Most of us have heard of the 80-20 rule or Pareto's Principle.  Of course this principle discovered by Vilfredo Pareto in 1897 was about wealth.  He found that 20 percent of the people controlled 80 percent of the wealth.  This same principle has been proven to operate in most areas of life so it applies to our health and fitness as well. 

Basically you will find that 20 percent of what you do in the areas of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle will yield 80 percent of the changes to your body.  For example, most people that are interested in weight loss will tend to focus on just one of the major players in this battle - calorie restriction (dieting) or exercise.  Of course both of these will work individually but are not very efficient for short term or long term weight management success.

Based on the Pareto Principle the 20 percent most effective activities should be our focus for long term results.  So, if weight loss and long term weight management are our goals then to combine calorie control with exercise will be the most efficient 20 percent that will lead to our desired 80 percent (ideal body weight and composition).

Starting Point - Your 20 Percent - Focus on Nutrition & Exercise

Nutrition - Start by making 80 percent of all you eat raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. The remaining 20 percent can be processed foods (meats, dairy, grains, etc.) but make sure that you make the best choices possible so as not to undo all the good of the 80 percent.

Exercise - Make 80 percent of your exercise program from exercises that are compound muscle and joint movements. These movements will be the most efficient in terms of calories burned and utilization of time especially if they are done in a circuit or in an interval training program.  The remaining 20 percent of the program can be focused on the isolation of problem areas.

By Mike Inabinett

Your Health & Fitness Coach