80/20 Rule In Action

There is no better time to break up with the On-again off-again relationship with exercise and health. No one fell off the wagon when they decided to eat the extra chocolates, cookies, or ice cream during the week. Yes, you could say you got back on the cart when you decided to get strict and set new standards for yourself. However, the black and white all or nothing approach is not doing you any favors. The stress it adds could be weighing you down the next time you step onto the scale.
 
It may be time to scale back your expectations and set a new standard using the 80/20 rule. Where can you focus your efforts to get the most significant return on your investment? Are you a sweet person who enjoys indulging in the mid-week treat? The next time you go for the treat, could you exchange it for an equivalent indulgence but of a different nature? If you eat chocolate, instead of eating 6 pieces, could you eat three pieces but hold them to the roof of your mouth for 6 seconds? Some studies prove that by keeping the chocolate to the roof of your mouth for 6 seconds, the brain registers the chocolate, and this satisfies more neurotransmitters and receptors than just gobbling the chocolate as if you were eating them as an entrée for dinner. Your mind loves chocolate, and other indulgences, too, don’t put the cart before the horse. If you are prone to overeating sweets, fine, but don’t over-respond in the other direction.