Dear Diet

Paleo, Primal, Atkins, The Zone, Low Carb, Low Sugar, Low Calories, Intermittent Fasting.

Honestly it’s enough to make my poor head spin in confusion!

I guess that explains why I get questions like “what eating plan do you follow?” (these people obviously do not know me in real life) and “what do you eat?” (these people obviously don’t follow me on instagram).

Google gives people so many “answers” when they search “diet plan” that they are keen to find out what is working for others.

I make no secret of the fact that I like to go out with friends and eat and I never deny my penchant for dessert!  I have been known to drive across town specifically to get a choc top with nuts because the original cinema I went to had sold out (when you have an itch you gotta scratch that sucker!)

I guess from the above paragraph you can use your powers of deduction to rule out every single “diet” listed.

You see as I tell every single person who asks “I train because I like to eat shit” if I designed a training system I could probably call it the “Julz’s Eat Dessert all the dam time plan” because it’s pretty much what gets me out of bed at stupid oclock each and every morning bar Sunday when I have taken to having an entire day “off” in yet another attempt to lead a more balanced life.

My “diet” probably suits my “lead a more balanced life” plan too.  According to some research (eg a quick google search) I seem to follow what is called the 80/20 rule whereby you eat “well” (which could be pretty broad, depending on who you are talking to) 80% of the time and you indulge yourself 20% of your time.

If I’m completely honest some weeks its the 80/20 rule, other weeks is the 60/40 rule and yet other weeks is the 95/5 rule it all depends on how many weeks I’ve been following the 60/40 plan but over time it averages out to 80/20 – I know this because my weight/bodyfat are remaining stable.

IMO if your “diet” is not something you can follow for your entire lifetime its not the plan for you.

This does not include those of you out in blog land who are dieting for a fixed term for a specific goal like making a weight class for boxing match or competing in a bodybuilding show.  You need to diet, the suck kind of diet where you can’t have stuff …. #boo.

Before I sign off I want to explain some ways that you can work out how the 80/20 rule could work for you.  It’s lucky for you I work with numbers 😉

There are 7 days in a week.  80% of 7 days is 5.6 days, lets round that up to 6 and that could leave you 1 entire day to “indulge”.

If you have 3 main meals a day that gives you 21 main meals in a week.  80% would be 17 so you would have 4 main meals a week that you could dine on your fav “treats”.

If you have 3 main meals and 2 snacks a day your 20% works out as 4 main meals and 3 snacks.

You can use that calculation for just about anything – if you calorie count then you could use 80% of your calories on clean food and 20% on “other choices”.  But you get the general gist of it.

One thing I do know, after years and years of bodybuilding it’s taken me a really really really long time to be comfortable with food and to not feel guilty about “giving into my urges” or “not being disciplined” when it comes to what I eat!

I think this sums it up perfectly ..

Whatever plan you decide to follow just remember if it makes you sad, grumpy or a general pita to be around .. eat some more dam food 😉

Till next time