The Real Aligned Life

   With all the buzz around keto, vegan, paleo, and animal-based diets, not much has been talked about the 80/20 principle. It's a diet unlike other diets, because it encourages balance over restriction. The 80/20 really isn't a diet at all, but a lifestyle, in which one eats balanced meals centered around whole foods 80% of the time and the remaining 20% of less nutrient rich foods. Nutritionist Kerry Torrans says, "There is no list of specified foods, it can be adapted to fit within your own preferences." This means you can still eat all the food you love but leave the less healthy foods for a treat. The question is: is this sustainable in the long term, and is it actually beneficial for your health?    Because you still get to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, and not just one night of the week like diets centered around restricting than having one cheat meal a week, users have noted that they have an easier time sticking with the 80/20 than other plans. ...

   You may have heard people say: "Diet has the word 'die' in it for a reason." Clearly, there's not a negative connotation to the word diet without a reason. The word makes you think of having to restrict things you love and enjoy just to try and fit this perfect image created in your mind. You don't create this image on your own. You see it on all the celebrity, models, and influencers accounts. This pressure to live up to those expectations, and the fear of not and being criticized and shamed by others, is impacting many.     Originally the word diet simply meant "the foods one consumes." Now, it's shifted to a focus on regimen and restriction. Counting calories, fat, and protein, with little focus on vitamins and minerals, and whether or not those vitamins and minerals can actually be absorbed properly by the body. Diet also doesn't take into consideration things like stress, amount of sleep, sleep quality, as well as shifting...

     I know you might be thinking, "Oh no... not another one of these fluff talks encouraging me to set these  unrealistic expectations for myself, that I'll never carry through or accomplish..." I get it, we've all  screwed up whether it be New Years resolutions or just trying to stick to our workout and diet plans. But  we're not here to talk about the fluff, we are here talk about realistic ways to keep ourselves accountable,  and the reason behind why it works. Let's jump in.     First, we have to ask, what do goals even do? The honest answer is nothing. Nothing unless we write  them down and carry them out in our day-to-day life. Sure, anyone can think, "I really want to start  working out and going to the gym so I can be strong." That is a wonderful goal, but, if you don't actually  make time during your week to go and workout it doesn't benefit you. It stays empty, void in the back of  your mind.     So, w...