As many of you know, my husband and I visited my sister and brother-in-law (Dina and Jeff) in northern California a couple weeks ago. Well, a funny thing happened to me in their kitchen one evening. You see, Jeff rounded the corner about 9:00 pm, just as I was biting into a cookie. “Glad to know you’re human!” was his first comment. It took a few seconds to recover.
The 80/20 Rule
So here’s the thing. Because I’m a dietitian, and I write and talk extensively about healthy eating and exercise, people expect me to act in a certain way. And I do…most of the time.
- I get in my 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 6 – 7 days a week (bicycling or walking).
- And I do strength training twice weekly, at home or at the gym (most weeks).
- My husband and I attend a great yoga class every Tuesday.
- I eat a plant-based diet, avoiding meat whenever I can (but not always).
- I drink at least 60 oz. of water each day.
- I eat 4 – 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and bridge the gap between that number and what’s needed for optimal health with my Juice Plus capsules.
But I’m not perfect, and here’s my confession: I really do love sweets, especially chocolates. I just try to avoid them most of the time. I even found myself explaining to my 8-year old granddaughter recently why I don’t buy some of the foods I love, like ice cream and cookies, because I don’t want those temptations in the house (not sure how much of that conversation her young mind understood).
In addition, I can be a bit of a closet eater, dipping into the kitchen when others aren’t around. Occasionally I do get caught, as what happened up north. Those are definitely humbling moments for this “professional” healthy eater!
All I can do is follow my own advice: participate in healthy behaviors 80% – 90% of the time. There will be occasions when I give in to my food cravings or feelings of laziness, just like everyone else. But as soon as I can, I get back to eating and moving as I know I need to. I’ve always believed I must “walk the walk and talk the talk,” or get the heck out of my chosen profession.
But I am, after all, only human. It’s a realization that’s liberating to admit, and wonderful to embrace!
So love yourself with all your frailties—there’s really nothing else you can do. Just try to follow the 80/20 rule, and get back to healthy living as soon as you can!
For additional 80/20 ideas, give me a call! We can discuss some practical tips and discover if any of my programs or classes are a good fit for your friends or family.
If you’d like to schedule that call with me, just CLICK THIS LINK, and let me know in the message that you would like a 1-on-1 call with me right away and I will be in touch to schedule that—oh, and leave me your phone number in there too since email is not as reliable as it used to be! Thanks.
Lisa Teresi Harris is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of the book Building Your Enduring Fitness. A certified Geri-Fit Instructor, she helps Boomers and seniors to regain and keep muscle strength, mobility, and energy.
Contact Lisa to inquire about a customized, in-home fitness program for you or a loved one.