The 80/20 Rule

We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.James Freeman Clarke

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule is a key part of the clean eating lifestyle. While it would be ideal to eat the freshest foods all the time, no one has a perfect diet. Adopting the 80/20 rule gives you guidelines for how to eat your healthiest while leaving room to indulge on occasion.

• 80 percent of the time: Eat healthy, nutrient-dense foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• 20 percent of time: Eat the foods you enjoy that may not be good for your body—a drink with friends, a sweet treat, or your favorite takeout.

Following the 80/20 rule is a great way to establish habits for a healthier lifestyle. By allowing yourself to enjoy the foods you crave, you're less likely to have major cravings that send you on an unhealthy eating binge.

Simple Tips for Eating Clean

Shop Smarter

Going into the grocery store without a plan can lead to a diet disaster. Create a plan before you go to the store and you'll be more likely to fill your cart with healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Use these tips to shop smarter.

• Eat a healthy snack before you go shopping. Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach can lead you right to the junk food aisle.
• Make a list. Planning your meals for the week and making a healthy food list can help you get in and out of the store without getting distracted by unhealthy food options.
• Shop the outer aisles. Most healthy, fresh foods are located along the walls of the store, although there are exceptions for dairy, natural foods, and bread/grain aisles.

Buy Local

Shopping at the farmer's market is a great way to find locally-grown, in-season foods. You won't have the temptation of packaged grocery store products, plus you'll be supporting local farmers and helping the environment.

Keep it Simple

Many packaged products are loaded with chemicals and hard-to-pronounce ingredients. If you can't decipher the ingredients, why put it in your body?

Decode Food Labels

Trying to eat clean can be tricky, especially when it comes to reading food labels (healthy, organic, lite, reduced). Food packaging is a company's advertisement. It's an attempt to lure you into buying their product. So while a product might claim to be healthy, it may be loaded with unhealthy ingredients.

Have a Plan for Eating Out

While you can control what you eat at home, eating out makes it more challenging to eat clean. For simple strategies to make eating out healthier and easier,.

Track What You Eat

Tracking what you eat will keep you motivated to eat well and you'll see better results, says Carlson-Phillips. One way to make this process easier: keep a food journal or use a digital tracking tool.

Clean Foods

You should never feel deprived of food just because you're trying to do what's healthy. Here's a short list of healthy foods to help you start eating clean:

Bread, Cereal, and Grains

• 100% whole wheat bread (stone-ground or crushed wheat)
• Pumpernickel, rye, and sourdough
• Quinoa
• Oatmeal
• High-fiber cereal (Kashi or Cheerios)
• Couscous

Fruits and Vegetables

• Leafy greens (collard, spinach, kale)
• Beans (pinto, kidney, black, lima)
• Lentils
• Avocados
• Apples, Bananas, Berries, Kiwis, Oranges
• Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, figs) 

Meat, Fish, Nuts, and Dairy

• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, macadamias, pecans, cashews
• Lean meats: chicken, turkey, beef
• Fish: salmon, tuna
• Dairy: Low-Fat Greek yogurt, fat-free milk, eggs

Eating Clean and Fiber

Fiber is a necessary part of any healthy diet. Loading up on high-fiber, clean foods can keep your heart healthy by lowering cholesterol levels, regulating blood sugar levels, and improving digestion, which can help prevent colon cancer.
So how much do you need? Experts recommend 32 grams of fiber a day. A good way to get enough fiber into your diet is by choosing foods that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. If your food of choice doesn't have 3 grams of fiber, then choose something else. Here's a quick list of foods that have roughly 3 grams of fiber: a banana, one slice of whole wheat bread, 1/3 of an avocado, 3 cups of romaine lettuce, an apple, or a medium baked potato.

Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.
Herbert Otto