The clock struck midnight one month ago and you raised your glass up for a new year, hopefully one full of happiness, success, checked to-do lists and fulfilled goals. For most of us, weight loss is the most important new year resolution. In fact, weight loss was the number one goal chosen as a 2018 resolution with 21.4 percent of participants determined to fight those stubborn excess pounds of fat. Unfortunately, about 40 percent of resolutioners don’t follow through with the goals past the first month of the year. So here we are at that magic one month mark! If you have found your weight loss efforts stalling or if you need extra fuel to keep your weight loss efforts moving in the right direction, the below diet trends can be just what you need.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Healthy foods seem to go in and out of the spot light as time goes by. Indeed, some of the foods that have previously been popular with health-conscious eaters and those looking for quick weight loss, are now replaced by newer or better alternatives.
• Greens:
Kale, for example, had dropped in popularity last year, but it is now making a come back on tables to add a healthy, albeit bitter, taste to 2018 nutritous meals.
• Flour:
The previously popular flour is receding on the shelves in favour of new healthy flours such as the gluten free and grain free high fibre cassava flour.
• Milk:
Also losing its lustre is soy milk, giving room to nut milk. Oat milk is also going strong this year.
• Oil:
Additionally, the very well liked and very healthy avocado is rooting itself deeper into our diet, this time in oil form; avocado oil is making an appearance this year and it is looking very promising.
• Probiotics:
Previously consumed in tablet form or through yogurt, probiotics are now making an appearance in new foods. Fermented foods have long been known to be an excellent source for the gut-friendly bacteria, but it is this year that said fermented foods are making an appearance on health-conscious tables. Kimchi, a cabbage-based Korean dish is one of these foods, as is kombucha floats, a fermented tea and Sauerkraut, a pickle.
• Drinks:
While green juices and smoothies are here to stay, they are joined by another health packed drinkable companion this year: soup. Healthy soup recipes packed full of vegetables are going to be a big part of 2018 and can help you get those vegetables in when you don’t feel like eating salad or sipping on green juice.
Intermittent Fasting
This healthy eating style has been present for quite some time and it has been slowly but surely gaining in popularity for its effectiveness in both weight loss and health promotion. Intermittent fasting is a broad term that includes time-restricted feeding, alternate day fasting and whole day fasting.
A study that investigated the effects of 8 weeks of time restricted feeding divided the patricians into 2 groups. Both consumed the same amount of calories, but one group consumed it in an 8 hour window and fasted for the rest of the day. The results of the 8 weeks period showed a decrease in the fasting group’s fat mass.
Another study instigated the effects of alternate day fasting for 3 to 12 weeks and found that participants showed a 3 to 7 percent reduction in body weight and 3 to 5.5 kilograms of fat loss. Total cholesterol dropped by 10 to 21 percent and triglycerides dropped by 14 to 42 percent. The same study showed that whole day fasting led to 3 to 9 percent reduction in body weight, 5 to 20 percent reduction in total cholesterol and 17 to 50 percent reduction in triglycerides.
The most popular type of intermittent fasting is time restricted feeding, which allows an 8 hour window for food consumptions and calls for 16 fasted hours. The 8 hours can be anywhere in the day, as suits every individual’s lifestyle, but most people find it easier to eat from 12 pm to 8 pm. That way, you get to have a late breakfast and eat regularly otherwise, while reaping the benefits of intermittent fasting.
An important factor to keep in mind if you choose to follow that hot trend is timing your work outs and meals. Ideally, you will want to have your biggest and most calorie and dense carb meal after your work out session, not before. You will also want to eat a small meal two hours before your work out session. That way, you will be able to optimize your energy levels and maximize your work out results.
Plant-based Diet
Vegan diets have been on the rise in recent years. Our Instagram feeds have been packed full of acts bowls and buddha bowls boasting of brightly coloured, insanely diverse plant goodness, which made eating vegan look both aesthetically pleasing and easy. The plant-based diet is both similar to a vegan diet and different.
While vegans abstain from any animal products, both in food and in other areas of their life, they can eat sugar, refined flours and refined foods as long as they don’t contain animal products. The plant-based diet, on the other hand, calls only for wholesome foods that are made of plants. This means that sugar is out, white flour is out and anything processed, such as vegan potato chips, is also out of the question.
Going plant-based entails eating only plants. Fruits, vegetables, root vegetables, corn, legumes are all part of the plant-based diet. As for grains, rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, barely, quinoa and millets are also on the plant-based table. A happy surprise for most dieters is that bread is also allowed on a plant-based diet on the conditions of being whole grain and not containing oils or sugars. You simply need to eat plants and eat them in their whole, unprocessed form.
Flexitarian Diet
If going full-on plant-based seems like a big leap to you, you are not alone. Many people consider the lifestyle change due to its health benefits but are reluctant to take on such a big commitment that would involve changing their eating habits drastically. That’s why the ‘Flexitarian Diet’ has made an appearance in 2018. This diet is simple enough: you follow a plant-based diet, but you also include the occasional meat product.
The Flexitarian Diet enables you to try out the plant-based diet and see how it works for you. Even if you don’t progress to a full plant-based diet, you will still be reaping the benefits of a diet made up mainly of wholesome plants and partially of healthy meat.
Conclusion
The year 2018 is full of promise and potential. With over 300+ days ahead, the sky is the limit and you can do anything you want. Try out the weight loss trends you like for yourself and see how they work for you. If you feel like you need the extra push, weight loss supplements such as Isagenix products can help. Most importantly, stay motivated and do whatever it takes to keep that new year motivation going and to stay on track with your weight loss efforts.
Author Bio:
Kathy Mitchell is a Travel & Beauty Blogger. She likes to go out with her friends, travel, swim and practice yoga. In her free time, you can find Kathy curled up reading her favourite novel, or writing in her journal. To know more about her follow her on Google+, Facebook and Twitter.
Will you be trying any of these weight loss trends this year?
FT&PD
Suz
Intermittent fasting has worked wonders for me!💖
I guess I’m one of those people who start to loose interest in dieting by Feb., but I have been trying to have or to make soup more often. Like you said it is one way of getting vegetables into me. So, I’ll just keep trying.
thanks for sharing great ideas to keep weight loss goals.
I am so not up on the diet fads. The fasting strategy is interesting though. I like the 8-hour window idea.
I like to make my goals one week at a time,sometimes thinking about the long haul can be discouraging,but once you start feeling better the future will be looking brighter each day !
Working on weekly goals I have lose almost 40 lbs since St’Patricks day
I have not tried any diet trends I try to eat healthy I would like to get in more exercise I might try out the fasting
Intermittent fasting sounds interesting!
There are so many great diets to choose from