the 90/10 rule

I often teach my clients the 90/10 rule: If you focus on eating healthy ninety percent of the time, the other ten percent of eating can be for other reasons, such as social engagements, comfort foods, a special treat at the corner bakery, or a sugar craving in response to hormone/stress levels.

Last week, I definitely followed my meal plan about 90 percent of the time. But the problem was that in my “plans”, I had already accounted for my ten percent of non-healthy eating! So, in addition to my planned fitness muffin and glass of wine and pizza night, I consumed about 200 Calories worth of chips, 300 Calories worth of wine, 300 Calories worth of chocolate, and 200 Calories worth of salad dressing! Now over a week, this is just fine, if my goal was to maintain weight. A little over 100 Calories per day of “discretionary Calories” fit nicely in to a nutrient dense diet! However, all of these little indulgences added up to 1000 Calories: with roughly 3,500 Calories in a pound, my “treats” hindered my weight loss goals by 1/3 of a pound this week!

One tactic that works for some people is to create a very healthy plan, and then “budget” for some discretionary Calories throughout the week. This creates a “buffer zone” for wine and chocolate and cheese cravings, as well as a little extra salad dressing, butter on an english muffin, or cream in a coffee! I will work with this plan this week Monday through Friday, and "report out" next weekend!

The following is my stricter nutrition meal plan (roughly 1600-1700 Calories per day), with a 700 Calorie buffer zone! I will be a bit more relaxed on weekend nutrition due to increased physical activity, and will update that as my food and activity plans emerge 

Monday:
Workout 1: 6 easy miles
Am coffee with soymilk
Breakfast: 1 cup plain soy milk, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 scoop amazing greens
Lunch: chicken salad on bed of greens
Workout 2: spinning class
Dinner: chicken thighs (note, substitute ½ cup butter with ¼ cup olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter), baked sweet potato, broccoli
Snack: 1 cup plain soy milk, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 scoop amazing greens


Tuesday
5:30am Workout: 12 mile steady run
Am coffee with soymilk
Breakfast: 1 cup plain soy milk, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 scoop amazing greens
Lunch: Meeting a client at Big Mamoos in Springfield
6pm weight workout 1
Dinner: Leftovers from Big Mamoos
Snack: pear with 2 ounces nuts

Wednesday:
Am coffee with milk
6am Workout: 8-10 mile track workout
Breakfast: 1 scoop whey protein, 1 cup soy milk, 1 scoop amazing greens
Lunch: Student Culinary Luncheon: sautéed veggies with 4 ounces chicken
Dinner: UMass speaking Engagement: salad with meat and vinegarrette dressing
Snack: banana with 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

Thursday:
Workout 1: 6 easy miles
Am coffee with milk
Breakfast: 1 scoop whey protein, 1 cup soy milk, 1 scoop amazing greens
Lunch: turkey sandwich on gluten free whole grain bread with lettuce and mustard, crudites
3:30pm workout: weight workout 2 and teach spinning class
Dinner: burrito with 4 ounces lean, local ground beef, tomato, onions, black beans, wrapped in brown rice tortilla
Snack: apple with 2 ounces mixed nuts

Friday:
Am coffee with milk
5:45am Workout: run 12 miles with 3 miles fast finish
Breakfast: gluten free multigrain english muffin with peanut butter and jam
Lunch: 1 scoop whey protein, 1 cup soy milk, 1 scoop amazing greens
6 pm yoga with Kathy!
Dinner: leftover burrito