Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 6

This week's Summer Weight Loss Challenge Tip is 80/20 RULES! Eat healthy 80 percent of the time, the other 20 indulge in whatever you love most!

This is my favorite philosophy and I like to explain it as 80% healthy and watching portions 20% bacon and beer! I mean you guys know following me on Facebook and Twitter just how much I love the tasty things in life and my passion for craft beer. A lot of people wonder how do you maintain your weigh loss when you love those things? The answer is I love them in moderation and I don't keep lots of things like that in my house.

I think this photo illustrates 80/20 pretty nicely, a well balanced portion controlled dinner after a workout with a pint of beer. A little indulgence with lots of veggies!

You can see 80/20 as weekdays are strictly healthy, weekends you loosen the reigns a bit. So usually during the week for me there is no beer. I mostly eat salads for lunch, a smoothie or Greek yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast and a light dinner. On the weekend I may go to a brewery for a tasting, have a couple pints with friends, or eat a nice piece of cake. I choose my indulgences and don't beat myself up for them since I am in control. I decide when to indulge and how.

During the weekdays when you want some ice cream, think about it... DO I want this now? Would it taste sweeter on the weekend on the beach? Just think about when you indulge and how often. If you can remember you indulged in a Carvel Sundae the night before, you want to second guess indulging again for the next couple days.

When I was on Weight Watchers they gave us points. Every week you had an extra 49 points to blow on whatever you liked. Sometimes I would blow it all in one day, one meal or spread it out through the week. You can think of the 80/20 the same kinda way. If you go have a 12 course chef tasting you will need the count that as the entire 20% LOL! But if you wanna have a little chocolate every night you can do that too!

What is WONDERFUL about 80/20. It means I can each EVERYTHING I want, just not all at once. But knowing you CAN eat something doesn't make you obsess over that cake. You may have a sliver and call it a day and give yourself a pat on the back for having that cake!

What does 80/20 mean for you? How can you implement it into your life?!