The 80/20 rule is called the Pareto Rule:

This rule means to make the best lifestyle choices 80% of the time and you can cheat the other 20%. This rule can be used for work, diet, exercising and basically any part of your life.  Here is some healthy advice....

Tips for living a healthy lifestyle:

1. Exercise: 

There are many excuses for not exercising. Long hours at work, kids, traveling, fatigue. Working out is a commitment and getting into a routine is key but sometimes our lives are not routine. Then what do we do? We make it a priority. We all know we should exercise but it is making it priority that will get you there with no excuses.

Wake up 20 minutes early when traveling or working long work hours. 20 minutes can be fit into any day and you will gain more energy to work and spend time with the family. You don't have to work out everyday. It would be a great plan but one that would be hard to keep, so work out 3-4 days a week for at least 20 minutes. You will feel stronger and more productive. 

2. Work: 

People are working longer hours these days. It is not uncommon for people to work 12-14 hours per day. This means you need to take a break once in a while. Working 80% of the time but make sure there are time for breaks to stretch, drink water, take a few deep breaths. This can keep you from common repetitive stress injuries that are out there today like Carpal Tunnel, Sciatica, Text neck, restless leg syndrome or a plethora of other injuries caused by a sedentary lifestyle. 

80/20 rule is pretty easy to remember but motivation is key. It may help to have a post-it on the fridge, car dash, mirror or in a place you can see it everyday until it becomes a habit. Once it is a habit, you are good to go. Now it is a lifestyle change for the better! Remember that 20% is so you don't have the pressure of being perfect. You can cheat once in a while and get that ice cream cone on a hot day or eat some chips and salsa. You can also take a day here or there and not workout to give your muscles a break. That is okay, we all need to indulge once in a while. 

It is all about moderation. I get asked all of the time how to lose weight and keep it off. Well, using this rule will help get you into shape and keep you there.

3. Eating habits: 

There are parties, vacations, meetings with food provided. Choose the best choices for eating and just because there is food there does not mean that you have to eat it. If it is sandwiches with chips and sodas, probably not the best choice. Look for salads, water and lean proteins. This will keep you on track. A healthy diet should contain the following: 

• Sufficient amounts of proteins (meat, fish, and eggs)
• Fruits and Vegetables (these contain great vitamins and produce fiber fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds)
• Stay away from starches, breads, pastas, rice and processed sugar
• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day (or shoot for 3 liters per day).
  
  Good luck, I know you can do it!
  
  Dr. Amie Gregory, DC, CCEP our Holistic Chiropractic Practitioner at Precise Moves Chiropractic not only helps with sports injuries, prenatal care, car accident recovery but helps with health and lifestyle changes as well.  We are located in the mission district in San Francisco and have online booking for your convenience.
  
  Schedule an appointment today!