80/20 Rule

laurenbastug
laurenbastug Posts: 307 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was wondering what everyone's interpretation of this "rule" is. Do you look at it on a daily or weekly basis?

I'm currently tracking macros, so assuming I hit my macros/fiber (through food sources), daily treats are ok?

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I look at my whole diet in general, sometimes daily sometimes weekly or more. I don't track so I'm not very accurate about it. But I get a feeling for where it should be. Right now it is more 70-30 since I'm bulking but usually I eat a lot more nutritious.

    Daily treats are great. Multiple daily treats are great. Weekly treats are great. Do what works for you.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I track my nutritional needs for the rolling week and make adjustments based on that. I have no idea where that works out in terms of 80/20. In any given week, I'm having all kinds of foods. Do I usually eat things each day that don't play much of a role in meeting my nutritional needs (beyond having macronutrients)? Yes. So although I don't really categorize foods into "treat" and "non-treat," by those standards I am having some sort of "treat" daily.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    "Treats" are subjective and can mean anything to anyone.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I look at my whole diet in general, sometimes daily sometimes weekly or more. I don't track so I'm not very accurate about it. But I get a feeling for where it should be. Right now it is more 70-30 since I'm bulking but usually I eat a lot more nutritious.

    Daily treats are great. Multiple daily treats are great. Weekly treats are great. Do what works for you.

    I'm more 70/30 too just because I've gotten really efficient at getting my micro/macro nutrients into a smaller percentage of my overall calories. However, I don't really log as well.
  • Froggyh
    Froggyh Posts: 81 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I look at my whole diet in general, sometimes daily sometimes weekly or more. I don't track so I'm not very accurate about it. But I get a feeling for where it should be. Right now it is more 70-30 since I'm bulking but usually I eat a lot more nutritious.

    Daily treats are great. Multiple daily treats are great. Weekly treats are great. Do what works for you.

    I look at it on a wider scale, too, and I estimate moreso than calculating exactly (there are some grey areas, too, like a salad from a gastropub). So, for instance, a little bit of dark chocolate or whisky in the evening fits in, as does going out for dinner with my husband on a Friday night. Eating chocolate and crisps and ice cream every day, or eating out four times a week? Then it's time to tighten up a little bit.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I will add, it's going to depend on your calorie goal too. 15-20% of my intake right now would be around 500 cals or so, so if I want dessert or a treat every night, sure. If your intake is more like 1200-1500 you can still indugle of course but it will be more relative to your intake and you may have to save it for one day depending on how much you want or what you had the rest of the day.
  • laurenbastug
    laurenbastug Posts: 307 Member
    thanks everyone :)
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    80/20 rule?

    Read...

    https://www.thebalance.com/pareto-s-principle-the-80-20-rule-2275148
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I follow the 80/20 rule daily...sometimes it's more 70/30 though :smiley:
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I don't follow it closely. Some days it's like 50/50, other days it's 100/0. Some weeks I don't even think about high calorie stuff, other weeks I have them more than usual. I just eat treat stuff when I need them and when I think they're worth it. Once I hit my protein I look at hunger, if that's not an issue that day I eat what I feel like eating, this can be anything from spinach to hundreds of calories of gummy bears. I went on a gummy bear spree the other day for some reason although I don't usually crave them, and I think I'm over them for at least a year. :s
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    edited March 2018
    It's generally an average, whatever that means to you in terms of time, with the majority of your intake coming from nutrient dense food with some treats sprinkled in for sanity and adherence.

    Some people adhere better to a daily pattern, every other day, weekly, monthly, etc. Timing isn't so much the issue as much as making sure that most of your meals are focused on food that fit your goal.

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