Everything in moderation. That’s Jenna Dewan’s philosophy when it comes to food.
“I try to eat healthy, make good choices and do my green smoothies 80% of the time,” Dewan, 39, revealed in an interview with People. “And then I give myself 20% of the time to splurge and eat what I want to eat and have my nachos and French fries and enjoy a little bit, have a glass of wine.”
With the 80/20 diet, no food is off-limits, but that doesn’t mean you can eat as many calories as you want, according Kristin Kirkpatrick, a dietician at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Look at your 20% like a cheat snack,” Kirkpatrick told TODAY Health. “I have some patients that will have a glass of wine at dinner. It’s a piece of cheese or a few pieces of chocolate. It’s not an entire pizza.”
Though Dewan and actress Olivia Munn have had success with 80/20, Kirkpatrick warns that the approach isn’t right for everyone.
“The whole concept of a healthy diet is altering your taste buds and and altering what you crave,” she explained. “So if you’re a sugar addict, and you’re 20% sugar, you’ll always be a sugar addict.”
But there's no disputing the benefits of exercise.
Dewan opened up about her fitness routine while caring for two young children during the COVID-19 epidemic. (The “Step Up” actress shares 5-month-old son, Callum, with her fiancé Steve Kazee and 7-year-old daughter, Everly, with ex-husband Channing Tatum.)
“I had to remember that I needed to look after myself too,” Dewan said. “I’ve been trying to find time for centering and balance with meditation. That’s been hugely important after having a baby.”
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Dewan added that dancing, Pilates, strength training and hiking help her to “feel powerful” and grounded.
“It’s really about getting my body moving and feeling the strength come back,” Dewan shared. “When I am a little too sedentary and not moving my body as much, I definitely notice that it affects my mind, it affects my willpower, my emotional state.”