The 80/20 Rule: Simplifying Your Nutrition Goals

What is the 80/20 approach and can it help you achieve your health and fitness goals in a balanced way?

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The 80/20 approach (aka. 80/20 Rule) is an everyday nutritional approach where you aim to eat 80% whole foods and 20% “soul foods”. Now when I say “soul foods” I’m not referring to dishes from the Southern United States, I am talking about foods that make you happy and warm your soul. These types of foods may be less nutrient-dense, e.g. your favourite treats or snacks.

When following the 80/20 approach, we want the majority of our nutrition to come from healthy, nutrient-dense food sources, and we allow a small portion of our nutrition to go to less nutrient-dense foods that we really love and enjoy.

It is important to note that the 80/20 approach to nutrition is not a weight-loss plan. You can adopt this way of eating throughout a deficit, surplus or at maintenance calories. It is a sustainable approach to a balanced diet, not just a way to lose weight.

You also do not have to track calories to adopt this approach. Following an 80/20 way of eating can be done if you prefer to eat more intuitively. However, it is important to mention that if you do have major goals surrounding weight loss or nutrition, tracking your calories will always provide more accuracy.

If you want to lose weight, for example, you can definitely adopt the 80/20 approach. It is just important to ensure you are eating in a calorie deficit (consuming less energy (calories) than your body is using) at the same time as you are employing an 80/20 approach to nutrition. Again tracking your calorie intake will help ensure accuracy with your deficit.

The same approach can be taken in a surplus (consuming more energy (calories) than your body is using) if you are looking to put on muscle or gain weight.

The idea behind the 80/20 approach is sustainability. We are creating a healthy and flexible way of eating that can suit any lifestyle. This approach does not restrict any types of foods, instead, it promotes a balanced diet that is filled with healthy nutrient-dense foods and a small portion of “soul foods”.

A common issue with trying to eat healthy for many people, is they use an “all or nothing” approach. Completely cutting out all the foods they believe are “bad” out of their diet, then when the going gets tough and they slip up, they go “Oh well, I’ve already messed this up” and their healthy eating aspirations go out the window.

Falling into the “restrict and binge” cycle is a vicious one that we want to avoid at all costs. So the idea behind the 80/20 approach is to have balance and reduce the likelihood of feeling deprived from the foods we love. It falls into the idea of “everything in moderation”.

The 80/20 approach can suit any dietary requirements, e.g. gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, etc. as there is no list of specific foods to eat or not to eat.

For long-term success in maintaining a healthy weight, we need a sustainable approach that we can follow year in and year out.

Unlike many “fad” diets that completely cut out certain food groups or heavily restrict them, the 80/20 approach to nutrition does not encourage this in any way. How hard would it be if you absolutely love carbs (e.g. pasta, bread, etc.) and try to follow a keto diet forever which heavily restricts carbohydrates? Of course, it’s possible, but would you be happy and living your best life? Probably not!

Being able to enjoy the foods we love in moderation is the key to sustainable nutrition. Allowing a variety of foods in your diet will help with adherence and avoid feelings of deprivation.

Let’s talk about what types of foods should make up your 80%…

Eating from your 5 main food groups is ideal for a healthy, balanced diet. These food groups include:

• Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties.

• Vegetables and legumes/beans.

• Fruit.

• Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or other alternatives, mostly reduced fat.

• Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans.

These food group recommendations come from the Eat for Health - Australian Dietary Guidelines Summary (NHMRC, 2013). Which is an Australian Government-approved healthy eating guide.

Aiming to get your 2 serves of fruit a day and 5 servings of veggies is always a great plan. Fruits and vegetables are mostly low-calorie, high-volume foods. This means you are able to eat more quantity for less calories than higher calorie foods which can frequently be low volume. Some higher-calorie foods can also be low in fibre and nutrients which means they may leave you still feeling hungry.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines also provide great information on recommended serving sizes for all 5 food groups based on age and gender. These can help you build an ideal base for a healthy diet.

If you need further assistance with your nutrition, reaching out to a qualified nutrition coach is a fantastic step in the right direction, as they can advise you on more personalised recommendations suited to your individual needs and goals.

So now we know what sort of foods should make up your 80%. Let’s talk about what types of foods could make up your final 20%…

"Soul Foods":

The final 20% of the 80/20 nutrition approach is an allowance for more discretionary items, many refer to these as our “soul foods”. Foods that make us happy, that we love and enjoy. Because we all want to enjoy the finer things in life sometimes too.

“Soul foods” are generally our sweets and snacks, which are usually “energy-dense”, meaning they contain quite a large amount of calories per serve, and are low in nutrients. This means we want to limit these foods as much as possible. Excess intake of these foods can increase your risk of health-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some forms of cancer.

If you were wondering what foods count as discretionary items, they include chocolate, ice cream, cakes, sweet biscuits, savoury pastries and pies, among other foods. Discretionary foods tend to be higher in added sugars, added salts, saturated fat and/or alcohol.

Only a small percentage of our daily intake should be allocated to these types of foods.

Now just because the 80/20 approach allows for balance, we do not need to aim to hit 20% “soul food” intake each day bang on. This approach is only a guide to allow for a more flexible lifestyle. Don’t fall into the trap of ensuring you get every “soul food” in each day and cram them in for the sake of it. Again it is about balance and not being obsessive with our 20% allowance.

Some people will even opt for a 90/10 approach instead of the well-known 80/20, to further reduce their intake of discretionary food items. Just remember that although “soul foods” are yummy, they are not always the best for our digestion and can leave us not feeling great in the gut. Be mindful of your choices and find what works best for you. Good digestion and feeling your best is important.

The aim of the 80/20 approach to nutrition is balance. This way of eating can be done all year round, with no need to yo-yo diet. Successful weight loss can be maintained more easily through approaches that encourage balance and flexibility to suit your lifestyle. We want good nutrition to feel achievable, not like an impossible endeavour without long-term success. It can help reduce the likelihood of relapse after weight loss, and at the end of the day, we do not want to go backwards after all that hard work.

Keep in mind that the 80/20 approach to nutrition may not be for everyone, however, as this approach is very adaptable, many people with varying lifestyles can be successful in eating healthy without feeling like they are constantly restricted in what they can eat.

Balance is key to long-term adherence to nutrition.

If you would like to know more about the 80/20 approach to nutrition or find a way to get you feeling and looking your best, please feel free to book a discovery call via my website!