It's hard to
believe it's been almost 5 years since I started my health coach training at
the Institute for Integrative Nutrition!
I remember my
classmates and I getting a head start on the training modules by reading
through some of the diet theories. We studied over 100 of them!
Almost every
one of them boiled down to eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more
water and exercising. Of course, there are as many variables to that as there
are people.
But I think
for most of us, our favorite diet theory was the 90/10
diet.
This diet
theory was the idea of IIN founder, Joshua Rosenthal. The premise is that if
you eat healthy 90% of the time, it's ok to "be bad" the other 10%.
This was such
a relief to me because I LOVE Costco cake, and I will fight you for the corner
piece with all the frosting! And while I may feel bad for bruising you as I
push you out of my way for that piece, I don't have to feel bad for eating it.
Because 10%!
This is a
great theory to follow at birthday parties, graduation parties, anniversary
parties (OK, anywhere there's cake!). But also at Thanksgiving and
Christmastime when we're eating all the sugar and pasta and goodies, or at a
cookout in the summer with the extended family.
Or even in the
everyday, maybe lunch with our best friend or dinner with the parents, when a
dessert can be shared by all as a special treat.
Don't deprive
yourself. 90/10 is about living life and
enjoying it.
Be mindful of
your vegetable, water, and protein intake, but on those special occasions when
the "bad" food is there, eat it. Because you're with people you love,
and that's part of health too - being with ones you love.
And cake!
Read my previous post: Enough Is Enough
