The 80/20 Rule of Fitness: Why You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

Ey up,

If you’re drowning in a sea of “clean eating” posts and restrictive diets this January, let me throw you a lifeline:

You can still make progress while enjoying the foods you love (as long as you're not a dick about it) 🍕🍰🍦 

Let’s talk about the 80/20 rule of fitness — the idea that 80% of your progress comes from 20% of your efforts

And no, it’s not an excuse to be lazy. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to be perfect to achieve your goals

What the 80/20 Rule Looks Like

Think of it like this:

• 80% of the time, you focus on nutrient-dense meals, structured workouts, and hitting your protein goals

• The other 20%? That’s your pizza night, your post-run milkshake, or your mum’s roast dinner on a Sunday

The beauty of the 80/20 rule is that it’s sustainable. You’re not “on” or “off” a diet. You’re just living your life while making sure the balance leans toward progress

There are no cheat meals on 80/20. They're just called meals

Over the past few weeks, I’ve eaten loads of fruit, veg, protein, and… plenty of treats 

Here’s the thing: food has always been important to me. It governs my social life, it’s part of my job, and it’s had a massive emotional impact on me

It’s made me feel amazing, empowered, and confident at times—and completely worthless and inferior at others

I’m proud to say my relationship with food is in a much better place now, but it wasn’t always like that

Here’s What Changed

One thing that massively improved my relationship with food was training

When you’re only focused on losing weight or looking a certain way, your diet is usually restrictive, and food becomes a guilty, joyless experience

But when you have performance goals—like running a marathon, smashing a powerlifting meet, or crushing a CrossFit comp—everything changes

Food becomes fuel, not something to fear

A higher calorie intake becomes a requirement, not something to feel bad about 🙌 

And suddenly, eating well isn’t about deprivation. It’s about getting stronger, faster, and better 🏃‍♂️ 

The 80/20 Rule in Action

Here’s what I mean:

• 80% of the time: I focus on nutrient-dense foods that fuel my goals—plenty of fruit, veg, protein, and carbs

• 20% of the time: I enjoy the things I love—pizza, frappés, and a pint with mates

It’s sustainable. It’s balanced. And most importantly, it works.

This approach has helped me:

✅ Hit my goals without feeling restricted
✅ Stay consistent without burnout
✅ Actually enjoy the process (and my meals)

What Has Any Of This Got To Do With You?

If you’re stuck in the all-or-nothing trap, I get it

But the truth is perfection isn’t sustainable, and it’s definitely not required to see results

Your Instagram feed is likely full of people telling you how to “eat clean” or influencers showcasing their newest 0 calorie, 0 carb, 0 taste recipe 🤮 

These people don’t even eat like this 100% of the time

Start with balance:

• Focus on fuelling your goals

• Eat the foods you love, just don’t let them take over

• Build a plan that actually fits your life

Let’s Build Your 80/20 Plan

If you want a nutrition and training plan that balances fuelling your goals and enjoying your life, that’s where I can help

Click here to start coaching with me today

Because fitness isn’t about saying no to everything. It’s about finding what works for you and staying consistent.

Cheers,
Sheep 🐏

P.S. Food isn’t the enemy. When you focus on fuelling performance, not just cutting calories, your relationship with food gets better, and your results speak for themselves. Let’s chat about how we can make that happen for you