STRONG IDEA: The 80/20 Weight Loss Rule
By Emily Stapleton on August 12, 2013 from Strong Ideas
Our world is full of statistics. Some are based on scientific fact. Some are simply made up (76.6% of statistics are made up!). Others, though not based on scientific fact, are created from anecdotal information to inspire action. The following statistic falls into the last category:
“Your overall health (or weight loss) is dependent on 80% what you eat and 20% what you do.”
I first heard this statement a couple weeks ago at a fitness conference (thanks Jenn Hall), but then learned that it’s a pretty common statement. There’s really no way to test this stat scientifically, but the point is:
Nutrition has a bigger impact on your wellness than activity.
I’m certainly not suggesting that exercise isn’t important…just that food consumption takes up a larger portion of your time and has a bigger overall impact. I’ve heard it said another way. It goes something like this:
The 23 hours not exercising are more work than the 1 hour of exercise.
The good news? Exercise and healthy eating compliment each other. Based on my personal experience, and that of my clients, exercise usually leads to healthy eating and vice versa. Activity level and eating habits are part of a lifestyle. Start an exercise plan and you’re likely to find yourself thinking more about what you eat. Start a healthy eating plan (healthy is the key word here, not a crash diet) and you’ll feel you’re energy level increase and be inspired to move more.
The STRONG take away from all of this? Focus on both eating and activity for overall health (and weight loss). Get moving today! Eat well today! Adopt a healthy lifestyle and you’ll spend much of your day (80%?) making healthy choices about what goes into your mouth and some pretty important minutes moving (20%?).
Until Next Week,
Emily Stapleton
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