to stick to this ratio, then you can happily and freely eat that little bit of chocolate, or whatever else it is you like to indulge in, without feeling like you are letting yourself down.
That feeling of guilt only occurs if you deep down know, that you aren’t sticking to your ratios and indulging in unhealthy food choices more often than you should.
Now, if you demand better results from your training and nutrition, then you might change your ratios – you might stick to a 90/10 rule for example.
If you find your chocolate (or insert your indulgence of choice here) eating ratio is more like 50/50, and you aren’t happy with how you look or feel, then it might be time to think deep down about changing your ratios.
There is no magic number to follow ( I suggest 80/20 as a good way to get people on the right track) as everybody is aiming for different results. The best piece of advice is to find what ratio you can realistically stick to and gives you the results you are not only happy with, but are also able to maintain. Maintenance is the key to long term success on any program.
I mean, good quality chocolate (like our Rumbles Choc Rocks) is there to be enjoyed in moderation, so rather the deny yourself, work out a way to fit it in without significant detriment to your health.
3 Simple steps to implement immediate change:
1. Determine what your main health and fitness goal is.
2. Find out what your current ‘ratio’ is by writing out your last 10 meals and then circling those that don’t fit into your healthy eating plan.
3. Decide if you are happy with these ratios and if not, then adjust them to meet the goals you wrote down in step 1!
If you can follow these simple steps, then there is no reason why chocolate can’t be apart of following a healthy lifestyle!
