The 80% Full Rule for Fat Loss: How Eating Less Can Help You Lose Weight

What if I told you that you don’t have to get rid of your most preferred meals, take up a restrictive diet or count your calories like your life depends on it all in an attempt to shed fat?

What if by simply changing how you go about eating, you would be able to effectively manage your daily portion control for fat loss?

This is where the “hara hachi bu” or the 80% full rule for fat loss eating practice makes a grand entrance.

This idea originated from Japan where the people of Okinawa have since maintained an age-old tradition of eating to their satisfaction rather than eating until they are stuffed or completely full.

While admittedly the 80% full rule for fat loss is not a David Copperfield weight-loss magic trick, the hara hachi bu has long been recognised by nutritionists and dieticians as a healthier approach to how to lose weight without dieting.

In this post, we highlight how the hara hachi bu works as well as when to apply this mindful eating for weight loss concept.

The 80% Full Rule for Fat Loss – What Is this Concept Exactly?

The 80% full rule for fat loss is a simple concept built on the principle of mindful eating for weight loss. To apply this rule, you simply need to stop eating the moment you are reasonably satisfied, albeit you could still consume a bit more food if you wanted to. By showing restraint and not continually eating because you still have food on your plate, you develop a discipline that would serve you well on your fat loss management journey.

Now, do not be put off by the “80%” figure in this concept, in reality there is no exact measurement for how much food you should eat before you are comfortably satisfied or 80% full as it were.

The “80%” figure is just meant to serve as a pointer to the fact that you do only need to consume a portion of food and not the whole plate.

It’s all about being mindful of how much you eat and by eating in moderation, you draw a bit closer to achieving your fat loss or cutting goals.

How Reliable Is Mindful Eating for Weight Loss?

The hara hachi bu stops you from overeating which is the main principle in any calorie deficit for fat loss goal.

The trick is to consume a little less calories than is needed by your entire body over a period of time. But note that the amount of your calorie intake would be dependent on the type of food you eat, the portions of food you normally consume, your eating habits, and even your level of daily activity.

Note that with the 80% full rule for fat loss the idea is to develop a sustainable eating pattern aimed at helping to take you a step closer to achieving your fat loss goal.

It must be stated at this point that there are three main reasons why the hara hachi but may be just what you need for your cutting phase.

#1. The 80% Full Rule for Fat Loss Helps to Keep You Self-aware of Your Own Fullness

It is not unusual for people to gobble up their food as quickly as they can, especially when they are distracted, busy or in a hurry to get somewhere important. However, when you rush your food, it may take a longer time for you to feel full, but in the process you end up consuming your entire plate. But when you take your time to eat, you will be better placed to know when you have just about eaten enough.

#2. It Improves Your Portion Control for Fat Loss Management Skill

The size of the portion of food you decide to consume can greatly influence your calorie intake. This is especially true when your daily meal routine involves being served large portions of food.

But by applying the 80% full rule for fat loss concept, you are better able to manage the portion of food on your plate by eating what you require and what you are comfortably satisfied with rather than consuming every part of the food available to you.

Alternatively, you can consume a small portion of food and have a second helping if you are not comfortably satisfied. Remember that the goal is not to consume a small portion of food for the sake of it, but rather to eat until you reach reasonable satiety.

#3. The 80% Full Rule for Fat Loss May Help You Adopt Sustainable Eating Habits

There are diets that are so strict or restrictive in nature that it may be extremely hard for anyone to sustain over a considerable length of time. However, the 80% full rule for fat loss idea does not place any restriction to the types of food you may like to eat. Instead this approach allows you to eat what you want, but only within reason.

It is this flexibility that makes the 80% full rule for fat loss a preferred approach to dieting. However, it is worth noting that mindful eating will not necessarily prevent you from overeating. If you are one that finds it difficult to control your eating habits, then maybe calorie tracking or having a structured diet plan will be more beneficial to you.

Applying the 80% Full Rule for Fat Loss Is Easy

The good news is that with the 80% full rule for fat loss approach, you don’t have to completely alter your current dietary plan. You only need to make minor adjustments for major benefits.

Take Your Time When Eating

The first thing you need to do is to eat in a deliberately slow way, not just because you get to savour your food better, but it gives you a chance to access your satiety with each bite. Do not rush your meals, as this is a sure-fire way to overeat.

Shut Out Any Distractions While You Eat

Drop your smartphone and avoid watching a programme on television while you eat. When you are distracted during a meal, it becomes much more difficult for you to know when you are comfortably satisfied.

Try to Consume Meals with a Balanced Diet

While the 80% full rule means you should be mindful not to consume every bit of food on your plate, it is also important to note that whatever you consume needs to be highly nutritious.

This means that you need to have meals that offer you macro and micronutrients needed for low, moderate, and high intensity activities. Fibre-rich and high protein foods are often more filling, but the trick is to have a balanced meal.

Take a Brief Moment Before a Second Helping

It wouldn’t hurt you to pause for a brief moment before asking for a second serving. If you discover during this brief pause that you are actually satisfied, then you can ignore a second serving, but if you still feel hungry, then by all means treat yourself to a second portion.

Final Thoughts

Now the 80% full rule for fat loss should not be looked at as some sort of shortcut to achieving a leaner, slimmer physique. The hara hachi bu is a concept that offers you a pragmatic way to properly manage your level of hunger and eating portions while at the same time reducing any excessive intake of extra calories.

You should start off by eating your meals in a slow, controlled manner rather than rushing your food. You then eat until you are reasonably satisfied with what you have eaten instead of continuing eating until you are full.

One of the sustainable fat loss tips you can take to heart, is to note that your satiety is individualistic in nature and should not be compared to anyone else’s. Also, not all meals may offer the same level of satisfaction and you may consume more of one type of meal in order to be comfortably satisfied than another.

Finally, you should never be wary of food to the point where you decide to starve yourself in the process of not wanting to eat more than you require. Your focus should be on developing the habit of providing your body with the right amount of nourishment it needs while at the same time regulating your calorie intake.